0:00:14 > 0:00:17Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21I always feel that July is the start of the harvest season.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24And, of course, that means lovely vegetables from the garden,
0:00:24 > 0:00:27but also don't neglect the flowers.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31I try and, every few days, cut some roses,
0:00:31 > 0:00:34just from whatever is out.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37In the hot sun, that won't last more than a day.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40But if I take it inside into a cool room,
0:00:40 > 0:00:42that will give me an extra 24 hours of pleasure.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48'This week, I'll be continuing to develop the wildlife meadow
0:00:48 > 0:00:50'that I sowed last year.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55'Joe gets an exclusive behind-the-scenes
0:00:55 > 0:00:58'tour of the private gardens at Eton College,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01'where Prince William and Harry went to school.'
0:01:01 > 0:01:03It's like a secret garden in here.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06I came through the gate and what a beautiful space!
0:01:06 > 0:01:08It's a centre of excellence for education, isn't it,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11so we try and do that in the gardens.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Carol is looking at the wildlife that is
0:01:14 > 0:01:16so beneficial for our gardens.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20This week, she's dipping below the surface
0:01:20 > 0:01:22of a garden pond.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25What's actually important for the creatures that live in here
0:01:25 > 0:01:27isn't the species of plant,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30but it's the variety of structure and shape,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33because each one of these will then create a different niche or habitat,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36if you like, that particular types of insect will prefer.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Go on.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47Go on.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Every year, I try and plan it
0:01:52 > 0:01:55so I have new potatoes on my birthday,
0:01:55 > 0:01:58which is at the beginning of July.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Now is the time to see if they're ready.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04You can tell if potatoes are likely to be ready
0:02:04 > 0:02:05by a number of things.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07The first is, they must flower.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09And these have flowered and finished flowering,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11so I would expect there to be tubers.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13The second is, as a pretty good guide,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16the first earlies take three months,
0:02:16 > 0:02:17main crop four months
0:02:17 > 0:02:20and second earlies somewhere in between.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22So, this is Charlotte,
0:02:22 > 0:02:24which is a second early.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Oh, look at that.
0:02:29 > 0:02:30Now, I challenge anybody,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33it doesn't matter how many years you've gardened,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35doesn't that make your heart sing?
0:02:37 > 0:02:38If they're wet or damp,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41leave them on the surface of the ground to dry off.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44But these are actually pretty dry,
0:02:44 > 0:02:45so they don't need it.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48There we go.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52A little bit of green on that.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55The green is poisonous, of course.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56You shouldn't eat that.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Charlotte is a variety that I've come to love.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06It is a French variety,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08slightly waxy and they're really good
0:03:08 > 0:03:10just plain boiled,
0:03:10 > 0:03:13eaten either with some butter or olive oil
0:03:13 > 0:03:16and plenty of salt and pepper.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19It's worth taking some trouble to get every last little one out
0:03:19 > 0:03:23the ground, because the chances are they will grow new plants next year.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26That might sound like plants for free, but there are two downsides.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28One is that you grow potatoes on a rotation.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32So they'll be growing up through a different crop next year.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36And two, potatoes can accumulate viruses.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39So, it's not a bad idea to buy fresh every year
0:03:39 > 0:03:41from a reputable grower.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Right, that's enough potatoes to keep the Don household
0:03:44 > 0:03:46going for the next few days.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48The rest can stay in the ground.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Over here, I've got some courgettes.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54And courgettes have done really well so far this summer.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57I wouldn't want a courgette any bigger than that
0:03:57 > 0:04:01and I'm very happy to take them quite a bit smaller.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06This is a variety called Black Beauty.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10Obviously, the more you pick,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12the more that will grow.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15And, of course, you can eat the flowers on the end, too.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17There's a delicious dish,
0:04:17 > 0:04:21which is to deep-fry them in a very light batter
0:04:21 > 0:04:24and stuff them with a soft cheese.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27So you have this hot, deep-fried flower
0:04:27 > 0:04:30and then the warm cheese and then that sort of melts through it
0:04:30 > 0:04:32and it's slightly crispy.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34It's absolutely delicious.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37These are vegetables ready for eating now,
0:04:37 > 0:04:41but I want to clear a bed so I can plant out some veg
0:04:41 > 0:04:43that will give me a harvest later on in the year.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53This looks pretty scruffy by now. It's rocket.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Sowed it on the 1st of February, planted it out in March
0:04:56 > 0:04:59and we've been eating it since mid-March.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01You can see that it's producing more flowers and leaves now.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03That's not a terrible thing,
0:05:03 > 0:05:06because rocket flowers, like courgette flowers,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08are very good to eat.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11But it's a law of diminishing returns.
0:05:13 > 0:05:14So, pull up the plants...
0:05:19 > 0:05:23There is already a lot of organic material in this raised bed,
0:05:23 > 0:05:26but it's a good idea, every time you clear a crop,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29to add a thin layer of compost.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31And that just recharges it.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35I'm going to plant some sweetcorn.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39It needs a sunny position
0:05:39 > 0:05:41and good, rich soil.
0:05:41 > 0:05:46And I'm going to space it quite widely apart in a grid.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49And the grid is really important.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51That's because sweetcorn
0:05:51 > 0:05:53pollinates via the wind.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56The wind blows the pollen from plant to plant.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58If you have them in a grid,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00it doesn't matter which direction the wind is coming from,
0:06:00 > 0:06:02they will all catch it at some point
0:06:02 > 0:06:06and they will all be pollinated.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Now, those are in the ground and will be quite happy and need
0:06:08 > 0:06:11no attention at all, but they'll grow slowly.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13But I can use the space.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16And a really good companion crop...
0:06:16 > 0:06:18are courgettes.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22Because they will share the same growing conditions
0:06:22 > 0:06:24of sun and nice, rich soil,
0:06:24 > 0:06:30but provide their fruits before they get shaded out by the sweetcorn.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33And I'll just fit four plants in here.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Nicely spaced out, so they can spread.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39You could plant lettuces or anything that will give you
0:06:39 > 0:06:43a quick harvest in amongst the slower growing sweetcorn.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46And it's not too late to directly sow
0:06:46 > 0:06:50courgette seeds or sweetcorn, cos the soil is warm.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53But it will depend on nice, warm weather for
0:06:53 > 0:06:56the rest of summer for them to grow fast and to ripen.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58This is all very practical.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59But over the last few weeks,
0:06:59 > 0:07:04Joe has been looking at the beautiful decorative gardens
0:07:04 > 0:07:07that lie behind some of our more famous institutions -
0:07:07 > 0:07:10often gardens which people rarely get the opportunity to see.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13And, a few weeks ago, he went to a school,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16but not just any old school.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37Eton is probably the most famous public school in the world.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39It has a long list of distinguished former pupils,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42including 19 British Prime Ministers
0:07:42 > 0:07:46and the future king Prince William and his brother Prince Harry.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51'The college was founded by Henry VI more than 500 years ago.'
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Today, the grounds cover 900 acres,
0:07:54 > 0:07:57including numerous sports pitches...
0:07:59 > 0:08:01..and several private gardens.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05These hidden gems are only open to the public
0:08:05 > 0:08:08one day a year for the National Gardens Scheme.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16The job of keeping these gardens looking at their best
0:08:16 > 0:08:19falls to head gardener Michael Long and his team.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23- Hi, Michael. Lovely to meet you. - And you.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25It's like a secret garden in here.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28I came through the gate and... What a beautiful space.
0:08:28 > 0:08:29It is, it's fantastic, isn't it?
0:08:29 > 0:08:31This is the headmaster's garden.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33It's only for use by the headmaster.
0:08:33 > 0:08:34The pupils don't get to come in here.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37So, you've been involved in the design of this garden.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Why have you designed like this?
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Basically, the headmaster's wife likes flower arranging.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44She does it in the house and in the chapel.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47And the idea is to cut the flowers from the garden.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49We try to make it a bit of a cutting garden.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52It's a centre of excellence for education, isn't it,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55so we'd like to try and do that in the gardens.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57So, which one of these gardens is your favourite?
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Luxmoore's, the island garden.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02Put the tools down.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17- Wow, this is a beautiful bridge, isn't it?- It is, isn't it?- Stunning.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19- So, this is the River Thames?- Yes.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22OK. You'd never know it.
0:09:22 > 0:09:23Beautiful.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Welcome to Luxmoore's island.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34It's a very exotic name, isn't it? Why is it called that?
0:09:34 > 0:09:37The garden was originally started by Mr Luxmoore,
0:09:37 > 0:09:39who was a housemaster at Eton.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42He taught here for about 50 years in the 1800s.
0:09:42 > 0:09:43Why is it your favourite?
0:09:43 > 0:09:46I think, partly, it's so different to the other gardens,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49because they're quite formal and this one is very informal.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52And it's just so peaceful
0:09:52 > 0:09:55and you can come over here and if everything's quiet,
0:09:55 > 0:09:56you could be anywhere.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59- So are the pupils allowed onto the island?- Yes, they are.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01The older boys are allowed on the island,
0:10:01 > 0:10:03for study, quiet time.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07And the younger boys can come on with a tutor to do private lessons.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Does this garden have a specific planting palette?
0:10:09 > 0:10:12There is a book called Luxmoore Letters
0:10:12 > 0:10:15which we've looked through and we have picked out
0:10:15 > 0:10:17plants that Mr Luxmoore used.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19So, we use similar plants to those.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21There's things like Hemerocallis,
0:10:21 > 0:10:22roses, irises.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25So traditional English garden plants, really.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Yeah, a lot of these plants have been here quite a while.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31In a way, you're gardening in a snapshot in time.
0:10:31 > 0:10:32Do you feel a real responsibility?
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Yeah, absolutely.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37This garden's hopefully going to be here another 100+ years.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39We've got to look after it for
0:10:39 > 0:10:41the next generation of gardeners to take over.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Eton hasn't just educated British royalty.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Members of royal families from around the world have come here -
0:10:51 > 0:10:54including, many years ago, the King of Siam,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56who donated money which was used to build another garden,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59which feels quite different from the others.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03This is beautiful, this garden.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05I love the sunken nature of it.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07This was originally done in 1929,
0:11:07 > 0:11:10but it's recently been redesigned.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14- You can tell it's got a slightly modern edge to the planting.- Yes.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17But a lot of harmony. It looks fantastic, I have to say.
0:11:17 > 0:11:18It's nice. They're all small beds
0:11:18 > 0:11:20so you can get to everything quite easily.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23That, the iris and the catmint
0:11:23 > 0:11:25and the hesperis with the cow parsley.
0:11:25 > 0:11:26That is beautiful!
0:11:26 > 0:11:29It's very nice and, I mean, it's the one everybody sees.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32This is the one garden that everybody walks past and sees.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35- Because, yeah, the public can walk past here.- Yes.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39'Another garden is for the use of the Provost,
0:11:39 > 0:11:43'who is officially in charge of the college and appointed by the Crown.'
0:11:45 > 0:11:47This is my first time ever in these gardens.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50I think it's fantastic that you open them to the public
0:11:50 > 0:11:51on a Yellow Book day.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53We love to see the public here,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55because we're proud of what the gardeners do.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57It's lovely to see people coming through,
0:11:57 > 0:11:59real experts, a lot of them, talking in horticultural Latin,
0:11:59 > 0:12:01which I'm afraid is beyond me.
0:12:01 > 0:12:02THEY LAUGH
0:12:02 > 0:12:04They're incredibly lucky, the boys here,
0:12:04 > 0:12:06to have this beautiful surroundings.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08And the fact is that we do seem to produce
0:12:08 > 0:12:10a steady stream of good gardeners.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13So some of it gets into their minds, I think.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16And a lot of them do appreciate just the sheer beauty
0:12:16 > 0:12:19and the luck they have to be in these surroundings.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49The gardens will be open again next year,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52so maybe that's a date to put in your diary.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Now, the garden that I'm making here
0:12:55 > 0:12:59on what we call The Mound is very different.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03This was a rubbish heap for nearly quarter of a century.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07And, last year, we thought we would sort it out and try
0:13:07 > 0:13:09and make a wild flower meadow.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11And that's work in progress.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14But it is at last coming along.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18And the theme of this piece of the garden is to encourage
0:13:18 > 0:13:22as many wild and indigenous plants as we possibly can.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30And it certainly is beginning to look a bit wild.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33But this was sown just about a year ago.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36It may look like the sort of growth you get on a rubbish heap
0:13:36 > 0:13:37or by the side of a road,
0:13:37 > 0:13:39but, actually, there's
0:13:39 > 0:13:42a lot of really interesting stuff in that.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44Now, the seed mix
0:13:44 > 0:13:47that I sowed in the middle of last July
0:13:47 > 0:13:51contained grasses, which are here,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54and although they've been bashed by rain,
0:13:54 > 0:13:57they've established and grown quite strongly,
0:13:57 > 0:13:59but they also had some wild flowers in it,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01like these clovers
0:14:01 > 0:14:03which have come through.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08The Silene, both the white Silene and the pink.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10And Viper's bugloss was in the mix.
0:14:10 > 0:14:11You can see here.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14And this will seed, in turn,
0:14:14 > 0:14:15and then spread.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22A wild flower meadow needs careful tending.
0:14:22 > 0:14:23Needs gardening.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27You do need to let the plants that you want to keep seed
0:14:27 > 0:14:31and to make sure the plants that you don't want to keep don't seed.
0:14:31 > 0:14:36This dock here is developing seeds and I don't want those to spread so
0:14:36 > 0:14:42I can put the hoe down at the base of the plant and jab in like that.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46That cuts it off at the roots, I can pull it out and importantly,
0:14:46 > 0:14:50the seeds won't spread and germinate.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53This plant here is hemlock.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57It's poisonous, really quite poisonous and you can tell it,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00it's got these lovely white Umbelliferae flowers
0:15:00 > 0:15:03and then the very distinctive purple blodgy stem.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06If you have got it, I'd wear gloves when you handle it.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09So we'll just chop that out like that
0:15:09 > 0:15:11and I will collect that up with gloves.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15Here we have a sow thistle and they can be a bit of a weed.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17So I'm going to chop that out.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22There we go.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24And I'll gather that up.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27There you go.
0:15:27 > 0:15:28Out you come.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32This is the meadow's second summer and each year,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35after the grasses and wild flowers have set seed,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39it must be cut down and all the mown material taken away.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41This will reduce the nutrients for the grasses
0:15:41 > 0:15:44and allow the wild flowers to compete
0:15:44 > 0:15:48and gradually, over the years, to thrive.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51This is one of those weeding jobs that I really like
0:15:51 > 0:15:55because it gives you a chance to get in and enjoy the garden,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58to see it up close and from the inside rather than always
0:15:58 > 0:16:00looking on it from the outside.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02And it's something to do slowly,
0:16:02 > 0:16:06something I'll probably spend another half hour or so doing.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09But even if you haven't got any weeding jobs to do,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12here's some other things to get on with this weekend.
0:16:18 > 0:16:19If you grow chives,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22they may well not be looking very good at the moment.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24However, you can easily rejuvenate them
0:16:24 > 0:16:27by cutting them back hard to the ground.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30Give them a really good soak,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33and within days, you'll have a fresh flush of foliage.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38By now, your autumn fruiting raspberries
0:16:38 > 0:16:41should have sent up plenty of new shoots.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43But before they become top heavy,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45it's a good time to support them.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Put some stakes securely into the ground,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51and stretch string between them, which will keep the canes upright
0:16:51 > 0:16:53and make them much easier to pick.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58So far, it's been a wonderful year for clematis
0:16:58 > 0:17:01and they've really enjoyed the wet winter and spring.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05But this has resulted in a lot of extra lush growth
0:17:05 > 0:17:08and it's a good idea to gather them up now and tie them in
0:17:08 > 0:17:12to any support to give them extra protection against summer storms.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21Increasingly, more and more of us are learning to appreciate
0:17:21 > 0:17:23both the wildlife we see in our gardens
0:17:23 > 0:17:27and the value that they add to the health of our gardens.
0:17:27 > 0:17:28And over the coming few weeks,
0:17:28 > 0:17:33Carol is going to be looking at the various creatures that we can
0:17:33 > 0:17:38share our back yards with and the best ways of enticing them in.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48In sunny borders and in shady corners,
0:17:48 > 0:17:52under rocks and amongst the trees and leaves, live a myriad
0:17:52 > 0:17:57of creatures, part of an intricate chain to which we all belong.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00I want to find out what this means to us,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03our plants and the sanctuaries we call our gardens.
0:18:05 > 0:18:11In Britain, we've created more than 2.5 million garden ponds.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Water plays a very significant part in the designs that we love,
0:18:15 > 0:18:19but what more does it contribute, other than its visual appeal?
0:18:22 > 0:18:27Steve Head is a zoologist who, for the last 15 years, has been
0:18:27 > 0:18:31developing and studying his garden pond to attract wildlife.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37It's incredibly beautiful, but what are the real reasons
0:18:37 > 0:18:40for having a wildlife pond in your own garden?
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Well, I think you want a pond in your garden
0:18:43 > 0:18:46because it's such a source of life in the garden,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49because so many specific insects like the pond, need the pond,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51but then there's all the other creatures that will make
0:18:51 > 0:18:54use of it, including some quite unexpected ones.
0:18:54 > 0:18:59Bees on a hot day, a honey bee hive needs litres of water to keep
0:18:59 > 0:19:02the hive cool and air-conditioned, to evaporate.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04When you think of a wildlife pond,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06immediately you think about native plants
0:19:06 > 0:19:09and yet you've got lots of plants that are ornamental, haven't you?
0:19:09 > 0:19:12- Non-native.- Yeah, things like the Astilbe are in there
0:19:12 > 0:19:16because they're just so extraordinarily colourful.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19But we've got some native species in here as well.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21There's the lovely thing, bogbean, in here.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23It has an extraordinary triple-leaf,
0:19:23 > 0:19:25but the most gorgeous little delicate white flower...
0:19:25 > 0:19:27and the Veronica beyond.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30But what's actually important for the creatures that live in here
0:19:30 > 0:19:34isn't the species of plant but it's the variety of structure and shape,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36because each one will have its own shape of stem,
0:19:36 > 0:19:40its own shape of leaves, its own shape of roots particularly.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43And each one of these will then create a different niche or
0:19:43 > 0:19:47a habitat, if you like, particular types of insect will prefer.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52To look at the intricate habitats that lie beneath,
0:19:52 > 0:19:56we're using a special camera to glimpse a newt's-eye view
0:19:56 > 0:19:58of the underwater landscape.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Oh, that's an extraordinary shot,
0:20:03 > 0:20:07going in under the surface and you can see the submerged leaves
0:20:07 > 0:20:09and there's a root there appearing at the bottom.
0:20:09 > 0:20:10When we look around,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14it sort of emphasises just how much structure there is underwater there.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16So if you're starting a pond,
0:20:16 > 0:20:20how does all this life get in there in the first place?
0:20:20 > 0:20:25Insect life comes in of its own accord almost immediately
0:20:25 > 0:20:29and it's remarkable how many plants will come in just on the legs
0:20:29 > 0:20:32of birds, you know, seeds and so on coming in that way.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34- Oh, there's a snail, can you see it? - Oh, yes, there we are.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38Of course, that's a snail which is confined to the pond, it doesn't
0:20:38 > 0:20:41come out and eat your cabbages so it's completely safe in the garden.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44But, you know, everything else that we get in the pond,
0:20:44 > 0:20:48like the newts and the frogs and the toads, even, are tremendous
0:20:48 > 0:20:52predators of those unfortunate things like slugs which we all love to hate.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59What we could do now is see if we can find some of the creatures
0:20:59 > 0:21:02we've been talking about so we can look at them a bit more clearly.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10- Let's have a look at what we've got. - Let's see what we've got in here.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Got quite a few bits and pieces.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16I think the star in many ways is that caddisfly larva,
0:21:16 > 0:21:20or rather we're not actually seeing the larva which is hiding away
0:21:20 > 0:21:23inside this case which is made out of little, tiny dead shells
0:21:23 > 0:21:25and bits of vegetation glued together.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27You can actually see snails' shells, can't you?
0:21:27 > 0:21:31Yes and of course we've got lots and lots and lots of snails in here.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Snails live close to the surface, don't they?
0:21:34 > 0:21:36And they hoover everything up?
0:21:36 > 0:21:39You even see them actually upside down, feeding off the surface
0:21:39 > 0:21:43layer and generally keeping the pond really clean.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46But the most, the MOST handsome things in here are the newts.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48Yeah, these are the common newt.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Newts have got a fascinating life cycle.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57What happens is that they come into the pond sort of February or
0:21:57 > 0:22:00March and they mate and then the female lays her eggs,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03one at a time generally, on a little bit of flat pond weed
0:22:03 > 0:22:05which they then fold over to protect it.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09And when the eggs hatch, they turn into an extraordinary tadpole thing
0:22:09 > 0:22:11and it's got external gills
0:22:11 > 0:22:15and they'll live as a tadpole usually for six months or so
0:22:15 > 0:22:18and then they lose these gills, they become air-breathing
0:22:18 > 0:22:20and they climb out of the pond
0:22:20 > 0:22:22and they stay out of the pond for anything up to two years,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26feeding completely as if they were terrestrial animals.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28Then, of course, when they're ready,
0:22:28 > 0:22:31as the first warm days occur in late winter, early spring,
0:22:31 > 0:22:35back they come to the pond and they start the life cycle over again.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39We've got something else in here which I particularly like
0:22:39 > 0:22:42- and that's this wonderful, big dragonfly larva here.- Yeah.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45This is the tiger of the pond world.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48They're significant predators on just about everything else in the pond.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49Where are their eggs laid?
0:22:49 > 0:22:53The females lay their eggs directly into the water at the top
0:22:53 > 0:22:58of the water and they hatch out to make little tiny nymphs
0:22:58 > 0:23:01and they grow up, they shed their skin several times
0:23:01 > 0:23:04- until they get to this sort of size...- How long does that take?
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Well, it can take six months or, depending on the weather
0:23:06 > 0:23:10and again the species, it can take actually anything up to five years.
0:23:10 > 0:23:11And when they're ready,
0:23:11 > 0:23:15they then crawl through the water surface off a steep stem
0:23:15 > 0:23:17and they break the skin over the back
0:23:17 > 0:23:21and after this, a really quite ugly, strange-looking aquatic animal
0:23:21 > 0:23:24bursts forth, an adult dragonfly
0:23:24 > 0:23:26and they have to pause while they inflate the wings and get ready
0:23:26 > 0:23:30but within an hour, they'll be off, flying into the sunshine.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41I think the thing is, even if you've got a really tiny garden,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45- you can still have water in it, can't you?- Yes, you can.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47And both the wildlife and us
0:23:47 > 0:23:51can really rejoice in this beautiful habitat we've created.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53And isn't it just gorgeous?
0:24:08 > 0:24:13There's no question that adding the pond to Longmeadow
0:24:13 > 0:24:15has dramatically increased the wildlife
0:24:15 > 0:24:21and the pond is bound to make your garden healthier and much richer.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28Now, I've been contacted by Tracey from Yorkshire and she says,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31"Dear Monty, I was given a quince tree for my birthday
0:24:31 > 0:24:34"and I planted it last autumn and it was doing really well.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38"However, over the last few weeks, it's developed nasty brown spots
0:24:38 > 0:24:42"all over the leaves and is now looking very sorry for itself.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45"Do you know what it could be, and can it be rescued?"
0:24:45 > 0:24:47And the answer to both is yes.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Now, this is quince leaf blight
0:24:50 > 0:24:54and I've got it on my own quinces on the other side of the pond.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59It starts out as rather browny red blotches but then spread
0:24:59 > 0:25:01and become black.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03The leaves quite often then turn yellow
0:25:03 > 0:25:08and fall off but actually, it's not a total disaster. The trees recover.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Next year, there's no guarantee they will get it
0:25:11 > 0:25:13and they will give you a really good crop of quinces.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16But collect up all the leaves and burn them.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19We've had a very wet, mild winter and spring
0:25:19 > 0:25:22and this has encouraged the fungus that causes the blight.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25It's also encouraged powdery mildew
0:25:25 > 0:25:28and my quinces on the other side of the pond have got both.
0:25:35 > 0:25:41This quince has got a really clear case of leaf blight.
0:25:41 > 0:25:46The leaves are splotched with brown and they're starting to crisp
0:25:46 > 0:25:50and die back and these will fall.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54But this one isn't too bad, I'm not too worried about it,
0:25:54 > 0:25:58but I've got four quinces here and one of them is much worse.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Now, the blight and mildew won't kill my quince trees
0:26:03 > 0:26:05but to reduce the spread of the fungi,
0:26:05 > 0:26:09I've decided to take the drastic action of cutting down
0:26:09 > 0:26:12the worst affected one, which will help the remaining three.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19Now, this one in particular is really bad.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22I've planned to take it out.
0:26:22 > 0:26:27That will let ventilation in, air, a little bit more rain, light...
0:26:27 > 0:26:29And just take that off...
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Look at the combination of blight and mildew on that.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44The mildew is a powdery, felted covering on the underneath
0:26:44 > 0:26:48of the leaf and the blight is there, too.
0:26:52 > 0:26:58If you're cutting down any tree, do it slowly, bit by bit,
0:26:58 > 0:27:03a really sharp saw and just take control of the operation.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07Don't hack at it and then hope it falls where you want it to.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32One quince less in my life.
0:27:32 > 0:27:37Now, I could dig out the stump but I don't think there's any need.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39I'll plant around the roots and chop through them.
0:27:39 > 0:27:44And whilst it's sad, it's done well,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46I've eaten of the quinces
0:27:46 > 0:27:50and hopefully everything else will do better.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52That's part of the cycle of the garden.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57But that's it for this week.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Next week, we're still at nine o'clock
0:27:59 > 0:28:03because we follow the athletics but before then,
0:28:03 > 0:28:05Rachel, Carol, Joe and myself
0:28:05 > 0:28:07will all be at Hampton Court Flower Show,
0:28:07 > 0:28:09we've got three programmes coming from there
0:28:09 > 0:28:13and I'll join you here, back at Longmeadow, next Friday night.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16Till then, bye-bye.