0:00:03 > 0:00:04BIRDS CHIRP AND BEES BUZZ
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19I often think that the gardening year is a bit like a journey
0:00:19 > 0:00:24up a mountain, and in spring, you're taking on the lower slopes
0:00:24 > 0:00:27and you're busy and you're preparing and you're making progress.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31But now, with tomorrow being the summer solstice
0:00:31 > 0:00:33and the longest day, this is the summit.
0:00:33 > 0:00:38This is what we do all our gardening for, so it's important not just
0:00:38 > 0:00:42to be endlessly busy, doing jobs, trying to master the garden,
0:00:42 > 0:00:49but for once, just stop, take it in and enjoy it.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54BIRDS CHIRP AND BEES BUZZ
0:00:57 > 0:01:00For many people at this time of year, verdant lawns don't
0:01:00 > 0:01:04just conjure up a relaxing midsummer garden, but also lawn tennis.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Joe's been to Wimbledon to meet the team who take
0:01:07 > 0:01:09care of their precious grass.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Every single day, every single court,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14the guys will be walking over every square inch just to make sure
0:01:14 > 0:01:18that everything's pristine and perfect for day one.
0:01:18 > 0:01:19Carol is in Cornwall,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22meeting a couple who grow a large collection of honeysuckles
0:01:22 > 0:01:27from all over the world, including our own beautifully fragrant
0:01:27 > 0:01:28native varieties.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31It really is the scent.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34It's so evocative of a summer's evening.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37And as well as sitting back and relishing my garden,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40I will be doing a few jobs, including taking some
0:01:40 > 0:01:43softwood cuttings to make new plants for free.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04This piece of the garden has, for the last 20 years or so,
0:02:04 > 0:02:08been the spring garden, and now we're in summer,
0:02:08 > 0:02:12it's completely done its stuff. It's spent.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16But I've taken the hedge out that lined right across its length.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19It's like taking the wall off a room. So now it can't be ignored.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21You've got to see it.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24As well as being a spring garden, I want this to become a summer
0:02:24 > 0:02:29garden, sharing the same shady woodland conditions.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50It's amazing to think that just a few months ago,
0:02:50 > 0:02:56this was spangled with jewel-like flowers, crocuses and tulips
0:02:56 > 0:03:00and hellebores, and it felt precious.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04Now, it looks as though it's been trashed. That isn't the case.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Everything is fine.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08What I am trying to do is create space
0:03:08 > 0:03:12and see where there are gaps where I can plant for summer.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19I'm going to start with a shrub.
0:03:20 > 0:03:25This is hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens discolor Sterilis,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28and it will cope with dappled shade,
0:03:28 > 0:03:34and if I let it grow, there will be a mass of small flowers.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38If I prune it harder, we'll get fewer but bigger flowers,
0:03:38 > 0:03:42and depending on how it looks, I can make that decision later.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45One of the features of this bit of the garden is that it's
0:03:45 > 0:03:47full of rubbish.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Presumably, over the centuries, it's fairly near the house,
0:03:50 > 0:03:54people have just chucked the rubbish out and it's accumulated.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58When you plant anything, you often dig up bits of pottery and all
0:03:58 > 0:04:02the broken bits and pieces that were just hurled out the back door.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08And there's a piece of pot, glazed on one side and not on the other.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13It's probably a mixing bowl from the kitchen with a glazed interior.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19Hydrangeas like free-draining soil, but if your soil is very heavy or
0:04:19 > 0:04:24very light, a leaf mould is ideal or a bit of garden compost added to it.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32What I'm going to do is, before I firm it in, I'm going
0:04:32 > 0:04:34to give it a really good soak,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36and because the soil will be a bit loose,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39it will absorb it better, and when the water's drained down,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42I'll come back and firm the soil around it.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51While that's absorbing, let's go on to the next layer.
0:04:55 > 0:05:02I'm adding an anemone. This is Anemone huphensis, Hadspen variety.
0:05:02 > 0:05:03It comes from China,
0:05:03 > 0:05:07and it will flower with pink flowers later in summer,
0:05:07 > 0:05:12August, September, even on into October, and it's a tough plant.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17Will be quite happy in this dappled shade, and I would say that
0:05:17 > 0:05:19when you're planting an area like this,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22it's probably better to find a plant you really like
0:05:22 > 0:05:27and buy half a dozen of it and spread it through the area, rather
0:05:27 > 0:05:31than just dotting ones and twos of ten different types of plant.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35I want it to work its way down along the path.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Over the years,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47it's quite common for Gardeners' World to have been rested
0:05:47 > 0:05:52whilst Wimbledon has been on, but we're now sharing the same space,
0:05:52 > 0:05:53and so you can enjoy both events,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56so we thought it appropriate that Joe should go along
0:05:56 > 0:05:59and see not just how they prepare the famous courts,
0:05:59 > 0:06:05but also, the huge amount of floral display that accompanies the tennis.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20It was a year ago on this very court that history was made,
0:06:20 > 0:06:24when Andy Murray finally lifted the Men's Wimbledon trophy
0:06:24 > 0:06:26and Britain gained another sporting hero.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30In the UK alone, 17 million viewers tuned into that match,
0:06:30 > 0:06:32and very shortly,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35the eyes of the world will once again descend on these famous grounds.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38But it's not just the tennis players who'll be feeling the pressure,
0:06:38 > 0:06:43the gardening team have to time the floral displays to perfection.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48The All England Lawn Tennis Club is keen to promote the idea
0:06:48 > 0:06:52that the Wimbledon Tournament is like tennis in an English garden.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55The man whose job is to turn that idea into reality
0:06:55 > 0:06:58is Head Gardener, Martyn Falconer.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03Hi, Martin. Nice to meet you. Nice to see a hands-on Head Gardener.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06- Yeah, I like to get my hands dirty now and then.- Yeah, I can see!
0:07:06 > 0:07:10But your role is different from most Head Gardener's jobs, really,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13cos it's all about the exhibit, isn't it?
0:07:13 > 0:07:15- It's about trying to get it ready for the day.- Yeah, that's right.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18We aim for them two weeks of the year
0:07:18 > 0:07:22when the tournament starts, so we're geared up to be ready for that day.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24- So the pressure's really on then. - Pressure's on.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26But you know, we have to do that,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29with bringing in lots of colour, trees, containers,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32thousands of perennials and bedding plants that come in,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35just to give a big impact on the site for the public coming in
0:07:35 > 0:07:38to not just see the tennis, but they also come to see the flowering.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41And there's a strong colour theme here. You're wearing it, aren't you?
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Purple and green. Green's easy enough.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Green's easy, it's the purple, but you know, with salvias,
0:07:47 > 0:07:50always looking for something that little bit
0:07:50 > 0:07:54different and we learn from things that do and don't work.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57And you've got a whole team of gardeners that work with you.
0:07:57 > 0:07:58Yep, I've got a crew of eight other guys.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01They work hard and keep this place looking good.
0:08:01 > 0:08:02So you've got lots to do.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Plenty to do, Joe, so if you want to give us a hand, come on.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08I'll give you a hand, but as long as I can have a go on Centre Court.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- I don't think that will be allowed. - Just a little rally.- Mmm...- Come on!
0:08:11 > 0:08:12Little knock-up.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24This is such an iconic image for me of the horticulture of Wimbledon,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28this amazing Virginia creeper, Boston ivy. What do you call it?
0:08:28 > 0:08:29We call it 'partho'.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32We shortened down the Latin name to 'partho' between the lads.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34'Partho' as in Parthenocissus? Exactly, yeah.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38I bet in the Autumn, it most go mad colour, must be absolutely stunning.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42Stunning bronzes, reds and it's just amazing, it's really good,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44and then there's clearing the leaves afterwards.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47- I love the red tinges in there already.- Yeah. Beautiful, isn't it?
0:08:47 > 0:08:49So what are your top tips for growing this?
0:08:49 > 0:08:52If you want to keep it contained just keep trimming it,
0:08:52 > 0:08:54and once it's established, plenty of water and it's away.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57We're at ground level, but I see around the corner there,
0:08:57 > 0:08:59he's got the cherry picker out to get around the windows.
0:08:59 > 0:09:00Exactly. The only way.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03It's an unbelievable amount of work, really,
0:09:03 > 0:09:04when you think about it, isn't it?
0:09:04 > 0:09:08But the Virginia creeper isn't the most famous horticultural feature
0:09:08 > 0:09:11at Wimbledon. The grass courts always take centre stage.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20Martyn, one thing you're not responsible for are these
0:09:20 > 0:09:24- fantastic courts. Neil, nice to meet you.- How are you doing?- Yeah.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28This is your domain, inside these courts. They are absolute perfection.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Thank you very much.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32I bet you get asked all the time, how do you keep them looking so good?
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Having a dedicated team.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37I have a team of 16 that spend their whole life
0:09:37 > 0:09:40almost on all of our courts, and every single day,
0:09:40 > 0:09:41every single court,
0:09:41 > 0:09:45the guys will be walking over every square inch just to make sure that
0:09:45 > 0:09:48everything's as pristine and perfect as it possibly can for day one.
0:09:48 > 0:09:49And do you lay them every year?
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Yes, pretty much after the Championships,
0:09:51 > 0:09:55we shave the surface off, go back to the soil, we re-level it, re-seed...
0:09:55 > 0:09:58And for the gardeners at home, what grass seed do you use?
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Is it something that people could grow at home?
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Yes. I mean, the variety we use, we're 100% rye-grass now,
0:10:03 > 0:10:07it's just we select different cultivars that are good for tennis.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10For us, it's all about wear tolerance
0:10:10 > 0:10:13and drought tolerance grasses, but, yes, the rye-grasses
0:10:13 > 0:10:17that we use is something that you can use in everyday gardens.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21My advice would always be plenty of moisture, plenty of feed.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24- If it's growing, cut it. - And use a sharp mower as well.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Make sure the blade is nice and sharp.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30It just means when you cut the grass, it's not tearing it,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32it's actually cutting it, so the grass then heals quicker.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35It just means you'll get stronger plant.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37You make it sound so simple.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42Martin, do you ever get involved in the grass itself?
0:10:42 > 0:10:45No, the only thing I do with grass is weed it, take it out.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50When half a million tennis fans pour through the gates
0:10:50 > 0:10:52during the two weeks of the championships,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Martin and his team will blend into the background.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58But they'll always be on hand to make sure their floral displays
0:10:58 > 0:11:00are nothing but perfect.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05So, what about this year? Andy Murray, he's going to do it again?
0:11:05 > 0:11:07Hopefully, he will do the double.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09If he does the double, you've got to take some credit for it.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Your floral displays would have inspired him.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Might help, you never know. Might chill him out a bit.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17BBC WIMBLEDON THEME SONG
0:11:34 > 0:11:36Well, I hope that Andy Murray is suitably inspired
0:11:36 > 0:11:39by the flowers in his game on Monday.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42But Nigel and I have discussed this, and we think that
0:11:42 > 0:11:46Wimbledon would be much more fun if they used squeaky tennis balls.
0:11:46 > 0:11:47BALL SQUEAKS
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Don't you, Nige?
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Good boy.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58The herb garden is now growing with real lushness.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02And this makes it not only a delicious time to eat them,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05but a really good time to take cuttings.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Now, these are softwood cuttings.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09And the difference between a softwood cutting and, say,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12a semi-ripe cutting, let alone a hardwood one,
0:12:12 > 0:12:14is that it's entirely made out of new growth.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17So, you can see here on this rosemary,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20this growth here has happened in the last few months,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22and I can bend it without breaking it.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26And the advantage of softwood cuttings is that they take
0:12:26 > 0:12:28really quickly and easily.
0:12:28 > 0:12:29BALL SQUEAKS
0:12:29 > 0:12:33Before you take any cuttings, you need to have a polythene bag
0:12:33 > 0:12:37something sharp to cut with, and, ideally, do it early in the morning.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Six o'clock is perfect because the plant is full of liquid,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43and it just gives you a bit more time to take
0:12:43 > 0:12:46the cuttings before they start to dry out.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49And it's the drying out that will kill them. So, we're taking...
0:12:51 > 0:12:53..just this year's growth there.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57Like that. And, immediately put it in the bag.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01And that will have lots of vigour to put out roots.
0:13:01 > 0:13:06And if you come over to a plant like this lavender,
0:13:06 > 0:13:08it's all herby, but you can do this
0:13:08 > 0:13:10on any shrub or perennial plant,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12you can see that is a mass of new growth,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14and that's perfect cutting material.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17So...
0:13:21 > 0:13:25OK. Having taken the cutting, you now have to act fast.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36I've prepared everything so I can be quick about this.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40The minute you cut your softwood cutting, it's wilting.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42And if it wilts too much, it'll die.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44The first thing we need is good drainage,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48so I've got extra vermiculite to go in what is a seed mix,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51cos we don't need much nutrition at all.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53And we have a cutting like that,
0:13:53 > 0:13:56and strip off most of the lower leaves.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58And the reason why we pull the leaves off is
0:13:58 > 0:14:02because it'll lose less moisture, and also,
0:14:02 > 0:14:06when the roots do grow, there will be less demands upon them.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11These are the leaf nodes, and I'm going to cut that back below a node.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16And, then, using a pencil,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19I'll pop that in like that, and there we go.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23The great secret of cuttings is that they're not difficult.
0:14:23 > 0:14:25So, give them a go.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33It will need some kind of protection to keep the moisture in.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38Pop a couple of supports in like that,
0:14:38 > 0:14:42and put a polythene bag over the top.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Check it every few days, and then just take the top off,
0:14:45 > 0:14:49shake it out, any excess water, let air in, and put it back,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52cos, sometimes, with some plants, they can rot.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Now, this works very well, if you want to leave it,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01but if you are at home, and you're around, and you've got
0:15:01 > 0:15:03a little mister,
0:15:03 > 0:15:07just misting it two or three times a day will do the trick.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10I've got a mist propagator, so I'll put this,
0:15:10 > 0:15:14and I'll put all my soft cuttings onto the bench where the mist
0:15:14 > 0:15:16will keep it nice and moist.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Now, I've got some cuttings that I took earlier this spring.
0:15:30 > 0:15:31This is euphorbia.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34You can see, there's nice new growth on that
0:15:34 > 0:15:38but a tip is before you tip it out, give it a little tug,
0:15:38 > 0:15:44gentle, and I can feel a bit of give in that. And that one.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48Which means that it hasn't developed sufficient roots
0:15:48 > 0:15:51to get in the soil. So, leave that.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55But this, which says "Unnamed Fuchsia", pull that,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58there's a lot of resistance. So, if I tip these out...
0:16:00 > 0:16:04..we should see plenty of roots. Yes. So they're ready to pot on.
0:16:04 > 0:16:05In fact, if I break that open...
0:16:07 > 0:16:10..I've got a nice new plant,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13lots of roots,
0:16:13 > 0:16:14and if I plant that out,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17that'll make a little flowering plant by the end of summer.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21Now, you may not be taking any cuttings this weekend,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24but here are some other jobs that you can be getting on with.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28At this time of year, you may notice a mass of small fruits
0:16:28 > 0:16:31lying on the ground beneath your apple or pear trees.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Now, don't worry, this is just nature's way of reducing
0:16:34 > 0:16:35the burden of ripening too many fruits
0:16:35 > 0:16:38and is known as 'the June drop.'
0:16:38 > 0:16:41It's also a signal to prune the fruit further.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Remove all but two fruits from each spur.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50This way, you'll get two well-ripened, healthy fruits
0:16:50 > 0:16:52instead of four or five small ones.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56Midsummer is a good time to sow biennials,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00these are plants such as foxglove or wallflowers that develop
0:17:00 > 0:17:02their roots and top growth in the first year
0:17:02 > 0:17:05and then are ready to flower the following spring and summer.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09You can so these directly outside, or, as I do,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11in a pot or seed tray under cover.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Scatter the seeds thinly over damp compost,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17sprinkle some more dry compost over the top,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20and place somewhere cool to germinate.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26Gooseberries, red currants and white currants are all particularly
0:17:26 > 0:17:30susceptible to attack by sawfly at this time of year.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32The adult lays its eggs at the base of the bush,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36and when the larvae hatch, they start eating their way up the plant.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39If you're not careful, they can completely defoliate it
0:17:39 > 0:17:41before you really realise anything's wrong.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45Prune away all the new growth from the centre of the bush,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47leaving an open goblet shape.
0:17:47 > 0:17:48This will improve ventilation,
0:17:48 > 0:17:52and also means you can see any damage before it gets too bad.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26When you're clearing a pond of duckweed or any debris,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28tip it by the side of the water
0:18:28 > 0:18:31and leave it for a couple of days and that gives a chance
0:18:31 > 0:18:35to all the creepy crawlies to go back into the water.
0:18:35 > 0:18:36The pond is looking good.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39But one of the things that has changed this year
0:18:39 > 0:18:42quite dramatically is the size of the hostas.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45They're enormous, and that, of course,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48is because of the wet winter and spring we've had.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Saturated ground, and they've just grown,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54and it just shows you the conditions that hostas really like.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58They're bog plants, so if you grow them in a pot,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01they're likely to be struggling from the outset.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05And that's when they get hit by slugs and snails.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Slugs and snails will always go for plants
0:19:08 > 0:19:10that are stressed in some way.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12And I've had lots of letters about them
0:19:12 > 0:19:15so, for example, I have a letter here.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18"Dear Monty, apart from being a softy and not wanting to kill
0:19:18 > 0:19:20"the little blighters, I also have pets
0:19:20 > 0:19:22"and a very little, inquisitive grandson,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24"so I'm loath to put-down slug pellets.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26"Can you recommend a deterrent?"
0:19:26 > 0:19:33I think nothing will do more to cope with slugs and snails
0:19:33 > 0:19:36than a really healthy ecosystem in your garden.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40So, if you CAN make a pond, that does a huge amount of good.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42It attracts frogs and toads.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44Lots of hedges, shrubs and trees.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47That attracts blackbirds and thrushes.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50All these things eat slugs and snails.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55And healthy plants growing strongly tend not to be attacked.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58They like damaged plants or young ones.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01Now, the young ones are where you DO want to focus
0:20:01 > 0:20:03a bit of special attention.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15This is the area where we put plants that have come from
0:20:15 > 0:20:19the greenhouse, are growing on under some protection in the cold frames,
0:20:19 > 0:20:21and then are hardening out on that side.
0:20:21 > 0:20:27And we try to keep this area as a slug and snail free zone.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29And it's got hard surfaces.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32We use gravel, which is dry and abrasive,
0:20:32 > 0:20:36and they don't like that. We put down the occasional beer trap.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38More importantly, we check regularly,
0:20:38 > 0:20:42at least once a week, under every pot and container.
0:20:43 > 0:20:48So, I suppose, the moral is put your energy into a slug free zone
0:20:48 > 0:20:51which can be quite small. Just a couple of feet by a couple of feet.
0:20:51 > 0:20:56And use that to protect plants that really need it.
0:20:57 > 0:21:03Now, continuing a look at the plants that have shaped our gardens,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06and also the people who have given time,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09passion and expertise to developing them,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Carol went down to Cornwall,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15to look at a plant whose fragrance
0:21:15 > 0:21:18is one of the high notes of midsummer.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29As Titania, the queen of the fairies,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32says in Midsummer Night's Dream,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35"So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle
0:21:35 > 0:21:37"Gently entwist,"
0:21:37 > 0:21:42there can be no more evocative scent than that of our native honeysuckle.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47It's the whole essence of romance and softness.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51And, yet, it's an incredible toughy.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55In the most inhospitable corners, in hedgerows in gardens,
0:21:55 > 0:22:00its twisting, twining stems burst out over pavements
0:22:00 > 0:22:07and pathways to share its wondrous flowers and their exquisite perfume.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15Liz and Charlie Pridham have spent 30 years bringing together
0:22:15 > 0:22:19honeysuckles from across the world to create a fascinating collection.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25- Did you initially set out to grow honeysuckles?- No.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28But the one plant, apart from a couple of yew trees
0:22:28 > 0:22:30and some apple trees that were here, was a honeysuckle.
0:22:30 > 0:22:31And it was growing.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34And we were having a great deal of difficulty growing anything else.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37So, that was what started us with honeysuckles.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40- So, it gave you the clue..- ..That they were going to grow.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Were there any particular problems with the soil?
0:22:42 > 0:22:46With the mining around, we've got tin and copper,
0:22:46 > 0:22:50but we've also got nickel and cadmium and arsenic,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53and none of these things a lot of plants like very much,
0:22:53 > 0:22:57so it's great to have a group of plants that you know will cope
0:22:57 > 0:22:59with just about anything you throw at them.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02But it's not just their ease of cultivation, is it,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05- that really makes you love them? - No, it's the scent.
0:23:05 > 0:23:10It really is the scent. It's so evocative of a summer's evening.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- There are honeysuckles everywhere, aren't there?- There are.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27This one is the Lonicera x italica. And it's very early.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29It's nearly going over but it starts in April.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31- As early as that?- Yes.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33But it is very scented.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35It's nowhere near as big as our native honeysuckle.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39So, this will be the perfect sort of plant if you're in a town garden?
0:23:39 > 0:23:43Yes. One of the ways you can tell it's italica is by its leaves.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46The leaf behind the flower is perfoliate.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49- That means the stem goes right the way through it.- That's right.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50- Surrounds it.- Surrounds it.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05This is a real honeysuckle bower! Just look at this.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07- It's beautiful!- Isn't it lovely?
0:24:07 > 0:24:11It's Lonicera Belgica. Early Dutch.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13This one's starting now, early June,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16and it takes over from the italica.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19- Periclymenum is our own native honeysuckle, isn't it?- Yes, it is.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23Our hedges in Devon are thronged with it,
0:24:23 > 0:24:24but they're always cream and yellow.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27They are down here in Cornwall as well,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29but as you go further east in the country,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32they start to get pinker and pinker and pinker.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36If you go across into the near Continent, Belgium and Holland,
0:24:36 > 0:24:40then they're really quite crimson, but they're all the same plant.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42When you have some of these long shoots here,
0:24:42 > 0:24:43if you just nip them back,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46then they'll make two new shoots there, and they will flower.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48So you can really extend the season.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05- This must have been an old orchard. - Yes, it is.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09- This is an old apple tree.- And a fine host for this beautiful honeysuckle.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11But this is quite different.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Yes, this is Lonicera japonica
0:25:13 > 0:25:17and it's a really gorgeous, glossy-leaved evergreen.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19But it's quite rampant, isn't it?
0:25:19 > 0:25:20Very vigorous, yes.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Ideal for covering up unsightly things in your garden.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28And the scent is glorious, it really is, it fills this bit of the garden.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30It's worth having an old apple tree, isn't it?
0:25:39 > 0:25:43It's not just us who find the scent of honeysuckle so alluring, is it?
0:25:43 > 0:25:46Well, they're not doing it for us, that's for sure.
0:25:46 > 0:25:47But we're the beneficiaries.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51They're obviously doing it to attract their pollinators which,
0:25:51 > 0:25:55in the case of our honeysuckles, are moths, particularly the hawk moths.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59You see them in the evenings all over the plants.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02And that's when the plant begins to pump out its perfume.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04Indeed. They've actually timed it
0:26:04 > 0:26:07for the working person to come home from work
0:26:07 > 0:26:09and that's when the scent starts!
0:26:09 > 0:26:10Ideal for commuters.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15Much as we would like them to be, not all honeysuckles are scented.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18A lot of the North American honeysuckles have those
0:26:18 > 0:26:21lovely orange and red flowers that the gardeners love so much,
0:26:21 > 0:26:23they rely on humming birds,
0:26:23 > 0:26:26the humming birds lacking a sense of smell, the plants have,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29over time, decided it's not worth making any perfume
0:26:29 > 0:26:30and, sadly, they don't.
0:26:30 > 0:26:35People have been trying for years to get that red colour with a scent
0:26:35 > 0:26:37and they've not got there yet.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42But if you come into the garden
0:26:42 > 0:26:45and you see our native honeysuckle doing its thing,
0:26:45 > 0:26:49filling the garden with scent, there probably isn't a better plant
0:26:49 > 0:26:51that you could grow in a British garden.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05I would agree with Charlie that every garden,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08every single garden in this country, should have a honeysuckle.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11At this time of year, they are a complete joy.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14If you want to go and see their full range of honeysuckles,
0:27:14 > 0:27:17their garden is open this weekend. You can get details about it
0:27:17 > 0:27:19and everything else in the programme on our website.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23Now, this particular honeysuckle was the one
0:27:23 > 0:27:26I cut back earlier this spring.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29I cut it back to here because it was a complete, tangled mass
0:27:29 > 0:27:32and you couldn't get past it without brushing against it.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Where I cut it, there's quite vigorous new growth now.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39And on this side, where I haven't cut it, you've got the flowers,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42showing how it flowers on the previous year's growth.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44So in a year or, maybe, two's time,
0:27:44 > 0:27:49it will be back to luxuriant, easy growth that's vaguely manageable.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00BIRDSONG
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Well, that's it for today.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14And I would just say again that, for most of the year,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18we're all so busy trying to make our garden look as good as possible,
0:28:18 > 0:28:21trying to keep it tidy and organised
0:28:21 > 0:28:23and grow all these lovely plants,
0:28:23 > 0:28:24but this weekend,
0:28:24 > 0:28:28just take a moment and remember this is the top of the year.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32So look out from here and relish the view.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35And I'll be back here at Longmeadow next week,
0:28:35 > 0:28:38half an hour later because of the tennis.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41But I'll see you at 9 o'clock on BBC Two. Till then, bye-bye.