0:00:02 > 0:00:06I've got it. You can't have it! You can't have it!
0:00:06 > 0:00:11You can't have it, no! You can't have it. I want it!
0:00:11 > 0:00:13I'm not going to let you have the ball.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World. The garden is looking good,
0:00:17 > 0:00:20but it is at that stage that always happens
0:00:20 > 0:00:23round about midsummer which is betwixt and between.
0:00:23 > 0:00:28That freshness and incredible energy that you have in May
0:00:28 > 0:00:30and early June has flattened out a bit.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33It's not dead at all. There's lots of lovely things.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37This morning, I watched this poppy burst its shell
0:00:37 > 0:00:41and emerge like a chrysalis becoming a butterfly.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43There are still wonderful things in the garden,
0:00:43 > 0:00:45but it is a time of year
0:00:45 > 0:00:48when you need to have faith in what is to come
0:00:48 > 0:00:53and perhaps a little bit of courage to cut back and make room for it
0:00:53 > 0:00:55so that it can really hit its stride
0:00:55 > 0:00:59and become splendid in a few weeks' time.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02Carol is off to Sussex this week, at the start of a journey
0:01:02 > 0:01:08- looking at plant combinations. - This association is all about form.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12You've got these bottle brushes of Persicaria bistorta
0:01:12 > 0:01:16perfectly at home in this border, but all the better for having this
0:01:16 > 0:01:20apricot foxglove coming up through the centre.
0:01:20 > 0:01:26And Joe is finally taking the plunge and making his own hanging basket.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28It's going to hang up there
0:01:28 > 0:01:32and it's going to be the first hanging basket ever in this garden.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Well, Joe is not the only one
0:01:34 > 0:01:36who's going to be making a hanging basket this week.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Now, as I say, this is a time of year
0:01:55 > 0:01:59when some things are just going over before others have come through
0:01:59 > 0:02:02to take their place, so if you want to keep the momentum
0:02:02 > 0:02:05going, you really do have to intervene.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07A good example is this euphorbia.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11It's a wonderful plant, Euphorbia wulfenii,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15and its inflorescences, or its cymes, C-Y-M-E-S, as they're called,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19absolutely luminescent at their best,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21but they're getting jaded and tired.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Look at that one there. That's fallen.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26These ones here, they're drooping down.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30So the thing to do is to cut off these flowering
0:02:30 > 0:02:33stems right down at the ground. It's very simple to do.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36You get in there and cut down.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39But before you do so, this is one of the very few plants that
0:02:39 > 0:02:43I take protection for, because euphorbias have a sap,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45and the sap can be caustic.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47It can really burn, not so much your hands,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50but if you rub your eyes or your face, it can be quite nasty burns.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53It's not a disaster, by the way, if it does touch you.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56Just wash it off, and then that's fine.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Well, one of the reasons I hate wearing gloves when I'm
0:03:00 > 0:03:03gardening is because everything becomes so hard to operate.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07And I've got clumsy enough fingers as it is.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10You will find side shoots coming off nearer the base.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13That's where to cut to, because what we want is a nice,
0:03:13 > 0:03:18stocky plant that will get ready for throwing up new flowering
0:03:18 > 0:03:21cymes, which will then appear next spring.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26So, I'm going to work through the plant.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29And you can either do this in one hit
0:03:29 > 0:03:32and just clear, or over the course of about a week you can just
0:03:32 > 0:03:35take off those that are looking particularly droopy or faded.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42Now, that should have tidied it up, rejuvenated it.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45It'll look good for the rest of the summer
0:03:45 > 0:03:49AND set it up for looking fantastic next spring.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53Now, somebody who has forgotten more about perennial plants than
0:03:53 > 0:03:56I will ever know is Carol,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59and she's set off to go round the country
0:03:59 > 0:04:03looking at some of our best examples of mixed planting.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09'Over the coming weeks, I'm going
0:04:09 > 0:04:12'to show you the wonderfully inspiring ways
0:04:12 > 0:04:14'plants can be put together.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19'Today, I'm looking at naturalistic
0:04:19 > 0:04:21'plant combinations at Gravetye Manor.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25'It used to be the home of writer and gardener
0:04:25 > 0:04:30'William Robinson, who was the godfather of this style of planting.
0:04:30 > 0:04:31'In direct opposition to
0:04:31 > 0:04:34'the artifice of Victorian carpet bedding,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38'he wanted to create gardens that not only looked natural
0:04:38 > 0:04:44'but respected nature in all its exuberance and diversity.'
0:04:45 > 0:04:49So, what does naturalistic planting consist of?
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Is it just an excuse to let everything go wild?
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Far from it. It's actually an attempt
0:04:56 > 0:04:59to allow plants to be themselves,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02to look as though they just put themselves there.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06In actual fact, it needs lots of careful management.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09This is just such a beautiful example,
0:05:09 > 0:05:14these big heads of the alliums bursting through the aquilegia,
0:05:14 > 0:05:19the big angelica in the background and the fennel fluffing its way
0:05:19 > 0:05:23through here with the seed heads of this purple honesty.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25The whole thing is just a picture
0:05:25 > 0:05:30and yet it almost looks as though it did it itself.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37'Today, Gravetye is managed by head gardener Tom Coward,
0:05:37 > 0:05:41'who's worked on the restoration of William Robinson's garden
0:05:41 > 0:05:43'for the last five years
0:05:43 > 0:05:47'and has got naturalistic planting down to a fine art!'
0:05:49 > 0:05:53So, Tom, how do you manage the garden? What's your system?
0:05:53 > 0:05:57We're looking for plants that have character all through their life,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00that have good foliage, that flower for a long time, that have a
0:06:00 > 0:06:02nice shape and that die with dignity, you know,
0:06:02 > 0:06:05that they have nice skeletons or seed heads.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07But we never want it to be overmanicured,
0:06:07 > 0:06:12so we're still happy when we have foxgloves that self-sow or
0:06:12 > 0:06:16if things start flopping a little bit. We're still embracing nature.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18We don't want it to become too static.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21I think that's the thing about Robinson, was he hated that
0:06:21 > 0:06:25- kind of control that people felt they'd got to have.- Yeah, yeah.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27I mean, gardening IS control of nature,
0:06:27 > 0:06:31- but we never want to be control freaks, do we?- Absolutely!
0:06:33 > 0:06:37'Tom uses successional planting to maintain a continuous
0:06:37 > 0:06:41'stream of colour and texture right through the year.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44'I was lucky enough to catch him
0:06:44 > 0:06:48'planting up pockets left behind from spring flower bulbs,
0:06:48 > 0:06:53'and it's immediately evident just how meticulous Tom is in combining
0:06:53 > 0:06:56'plants to achieve this natural effect.'
0:06:57 > 0:07:00We're using a salvia called confertiflora to
0:07:00 > 0:07:03run as a linking plant to repeat through the borders.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06- So you've got it planted elsewhere. - Yeah.- Oh, I can see it over there.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08And what are you going to plant in-between, Tom?
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Well, we've got Salvia 'Amistad', so we use two salvias.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13So blue works quite well with that orangey-red
0:07:13 > 0:07:15and then the shapes, it's the shapes
0:07:15 > 0:07:18that are more interesting than the colour sometimes.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21So the Salvia confertiflora's quite a vertical spike
0:07:21 > 0:07:23and I've got an Ammi,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Ammi visnaga, which makes this dome, and I'm hoping that
0:07:26 > 0:07:30the dome and the spike and the soft foliage will contrast...
0:07:30 > 0:07:31Very feathery and fluffy.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35So, is it all going to add to this naturalistic feel?
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Do you approve of this positioning?
0:07:40 > 0:07:43- I think it's perfect.- Really?
0:07:43 > 0:07:45HE LAUGHS
0:07:45 > 0:07:48'It'll be a few weeks before all these plants get established.
0:07:48 > 0:07:53'But here are a few pointers on how to get a naturalistic feel
0:07:53 > 0:07:54'in your garden.'
0:07:54 > 0:07:58This association is all about form.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00You've got these bottle brushes
0:08:00 > 0:08:02of Persicaria bistorta,
0:08:02 > 0:08:04what we used to call bistort.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06It's a wild British native
0:08:06 > 0:08:09and it looks perfectly at home in this border,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12but all the better for having this apricot foxglove
0:08:12 > 0:08:14coming up through the centre.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18Spires again, a repetition of the sort of form,
0:08:18 > 0:08:20and yet quite different. But, the colour,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24this is apricot, but then when you look at each of these bells,
0:08:24 > 0:08:28it's touched with the identical pink too.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32But what really is a cherry on the cake is the inclusion of this
0:08:32 > 0:08:35pale blue iris - 'Jane Phillips'.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38A different colour, but exactly the same tone,
0:08:38 > 0:08:42and it just melds the whole planting together.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48You can also add plants to your border that topple gracefully.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53Climbers like wisteria will add instant naturalistic impact.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58Tom refers to this beautiful planting of white lupins
0:08:58 > 0:09:04and the white wisteria as his stalactite and stalagmite planting.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07One is a reflection of the other.
0:09:07 > 0:09:12In the case of the lupin, these stiff spikes, and up above
0:09:12 > 0:09:15the wisteria just lilting downward,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18so that the points almost touch one another.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22And, although it's been very meticulously trained,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24it looks so natural,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26it looks just as it should.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Another way to get that natural feeling is to do
0:09:31 > 0:09:36exactly the opposite and use a collage of contrasting shapes,
0:09:36 > 0:09:38textures and colour.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Over here it's a completely different story.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47You've got this huge sea of catmint.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50It's Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant'.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53It's punctuated here and there by alliums,
0:09:53 > 0:09:57and then these mounds in contrast of Geranium psilostemon.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01And then it's almost been splattered with orange poppies,
0:10:01 > 0:10:03so you get these little pinpoints.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06It's splendid!
0:10:06 > 0:10:10And it just goes to prove, you know, being imaginative with plants,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12going for it, that's what it's all about.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34The planting here at Longmeadow, by default really, is Robinsonian.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36I don't think it knew it was Robinsonian,
0:10:36 > 0:10:41but that lovely mixture of things just works so well.
0:10:41 > 0:10:46However, there is a time and place, I think, for bedding and formality.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51And here in the Cottage Garden we do also have bedding plants.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55Over spring, last winter and spring, we planted tulips
0:10:55 > 0:10:58that have grown up through forget-me-nots.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00But that's all gone now,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02and although there's a little bit of colour in the forget-me-nots,
0:11:02 > 0:11:04it's time to rip it all out,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07change it, and be strong and brave about that
0:11:07 > 0:11:10so we have a really good summer display.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14First things first, just get in, be brave and pull it all out.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Forget-me-nots come out very easily.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23They seed themselves everywhere, so I am not going to lose them.
0:11:23 > 0:11:24Some will seed into here,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28and also I always leave a good patch in a corner of the garden,
0:11:28 > 0:11:31which produces thousands of seedlings and
0:11:31 > 0:11:35then we lift those and transplant them ready for next spring.
0:11:35 > 0:11:40And I'm not going to take out this foxglove, that would be vandalism.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Obviously I've been treading all over this,
0:11:50 > 0:11:54so now's the time to fork it over, not dig it too deeply,
0:11:54 > 0:11:55but get rid of the compaction
0:11:55 > 0:11:57and also take out any weeds that are there.
0:11:57 > 0:11:58Now is the moment to clear it up.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02The soil is very dry because, apart from anything else,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05the yew tree sucks up moisture, so does the box hedging.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08To give everything a chance, I need to reinvigorate it
0:12:08 > 0:12:12and nothing does that better than a thin mulch of garden compost.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16That just gives everything a new burst of energy.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21There's no need to dig this in.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23Just rake it in lightly,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26and the worms will pull it down into the soil and that will
0:12:26 > 0:12:31improve the soil structure and all the goodness will happen anyway.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Next, dahlias.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39These are tubers that either I've had for a long time
0:12:39 > 0:12:41or have grown from cuttings.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43We dig them up every winter.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46It is not so much the cold that we can't protect here,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49but the combination of cold and wet.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53And I'm going to plant these at the centre of each of the sides.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57They're very, very trouble-free.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00They don't need a huge amount of attention.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02So, I love them.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05I love the way that, a little bit of deadheading, you can have flowers
0:13:05 > 0:13:09from early July right through into November.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16OK. That's the dahlia planting.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19Now I'm going to infill with some bedding.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Now, I'm planting this cosmos.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25This is a variety called 'Dazzler', which I've grown from seed.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27In fact, we've got a flower here.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29I can pick it because we'll get plenty more.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31It's got a kind of brashness
0:13:31 > 0:13:35which is very different to the softness of spring.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38It's getting quite late to sow cosmos now
0:13:38 > 0:13:43but you can buy cosmos or other bedding plants.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46I always plant using my fingers,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49but if you don't want to end up with hands like mine,
0:13:49 > 0:13:50I'd advise you to use a trowel.
0:13:54 > 0:13:55Come on.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57Bring your ball.
0:13:57 > 0:13:58I'm not going to bring it for you.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04Now, obviously those will need a really good soak
0:14:04 > 0:14:07and that's all I do as far as watering goes.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10A good soak when they get planted and then they don't get watered
0:14:10 > 0:14:13again all summer, and they'll be happy, they'll grow well.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Talking about being happy and growing well,
0:14:15 > 0:14:19remember that I planted out the giant sunflower?
0:14:19 > 0:14:22I've got four different types and I put them in the four beds
0:14:22 > 0:14:26this end of the garden and I'm monitoring their progress.
0:14:26 > 0:14:27And at the end of the year,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30the 4,000 of you who have got seeds will all see how tall they can get.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Now, the one that I planted a few weeks ago...
0:14:33 > 0:14:34has grown a little.
0:14:38 > 0:14:39This one is 'Pikes Peak'
0:14:39 > 0:14:44and you'll have to believe me when I say that I've done nothing to it -
0:14:44 > 0:14:46and, so far,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48it has reached
0:14:48 > 0:14:5034 inches.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52It's growing fine. If I wanted to encourage it to grow
0:14:52 > 0:14:55as much as possible, I would feed it every week,
0:14:55 > 0:14:57just to give it a boost.
0:14:57 > 0:14:58Now, if you are one of the 4,000
0:14:58 > 0:15:01who are also growing these giant sunflower seeds,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03it'd be nice to hear from you.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Any pictures, or trials or tribulations
0:15:05 > 0:15:07that you'd like to share with us, do let us know.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10And the best way to do that is via our website.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14Now, you can be pretty sure that Joe will not be using...
0:15:14 > 0:15:16giant sunflowers
0:15:16 > 0:15:18as he comes to the end of his journey of discovery
0:15:18 > 0:15:22on learning to love the hanging basket because, this week,
0:15:22 > 0:15:23he's making up his own.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28'I've tried to understand the traditional...'
0:15:28 > 0:15:30This goes beautifully with the pink and the red, doesn't it?
0:15:30 > 0:15:33'..and I've been seduced by the radical...'
0:15:33 > 0:15:35I'm quite pleased with that!
0:15:35 > 0:15:39And I'm willing to admit that I might, just might,
0:15:39 > 0:15:41have just been wrong about hanging baskets.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45The clashing colours and effervescing displays
0:15:45 > 0:15:49that erupt every summer are still not really for me.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52But after my dalliance with the Japanese art of kokedama
0:15:52 > 0:15:56a few weeks ago, I can see new design potential -
0:15:56 > 0:16:00so I'm biting the bullet and making a hanging basket for my own garden.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Well, this is it, this is my garden -
0:16:04 > 0:16:06haven't quite got the acreage of Monty,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09but I do live in London so I've got a small town garden.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13Plenty of green plants, not too many clashing colours going on.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16It's nice and relaxing and that's just what I'm looking for.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Now, this is going to be my hanging basket.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22It's actually an orchid basket and I bought it online,
0:16:22 > 0:16:23but you could easily make one.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26And what I like about it is it's made out of timber,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29so it works with quite a few of the materials in the garden.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31So, it's just going to hang up there...
0:16:33 > 0:16:35..and all it needs is some plants.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38MUSIC: R U Mine? by Arctic Monkeys
0:16:38 > 0:16:41The plant selection will be crucial to it fitting in,
0:16:41 > 0:16:45hmm, so let's see what my local garden centre has to offer.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52Oh, now that's the sort of thing I'm looking for. Look at that!
0:16:52 > 0:16:55A little spleenwort - a lovely little fern.
0:16:55 > 0:16:56Textural.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58A couple of those would be great.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02And then that as well,
0:17:02 > 0:17:03this hart's-tongue fern.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06That's nice and glossy, very different leaf.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09I'm just looking for greens, I don't want mad colour -
0:17:09 > 0:17:11I'm happy with all green. Ooh!
0:17:12 > 0:17:14Look at that - hostas.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17I had real problems with... And a lot of people do ..with slugs and snails.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20And, who knows, if you grow them in a hanging basket,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23maybe they won't be able to crawl up there - so worth keeping them out.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25This is a lovely little dwarf variety.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28Now, I need something a little bit looser just to break it up -
0:17:28 > 0:17:31a little bit finer, foliage wise.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Ooh, yes.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36This is one of my favourite grasses, especially for shade - hakonechloa.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38And these are all perennial plants,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40which means after they've been in the hanging basket,
0:17:40 > 0:17:42or they've outgrown it, I can put them into the garden.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46So, they have a life after the hanging basket.
0:17:46 > 0:17:47I like that.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02Well, it's always difficult not to get tempted by every plant
0:18:02 > 0:18:05in the garden centre but I stayed focused.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08So, the first thing I'm going to do is line the hanging basket.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Now, I've got to put some drainage holes in this liner.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Basically, I'm going to create a reservoir
0:18:21 > 0:18:23so I'm going to make the holes, not right in the bottom of the liner,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26but just about five centimetres up, so there's water
0:18:26 > 0:18:29always in the bottom because otherwise these hanging baskets
0:18:29 > 0:18:31dry out so quickly.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Right, next, compost.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Now, I've got a nice peat-free compost here
0:18:36 > 0:18:38and that's really important to me.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41The way of retaining moisture is to use
0:18:41 > 0:18:43some of these water-retaining granules -
0:18:43 > 0:18:46when it gets wet, it swells up.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49So check the quantities on the packet and don't add any more,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52otherwise you could end up with this huge amount of jelly in there
0:18:52 > 0:18:54and it really is not good for the plants.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59And then distribution is really important as well
0:18:59 > 0:19:01so that you mix it well.
0:19:03 > 0:19:04And now the fun bit.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11It's really a case of, sort of, flower arranging.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16My lovely hakonechloa grass.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19This is a really lovely, graceful grass.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Just by putting it in there, it adds a whole different texture.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28Now, this is exciting, putting a hosta in my garden.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30I haven't done that for a few years!
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Quite pleased with that, I think they look quite good together.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36There's quite a lot of soil on show,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39but what I learned from my kokedama...
0:19:39 > 0:19:40was moss.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43Now, it's important that you don't go foraging for moss,
0:19:43 > 0:19:45that you actually get it from a reputable source.
0:19:45 > 0:19:46This is sphagnum moss,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48and I'm using it as a mulch -
0:19:48 > 0:19:50sort of dressing the compost.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52It's really a visual thing.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Now, the size of this container,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58it's quite important you're going to see them,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00so what I'm doing is getting some of the moss and just
0:20:00 > 0:20:01sticking it in the gaps there.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04But you've just got to be careful with moss
0:20:04 > 0:20:06that it doesn't completely dry out.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09That's nice. That's really nice.
0:20:09 > 0:20:10Oh, I quite like that
0:20:10 > 0:20:12trimmed-moss effect.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Right, let's see what it's like in situ.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Oh!
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Oh, quite pleased with that.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27There you go, giving it a good drenching.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Now, one of my concerns over hanging baskets
0:20:29 > 0:20:31is that they constantly need watering,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34and I'm away working quite a bit.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37BUT I've done a little bit of research
0:20:37 > 0:20:39and found this ceramic cone
0:20:39 > 0:20:42and it neatly attaches
0:20:42 > 0:20:43onto an old water bottle
0:20:43 > 0:20:49and actually lets the water permeate through the ceramic -
0:20:49 > 0:20:52and that'll keep it watered nicely while I'm away.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55But I won't be needing that now cos I'm at home for a bit,
0:20:55 > 0:20:57so I can just enjoy
0:20:57 > 0:20:59my new hanging basket.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02It's been an enlightening journey.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04From mass-produced traditional baskets
0:21:04 > 0:21:07to the latest craze for kokedama,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10It's about whatever suits you and your garden
0:21:10 > 0:21:11and I have to confess,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13I'm really chuffed with the outcome.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17So, am I coming round to hanging baskets?
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Well, I just might be.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34Well, I'm glad that Joe is returning to the fold, so to speak.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36I have to say, I've never been a huge hanging basket fan
0:21:36 > 0:21:38but I don't mind them.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41I think, in the right place and with the right planting,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44they add to the gaiety of life.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48But I'm going to make one here at Longmeadow which is a bit practical.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52I want a hanging basket that will give me something to eat
0:21:52 > 0:21:55and I've chosen herbs and there are two reasons for that.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58One - because herbs always grow well in a container of any kind
0:21:58 > 0:22:04and also the herbs I've chosen do well in porous soil,
0:22:04 > 0:22:06not too much water and very good drainage
0:22:06 > 0:22:08which makes looking after them in a hanging basket
0:22:08 > 0:22:10a little bit less demanding.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13I've got a range here. We've got sage of two types,
0:22:13 > 0:22:16we've got three different types of oregano
0:22:16 > 0:22:19and two different types of thyme.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Now, the first thing you have to do is choose your basket
0:22:22 > 0:22:26and there is a basket but that will hang.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28It will need a liner of some sort.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32I don't want to use plastic but there are alternatives you can buy
0:22:32 > 0:22:36and I've got here, soaking, a coir liner.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39Now, coir is the husk of the coconut
0:22:39 > 0:22:42and I've soaked it because if we put it in dry
0:22:42 > 0:22:45and you water the plants, THIS will take the water, not the plants.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49There we go.
0:22:49 > 0:22:56In terms of compost, I've got some peat-free, bark-based compost.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59This is propriety compost, you can get it at any garden centre.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02I've also got some home-made leaf mulch.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04It's not very rich in nutrients
0:23:04 > 0:23:08but it creates a wonderful structure for the roots to get out in
0:23:08 > 0:23:12and the better the roots can grow, the better they can reach moisture.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15So, ideal for a hanging basket.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19Finally I'm going to mix in some perlite.
0:23:19 > 0:23:24And you can see by the way that it's handling, it's light, it's loose...
0:23:24 > 0:23:28The perlite means that it will absorb water
0:23:28 > 0:23:31because it expands with the water but also drain well
0:23:31 > 0:23:33so these plants won't get waterlogged.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35OK. Put some in...
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Now we'll start to plant it up.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42I'm going to start with the sage
0:23:42 > 0:23:47so we will take that out of the pot, it's fantastic with potatoes
0:23:47 > 0:23:51and I love pasta where you just get fresh sage leaves, butter,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54freshly ground black pepper, toss the pasta up in it
0:23:54 > 0:23:56and eat it straightaway while it's piping hot.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Very simple but absolutely delicious.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00I've got some oregano.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Again likes Mediterranean conditions.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05Good drainage, plenty of sunshine.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09This is not a hanging basket that should hang in the shade at all.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Lovely thyme.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13This is Italian thyme,
0:24:13 > 0:24:17just an essential part of any tomato sauce.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19If you're cooking pumpkins, for example,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23if you just strew them with thyme, a little drizzle of oil,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26put them in the oven, roast them, absolutely delicious.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30And we've got a little bit more room so I think we can get in
0:24:30 > 0:24:34the purple sage because the colour of that goes so well with the thyme.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36I've got room for one more plant...
0:24:37 > 0:24:42Let's go for the gold-tipped oregano.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Oregano is one of those herbs that you want to cut
0:24:45 > 0:24:47while the leaves are nice and fresh.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Occasionally when I used to make sauces for my children,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53I used to take too much of the old wood and they'd say,
0:24:53 > 0:24:55"Oh, Dad, you haven't made twig sauce again!"
0:24:57 > 0:25:00And now we can fill the gaps with a little bit more of the mix.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Put that in like that.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Right, well, there's a basket of herbs.
0:25:09 > 0:25:10Let's go and hang it.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21There we go.
0:25:21 > 0:25:22A hanging basket full of herbs.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26Just come out, pick some herbs, take them back indoors
0:25:26 > 0:25:30and in the dry garden and essentially dry-loving herbs.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34So not one that is going to mind if you leave it for a few days
0:25:34 > 0:25:38and can't water it and nice and simple and straightforward.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42Now, even if I can't tempt you to make a hanging basket,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45here are some other things you can be doing this weekend.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51If you're growing biennials from seed,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54now's the time to prick them out.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Never hold them by the stem but taking hold of a leaf,
0:25:58 > 0:26:03gently prise the seedlings apart and transplant them individually,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07either into plugs or evenly spaced in a seed tray.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10They can then be grown on in a sheltered place
0:26:10 > 0:26:14and in about a month's time they can go out into a nursery bed
0:26:14 > 0:26:15in a corner of the garden.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21However carefully you grow your dessert grapes,
0:26:21 > 0:26:26they too often end up as a bunch of tiny fruit
0:26:26 > 0:26:30and the best way to avoid this is by thinning them down.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Use a pair of pointed small scissors
0:26:33 > 0:26:37and remove both the smallest individual fruits
0:26:37 > 0:26:39and those on the inside of the bunch
0:26:39 > 0:26:44and this allows the remainder to grow and swell to a good size.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49If you're growing dahlias in containers,
0:26:49 > 0:26:51it can be hard to support them properly
0:26:51 > 0:26:54and stop them spilling over.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58If you cut them back, by as much as half, now,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01they will both grow stronger, sturdier plants
0:27:01 > 0:27:06and also produce more side shoots with more flowers.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09The flowers will arrive a little later in the season
0:27:09 > 0:27:12but will last a lot longer into autumn.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22I'm really pleased with the way that this grass has grown
0:27:22 > 0:27:24alongside the path.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28This time last year this was completely bare soil,
0:27:28 > 0:27:30it was shaded, grass wouldn't grow.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33Last September, I sowed a hedgerow mix
0:27:33 > 0:27:36which I bought specifically with grass and wild flowers
0:27:36 > 0:27:39that were adapted to growing in a shade of a hedge
0:27:39 > 0:27:43and also in amongst the roots which would take up a lot of moisture.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45It's come up beautifully
0:27:45 > 0:27:49and the wild flowers will gradually grow and establish.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51The whole thing has worked a treat.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Well, that's it for this week.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Don't forget that Sunday is the 21st.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05You come up here. Come on. Sit down and be quiet.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07And that is the longest day.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12And what it means is that from about four o'clock in the morning here
0:28:12 > 0:28:17until 10 o'clock at night, the day is filled with light.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21The peak of the year. So all I would say is, make the most of it.
0:28:21 > 0:28:22It doesn't matter if it's raining,
0:28:22 > 0:28:24it doesn't matter what the weather is.
0:28:24 > 0:28:29Just get outside and fill yourself to the boots with light.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33So I'll see you next week, same time. Bye-bye.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Come on.