0:00:06 > 0:00:07OK.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Come on, out you come.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Hello, welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26I had a fabulous week at Chelsea
0:00:26 > 0:00:31and came back fired, inspired and, to be honest, jolly tired.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35And I found Longmeadow looking glorious,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37but the action hasn't stopped,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40so things like the purple sprouting broccoli are full of flower
0:00:40 > 0:00:43rather than delicious little florets to eat,
0:00:43 > 0:00:48the weeds are rampant and there is masses to do.
0:00:48 > 0:00:53But I have to say, I'm very happy indeed to be back here and doing it.
0:00:56 > 0:00:57On tonight's programme -
0:00:57 > 0:01:03Flo Headlam will be visiting an inspirational school in Hampshire,
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Nick Bailey has some ideas for creating
0:01:05 > 0:01:09a simple pond that will work in any garden
0:01:09 > 0:01:11and we discover the challenges of maintaining
0:01:11 > 0:01:15a floating garden on the Thames
0:01:15 > 0:01:18and, also, the designer Arit Anderson is visiting
0:01:18 > 0:01:21the Eden Project to see the long-term effects of climate change
0:01:21 > 0:01:24on our gardens and I'm off to Chatsworth,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26but not until I've got stuck in here at Longmeadow.
0:01:41 > 0:01:42This part of the garden
0:01:42 > 0:01:45has certainly seen big changes this year.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48This area here is an officinalis garden.
0:01:48 > 0:01:49That means it's full of herbs
0:01:49 > 0:01:53that were used in medieval and Tudor times for medical reasons -
0:01:53 > 0:01:55apothecary's garden.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59Now, this area, which we started a month or two back,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01is our culinary herb garden.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03It's divided into two halves, really,
0:02:03 > 0:02:08and on this side, it's south-facing, hot, dry, sunny.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12So all the Mediterranean herbs, like rosemary and sage and thyme,
0:02:12 > 0:02:13will love it.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16On this side, it gets a little bit more shady.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18And if you've got a shady garden,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21as long as it gets half the day in sun, doesn't matter which half,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24then there are a handful of herbs that will love it,
0:02:24 > 0:02:31like mint, chervil, parsley, chives, sorrel, sweet cicely.
0:02:31 > 0:02:36These are all really good culinary herbs that can take a bit of shade.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Now, I'm going to start planting mint.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Now, just a word of warning, mint is very invasive.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45It wants to grow sideways.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48So if you put it in a border, for example, it will start to take over.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52So, I've got these planting holes and I think they're
0:02:52 > 0:02:56ideal for planting mint into because it's stone all around them.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00If you haven't got a suitable space where they can completely fill,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02always grow mint in a container.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Now, this is peppermint.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Peppermint is my favourite mint for drinking -
0:03:11 > 0:03:16and mint as a drink is the best thing as a digestive,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19either after a meal or, if you've got a slightly dodgy tummy in
0:03:19 > 0:03:24any way, drink some mint and it works better than anything else.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27Nell, can I have my trowel, please? I want to plant.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29Clever girl! Come on.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33Thank you. Thank you very much, indeed. Nigel would be proud of you.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Mint will grow in almost any soil.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42It does best with good drainage
0:03:42 > 0:03:44but it doesn't need much extra nourishment,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46so we'll put that there, like that.
0:03:49 > 0:03:54I'm just breaking the roots, not teasing them out,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57and the reason why I'm doing that is they're a little bit pot-bound,
0:03:57 > 0:03:58and when you break it
0:03:58 > 0:04:00that stimulates new growth and that new growth
0:04:00 > 0:04:03won't go round the pot but out into the soil.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05I can't tell you the lovely aroma and, of course,
0:04:05 > 0:04:09with the peppermint what you have is this purple-chocolate
0:04:09 > 0:04:12coloured stems, and I'm going to fill this block, I'm going
0:04:12 > 0:04:15to pack it, so we have great squares of mint.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19These are tough plants.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20You'll be pushed to damage mint.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28And you'll notice I've just done a block of one type.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31And the reason for that is you should never grow different
0:04:31 > 0:04:35types of mint in the same container or next to each other in
0:04:35 > 0:04:39a border because they contaminate the flavour of each other.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41So the next one I'm going to plant is spearmint.
0:04:43 > 0:04:44Very good for cooking.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48So, six more of these can go in here.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56This does smell, I suppose, above all else, fresh.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59And if you think of using it in cooking, obviously there are lots
0:04:59 > 0:05:02and lots of different dishes, but the most common and perhaps
0:05:02 > 0:05:05the easiest is, say, with peas.
0:05:05 > 0:05:10You would use spearmint, not peppermint because the
0:05:10 > 0:05:15freshness of peas is not overwhelmed by the mint but is enhanced.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20And if you're making a mint sauce, you would use spearmint.
0:05:20 > 0:05:21There we go.
0:05:26 > 0:05:27In there.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33And of course you can grow these from seed,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36you can grow them from cuttings, but if you buy plants,
0:05:36 > 0:05:41even big plants like this, they are relatively inexpensive,
0:05:41 > 0:05:45so they are good value and the return from them will go on
0:05:45 > 0:05:48and on - these plants will last for years and years.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Right, my final mint...
0:05:51 > 0:05:52is here.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57And this is applemint.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06Now, applemint really does...
0:06:07 > 0:06:10..smell both minty and slightly appley at the same time,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13but it's the mintiness you want and you can tell it from other mints
0:06:13 > 0:06:16because it's got slightly furry leaves.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20And we use it, almost exclusively, with potatoes.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24New potatoes with applemint are wonderful.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27And what you do is you boil the potatoes,
0:06:27 > 0:06:32drain them and then put a few sprigs in on top of the potatoes,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35put a cloth over that and let the steam come through
0:06:35 > 0:06:40and they just infuse the mint and it's just delicious.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01Right, that's done. Now, you may be wondering what this is doing.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03It's to protect the rose.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06I've planted Madame Alfred Carriere to grow up against that wall.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10It was going fine until a couple of weeks ago when the rabbits found it.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13And they've chewed it to a stump.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15However, this is keeping them away,
0:07:15 > 0:07:19it's starting to regrow and once it reaches the top of this,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23it'll be too strong and mature to attract them.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25So, hopefully it'll survive.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Now, these are really tough plants, and they will grow,
0:07:36 > 0:07:39but just because they're tough, don't forget to water them.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Once a week, if it hasn't rained, give them a good soak,
0:07:42 > 0:07:46and then as they start to flower, which they will do,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48cut back half right to the ground.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Then they will regrow, and while they're regrowing,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55you've still got a supply from the other half and then when
0:07:55 > 0:07:58the fresh leaves are coming through, you then do the same, so that
0:07:58 > 0:08:03you're never without a supply of lovely, fresh, minty leaves.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Now, Flo Headlam has been going round the country visiting
0:08:09 > 0:08:12communities that are gardening together,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14and this week she's going to Hampshire, to Wicor School,
0:08:14 > 0:08:18that has taken to gardening with real enthusiasm.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26I'm about to go back to school,
0:08:26 > 0:08:30where I'm told every pupil has green fingers.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Wicor Primary School has been part of the Royal
0:08:34 > 0:08:38Horticultural Society Campaign for School Gardening since the
0:08:38 > 0:08:40project launched ten years ago.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43But what started as a small affair has blossomed into something
0:08:43 > 0:08:45much bigger on their two-acre site.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57So these will grow into sort of bush tomatoes and then they will
0:08:57 > 0:09:01space out nicely and we can still get between them to harvest them.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06Louise Moreton works full-time as horticultural teacher
0:09:06 > 0:09:09and she's passionate about instilling her enthusiasm for plants
0:09:09 > 0:09:11to her young horts.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15This morning we're going to be looking at our Chamomile Treneague,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17which we grow in the ground,
0:09:17 > 0:09:19and do you remember how we fill our containers?
0:09:19 > 0:09:21We have to remember not to pack it down,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23- otherwise the plant won't like it. - That's right. So...
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Is this enough, Miss Moreton?
0:09:25 > 0:09:27- About half full, please.- Yeah.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31We're trying to show children that they can propagate from seed,
0:09:31 > 0:09:36from division and also from wood cuttings.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Why would we want to propagate plants from our own grounds?
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Because it's fun and it's kind of better, really.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45It is fun to do, isn't it?
0:09:45 > 0:09:48The fact that we grow so many herbs is to do with our sort of
0:09:48 > 0:09:50healthy-eating beliefs as a school.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53We love the fact that the children can grow their own food
0:09:53 > 0:09:55and cook with the food, as well,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58and they know exactly where their food is coming from.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01So I'm going to start to split up the camomile.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04- Flo, here's one for you. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08Nice piece of stem, nice bit of root on the bottom.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Into the pot that's half full.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Gently crumble that compost around.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16What other plants have you propagated?
0:10:16 > 0:10:18- The radishes.- Yeah.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21- The calendulas. - Bit different, wasn't it?
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Wasn't from root division, was it? Where was it from?
0:10:23 > 0:10:25- Seeds.- And how long did it take to grow?
0:10:25 > 0:10:26One or two months.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28Do you remember why they were flowering within such
0:10:28 > 0:10:30a short period of time?
0:10:30 > 0:10:32They have to be quite damp and in good conditions and we kept
0:10:32 > 0:10:35- them in one of the polytunnels. - That's right.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37We've got six really keen gardeners here today.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40Is gardening just for the keen or is it for the whole school?
0:10:40 > 0:10:43We have over 430 children here,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45all of who participate in horticulture.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48I think that looks great, Caitlyn, what do you think? How do you think?
0:10:48 > 0:10:51- Yeah, I think it looks good.- Yeah. - Do you guys like eating herbs?
0:10:51 > 0:10:54- Yeah.- Yes! I love it. - And what's your favourite herb?
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Mint, because it has a nice smell to it.
0:11:07 > 0:11:12Louise, you're clearly passionate about horticulture and learning.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Where does that passion come from?
0:11:14 > 0:11:17I think it's the fact that I think that every child
0:11:17 > 0:11:20has the right to learn from the outside, look at plants,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22look at trees, look at the world around them.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25We've got the most fantastic orchard here at Wicor, where children can
0:11:25 > 0:11:28come and draw, they can look at the native species we have there,
0:11:28 > 0:11:32they can take the apples and harvest them, press them into juice,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36we have a pond, where children can dip and look for wildlife in
0:11:36 > 0:11:40the pond, and just generally different habitats for learning.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45One of the areas they're proudest of is their allotment,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48where I'm told there will be a sea of vegetables by midsummer.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54Over the years, we've taken elements of Longmeadow, amongst other
0:11:54 > 0:11:56gardens, and transferred them back
0:11:56 > 0:11:57to our learning gardens here at Wicor.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59Today they're planting tomatoes.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02What sort of tomatoes are they planting, what varieties?
0:12:02 > 0:12:03We've got Tigerella,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06grown for the name and embedding that in the learning,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09we've got Roma, great outdoor variety,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13we've got Crimee Noire, great for heavy-cropping and harvesting,
0:12:13 > 0:12:14and all about the flavour, really.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17As the children get to appreciate the taste,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20we love making chutneys and tomato soups and things like that.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22We have our own pizza oven over there,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25so the children get to use that as well.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Right, time to fill in.
0:12:32 > 0:12:33That's a big pot.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37- So...- What you need to do is you need to, like,
0:12:37 > 0:12:41put it all around the sides, so there's, like, loads of air space
0:12:41 > 0:12:43and then you need to push your foot on it to flatten it.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45And get the shape.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Yeah. Good. Yeah.
0:12:47 > 0:12:48Ooh!
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Now you've got the hole that the plant can fit into.
0:12:51 > 0:12:52That's your job now.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Yeah!
0:12:54 > 0:12:55Hold on.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Careful none of the roots...
0:12:57 > 0:13:00- You keep holding it... - Someone hold it.
0:13:00 > 0:13:01- Done.- That's it done?- Done.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04- Yeah.- High-fives? Yeah, muddy hands, high-five.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06- THEY LAUGH - Yeah!
0:13:07 > 0:13:10BELL RINGS
0:13:11 > 0:13:15Headteacher Mark Wildman is as passionate about growing
0:13:15 > 0:13:16plants as his pupils.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Children are naturally curious about their world.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24They love plants, they love animals, anything to do with the
0:13:24 > 0:13:27natural world, and they want to know what's here, they want to have
0:13:27 > 0:13:30a poke around in the grass, they want to go bug hunting.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34And I think it just provides a reservoir, if you like,
0:13:34 > 0:13:35for children's curiosity.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39I'm super impressed by what you do in the school.
0:13:39 > 0:13:40It's part of who we are.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43It's not actually just another curriculum area.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45It is part of our school.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Every available space around the school
0:13:49 > 0:13:53has been planted up to showcase different plants and habitats.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55There's a coastal bed,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57Jurassic ferns
0:13:57 > 0:13:58and a tropical area.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Today, we're planting out the Mediterranean bed.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13- I think we deserve a treat. OK?- Yeah!- Yeah!
0:14:15 > 0:14:17This place is remarkable.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Wicor School has been transformed from a garden around a school
0:14:21 > 0:14:24into a school with gardening at its heart.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39I love the thought of a school with gardening at its heart.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42I'm very flattered that they copied bits of Longmeadow.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44By the way, this week is National Children's Gardening Week,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47so the more children we can get gardening the better.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50And once you've got the bug, it doesn't leave you.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53And if you want to go and see Wicor School, you can.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55They're part of the National Garden Scheme,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58so if you live nearby and are handy, do go along, and you'll get all
0:14:58 > 0:15:01the details of how to get there and when they're open on our website.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Come on.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11HE CLICKS HIS TONGUE
0:15:20 > 0:15:25The mound is starting to look like its own place.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27It was only sort of created last year
0:15:27 > 0:15:31and always that first year it feels like...a bit temporary,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34something that WILL be good.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38But now it's starting to feel like a place that you gravitate towards.
0:15:38 > 0:15:44But I'm tweaking and I'm adding and as we come into June, you can
0:15:44 > 0:15:48be really confident about planting out tender annuals.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52And I've got a tray of cosmos. This is cosmos purity here,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55which I've grown from seed, but you can buy annuals
0:15:55 > 0:15:56from garden centres or nurseries,
0:15:56 > 0:16:01and the beauty of annuals is you can fill out a border really quickly.
0:16:03 > 0:16:10I've grown six trays of cosmos Purity from two packets of seeds,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14so it's a very, very cheap way of filling your garden full of colour.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18It's probably a little late to sow them now, but for next year,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21if you sow the seeds in April,
0:16:21 > 0:16:25you can be planting them out in June and they will go on flowering
0:16:25 > 0:16:27right through to November, unless you get a hard frost,
0:16:27 > 0:16:29but the first frost will kill them.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Annuals you can dot in amongst other plants.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38So you could have them in blocks, you can have them in rows, you can
0:16:38 > 0:16:42use them however suits your style of gardening, and certainly in
0:16:42 > 0:16:45here, in the mound, the style is to create
0:16:45 > 0:16:50a kind of flowing tapestry of muted but harmonious colour.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55So, for example, this peony - this is a Paeonia lactiflora -
0:16:55 > 0:16:57is dominant. You don't want to compete with that,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00but you can work with it.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03And these whites and the lemons in here, by which the colour tone
0:17:03 > 0:17:06is set by the perennials, then you pick up with the annuals.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08And when you're shopping for them,
0:17:08 > 0:17:10that gives you a sort of framework to work in.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12And planting them is dead easy,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15especially if you've grown them as plugs.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26And the other way that I like to use annuals, particularly cosmos
0:17:26 > 0:17:30like this, is to stagger the flowering.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32So you've got a plant where you see it's grown up,
0:17:32 > 0:17:34that's not going to give you anything.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37If you're not careful, you can have an awful lot of stem and then
0:17:37 > 0:17:39a flower, big flower, and that's it.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43But if you pinch out the top, and actually cutting it out works
0:17:43 > 0:17:47better, like that, that will encourage side shoots,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51which will give us a lot more flowers a little bit later,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54so you can stagger that tapestry.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06The one thing with all annuals, whether they're hardy or not,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09is they feed off the sun.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12The more sun they get, the better they are because they want to
0:18:12 > 0:18:16produce flowers and seed and that is their life.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18So give them a sunshine
0:18:18 > 0:18:22and then they'll respond by giving you lots of flower.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33When you plant a shrub or a herbaceous perennial,
0:18:33 > 0:18:37it can take years before it looks like it ought to,
0:18:37 > 0:18:38like you want it to.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41And that patience is an important part of gardening,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44but sometimes quick results are nice, too.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46And with annuals, you get quick results.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49You bung them in the ground and within weeks they're flowering
0:18:49 > 0:18:51and looking fantastic.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55Now, Nick Bailey has been looking at ways of making changes in
0:18:55 > 0:18:59your garden but with each job not taking longer than a weekend.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01And this week he's making a pond.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06In the last century,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09nearly 70% of ponds have been lost from the UK countryside,
0:19:09 > 0:19:13meaning garden ponds have an increased importance for wildlife.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Getting the position right for a wildlife pond
0:19:21 > 0:19:23is absolutely paramount.
0:19:23 > 0:19:24Now, looking around this garden,
0:19:24 > 0:19:26over the other side there is a closed fence,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29so it's not going to provide good access for wildlife,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32whereas over here there are open corridors through this fence
0:19:32 > 0:19:34where they can come through.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36This is also a great spot -
0:19:36 > 0:19:37it's partially shaded
0:19:37 > 0:19:41and ideally you'd be looking for about 50-50 light and shade.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Now, there's a misconception that for wildlife ponds to be
0:19:51 > 0:19:55effective they need to be large or you need to install
0:19:55 > 0:19:57a huge liner, but actually that's not the case at all.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00I'm going to be using this old French wine barrel
0:20:00 > 0:20:03to plunge into the ground here, but it would work
0:20:03 > 0:20:06just as effectively placed on top of a patio.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08In fact, size really doesn't matter.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10You could even use something as small as an old washing-up bowl
0:20:10 > 0:20:13and you'd still attract wildlife into the garden.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27This half barrel costs around £60.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Make sure you soak your barrel beforehand to get the wood
0:20:31 > 0:20:33to swell up and make it watertight.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38The barrel's totally secure now, completely level,
0:20:38 > 0:20:40so it's time to think about the needs of the plants.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43They all want to be at slightly different heights,
0:20:43 > 0:20:45so I'm going to create what's called a marginal shelf
0:20:45 > 0:20:46for round the back edge of the pool.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50And the great thing about using bricks with holes in them
0:20:50 > 0:20:53means that you create extra habitats for wildlife to hide away in.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01To get the most diversity in a wildlife pond,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04you want to get a really good diverse range of plants,
0:21:04 > 0:21:06so I'm going for an iris to start with.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09It's a beautiful purple flower.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13This is in an aquatic basket, which means it's full of holes,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16there's aquatic soil in there, plants will root out of it,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19and it's very happy to go straight into the pool as it is.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23This is an equisetum.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26It stays evergreen year round, it's also really useful for
0:21:26 > 0:21:30so many wildlife species which will lay eggs and larvae on the base.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Now I'm going to use this, this is Carex pendula.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38It's a transitional plant that can grow both as a marginal
0:21:38 > 0:21:39and as a woodlander.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43So I'm going to put this here and plant some more on the far side,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45so it transitions out of the pool.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49And the water spearmint is the final of the marginals,
0:21:49 > 0:21:54and it will slowly work its way across the surface of the pool,
0:21:54 > 0:21:58providing that essential shade, but also foraging areas for lots
0:21:58 > 0:22:01of insects that like to swim around and feed in the foliage.
0:22:06 > 0:22:07When you're filling up your pond,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11it's ideal to use rainwater from a water butt.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Try and avoid tap water, as it contains chlorine.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17However, if you do need to use tap water,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19let it stand for a few days to allow it to neutralise,
0:22:19 > 0:22:23and don't use water from other ponds, as this can spread disease.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38For the centrepiece of this pond, I'm using a miniature waterlily.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41Of course it has the beautiful flowers that everybody knows,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44and it provides a habitat for water snails to lay their eggs
0:22:44 > 0:22:46on the back of the leaves.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49When you're planting your wildlife pond,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52cover about 70% of the surface with plants.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54This will reduce the chances of algal bloom,
0:22:54 > 0:22:57and it will also give lots of hiding places for the wildlife.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Now all the planting's done in the pond,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09it's worth thinking about the peripheries, so I'm going to
0:23:09 > 0:23:13use rocks for a wildlife bridge, and then further plants around the back.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19For a bit of contrast...
0:23:20 > 0:23:22..I'm going to use this ligularia.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Prefers a slightly damp soil, so each time the pond floods
0:23:26 > 0:23:28when it's rained, it will keep it nice and moist.
0:23:29 > 0:23:34And then the final element, this is Dryopteris filix-mas.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37And that will help all the planting transition
0:23:37 > 0:23:39into everything else around it.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58Now, to keep the pool totally free of algae or duckweed,
0:23:58 > 0:24:03I'm going to use a special product, it's a dye, totally non-toxic.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05It won't hurt humans, it won't hurt animals
0:24:05 > 0:24:07and it won't hurt your plants.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Putting the gloves on just to make sure it doesn't dye my skin.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14And the way it works is, it knocks out a lot of the light,
0:24:14 > 0:24:18and so some of the pond's nasties, like blanketweed or algae,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21are prevented from photosynthesising.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25They only need the tiniest, tiniest little quantity
0:24:25 > 0:24:27and it'll keep the pool dark and weed-free
0:24:27 > 0:24:30for about three months, and then you just need to retreat it.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Wildlife ponds are a great way of getting kids involved
0:24:40 > 0:24:43with the garden, with nature and with wildlife.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45If you're worried about their safety, you can use a steel grid
0:24:45 > 0:24:49or a mesh over the top of the pool to protect them from the water.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Now that this is installed,
0:24:53 > 0:24:57it's going to bring all sorts of benefits to this garden.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Not only is there a new growing environment to experiment
0:25:00 > 0:25:03with different plants, it's also a brand-new habitat
0:25:03 > 0:25:07that will bring in birds, insects and amphibians.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20BIRDSONG
0:25:21 > 0:25:26Well, Nick is right when he says that it attracts wildlife,
0:25:26 > 0:25:30because it is extraordinary the way that, if you make a pond, suddenly,
0:25:30 > 0:25:36seemingly out of nowhere, you have dragonflies and toads and frogs,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38and if you're lucky, newts will come,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41certainly more birds and bats,
0:25:41 > 0:25:44and they just seem to gravitate towards it.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48You don't have to do anything to get them there.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52And it's not just for your pleasure - however fascinating it is
0:25:52 > 0:25:56to watch these creatures - it's also for the health of your garden.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00Because if you have that ecosystem, that food chain,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03then everything else benefits.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04If you take my hostas for example,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06they don't really get eaten by slugs at all.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08A little bit towards the end of the year,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10but this time of year - hardly touched.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15And that's because we have so many creatures
0:26:15 > 0:26:16that are feeding off the slugs -
0:26:16 > 0:26:20the toads, frogs, your hedgehogs, there are beetles,
0:26:20 > 0:26:24and if you have that rich, balanced ecosystem,
0:26:24 > 0:26:27of which a pond is absolutely central,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30you'll be amazed at the improved health of your plants.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Well, it's always a good idea to bring water into your garden,
0:26:36 > 0:26:41but sometimes you have to take your garden to the water.
0:26:41 > 0:26:46And we went to visit Sophie Tatzkow, who looks after a number
0:26:46 > 0:26:52of barges floating on the Thames, and each one with its own garden.
0:27:04 > 0:27:09I became the head gardener at the Floating Gardens in 2015,
0:27:09 > 0:27:10two years ago, in the summer.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14The barges then were in a very overgrown state,
0:27:14 > 0:27:19so my aim was to introduce a lot of different plants,
0:27:19 > 0:27:23different colours, different structures and textures,
0:27:23 > 0:27:27and just to have interesting planting going on all season,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29on every single boat.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34The Floating Gardens are seven interconnecting barges
0:27:34 > 0:27:36of different planting schemes.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41We are east of Tower Bridge and the gardens are attached
0:27:41 > 0:27:46to the moorings and all the private houseboats connected to them.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50The garden barges themselves have tenants as well.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53There is a middle path for residents to get through.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55There's usually two flats per barge,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58so these people are living under the gardens.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Every single barge has sort of a different theme.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05We have a Mediterranean barge,
0:28:05 > 0:28:11we have large trees on other barges, we have two fruit tree barges.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24I think gardening on a barge...
0:28:24 > 0:28:28I basically think of the space as a large pot.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30You're not connected to open ground,
0:28:30 > 0:28:35so you're creating an artificial environment for the plants.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39They have restricted soil depth, restricted nutrient supply,
0:28:39 > 0:28:41restricted water.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48Being located on the River Thames, we have a lot of wind
0:28:48 > 0:28:53coming up and down the river, so the moisture is lost very easily.
0:28:53 > 0:28:54They are exposed to sunshine,
0:28:54 > 0:28:58as we are not very built up compared to anywhere else in London.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02So it's not a garden that's looking after itself.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04If you have, for example,
0:29:04 > 0:29:06a week of no rain in the middle of August,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09the trees will start wilting and it's a garden
0:29:09 > 0:29:13on constant life support, if you can call it that way,
0:29:13 > 0:29:16so you have to react very quickly to the weather conditions.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21One of the advantages here is,
0:29:21 > 0:29:25the garden barges have their own little microclimate.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29In the winter, people living in the boats have the heating on,
0:29:29 > 0:29:33so my beds basically get warmed up.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37It's a nice plus, being able to grow tender plants.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48So this is my absolute favourite boat.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52Here the succession planting has been a real success.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55We have a season from probably late winter
0:29:55 > 0:29:57all the way through to autumn.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00At the moment, we have the digitalis out, the alliums,
0:30:00 > 0:30:03I have planted lots of different types of alliums
0:30:03 > 0:30:05for different colour and different height.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09My favourite plants, I'm really happy they work here
0:30:09 > 0:30:11because of the mild climate, are the echiums.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15We have Echium candicans here.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19I'm very happy to have established the echium plants here on the boats.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22They are tender plants, but because of the climate in central London,
0:30:22 > 0:30:27the conditions, they are now in their second year flowering.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32Even though we are surrounded by water,
0:30:32 > 0:30:35the biggest challenge here on the barge is watering itself.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39Therefore I have adjusted the planting
0:30:39 > 0:30:40to drought-tolerant planting,
0:30:40 > 0:30:43and especially here it's a barge consisting
0:30:43 > 0:30:46of nearly only drought-tolerant plants.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54Because the Floating Gardens are like large pots
0:30:54 > 0:30:57and we have limitations to the soil,
0:30:57 > 0:31:01the plant preparation is really, really important.
0:31:01 > 0:31:06The depth that we have available on the boats is about a spade's depth.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08This is all we have.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12So I'm treating it with a rootbuilder, mycorrhizal,
0:31:12 > 0:31:16adding it to the ground, so the soil needs to be wet and the plant
0:31:16 > 0:31:19itself should be nice and moist as well.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22This will help the shrub to establish.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25Here we've got a hydrangea that is going in.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28This new, new addition has its own little spot and it will
0:31:28 > 0:31:31probably take up to four, five, six months for it
0:31:31 > 0:31:34to really establish and then start growing.
0:31:35 > 0:31:41Heel it in, and then I'll just add a little extra compost on top.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45This way, we are giving it the best possible start.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54The tree specimens have adapted very well to their growing conditions,
0:31:54 > 0:31:57because they have been planted as small specimens,
0:31:57 > 0:32:01therefore they had enough time to grow into their spots
0:32:01 > 0:32:05and cope with the very little soil they have available.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16Even though we have an issue with drought here, for certain plants,
0:32:16 > 0:32:21others are extremely happy in their growing conditions.
0:32:21 > 0:32:26They are more adaptable and tolerant. For example,
0:32:26 > 0:32:29this Choisya ternata needs to be pruned quite regularly
0:32:29 > 0:32:31and heavily in order to
0:32:31 > 0:32:34keep the competition down for other plants.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48The one thing that gives me the most joy in spending my time
0:32:48 > 0:32:54gardening here is walking onto the barges and being in this
0:32:54 > 0:32:56exclusive spot in central London,
0:32:56 > 0:32:59but finding complete peace in a green oasis.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04I'm really happy to now actually see the fruits of my labour
0:33:04 > 0:33:07and see how everything is flourishing,
0:33:07 > 0:33:11and also to bring joy to the people that live here.
0:33:28 > 0:33:33I think what that shows is, if you can think laterally enough,
0:33:33 > 0:33:37almost anything can be a container - from a boat,
0:33:37 > 0:33:39to a roof, to a window box of course.
0:33:39 > 0:33:44The one thing to remember, that all containers, whatever they are,
0:33:44 > 0:33:46must have good drainage.
0:33:46 > 0:33:48Other than that, the world is your oyster,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51as far as containers and gardens go.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53Now, still to come on the programme -
0:33:53 > 0:33:56the designer Arit Anderson pays a visit
0:33:56 > 0:33:59to the Eden Project in Cornwall,
0:33:59 > 0:34:03to see the ways that climate change is affecting our gardens.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09But first, we have a brand-new RHS show.
0:34:09 > 0:34:14This is taking place next week at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18This is a palatial house on the most glorious grounds,
0:34:18 > 0:34:22and a few weeks ago I went back there to revisit
0:34:22 > 0:34:25that fantastic garden and location,
0:34:25 > 0:34:28and to see how they were preparing for the show.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37Chatsworth House is the setting
0:34:37 > 0:34:40for the first RHS Chatsworth Flower Show.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46The 105-acre garden by the banks of the River Derwent
0:34:46 > 0:34:49is the ancestral home of the Cavendish family.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55Inspired by over 500 years of gardening,
0:34:55 > 0:35:00these marvellous grounds at Chatsworth are to host an exhibition
0:35:00 > 0:35:05of the very best of modern British garden innovation and design.
0:35:12 > 0:35:17On this gently sloping ground between the house and the river,
0:35:17 > 0:35:19there will be 16 show gardens,
0:35:19 > 0:35:22eight of which will belong to a brand-new category.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24These are going to be the FreeForm gardens
0:35:24 > 0:35:26and everything about them is free.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30They have no limitations on size or shape or format,
0:35:30 > 0:35:33and really importantly, of brief.
0:35:33 > 0:35:38And this means that the designers can let their imaginations run free.
0:35:40 > 0:35:41SHEEP BLEAT
0:35:44 > 0:35:49The gardens at Chatsworth are no stranger to new ideas and represent
0:35:49 > 0:35:53every period of garden history from the Tudors to the present day.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01Like all great houses of the late 17th century and early 18th,
0:36:01 > 0:36:07Chatsworth had a formal garden, tightly clipped, controlled,
0:36:07 > 0:36:09symmetrical, geometrical,
0:36:09 > 0:36:14and designed above all to keep nature tightly under control.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18But then, led by the work of William Kent, but most famously by
0:36:18 > 0:36:23Lancelot "Capability" Brown, there was a gardening revolution.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27Brown came here to Chatsworth and what he did was not
0:36:27 > 0:36:32so much let the house and garden go out into the landscape,
0:36:32 > 0:36:37but he let the landscape come in, by carefully manipulating it,
0:36:37 > 0:36:41planting and controlling, so there was this seamless flow,
0:36:41 > 0:36:45from the walls of the building, to the distant horizon.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50The landscape looks natural.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52It is actually anything but.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56And took 25,000 men nine years to create,
0:36:56 > 0:37:00costing over £7 million in today's value.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04'Today, a team of 90 look after the grounds,
0:37:04 > 0:37:06'led by the head gardener, Steve Porter,
0:37:06 > 0:37:11'who will be opening the gates to an expected 100,000 visitors
0:37:11 > 0:37:14'to Chatsworth's first show.'
0:37:15 > 0:37:18- What does that mean for you as head gardener?- That is fantastic.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21It's exciting. It brings something new for our visitors as well,
0:37:21 > 0:37:24but it also gives us the opportunity to tell our wonderful
0:37:24 > 0:37:26horticultural stories at the show.
0:37:26 > 0:37:27So we're hoping to engage with people
0:37:27 > 0:37:30and tell them about the garden, about the history,
0:37:30 > 0:37:32about some of the great plants that we grow.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34You've got the historical context to put this into,
0:37:34 > 0:37:37but are there any factors that you've had to consider?
0:37:37 > 0:37:39We thought we knew, you know, we knew about the trees and we knew
0:37:39 > 0:37:41what was going on within our parkland,
0:37:41 > 0:37:42but actually we didn't know enough
0:37:42 > 0:37:44about what was going on under the ground.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47So what we had to do is, working with the RHS, is to do lots of
0:37:47 > 0:37:49investigation, find out more about what's under the ground,
0:37:49 > 0:37:51the archaeological features,
0:37:51 > 0:37:54so we can lay the show out around them and avoid them.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57What contribution will you in your team be bringing to the show?
0:37:57 > 0:37:58Well, we're going to be heavily involved.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00And right in the middle of the showground,
0:38:00 > 0:38:01right in front of the house,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04we're going to be working inside an inflatable Great Conservatory
0:38:04 > 0:38:05that's being constructed
0:38:05 > 0:38:08that represents the Great Conservatory that was here in
0:38:08 > 0:38:11the 1840s, the largest freestanding glasshouse in the world,
0:38:11 > 0:38:12built by Joseph Paxton.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26Joseph Paxton was not just one of the great gardeners
0:38:26 > 0:38:28of the Victorian era,
0:38:28 > 0:38:32but one of the great men of the whole Victorian period.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36He arrived here at Chatsworth in 1826, just 23, 24 years old,
0:38:36 > 0:38:39and found a garden that was frankly derelict.
0:38:39 > 0:38:44And he transformed it into one of those great gardens.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47And great, not just because it was beautiful and impressive,
0:38:47 > 0:38:50because it was right at the cutting edge of what was then
0:38:50 > 0:38:51the latest technology,
0:38:51 > 0:38:56and that involved steel and glass and that meant he could grow
0:38:56 > 0:39:01these plants that were pouring into the country and develop them.
0:39:01 > 0:39:06And this is where people came to see the very latest and best
0:39:06 > 0:39:07in horticulture.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19So, the banana that we're looking at now,
0:39:19 > 0:39:22is that a direct descendant of Paxton's banana?
0:39:22 > 0:39:24They will have been grown in the Great Conservatory
0:39:24 > 0:39:26and they would have moved to other glasshouses,
0:39:26 > 0:39:28and eventually ended up in this glasshouse.
0:39:28 > 0:39:29So they are direct descendants.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32And what's really important about this story is that just
0:39:32 > 0:39:35a few years after he first got them to bloom and fruit,
0:39:35 > 0:39:38a missionary came here to take plant material out to some of the
0:39:38 > 0:39:41new colonies in the South Pacific, and the banana was one of the
0:39:41 > 0:39:45plants that went out on the boat to places like Samoa.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47And in Samoa they planted it and they got it to flourish and
0:39:47 > 0:39:50then he started to sell them and it became a commercial crop.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53And it's still grown across the world today and sold and eaten by
0:39:53 > 0:39:55so many people.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57It's an extraordinary story.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59- Coming here and then spreading back around the world.- Yeah.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02In terms of size and longevity,
0:40:02 > 0:40:04how big will it get and how long will it last?
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Well, the plants don't actually get that big
0:40:07 > 0:40:08and they grow quite quickly,
0:40:08 > 0:40:11so you can grow them on a windowsill or in a conservatory,
0:40:11 > 0:40:13on a porch, and they grow very happily.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16Obviously, the challenge is as they get bigger, they need more space.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18And if you ever want to grow your own bananas,
0:40:18 > 0:40:19then obviously you need a lot of space.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21But they will quite easily be cultivated -
0:40:21 > 0:40:24plenty of water and plenty of feed and they're very happy.
0:40:24 > 0:40:25And how long will they live?
0:40:25 > 0:40:28They'll take four, five, six years to get up to full size.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30And then a few more years to fruit, probably.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32And then, of course, after they flower and they fruit,
0:40:32 > 0:40:34they then die, so that's the end of your banana.
0:40:34 > 0:40:35You have to start again.
0:40:41 > 0:40:46I think that the combination of this beautiful setting
0:40:46 > 0:40:52and all its weight of history, with a new show dedicated to innovation,
0:40:52 > 0:40:54is going to be a magical combination.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56Can't wait for it.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08The show starts next Wednesday and we'll be bringing you the
0:41:08 > 0:41:11highlight in next week's show.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13And you get all the details from our website.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15And I can tell you one thing, it may not have looked it,
0:41:15 > 0:41:18but that was one of the coldest days of filming I've ever done.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Well, inspired by those Cavendish bananas,
0:41:28 > 0:41:32I've decided that it's time we went bananas in the Jewel Garden.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34I actually do grow bananas here.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36I have the Abyssinian banana, Ensete.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38And I've got a small version here,
0:41:38 > 0:41:42which I think has the most beautiful colouring of any banana.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46These lovely burgundy-coloured stems
0:41:46 > 0:41:48and their foliage really is fantastic.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51The big ones are still hardening off.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54I daren't plant them out quite yet.
0:41:54 > 0:41:55Another week or so,
0:41:55 > 0:41:59because the great drawback of this is it's very tender.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02And if you live somewhere where you might have a cold night -
0:42:02 > 0:42:04I don't mean frost, I just mean cold -
0:42:04 > 0:42:05it won't like it at all.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07And if there's frost, it will kill it.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09I think if you are going to grow bananas,
0:42:09 > 0:42:12you want to start with one that is reasonably hardy.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14And the hardiest of the lot is this.
0:42:14 > 0:42:19This is the Japanese banana, Musa basjoo.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22Now it doesn't look a very good specimen, this.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24There's scorch on the foliage.
0:42:24 > 0:42:25It's drooping a bit.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28But I'm happy that the new foliage is fine.
0:42:28 > 0:42:33And the real problem is that this is in a small pot.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37It's bone dry, it's a sort of peat-based compost,
0:42:37 > 0:42:39and what bananas want and need is
0:42:39 > 0:42:42as much food and drink as they can get.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44They're really greedy plants,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47which is why I am going to be putting them
0:42:47 > 0:42:51in these great big pots and giving them a special mix.
0:42:51 > 0:42:55This is 50% garden compost, 50% leaf mould.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57Now I know most people don't have leaf mould,
0:42:57 > 0:42:59but if you've got it, now's the time to wheel it out.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02And if you haven't got it, you could use a bark-based compost
0:43:02 > 0:43:03and just mix that up.
0:43:06 > 0:43:10Although they want lots of water, they do need drainage, too.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12So, a bag of grit in there.
0:43:16 > 0:43:21And the grit is not going to lessen the ability of the compost
0:43:21 > 0:43:25and the leaf mould to feed and sustain the plants.
0:43:25 > 0:43:27It's just going to mean that it doesn't get waterlogged.
0:43:30 > 0:43:34And, finally, I'm adding some soil.
0:43:34 > 0:43:38This is sieved soil from the garden.
0:43:38 > 0:43:44And I'm doing it to add bacterial and fungal activity,
0:43:44 > 0:43:47as much as anything else,
0:43:47 > 0:43:50so that the relationship between the roots of the banana and the
0:43:50 > 0:43:55goodness that you've got in the compost is made as direct and
0:43:55 > 0:43:57as fruitful as possible.
0:44:03 > 0:44:05Right.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08If it won't grow in that, it won't grow in anything.
0:44:08 > 0:44:10So, some crocks in the bottom.
0:44:24 > 0:44:26We'll take this out of its pot.
0:44:26 > 0:44:27There we go.
0:44:29 > 0:44:32A nice root system.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34Tease that gently...
0:44:38 > 0:44:40That sits there like that.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47I'm not going to underplant for two reasons.
0:44:47 > 0:44:51One, because these are dramatic statement plants.
0:44:51 > 0:44:52If you underplant it,
0:44:52 > 0:44:55it can look a little bit like the worst Victorian bedding.
0:44:56 > 0:45:01And the second reason is that they want every scrap of nutrition
0:45:01 > 0:45:03and moisture that's available.
0:45:05 > 0:45:08One of the biggest problems of keeping bananas looking good
0:45:08 > 0:45:11is not just giving them enough to eat and drink,
0:45:11 > 0:45:17but also the wind can really tatter their foliage.
0:45:17 > 0:45:18It rips it.
0:45:18 > 0:45:21They're so big and so full of moisture that they are
0:45:21 > 0:45:23surprisingly fragile.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26So it's always a good idea to put them somewhere sheltered.
0:45:26 > 0:45:30If it's a windy corner, then they won't like it at all.
0:45:30 > 0:45:35And, obviously, to start with, the plant is not very secure.
0:45:35 > 0:45:39Roots will quickly grow out and will fill the pot before I take
0:45:39 > 0:45:40it out in October,
0:45:40 > 0:45:43but just keep an eye on it for the first few weeks.
0:45:53 > 0:45:58That will need watering with a full can of water twice a week,
0:45:58 > 0:46:00and if it's very hot, three times a week.
0:46:00 > 0:46:04These really do need an awful lot of water if they are to be
0:46:04 > 0:46:07fully happy, and they also need feed, remember.
0:46:07 > 0:46:13Once a week, add to the water a high nitrogen liquid feed,
0:46:13 > 0:46:14not a tomato-based feed.
0:46:14 > 0:46:18You won't go wrong with liquid seaweed, but if you can make
0:46:18 > 0:46:23it yourself, a feed made from nettles will be absolutely ideal.
0:46:23 > 0:46:27Now growing bananas in pots or in a border here at Longmeadow is
0:46:27 > 0:46:28a question of playing the weather.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31You mustn't put them out too early in case it's too cold, you need
0:46:31 > 0:46:35to get them in before winter comes, protect them from the wind.
0:46:35 > 0:46:37And that's fine, it's fun.
0:46:37 > 0:46:38It's part of gardening.
0:46:38 > 0:46:43But Arit Anderson went down to the Eden Project in Cornwall to
0:46:43 > 0:46:47see how climate change is actually affecting the plants that
0:46:47 > 0:46:53we choose to grow and how we manage their growth within our garden.
0:46:57 > 0:47:02Set around two giant biomes, the Eden Project in Cornwall is home to
0:47:02 > 0:47:06a unique collection of plants growing in Mediterranean and
0:47:06 > 0:47:09tropical conditions, just as you might find in the wild.
0:47:12 > 0:47:14This place absolutely blows me away.
0:47:14 > 0:47:20We're looking out over a rainforest, representing the lungs of our world.
0:47:20 > 0:47:21And it's incredible.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26Many of the species found here are ancient.
0:47:26 > 0:47:30The life-cycle of these plants over millennia are what have become
0:47:30 > 0:47:31the fossil fuels of today.
0:47:32 > 0:47:36And it's our reliance on fossil fuels and the changing climate that
0:47:36 > 0:47:38inspired my Near Future Garden.
0:47:39 > 0:47:40As a new designer,
0:47:40 > 0:47:44I was delighted when I won a gold at Hampton Court Flower Show last year.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49Five years ago, I absolutely fell in love with gardening,
0:47:49 > 0:47:52and it was at that point I decided I'm going to swap
0:47:52 > 0:47:56fashion for flowers and retrain and start designing gardens.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59However, if you'd have asked me back then if I was going to have
0:47:59 > 0:48:02a garden HERE, I so wouldn't have believed it.
0:48:05 > 0:48:08Here at Eden, we are now installing elements of that garden
0:48:08 > 0:48:11as part of a bigger project they're doing about the evolution
0:48:11 > 0:48:13of plants and fossil fuels.
0:48:15 > 0:48:18The focal point of my design is the vortex...
0:48:19 > 0:48:22..a water feature which represents oil.
0:48:23 > 0:48:26We've reached the place where the vortex is going to live,
0:48:26 > 0:48:28which is brilliant. I'm really happy.
0:48:28 > 0:48:31It's nestled in amongst all of these cordylines and it's going to be
0:48:31 > 0:48:37planted with species of tree ferns that are over 400 million years old.
0:48:37 > 0:48:40These species were the first plants that laid down coal and the
0:48:40 > 0:48:43fossil fuels that we use today, so looking at the vortex,
0:48:43 > 0:48:46the idea of it is that it depicts the fact that it's only
0:48:46 > 0:48:47a finite resource that we've got.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54These sculptures are about renewable energy.
0:48:54 > 0:48:57Each sculpture has been designed to show how man
0:48:57 > 0:49:00has to encapsulate the energy of the sun, the wind,
0:49:00 > 0:49:04the rain and that's the energy that we need to be using for the future.
0:49:04 > 0:49:06When you take a look in one direction
0:49:06 > 0:49:09you will see man facing you,
0:49:09 > 0:49:13come 90 degrees, and the whole sculpture shifts and changes.
0:49:13 > 0:49:16And each sculpture does the same thing.
0:49:16 > 0:49:18It is pretty bare at the moment,
0:49:18 > 0:49:22but it is going to be planted up with grasses, Wollemi pines
0:49:22 > 0:49:26and the National Collection of Kniphofia, which is just brilliant.
0:49:28 > 0:49:32Kniphofia, more commonly known as red-hot poker,
0:49:32 > 0:49:33is a native to South Africa.
0:49:34 > 0:49:38Its 70-plus species tolerate a wide range of conditions
0:49:38 > 0:49:41from soggy swamp to arid plains.
0:49:43 > 0:49:48As our own climate changes, it's versatile, exotic species like these
0:49:48 > 0:49:51that we British gardeners could be looking to in the near future.
0:49:55 > 0:49:58Catherine Cutler works with Kings Park in Perth and is curating
0:49:58 > 0:50:01an amazing collection of drought-tolerant plants from
0:50:01 > 0:50:03south-west Australia.
0:50:05 > 0:50:0960% of the plants here are found nowhere else on the planet.
0:50:11 > 0:50:14What can UK gardeners take away from this Australian planting, then?
0:50:14 > 0:50:17You need to be starting to think about how our climates change
0:50:17 > 0:50:19and planting for the future climate that we're likely to have.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22So, extreme weather, yes,
0:50:22 > 0:50:24but probably longer, hotter, drier summers.
0:50:24 > 0:50:27So the flora that we have here in the Mediterranean Biome
0:50:27 > 0:50:29is hopefully inspirational for people for what they might be
0:50:29 > 0:50:32able to start thinking about for their own gardens.
0:50:32 > 0:50:34So could I see something like this in my garden, then?
0:50:34 > 0:50:36- Absolutely, you could. - Cos I just love it.
0:50:36 > 0:50:38I love the colour and I just think it looks fabulous.
0:50:38 > 0:50:41Kangaroo paws are absolutely fantastic, aren't they?
0:50:41 > 0:50:43So we've got a whole range of them here.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46There's a fantastic one called Big Red, grows up to about five,
0:50:46 > 0:50:48six foot, even.
0:50:48 > 0:50:51They are pollinated by birds.
0:50:51 > 0:50:52So you can see, as the flowers open,
0:50:52 > 0:50:54the bird can poke its beak inside
0:50:54 > 0:50:57- and then it gets dunked on the back of its head.- Oh!
0:50:58 > 0:51:01Like all the plants here in the Mediterranean Biome,
0:51:01 > 0:51:04they're used to harsh, tough conditions. Hot in the summer.
0:51:04 > 0:51:07- And extreme.- Yeah, extreme, and really poor soil as well.
0:51:07 > 0:51:11And things like the kangaroo paws, there's been a lot of breeding work
0:51:11 > 0:51:14in them and we're starting to see them coming into the UK market.
0:51:14 > 0:51:17I think this year you'll be able to buy them quite easily and grow them,
0:51:17 > 0:51:19perhaps to begin with as bedding plants,
0:51:19 > 0:51:22but then later on we might find them going right through the winter.
0:51:22 > 0:51:25Fab. I love them. I think they're absolutely great.
0:51:25 > 0:51:26They are, aren't they?
0:51:27 > 0:51:29Climate change is going to be a challenge,
0:51:29 > 0:51:32but, as gardeners, we want to be part of the solution.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35So that means thinking about different plant species that
0:51:35 > 0:51:39we can put into the garden, and also treating the garden like
0:51:39 > 0:51:41a carbon store, getting more plants into the ground.
0:51:41 > 0:51:45So I think that's a great excuse to get out there and get gardening.
0:51:52 > 0:51:57In practice, climate change is only gradually changing the plants
0:51:57 > 0:52:01that we can grow. It's how we grow them that is really the thing.
0:52:01 > 0:52:03I mean, for example, all these succulents
0:52:03 > 0:52:07are never going to survive winter here at Longmeadow.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10But I have them outside in pots, they can look great
0:52:10 > 0:52:14and then pull them back in as the weather starts to turn.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17And this Tulbaghia I've seen growing perfectly happily
0:52:17 > 0:52:19in Cape Town earlier this year.
0:52:19 > 0:52:22Keep it in a pot. And that too, even, I wouldn't keep outside.
0:52:22 > 0:52:27However, I've never grown a kangaroo paw, but I'd like to try it.
0:52:27 > 0:52:29But I think the thing to do is treat it as an annual.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31Don't try and let it survive winter.
0:52:31 > 0:52:33Just enjoy it for the summer months.
0:52:33 > 0:52:36But to get the best from it, I do need to treat it hard.
0:52:36 > 0:52:39So...plenty of drainage.
0:52:42 > 0:52:46And I've mixed up a compost based of a seed mix,
0:52:46 > 0:52:50so fairly low in nutrients, some builder's sand and some grit.
0:52:50 > 0:52:54So this is very free draining and very low in nutrients,
0:52:54 > 0:52:58exactly as if I was planting up a Mediterranean herb.
0:53:02 > 0:53:06Now the thing to do is to put that in the sunniest spot you can.
0:53:06 > 0:53:08It will be fine on a windowsill,
0:53:08 > 0:53:11but I'm going to keep it here with the other succulents.
0:53:12 > 0:53:14And it can bake all summer long.
0:53:14 > 0:53:21Now I don't know if you're planning to plant up any kangaroo paws,
0:53:21 > 0:53:26but here are some jobs that you might want to do this weekend.
0:53:36 > 0:53:38The Chelsea Chop is often misunderstood.
0:53:39 > 0:53:42It's not a question of tidying away spent growth but pruning
0:53:42 > 0:53:46herbaceous perennials to encourage stockier, bushier growth,
0:53:46 > 0:53:48with lots of side shoots,
0:53:48 > 0:53:52and these will extend your flowering period and also add diversity
0:53:52 > 0:53:55to the height and texture of your late summer border.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05If you grow cordon tomatoes, either indoors or out,
0:54:05 > 0:54:09it's important to regularly pinch out or cut off with a sharp knife,
0:54:09 > 0:54:12the side shoots that grow at 45 degrees
0:54:12 > 0:54:16between the main stem and the leaves.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19This will keep all the energy in the growing plant,
0:54:19 > 0:54:23and importantly, the fruit, as it forms.
0:54:28 > 0:54:32It's too early to cut hedges because this will disturb nesting birds.
0:54:33 > 0:54:36But now is a good time to give a light trim
0:54:36 > 0:54:41to the vertical faces of entrances and exits.
0:54:41 > 0:54:45It transforms the garden, making it instantly look much neater.
0:54:56 > 0:55:01The Dry Garden has absolutely loved the blazing we had
0:55:01 > 0:55:04whilst I was away at Chelsea.
0:55:04 > 0:55:07And things like that stipa, the Stipa gigantea, I couldn't grow
0:55:07 > 0:55:10in the grass borders, or at least if I grow it,
0:55:10 > 0:55:12it doesn't last more than a year or two because it's too wet and
0:55:12 > 0:55:14the ground gets too cold in winter.
0:55:14 > 0:55:21But here, with stony soil and good drainage and hot sun, it loves it.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24Now, I don't know whether we're going to have hot sun this weekend
0:55:24 > 0:55:27or cold rain, but let's go and find out what the weather will be like
0:55:27 > 0:55:29for us gardeners this weekend.
0:56:10 > 0:56:17The Writing Garden is hitting almost a perfect balance of
0:56:17 > 0:56:22untrammelled abandon and careful poise.
0:56:22 > 0:56:25Of course, no plant is more poised at the moment than this
0:56:25 > 0:56:27lovely white allium, Everest.
0:56:27 > 0:56:29But things like the silene and even
0:56:29 > 0:56:33a little bit of cow parsley, still just flowing easily.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36But I'm afraid no more easy flowing for today,
0:56:36 > 0:56:40because that's the end of tonight's programme.
0:56:40 > 0:56:45But next week we have got Chatsworth and Adam, Joe and Carol will
0:56:45 > 0:56:47be there, while I'm still here.
0:56:47 > 0:56:50And the week after, we all go to Gardeners' World Live,
0:56:50 > 0:56:54and, of course, we'll be announcing our Jubilee plant there.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57And thank you so much for all the votes.
0:56:57 > 0:57:00There is a result.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02But I don't know what it is!
0:57:02 > 0:57:05However, along with you, I will be finding out in two weeks.
0:57:05 > 0:57:09But, until next Friday, bye-bye.
0:57:09 > 0:57:11Now, you want to go for a walk, don't you? Come on.