0:00:05 > 0:00:07Good boy.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12I love the way that the dahlias are starting to come out
0:00:12 > 0:00:16and you get this rhythm of colour regularly moving down in their pots,
0:00:16 > 0:00:20which then contrasts against the more anarchic colour
0:00:20 > 0:00:23in the borders here in the garden.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Of course, the bulk of the plants here at Longmeadow
0:00:26 > 0:00:32are grown in borders. But containers are really important
0:00:32 > 0:00:37and never more so than at this time of year.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41This week, whatever you grow in your pots, be it ornate or edible,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44I've got tips to keep them flourishing all summer long.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47It's wonderful.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51Carol helps new gardeners Dan and Dom in Stroud
0:00:51 > 0:00:53make the most of their patio.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57I think this is just looking brilliant.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00And we visit one gardener who has containers to thank
0:01:00 > 0:01:03for a whole new passion in her life.
0:01:03 > 0:01:08If I didn't have containers and raised beds and pots in my garden
0:01:08 > 0:01:10I wouldn't be able to do it all.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12I think containers are definitely the way to go.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23Come on, come with me.
0:01:26 > 0:01:32One of the great things about pots is the choice it gives you.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36So, for example, here in the top greenhouse we've now got
0:01:36 > 0:01:39a permanent display of decorative plants based on pelargoniums.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44Now, for years and years we've grown pelargoniums here at Longmeadow,
0:01:44 > 0:01:46stored them in the winter in the greenhouse to protect them,
0:01:46 > 0:01:50and then put them outside as soon as the weather is good enough.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54And the display varies hugely depending on the weather.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57But now that they can stay in the greenhouse,
0:01:57 > 0:01:59the display is fantastic. It's consistent.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01And because they're South African plants,
0:02:01 > 0:02:04they like lots of light, they'll cope with heat perfectly well,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06and then they just perform and perform.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10Whereas underneath the staging in the corner, the streptocarpus -
0:02:10 > 0:02:12also South African -
0:02:12 > 0:02:15but liking very different conditions to the pelargonium.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18They like warmth, moist shade.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22And tucked in under the staging, out of the sun,
0:02:22 > 0:02:23they're completely happy.
0:02:23 > 0:02:28And because we've got them in pots we can adapt their conditions.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30So by using containers and pots really well
0:02:30 > 0:02:34you can expand the choices in your garden.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39Of course, not all the plants that spend their winter in the greenhouse
0:02:39 > 0:02:42spend their summer there, too. It means that we can bring them out
0:02:42 > 0:02:47and so you have the citrus, the lemons and the oranges.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50The same with lavender. In fact, two types of lavender -
0:02:50 > 0:02:52the Lavender 'Angustifolia' is quite hardy,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55and that will cope with the cold here but not the wet.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Whereas the Lavender 'Stoechas', that is a bit more tender,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00and needs to come in.
0:03:00 > 0:03:05There are times when containers form a kind of protective,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07practical role.
0:03:07 > 0:03:13This mint is grown in a galvanised container. Doing very well.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17But the main purpose of the container here is not for the mint.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20It's to protect other plants cos mint is a thug.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22There are a couple of considerations
0:03:22 > 0:03:25if you've got anything in any kind of pot.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28The first is watering and the second is feeding.
0:03:28 > 0:03:35Now, stashed away, because it smells so vile,
0:03:35 > 0:03:39is...some comfrey feed
0:03:39 > 0:03:43and some nettle feed that I made a month ago.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46And I made these by stuffing the buckets full of nettles in one
0:03:46 > 0:03:49and comfrey in the other and topping them up with water
0:03:49 > 0:03:52and leaving them to decompose.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Nettle feed is high in nitrogen, which is very good for encouraging
0:03:56 > 0:04:00a leafy strong plant in the beginning of the year.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03But comfrey feed is high in potassium, which is fantastic
0:04:03 > 0:04:07for encouraging the development of flowers and fruits.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09So, once you've got your strong plant,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12then you want the maximum number of flowers which will become fruits
0:04:12 > 0:04:14and that's where the comfrey feed comes in.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17We'll put the nettle feed to one side for the moment.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20And concentrate on the comfrey.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22So, we need to dilute this.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24And I've got a watering can here.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28If you're feeding once a week, 20:1 is plenty strong enough.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Give it a stir.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34And get in out the rain to water your plants.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40I'm going to give these chillies...
0:04:40 > 0:04:43a feed like that.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46And the reason why these are nice healthy plants is because
0:04:46 > 0:04:54they've had a weekly nettle feed from April through to mid-June.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57But now with the flowers here and the fruits forming,
0:04:57 > 0:05:01they're ready for comfrey. And likewise the tomatoes.
0:05:01 > 0:05:07Now, obviously, this applies to any plant in a container
0:05:07 > 0:05:10that's bearing fruit of any kind.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15If you don't make your own, you can buy very good proprietary
0:05:15 > 0:05:18tomato feeds which are good general purpose for all fruits.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21And liquid seaweed is very good, too.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29For both watering and feeding it's better to use rain water if you can.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33Certain plants, like camellias or carnivorous plants,
0:05:33 > 0:05:37really must be watered with rain water.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40That means collecting it. Water butts are great.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44Open containers like this old cattle trough have the great advantage
0:05:44 > 0:05:47that you can dip into them.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51And it means that you can fill a fairly large watering can
0:05:51 > 0:05:55in the time it takes to turn a tap on.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Carol has been visiting Dan and Dom over the course of this year,
0:05:58 > 0:06:01helping them out as they develop their new garden.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04And this week she's guiding them
0:06:04 > 0:06:08in growing plants in containers on their new patio.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14Dan and Dom have spent the past few months working hard
0:06:14 > 0:06:17to create a lovely family garden.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20With the summer in full swing, it's blooming.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25Their veg patch, which we tackled on my last visit, is flourishing,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27and they've been enjoying the fruits of their labour.
0:06:27 > 0:06:32One of the final areas to tackle is the patio next to the house.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Dan's made a brilliant start, fixing the walls,
0:06:35 > 0:06:39making beds with sleepers, and creating a deck.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43But with a party imminent, they want it to look its best,
0:06:43 > 0:06:47so I've taken Dan to the garden centre to get some seasonal colour.
0:06:47 > 0:06:52Because today we're going to be planting summer pots.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06- I think this terrace is just looking brilliant.- I know, it looks good.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11Just like everybody's patios or terraces you've got one area
0:07:11 > 0:07:13that's in sun most of the day,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16and you've got definite defined shade.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20So I think it's a great idea if we plant these pots
0:07:20 > 0:07:24so they're appropriate. Let's have something like this big pot here...
0:07:24 > 0:07:27as the centrepiece of your sunny bit. Right, let's get cracking.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Now, this is sort of multipurpose compost.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34It's only got to last for the summer
0:07:34 > 0:07:36and it's got enough nutrients to do that.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41So let's start with a canna. Loves the sun.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Everything should be just under the surface of the pot.
0:07:45 > 0:07:46Don't plant things deep down here
0:07:46 > 0:07:49cos they can't see the light or anything.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54Now, dahlias are fabulous plants.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56They're from Mexico, so they're tropical.
0:07:56 > 0:08:01One of the things you must remember to do is dead head.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Keep on doing that all the time. You get masses more flowers.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07And then if you've got something to fill in,
0:08:07 > 0:08:10how about these osteospermums around the edge?
0:08:10 > 0:08:13- So we can put even more in then? - Oh, cram it all in.- Oh, wow, yeah.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17But you want something that's draping over the side.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20Now, this lantana, you see it all over the Canary Isles.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23The flowers on these are absolutely stunning.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26When you're creating a pot like this there's a certain element
0:08:26 > 0:08:28of flowering arranging.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32And how about coleus? This is a plant you grow for its foliage.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36It'll do equally well in sun or shade.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41So it's a plant that we could use in your shady pot as well.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45We'll give this a really good drench when we've finished everything.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47- Shall we do the shade now? - Yeah, yeah.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51These are new pots and they're terracotta but they've been soaked
0:08:51 > 0:08:53thoroughly and it's really vital that you do that.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Because they're porous, if you haven't soaked them,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59they'll pull all the water out of your compost and plants.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04- Choose something for your centrepiece.- Coleus in the middle.
0:09:04 > 0:09:09- It's fantastic.- That one's been well watered. I've got the pot.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13More compost around the edge. I've got some over here.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17All these plants are things that are going to thrive in the shade.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20They'll flourish, in fact.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24I mean, there are a limited number of plants you can use in shade.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26Begonias are a really good choice.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29I'm angling this out a bit, is that right?
0:09:29 > 0:09:31- Oh, it's perfect.- Yeah?- Yes.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34And I think this nicotiana would go brilliantly well with it. Do you?
0:09:34 > 0:09:40- Yeah.- And they hardly need pressing in cos the level's just about right.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42- We need a trailer now, don't we?- Yeah.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44There are all sorts of things you could use.
0:09:44 > 0:09:49You could have ivy or fuchsias are really great shade plants.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53- I like the colours of the bacopa. - You can already see their habits,
0:09:53 > 0:09:57so they're going to drop themselves right over the top of your pots.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00- I think that looks pretty good, don't you?- That's great.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01And it'll just go on improving.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05- Are you going to stand it down on your...- Yeah.- ..gravel. Ready?
0:10:07 > 0:10:11- I think you really do need little groups of pots.- A cluster.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14- A cluster, a colony.- If you're going to do more pots, I'll probably go
0:10:14 > 0:10:16and start firing up the pizza oven.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Earlier in the year we rescued a thyme.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42We layered a few little pieces, too, and now we want to see
0:10:42 > 0:10:44if they've succeeded.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48It's done brilliantly, it really has. It's flowered like mad.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52But I want to see what's happened underneath here.
0:10:52 > 0:10:57Look, these little layers really look like they've worked.
0:10:57 > 0:11:03Look at that. Really good root system. That's fantastic.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06I think you ought to pot these up. But don't you think it'd be nice
0:11:06 > 0:11:09- if we just fill this with different herbs?- That would be lovely.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12We're going to top all this up with this.
0:11:12 > 0:11:17It's just your topsoil. It's not particularly rich.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22Obvious choices are things like lavender.
0:11:22 > 0:11:23Lovely.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30And that's a sage. Now, this is the one that's ideal for his pizza.
0:11:30 > 0:11:36- It's marjoram.- Lovely.- The only other thing was a camomile.- Yeah.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39It should be a nice random kind of arrangement,
0:11:39 > 0:11:43so it just looks like a chunk of Mediterranean hillside.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46- Think we better go and get ready for this party.- We better.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49Shall we take a bit of marjoram with us?
0:11:56 > 0:11:59INDISTINCT CHATTER
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Now that Dan and Dom's garden is a growing success,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17the thing to do is to plan for the future.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20And that's just what we're going to be doing next time.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Any food that you grow yourself always tastes better than
0:12:36 > 0:12:39anything you can buy. And you don't need a garden to do that.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42If you use a container you can grow something to eat on a window sill,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46in a porch, roof garden, balcony perfectly well.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49All you need is a container of some kind with drainage holes.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Drainage holes are absolutely essential.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Get some compost.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58Just a normal peat-free compost will do the job perfectly well,
0:12:58 > 0:13:01you don't need to add anything special to it.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Spread it smooth.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08Then buy a packet of salad seeds.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12You can either use a cut and come again variety,
0:13:12 > 0:13:16or you can get mixes. This is a mix called salad bowl.
0:13:16 > 0:13:17And it's a variety of leaves.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20And sprinkle them on the surface.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25Now, the key to this is don't be tempted to sow too thickly.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29So, one packet of seeds like this will do ten bowls of that size.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32And ideally you'd run two or three bowls
0:13:32 > 0:13:34and sow them at two-week intervals.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36And you could keep these going for months,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39as long as you keep them watered and give them plenty of light.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43That's it. The easiest gardening you'll ever do.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47Now, even if you don't grow salad in bowls,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50here's some jobs you can be doing this weekend.
0:13:54 > 0:14:00Sweet peas can produce a steady flow of fresh flowers all summer
0:14:00 > 0:14:03if you prevent them from going to seed.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07The best way to do this is to cut them all regularly.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10I've found about ten days is ideal.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13And if you miss a few, remove the seed pods as soon as you see them.
0:14:19 > 0:14:24Heavy rain, let alone summer storms, can wreak havoc in a border.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27So check your supports, adding new ones where you think necessary.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30I use home-made metal ones but anything will do the job,
0:14:30 > 0:14:34as long as you follow the golden rule to provide support
0:14:34 > 0:14:35BEFORE the plant needs rescuing.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43It's time to cut your losses on autumn-sown broad beans.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Pull up the plants and harvest whatever pods you have
0:14:46 > 0:14:49and this will create space for another crop to follow them.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Brassicas are ideal
0:14:51 > 0:14:54because they enjoy the nitrogen left in the soil by the beans.
0:15:05 > 0:15:06Come on, Nige.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13This area of the garden, which used to be our dumping ground,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16has been redeveloped, so we've got
0:15:16 > 0:15:19an embryonic wildflower meadow on the top layer,
0:15:19 > 0:15:22which is coming into being, and made a terrace.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26And I've moved the big pots that used to be in the Jewel Garden
0:15:26 > 0:15:29along the front and now it's time to plant them up.
0:15:32 > 0:15:33Now, obviously,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36we've put a hard surface on this area as a place to sit.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38It's a sun trap.
0:15:38 > 0:15:43But, also, it means that it's brilliant for pots of all kinds.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46Now, these big pots need a big statement.
0:15:46 > 0:15:47And I want to use them for topiary.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50And the plant that I've chosen for all four
0:15:50 > 0:15:52is perhaps a little bit unusual.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56Hawthorn is a native
0:15:56 > 0:16:01that is used by the thousands of miles as agricultural hedging.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03I don't think it's really appreciated enough
0:16:03 > 0:16:06as a garden plant. It has endless virtues.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09It's got lovely flowers in spring,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12it's got superb berries in autumn.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16It's very, very easy to grow, very adaptable. It's cheap to buy.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20Birds love it. Insects love it.
0:16:20 > 0:16:21It can be clipped tight as a hedge
0:16:21 > 0:16:24or I'm going to clip it as topiary.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27So I think it'll be the perfect plant for these pots.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32I'm going to use soil, partly to give it bulk,
0:16:32 > 0:16:37partly to save using expensive composts, which are only accessed
0:16:37 > 0:16:40by the top 12 inches or so of the feeding roots.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43And also because hawthorn will be very happy
0:16:43 > 0:16:45in good Herefordshire soil.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50You could just buy a peat-free general-purpose compost
0:16:50 > 0:16:53and that would be fine for the first few months.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55But, if it's permanent planting,
0:16:55 > 0:16:59buy a John Innes No 3 type compost.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01If you can, add a little bit extra -
0:17:01 > 0:17:05leaf mould, garden compost and a bit of grit -
0:17:05 > 0:17:08and that will help the texture and the nutrition.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14And, as with any plant where the roots are growing up inside the pot,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16just gently tease them.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18You're not try to pull them out,
0:17:18 > 0:17:22what you are doing is breaking them to stimulate new growth.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Before I add any more,
0:17:31 > 0:17:33I'm going to add the companion plants
0:17:33 > 0:17:35that I'm going to plant underneath it.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39And I've decided - keeping with the wildflower meadow theme,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41and keeping with native plants -
0:17:41 > 0:17:43to add a grass.
0:17:43 > 0:17:48This is one of the most common grasses in the British Isles.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51It's called Deschampsia 'Cespitosa'.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54And I've grown it from seed.
0:17:54 > 0:17:59So if I just put four around each of these four hawthorns,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01they'll soon fill out.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05What I like about this is I'm going to make a dramatic display
0:18:05 > 0:18:09and the tree is about the cheapest tree of this size
0:18:09 > 0:18:13you could possibly buy and the plants underneath...
0:18:13 > 0:18:14pence.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18If you under plant it, to a certain extent,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21you're taking nutrients and water away from the main plant.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24I think, as long as you're prepared to water it regularly
0:18:24 > 0:18:27and perhaps feed it, that's not something to worry about.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Of course, the next thing to do is give these a really good soak
0:18:33 > 0:18:35and they will need watering regularly
0:18:35 > 0:18:37for the rest of their lives.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39But it won't take long with these hawthorns
0:18:39 > 0:18:41to get the mushroom shape I want,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45that's a mushroom sitting on a bare, clean trunk.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Now I guess that when people are planting up pots,
0:18:48 > 0:18:49whatever they're putting in them,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52the first consideration is just that they're beautiful,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54and they want them to look as attractive as possible.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57But, as Niki Preston shows us in her garden in Peterborough,
0:18:57 > 0:19:03whatever your needs, they have incredible flexibility, too.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09I'm passionate about my garden.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12I'm definitely a flower girl - bright colours. I love pink.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14I'll put any colours together.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19At the moment, I think the favourite thing for me is the alstroemerias,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22cos they've really done well this year.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26The orange lily, the vibrant colour of that is incredible.
0:19:26 > 0:19:27I've always loved fuchsias,
0:19:27 > 0:19:31I just love the way they look like little ballet dancers.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34And the dianthus, cos they just smell gorgeous.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36The other things that I really love are the echiums,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39which I lovingly cared for for four years
0:19:39 > 0:19:42and that's the first time they've flowered.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Gardening for me is very new.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50James and I, my husband, we moved here four years ago.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53It was the first house we bought together
0:19:53 > 0:19:56and the garden was much bigger
0:19:56 > 0:19:58than both of us had ever had before anyway
0:19:58 > 0:20:02but it was very green, quite uninspiring.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03James really wasn't that bothered,
0:20:03 > 0:20:07so I had to take up that challenge and just learn fast
0:20:07 > 0:20:11and get to grips with it and everything has led on from there.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Being in the garden makes me feel normal.
0:20:17 > 0:20:22It's a rubbish word to use, I can't think of any other way of doing it.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Your garden doesn't judge you, your garden doesn't look at you and go,
0:20:25 > 0:20:28oh, you look a bit strange.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32I can just be me and I can lose myself completely in the garden
0:20:32 > 0:20:36and I don't have to worry about not having hands and fingers
0:20:36 > 0:20:38the same as everybody else.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41Having a disability definitely makes gardening harder,
0:20:41 > 0:20:45it definitely makes it harder, but it makes you more inventive as well.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56The trowels and forks that I have are actually children's sized ones
0:20:56 > 0:20:59so they are lighter but they are proper tools,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02they are not the little plastic ones that break.
0:21:02 > 0:21:07I am quite resourceful and I don't let anything faze me, definitely not.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12This rose bed is definitely my favourite rose bed
0:21:12 > 0:21:15because I can reach all the way around it, I don't have to stretch
0:21:15 > 0:21:18too far, because although this arm is longer than this one,
0:21:18 > 0:21:19I have to be able to reach with both hands
0:21:19 > 0:21:21because I do everything with two hands.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23I can't garden at ground level
0:21:23 > 0:21:26because I can't get off the floor.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29If I didn't have containers and raised beds
0:21:29 > 0:21:32and pots in my garden, I wouldn't be able to do it at all.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46James and I work really well as a team in the garden.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49He doesn't mind following me around and just picking up after me
0:21:49 > 0:21:52as I'm flinging stuff as I go!
0:21:52 > 0:21:55He concentrates on all the bigger things that I couldn't do,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58like mowing the lawn, digging things if they need to be dug,
0:21:58 > 0:22:02building the raised beds for me, carrying the compost bags
0:22:02 > 0:22:05and I concentrate on where the plants are going to go.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10I'm so impressed with what Nicky has managed to do
0:22:10 > 0:22:13and what she has turned this garden into since we moved in.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16It is difficult to put it into words really how impressed
0:22:16 > 0:22:18I am with what she has achieved.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21I think the raised beds have given us both a greater enjoyment
0:22:21 > 0:22:25of gardening because it makes everything so much easier.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27It makes gardening a joy, not a chore.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32There's nothing I like more than when Nicky comes up with a problem
0:22:32 > 0:22:36and we can both sit down together and work out how we can solve this
0:22:36 > 0:22:40and then by hook or by crook, we usually get to where we want to be.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45I love hanging baskets in the garden
0:22:45 > 0:22:47because they're really a good injection of colour,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50and really brighten everything up on the patio,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53but with James working away during the week, I couldn't water them.
0:22:53 > 0:22:58I can't lift t a watering can, and they would just wilt and die.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Then we came up with this solution for the watering system
0:23:01 > 0:23:05in the trolley with a water pressure.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09I just have to press the button down and it pretty much does it for me.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16The biggest thing that gardening has given me that I never ever thought
0:23:16 > 0:23:21would be a new job really, becoming a garden writer for several magazines.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24It has just given me a whole new lease of life,
0:23:24 > 0:23:28to be able to write about the thing that I really love.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35When I end up in a wheelchair, which will definitely happen,
0:23:35 > 0:23:39there's no two ways about that, we will just adapt the garden to cope.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41I will never stop gardening,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45because it just gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Having a disability does make it difficult
0:23:50 > 0:23:53but you just have to give it a little bit of thought.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57If I can garden with two fingers, I think anybody can garden with 10!
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Come on, come on!
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Nicky showing you there that whatever your circumstances,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25you can make a beautiful garden,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28especially if you use containers
0:24:28 > 0:24:29in a really creative way.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33It's funny it's raining because actually,
0:24:33 > 0:24:35I want to do some potting in the pond,
0:24:35 > 0:24:38although not necessarily in the pouring rain.
0:24:38 > 0:24:43To do that, you use a particular type of pot.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Most pots, especially the lovely terracotta pots,
0:24:46 > 0:24:47are designed to look beautiful.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50An aquatic pot is designed not to be seen
0:24:50 > 0:24:53and has a particular function,
0:24:53 > 0:24:57which is to let the water in from the outside
0:24:57 > 0:25:00and to let roots out, so it's a basket essentially.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04When you are planting any aquatic plant, whether it is a marginal
0:25:04 > 0:25:07or a deep water one, you need to use aquatic compost.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10Normal garden compost will not do the job.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14I have a little bit left over here and its main feature is,
0:25:14 > 0:25:16it's very low in nutrients.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21I've got a ranunculus here, Ranunculus 'flammula',
0:25:21 > 0:25:24which you can see has got small buttercup flowers
0:25:24 > 0:25:27that will spread in a very loose way
0:25:27 > 0:25:29and will work well in a wildlife pond.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33It is a marginal plant so it will sit just under the water.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40The reason why you use a low nutrient compost
0:25:40 > 0:25:45is because you don't want to increase the general nutritional
0:25:45 > 0:25:46level of the pond,
0:25:46 > 0:25:50because the plants that will flourish most will be the weeds,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53which, in the pond's case, mean that the surface can be coated in weed
0:25:53 > 0:25:55and you get all sorts of problems.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59Most aquatic plants get all the nutrients they need
0:25:59 > 0:26:01from the water alone.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05So the compost, the soil, is solely acting to anchor the roots.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07You can see I have a bare root plant here.
0:26:07 > 0:26:12When you buy a bare root plant, it is worth just checking
0:26:12 > 0:26:15to see that there is no weed attached to it.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18The easiest way to do that is just rinse it under a tap.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22Then just bury them.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29Right, this needs soaking outside and planting outside.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31There is a theme here, I am going to get wet.
0:26:31 > 0:26:32I am wet already.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35I am going in a pond. I might as well do it!
0:26:51 > 0:26:55I've filled this trug with water from the pond
0:26:55 > 0:26:59and all I have to do is just soak this in it for a few minutes
0:26:59 > 0:27:04so that it is really saturated before I plant it.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Right, that should have absorbed enough water to hold it in place.
0:27:18 > 0:27:24The soil has really compacted down, which means that it gives me room
0:27:24 > 0:27:26to put a layer of grit over the top,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28which will just hold it in place.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35The grit stops the soil floating away
0:27:35 > 0:27:38and effectively polluting the water.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41So, all I have to do is just plonk it in the water.
0:27:45 > 0:27:51Right, this is all slippery and the chances of falling in are high.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58I'm going to pop this down, just lower it into the water
0:27:58 > 0:27:59so it sits on the bottom.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05That will grow and spread not very far, about a foot,
0:28:05 > 0:28:07two foot at the most.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10Of course, all the plants in the pond here,
0:28:10 > 0:28:12every single one is in a container.
0:28:12 > 0:28:18This is a container garden just as much as if it was on a patio.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20It looks as natural and established
0:28:20 > 0:28:23as though it had grown itself out of the soil and the water.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27Well, that's it for this week.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31We shan't be back next week because the Proms are on.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35But I will be here at Longmeadow at the normal time in two weeks.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37So, see you in a couple of weeks, goodbye!