:00:09. > :00:14.Now, I know that we've had a dry winter and spring,
:00:15. > :00:17.and for a lot of people that's caused problems.
:00:18. > :00:20.But I have to say, here at Longmeadow it's been a joy,
:00:21. > :00:28.means that not only can you garden and get on with things,
:00:29. > :00:32.but also a whole load of plants respond really well.
:00:33. > :00:34.And none more so than here in the dry garden.
:00:35. > :00:38.The irises, which I moved last year, are flowering gloriously.
:00:39. > :00:43.But the stars of this border at the moment are the eremurus,
:00:44. > :00:49.This is himalaicus, and I love these great spires of flower
:00:50. > :00:56.and for a few weeks are the most spectacular thing in the garden.
:00:57. > :01:00.Now, all these plants need good drainage
:01:01. > :01:05.Well, the good drainage I've done my best to provide.
:01:06. > :01:09.And the not too much moisture is courtesy of the weather.
:01:10. > :01:21.On today's programme, Carol Klein will be celebrating the plant
:01:22. > :01:25.that she thinks sums up the month of May.
:01:26. > :01:28.Nick Bailey is investigating a plant that has become a menace
:01:29. > :01:35.And we revisit Adam Frost's garden as he starts to plant his brand-new
:01:36. > :01:52.and very ambitious herbaceous border.
:01:53. > :01:58.They are now ready to go into the garden.
:01:59. > :02:26.I don't know if you can see, but these have been touched by frost.
:02:27. > :02:29.It doesn't look great, but it won't have harmed the plant.
:02:30. > :02:51.The borders are pretty crammed at the moment.
:02:52. > :02:55.It doesn't look like there's room for much at all,
:02:56. > :02:58.let alone whopping great dahlias and cannas.
:02:59. > :03:01.But I have created space in amongst the alliums.
:03:02. > :03:04.And also it's really important when you're building a border
:03:05. > :03:07.across the seasons, to keep the colour coming.
:03:08. > :03:10.To make sure there is a constant display,
:03:11. > :03:17.so while one lot's looking good, another is growing up through them.
:03:18. > :03:27.Which has got rich plum-coloured foliage, and orange flowers.
:03:28. > :03:31.Because it's been overwintered in leaf mould,
:03:32. > :03:35.And you can see the slugs have been eating it.
:03:36. > :03:37.But when I get it into our rich soil,
:03:38. > :03:40.that will darken up and grow much more strongly.
:03:41. > :03:52.Now, this is where having size 11 feet
:03:53. > :03:56.and not the attributes of a dancer doesn't work well for me.
:03:57. > :04:03.and do as little collateral damage as I can.
:04:04. > :04:07.Wyoming will grow about six foot tall.
:04:08. > :04:12.But if you're growing it on poor soil,
:04:13. > :04:16.then you will need to beef it up and perhaps give it a weekly feed,
:04:17. > :04:21.because you want it to perform to its best.
:04:22. > :04:33.specifically to go with these cannas.
:04:34. > :04:35.You've got the dark foliage and the orange flowers,
:04:36. > :04:47.That's probably about three years old. A nice, healthy plant.
:04:48. > :04:58.They will give you a good display if your soil is less than perfect.
:04:59. > :05:02.Right, the soil will give them lots and lots of food.
:05:03. > :05:06.But if the weather continues dry, both these plants will struggle -
:05:07. > :05:18.These won't need watering in the border
:05:19. > :05:25.I've never watered the Jewel Garden in 25 years.
:05:26. > :05:30.But in a container, the dahlias will need a good soak once a week
:05:31. > :05:34.and the cannas at least twice a week.
:05:35. > :05:38.Neither of these plants will hit their stride for a couple of months,
:05:39. > :05:43.and they will go on flowering until the first frost in November.
:05:44. > :05:47.But Carol has been looking each month
:05:48. > :05:52.at a plant that absolutely captures the moment.
:05:53. > :05:58.And now, this is her plant for the month of May.
:05:59. > :06:04.Oxford Botanic Gardens is the oldest botanic garden in Britain.
:06:05. > :06:10.They hold one of the national collections of euphorbias.
:06:11. > :06:22.It grows on every continent except Antarctica.
:06:23. > :06:25.The common name for euphorbia is the spurge,
:06:26. > :06:32.which thrive in temperate regions of the world,
:06:33. > :06:35.that are of real interest to British gardeners.
:06:36. > :06:40.These are the plants that shine forth with these brilliant beacons,
:06:41. > :06:55.Euphorbia was named in honour of Euphorbus, a Greek physician.
:06:56. > :07:00.It takes its common name, spurge, from the Latin expurgari,
:07:01. > :07:10.The characteristic of euphorbias that attracts us
:07:11. > :07:15.and the pollinating insects are these brilliant inflorescences.
:07:16. > :07:21.but in actual fact euphorbias have no petals,
:07:22. > :07:24.no sepals and their flowers are contained
:07:25. > :07:28.in a unique structure called a cyathium.
:07:29. > :07:32.Within each one of these units are the male flowers,
:07:33. > :07:35.of which there may be several, and the female flower -
:07:36. > :07:42.and nectar is produced in glands within the cyathium.
:07:43. > :07:49.they pollinate the female flower here
:07:50. > :07:56.Inside are the seeds, and as that seed pod ripens
:07:57. > :07:59.and goes brown, on a really, really hot day
:08:00. > :08:17.One characteristic all euphorbias share is the milky sap
:08:18. > :08:21.that weeps out of the stems when they're cut.
:08:22. > :08:27.causing severe irritation and burning.
:08:28. > :08:31.If it gets in the eyes, it can cause blindness.
:08:32. > :08:33.If you get it on your skin or in your eyes,
:08:34. > :08:41.wash it off immediately with clean water.
:08:42. > :08:45.I have abandoned my big gloves because I need a bit more finesse
:08:46. > :08:48.when I'm doing this, and I'm also wearing glasses
:08:49. > :08:51.both to help me see but also to protect my eyes.
:08:52. > :08:55.Really important if you're taking euphorbia cuttings to make sure
:08:56. > :08:58.that all your extremities are protected,
:08:59. > :09:03.because this latex will really irritate your skin.
:09:04. > :09:09.I can probably make three, possibly four cuttings.
:09:10. > :09:15.First of all I want a piece about six inches, 15cm long,
:09:16. > :09:22.It's not bleeding very much but what I'll do is take off a couple
:09:23. > :09:28.so I've got a nice clean length of stem.
:09:29. > :09:32.And I'll dip the end of this into some warm water,
:09:33. > :09:38.It's less likely to rot in that case, too,
:09:39. > :09:40.and we won't have latex all over the place.
:09:41. > :09:49...three. That's enough, I think, to start with.
:09:50. > :09:53.Now, if you've filled your pot with nice gritty compost...
:09:54. > :09:59.it's got quite a lot of loam in it as well.
:10:00. > :10:04.So I'll just shake it down a little bit and all I need do is insert
:10:05. > :10:10.these cuttings so that about half is under the surface of the compost.
:10:11. > :10:16.And then just take some grit and put it right over the...
:10:17. > :10:27.it will retain the moisture in there,
:10:28. > :10:29.the third thing that the grit does is to make sure
:10:30. > :10:35.because there's all that sharp drainage just around their stems.
:10:36. > :10:39.They'll take several weeks, maybe a few months to take root,
:10:40. > :10:43.and don't start to think about potting them on until you actually
:10:44. > :10:50.see little white roots emerging from the hole in the base of your pot.
:10:51. > :11:03.There's a euphorbia for every aspect and for all sorts of conditions,
:11:04. > :11:14.An exciting hybrid is Euphorbia x pasteurii.
:11:15. > :11:17.It makes an imposing architectural shrub
:11:18. > :11:21.with handsome green leaves with white midrib.
:11:22. > :11:24.It's evergreen, but on the tender side,
:11:25. > :11:28.but if you can give it a sunny, sheltered, south-facing site
:11:29. > :11:33.and good drainage, it will repay you with heads of brown cyathia
:11:34. > :11:40.Its low-growing habit makes Euphorbia rigida perfect
:11:41. > :11:44.for a rock garden or a bank in full sun.
:11:45. > :11:49.Its pointed grey leaves clothe the stems in a spiral formation.
:11:50. > :11:59.Its cyathia change from bright yellow to orange as they age.
:12:00. > :12:04.Sometimes euphorbias hybridise spontaneously,
:12:05. > :12:10.as is the case with this very glamorous Euphorbia x martini.
:12:11. > :12:13.It's the result of a happy marriage between two euphorbias,
:12:14. > :12:17.one from the Iberian Peninsula in the Mediterranean,
:12:18. > :12:23.and another, a woodlander, Euphorbia amygdaloides,
:12:24. > :12:28.This means that it's an extremely versatile plant.
:12:29. > :12:33.You can grow it almost anywhere, from full sun to dappled shade.
:12:34. > :12:39.It just shows you how versatile euphorbias can be and quite frankly,
:12:40. > :12:59.It's nice to see Oxford Botanic Gardens.
:13:00. > :13:02.Beautiful garden, haven't been there for a couple of years.
:13:03. > :13:06.And did you know that the very first Gardeners' World
:13:07. > :13:11.was broadcast 50 years ago from Oxford Botanic Gardens?
:13:12. > :13:15.And also, if you think that euphorbias only come in shades of
:13:16. > :13:18.yellow and green, you couldn't be further from the truth
:13:19. > :13:22.because we use this euphorbia, griffithii Fireglow,
:13:23. > :13:26.for its incredible orange intensity at this time of year.
:13:27. > :13:30.They are fabulous plants and I completely agree with Carol,
:13:31. > :13:55.Let's just check the roots. There they are, perfect.
:13:56. > :13:58.They could probably stay there for another few days,
:13:59. > :14:04.they will get away quicker and I'll have an earlier crop of beans.
:14:05. > :14:07.I've chosen two varieties, so there's Neckargold,
:14:08. > :14:10.and as the name suggests, lovely, golden yellow-coloured pods,
:14:11. > :14:18.and I've got Blauhilde, which has purple pods.
:14:19. > :14:22.The important thing is to keep the roots straight
:14:23. > :14:27.If you haven't sown any climbing beans,
:14:28. > :14:30.either runner or climbing French varieties,
:14:31. > :14:34.You can sow them in plugs and root trainers now,
:14:35. > :14:37.you can sow them direct and they will grow fine.
:14:38. > :14:41.If you're sowing them direct, sow two beans per support
:14:42. > :14:44.and then weed out the smallest of the two.
:14:45. > :14:49.That way you can be sure you'll get one for each position.
:14:50. > :14:51.And if you don't have a vegetable garden,
:14:52. > :14:58.and with these purple or golden pods,
:14:59. > :15:25.they're a really decorative plant as well as being delicious.
:15:26. > :15:29.The pond is delivering its delights in waves,
:15:30. > :15:36.this amazing virburnum, Viburnum plicatum Mariesii,
:15:37. > :15:52.And actually, today it's probably at its very best.
:15:53. > :15:56.But what really marks the pond out from the rest of the garden
:15:57. > :16:00.is the lushness that is increasing all the time.
:16:01. > :16:04.either in the water or on the water's edge,
:16:05. > :16:08.are part of the delight of the season.
:16:09. > :16:12.But all is not good, because the RHS has put out
:16:13. > :16:16.a warning saying that there is one particular marginal plant,
:16:17. > :16:19.which I've been growing for the past 30 years, for example,
:16:20. > :16:24.and I've got here in the pond, which we should be very careful about.
:16:25. > :16:28.It is potentially causing havoc in the countryside,
:16:29. > :16:35.and Nick Bailey went down to Devon to investigate.
:16:36. > :16:40.or more commonly known as skunk cabbage,
:16:41. > :16:43.a rather unflattering description for quite a flamboyant,
:16:44. > :17:01.Skunk cabbage is from the arum family and it gets its name
:17:02. > :17:05.for a very good reason. Its leaves...
:17:06. > :17:08...and its flowers... HE SNIFFS
:17:09. > :17:14.It's sort of a combination of rotting meat and vegetables.
:17:15. > :17:17.But the plant isn't producing that smell just for the hell of it,
:17:18. > :17:24.So certain bees and beetles are attracted to that nasty,
:17:25. > :17:27.skunk-like smell, and that's why the plant gets its name,
:17:28. > :17:35.It was introduced from the USA over 100 years ago
:17:36. > :17:38.and it's grown predominantly in marshy,
:17:39. > :17:41.boggy ground where gardeners wanted to take advantage of
:17:42. > :17:46.its early bright yellow flowers and big, exotic-looking foliage.
:17:47. > :17:51.this plant has another problem - it's an alien.
:17:52. > :17:54.From March last year, the EU labelled the skunk cabbage
:17:55. > :18:00.as an invasive species and banned the exchange or sale of it.
:18:01. > :18:04.The reason that the legislation is in place is that skunk cabbage
:18:05. > :18:07.is running amok in our countryside and it stands
:18:08. > :18:12.a real chance of wiping out native plant species.
:18:13. > :18:20.And it's particularly prolific in waterways and ditches.
:18:21. > :18:23.Skunk cabbages grown in gardens are dropping their seeds
:18:24. > :18:26.into streams and ditches. The seeds float off into the wild
:18:27. > :18:29.where they germinate, and the plant flourishes.
:18:30. > :18:32.The problem is now so bad that it's in danger of being
:18:33. > :18:36.out of control and overwhelming our landscape.
:18:37. > :18:38.There's even a colony romping away in Snowdonia,
:18:39. > :18:42.where it has no problem thriving as it has an uncanny ability
:18:43. > :18:48.up to 35 degrees so it can melt its way through ice
:18:49. > :18:56.and flower while the ground is still frozen.
:18:57. > :18:59.Part of the legislation - we'll ignore Brexit for now -
:19:00. > :19:02.states that gardeners who already have it in their garden
:19:03. > :19:06.must ensure it doesn't spread any further.
:19:07. > :19:08.Which is where Michael Pell comes in.
:19:09. > :19:13.He's been growing it in his garden for over 25 years.
:19:14. > :19:16.Michael, when and why did you first introduce
:19:17. > :19:23.and I planted it because they are such gorgeous plants.
:19:24. > :19:31.And so are you happy with them in the garden?
:19:32. > :19:33.Have you got aspirations to get rid of them? Certainly not.
:19:34. > :19:38.No, no, no I'll maintain it, but I won't get rid of it,
:19:39. > :19:54.unless the law comes down on me and says I have to.
:19:55. > :19:57.Now, Michael, there's skunk cabbages all over your garden but
:19:58. > :20:01.it's particularly effective here and I guess that's because
:20:02. > :20:04.the soil's so damp, it's humus rich,
:20:05. > :20:09.As gardeners, we've got a responsibility to prevent it
:20:10. > :20:16.removing seedlings is one way of doing it.
:20:17. > :20:19.The other technique is about preventing the seeds
:20:20. > :20:22.from spreading, of course - they go up and down water courses.
:20:23. > :20:24.When do you tend to do that? How do you do that?
:20:25. > :20:28.As soon as the flower is finished. Before it goes to the big pod,
:20:29. > :20:31.as you can see there, come along and cut them off.
:20:32. > :20:38.we can see that it's been pollinated,
:20:39. > :20:40.the spathe, the yellow bit on the back has fallen away,
:20:41. > :20:44.so it's at that moment that it's going to start forming seeds.
:20:45. > :20:48.So by taking it away now we prevent those seeds from developing,
:20:49. > :20:51.I suppose prevent it from escaping any further into the wild.
:20:52. > :20:52.And then these need to be taken away.
:20:53. > :20:58.Taken away and left to dry before you burn them.
:20:59. > :21:03.Stopping the plant from going to seed is one way of controlling it.
:21:04. > :21:11.Now, Michael, there's parts of the garden where you want
:21:12. > :21:14.the skunk cabbage, but here you're trying to keep it under control.
:21:15. > :21:18.Now, this is a relatively small plant,
:21:19. > :21:22.but already we're struggling to get down into those...
:21:23. > :21:27.THEY GROAN There's some movement.
:21:28. > :21:30.You have to be so careful it doesn't break off.
:21:31. > :21:37.Such a clay soil. There we are. Wow, there we go. Look at those...
:21:38. > :21:41.Look at those roots, they're just incredible.
:21:42. > :21:43.And of course these are contractile roots,
:21:44. > :21:46.which means it's got that extra survival ability
:21:47. > :21:49.that it can draw itself deep into the soil,
:21:50. > :21:51.which can make a plant like that almost impossible
:21:52. > :21:55.to get rid of, can't it? Exactly. Yeah, so really important.
:21:56. > :21:57.And I guess as well this is the ideal season.
:21:58. > :22:00.It's just flowering now, just producing a little spadix
:22:01. > :22:03.in the centre there, but no seed formed yet.
:22:04. > :22:05.How do you actually sort of eradicate these finally
:22:06. > :22:09.A compost bag, lay it out in the sun,
:22:10. > :22:12.lay those on the top and let them dry and then I burn them.
:22:13. > :22:15.Wow, so that's total eradication. It's eradication, yes.
:22:16. > :22:18.I mean, this plant represents a real dichotomy.
:22:19. > :22:22.In the garden, well-managed, it's a good plant,
:22:23. > :22:25.but of course if it escapes into the countryside
:22:26. > :22:39.it presents a real risk to our native flora.
:22:40. > :22:43.Just bear in mind the advice we've had and take the RHS's warning.
:22:44. > :22:48.These are potentially going to clog up the waterways
:22:49. > :22:54.and if you've got it in your garden now, do so this weekend.
:22:55. > :22:57.And I will dry these and either put them in the bin to be
:22:58. > :23:04.taken away and disposed of or burn them.
:23:05. > :23:07.Right, enough of trouble. Let's have some good things.
:23:08. > :23:11.I've got an aquatic canna, canna Erebus,
:23:12. > :23:16.which I grew in here last year, and I was talking to a canna grower
:23:17. > :23:20.and he said the truth is you could plant the aquatic canna
:23:21. > :23:23.in a border and you could plant a border canna in a pond.
:23:24. > :23:26.I thought, well, OK, that's what I'll do this year
:23:27. > :23:31.which I've stored over winter in the greenhouse.
:23:32. > :23:34.And the main point of difference to other cannas is the foliage
:23:35. > :23:39.is longer and thinner and the flowers are less conspicuous.
:23:40. > :23:52.Right, that's the aquatic canna, canna Erebus,
:23:53. > :23:56.Remember, I planted this in the Jewel Garden,
:23:57. > :24:01.I don't know if it's going to be OK submerged,
:24:02. > :24:04.but by all accounts it should be fine.
:24:05. > :24:11.The difficult thing is getting a spot where it's not too submerged.
:24:12. > :24:15.All right, that's too deep, so let's put it there.
:24:16. > :24:18.As long as the pot is covered, that's the important thing.
:24:19. > :24:21.OK, well, I stress this is the first for me,
:24:22. > :24:25.and if it does grow and we get these great big
:24:26. > :24:30.purple foliage with the tall orange flower, that will be brilliant.
:24:31. > :24:36.Even if you're not planting, it is worth getting in the water
:24:37. > :24:41.getting rid of the dead leaves and any fallen twigs
:24:42. > :24:45.and increase the fertility of the water,
:24:46. > :24:47.because although that sounds like a good thing, it's not.
:24:48. > :24:54.the more likely you will have weed and algae.
:24:55. > :24:57.So scoop out as much as you can, but in doing so, be really careful -
:24:58. > :25:05.put on the side of the pond and leave it for at least a day.
:25:06. > :25:09.And all that is to protect the wildlife which, of course,
:25:10. > :25:13.is most of the reason why you have a pond in the first place.
:25:14. > :25:17.Now, I have to say that this pond and the damp garden around it
:25:18. > :25:19.has been the easiest thing at Longmeadow.
:25:20. > :25:25.planted it up and I've hardly touched it ever since.
:25:26. > :25:29.It just does its thing and it does it beautifully.
:25:30. > :25:34.making a new area of a garden is always thrilling.
:25:35. > :25:59.to see how his new herbaceous border is getting along.
:26:00. > :26:03.I tell you what, I have been so looking forward to this day from...
:26:04. > :26:07.You know, that idea of having my own herbaceous border.
:26:08. > :26:10.I spend my life sort of creating them, I think, for other people,
:26:11. > :26:15.but to have my own space that I can play in is absolutely brilliant.
:26:16. > :26:24...to start laying out and get planting.
:26:25. > :26:27.I've chosen an area three metres by three metres, just to give
:26:28. > :26:31.you guys at home sort of a real concept of a smaller space.
:26:32. > :26:34.You know, we go to these gardens and we see these big herbaceous borders,
:26:35. > :26:36.but how do we bring those ideas home?
:26:37. > :26:41.I'm planting this border up in interweaving layers,
:26:42. > :26:45.using a variety of texture, shapes, colours and edibles.
:26:46. > :26:47.I'm beginning with the key structural plants
:26:48. > :26:53.I've inherited a pear tree, which is beautiful, but it sits up.
:26:54. > :26:56.It gives this big height along this sort of long, flat border.
:26:57. > :26:58.So the first thing I'd do is introduce
:26:59. > :27:01.a bit of height at the end, which is my chokeberry.
:27:02. > :27:05.I'm going to work the other plants in around them.
:27:06. > :27:11.is work these grasses through the back.
:27:12. > :27:15.This wonderful Calamagrostis will sort of grow up to nearly 1.5.
:27:16. > :27:19.That's going to give me structure at the back of the border.
:27:20. > :27:21.And the flower head's going to carry on in autumn, but the plant's
:27:22. > :27:25.going to keep its structure right through the winter months.
:27:26. > :27:28.The next layer should be filled with your favourites,
:27:29. > :27:30.the plants you just can't live without.
:27:31. > :27:35.And not just because they've got this wonderful flower.
:27:36. > :27:37.It was actually the fact that it's got
:27:38. > :27:42.a lovely little sort of red detail on the stem.
:27:43. > :27:46.The third layer should be those impact plants that you can
:27:47. > :27:49.weave through the border and really add drama.
:27:50. > :27:52.And you know what? That's sometimes a pretty good idea,
:27:53. > :27:55.to have a word in your head about how you want that border to feel.
:27:56. > :28:00.But this, Angelica sylvestris Ebony.
:28:01. > :28:08.Going to work its way back to the front of the border.
:28:09. > :28:10.That's one thing you shouldn't worry about.
:28:11. > :28:12.Every now and again, having a bit of height right at the front
:28:13. > :28:17.The fourth layer should be filled with plants that really help
:28:18. > :28:22.I'm going to start to use this Baptisia australis.
:28:23. > :28:24.So the first thing that's going to do is give me a ribbon of blue
:28:25. > :28:28.that works all the way through which will pull the other plants together,
:28:29. > :28:30.that sort of cream and the darker colours.
:28:31. > :28:38.Work well against the grasses. Beautiful.
:28:39. > :28:43.I'm going to work in these lovely little echinacea.
:28:44. > :28:45.They work really well, first of all,
:28:46. > :28:50.But after that, actually, they hold really well into the winter
:28:51. > :28:53.so, a nice spiked flower that hangs down.
:28:54. > :29:00...we're going to add these little ageratina.
:29:01. > :29:03.And I suppose what this plant does is it's a companion.
:29:04. > :29:05.It gets the best out of the other plants,
:29:06. > :29:08.but then it grows up to about a metre, has a lovely white flower,
:29:09. > :29:13.with the blues and the sort of creamy yellows.
:29:14. > :29:16.So sometimes it's not all about the plants that you think
:29:17. > :29:18.are the most beautiful plants in the world.
:29:19. > :29:23.This, for me, actually starts to tie the whole border together.
:29:24. > :29:27.The fifth layer of plants adds stunning detail right across
:29:28. > :29:31.This lovely little grass, Briza media,
:29:32. > :29:34.which is a native grass, but when it comes up and flowers,
:29:35. > :29:36.they're more-or-less like little lockets
:29:37. > :29:39.that sort of hang, and the slightest little bit of wind
:29:40. > :29:41.and you get this movement which will be beautiful
:29:42. > :29:53.And then this lovely centaurea which is called Jordy.
:29:54. > :29:55.Fantastic plant. Grows to about sort of 600 high,
:29:56. > :29:58.so sits good at the front of the border, but it's the flower,
:29:59. > :30:01.the flower's stunning and after the flower's finished,
:30:02. > :30:03.the seed head looks really good so, again,
:30:04. > :30:14.that gives me that sort of carry on into the back end of the year.
:30:15. > :30:16.And now we're putting in the final few bits,
:30:17. > :30:19.so some lovely geraniums to work their way through.
:30:20. > :30:22.What I love about it is this dark splash on the leaf,
:30:23. > :30:24.which really starts to pick up on the other plants,
:30:25. > :30:34.And last but not least, is astrantia.
:30:35. > :30:37.Beautiful sort of paper-like flowers.
:30:38. > :30:48.Pop the last one in and then they can all go in the ground.
:30:49. > :30:54.the key is really not to plant it too deep.
:30:55. > :30:58.It's a decent weight, so when it goes in,
:30:59. > :31:08.And there is one plant that won't be going in today, this peony.
:31:09. > :31:13.but I actually bought them online, bare root through the winter.
:31:14. > :31:16.It's started to root, but if I knock this out now and plant it,
:31:17. > :31:18.it will put this plant under so much stress
:31:19. > :31:23.so they're going to go back in somewhere safe,
:31:24. > :31:48.The rest of the plants, to be fair, are all quite straightforward.
:31:49. > :31:54.All this needs now, drop of water and they'll be away.
:31:55. > :31:57.They're herbaceous. They'll just put on loads of growth.
:31:58. > :32:00.But you might have noticed I've left a few little gaps
:32:01. > :32:03.and that twist is going to be edibles.
:32:04. > :32:05.I want you to walk along this border,
:32:06. > :32:07.see these beautiful plants but then all of a sudden,
:32:08. > :32:11.have something that actually you can enjoy and you can take to the table.
:32:12. > :32:14.On top of that, summer bulbs to go through,
:32:15. > :32:17.and actually, a few little sort of self-seeding plants that will
:32:18. > :32:21.work through the back just to make the whole thing feel quite natural.
:32:22. > :32:49.Whilst of course I, like everybody else,
:32:50. > :32:51.want to see how that border develops,
:32:52. > :32:58.is seeing a top designer at work on his own garden.
:32:59. > :33:02.But the real excitement, however you go about it,
:33:03. > :33:06.is seeing the garden grow and develop and we will all share that
:33:07. > :33:10.with Adam's garden as it gets into its stride.
:33:11. > :33:15.Now, we've got lots more to come on tonight's programme.
:33:16. > :33:21.Mark Lane visits a community garden with a very unusual history.
:33:22. > :33:25.And Rachel De Thame goes to Ramster Hall, which is famed
:33:26. > :33:31.for its fantastic display of rhododendrons and azaleas.
:33:32. > :33:35.But first of all, we have our Golden Jubilee plant.
:33:36. > :33:39.This is the last of the ten that we've put forward and this week,
:33:40. > :33:49.Cranesbills, hardy geraniums, have seen their star in the ascendant
:33:50. > :33:55.Geranium Rozeanne burst on the scene
:33:56. > :34:11.Great big chalices of sumptuous blue with white centres
:34:12. > :34:21.She grows at least a metre in every direction.
:34:22. > :34:26.And she'll grow absolutely anywhere from dappled shade to full sun.
:34:27. > :34:29.You don't even need a garden to grow her.
:34:30. > :34:48.She's definitely my Golden Jubilee plant.
:34:49. > :34:52.If you agree with Carol that that particular geranium
:34:53. > :34:57.is the most influential plant in the last 50 years, well, very soon,
:34:58. > :35:02.you will be able to express that opinion because all ten
:35:03. > :35:06.of our possible plants have been put forward, and you can vote.
:35:07. > :35:10.And we'll be announcing the winner at Gardeners' World Live
:35:11. > :35:12.and we'll be telling you how you go about voting
:35:13. > :35:21.Now, Mark Lane is in London visiting a National Trust house
:35:22. > :35:27.with a garden that is, at the very least, unexpected.
:35:28. > :35:30.I'm in Hackney, east London, and this is Sutton House,
:35:31. > :35:37.I've been wanting to come here for a long time
:35:38. > :35:43.Now, from the outside, it looks just like a normal Tudor house,
:35:44. > :35:55.but if I go through to the garden, I know I'm in for a surprise.
:35:56. > :35:57.Named The Breaker's Yard because it was
:35:58. > :36:03.a car breaker's yard from the 1920s right up to the 1990s,
:36:04. > :36:11.it was transformed into a modern garden space in 2015 by Daniel Lobb.
:36:12. > :36:13.Daniel, this is such an amazing space.
:36:14. > :36:15.I mean, it's not really what you would expect
:36:16. > :36:18.from a Tudor house, is it, really? No, absolutely.
:36:19. > :36:22.Part of the brief was to create something that referenced
:36:23. > :36:24.the 20th century history of the site.
:36:25. > :36:27.It was formerly a car breaker's yard
:36:28. > :36:32.so elements of using vehicles and metal and rusty metal around...
:36:33. > :36:37.The National Trust went out to the local community and asked
:36:38. > :36:40.what they would like in this space and overwhelmingly,
:36:41. > :36:43.the thought came back to reflect the breaker's yard history of the site.
:36:44. > :36:46.There are echoes of the Tudor history
:36:47. > :36:49.from the bricks that have been used with the herringbone pattern
:36:50. > :36:53.and even the tyres themselves, with the chevron tread
:36:54. > :36:55.reflecting back to the herringbone bricks.
:36:56. > :36:59.So there's little echoes here and there of the Tudor part.
:37:00. > :37:04.You've used vehicles to break up the space. Where have they come from?
:37:05. > :37:06.So there are two main vehicles in the garden.
:37:07. > :37:11.The exterior is loosely modelled on a boat
:37:12. > :37:13.with a balcony on the front and a small one on the back.
:37:14. > :37:16.And the interior is modelled on a stately home.
:37:17. > :37:20.So, there's a chandelier in there and a Adam-style fireplace.
:37:21. > :37:24.Can you tell me something about this vehicle?
:37:25. > :37:30.It was formerly used for royal staff transport
:37:31. > :37:33.from Horse Guards Parade to Buckingham Palace.
:37:34. > :37:36.So it had very low mileage! THEY LAUGH
:37:37. > :37:39.But, erm, we've repurposed it into a greenhouse for the garden.
:37:40. > :37:43.Can you tell me what the place was like before you took it over?
:37:44. > :37:47.When I was first appointed, the site was very overgrown.
:37:48. > :37:52.Quite neglected, lots of self-sown buddleias and sycamores coming up.
:37:53. > :37:54.Generally quite overgrown and unkempt.
:37:55. > :37:57.The ground is quite badly contaminated.
:37:58. > :38:01.Down to a depth of six or seven metres, various heavy metals,
:38:02. > :38:04.waste engine oil... As a solution for this,
:38:05. > :38:07.we were recommended to install an impermeable membrane over the
:38:08. > :38:11.entire site and that means that all of the surface water
:38:12. > :38:15.has to be dealt with above, and all of the planting is in containers.
:38:16. > :38:21.We formed the rill, which collects all of the surface water.
:38:22. > :38:25.Also, there are very large rainwater storage tanks. I saw those.
:38:26. > :38:29.And they have a sedum roof, so the water filters through the sedum
:38:30. > :38:33.into the tanks and then it's pumped by children when they come
:38:34. > :38:35.and use the space. There are little hand-pumps.
:38:36. > :38:37.So that water can then be discharged into the rill.
:38:38. > :38:52.I just want to go and explore. Yeah, let's do that.
:38:53. > :38:55.I noticed there were a lot of planters in the garden.
:38:56. > :39:02.It's a good height for a raised bed. It's a brilliant height for me.
:39:03. > :39:06.And good depth of soil in there for the planting.
:39:07. > :39:12.We've got thyme, we've got sages, we've got oregano.
:39:13. > :39:15.And then right next to it, we've got this wonderful thing
:39:16. > :39:18.which I assume is a bug house, is that right? Absolutely, yeah.
:39:19. > :39:22.It's a tool chest from, you know, the back of a pick-up truck
:39:23. > :39:25.which we've repurposed into a bug habitat.
:39:26. > :39:29.And, of course, who cannot notice this beautiful Indigofera?
:39:30. > :39:32.I wish I could grow this at home but, of course,
:39:33. > :39:36.So there's this wonderful microclimate, I would imagine.
:39:37. > :39:39.That's the benefit of being in the city, I think, that we can
:39:40. > :39:42.get away with growing things that are a little bit more tender.
:39:43. > :39:44.And, of course, there's some under-planting as well, isn't there?
:39:45. > :39:48.Yes, we've got hakonechloa under there, the deciduous grass.
:39:49. > :39:51.It's all planted within a tyre and the planting
:39:52. > :39:55.I think because of the shape, it creates a little dish
:39:56. > :39:57.in the base of the tyre to retain some moisture in there.
:39:58. > :40:09.And what a real novel idea, this mini orchard.
:40:10. > :40:12.What sort of trees have we actually got here, Daniel?
:40:13. > :40:16.that are local to the south east of England.
:40:17. > :40:20.so they won't get too big in these containers.
:40:21. > :40:23.And then right to my left is a lovely specimen.
:40:24. > :40:28.Yeah, chosen there because when, in the winter,
:40:29. > :40:31.when the deciduous apples lose their leaves,
:40:32. > :40:34.we've got some evergreen against the building here
:40:35. > :40:37.and the underside of the magnolia leaf picking up some of the tone
:40:38. > :40:44.And in front of us are these wonderful specimens right
:40:45. > :40:51.The Chamaerops humilis palm was an introduction to this area.
:40:52. > :40:55.It first came into the country to Hackney in the 19th century.
:40:56. > :40:59.And the other large specimen plants are yew and box
:41:00. > :41:06.grown as topiary pyramids, again, referencing that Tudor history.
:41:07. > :41:12.This place isn't just about designer planting, it's about people.
:41:13. > :41:18.They have all sorts of local visitors from preschool children...
:41:19. > :41:24...to the group calling themselves the Recycled Teenagers.
:41:25. > :41:31.but you can also sow them onto a seed compost.
:41:32. > :41:34.Lot, a lot of rain, every single day.
:41:35. > :41:36.They'll need a lot of moisture and heat.
:41:37. > :41:39.I drown the poor little things, you know?
:41:40. > :41:45.I'm taking things before they even start going. You know?
:41:46. > :41:50.It's what good garden design is all about,
:41:51. > :41:54.is that right from the start of this project,
:41:55. > :42:00.so it doesn't just reflect the community,
:42:01. > :42:04.it also benefits them and it will do for years to come.
:42:05. > :42:08.So, who could imagine that a yard of old cars
:42:09. > :42:26.could turn into such a beautiful garden like this.
:42:27. > :42:31.What's so fabulous about that garden is that it's got such energy.
:42:32. > :42:34.There's a real sense of dynamism and I love the recycling.
:42:35. > :42:39.The shed behind is all using old tin and old windows
:42:40. > :42:44.as many found objects as we possibly can.
:42:45. > :42:47.Sorry, did you hear the cuckoo? Listen.
:42:48. > :43:01.I'm cutting it because it's going to seed like mad.
:43:02. > :43:05.You can see that it's nearly all stem.
:43:06. > :43:09.and that means that there's far fewer leaves,
:43:10. > :43:12.the leaves that are there are tougher,
:43:13. > :43:14.they're less sweet, they're much hotter.
:43:15. > :43:18.So what I do is cut it now and then I'll do another sowing in July and
:43:19. > :43:24.August and we can start the cycle again in late summer and autumn.
:43:25. > :43:26.Come on. CLICKS TONGUE
:43:27. > :43:42.I think one of the best ways of learning about gardens
:43:43. > :43:45.and getting inspiration for your own garden
:43:46. > :43:51.And this is the 90th year of the National Garden Scheme
:43:52. > :43:55.and the beauty of it means that you can visit gardens of every kind
:43:56. > :43:59.from the smallest to the grandest and very often,
:44:00. > :44:04.within quite a small area, you can visit a number in an afternoon.
:44:05. > :44:07.And some of these gardens have been open for a long time.
:44:08. > :44:18.Rachel has been to visit one of them.
:44:19. > :44:29.with a wonderful canopy of oaks, larches and conifers
:44:30. > :44:35.under which flowering shrubs flourish.
:44:36. > :44:39.It's a garden laden with Eastern influence.
:44:40. > :44:48.Explosions of rhododendrons and azaleas at every turn.
:44:49. > :44:51.It's one of only two gardens that have opened every year
:44:52. > :44:57.under the National Garden Scheme since it started back in 1927,
:44:58. > :45:09.So Ramster Hall really is in excellent company.
:45:10. > :45:13.Miranda Gunn and her family have owned Ramster Hall since that
:45:14. > :45:17.very first opening when Miranda's grandmother, Lady Fay Norman,
:45:18. > :45:26.My grandmother had been brought up at Bodnant Gardens,
:45:27. > :45:31.so she was really keen on having a rhododendron garden
:45:32. > :45:39.She planted a lot of the famous loderi rhododendrons.
:45:40. > :45:45.And then she introduced a lot of the azaleas for the azalea garden.
:45:46. > :45:48.So what are some of your earliest memories
:45:49. > :45:50.of the garden being open for the NGS?
:45:51. > :45:53.My grandmother was a slightly formidable lady,
:45:54. > :45:56.very well-known locally, and she always wore
:45:57. > :46:00.a large straw hat and she used to love NGS open days and we would,
:46:01. > :46:03.the grandchildren would be following behind her,
:46:04. > :46:05.and she'd go up to every visitor and she'd say,
:46:06. > :46:08."So glad to see you going round the garden."
:46:09. > :46:11.And then she'd proceed to tell them all the names of the Latin plants
:46:12. > :46:13.and things like that and the poor visitors would be
:46:14. > :46:17.absolutely tongue-tied and petrified and couldn't wait to scuttle
:46:18. > :46:23.And us grandchildren used to look and see that the more savvy visitors
:46:24. > :46:29.when they saw her straw hat coming down the path.
:46:30. > :46:32.In the days when we only used to open for the NGS,
:46:33. > :46:36.then it was a great challenge to get it all up and running.
:46:37. > :46:39.I think one of the funniest things that we ever had was one day
:46:40. > :46:42.we were sitting having lunch and the neighbouring farmer came by
:46:43. > :46:46.and looked through the window and said, "Oh, I've lost 23 heifers.
:46:47. > :46:51.Of course, that set panic and we had a real old rodeo
:46:52. > :46:54.trying to round them all up and get them under control
:46:55. > :46:59.So, it sounds like there were adventures. Always the unexpected.
:47:00. > :47:04.when you're dealing with garden open days, yes.
:47:05. > :47:07.I think people who want to open their garden for the NGS,
:47:08. > :47:10.they get so much pleasure out of sharing the garden with visitors.
:47:11. > :47:16.I think one of the joys of this garden is sharing it with people.
:47:17. > :47:23.It's still a great honour to open for the National Garden Scheme.
:47:24. > :47:28.And what a treat lies in store for those visiting this magical place.
:47:29. > :47:31.As many as 1,000 rhododendrons grow here,
:47:32. > :47:43.Rama Lopez-Rivera is one of the gardeners and a rhododendron expert.
:47:44. > :47:45.So, talk me through the collection here.
:47:46. > :47:48.I mean, Ramster Hall isn't that well known, is it?
:47:49. > :47:51.No, it's really gone under the radar for the last 80 years, probably.
:47:52. > :47:55.It's been a low-key garden but that's been part of its charm.
:47:56. > :47:57.You start off at the front of the garden.
:47:58. > :48:06.Frome azaleas, you get from southern Japan.
:48:07. > :48:08.We have the loderi collection here.
:48:09. > :48:11.Large blooms of heavily scented flowers and
:48:12. > :48:18.We go up into Ant Wood, which is our collection of hardy hybrids.
:48:19. > :48:22.The old world rhododendrons, really a range of flower types and colours.
:48:23. > :48:31.Rhododendrons are often traditionally known for their
:48:32. > :48:36.grand stature, but Rama is currently working on an exciting project
:48:37. > :48:42.to develop more compact varieties for even the smallest of gardens.
:48:43. > :48:45.We've got things like the azaleas here that like full sun.
:48:46. > :48:49.They look great in a pot, at the front of the border,
:48:50. > :48:52.so, you know, really versatile as a plant.
:48:53. > :48:56.Ooh, and that colour there. This one, Graziella.
:48:57. > :49:00.Luxurious foliage, linear leaves,
:49:01. > :49:05.set against almost glaucous green of the foliage.
:49:06. > :49:08.That's a stunner. This is going to grow after ten years
:49:09. > :49:10.to a metre around. And it could go in a pot?
:49:11. > :49:13.It could go in a pot and that's going to restrict the size also.
:49:14. > :49:19.Avoid chalky soil, so anything above seven on the pH scale is something
:49:20. > :49:24.And is there a better time of year to plant them?
:49:25. > :49:28.The best time for rhododendrons is autumn.
:49:29. > :49:30.Plant them in autumn, the soil temperature underground still
:49:31. > :49:33.has the heat from the summer, so when they're planted,
:49:34. > :49:39.the roots still have growing time before the winter sets in.
:49:40. > :49:42.I love what you're doing in this area because you've got all
:49:43. > :49:45.this richness of the history of the rhododendrons at Ramster Hall,
:49:46. > :49:50.making them relevant for the 21st century.
:49:51. > :49:54.It's a fantastic opportunity, and to be able to share my passion
:49:55. > :49:58.and knowledge of this genus and for the public to come and see round
:49:59. > :50:00.Ramster Gardens, what an excellent place.
:50:01. > :50:15.You're here for life, aren't you? Absolutely!
:50:16. > :50:21.Seeing rhododendrons in flower on that scale is always
:50:22. > :50:24.an incredibly dramatic, awe-inspiring thing,
:50:25. > :50:29.but if you want to experience either Ramster or any of the gardens
:50:30. > :50:32.open in your area, do go along, and the National Garden Scheme
:50:33. > :50:35.is having a big celebration over the bank holiday weekend.
:50:36. > :50:39.For details on that, you can go to our website.
:50:40. > :50:45.Now, one of the features of Ramster is that it has ericaceous soil,
:50:46. > :50:48.so it can grow all those amazing azaleas and rhododendrons,
:50:49. > :50:51.and I've tried to grow Meconopsis, which tends to prefer
:50:52. > :50:56.ericaceous soils, for the last 30 years and failed dismally.
:50:57. > :51:00.And these now are in their third year, which may not sound
:51:01. > :51:03.a lot to you, but it's a triumph for me because to have them regrowing
:51:04. > :51:09.and flowering is something that I've wanted in my garden most of my life.
:51:10. > :51:12.There's very little else that has that intensity of blue
:51:13. > :51:16.that you'll find at any time of year, let alone now.
:51:17. > :51:19.And the key to growing these, as well as having
:51:20. > :51:25.a slightly ericaceous soil is to keep them moist in the summer.
:51:26. > :51:30.And that doesn't mean wet at their roots, but having the air moist.
:51:31. > :51:33.And last summer, when we had a dry spell,
:51:34. > :51:36.I misted them and I did that every day and I think that helps
:51:37. > :51:40.and you can see how they're covered in these little hairs on the stem
:51:41. > :51:44.and on the foliage and it holds the droplets of water
:51:45. > :51:53.Now, moist air is by and large beyond our control.
:51:54. > :51:57.So, let's see what the weather holds in store
:51:58. > :52:17.Good evening. Some parts of the country have seen their fair share
:52:18. > :52:23.of moisture this past week. There has been a lot of rain in some
:52:24. > :52:27.places, much-needed rain. 55 millimetres has fallen over the last
:52:28. > :52:31.few days, over two inches. Not much of that has reached the North of
:52:32. > :52:35.Scotland. That will change a bit through the weekend. While in some
:52:36. > :52:38.rain at times on Saturday. Some sunny spells as well. If you're
:52:39. > :52:44.heading out into the garden, perhaps to sort out the pond, Sunday should
:52:45. > :52:48.be a dry day for many. On Saturday, you can see a lot of showers across
:52:49. > :52:52.the country. Across the northern half of Scotland, it will be quite a
:52:53. > :52:56.cloudy afternoon with some outbreaks of rain. Some of that could be
:52:57. > :53:00.heavy. Across Northern Ireland and in true northern England and the
:53:01. > :53:04.Midlands, lots of showers, some of them heavy and boundary. Parts of
:53:05. > :53:10.East Anglia and the south-east won't see so many showers, more dry
:53:11. > :53:13.weather. Across Wales, down towards the south-west, some heavy shower
:53:14. > :53:18.was coming through. Most of those will fade away on Saturday evening.
:53:19. > :53:22.On Saturday night, it will be quite cold. Most places should avoid a
:53:23. > :53:35.frost. In very prone spots I couldn't pull it out.
:53:36. > :53:35.Nick Bailey is investigating a plant that has become a menace
:53:36. > :53:49.Well, for most of us, we are moving into a warmer time of the year,
:53:50. > :53:59.I was actually away and when I left, this magnolia Black Tulip
:54:00. > :54:07.it was healthy and when I came back, it was reduced to this.
:54:08. > :54:10.Tatters and rags and, of course, spring frosts do that.
:54:11. > :54:16.you get a touch of frost and they are really affected.
:54:17. > :54:20.Now, people have asked what to do about it and the answer is not much.
:54:21. > :54:22.Don't get the secateurs out and cut it all off,
:54:23. > :54:25.let new growth come through and then you can tidy it up a bit.
:54:26. > :54:30.let the plants shed their leaves if you can,
:54:31. > :54:33.because there is the risk of damaging other tissue.
:54:34. > :54:37.But if it's any help, it looks much worse than it is.
:54:38. > :54:39.There's nothing much you can do about it.
:54:40. > :54:53.and here are some jobs for the weekend.
:54:54. > :54:56.If you're taking cuttings, check to see if they've rooted
:54:57. > :54:59.and if you see the roots at the base of the pot,
:55:00. > :55:08.as little damage to the roots as possible,
:55:09. > :55:13.and give each cutting its own new pot with fresh compost.
:55:14. > :55:15.And put them somewhere protected to grow on
:55:16. > :55:25.and they'll be ready to plant out in a month or two.
:55:26. > :55:28.If you grow tulips in a nice terracotta pot,
:55:29. > :55:33.it can be frustrating as the foliage slowly dies back.
:55:34. > :55:35.What I do is tip them out of the pot
:55:36. > :55:38.and put the tulips into a seed tray.
:55:39. > :55:44.so that the little baby daughter bulbs
:55:45. > :55:47.can absorb all that photosynthesized goodness.
:55:48. > :55:49.In the meantime, give the pot a scrub
:55:50. > :56:02.they can be bashed about by the wind and the rain.
:56:03. > :56:05.So give them some support, and the best way to do this is put canes
:56:06. > :56:11.or sticks in the corners of the rows and wrap a layer of string around,
:56:12. > :56:13.and then you can add as many layers as are needed
:56:14. > :56:25.I probably don't need to remind you by now that this
:56:26. > :56:29.is our Golden Jubilee year and as part of the celebrations,
:56:30. > :56:35.we have chosen the ten plants that we, the Gardeners' World presenters,
:56:36. > :56:41.think have had the most impact on our gardens during those 50 years.
:56:42. > :56:44.Well, the time has come for you to choose which of those ten
:56:45. > :56:47.is the one plant that has influenced us most.
:56:48. > :56:51.Now, let me remind you what those ten were.
:56:52. > :56:55.I started things off back in March by choosing bedding plants
:56:56. > :57:00.and then it was Nick Bailey's turn and he nominated dahlias.
:57:01. > :57:08.whereas Mark Lane selected echinacea.
:57:09. > :57:15.Chillies were championed by Frances Tophill.
:57:16. > :57:20.And Flo Headlam opted for the common jasmine.
:57:21. > :57:23.It was the Japanese maple for Alan Power.
:57:24. > :57:32.And finally, geranium Rozeanne was Carol's Jubilee plant.
:57:33. > :57:38.If you go to our website and look for our Golden Jubilee plant award
:57:39. > :57:42.you can make your selection now, and it will be open until
:57:43. > :57:48.And then we'll be announcing the winner
:57:49. > :57:53.of our Golden Jubilee plant award at our big celebratory bash
:57:54. > :57:57.at Gardeners' World Live on June 16th.
:57:58. > :57:59.But no more celebrations today, I'm afraid.
:58:00. > :58:01.We've run out of time and I shan't be here next week
:58:02. > :58:04.because all next week, along with the rest of the team,
:58:05. > :58:09.so I hope I'll see you there, and back here at Longmeadow
:58:10. > :58:12.in a couple of weeks' time. Till then, bye-bye.
:58:13. > :58:47.The race is on to complete London's most ambitious railway.
:58:48. > :58:51.I don't think we've seen anything to this scale and complexity before.