0:00:02 > 0:00:04RAIN FALLS BIRDS TWITTER
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Whoops! You're going to have to move, Nige!
0:00:21 > 0:00:23Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27Now, this is the banana, the Abyssinian banana.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31Ensete ventricosum Maurelii.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33And I got it last summer after I'd
0:00:33 > 0:00:36seen it growing at Hampton Court Flower Show.
0:00:36 > 0:00:42I just loved this plum-coloured, chocolaty stems and foliage
0:00:42 > 0:00:45and the way that it's so dramatic.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Put it into the jewel garden, I got a couple, and they were fabulous.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52But they are tender. They won't take any amount of cold, so
0:00:52 > 0:00:55ever since the beginning of October, this has been stored indoors
0:00:55 > 0:00:58and then in the greenhouse, where it's practically touching the roof.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00I'm dying to get it out into the garden.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03So I'm going to keep them out here to harden off
0:01:03 > 0:01:06and then they can go out in the garden and after that,
0:01:06 > 0:01:10they're on their own and I can enjoy them in high summer.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Now, as well as enjoying the exotic luxury of bananas,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17we pay our final visit to South Africa this week, where we
0:01:17 > 0:01:22go into the forests at the Drakensberg Mountains to find
0:01:22 > 0:01:25growing one of the UK's favourite house plants.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29What we have here is Streptocarpus johannis.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32One of the most exciting Streptocarpus species.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35It's got an open face which looks at you.
0:01:35 > 0:01:40And Joe's been discovering some hanging baskets with a difference.
0:01:40 > 0:01:41- Beautiful, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44- And is there a kokedama for every situation?- Absolutely.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Christmas time, you can make kokedama out of hellebores.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51I've even known people that have kokedamaed an almond tree.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02RAIN FALLS
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Well, just as I put the bananas outside, it started to rain heavily.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12That won't hurt the bananas at all, they don't mind wet,
0:02:12 > 0:02:14in fact, they need lots of moisture, it's just cold you have to
0:02:14 > 0:02:17worry about, and too much wind, because that will rip the leaves.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19So if it gets really windy and stormy,
0:02:19 > 0:02:20I'll have to bring them back in.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23But before I do, there's a chance now they're out of the way
0:02:23 > 0:02:26to look at the vine that I planted a couple of years ago.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28This is a Black Homburg grape, it's a dessert grape.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32And the first year it grew just up to here,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35last year, we had four bunches of grapes, you can
0:02:35 > 0:02:39see the black which is last year's growth, reached down to about there.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43This year, I'm training two long arms, if you like,
0:02:43 > 0:02:47from which grow rods, or cordons, and they carry the fruit.
0:02:47 > 0:02:52So I've put up one, two, three more wires,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55and eventually it will go right up on both sides
0:02:55 > 0:02:58and then the fruit will hang down.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Now, the crucial thing when you're growing a vine,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03is not to overstress it too quickly,
0:03:03 > 0:03:06you're looking for one bunch per foot
0:03:06 > 0:03:11and for this year, which is its third year, just one bunch per rod.
0:03:11 > 0:03:12And that will do.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15So, if I go along here, I've got a bunch there,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17I'm going to take this bunch off.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20It's cruel, but that goes.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24And then here, I've got a bunch, we'll take that one off, too.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27Of course, you don't need a greenhouse to grow grapes.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30You can grow them outside, you can grow them in a pot,
0:03:30 > 0:03:31you can train them against a wall.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34They're very, very tough, adaptable plants.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Now, it really pains me to take these potential grapes away,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41because they are delicious.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44But it's really important in the early years of a vine,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46and by that I mean the first up to six years,
0:03:46 > 0:03:50you go for quality, not quantity.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Now, these are Streptocarpus.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02One of the most popular house plants and really easy to grow
0:04:02 > 0:04:05IF you give them the right conditions.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07I bought these at Morven last year
0:04:07 > 0:04:13and they flowered continuously, from last May until the end of March.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15So, now they're going to a dormant period.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19But they will need repotting from time to time.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22You can see that's a mass of root,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25but when you're potting on anything, don't be tempted to put it into
0:04:25 > 0:04:29too big a pot thinking, "Oh, great! It'll become a great big plant!"
0:04:29 > 0:04:30Doesn't work like that.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33The old rule used to be go the next size up.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Well, you may not have the next size up, but just a little bit more.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39An inch all round is plenty.
0:04:39 > 0:04:44So if I take this size pot, that will be plenty big enough for it.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49What I'm using is simply leaf mould.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52You can buy proprietary compost, but the important thing is
0:04:52 > 0:04:55it mustn't be too rich in nutrients.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58So that will sit like that, and then...
0:04:59 > 0:05:00Put this round here...
0:05:00 > 0:05:05And these, literally, are rotted leaves and nothing else at all.
0:05:07 > 0:05:12And the perfect place for them is a north-facing windowsill.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15They really don't like direct sunlight, that scorches them
0:05:15 > 0:05:18and does them no good at all.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20Don't soak them too much,
0:05:20 > 0:05:24let them dry out completely in between watering
0:05:24 > 0:05:27and then make sure you don't get the leaves too wet.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30Having potted these on, I won't need to feed them.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34In fact, you should only feed them when you've potted them on,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36when you see the roots coming out of the bottom of the pot,
0:05:36 > 0:05:39and that would be for another month or so, and in fact,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41I feed these monthly, no more than that.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Give them a dilute, high potash feed
0:05:44 > 0:05:47and you can have high potash liquid seaweed, a tomato feed,
0:05:47 > 0:05:51home-made comfort feed, these will all do the job.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54And these are a plant that, if you give them what they want,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56they'll be completely happy.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59But to find out what any plant wants,
0:05:59 > 0:06:01the best thing you can possibly do,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04is see it growing in its native environment.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08And we went to the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa
0:06:08 > 0:06:10to do precisely that.
0:06:12 > 0:06:13MUSIC PLAYS
0:06:13 > 0:06:17South Africa is famous for the sun-loving flora that inhabits its
0:06:17 > 0:06:20coastline and exposed mountain slopes.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24But there is another very different habitat that's home to
0:06:24 > 0:06:27a very familiar species.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Streptocarpus.
0:06:30 > 0:06:35And subtropical woodland is their ideal habitat.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38MUSIC CONTINUES
0:06:40 > 0:06:45The trees in this ravine provide shade and shelter
0:06:45 > 0:06:48for the plants and animals that inhabit it.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53And keep the forest floor moist and humid.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56In winter, temperatures here never fall below freezing
0:06:56 > 0:07:00and the rainfall is at best, infrequent.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03So these plants never experience the cold and wet
0:07:03 > 0:07:05that we are familiar with in Britain.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Martin Kundhardt has been studying
0:07:11 > 0:07:14South African Streptocarpus for decades.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23What we have here is Streptocarpus rexii, which was the first
0:07:23 > 0:07:27Strep to be introduced to the United Kingdom back in the 1800s.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31The Streptocarpus is found further south than any of the other species
0:07:31 > 0:07:34and they have a very wide temperature and climatic tolerance,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37that is why it's been used so widely in hybridisation.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40These plants don't like being over-watered.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42And in fact, if they're under-watered,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44they actually do better for you.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48These Strep rexii are basically lithophytic at the moment,
0:07:48 > 0:07:50because they're growing on rocks.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54They're not sitting in water all the time. The water's always flowing.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57What you can see these plants growing on here, is sphagnum moss.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02And it shows you that the plants do not require soil to grow in.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06The plants will have lots of airspaces, use lots of oxygen,
0:08:06 > 0:08:09and that's exactly what Streps like.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12One of the characteristics you will notice among Streptocarpus,
0:08:12 > 0:08:15especially as the weather starts getting cooler,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18is abscission line, which is a yellowish line that will move up the
0:08:18 > 0:08:24leaf with a paler section of the leaf being below the abscission line.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28The plant isn't diseased and the reason for the abscission line
0:08:28 > 0:08:31is because the soil temperature is too cool
0:08:31 > 0:08:34and the plant cannot absorb nutrients through its roots,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37so it will reabsorb the nutrients up its leaves.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40But when it does start to warm up, the soil temperature will be
0:08:40 > 0:08:44warm enough for the roots to start absorbing nutrients.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47That's the time that you can start feeding your plant.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Streptocarpus are found all over this forest.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Some take root on the rocks, whilst others are epiphytic,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56which means that they grow on trees.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01The constantly humid environment of these subtropical forests
0:09:01 > 0:09:05provides perfect growing conditions for these plants which rely
0:09:05 > 0:09:10solely upon the moisture and nutrients from the warm, damp air.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13MUSIC PLAYS
0:09:13 > 0:09:18But the forest floor is also rich in plant life.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23What we have here is Streptocarpus johannis,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26one of the most exciting Streptocarpus species.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29It's got an open face which looks at you
0:09:29 > 0:09:32and it's a magnificent little rosette of leaves.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34It's only a terrestrial plant,
0:09:34 > 0:09:38in other words it doesn't grow in the trees, it doesn't grow on the rocks.
0:09:38 > 0:09:43All the decomposed leaf mould and bits of bark and things like that,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46that's exactly what the Streps are growing in,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48that's their ideal medium.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51This one for the hybridisers is very exciting,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54because Streptocarpus johannis produces numerous flower stems
0:09:54 > 0:09:59per plant, it's really an amazing plant to use in hybridisation.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04Streptocarpus flower for months in these forests.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08And of course, it's this protracted flowering that has made
0:10:08 > 0:10:10generations of gardeners covet them.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16When the flowers are fertilised and then fade,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19a long, twisted fruit capsule forms.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24When the Streptocarpus seed pod dries,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27it dries and it opens and masses and masses
0:10:27 > 0:10:30of small, little seeds, tiny little seeds, will float away
0:10:30 > 0:10:34in the wind and get deposited on layers like moss,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36and there, they'll germinate.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Streptocarpus species are usually very isolated colonies
0:10:40 > 0:10:43and those isolated colonies, because they are so separate,
0:10:43 > 0:10:49they've never developed something to impede the hybridisation of them.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51That's what's so exciting for us breeders,
0:10:51 > 0:10:56because you can take different species and start hybridising.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59When we start introducing colours into those hybrids,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01that's when you open Pandora's Box.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04And Pandora's Box is exciting.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08For centuries, Streptocarpus have excited
0:11:08 > 0:11:12and entranced gardeners around the world.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15But sometimes, they can prove a little tricky.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18However, recreating the complex conditions in which
0:11:18 > 0:11:20these beautiful plants will flourish,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24is both fascinating and richly rewarding.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29RAIN PATTERS
0:11:34 > 0:11:36Come on.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43I remember when we were filming Around The World In 80 Gardens,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46going to the Drakensberg Mountains, and it was a very hot day
0:11:46 > 0:11:48but there was a terrific thunderstorm.
0:11:48 > 0:11:53So we ran into this gully for shelter, with trees over it,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56and whilst the rain was pounding down, we noticed that the bank
0:11:56 > 0:12:01that we were sheltering against was covered in Streptocarpus.
0:12:01 > 0:12:06So exactly that environment, moist, warm, shaded.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11And there is no doubt that if you see any plant growing
0:12:11 > 0:12:15in the wild, you know instantly how you should grow it in your garden.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Well, it's not warm and wet here, it's cold and wet,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20but thank heavens for a potting shed,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23because that means that I can get on with sowing some seed.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26And now is the perfect time to sow biennials.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30Now, biennials are short-lived plants that
0:12:30 > 0:12:33span their lives across two growing seasons.
0:12:33 > 0:12:40So the seeds have set and fall from late spring to mid-summer.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44And wallflowers are a good example, setting the scene now.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48They fall to the ground, they germinate and grow a young plant.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51But they don't flower in the same year.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54They overwinter and then they flower the following spring
0:12:54 > 0:12:56and they set seed, and so it goes.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58Now, I mentioned wallflowers and I want to sow some.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01And I always like grow lots, because it's a very cheap way
0:13:01 > 0:13:02of making a dramatic statement.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05If you want to have a blaze of colour,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08you'd need to buy at least dozens, if not hundreds of plants.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10It will run into a fair amount of money.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14Whereas a couple of packets of seed, and there's your hundreds of plants.
0:13:14 > 0:13:19So, take a seed tray or a pot, like this, a seed mix,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22and you can buy special seed mixes or you can use
0:13:22 > 0:13:25a general-purpose compost or you can make your own as I do.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28But the difference between a seed and a potting mix
0:13:28 > 0:13:30is essentially it's lower in nutrients.
0:13:30 > 0:13:36It's got a nice, open root run for little seedlings to work out into.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39And if I take a packet of seeds, this is Blood Red...
0:13:39 > 0:13:43So there you have the seed and each one of these is potentially
0:13:43 > 0:13:49going to make a nice, strong beautiful, sweet-smelling plant.
0:13:49 > 0:13:54Just sprinkle it relatively thinly,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56because each of these are going to make a seedling
0:13:56 > 0:13:58that's got to be pricked out.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03Now, just cover that lightly with a layer of soil,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06and it can be very light.
0:14:06 > 0:14:07That will do.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12OK, that's just wallflowers, but there are plenty of others.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Foxgloves are one of my favourite biennials.
0:14:15 > 0:14:20I collected seed from the white foxglove Alba, and the wild foxglove.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24And you can see I just collected up the seed heads
0:14:24 > 0:14:27and put them into an envelope.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29And there are thousands of seeds there!
0:14:29 > 0:14:33And it is amazing to think that each of those tiny seeds
0:14:33 > 0:14:38is going to make a spire of flower, perhaps three, four foot tall.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42The other day I saw foxgloves for sale, individually,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45for three, four pounds each.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49So it can save you so much money, growing from seed.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56So, the regime is to water these,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59leave them to germinate, which they will do in a week or two.
0:14:59 > 0:15:04When they're big enough, prick them out into plugs.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Let them grow on, and that can happen outside,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08it doesn't need any protection for that.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11And then when they're robust little plants, either plant them
0:15:11 > 0:15:14where you want them to grow...or put them
0:15:14 > 0:15:18somewhere where they can be lined out in the soil, grow on and
0:15:18 > 0:15:22then go into their final position, in autumn, to flower next year.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34These are easy, tough plans to grow.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39And by planning ahead, you're guaranteeing a really dramatic
0:15:39 > 0:15:41display next spring,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44at a fraction of the cost of buying plants.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Now, that's sowing biennials.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50But here are some other jobs you can be doing this weekend.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53BIRD CHIRPS
0:15:54 > 0:15:58If, like me, you've sown climbing beans,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01but grown them under protection because it's been a little
0:16:01 > 0:16:05cold to plant out, you can safely put them into the ground now,
0:16:05 > 0:16:09placing one plant against each support.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13If you haven't sown any yet, there's still plenty of time to
0:16:13 > 0:16:15sow the seeds direct into the ground,
0:16:15 > 0:16:17where they will germinate quickly.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Late flowering clematis are growing practically in front
0:16:25 > 0:16:27of your eyes at the moment,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30and it is important to keep this growth
0:16:30 > 0:16:31tied into the support.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35Otherwise it can form an unruly tangle,
0:16:35 > 0:16:39which can then hide the flowers when they appear in about a month's time.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49At this time of year, fresh, new growth will make excellent
0:16:49 > 0:16:53cutting material, putting on new roots very quickly.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Place your cuttings immediately into a polythene bag...
0:16:57 > 0:17:01and then put them into a free-draining compost,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03stripping off any excess foliage.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Either place a bag over the top to trap evaporation,
0:17:07 > 0:17:11or else miss them at least twice a day
0:17:11 > 0:17:13to keep them moist.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17You'll know they've produced roots when you see signs of fresh growth.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Those rosemary should root very quickly
0:17:23 > 0:17:27and be ready to prick out in a matter of weeks
0:17:27 > 0:17:30and planted into the garden round about the end of summer.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34Now, last week, Joe started a quest to see
0:17:34 > 0:17:36if he could learn to love hanging baskets,
0:17:36 > 0:17:40and this week he finds that perhaps the Japanese have the answer.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52They're bold, they are bright and they bombard us with colour,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56and I know that millions of people love them, but I'm not one of them.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Am I missing something when it comes to hanging baskets?
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Granted, they bring a welcome flash of optimism to our home fronts
0:18:05 > 0:18:06and high streets,
0:18:06 > 0:18:11but I'm far from being convinced I'm ready for one in my own garden.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14So in a bid to like, or who knows, even love these creations,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16I'm digging deeper.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Actually, this one is quite nice, simple and white.
0:18:19 > 0:18:20Maybe I'm turning.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27For me, hanging baskets usually bring to mind clashing bundles
0:18:27 > 0:18:30of pansies, geraniums and petunias,
0:18:30 > 0:18:32but I'm told there's more to them.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Florist Thomas Broom has been perfecting a more radical
0:18:36 > 0:18:39approach in his garden shed. So what have we got here, then?
0:18:39 > 0:18:42So these are kokedama, or otherwise known as
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Japanese string gardens.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48I really like the way you've laid these out. These are very sweet.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50- They are very...- A lovely composition, different heights
0:18:50 > 0:18:53and lots of different plants. So what have we got, mint?
0:18:53 > 0:18:56So this is calla mint, so that is a sort of wild flower,
0:18:56 > 0:19:00but again, when it flowers, beautiful, little blue starry-like flowers.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04- And what have we got here on the corner?- So this is diascia. A great container plant,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07but it looks fantastic in a kokedama, something quite different.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10It is beautiful, isn't it? Yeah.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12And is there a kokedama for every situation?
0:19:12 > 0:19:16Absolutely. Christmas time, you can make kokedama out of hellebores.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19I've even known people that have actually kokedamed an almond tree.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23- What about maintenance, are they a lot of work?- There is quite a lot of maintenance involved,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26depending on what you plant in them.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Things like these annuals will require daily
0:19:28 > 0:19:30watering in the height of summer,
0:19:30 > 0:19:34and I do that by dunking them in a bucket, and then leave it to drip over night.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37So what got you into them in the first place?
0:19:37 > 0:19:39I used to work for a Japanese airline, and...
0:19:39 > 0:19:42one time I had some time down route on my own
0:19:42 > 0:19:46and I found a florist who actually had kokedama hanging outside.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50So I was quite intrigued because to me they looked unique and very
0:19:50 > 0:19:54different, and since then it has been something I have always done.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56- And is it really catching on over here?- It is.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59As sort of a younger generation of people are becoming
0:19:59 > 0:20:01interested in gardening,
0:20:01 > 0:20:05and particularly people who have smaller gardens, it has become quite modern
0:20:05 > 0:20:09and funky to have, particularly in the sort of contemporary setting.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13So much so that Thomas now holds regular kokedama workshops
0:20:13 > 0:20:16- at a London nursery.- I'm going to make loads.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18We're just doing the garden, so I want to hang them
0:20:18 > 0:20:22- all around the garden.- They are very freeing, very creative.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24They're just so strange and they are mystic,
0:20:24 > 0:20:27they are quite majestic looking as well.
0:20:27 > 0:20:28- Perfect.- Yay!
0:20:29 > 0:20:31So chuffed with that.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35If hip, young Londoners are getting involved, being one myself,
0:20:35 > 0:20:37I should really give it a try.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40So there are two types of compost you need.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42You use two parts bonsai compost to
0:20:42 > 0:20:45one part multipurpose compost.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47OK, what is in bonsai compost?
0:20:47 > 0:20:52There is quite a lot of sand, so it is very good free draining compost.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54But actually the mixture of it, with the multipurpose compost
0:20:54 > 0:20:57and water, it forms a sort of clay.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- I don't know if you want to get your hands...- Yeah...
0:21:00 > 0:21:02I'm a gardener, I want to get my hands dirty! I thought
0:21:02 > 0:21:05- you would never ask. Come on then. - So just stir it around.- Yeah.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09- A bit like you're making a Christmas pudding mixture.- Yes, lovely.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Now you need to really... compress this.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15You will see all the water dripping out. OK, fine...
0:21:15 > 0:21:18- Next thing is to add the plant.- OK.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21I am going to go for this asparagus fern.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23the little textural number.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25You're not going to harm the plant,
0:21:25 > 0:21:29but take off as much of the compost around the plant as possible.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32How you going to get that into that? They are about the same size.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34This is the magic.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38- So, take your sphere.- Yeah. - You basically have to twist the ball
0:21:38 > 0:21:41and separate, so you should have two halves of a sphere.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44- There we go.- Not bad, eh?
0:21:44 > 0:21:47- Just place it here, and then the other one on top.- Yeah.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50- And push together.- Oh.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53So the next part is to put moss.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Yes, let's get the moss on, hold the whole thing together.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59You can't forage for moss in forests, or anything like that,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02because it is against the law. So you can get this from garden
0:22:02 > 0:22:04centres or from florists,
0:22:04 > 0:22:06but not from anywhere in public spaces.
0:22:06 > 0:22:11- So if you put some at the bottom. - Oh, very delicate.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12OK.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14- Right.- Then some around the edge.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17- It is a bit like wrapping an apple in pastry.- So far, so good, yes?
0:22:17 > 0:22:20- Yes.- Is it a good shape?- Yes, good shape.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22- You've got that sort of spherical shape.- OK.
0:22:22 > 0:22:23So the next part is the string.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25It doesn't matter what direction you go in.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28It doesn't have to be in any sort of pattern.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31We just keep it all in.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35- Yeah, it feels more and more solid. - Yeah.
0:22:35 > 0:22:36- Look at that!- See, it is looking great.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40- And do I just chop that and tighten it?- Chop that. OK.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43- I'm going to use a little, swifty reef knot, we call it.- OK.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49- Hey! What do you think? - Yeah, I think that is fantastic.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52- I'm quite pleased with that...- Yeah, you should be.- ..I have to say.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56I think that was incredibly satisfying and rewarding.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Well, I'm not sure these are the future of hanging baskets,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06but I've really enjoyed making my first kokedama.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07And I like them a lot.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10I like the way they are really natural, just the moss,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13the plant, and some jute string around them.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17These kokedama couldn't feel more different from the baskets
0:23:17 > 0:23:19I looked at a couple of weeks ago.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22But now I that know anything is possible, I'm going
0:23:22 > 0:23:26to create my own take on a hanging basket next time.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45Well, I confess that I'd never heard of kokedama before.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49And they do look interesting, if a little bit like a sprouting coconut.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50And I'll tell you what,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53how lovely to see Joe Swift getting his hands dirty.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57Now, I'm going to get my hands dirty and plant something that is about
0:23:57 > 0:24:00as far removed from kokedama, or a hanging basket,
0:24:00 > 0:24:02as could possibly be.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Last year, I cut down a quince tree
0:24:05 > 0:24:09that was blighted. And it has created an open space, which I wanted.
0:24:09 > 0:24:10Light and air coming in.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14But it is a problem site, because all the planting around the pond is
0:24:14 > 0:24:17lush and likes fairly wet, rich soil.
0:24:17 > 0:24:22But here, raised up above the pond, it is actually bone dry in summer,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25so I've got a plant here that will fill the gap but not
0:24:25 > 0:24:29overwhelm it. It is a cranbe. Cranbe cordifolia.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Cranbe maritima, it's cousin, is sea kale...
0:24:32 > 0:24:36that we eat. Cordifolia is not edible...
0:24:36 > 0:24:39a slightly larger version.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43The foliage of cranbe actually doesn't give you any
0:24:43 > 0:24:44idea of what the flowers are going to be like,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47because these great big cabbage leaves -
0:24:47 > 0:24:48and remember, it is a kale -
0:24:48 > 0:24:52spawn a lovely froth of delicate
0:24:52 > 0:24:55white flowers in the end of May,
0:24:55 > 0:24:57in June, that shimmer
0:24:57 > 0:25:00and float above the ground,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02and can get up to about six feet tall.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05So it gives good architectural qualities,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09and then you cut it back in mid or late autumn, it disappears...
0:25:09 > 0:25:12and then will reappear again in spring.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14So a really statuesque plant
0:25:14 > 0:25:17that is adapted beautifully to
0:25:17 > 0:25:20growing almost anywhere, or grow in practically any soil.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23It will grow in full sun, in part shade.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25The one thing it's got to have is good drainage.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39So I've loosened the soil at the bottom of the hole.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Now, if you look at the plant I've got...
0:25:44 > 0:25:47..that's a hand span in depth,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49and I've dug a hole that is much too
0:25:49 > 0:25:53big. And it is really important, when you plant it, that the crown,
0:25:53 > 0:25:57the point at which the leaves sprout from, is above ground level.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00I don't want to plant it like that, but about like that.
0:26:00 > 0:26:05So I will put the whole of this grit into the hole.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16And sit the roots directly on top of the grit.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20So it is sitting slightly proud off the surrounding soil,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23and any water will drain away fairly quickly.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30Cranbe...
0:26:30 > 0:26:34has slightly fallen out of favour, in the sense that not
0:26:34 > 0:26:35so many people grow it.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41And I think more people should grow it, it's a fabulous plant.
0:26:41 > 0:26:42There we go.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Over to you now.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Do your stuff.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Sometimes, and at some moments in the year,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08plant combinations just work.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10And today it's here.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13This is the Viburnum plicatum Mariesii,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16with these lovely tiered white flowers.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20And I love the way it hangs over this hosta. This is albomarginata.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25The variegation around the outside picks up the white of the viburnum,
0:27:25 > 0:27:27and also the way that the leaves' shape
0:27:27 > 0:27:30are actually reflected by the hosta.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33We think of hostas as great big sort of plants, and dramatic.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Sometimes they can be really subtle,
0:27:35 > 0:27:39and the green of the osmunda fern in the background, shining out of the dark.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42Exactly at this time of year you get that sort of intensity.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Now, that is deliberate, but sometimes things can be
0:27:45 > 0:27:47just as good when they are an accident as well.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50This viburnum, I cut to the ground three years ago.
0:27:50 > 0:27:51Wanted to get rid of it.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55Couldn't be bothered to dig the roots out there and then. In spring it started to grow back,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58and, look, it has grown back hugely,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00and makes a really good composition.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04And there, popping through its branches, a self-sown angelica.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07Sometimes you just have to say, "Nature does it better than
0:28:07 > 0:28:09"you possibly could."
0:28:09 > 0:28:11Well, that's it for today.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15I'll back here at Longmeadow next week, at the same time.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17So join me then. Bye-bye.
0:28:18 > 0:28:19Come on.