0:00:08 > 0:00:10Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14I've just planted a Virginia creeper.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17This is Parthenocissus quinquefolia.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20It's called quinquefolia because it's got five leaves.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22It's a fairly small plant now,
0:00:22 > 0:00:24but the idea is to smother this shed
0:00:24 > 0:00:28and it will grow up 40, 50 foot or more if you let it.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32Of course you can prune it, but you will need to do that every year.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34But its main virtue,
0:00:34 > 0:00:36other than its ability to cover a large area,
0:00:36 > 0:00:40is the best autumn colour going.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41So I'm planting it here,
0:00:41 > 0:00:45so when the autumn light filters through the apple trees,
0:00:45 > 0:00:51it'll pick up that deep, intense burgundy red,
0:00:51 > 0:00:52and shine.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56On tonight's programme,
0:00:56 > 0:00:59we meet a man who is fanatical about foliage
0:00:59 > 0:01:02and has a particular passion for heucheras.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07Nick Bailey discovers an attractive alien invader
0:01:07 > 0:01:09that has escaped our gardens,
0:01:09 > 0:01:12and is now threatening our natural coastal habitats.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16Hottentot fig are a huge problem to us.
0:01:16 > 0:01:17Sort of wiping everything else out?
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Yeah, that's all you have, is metre after metre of fig.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24And Adam Frost pays a visit to Pettifers,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26a large garden in Oxfordshire
0:01:26 > 0:01:30that is filled with masses of plant inspiration.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34And I'll be planting some blueberries.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53I've decided on quite a dramatic change.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59I planted this yew hedge at the edge of the Jewel Garden
0:01:59 > 0:02:00about four years ago,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04and it was to replace a box hedge that had been here
0:02:04 > 0:02:06and worked very well until it got box blight,
0:02:06 > 0:02:08and then took it out.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11The box hedge was low and gave a structure,
0:02:11 > 0:02:12but didn't obscure the view.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15The yew was intended to replace that,
0:02:15 > 0:02:20but it's grown so well and so strongly that after a bit I thought,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23"Oh, what would be really nice would be to have a big,
0:02:23 > 0:02:27"solid yew hedge, as high as the hornbeam around it,
0:02:27 > 0:02:31"that would be a backdrop to the rest of the Jewel Garden."
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Cos that's south, and that's north, so it wouldn't block any light,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36and we'd have this tall, thick, yew hedge,
0:02:36 > 0:02:40a dark green, and the other jewel colours,
0:02:40 > 0:02:43the amethysts and the sapphires and the rubies and the golds
0:02:43 > 0:02:46would shine out against the green.
0:02:46 > 0:02:47It's a nice idea.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50The trouble is it closed it off from here
0:02:50 > 0:02:53and I keep wanting to peer over the hedge.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57So what I've decided to do is go back down to the original idea
0:02:57 > 0:02:59and have a low yew hedge,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01and if this looks good then I'll extend it
0:03:01 > 0:03:04around the rest of the garden. So what it means is cutting this back.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08And by the way, if you think that yew is too slow a hedge for you
0:03:08 > 0:03:11and not suitable, think again.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13You've got it wrong, cos look!
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Look at the growth on this.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20This is a good 12 inches of growth just in the last few months.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23This hedge here, which is beginning to get substantial,
0:03:23 > 0:03:25is only three or four years old.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30I'm going to put some posts in
0:03:30 > 0:03:33and then a line of string at the correct height.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39And if you're cutting a hedge for the first time
0:03:39 > 0:03:42or you want to change its height,
0:03:42 > 0:03:47it's a good idea to use string and canes to give you a guideline.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Put it between the two ends.
0:03:52 > 0:03:53That needs to come down a little bit.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59One of the great things about yew,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01and it applies to box and holly as well,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04is it regrows from old wood.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07So this is a haircut, albeit a drastic one,
0:04:07 > 0:04:09not a decapitation.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11It will grow back up if I want it to.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15And it's also worth pointing out that big hedge cutting,
0:04:15 > 0:04:16full-blown hedge cutting,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19it should always be left to August or September
0:04:19 > 0:04:21cos then the birds will have finished nesting,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24the young will have flown away,
0:04:24 > 0:04:25and you won't do any damage.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28OK, let's go. Let's make the first cut.
0:04:28 > 0:04:29I'll do it here.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43I'm using a combination of loppers,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45secateurs,
0:04:45 > 0:04:47and shears for two reasons.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51One, the absolute golden rule when you're cutting anything
0:04:51 > 0:04:53is that you should never strain it.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57You should always be within the capacity of whatever instrument
0:04:57 > 0:04:58you're using to cut.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01That way you can be accurate,
0:05:01 > 0:05:03and you're not going to risk breaking the tool
0:05:03 > 0:05:05or slipping and cutting yourself.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09The second thing is that it's obviously quicker to use shears
0:05:09 > 0:05:11than it is loppers.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14So wherever possible, much easier to snip away.
0:05:19 > 0:05:20All I have to ask myself...
0:05:22 > 0:05:25..is, does this look better or is it a catastrophic mistake?
0:05:27 > 0:05:30And I've just undone years of vigorous, healthy growth?
0:05:33 > 0:05:35I think it looks better.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41If you have any garden that you love and spend a lot of time in,
0:05:41 > 0:05:43it is easy to get slightly introverted.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47The whole horticultural world revolves round your back garden.
0:05:48 > 0:05:53But it's always important to get out and look at other gardens,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56because you invariably learn something,
0:05:56 > 0:06:00and if you can be taught by a master
0:06:00 > 0:06:04and visit a really good garden, well, then it's doubly good.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06And our master is Adam Frost,
0:06:06 > 0:06:10and the really good garden is Pettifers in Oxfordshire.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23Do you know,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26this country's got more than its fair share of iconic gardens,
0:06:26 > 0:06:29and this one's been 30 years in the making.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32And it's gained itself a reputation for not only something
0:06:32 > 0:06:33that's beautifully planted,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36but somewhere that carries interest right throughout the year.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39But it is a big garden, and I think when people are chatting to me,
0:06:39 > 0:06:41they say, "It's all right us visiting these big spaces,
0:06:41 > 0:06:45"but how do we take ideas home that we can repeat?"
0:06:45 > 0:06:47And my answer to that is, do you know what?
0:06:47 > 0:06:48If it's well designed,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51there's stuff there that we can repeat in any garden.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Pettifers is a 1½-acre garden
0:07:01 > 0:07:03on a sloping site
0:07:03 > 0:07:06with majestic views of the Oxfordshire countryside.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09It's been lovingly created by Gina Price.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18We bought the house and one of the main reasons we bought it
0:07:18 > 0:07:21was for the view. I remember looking at it and thinking,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23"I can make something of this."
0:07:23 > 0:07:25And I wasn't even keen on gardening,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28and I knew nothing, but nothing.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30So I taught myself as I went along,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32making a lot of mistakes.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38When I started, gardening was rooms, you know.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40And I knew that I didn't want rooms,
0:07:40 > 0:07:44because the whole point was to bring the landscape into the garden.
0:07:46 > 0:07:47Around 12 years ago,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51Gina fell in love with the planting style of the new perennial movement,
0:07:51 > 0:07:55an approach that uses a range of herbaceous perennials and grasses
0:07:55 > 0:07:58planted in drifts to evoke a naturalistic look.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03Every single bed is meant to be different.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06So it's interesting to look at them all.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10They've got a different slant to them, if you actually look at them.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13But there still seems to be a nice connection between them.
0:08:13 > 0:08:14Yes, there is.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16I mean, I have favourite plants.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Like veronicastrums and grasses.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Have you got a favourite place that you just like to go
0:08:25 > 0:08:29- and spend ten minutes?- Mine is probably the Klimt,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31which we call the Klimt,
0:08:31 > 0:08:32which is the one on the left.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34I love that border.
0:08:34 > 0:08:35Really lovely.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43The borders are really stunning.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45They provide vibrant colour and texture,
0:08:45 > 0:08:49but the plants have been carefully chosen for their structure,
0:08:49 > 0:08:50even after flowering.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54So what's been thought about is after that flower's over,
0:08:54 > 0:08:55what's going to be left?
0:08:55 > 0:08:57And this is a prime example.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01This rodgersia sits beautifully against these euphorbias
0:09:01 > 0:09:03that would have flowered earlier on in the year,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07and at the back here we've got this vertical of this miscanthus,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09so even when the flowers are gone,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11there's interest right through the back end of the season.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Do you know, well-designed gardens have little elements of surprise
0:09:21 > 0:09:23all the way through, and this is fantastic.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25All of a sudden, I'm walking down the border
0:09:25 > 0:09:28and there's a bench stuck back in there, so I'm drawn to the bench.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34But actually it's really when I start to arrive and sit myself down,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37I'm engaging in the plants in a completely different way.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40All of a sudden, my eye line is the same height as the flowers.
0:09:40 > 0:09:41I've got digitalis,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43I've got sanguisorba,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45and they're all covered in wildlife.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48But you don't need this much space.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51If you can find yourself a hidden little place in the garden
0:09:51 > 0:09:55as you move down, maybe put a bench in or even a single seat,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58all of a sudden you've created a place in your garden
0:09:58 > 0:10:00that you can experience it in a completely different way.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08But it's the view looking away from the house
0:10:08 > 0:10:10that is the most breathtaking.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15Do you know, that's absolutely beautiful.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16It's really clever as well,
0:10:16 > 0:10:18the way that the tree planting at the bottom there
0:10:18 > 0:10:20really draws that landscape in,
0:10:20 > 0:10:23and ultimately this garden works on the borrowed landscape.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25And what is that in reality?
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Here, it's all the trees that are planted in the foreground
0:10:28 > 0:10:30so inside the garden,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32what they do is they have a relationship with the trees
0:10:32 > 0:10:33outside the garden.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36And they start to bring that landscape all the way towards you
0:10:36 > 0:10:39and you lose the boundary line, you know,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41so you really don't know where that garden finishes.
0:10:42 > 0:10:43But we can apply that at home.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45You don't need this big space.
0:10:45 > 0:10:46It might be that there's a tree,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49or one or two trees in a neighbour's garden,
0:10:49 > 0:10:51and the moment you plant one your side of the fence,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54you really start to actually steal their trees, you know,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56and that canopy comes towards you.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03Towards the end of the garden,
0:11:03 > 0:11:05in between the beautiful views of the landscape
0:11:05 > 0:11:06and the soft perennial planting,
0:11:06 > 0:11:10sits a more formal area of real structure and interest.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14Do you know, it was four or five years ago that I saw a picture
0:11:14 > 0:11:18of this parterre that drew me to this garden, and it's stunning.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25But that word, structure, is important in our gardens.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Maybe it's just a couple of clipped shapes
0:11:27 > 0:11:28that work their way down the garden
0:11:28 > 0:11:31or something either side of an entrance,
0:11:31 > 0:11:33so as you go into the winter,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35that structure becomes so much more important.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46When you really look at this garden, actually, in its simplest form,
0:11:46 > 0:11:50it is a series of rectangles that work down a hillside.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52But what brings it alive is the planting,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54because it is magnificent.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56It does absolutely everything.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59It gives you structure, it gives you form, it gives you colour.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Not only now, but it carries you right throughout the year.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06It's a beautiful garden to be in.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23I do think that every time you visit a garden,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26doesn't matter whether you fall in love with it, whether you admire it,
0:12:26 > 0:12:28or if it's to your taste or not.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Every time, you come away with something
0:12:31 > 0:12:34that's going to make your own garden better.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36You simply can't learn too much,
0:12:36 > 0:12:37and it's a great way to find out.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40However, some of the practicalities of gardening
0:12:40 > 0:12:45do come round every year, and once learned, you can always apply them.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48And rotation of vegetables is one of them.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50You start with legumes, such as peas,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52and these are ready to be taken out.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54You follow them with brassicas,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57and you follow brassicas with root crops.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00And the general rule is you manure for the first year...
0:13:01 > 0:13:04..the legumes take nitrogen from the air and add it to the soil,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07you put the brassicas in which are leafy,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09and therefore benefit from that nitrogen,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11and the root crops don't need any extra manure,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14so you leave that untouched, and so the cycle goes.
0:13:14 > 0:13:19Now, in practice we all chop and change and modify it,
0:13:19 > 0:13:21but as a basic rule, it's a good idea.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24And I've got some good kale.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26It's very tasty.
0:13:26 > 0:13:27Very good for you, and looks lovely.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32Now, these are plants that I've grown from seed...
0:13:33 > 0:13:36..and they're grown in plugs, and then potted on.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40And so we've got quite a decent-sized plant there.
0:13:41 > 0:13:42Decent root system.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44That's absolutely perfect.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47You can see the roots, but it's not root-bound,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50and ready to go. That's ready to grow out.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55When you're planting cabbages, broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58plant them deep and firm them in well,
0:13:58 > 0:14:00and then really push down...
0:14:01 > 0:14:03..and that will anchor it in the ground.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05This is going to get quite a large plant.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08And if you just gently put it in the ground,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12the roots don't grow quickly enough to keep it balanced.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14So we want that good and strong.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16And the spacing needs to be quite generous.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18So, at least 18 inches.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24And the advantage of a raised bed is that it drains better
0:14:24 > 0:14:25and it heats up quicker.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29The disadvantage is that it drains better!
0:14:29 > 0:14:31It can get...
0:14:32 > 0:14:34..much drier than normal beds
0:14:34 > 0:14:37if it's very hot, dry weather.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40So that's something to watch.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42But on heavy soil like ours,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45that's a problem that I'm happy to have.
0:14:45 > 0:14:51Because the alternative is wet, heavy soil that is cold in spring.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06These plants will stay here until next May.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10And they certainly wouldn't want to be any closer together than this,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13because they'll be quite substantial plants
0:15:13 > 0:15:16and you just pick the leaves off as you need them when they grow up,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19and they will grow three, four, even five foot tall,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21and need staking.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26But at the moment, there is a lot of space between each plant.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29And either you're going to have to keep that weeded, or you can use it.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31You can get a cat crop.
0:15:31 > 0:15:37Namely, something that you can plant, grow on, harvest,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40before the space that they're occupying is needed by another crop.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44And I've got some oak leaf lettuce,
0:15:44 > 0:15:46red salad bowl,
0:15:46 > 0:15:51which will match in colour with the purple red of the kale.
0:15:51 > 0:15:52These will go in...
0:15:54 > 0:15:55..like that.
0:15:56 > 0:15:57Like that.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Whereas, with the brassicas,
0:16:00 > 0:16:05I put them in good and deep and I really firm them in hard,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08lettuce, you just need to make a small hole, and pop them in.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12And they will...
0:16:12 > 0:16:15very quickly get their roots down into the soil.
0:16:22 > 0:16:23Right.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25So, that's done.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27What I want to do now before I do anything more
0:16:27 > 0:16:29is to give it a really good soak.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37I tend not to water at all
0:16:37 > 0:16:39once things are growing,
0:16:39 > 0:16:43but I make sure everything is watered in really well.
0:16:43 > 0:16:44And once...
0:16:44 > 0:16:46it's got established,
0:16:46 > 0:16:48it can dig down for water...
0:16:49 > 0:16:51..and usually it finds it.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55Another plant which always does well with plenty of moisture
0:16:55 > 0:16:56is clematis.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59And at this time of year, my favourite clematis
0:16:59 > 0:17:00are at their very best.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03That's the late flowering types.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07It doesn't surprise me at all that Carol has chosen these
0:17:07 > 0:17:09as her plant of the month.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15It's August.
0:17:15 > 0:17:20Our gardens are full of colour and bloom,
0:17:20 > 0:17:21but amongst all this beauty,
0:17:21 > 0:17:27there's one plant that's sprawling all over the place.
0:17:27 > 0:17:28It's clematis.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36Clematis is from the Greek clema, for branchlet,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39or clematis, meaning vine.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44It's difficult to believe at first sight,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47but clematis actually belong to ranunculaceae,
0:17:47 > 0:17:49the buttercup family!
0:17:50 > 0:17:55This is a typical example of what most of us understand by clematis.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58It's Perle d'Azur, utterly beautiful.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02Here it's scrambling through itself and through roses,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05but all clematis need a host.
0:18:05 > 0:18:10In our gardens, we often grow them up trellis or structures.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13They twine their leaf stems around their host
0:18:13 > 0:18:16and that's the way they pull themselves up,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19so their glorious flowers can be in the sunshine.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23These exquisite flowers look as though they're composed of
0:18:23 > 0:18:25separate petals,
0:18:25 > 0:18:27but in actual fact, they're not petals at all.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29They're sepals.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31And if you turn the flower over,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34you can see there's no calyx at all.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37What actually happens is that these buds,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39these lovely, long, elegant buds,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42get longer and longer, and as they do, they colour up.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Eventually, they open up,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47and form these beautiful flowers.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Generally, clematis like their feet in the shade
0:18:54 > 0:18:56and their flowers in the sun.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59It's not just the cool shade the roots like,
0:18:59 > 0:19:01it's the moisture that they find there.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04When you're planting your clematis,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07incorporate plenty of organic matter.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Mulch them thoroughly, and keep them well watered.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15If you do all that, you can even grow them in full sun.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18As well as being really straightforward to grow,
0:19:18 > 0:19:22clematis are also easy to propagate.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25I've taken a nice big chunk here.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28It's ideal to get a piece that's not in flower,
0:19:28 > 0:19:30but at this time of year it's really hard.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33So just snip off any old, dead flowers
0:19:33 > 0:19:35or any buds that are yet to come.
0:19:35 > 0:19:40Now, they're unlike most of the cuttings you take, which are nodal,
0:19:40 > 0:19:41below a node.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43With these, it's all internodal,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46so you cut between these nodes.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49The base of your cutting should be
0:19:49 > 0:19:53about an inch and a half to two inches below the leaf node.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Just cut it across there.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00And then you want to trim it, to just above the next leaf node up.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05So you end up with a cutting that's just got a piece of stem
0:20:05 > 0:20:08and two leaves either side.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12Now fill a pot with lovely, gritty compost.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17This is loam-based compost with masses of grit added.
0:20:17 > 0:20:18And then...
0:20:18 > 0:20:22all I'm going to do is plunge this cutting...
0:20:22 > 0:20:26The stem is stiff, so it can be its own dibber.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30And I'm going to push it down until the top of the cutting
0:20:30 > 0:20:32is actually flush with the compost.
0:20:34 > 0:20:35But there's another way, too.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39You can make two cuttings from each of those pieces,
0:20:39 > 0:20:40and in that case,
0:20:40 > 0:20:44you take a really sharp knife, take your cutting,
0:20:44 > 0:20:48and just cut from between those two leaves
0:20:48 > 0:20:49right down to the base.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53And you'll get two similar halves, twins.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Finish the whole thing off with some grit.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02One good watering,
0:21:02 > 0:21:06stand it in a nice warm, bright place,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08but out of direct sunlight,
0:21:08 > 0:21:12and you should see roots appearing from the bottom of the pot
0:21:12 > 0:21:14in just a few weeks.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19You can also try growing clematis from seed.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24At the stage when those fluffy seed heads are about to take off,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28snip off a whole head with a bit of its stem.
0:21:28 > 0:21:33Push the whole thing down into the top of a pot of gritty compost,
0:21:33 > 0:21:35remove any extra fluffy bits,
0:21:35 > 0:21:37cover with grit,
0:21:37 > 0:21:39water well,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42and in a few weeks' time, you should see germination.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48One of the most vexed questions about growing clematis
0:21:48 > 0:21:51is when do you prune them?
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Well, it's pretty straightforward,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56and it's all to do with the time of year when they flower.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58Those that flower really early on,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01you really hardly need to prune them at all.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Just perhaps every couple of years
0:22:04 > 0:22:06you can tie in some new shoots.
0:22:06 > 0:22:07Those that flower in midsummer,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10especially the large-flowered hybrids,
0:22:10 > 0:22:12they don't need much pruning either.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14But once flowers have finished,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17you can take the stem down to the next flower,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20so that the plant concentrates all its energy on
0:22:20 > 0:22:22continuing to produce flowers.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26But as far as the third group, like this one...
0:22:27 > 0:22:29..which flower in later summer,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32then they all flower on new wood,
0:22:32 > 0:22:36and what you've got to do is, early in the year, February time,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39some people have even called it the Valentine's Day massacre,
0:22:39 > 0:22:45take your shears, go outside and chop it at about 18 inches,
0:22:45 > 0:22:4745 centimetres from the ground.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50That'll really make it shoot out
0:22:50 > 0:22:53and produce lots and lots of new flowering wood.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59This particular one is clematis viticella Etoile Violette.
0:23:01 > 0:23:06Although you can have clematis in flower at almost any time of year,
0:23:06 > 0:23:10there's no doubt that August is their prime time.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16Clematis Blue Boy is a magnificent clematis,
0:23:16 > 0:23:20producing thousands of its deep blue bells over the summer.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25It's semi-herbaceous, so cut it down to six inches,
0:23:25 > 0:23:2915 centimetres above the ground in late winter.
0:23:31 > 0:23:36One of the oldest and most reliable of the large-flowered hybrids,
0:23:36 > 0:23:37clematis Jackmanii,
0:23:37 > 0:23:42grows strongly and flowers reliably over a long period,
0:23:42 > 0:23:44from June till September.
0:23:49 > 0:23:54Clematis truly are the most versatile of plants.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57And what's more, we can all grow them,
0:23:57 > 0:24:00however big or small our gardens.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02I think it's true to say
0:24:02 > 0:24:06that clematis are the glory of the August garden.
0:24:25 > 0:24:30This perpetual sweet pea has gone bonkers,
0:24:30 > 0:24:32and it's layered itself everywhere,
0:24:32 > 0:24:37and it's transformed from being charmingly casual and loose,
0:24:37 > 0:24:39to a rampant thug,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42threatening to swamp the roses,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45and blanket the clematis.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48I want to make the most of the clematis,
0:24:48 > 0:24:50but they've been really good this year.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53It's always tricky at this point of the year
0:24:53 > 0:24:56to know just quite how much you can cut back
0:24:56 > 0:24:58because you don't want to lose flowers.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02You want to maximise the colour and potential
0:25:02 > 0:25:04for the rest of the summer,
0:25:04 > 0:25:08but on the other hand, if you let things swamp,
0:25:08 > 0:25:12that will also reduce all the opportunities.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15But you can make life simpler for yourself
0:25:15 > 0:25:17if you take flowers out of the equation.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20And we went back up to Yorkshire,
0:25:20 > 0:25:23and this time to visit a garden whose focus
0:25:23 > 0:25:26is almost entirely on foliage.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35If you come round my garden to have a look,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38you're seeing things that you're not seeing somewhere else.
0:25:39 > 0:25:44I like something that is very different to anybody else's.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52If you're going to design a garden based on foliage,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54you've got to look at the plot and say,
0:25:54 > 0:25:58"OK, I need to put in the larger specimens first."
0:26:00 > 0:26:01So you start with your trees,
0:26:01 > 0:26:03make sure you've got plenty of evergreens.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Because in the winter if you don't have evergreens,
0:26:08 > 0:26:09it looks pretty awful.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Then work down to the shrubs.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16I don't think there's any hard and fast rules.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Everything in my garden is good to look at.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25There are so many colours of greens,
0:26:25 > 0:26:26so many different shapes,
0:26:26 > 0:26:27so many different sizes.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31And round each corner you see something that's very different
0:26:31 > 0:26:33to what you've just seen round the other corner.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37It's giving that surprise, that impact, as you go round the bend,
0:26:37 > 0:26:38round the bend,
0:26:38 > 0:26:39- round the bend... - HE CHUCKLES
0:26:42 > 0:26:46I suppose it stems from wanting to be as low-maintenance as possible.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52You have a good range of trees and shrubs and ground covers,
0:26:52 > 0:26:54the weeds don't have a chance.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02Heucheras are a passion.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05I love them because they offer so much.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10They start off with their beautiful, multicoloured foliage,
0:27:10 > 0:27:14from yellows and lime greens through to the purples.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17They also have nice flowers,
0:27:17 > 0:27:21and if you add to that tiarellas and heucherellas,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25you've got the full spectrum of the whole gambit of colours,
0:27:25 > 0:27:27almost throughout the year, because a lot of them are evergreen.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35This is one of my favourite heucheras,
0:27:35 > 0:27:39which is heuchera French Quarter, and it's an absolute dream.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43These beautifully shaped pink-and-green leaves
0:27:43 > 0:27:45that come up in the spring,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48and they reach about 10-15 inches in height,
0:27:48 > 0:27:50probably 10-15 inches in width,
0:27:50 > 0:27:51possibly a little bit more,
0:27:51 > 0:27:55but they have these beautiful pink, flowery spikes
0:27:55 > 0:27:58that will last from May right through to the end of July,
0:27:58 > 0:27:59early August.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01It's an absolute stunner,
0:28:01 > 0:28:03and if you're going to have a heuchera in your garden,
0:28:03 > 0:28:04this is the baby to have.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14Tiarellas are the poorer partner of the heuchera.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16They're generally a smaller plant.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18They're basically a green leaf,
0:28:18 > 0:28:20but they're not grown for their leaves.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22They're grown for their spring flowers.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26They have these masses of white or cream spikes in the spring.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29If you take them off when they're finished flowering,
0:28:29 > 0:28:30as soon as they've finished flowering,
0:28:30 > 0:28:34you might get another showing around about the end of July, early August.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36So they can flower twice in a season.
0:28:38 > 0:28:43Heucherella is a cross between heuchera and tiarella,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46so you're getting the best of both worlds.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48So you're getting the flowers of the tiarella
0:28:48 > 0:28:52and the fancy colours and shapes of the leaves of the heuchera.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54My favourite is probably Gunsmoke.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03You look after them in exactly the same way.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05They're all shade-tolerant, all grow in the same sort of soil.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10And they're a nice spot of colour.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12As you come around the corner, there they are.
0:29:12 > 0:29:13It's absolutely lovely.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18I think the biggest problem that most people will find
0:29:18 > 0:29:21with any of the group would be vine weevil.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23And that can be a horror.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Vine weevil is a grub,
0:29:26 > 0:29:32and it chews its way through where the crown meets the root.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34So effectively your plant will look perfectly healthy,
0:29:34 > 0:29:38and all of a sudden, it'll just fall to one side,
0:29:38 > 0:29:41and the actual weevil has just chewed through the whole thing.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47Even if your plant is doomed,
0:29:47 > 0:29:49you can probably get three or four or five plants
0:29:49 > 0:29:52from taking the cuttings. This is how we do it.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56Take all the flower shoots off,
0:29:56 > 0:29:58and take off most of the larger leaves,
0:29:58 > 0:30:01so you're left with something like that.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04I then take it into a four-inch pot.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07Use a dibber, or in my case, a pen.
0:30:07 > 0:30:08Little hole in the soil.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12Push it in, firm it up, and then...
0:30:13 > 0:30:16..I put a label, so I know what it is!
0:30:16 > 0:30:18And then that goes in the polytunnel.
0:30:19 > 0:30:20And that's as simple as that.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24And in three, four weeks' time, hopefully that will have rooted.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26You've got your money back, you've saved your plant,
0:30:26 > 0:30:28and you've got extra plants as well.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37I ask people when they come in what they expected to see,
0:30:37 > 0:30:39and in general they say, "A nice little cottage garden".
0:30:39 > 0:30:43I also ask them when they went out, "Were you surprised?"
0:30:43 > 0:30:46And they say, "Yes, but it was a nice surprise."
0:30:58 > 0:31:00The more I garden,
0:31:00 > 0:31:04the more pleasure I get just from simple, green foliage.
0:31:05 > 0:31:10There is something about green that the eye and the brain
0:31:10 > 0:31:11immediately respond to...
0:31:13 > 0:31:16..that is calming and yet invigorating,
0:31:16 > 0:31:17and centres you.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21It holds you exactly where you're meant to be.
0:31:22 > 0:31:23And it's never boring.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27There's always layer upon layer and shade upon shade
0:31:27 > 0:31:28of different greens.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34That is one of the reasons why I bought myself another tree fern.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36The other reason is I just like ferns,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39and I love these plants,
0:31:39 > 0:31:43and it seems to be very happy here, in quite deep shade.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46It's a mistake to plant them, as specimen plants, out in the open.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50Give them the shade that they crave, and plenty of moisture.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52Don't let them dry out, basically.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54And they should be really happy.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56And, as we come into autumn,
0:31:56 > 0:31:58round about the beginning or middle of October,
0:31:58 > 0:32:01I'll show you how to prepare them to get through winter
0:32:01 > 0:32:02without too much damage.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06Now, still to come...
0:32:08 > 0:32:10I'll be planting some blueberries.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Not just to give me delicious fruit,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16but also to add a real decorative feature
0:32:16 > 0:32:17to the garden.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22And Mark Lane visits a garden in Warwick
0:32:22 > 0:32:25that has been restored to its former glory
0:32:25 > 0:32:28thanks to a team of dedicated volunteers.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48Clearing gunk and growth out of the pond
0:32:48 > 0:32:51is something that I try and do periodically...
0:32:53 > 0:32:56..but I don't try and keep it CLEAN, as such.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03And the way the pond has grown and developed,
0:33:03 > 0:33:05by high summer,
0:33:05 > 0:33:08it does sprawl and loll,
0:33:08 > 0:33:10and I quite like that, the way it looks anyway,
0:33:10 > 0:33:12but it's certainly good for wildlife.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14And this is a wildlife pond.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17We want as much and as varied of creatures,
0:33:17 > 0:33:21both in the water and around the edge and in the air,
0:33:21 > 0:33:22as we possibly can.
0:33:22 > 0:33:23And cover,
0:33:23 > 0:33:25cover is absolutely essential.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27Underwater as well as on top,
0:33:27 > 0:33:31but what we don't want is too much dead material like that.
0:33:31 > 0:33:32By the way, what I take out here,
0:33:32 > 0:33:35I always leave by the pond.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38I don't take it straightaway to the compost heap
0:33:38 > 0:33:41because there will be little creatures in it.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43And I want to give them a chance to go back into the water.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47But you have to make a decision, really...
0:33:48 > 0:33:53..with a pond or with any type of natural gardening,
0:33:53 > 0:33:57at what point the plants can dictate the way it looks,
0:33:57 > 0:34:00and at what point you, the gardener, muscle in.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04And if you're the kind of gardener that wants control all the time...
0:34:06 > 0:34:08..then obviously you have to be very hands-on
0:34:08 > 0:34:10and stop plants running amok.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13But if you want to maximise wildlife,
0:34:13 > 0:34:15then you need to let it go...
0:34:16 > 0:34:17..and let it dictate how it looks.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20But inevitably,
0:34:20 > 0:34:23there are certain plants that are thugs.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27Here in the pond at this time of year,
0:34:27 > 0:34:29it's duck weed that can take over.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31But it is easily remedied.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33However, some non-native plants,
0:34:33 > 0:34:34if left unchecked,
0:34:34 > 0:34:37can become a dominant monoculture.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42Nick Bailey has been to Cornwall,
0:34:42 > 0:34:46to see the effect of one of these alien invaders.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58The Lizard in Cornwall is Britain's most southerly point.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03It is heralded as one of Britain's top five places for wild plants,
0:35:03 > 0:35:06but there's one non-native invasive species
0:35:06 > 0:35:09that's threatening to destroy that accolade.
0:35:11 > 0:35:16It's called Carpobrotus edulis, or Hottentot fig,
0:35:16 > 0:35:21and it's made up of these thick mats of succulent, water-laden leaves,
0:35:21 > 0:35:25and covered in pink or yellow daisy-looking flowers.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30Originally from South Africa in the 1800s,
0:35:30 > 0:35:33they became popular as an ornamental plant,
0:35:33 > 0:35:36that can still be bought in some nurseries across the country.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39But it's escaped over the garden fence.
0:35:40 > 0:35:41And flourished.
0:35:45 > 0:35:50It produces a dense, impenetrable mat of up to 50 square metres,
0:35:50 > 0:35:53and it can extend by up to a metre a year,
0:35:53 > 0:35:56so in a wild habitat like this,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59it can pose a real threat to our native flora.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02It's a big concern for The National Trust,
0:36:02 > 0:36:05who own and manage this stretch of coastline.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09Rachel Holder is the ranger tasked with bringing it under control.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15So, Rachel, how big a problem is this carpobrotus?
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Invasives like Hottentot fig are a huge problem to us.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21These cliffs here are national nature reserve,
0:36:21 > 0:36:23a Site of Special Scientific Interest,
0:36:23 > 0:36:25a special area of conservation.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28We've got the mild climate and unusual geology,
0:36:28 > 0:36:30which means we have a huge number of rare plants,
0:36:30 > 0:36:35so we have things like prostrate asparagus, prostrate broom,
0:36:35 > 0:36:39and long-headed clover, and those species are affected.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42Nothing can compete with this once you've got dense mats of it,
0:36:42 > 0:36:44so our native vegetation disappears.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47So it's effectively a monoculture, isn't it?
0:36:47 > 0:36:49Just wiping everything else out.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52Yeah, that's all you have is metre after metre of fig.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55And so why is it so successful in this particular area?
0:36:55 > 0:36:58I think it's found the conditions that we have here
0:36:58 > 0:36:59really to its liking.
0:36:59 > 0:37:04So it's really thriving in dry habitats in rocky places.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07It can store water, it's particularly succulent
0:37:07 > 0:37:08when you touch the leaves.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10It's very salt-tolerant.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12And we don't really have anything here that keeps it in check.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17Is the problem just isolated to the peninsular here?
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Anywhere that's got a relatively mild climate and rocky habitats
0:37:20 > 0:37:26is at risk, so all the way along the south coast through Wales, Anglesey,
0:37:26 > 0:37:28and perhaps with climate change, it may become a wider issue.
0:37:38 > 0:37:42Today, there is a huge area of yellow-flowered Hottentot fig
0:37:42 > 0:37:43that's due for removal.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49So... Wow, that's quite tough.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52Yeah, it's really well matted.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55You can see just how well rooted it is.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57And any of these fragments, if they're left behind,
0:37:57 > 0:37:59can root again and regrow.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02So it's really essential that we go back over sites
0:38:02 > 0:38:04and pick the regrowth, year after year, really.
0:38:04 > 0:38:09So, like a lot of succulent species, a torn-off leaf,
0:38:09 > 0:38:12potentially if it was allowed to callus on the cliff side,
0:38:12 > 0:38:13it could re-root and become another plant.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Yeah. And obviously you get seedlings as well.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20It's taken a lot of hard work,
0:38:20 > 0:38:22but many tonnes of the Hottentot fig
0:38:22 > 0:38:24have been successfully removed from this coastline.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29There are certainly areas that we're keeping on top of it.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31If you look along the cliff over there,
0:38:31 > 0:38:33you can see an area that rock climbers were in
0:38:33 > 0:38:34working on last month.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37The brown swathes down the cliffs there.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39So, are you finding there's a return in native flora
0:38:39 > 0:38:42- where you've cleared it out? - Yes, certainly,
0:38:42 > 0:38:45some of those sites we've been working on for maybe a decade
0:38:45 > 0:38:46we've managed to get rid of the fig.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49You can see the native vegetation coming back.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51But it's an ongoing battle.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53We have to keep coming back year after year,
0:38:53 > 0:38:57because there's so much around here still producing seed and still
0:38:57 > 0:39:00producing matter that can root and grow again.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02So what would your advice to gardeners be
0:39:02 > 0:39:05if they've got this growing or have considered introducing it?
0:39:07 > 0:39:08I think it depends on the context.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11It's not illegal to buy this plant.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15However, it is illegal to cause it to spread in the wild.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19So, if you were to plant this in the wild or spread seed in the wild,
0:39:19 > 0:39:21that would be an offence.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25And I think you need to think really carefully about the location of
0:39:25 > 0:39:29your garden. If you're in a coastal location, close to cliffs,
0:39:29 > 0:39:30close to quarries,
0:39:30 > 0:39:35there is a much greater chance of it spreading and getting into the wild.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38But who knows how far a bird can fly to spread the seed?
0:39:38 > 0:39:42So I would really urge caution if you're thinking about growing this
0:39:42 > 0:39:46and any of the other species that are known to be invasive in the UK.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Well, I've noticed, looking around the local area, that there's a good
0:39:49 > 0:39:53potential alternative plant in the name of Erigeron glauca,
0:39:53 > 0:39:55which is that Californian daisy.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57It's got a similar quality or look
0:39:57 > 0:39:59to the carpobrotus,
0:39:59 > 0:40:01but it's not nearly as invasive.
0:40:01 > 0:40:02Yes, there's many things out there.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06I mean, only a very small proportion of garden plants are invasive.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09The RHS and Plantlife have jointly produced a guide
0:40:09 > 0:40:12to gardening without invasive species,
0:40:12 > 0:40:14so there's lots of ideas of different plants
0:40:14 > 0:40:17that you can try that won't cause a problem.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30Despite the squally weather today, this is a huge tourist spot,
0:40:30 > 0:40:32and I imagine people enjoy this plant.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34It's an attractive thing.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36Yes, you can't deny it's an attractive species,
0:40:36 > 0:40:40particularly when you've got carpets of flowers in June and July,
0:40:40 > 0:40:44but I think if we did nothing, we'd lose all those native species.
0:40:44 > 0:40:49Our native vegetation - OK, it might not be quite as spectacular as this,
0:40:49 > 0:40:53but it really is important in a national and international context.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09Of course, a plant coming in,
0:41:09 > 0:41:13being introduced and then taking over an environment is nothing new.
0:41:13 > 0:41:19And with a succulent like that, it does need dry, mild conditions,
0:41:19 > 0:41:22so it's not going to take over your inland wet garden.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26Having said that, the effect on the coast is pretty dramatic.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31Right. Talking about drama and drama queens, you want that, don't you?
0:41:31 > 0:41:33Go on. There you go.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36I've got a wheelbarrow full of ericaceous compost.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39Ericaceous simply means it's acidic.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42It's got a pH of below six.
0:41:42 > 0:41:43So, I wanted to grow blueberries,
0:41:43 > 0:41:46which need a pot because my soil is too alkaline.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50And I thought, well, I can make them decorative.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54You don't have to have an orchard or a big fruit garden to grow really
0:41:54 > 0:41:56interesting fruits that look good.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59And because they're in good pots, I've chosen standard blueberries.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02So I'm going to plant them both up and then I'll give them a trim
0:42:02 > 0:42:04and I think they'll look really good
0:42:04 > 0:42:05as well as tasting good,
0:42:05 > 0:42:07because I love blueberries.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11Mix up a bag of ericaceous compost.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13This is based on bracken.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15And I've added in a bit of leaf mould from the garden
0:42:15 > 0:42:18and you can see there's some perlite in there,
0:42:18 > 0:42:19which will help the drainage.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23Just mix it up well and put some in the base of a pot.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30Take that out of its container.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33You can see it's got very fibrous roots,
0:42:33 > 0:42:35so those don't need teasing out.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39That's ready to go. And the height that it needs to be is about that.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42I'm leaving the bamboo in.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44It will need perpetual staking,
0:42:44 > 0:42:46because otherwise standards get top-heavy
0:42:46 > 0:42:48and they blow over in the wind.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56Right, let's firm that round really well.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01I'm leaving quite a gap from the top of the pot.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04Although that means it's got less room for the roots,
0:43:04 > 0:43:08it does mean that I can water it well and I can mulch it.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10And this is a long-term planting.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14This will stay in this pot for three, four, even five years.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17So any extra compost I need to add has to be on top
0:43:17 > 0:43:19rather than at the sides.
0:43:22 > 0:43:23Well, that was easy enough.
0:43:23 > 0:43:24I'll plant up the other one.
0:43:24 > 0:43:26And I think a pair, when you've got standards,
0:43:26 > 0:43:30a pair either side of an entrance, of a doorway,
0:43:30 > 0:43:34a path, immediately creates an impression.
0:43:34 > 0:43:37It gives you harmony and balance,
0:43:37 > 0:43:39and the fact that the fruit are here,
0:43:39 > 0:43:43almost at mouth height, you could just pick them off as you pass by.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45That makes life much easier.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16When you're watering your blueberries,
0:44:16 > 0:44:21it is really important that you use rainwater, not tap water,
0:44:21 > 0:44:24because most tap water has got too much lime in it,
0:44:24 > 0:44:26and that's what these plants hate,
0:44:26 > 0:44:30and you'll undo all the good work of using an ericaceous compost.
0:44:32 > 0:44:34I just want to train the plants a little bit,
0:44:34 > 0:44:38because you can see this is growing very vertically,
0:44:38 > 0:44:41which means two things. One, the shape is not quite what I want.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43I want a rough pom-pom.
0:44:43 > 0:44:46And two, it's going to be terribly top-heavy,
0:44:46 > 0:44:49so the roots aren't established, the wind will take it,
0:44:49 > 0:44:51and the whole thing will go somersaulting over
0:44:51 > 0:44:53when we get the first high wind.
0:44:53 > 0:44:57But I'm not going to cut indiscriminately
0:44:57 > 0:45:02because the fruit is produced on the previous year's growth.
0:45:02 > 0:45:06If you look, there is the fruit
0:45:06 > 0:45:07on this growth here,
0:45:07 > 0:45:10and then this is the new growth this year,
0:45:10 > 0:45:11with no fruit on it.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13But next year, that will carry fruit.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16So if I cut this right back, I'll have no fruit next year at all.
0:45:19 > 0:45:22Cut here...and here.
0:45:23 > 0:45:27That's probably enough to be going on with and then we can do
0:45:27 > 0:45:31another proper prune after the berries have all ripened.
0:45:33 > 0:45:37One of the other advantages of blueberries is that as a plant,
0:45:37 > 0:45:39it produces fabulous autumn colour.
0:45:40 > 0:45:44Turns a lovely, rich burgundy, sometimes almost chocolaty colour.
0:45:45 > 0:45:49And all this adds up to a plant that gives you delicious fruit,
0:45:49 > 0:45:51has good shape,
0:45:51 > 0:45:53is great for a growing in a container
0:45:53 > 0:45:54if you don't have much room,
0:45:54 > 0:45:56and looks really good.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01Now, this garden is at times, I feel, open to the public -
0:46:01 > 0:46:04every Friday, and we get millions of visitors,
0:46:04 > 0:46:07and that's a privilege and usually a pleasure,
0:46:07 > 0:46:09although sometimes it can be
0:46:09 > 0:46:12a bit daunting because you want the place to look
0:46:12 > 0:46:14as good as possible all the time.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17And I have great empathy for those who open their gardens,
0:46:17 > 0:46:22especially under the NGS, because it is quite a thing.
0:46:22 > 0:46:24Quite a big event.
0:46:24 > 0:46:29And Mark Lane went to visit a garden that was about to open its doors for
0:46:29 > 0:46:30the very first time.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41I opened my own garden for the National Garden Scheme
0:46:41 > 0:46:43for the first time this year,
0:46:43 > 0:46:48and I have to admit, it was absolutely terrifying.
0:46:48 > 0:46:53So I'm really sure I know how the guys here are feeling when the gates
0:46:53 > 0:46:56open in just two hours' time.
0:47:02 > 0:47:04The volunteers at Guy's Cliffe garden
0:47:04 > 0:47:06have had their work cut out for them.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09This two-thirds-of-an-acre plot,
0:47:09 > 0:47:13part of an old country house estate, dates back to the 18th century.
0:47:14 > 0:47:18By the 1980s, the garden was in a terrible state,
0:47:18 > 0:47:20until just three years ago,
0:47:20 > 0:47:24when they decided to return it to a working kitchen garden.
0:47:24 > 0:47:27Tony Brown is one of the trustees managing the project.
0:47:30 > 0:47:32The wonderful thing about walled gardens...
0:47:32 > 0:47:35I mean, it's that hidden element, isn't it?
0:47:35 > 0:47:37You wouldn't know this was here.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40No. It's very much a feature of gardens of this era.
0:47:40 > 0:47:44They had to be tucked away out of sight from the main house.
0:47:44 > 0:47:48But although they were tucked away, they had to be kept immaculately,
0:47:48 > 0:47:51and the owner of the house would take great pride in showing
0:47:51 > 0:47:55his guests how well his kitchen garden was being kept.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58So what are you actually trying to achieve with this garden?
0:47:58 > 0:48:03Well, first of all, to save what is an important historic site.
0:48:03 > 0:48:08And to demonstrate what is possible in a garden like this.
0:48:08 > 0:48:13So we have this year more than 100 different varieties of vegetables
0:48:13 > 0:48:16and flowers, not even counting the fruit.
0:48:16 > 0:48:20Wow. And, of course, you've got this wonderful avenue of colour,
0:48:20 > 0:48:22and it's just brilliant.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25What we wanted to do is to give people a first look
0:48:25 > 0:48:31when they come through that gate of colour and vibrancy.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33Well, it certainly works.
0:48:38 > 0:48:43Just time for the final tweaks from the volunteers as the visitors start
0:48:43 > 0:48:45to arrive for the garden's first open day.
0:48:49 > 0:48:52To open your garden for the National Garden Scheme,
0:48:52 > 0:48:55they inspect it for quality and character.
0:48:55 > 0:48:58With enough interest for people to look round
0:48:58 > 0:48:59for no less than 30 minutes.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05They've crammed so much into this garden.
0:49:05 > 0:49:07You've got this diversity of colour,
0:49:07 > 0:49:09from this beautiful red of
0:49:09 > 0:49:11the Bishop of Llandaff.
0:49:11 > 0:49:16Dahlias were around in the Victorian times, and so were sweet peas,
0:49:16 > 0:49:21and there's the beautiful scent coming from Cupani.
0:49:21 > 0:49:22It is just a wonderful garden to be in.
0:49:32 > 0:49:35The volunteers are obviously enjoying themselves.
0:49:35 > 0:49:37But what do the visitors think?
0:49:37 > 0:49:39It's absolutely fantastic.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42- What do you like about it? - Oh, it's my kind of garden.
0:49:42 > 0:49:43Fruit and flowers.
0:49:45 > 0:49:49I was looking at the cabbages over there and they could just be
0:49:49 > 0:49:51- an ornament. - Stunning, though, isn't it?
0:49:51 > 0:49:52Everything is so healthy.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55I know, and it's not like that in my garden,
0:49:55 > 0:49:57so it's lovely to come out and see.
0:49:57 > 0:49:59Well, the veg seems to be a big hit,
0:49:59 > 0:50:03which is fantastic because I know a huge amount of effort goes into
0:50:03 > 0:50:05getting them to look so good.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10You've got this wonderful little display here.
0:50:10 > 0:50:11Tell me a little bit about it.
0:50:11 > 0:50:15So it's trying to make it look effective
0:50:15 > 0:50:17and trying to make it look pretty.
0:50:17 > 0:50:19And then you're growing radishes, aren't you?
0:50:19 > 0:50:20In a slightly different way.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23Yes, we grow them in little groups rather than singly because they've
0:50:23 > 0:50:26got a better chance of surviving.
0:50:26 > 0:50:29You can imagine if you've got one radish or one seed,
0:50:29 > 0:50:31and you put them in, then you have all the weeds coming up,
0:50:31 > 0:50:34you're likely to dig it up because you won't know the difference.
0:50:34 > 0:50:39So these are called little plugs and you've got this special little tool.
0:50:39 > 0:50:40It's very convenient.
0:50:40 > 0:50:42You don't damage the plant at all.
0:50:42 > 0:50:45So you very, very carefully bring it out.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48So there you are. And then as they go in the soil,
0:50:48 > 0:50:50these will start spreading out.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53These radishes here, they've got holes in and they're little white...
0:50:53 > 0:50:56I think they're little white flies that jump
0:50:56 > 0:50:59and what you do, you wrap sellotape round your hand.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02When you go like that, they all jump up and get stuck to the sellotape.
0:51:02 > 0:51:04That's a brilliant tip.
0:51:04 > 0:51:05I love it!
0:51:05 > 0:51:09You've got, like, this little community of plants going on,
0:51:09 > 0:51:11but the whole garden is one big community, isn't it?
0:51:11 > 0:51:15Oh, it is. It's a local thing and I think the idea is we want all local
0:51:15 > 0:51:19people, community schools, to come in and enjoy it, and it's so...
0:51:19 > 0:51:21What's the word? Therapeutic?
0:51:21 > 0:51:24- Yes.- So, it's so brilliant like that.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29What's brilliant is how they've combined newer schemes
0:51:29 > 0:51:30with the old in the garden.
0:51:30 > 0:51:35The rows of espaliers have been placed according to 19th-century
0:51:35 > 0:51:39plans, and they've even managed to find some of the original varieties
0:51:39 > 0:51:41that would have been here.
0:51:41 > 0:51:42This is a Yellow Ingestrie,
0:51:42 > 0:51:47which was first developed by Thomas Knight in the early 19th century.
0:51:47 > 0:51:48It's quite a dwarf tree, isn't it?
0:51:48 > 0:51:50Is it on a dwarfing rootstock?
0:51:50 > 0:51:53That's right, so we're only going to grow four tiers.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56So anyone at home with a small space could do this against a wall?
0:51:56 > 0:51:58- Oh, easily.- Or anything.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00Yes, and you get a lot of fruit,
0:52:00 > 0:52:01for the size of the tree.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04And have you actually been taught how to prune?
0:52:04 > 0:52:06- No.- We've read books!
0:52:06 > 0:52:08No, we were told the trees were coming.
0:52:08 > 0:52:10- We've looked it up.- And so far, they're looking all right.
0:52:10 > 0:52:13The hardest part is when you get your first whip
0:52:13 > 0:52:17- and you have to cut it...- Right down.- ..right down to a stick.
0:52:17 > 0:52:19Yeah, that's quite nerve-racking, isn't it?
0:52:19 > 0:52:22- That's why Julie has to do that! - This is now in its second year,
0:52:22 > 0:52:25so we are just beginning the second year of the espalier.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28Do you think these are going to taste really nice?
0:52:28 > 0:52:31I don't think it's an enormously popular variety now,
0:52:31 > 0:52:33but we will enjoy it no matter what.
0:52:33 > 0:52:34I'm sure you will.
0:52:37 > 0:52:38What a day.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41They've pulled it off and transformed
0:52:41 > 0:52:43their overgrown garden into one that
0:52:43 > 0:52:47can be enjoyed by the wider community for years to come.
0:52:49 > 0:52:51I know that you've got over 100 people.
0:52:51 > 0:52:56- We've actually got 320 today, which is fantastic.- That's so good.
0:52:56 > 0:52:59So, volunteers, you've done a tremendous job,
0:52:59 > 0:53:01so cheers to everybody.
0:53:01 > 0:53:03ALL: Cheers.
0:53:11 > 0:53:14Good girl. Good girl.
0:53:14 > 0:53:16Good boy. Come on, there's a good girl.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22Whilst there's obviously a perfectly natural pride
0:53:22 > 0:53:26in showing off your garden and displaying it,
0:53:26 > 0:53:30I think the real satisfaction comes from sharing it,
0:53:30 > 0:53:34and a garden shared is a garden enlarged and enhanced.
0:53:35 > 0:53:39Obviously, growing veg is enormously satisfying.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43But until you've harvested it
0:53:43 > 0:53:45and then obviously eaten it...
0:53:46 > 0:53:48..the job is not done.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51And here are some other jobs for your satisfaction
0:53:51 > 0:53:52this weekend.
0:54:07 > 0:54:10I know I've said this before, but it is worth repeating,
0:54:10 > 0:54:13and that is to deadhead and keep deadheading.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16And not just the usual suspects like dahlias,
0:54:16 > 0:54:18but kniphofias,
0:54:18 > 0:54:21heleniums,
0:54:21 > 0:54:22buddleia,
0:54:22 > 0:54:27sunflowers, they will all continue to flower and go on flowering for
0:54:27 > 0:54:31as long as possible if you keep deadheading.
0:54:39 > 0:54:42Before you give your yew hedge a trim,
0:54:42 > 0:54:45consider taking semi-ripe cuttings
0:54:45 > 0:54:47to a length of about 6-9 inches,
0:54:47 > 0:54:49and put them straight into a polythene bag.
0:54:53 > 0:54:58Cut them to size, burying them right up to the foliage in the compost.
0:54:59 > 0:55:05Put them somewhere warm and they should form new roots,
0:55:05 > 0:55:07ready to plant out by next spring.
0:55:15 > 0:55:17Cabbage white butterflies
0:55:17 > 0:55:20are irresistibly drawn to brassica leaves.
0:55:20 > 0:55:24They lay their eggs in little yellow blocks and these hatch out into
0:55:24 > 0:55:27caterpillars which munch their way through the leaves to disastrous
0:55:27 > 0:55:33effect. The only way to control this is to put up a netting fine enough
0:55:33 > 0:55:37to stop the butterflies reaching the leaves and laying their eggs.
0:55:37 > 0:55:38And even if you do this,
0:55:38 > 0:55:42still check weekly for any caterpillars that may be there.
0:55:55 > 0:55:58This is Leonotis leonurus.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01I'd seen it in South Africa growing as a woody shrub,
0:56:01 > 0:56:03but I grow them as annuals.
0:56:03 > 0:56:07But it is very late flowering and needs some heat in which to develop,
0:56:07 > 0:56:10and it's quite late putting it in, but as long as we have a nice late
0:56:10 > 0:56:12summer and early autumn
0:56:12 > 0:56:17it can produce these marvellous ruffs of orange flowers
0:56:17 > 0:56:20that go up in tiers on five,
0:56:20 > 0:56:23six, seven-foot-tall stems,
0:56:23 > 0:56:25so a really dramatic plant.
0:56:25 > 0:56:27And if you go to the garden centre,
0:56:27 > 0:56:30you should be able to find some of these tender plants that can fill
0:56:30 > 0:56:34the gaps and give you colour until the first frosts.
0:56:35 > 0:56:37Well, I hope it's not going to be frosty this weekend,
0:56:37 > 0:56:41but let's see what weather is in store for us gardeners.
0:58:06 > 0:58:10Well, there's plenty of summer left for us to enjoy,
0:58:10 > 0:58:12but not of today's programme, I'm afraid.
0:58:12 > 0:58:14We've run out of time.
0:58:14 > 0:58:16However, I will be back here at Longmeadow
0:58:16 > 0:58:18at the same time next week,
0:58:18 > 0:58:20so join me then.
0:58:20 > 0:58:21Bye-bye.