0:00:08 > 0:00:10Come on.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19Now, look at these. These are snake's head fritillaries,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22and they are absolutely at their best.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25These are the best of the ones I've got in the garden.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27In fact, I've planted them all the way up this path
0:00:27 > 0:00:29about 15, 16 years ago,
0:00:29 > 0:00:33but down this end of the Spring Garden they're really loving it,
0:00:33 > 0:00:36and that's because it floods really regularly,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39and in winter it can be wet for weeks at a time.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43And snake's head fritillary is one of the very few bulbs
0:00:43 > 0:00:47that actively enjoy sitting in wet soil, particularly in winter,
0:00:47 > 0:00:49and look how happy they are.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51They are an extraordinary plant,
0:00:51 > 0:00:54because you've got this reptilian texture
0:00:54 > 0:00:58and checkerboard colour, and they're all different.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01And the head of them, before they open, is just like a snake.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Now, as well as enjoying the flowers of the moment,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08I'm going to be planting in my new wildlife pond
0:01:08 > 0:01:11and also bring some peonies into the new border in the orchard.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15We're also visiting a couple in Devon,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18who have the national collection of water iris.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20They're very beautiful,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23they're very ephemeral and they're very floriferous.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25They come in the most wonderful colours.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Well, I just love them!
0:01:28 > 0:01:32And we're off to the seaside to see how a beautiful garden
0:01:32 > 0:01:36has been created despite its exposed position.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39I'm one of those people you can't say "don't" to.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43And I think once the challenge was laid down,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45the determination was there.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Come on, then. Come on.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Last week, I finished the pond,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09lined it and filled it full of water.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Well, in the interim period,
0:02:11 > 0:02:14I've clad it with stone.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18These stones are partly left over from the making of the larger pond
0:02:18 > 0:02:21and, partly, I've scavenged everywhere in the garden.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24These are the last possible stones that I could find.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28The wall is deliberately jumbled, because I want as many nooks
0:02:28 > 0:02:31and crannies for animals to get in as possible.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Next step is to plant it.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Now, the key thing to remember about planting a wildlife pond
0:02:37 > 0:02:38is get native plants.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40They don't have to be exclusively native
0:02:40 > 0:02:43but you must have some native plants,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46because insects and animals have evolved to work with them.
0:02:46 > 0:02:51What you really want is greenery - greenery around the margins
0:02:51 > 0:02:53and greenery under the water.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57To start with, I've got caltha, the marsh marigold.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01I've actually got a really good example in the pond
0:03:01 > 0:03:04on the other side of the garden that's flowering well now,
0:03:04 > 0:03:07and has got established, and these are great because they provide
0:03:07 > 0:03:09pollen for insects early in the year.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11They flower in March and April.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13So you're starting to get the insects in.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16They also have good foliage that - when it grows it provides cover.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20I'm going to re-pot them into aquatic baskets.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22In fact, all these plants will go in aquatic baskets.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26You can see it's got a fine mesh that lets the roots out
0:03:26 > 0:03:31but also the water in. You can see that the caltha,
0:03:31 > 0:03:36as you buy it, that is not in a normal compost.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41That's very low nutrients and quite loamy - ie earthy - compost,
0:03:41 > 0:03:42with sand in it,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46and it's really important you don't use a normal potting compost,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49because that will raise the nutrient level in the water too much.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52It wants to be very, very low in nutrients,
0:03:52 > 0:03:56and all these plants have adapted to thrive in it.
0:03:56 > 0:04:01And you can buy aquatic compost.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07You can see that this is, effectively, sandy mud,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10so I'm going to put a little bit of that in the bottom,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12this can be planted into it...
0:04:15 > 0:04:17..and then...
0:04:22 > 0:04:25So, that is now potted up...
0:04:25 > 0:04:27And when I put it in the water,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30the water is going to pour in and keep it permanently wet.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33And we can pop this over here.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36I'm putting it over here because it's in full sun,
0:04:36 > 0:04:38so it will flower better,
0:04:38 > 0:04:42the pot is submerged so we can't see it, and that is there, like that.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46The crucial thing, when you're planting a wildlife pond,
0:04:46 > 0:04:48is to have plants around the edge of the pond,
0:04:48 > 0:04:52and also around the edge at the back, to provide cover.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Now, this is water forget-me-not, Myosotis palustris.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59It does two things really well.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Because it spreads, it provides cover, very low cover,
0:05:01 > 0:05:03just above and below the water,
0:05:03 > 0:05:09and also, it is absolutely ideal for tadpoles.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13The frogs come in, lay their spawn in amongst its shelter.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16This wants to go in a very shallow area.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19You can see that that is submerged
0:05:19 > 0:05:22but it will very quickly grow up above the water level.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26Now, I know that most people making a pond
0:05:26 > 0:05:28feel that they must have oxygenators,
0:05:28 > 0:05:32and somehow, if they don't, the balance of the pond won't work.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Wildlife ponds are self-regulating when it comes to oxygen
0:05:35 > 0:05:38and all the creatures that live in them
0:05:38 > 0:05:41have adapted to the levels of oxygen that they have.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45However, there are submerged plants like this - this is hornwort -
0:05:45 > 0:05:49that you can add and it will provide extra oxygen,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51and one of the virtues of that is
0:05:51 > 0:05:54it will cut the rate of algal growth,
0:05:54 > 0:06:00and they will use up extra nutrients and keep the water slightly clearer.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04But if I take that out... This has come in a net bag.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07So I'm going to take it out the bag...
0:06:08 > 0:06:12And you can see that there is a little lead clip there
0:06:12 > 0:06:15that will hold it together, and when you plant it,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18nothing could be easier - you simply chuck it in the water.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20Job done.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Believe you me, if you set up the right conditions,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26the wildlife WILL come,
0:06:26 > 0:06:28and astonishingly quickly.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31That's one of the great joys of a wildlife pond.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34Get the right plants, get the right shape and the right conditions
0:06:34 > 0:06:36and sit back and watch them arrive.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40Now, this is an iris.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Yellow Flag.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46It's native, it's common, it grows very strongly
0:06:46 > 0:06:50but really good in a wildlife pond because it has a distinct function.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53It's ideal for dragonflies.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55The larvae come out of the water
0:06:55 > 0:07:00and they come up these very upright, quite rigid leaves,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02and they dry themselves out.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07So just a few round the edge of a pond are absolutely perfect.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10If you have too many, they can become a bit invasive,
0:07:10 > 0:07:14but don't be put off. They're really a good plant to have in a pond.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18All irises, I think, are beautiful, from the tiniest little reticulata
0:07:18 > 0:07:21to the biggest bearded iris,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24but aquatic irises are a distinct group,
0:07:24 > 0:07:29and we went down to Devon to visit Galen and John,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33who have the national collection of aquatic irises.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38BEE BUZZES
0:07:48 > 0:07:54We have the national collection of water iris here at Rowden Gardens,
0:07:54 > 0:07:56which we started in 1982.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00And from that, we now have about 112 different water irises.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03Most of the books that you look at,
0:08:03 > 0:08:05they only have about six at most,
0:08:05 > 0:08:09so we do have quite a collection here.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13There are only really four proper water irises.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16A lot of others are damp loving, rather than purely water irises,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19but there are only four names
0:08:19 > 0:08:23that you need to remember - versicolor, from America,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26laevigata from Japan,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28pseudacorus, from all the way round the world,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31and virginica from the USA, as well.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Oh, this is one of mine. I think it's almost the best one.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45It's certainly the best one I've ever bred, I think, or one of them.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47She's called Cadenza, Rowden Cadenza,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50it's a versicolor,
0:08:50 > 0:08:52and she is so reliable.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55She will flower rain, shine, hail, storm, anything you like.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57She forms a beautiful clump
0:08:57 > 0:09:01and she will flower for six to eight weeks,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04so she's certainly one of my favourites.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06BIRDSONG
0:09:06 > 0:09:09A lot of Galen's selections are really rather rare,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12because they are only increased by division,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16and if a garden designer is doing Hyde Park, or something,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19and wants 1,000 or 200, or even 50,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22the answer's no.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26We'll do it but it will take some years to build up that number.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34And you'll notice that all these are named after music -
0:09:34 > 0:09:37so we've got Sonata, we've got Aria, we've got, oh, Serenade.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41We've got all sorts of different ones. And this is Concerto,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43with this wonderful dark colouring.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47We've specialised in breeding these versicolors because we feel that,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50for the modern pond, they are far better suited.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Yes, that's a very important thing to say.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56In a little tiny pond in a small garden,
0:09:56 > 0:10:01most British native water plants are quite clearly
0:10:01 > 0:10:04the offspring of either Genghis Khan or Attila the Hun.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08And the fact of the matter is that an English newt,
0:10:08 > 0:10:10it's perfectly happy to sit with a small,
0:10:10 > 0:10:14well-behaved foreigner like Iris versicolor than fight its way
0:10:14 > 0:10:17through an enormous thug like the English Yellow Flag.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23This is quite fun, this is a variegated, lovely variegated
0:10:23 > 0:10:28Iris, and the variegation on that one stays all the year round.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Yes, it's Iris laevigata, one of the Japanese ones.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37The variegated pseudacorus is quite amusing to sell
0:10:37 > 0:10:41because its variegation disappears as the season goes on,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45and it ends up in August being completely green.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49And so people you've sold it say, "I've been done in the eye,"
0:10:49 > 0:10:51but you have to convince them that
0:10:51 > 0:10:53it will come back variegated next spring.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Once you've planted them they look after themselves.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09We grow ours in baskets.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Erm, we find they do very well in those.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Use a basket with small holes, don't use hessian
0:11:15 > 0:11:19because that just rots out and all the earth falls out.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21And don't use aquatic compost -
0:11:21 > 0:11:23it's not good for Irises.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Just use ordinary garden soil,
0:11:25 > 0:11:28and then you'll find that they just grow beautifully for you.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33After that they need no staking, you don't have to prune them.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36They are terribly easy, that's the lovely thing about them.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42They're very beautiful, they're very ephemeral,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44and they're very floriferous.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47They come in the most wonderful colours.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Well, I just love them.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52And I think that they're so much better
0:11:52 > 0:11:55than the rather overrated picture of an Iris
0:11:55 > 0:12:00made by that chap who lost his ear and costs millions of pounds.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Er, a gardener can have a much better thing by having
0:12:03 > 0:12:06the original, er, for just a few quid.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21I do love Irises of all kinds,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24and one of the advantages here at Longmeadow of having wet weather
0:12:24 > 0:12:28and heavy soil is we can grow quite a lot actually just in the borders.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30They don't necessarily have to be in a bog.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32But if you want to go and see John and Galen's garden
0:12:32 > 0:12:34and you're in the Tavistock area,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37you can go to our website and get all the details,
0:12:37 > 0:12:41and the best time to do that is round about May or June time.
0:12:45 > 0:12:46Come on.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Look.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55It's pea sowing time.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Traditionally, you sowed peas with broad beans in autumn.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02There's a first sowing, and then again in February or March,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05and then again in April or early May.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07But here I've tried all those things,
0:13:07 > 0:13:08certainly sowing them outside,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10and the ground is too wet and cold and they rot,
0:13:10 > 0:13:12or the mice eat them.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14So what I do now is I sow a few in January,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17these were sown on the 15th of January,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20and grown under cover, propagated in the greenhouse
0:13:20 > 0:13:23and then in the cold frame and then hardened off.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26So I'll plant these out, and I've got some seeds,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28which I will sow in the ground.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32But it is a rite of vegetable growing passage.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36You've got to have peas, you can't grow veg without peas.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40And they have been considered an absolute
0:13:40 > 0:13:42delicacy from the 17th century.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46Of course, man has grown peas for thousands of years,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49but it wasn't until the 17th century that people were
0:13:49 > 0:13:54prepared to eat them fresh, because until then they were always gathered
0:13:54 > 0:13:58and used dried, because peas are a very, very good source of protein.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04There's a variety called Hurst Greenshaft, an old-fashioned,
0:14:04 > 0:14:08traditional variety, really good flavour.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Place them in a wide drill,
0:14:11 > 0:14:15about 9-10 inches apart, in a grid.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Each pea about three or four inches from its neighbour.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24One of my American gardening heroes is Thomas Jefferson,
0:14:24 > 0:14:26who was one of the early presidents.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29He signed the Declaration of Independence,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32and a great polymath, obsessed by growing peas.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Isn't that a wonderful thing?
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Wouldn't it be great if our politicians were obsessed by
0:14:37 > 0:14:39things like growing peas or carrots?
0:14:39 > 0:14:44Now, I'm going to stake those right away, and for me,
0:14:44 > 0:14:46quite a significant pleasure in growing peas
0:14:46 > 0:14:49is the excuse to use pea sticks.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54And pea sticks are a side product from bean sticks,
0:14:54 > 0:14:58bean sticks are pieces of hazel, and this is all the offcuts
0:14:58 > 0:15:04that would otherwise be wasted, but makes ideal support for peas,
0:15:04 > 0:15:08because peas, being twining legumes,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10will climb up into them.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14Any kind of support will do, netting does very well.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16I've grown them using chicken wire,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18and they twine up in through the chicken wire,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21and you just support it with bamboo canes,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23but it doesn't look as good.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27Pigeons can be a problem with peas, particularly when they're small.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Bean sticks are very good because pigeons can't get in.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33If you're not using bean sticks, anything that scares them away -
0:15:33 > 0:15:36we used to use milk bottle tops when I was a child.
0:15:39 > 0:15:44These are the peas I sowed in January and raised under cover.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48They're a different variety, they're called Carouby de Mausanne,
0:15:48 > 0:15:52and they've got a flat pod, and you cook it pod and all,
0:15:52 > 0:15:57and the pod goes buttery, and it's got a lovely texture,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01and it's a really good variation on the pea experience.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Don't be tempted to water them too much.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07If it doesn't rain for a week you can water if you want to,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09but on the whole there's enough moisture in the soil.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11The time to water them is when they flower,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14and then you can give them a really good soak.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16And as a result you should give yourself
0:16:16 > 0:16:20the incredible luxury of delicious fresh peas.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23Well, those are nearly finished,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26and here's some other things you can do this weekend.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31'Now is an excellent time to sow grass seed,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34'and whether you're repairing a patch on a path
0:16:34 > 0:16:35'or creating a new lawn,
0:16:35 > 0:16:37'the technique is the same.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40'Make sure the soil is smooth and even,
0:16:40 > 0:16:42'and then hoe it before you sow.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46'Sow the seed thinly and evenly and rake it in.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52'And then keep it well watered until the seedlings emerge.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56'This is a quick job - but timely.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00'If you've sown sweet peas a month or so ago,
0:17:00 > 0:17:04'they will now be developing into fairly leggy seedlings, but it's too
0:17:04 > 0:17:08'early to plant them out, so pinch them back to encourage bushy growth,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11'and this will give you more flowers in the summer.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17'As the new leaves on dogwood and willow appear,
0:17:17 > 0:17:21'it's time to cut them back hard to encourage fresh growth
0:17:21 > 0:17:25'that will have extra-vivid colour next spring.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28'You can either cut them once every three years
0:17:28 > 0:17:31'or cut a third of the plant every year.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35'Whichever way you choose, cut hard, just leaving a stub of the plant
0:17:35 > 0:17:40'so you will have a strong flush of fresh growth.'
0:17:49 > 0:17:51This is the tree peony, lutea,
0:17:51 > 0:17:55and you can see how the buds are tight balls
0:17:55 > 0:17:59surrounded by the frizz of the emerging foliage,
0:17:59 > 0:18:03and these flowers will come out in about a month's time.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07It's a plant that gives no trouble whatsoever, but I have put it in
0:18:07 > 0:18:10the right place, so it's got plenty of protection.
0:18:10 > 0:18:12The hedge behind it stops the wind damaging it.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14It's one of those plants that
0:18:14 > 0:18:17when it finds the right place it's completely happy.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20Now, it wasn't hard to give this plant the little bit of
0:18:20 > 0:18:23protection that it needs to thrive.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26But Trudi Harrison's garden down near Chichester is
0:18:26 > 0:18:28much more demanding than that.
0:18:37 > 0:18:38'When I first moved to this house
0:18:38 > 0:18:40'people went to great lengths to tell me,
0:18:40 > 0:18:42'"You can't grow anything round here."
0:18:42 > 0:18:45'We're 150 yards from the sea.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48'We get the biggest winds you'll ever know.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52'On top of that you've got the heaviest clay you could think of'
0:18:52 > 0:18:54that you can throw pots with,
0:18:54 > 0:18:56and everyone along here just had given up.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Salt is about the worst thing you can have for gardens -
0:19:01 > 0:19:05it'll sour the soil, so you've got to work on getting your soil right.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09It'll also burn any plant
0:19:09 > 0:19:11and strip it bare with the ferocity of the wind.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17I'm one of those people you can't say "don't" to,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20and I think once the challenge was laid down
0:19:20 > 0:19:22the determination was there.
0:19:24 > 0:19:25You've got to choose the right plants
0:19:25 > 0:19:28and you've got to put them in the right places.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32Some of the plants I absolutely adore thrive in this sort of climate.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35You've got the lovely Zauschneria Dublin,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38with its beautiful bright orange flowers.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43And then you've got the delicious Correa Dusky Bells,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46which is just another fantastic plant.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49It has lovely, beautiful fuchsia-like bells,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51dipped in a little bit of peach
0:19:51 > 0:19:54and it's so, so pretty.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57I don't understand why people don't plant more of it.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01Then you've got the glorious Corokia cotoneaster,
0:20:01 > 0:20:05which has the most wonderful silvery foliage
0:20:05 > 0:20:09and bright orange berries, 100% salt proof.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13I'd like to see anybody try to damage it.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16I learned to garden through an unfortunate accident.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19I'd had a bit of trouble with my back and I'd spent six years in bed.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21From there, I'd got very bored
0:20:21 > 0:20:24and had started reading book after book after book
0:20:24 > 0:20:27and writing to people and picking their brains.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32Suddenly, I started forming a picture of how to make this garden work.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36I think it is amazing what people can do with a small space.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41I have exactly the same amount of land as my next-door neighbours,
0:20:41 > 0:20:42but I'd learned a few tricks.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44I like using optical illusions,
0:20:44 > 0:20:48I like trying to make things look bigger than they are
0:20:48 > 0:20:52and you can do that so easily by making the eye work.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55They're simple little tricks like curving a path,
0:20:55 > 0:20:59because a straight path will make the brain divide what you're seeing
0:20:59 > 0:21:02and make things seem shorter, so by curving a path,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05you're making the brain work just that little bit more.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08By making things undulate,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11you're making the brain and the eye see a little bit more
0:21:11 > 0:21:13and then by going up,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16you're still giving the illusion of a big tree in a big garden,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19rather than a little tree in a tiny garden.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26I'm much better than I was when I was stuck in bed for six years,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30but I still have to use a stick and I'm still in an awful lot of pain
0:21:30 > 0:21:33and that's where my husband comes in, cos he's my enabler.
0:21:33 > 0:21:38He can carry, he can lift, he can dig.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41I'm immensely proud of Trudi's achievements with this.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43She paints a picture.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46I do and I put things where she would like them,
0:21:46 > 0:21:51but she's just got an eye for it and every view has a depth to it,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54so there's something in the background with layers of colour.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06What we've done in this back garden here
0:22:06 > 0:22:09is divide it through the centre behind me here with the break there.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13That slows the wind and filters it down and created rooms.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15It created somewhere to go as well,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17so you don't just look out of the door
0:22:17 > 0:22:19and it's, "Oh, look, there's a garden."
0:22:20 > 0:22:24It invites you in and it feels bigger,
0:22:24 > 0:22:28because there's constantly places to enjoy it and sit.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33The things I've grown in my garden, like the sea buckthorn,
0:22:33 > 0:22:35are absolute stalwarts.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38They don't look pretty, I don't expect them to look pretty.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41They're there to slow and sift the wind.
0:22:41 > 0:22:42I've got things like the hawthorn,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45which was a little cutting that my grandmother gave me.
0:22:45 > 0:22:50It provides that wonderful cushion to stop the wind coming back in.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53Having a garden like this means
0:22:53 > 0:22:55you've got to experiment with everything.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59You've got to keep things in pots, you've got to move them around,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01see where it likes, where it doesn't like.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03You've got to understand the plant,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05so I keep an awful lot of things in pots,
0:23:05 > 0:23:09mainly so that they can establish themselves.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11It's been very, very deliberate
0:23:11 > 0:23:15that we have interest 365 days of the year.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18Right now you've got the beautiful Ricinus.
0:23:18 > 0:23:23I love those lovely flame-red, little spiky balls of interest.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27They make a big impact in the garden and cost very little.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30You've also got the beautiful Amistad, the Salvia Amistad.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35That lovely purple, hooded... Oh, it's just poetry in motion.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39Then you've got this lovely little yellow Telekia.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41It tends to seed itself where it wants
0:23:41 > 0:23:43and I tend to let it grow where it wants.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49I think with a seaside garden, you've got to be incredibly determined.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52You've got understand how to shelter your plants.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55You have got to be prepared for losses.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Never give up. Just keep going for it.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15It does go to show that you can make a lovely garden almost anywhere
0:24:15 > 0:24:17- and the great secret... - DOG HOWLS
0:24:17 > 0:24:19What?
0:24:19 > 0:24:21If you put it in there, you can expect to take it out.
0:24:21 > 0:24:22Sorry about that.
0:24:22 > 0:24:27The great secret is to find the right plant for the right place.
0:24:27 > 0:24:32Now, most peonies do best with some sunshine.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34There is a bit here where the sun
0:24:34 > 0:24:36will work through.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39That's south over there, so the sun will come through to this piece,
0:24:39 > 0:24:43so I'm going to plant my herbaceous peonies right here.
0:24:43 > 0:24:48This has been dug over. They've got a mulch there, so if I dig that out,
0:24:48 > 0:24:52if your soil is thin or very solid clay,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55add plenty of compost or manure.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58They'll thank you for that.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00Right, some grit in that planting hole.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08This just gives it a little bit of drainage,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11so if it's very wet, it won't sit with its roots in a puddle.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13This is Sarah Bernhardt
0:25:13 > 0:25:16and it's got wonderful, pink, slightly silvery,
0:25:16 > 0:25:20rather large flowers and I've chosen it to go with the blossom
0:25:20 > 0:25:23of the pear and the apple tree.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28Of course, it's named after the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt,
0:25:28 > 0:25:35who acted in Paris and was known for making great, dramatic gestures
0:25:35 > 0:25:38and probably the most dramatic of the lot
0:25:38 > 0:25:41was flinging herself off the edge of the stage
0:25:41 > 0:25:44and promptly breaking her leg in the process.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48Said to be one of the most beautiful women in her day.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Certainly, the flower is one of the most beautiful flowers
0:25:51 > 0:25:52you can grow in your garden.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56What is essential is not to plant it too deep.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59A lot of peonies don't flower because they're planted too deep.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01The crown needs to be just a couple of inches
0:26:01 > 0:26:03below the surface of the soil.
0:26:04 > 0:26:05That's about right.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08That's perfect.
0:26:08 > 0:26:13Probably the best time to plant peonies is in the autumn.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15You can, of course, plant them in spring,
0:26:15 > 0:26:17but if you're going to, it is important to keep them watered.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Don't let them dry out and they will grow and flower
0:26:20 > 0:26:23long after you and I have disappeared.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25This is a plant that could
0:26:25 > 0:26:30and probably will stay here for another 100 years.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34This is a tree peony
0:26:34 > 0:26:38and it can take more shade than a herbaceous peony
0:26:38 > 0:26:42and I'm going to plant it back into the border.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44A little bit of shade from this apple tree.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48If I put that there, I want this to grow up five-six foot tall.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51We've got space for this to grow.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55Now, unlike herbaceous peonies,
0:26:55 > 0:27:00tree peonies can and should be planted deeper.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08And almost all tree peonies
0:27:08 > 0:27:13are sold grafted onto a root stock.
0:27:16 > 0:27:21They can go in the ground. That can go in a little bit higher than that.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24We'll push some of the compost down. There.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Of course, the Chinese revere tree peonies
0:27:27 > 0:27:29and they developed them 1,000 years ago
0:27:29 > 0:27:33and then the Japanese took them on and developed them beyond that.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37High Noon
0:27:37 > 0:27:39has got yellow flowers, slightly double,
0:27:39 > 0:27:44and just a touch of raspberry into it, so quite blousy,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46but that's what I like about a peony.
0:27:46 > 0:27:52I think peonies remind me of a kind of 1940s starlet.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54Blousy, fulsome,
0:27:54 > 0:27:58and improving the quality of life just by existing.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05Well, that's all we've got time for
0:28:05 > 0:28:07and next week is National Gardening Week
0:28:07 > 0:28:09and amongst other things,
0:28:09 > 0:28:12there will be all sorts of gardens to visit and I would say
0:28:12 > 0:28:15that if you're making your own garden and you love gardening,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18visiting gardens is essential.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22You get ideas - wherever you go to, you always get something from it,
0:28:22 > 0:28:24so this is a great opportunity.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27And, of course, you can come back
0:28:27 > 0:28:30and visit me here at Longmeadow next week,
0:28:30 > 0:28:32so until then, bye-bye.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42Come on, Nige.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Come on. Good boy.