0:00:09 > 0:00:12Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:12 > 0:00:17I'm attempting to remove some Iris sibirica from the Jewel Garden
0:00:17 > 0:00:21which has become too dominant.
0:00:21 > 0:00:26Not that I dislike it - the flowers are beautiful in June -
0:00:26 > 0:00:29but only for about two to three weeks at the most.
0:00:29 > 0:00:34Then, for the rest of the summer, you just have this foliage.
0:00:34 > 0:00:40So the plan is to remove most of it, put it into the grass borders.
0:00:40 > 0:00:46And now is a really good time to be moving herbaceous perennials.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48There are a number of reasons for this, but two stand out.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50The first is that the soil is warm
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and that means that the roots will go on growing
0:00:53 > 0:00:56for a little while longer and get established,
0:00:56 > 0:01:00but there is no top growth to make demands on those new roots.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02That is a sizeable chunk.
0:01:04 > 0:01:05And the second reason is for you,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08because it means you can see what they look like.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10If you wait till next March or April,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13there'll be hardy anything to see, the garden will be bare,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16and you're trying to remember how much space they took.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19You never do. You never get it right.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21Whereas, if you do it now, you're working with actuality.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24You can see how big the buddleia grows around it,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26or how much space there is,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29or just how substantial the top growth is going to be.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Now, coming up on tonight's programme...
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Arit Anderson explores alternative ways to grow food.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Nick Bailey celebrates the glorious colours of the season
0:01:46 > 0:01:48at the Bluebell Arboretum in Leicestershire.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55And we catch up with Adam Frost as he plants a round tree
0:01:55 > 0:01:56in a square hole.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01And I shall be planting some cordon gooseberries
0:02:01 > 0:02:05as well as bulbs for the cutting garden next spring and summer.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22In this part of the grass borders,
0:02:22 > 0:02:24I've got a plant called Knautia macedonica.
0:02:24 > 0:02:26This is a kind of scabious.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30It's actually got a lovely burgundy touched with pink flower.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35The only problem I have with it is that, on our rich soil,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38it gets very tall and floppy.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41And I have given some a hard Chelsea chop, and that helps.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45So, I'm now going to reintroduce it into the Jewel Garden.
0:02:45 > 0:02:46As long as it behaves,
0:02:46 > 0:02:50I think it will do a job where the iris was growing.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Before I move it, though, I want to cut it back hard.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59And, if I just...
0:02:59 > 0:03:01dig up a clump or two.
0:03:03 > 0:03:10And if you've got very thin soil, chalky soil, perhaps, or sandy,
0:03:10 > 0:03:12this won't grow nearly so tall, and it will stay upright.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15It's a good plant for poor soil.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20But on clay or in really rich soil,
0:03:20 > 0:03:22it just romps.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27You can see the sort of growth you get.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29That is a good indication...
0:03:31 > 0:03:34..of what you get from a lanky Knautia plant.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35So, if I cut that off...
0:03:37 > 0:03:40And the idea is I'm going to create space
0:03:40 > 0:03:42which I can then fill with the iris.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Because, although it's shady now,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47when the iris flowers at the end of May,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49practically none of this has grown up.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51The grasses are very late to start growing,
0:03:51 > 0:03:53they don't really kick in till the middle of May.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57And they don't achieve anything like the height of the irises
0:03:57 > 0:03:59until the irises have finished flowering.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02OK.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Let's take these over to their new home.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Right, I've got some space now.
0:04:22 > 0:04:28And if I'm I add the Knautia in a clump...
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Like that, I think will do.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33But I'm not going to plant it directly into the soil
0:04:33 > 0:04:36because I want to do everything possible to limit its growth,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39to make its growth more compact and sturdier.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41So, I'm going to add grit.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50That might look a bit extreme, but it will make all the difference.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55Because, if I can keep the Knautia growing just a couple of feet tall,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58rather than coming here and then just flopping all over the place,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01the colour will be focused.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Because the great danger when it flops too much is they're lost,
0:05:03 > 0:05:05they're dissipated.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07So, let's put that in there.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Now, what I've got already,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13because I've got a whole series of things I want to add in here,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15are some hemerocallis, day lilies.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19These three are all the same.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22They are a variety called American Revolution,
0:05:22 > 0:05:28which has got lovely, rich, plum, almost black-coloured flowers.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31And, of course, day lily flowers only last a day.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36They bloom, fall, all in 24 hours, but they keep on coming.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Now, these will not need any grit.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44In fact, hemerocallis do better with slightly damp soil which,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48although it's quite dry now, is no problem here.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51And these will follow on from the Knautia.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54So, if we have the Knautia flowering end of May
0:05:54 > 0:05:58into the middle of June, then I will cut them back.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02The hemerocallis will flower from the middle of June well into summer.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05I will then have day lilies that I'll bring in and add around that.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08And, at the very beginning of the season,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11I'm going to underplant it all with tulips.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16So, instead of having one hit of the iris colour in late spring,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19early summer, I will have a succession.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21And that's the effect I want to achieve.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Now, all these plants are growing out of our rich Herefordshire loam.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31In the case of the Knautia, too rich.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34But Arit has been to Yorkshire,
0:06:34 > 0:06:39to see an experiment in producing food in a soil-free environment.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46With our world population ever-increasing,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49the weather becoming more extreme, more erratic,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53securing food production with foolproof methods is going to be
0:06:53 > 0:06:55essential for the future.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59In Todmorden, West Yorkshire,
0:06:59 > 0:07:04local people have created various schemes to address these issues
0:07:04 > 0:07:08and encourage people to grow food on home turf.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12One of these projects is run by social enterprise company
0:07:12 > 0:07:13Incredible Aqua.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17They educate people in schools and hospitals
0:07:17 > 0:07:19about how to grow and cook your own.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23And here at their headquarters,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26they demonstrate sustainable ways of growing edibles
0:07:26 > 0:07:30with the future in mind, using the most unconventional methods.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35Head gardener Martina Kroll is showing me her chillies.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39It's pretty sci-fi-looking.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41What is going on in this set-up?
0:07:41 > 0:07:46So, this growing method, it's called hydroponics,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48and it's designed to grow indoors.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51And, basically, we're trying to replicate everything
0:07:51 > 0:07:55that the plant needs, what it has outside, to grow indoors.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59- OK.- So, instead of soil, we have coconut husks,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01we have nutrients in a liquid form, and instead of sunlight,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04we've got our LED lights
0:08:04 > 0:08:07which are imitating the sun rays which help the plant to grow.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10So, how exactly does the system work?
0:08:10 > 0:08:13So, we've got the water reservoir slightly higher.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17And then there's a series of pipes that just go straight down,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20and a little valve, it keeps a little bit of water at the bottom of the tray.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23So, the plant can drink when it needs.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25What exactly is in the nutrients?
0:08:25 > 0:08:28So, the nutrients that we are using in this system are exactly the same
0:08:28 > 0:08:30as you would use in a normal garden.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32So, we've got nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus.
0:08:32 > 0:08:38And so we're adding the nutrients in a liquid form to the water
0:08:38 > 0:08:40that's being mixed in, in there.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43And then that distributes through the pipes at the bottom.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Very clever. You mentioned that you're not using soil,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48but you've got coconut.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50What's the coconut husk doing?
0:08:50 > 0:08:54We use it to keep the plant steady, so it imitates the soil
0:08:54 > 0:08:57cos it's almost the same in texture as the soil.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00And the other thing is it doesn't contain a lot of nutrients.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03So, when we feed the plant through the water system,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07we know how many nutrients we've added into the water reservoir
0:09:07 > 0:09:09and we know that this is what the plant gets.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12Why are we using the pink lights?
0:09:12 > 0:09:16So, the pink lights are useful for two reasons.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18One of them is the economics of it.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20They're quite cheap to run.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25And the other one is that the plant really needs only blue and red
0:09:25 > 0:09:28spectrum of light to grow at its best.
0:09:28 > 0:09:34So, understanding now, Martina, all this control, lights, nutrients,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37water, it means that we can really get food security.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41And I imagine if this is on a bigger scale, in the industrial level,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44we can really make sure we've got food for the future.
0:09:44 > 0:09:45Yeah, absolutely.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53But they are demonstrating another system I can safely say I've never
0:09:53 > 0:09:55set eyes on before.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58The shy fish called tilapia, and goldfish,
0:09:58 > 0:10:00are helping the food here to grow.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06Our fish produce quite an amount of poo,
0:10:06 > 0:10:11which then, with water, is being pumped up into this grow bed
0:10:11 > 0:10:15where the roots of the plant can absorb all the nutrients.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17And that's essentially their manure,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20so you can use fish manure to grow your plants.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22That is absolutely brilliant.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25OK, so how does the tank actually work?
0:10:25 > 0:10:30So, we've got a big water pump just below us that pumps the water
0:10:30 > 0:10:35through this bed, and then the bed fills up all the way to the top.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38And if you see these plants, their roots probably are about there.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42So, all that water with nutrients goes straight all the way to the top.
0:10:42 > 0:10:47They have the food, they have the drink, and then, after 15 minutes,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50the water goes straight back down to the fish tank.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52So, in fact,
0:10:52 > 0:10:56it's a quite symbiotic relationship because the plants get fed,
0:10:56 > 0:11:01but also there's a lot of bacteria and micro-organism in this bed that
0:11:01 > 0:11:04filter the water for the fish.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06So, the fish feed the plants,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08and the plants clean the water for the fish.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11- So it's a circular system.- Genius.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Now, looking at all these wonderful vegetables in front of me...
0:11:20 > 0:11:22And I've seen lemon grass up there,
0:11:22 > 0:11:26I've seen ginger, you know, turmeric.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29We start them off as seeds and when they're in a plug size,
0:11:29 > 0:11:31we just transplant them into this bed.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35You need to think of this as a normal raised bed.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36Normally, you would have soil.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39These are just clay pebbles, so it's expanded clay.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45They hold enough moisture so when the bed is not flooded to the top,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48the plants still have enough moisture to not dry out.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50- And voila.- Voila.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54- When we planted this one, it was the same size.- Fabulous.
0:12:00 > 0:12:05The growing time for fruit and veg in this intense environment
0:12:05 > 0:12:10is almost twice as fast as produce grown with traditional methods.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13So, with this kind of intervention, I want to know,
0:12:13 > 0:12:17does a tomato still taste like a tomato?
0:12:17 > 0:12:21I think, when the plant has everything it needs,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25all the nutrients, all the sunshine, then they taste the same.
0:12:25 > 0:12:26I mean, you can tell me?
0:12:26 > 0:12:29I have been tasting them and I have to say, they are very, very good.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34This innovative way of growing is so impressive.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38And, given the fact that we've got a very changing climate out there,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41there's a little bit of control that enables us to ensure
0:12:41 > 0:12:44that we can grow our fruit and veg for the future.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56However interesting that may be, and clearly it is fascinating,
0:12:56 > 0:12:59I have to say, it fills me with horror.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04Everything that is vital about the relationship between plants and man
0:13:04 > 0:13:08and growing comes from the soil,
0:13:08 > 0:13:13as well as the very complex nutritional relationship between
0:13:13 > 0:13:16soil and plants and health.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18So, I think that it's very complicated.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22Emotionally, I feel like resisting that strongly.
0:13:22 > 0:13:23It may be the future.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Who knows? Who knows?
0:13:32 > 0:13:37Now, I'm going to plant gooseberries into my Herefordshire soil
0:13:37 > 0:13:41and hopefully they will taste delicious.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44I'm going to plant them as cordons.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46I've got apples around the outside here
0:13:46 > 0:13:48and now I've removed the sweet peas,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51it's free to get the gooseberries in the ground.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55And autumn planting of fruit is always better than spring planting.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58So, any time from now through till Christmas, at the very latest,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01at the end of February, is absolutely ideal.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04When you buy cordons,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07you're going to buy a plant that looks like that.
0:14:07 > 0:14:12And all these side shoots here will produce the fruit.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16Now, I've grown them before dead upright, and that works perfectly well.
0:14:16 > 0:14:17But, because this is quite low,
0:14:17 > 0:14:19I'm going to actually have them at 45 degrees.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22They're going to be spaced out about two foot apart.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24I've got a number of different varieties -
0:14:24 > 0:14:27three red, two green, and two of each.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30And planting them is easy.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40I have got a little bit of mycorrhizal powder which will just
0:14:40 > 0:14:42help them get established.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44But gooseberries are tough.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49They will produce the sweetest fruit if they get some sun,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52but they'll grow in almost any soil and they really like neglect.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56The one thing that you need to watch out for are sawfly
0:14:56 > 0:14:57and a little bit of ventilation.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Exposure to wind will help.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05That will go in.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10And the idea with cordons is you put a cane in,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12and then you tie that to a support,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14and then you tie the plant to the cane.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Because the plant simply won't be strong enough to support itself.
0:15:18 > 0:15:23But it's a very good way of growing fruit in a small space.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26And also growing lots of different varieties of fruit.
0:15:26 > 0:15:31Because each plant or bush is just a single stem, and that means that,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33on a length of three or four metres long,
0:15:33 > 0:15:37you could have up to half-a-dozen different varieties of gooseberries.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41This is a variety called Invicta.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45Good taste, good resistance to mildew,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47and you notice I'm putting it in at a slight angle.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51Rather than bending the plant, I'm actually planting it at an angle.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53But it is quite nice and pliable.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01You can buy gooseberries potted up like this, or bare root.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07In principle, bare root is cheaper and you get more choice.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09But they can be harder to get hold of.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Now, in order to make sure that these grow well,
0:16:13 > 0:16:15I need to water these in really well.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18And then I'm going to mulch them thickly with compost.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Not only will this feed the soil,
0:16:25 > 0:16:29but also it will stop the weeds and keep in the moisture.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33And nothing is better for it than garden compost.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38And, for all their many virtues,
0:16:38 > 0:16:42gooseberries are not really an autumnal plant at all.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46However, lots of trees and shrubs hit their moment of glory
0:16:46 > 0:16:50in October, especially if the sun is shining as it is today.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53And last October, Nick Bailey went up to Leicestershire
0:16:53 > 0:16:58to visit the Bluebell Arboretum, which is an RHS partner garden,
0:16:58 > 0:17:02to celebrate its autumn glory.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11NICK: As autumn takes hold, I love the incredible array
0:17:11 > 0:17:14of fiery colours we get from trees and shrubs.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22Bluebell Arboretum is a fantastic celebration of the riches of autumn.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24I'm surrounded by trees and shrubs
0:17:24 > 0:17:29absolutely dripping with beautiful colours. But, at this time of year,
0:17:29 > 0:17:33it's not just the leaves that provide incredible colour.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36It's about the bark and the berries, too.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49This is a fantastic example, Acer griseum.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53It's a brilliant small garden tree and it has this extraordinary
0:17:53 > 0:17:56cinnamon-toned peeling bark.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58This specimen has been allowed to grow naturally,
0:17:58 > 0:18:03so it's got a very wide, open canopy which is really beautiful.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07But, for a different look, it can be hard-pruned when it's young,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10and there's a specimen just back here that's had it done to it.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14So there's multiple stems coming up from the base and, arguably,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16that shows off the bark even more.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18Now, this isn't the only bark tone at this time of year.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20There are loads and loads of different colours
0:18:20 > 0:18:22to be found in the garden.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31The evocatively named Polar Bear birch
0:18:31 > 0:18:33stands out even on the gloomiest days.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39Others have interesting patination, such as this Snakebark maple.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Look at this beautiful birch.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51This is Betula China Ruby, and what an extraordinary tree it is.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53You can see down here, got this beautiful,
0:18:53 > 0:18:55sort of glaucous but pink and purple tones,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58and then, further up into the tree,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01you see these lovely pieces of peeling bark
0:19:01 > 0:19:03giving out a really gorgeous colour.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05Now, why do trees peel bark in this way?
0:19:05 > 0:19:09There's two different theories that the botanists have come up with.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12One is that, as the trees are naturally expanding,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14they're simply shedding bark.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17The other theory is that they're using it as almost an exfoliation,
0:19:17 > 0:19:19and they're getting rid of pests and bugs
0:19:19 > 0:19:21and diseases potentially on the bark,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23growing on the outside of the tree.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28Either way, it leaves us with some beautiful coloured stems that
0:19:28 > 0:19:30illuminate the garden when all the flowers are finished.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Bluebell Arboretum is owned by Robert Vernon,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41and he believes in a spot of outdoor housekeeping,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43even with his trees.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47I know you've got a top technique and we're armed to deal with it, so what are we going to be doing?
0:19:47 > 0:19:50We are going to be washing the stem with these brushes
0:19:50 > 0:19:52to clear the algae and to show its true form.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55- It's worth doing, isn't it?- Oh, absolutely. Makes a huge difference.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58It could transform a birch in your garden into something really beautiful.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02So all that algae that at the moment is sort of just knocking back those potentially beautiful,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05vibrant colours, we can remove very easily with brushes
0:20:05 > 0:20:08and it will sparkle all the way through winter?
0:20:08 > 0:20:09It will, it will look fantastic.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18I can see these colours starting to come out already.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22Now, it's not just birch that you can do this to, is it?
0:20:22 > 0:20:23Not at all, no. You can also do it
0:20:23 > 0:20:27- on things like Prunus serrula, the Tibetan cherry.- Oh, so that
0:20:27 > 0:20:30wonderful kind of mahogany tone kind of really comes out.
0:20:30 > 0:20:31- Absolutely.- Now, when I do this,
0:20:31 > 0:20:35I tend to use a soapy water but you don't think that's necessary?
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Well, we just use water here.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39Soapy water can do the trick as well.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47So, just a couple of minutes' work and we've achieved quite a lot.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50I mean, the beauty of the stem is being revealed now.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Just got the rest of the tree to do.
0:20:52 > 0:20:53Shouldn't take too long!
0:21:00 > 0:21:03In a place like this, you can't ignore the gorgeous foliage.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Leaves change colour when the cold nights arrive
0:21:06 > 0:21:08and they shut down their growth.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11The green pigment in the leaf breaks down and other pigments,
0:21:11 > 0:21:16of purples, reds and yellows, which are always present but hidden,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18are revealed in all their brilliance.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21Now, Robert, I absolutely love liquidambar.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24I mean, they're renowned for their autumn colour, aren't they?
0:21:24 > 0:21:26And this one almost looks like a bunch of black grapes
0:21:26 > 0:21:28but I don't recognise it. Which cultivar is it?
0:21:28 > 0:21:30This is quite a dwarf, compact liquid amber
0:21:30 > 0:21:31called Liquidambar Gum Ball.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33OK, what a fantastic thing.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36What are the key triggers for the best autumn colour leaves?
0:21:36 > 0:21:39We see the best autumn colour here after hot sunny days comparatively
0:21:39 > 0:21:41and fairly cool nights.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43So that cold snap really is the trigger for great colour
0:21:43 > 0:21:46but I understand you've got another trick up your sleeve?
0:21:46 > 0:21:49We do indeed. There are a number of plants like this liquidambar,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52such as acers and some of the oaks, that have better autumn colours
0:21:52 > 0:21:53in slightly acidic soil,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56and so we sprinkle a small amount of sulphur chips around the base
0:21:56 > 0:21:59of them each year and that gradually improves the acidity of the soil
0:21:59 > 0:22:01and it doesn't affect how they grow,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03but it gives much improved autumn colour.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06For a sizeable tree like this, we'd probably use four handfuls
0:22:06 > 0:22:08around the base and it would go down,
0:22:08 > 0:22:09generally speaking, around winter.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12We'd normally apply it February, March time each year.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14So when do you decide to use sulphur chips?
0:22:14 > 0:22:15What's the key factor?
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Well, if you have acid ground or you can grow camellias or rhododendrons
0:22:19 > 0:22:21perfectly well, there's no point using sulphur chips because
0:22:21 > 0:22:24your plants will have naturally the best autumn colour anyway.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26If your ground is neutral or slightly limey,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29applying a small amount of sulphur chips around the base of things
0:22:29 > 0:22:32like acers and liquidambars will improve the autumn colour hugely.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34That's normally where you decide what your soil is initially.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42But there's another way to give your garden a punch of colour
0:22:42 > 0:22:45right through to winter, with berries.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50This delicious looking euonymus is one of the spindles.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52There are lots of compact forms available
0:22:52 > 0:22:54and they often disappear in the middle of summer.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57You won't even notice them because of the green leaves,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01then autumn comes, they develop the red leaves and then - kapow! -
0:23:01 > 0:23:04the berries start and as the leaves fall, they'll come into their own,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07so as all the flowers have gone, you've got a last burst of colour
0:23:07 > 0:23:10in the name of these beautiful orange berries.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Now, this is a relatively rare form
0:23:13 > 0:23:16but there is a type you can get hold of called Euonymus alatus
0:23:16 > 0:23:18and it has the same flush red leaves
0:23:18 > 0:23:21and it has those gorgeous orange berries.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29There are berries in virtually every colour.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33There's Sorbus Honan Pink, with beautiful pink berries,
0:23:33 > 0:23:38there's Malus Indian Magic with glossy red berries
0:23:38 > 0:23:42and there's Sorbus scalaris, with beautiful small orangey red berries.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Out of all the berry shades you could introduce into your garden,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53this has to be one of my absolute favourites.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55This is Sorbus Pink Pagoda
0:23:55 > 0:23:57and you can see the lovely tones in those berries.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01It's quite a compact tree, so it's good for small gardens.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Goes up to about six or seven metres
0:24:03 > 0:24:06and what better way of extending wonderful colour
0:24:06 > 0:24:08into the darkest depths of winter?
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Well, I have to say that my favourite berry at this time of year
0:24:25 > 0:24:27has to be Callicarpa.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31Callicarpa is quite unlike any other berry.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36It has these clusters of purple, distinctly metallic berries.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38And it does nothing else for the whole year.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42In summer and spring, it's utterly insignificant and suddenly,
0:24:42 > 0:24:46it produces these berries and this awesome colour
0:24:46 > 0:24:49which justifies its existence. Amazing plant.
0:24:50 > 0:24:51I got hold of some bracken.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56This is simply bracken cut
0:24:56 > 0:24:57and slightly rotted down,
0:24:57 > 0:24:59and it will rot down a lot more.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Which I'm mulching around my meconopsis,
0:25:01 > 0:25:09because bracken is distinctly acidic and meconopsis prefer acidic soil.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11They will grow in neutral conditions,
0:25:11 > 0:25:15but it's just to give them a little bit of a boost.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20And also, bracken is very rich in phosphates,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22so it will feed the soil,
0:25:22 > 0:25:25it's a good mulch and keep the moisture in over winter.
0:25:28 > 0:25:29Now, over the last year or so,
0:25:29 > 0:25:33we've been paying fairly frequent visits to Adam
0:25:33 > 0:25:38in his new garden that he's making in Lincolnshire watching it develop.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41And now, as we make our final visit this year,
0:25:41 > 0:25:45he is mulling over his plans for the future.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Look at that. Lovely, isn't it?
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Do you know, three weeks ago, knock on the door.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Fella says, "I've got a delivery for you."
0:26:02 > 0:26:05Went out, looked in the back of the lorry, and he's got this tree.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07Been sent to me as a present.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09It's Cercidiphyllum japonicum,
0:26:09 > 0:26:11and actually it's a tree that's got memories for me.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15It was Geoff Hamilton's favourite tree and it's taken me quite a while
0:26:15 > 0:26:18to work out exactly where to put it in the garden,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21but I think now I've just found just the right spot for it.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23And today, we're going to get it in.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Do you know, when it comes to planting trees,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40I think it's something that sometimes
0:26:40 > 0:26:43we're a little bit scared of, we get fearful of what we're doing.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46And we forget that we could be planting a tree
0:26:46 > 0:26:48for another generation, so you should think about where
0:26:48 > 0:26:52you're going to put that tree and why you're going to put it there.
0:26:52 > 0:26:53Is it to, I don't know,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56block a horrible telegraph pole or a neighbour's house?
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Is it to frame a beautiful view, or like I am here, in a way,
0:27:00 > 0:27:02what I'm doing is borrowing a landscape.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05So, what I've got is a robinia which look fantastic behind,
0:27:05 > 0:27:07but there's a big sort of flat space.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10I want to sort of plant a tree this side of the hedge,
0:27:10 > 0:27:12and that's going to pull those trees into that garden.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25There's a few things to think about.
0:27:27 > 0:27:28First of all, the shape of the hole.
0:27:28 > 0:27:33It might sound strange, but I'm on clay soil, so if I dig a round hole,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36all I'm really doing is creating a slightly larger pot,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39which means the roots are going to keep going round in a circle.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41By digging a square hole, like I've done here,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43so as the roots reach the corners,
0:27:43 > 0:27:48they break out and settle that tree right down and if it's a heavy tree,
0:27:48 > 0:27:50you know, slightly bigger stock,
0:27:50 > 0:27:52we have a tendency to plant them too deep.
0:27:52 > 0:27:58So, I always plant it slightly proud of where it sort of originally sits.
0:27:58 > 0:28:03Now, the next thing really is to get it in.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05And this is a big old beast, so...
0:28:07 > 0:28:09So first of all, actually, if you have got a really big tree,
0:28:09 > 0:28:12maybe get a friend or neighbour, you know, round,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15just to give you a hand, but I haven't got many friends!
0:28:18 > 0:28:19There you go.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Added to that, the other thing you want to think about,
0:28:23 > 0:28:26what sort of shape, you know, do you want something sort of vestigially,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28do you want something that's got a round head on it?
0:28:28 > 0:28:31Because that will affect what goes on underneath,
0:28:31 > 0:28:33what sort of shade is it going to create.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37So, when you are visualising that tree, you know,
0:28:37 > 0:28:39maybe using the house as a reference point,
0:28:39 > 0:28:41working out how high it's going to be...
0:28:41 > 0:28:45This is going to get to 10-12 metres and sit quite nicely,
0:28:45 > 0:28:47just nested in those canopies.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50It's really important, just give it a little bit of thought.
0:28:52 > 0:28:53So, there we go.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58What's fantastic about this tree is the moment the frost comes
0:28:58 > 0:29:02and crunches those leaves, you smell a burnt toffee,
0:29:02 > 0:29:04it's absolutely incredible.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07And Oakley, the youngest boy, is going to come out,
0:29:07 > 0:29:08he's going to get to this point...
0:29:10 > 0:29:12..and he'll be like this, he'll be going round in circles trying
0:29:12 > 0:29:15to work out where this sweet smell is coming from. And you know what?
0:29:15 > 0:29:17It's really what it's all about, innit?
0:29:30 > 0:29:32I wish this weather would make its mind up!
0:29:32 > 0:29:34Coat on, coat off.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40I've had lots of ideas floating around my head
0:29:40 > 0:29:43about what I was going to do with this sunken space.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45And eventually got to the place
0:29:45 > 0:29:48that we'd talk about putting a wild-flower meadow in and...
0:29:48 > 0:29:50But so you could view it differently,
0:29:50 > 0:29:51so you could actually look down on it.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53And then, I've struggled at different times
0:29:53 > 0:29:55doing wild-flower meadows.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59And the reason being, I think, is I've tried to introduce
0:29:59 > 0:30:03either the grass and the plants at the same time,
0:30:03 > 0:30:06or actually the plants after the grass
0:30:06 > 0:30:09and sometimes they just seem to get smothered out.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11It's never been that successful.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15So, what I decided to do was flip it on its head totally.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19And we grew the wild flower on, so first thing I did was pick plants
0:30:19 > 0:30:21that I knew would work in this garden.
0:30:21 > 0:30:26I've got things like digitalis, things like verbascum, salvias -
0:30:26 > 0:30:27good, hard-working plants.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30Then I cleared the area,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33made sure there was absolutely no weeds in there.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35Once these plants were well rooted,
0:30:35 > 0:30:38then I've planted them in and I've got a few more to put in here.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41The idea is now these have got a few more weeks
0:30:41 > 0:30:45to get their roots in the ground. We'll keep this weed free.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48And then only slowly as the year goes on,
0:30:48 > 0:30:50will I start to introduce the grasses
0:30:50 > 0:30:52and some of those grasses will be ornamental.
0:30:53 > 0:30:57So, it will be interesting to see over the next 12-18 months,
0:30:57 > 0:30:59how this sort of area develops.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04In general, the fruit and veg have done well,
0:31:04 > 0:31:06but there is one thing that I'm really chuffed with
0:31:06 > 0:31:08and that's my quince.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12Another sort of week or so, we'll be picking those,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15making some nice quince jelly to go with the cheese at Christmas.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24Do you know, all the jobs in gardening,
0:31:24 > 0:31:28there is one that stands out for me, which is sowing seeds.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31I absolutely love it, I love that going out and checking
0:31:31 > 0:31:33and seeing if they've come up.
0:31:33 > 0:31:34I'm sowing quite a lot of perennial seeds
0:31:34 > 0:31:37because this is a big old garden and actually it's a cost-effective way
0:31:37 > 0:31:39of doing it and this is a great time of year.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41But here I've got Briza media
0:31:41 > 0:31:43which is a lovely little grass
0:31:43 > 0:31:46with these beautiful tiny little lockets on it.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48And I'm going to use it in that sunken meadow.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52But what I've got is a peat-free multi-compost.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54And what I want to do is sow them indoors,
0:31:54 > 0:31:57get them so I can pot them up this year.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00And then hopefully by sort of late spring next year,
0:32:00 > 0:32:02they will be good, healthy little plants.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08They're quite decent sized seeds, so empty them out into my hand
0:32:08 > 0:32:10and use my hand like a little drill, really.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13And just started to sprinkle them across.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20And then I'm just going to finely cover them with compost...
0:32:21 > 0:32:24..which, more than anything, is just to stop them moving.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29So, just a really fine covering.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33All I do now, give those another watering and get them inside.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37And once we get a couple of leaves out,
0:32:37 > 0:32:39I'll prick them out and then pot them up.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45I suppose a lot is going to happen between now and next spring.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47I've got so much going round in my head
0:32:47 > 0:32:48about what I want to do out of there.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51But that first 12-18 months for me
0:32:51 > 0:32:53was about getting to know this garden
0:32:53 > 0:32:57and now I realise that there's lots of trees and shrubs out there
0:32:57 > 0:32:59that need a real sort of, well, TLC, really.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02Some of them need canopies lifting and deadwood cutting out.
0:33:02 > 0:33:08But I've needed that time to get to know that space, and design-wise,
0:33:08 > 0:33:09I want to add water.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12I've got another idea about playing with another area
0:33:12 > 0:33:14to create an edible meadow,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17but tiny little tucked away seating areas.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21But most of that will be done sat in front of the fire, you know,
0:33:21 > 0:33:23December, January.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26But it's been a great year, all in all.
0:33:38 > 0:33:44Well, I have really enjoyed seeing Adam's garden develop and evolve
0:33:44 > 0:33:49and hopefully, we'll look forward to seeing more of it next year.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53Now, there's still time to put some winter salad crops in,
0:33:53 > 0:33:55but they will need a bit of protection.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59So, I'm mindful that these will need closhing if they are to grow
0:33:59 > 0:34:02big enough to harvest before the weather gets really cold.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11Now, still to come on tonight's programme -
0:34:11 > 0:34:14Frances goes to Norfolk to visit a couple
0:34:14 > 0:34:16who have a very particular way
0:34:16 > 0:34:20for caring for their collection of exotic plants.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25But first, this time last year,
0:34:25 > 0:34:29we made a visit to Hill Close Gardens in Warwick,
0:34:29 > 0:34:32to see their collection of hardy chrysanthemums.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42Hill Close Gardens is a rare survivor
0:34:42 > 0:34:45of detached Victorian gardens
0:34:45 > 0:34:48that were once quite common on the outskirts of many towns.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53These gardens were used by the townsfolk of Warwick,
0:34:53 > 0:34:55mainly shopkeepers,
0:34:55 > 0:34:57solicitors, people with a little bit of money,
0:34:57 > 0:35:00and they would come down during the week just for pleasure
0:35:00 > 0:35:02and enjoy afternoons with the family.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08I'm the head gardener here, but I'm helped by a number
0:35:08 > 0:35:11of garden volunteers who come in during the week
0:35:11 > 0:35:13doing a couple of hours' work in each of the plots.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22We've got a lot of herbaceous beds here at Hill Close.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26In particular, we have a lot of late-season colour from the asters,
0:35:26 > 0:35:29but mainly this time of the year with chrysanthemums,
0:35:29 > 0:35:33particularly hardy chrysanthemums - they really extend the season here.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41Hardy chrysanthemums are quite different
0:35:41 > 0:35:43from your cut-flower chrysanthemums.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45You can grow them outdoors all year round,
0:35:45 > 0:35:47they can go down to quite cold temperatures
0:35:47 > 0:35:51whereas cut-flower chrysanthemums quite often are grown in glasshouses
0:35:51 > 0:35:53for all-year-round production.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58Here, we have the national collection of hardy chrysanthemums,
0:35:58 > 0:36:01which we manage alongside Judy Barker,
0:36:01 > 0:36:04who originally set the collection up.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08She brought along a few plants and started the collection going.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12And now it's grown to 70 varieties which we have in the garden.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Well, it's certainly looking lovely this year, Gary!
0:36:18 > 0:36:19- Yes, the colours...- Yes.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23- ..are really jumping out at us, aren't they?- Yeah.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26And look at this combination here,
0:36:26 > 0:36:30of the Tapestry Rose and the Cottage Bronze.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32They're lovely together, aren't they?
0:36:32 > 0:36:33Absolutely.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41About 20 years ago, I bought some chrysanthemums,
0:36:41 > 0:36:45planted them all up on the allotments, had some flowers.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47But I left them in in the winter.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50And next year, they were miserable and eventually died.
0:36:51 > 0:36:52What a waste of money.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58But I knew, from seeing in my grandmother's garden,
0:36:58 > 0:37:05that chrysanthemums could be winter hardy, and survive many years.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09I started researching their origins because I wanted to know why
0:37:09 > 0:37:14these were hardy and different from the other chrysanthemums.
0:37:14 > 0:37:19What I started to do was to draw together winter hardy chrysanthemums
0:37:19 > 0:37:21from all over the world.
0:37:22 > 0:37:28I began to realise some of the past breeders were using the wild plants
0:37:28 > 0:37:30that survived naturally
0:37:30 > 0:37:34and they were producing hardy garden chrysanthemums.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40Little did I know that it was going to result in three allotments
0:37:40 > 0:37:42and 200 on trial!
0:37:45 > 0:37:48There's a new one called Fred's Yellow.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51That's a cracker! That flowers for three months.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55If you want a weaver, go to Tapestry Rose,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57which is this pink here.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00Now, she will go beautifully round something
0:38:00 > 0:38:04like Silver Light, or an artemesia.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07What about deep maroon Ruby Mound?
0:38:07 > 0:38:12If you see that with the rain on it, it's absolutely gorgeous.
0:38:15 > 0:38:23A few years ago, I was invited to do a full winter hardy trial.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26So, about 100 from the collection went in.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30The second winter went down to minus 17.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34Very few of the committee expected them all to survive.
0:38:34 > 0:38:35Every one did.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37They all came up!
0:38:41 > 0:38:46I would like people to know that it's perfectly possible
0:38:46 > 0:38:50to have fresh, bright colour in your border,
0:38:50 > 0:38:56not only in September but going to October and November
0:38:56 > 0:38:58and, in sheltered places, even into December.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Don't plant them in too heavy a soil,
0:39:01 > 0:39:04where it gets very wet in the winter.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06They will struggle.
0:39:06 > 0:39:11I mulch in the winter, to give them some protection.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13But I just let them get on with it, actually!
0:39:19 > 0:39:21I think all gardeners should have hardy chrysanths,
0:39:21 > 0:39:23certainly in a mixed herbaceous border,
0:39:23 > 0:39:26they give that little bit of extra colour in the border
0:39:26 > 0:39:28late in the season
0:39:28 > 0:39:30when things are starting to look a little bit drab.
0:39:31 > 0:39:36It's so lovely to come here and to see a whole border
0:39:36 > 0:39:40dedicated to these plants, and see them in such glorious colour.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44Why not go into winter with a real colour fix?
0:39:55 > 0:39:58It's fascinating to see those gardens in Warwick again
0:39:58 > 0:40:01because it was about 16 years ago now,
0:40:01 > 0:40:04I was involved in the restoration of one of them.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07And it was fascinating learning about them as we took it
0:40:07 > 0:40:11from a completely abandoned, overgrown site to what I hope
0:40:11 > 0:40:13was closer to its Victorian glory,
0:40:13 > 0:40:17and it's very nice to see them all looking so good now.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20As for chrysanths, I do associate them with my childhood,
0:40:20 > 0:40:22where we used to grow them in a greenhouse.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24But it was a lot of work.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27I've certainly not grown tender chrysanths as an adult,
0:40:27 > 0:40:29but I like the idea of hardy ones.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33I think that they would add good colour at this time of year.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36And if they can withstand the winter in Warwick,
0:40:36 > 0:40:40then they should be able to withstand it here at Longmeadow.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Going to put them into this bed. This is a rose called Agnes,
0:40:43 > 0:40:46which is yellow flowers and I've chosen a variety
0:40:46 > 0:40:49called Nantyderry Sunshine, so it's a yellow on yellow,
0:40:49 > 0:40:51even though they won't be flowering at the same time.
0:40:53 > 0:40:59I might well lift and divide these next year.
0:40:59 > 0:41:00We'll see how it goes.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06I quite often buy plants in threes or even fives, plant them together,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09get a really good impact for the first year or two,
0:41:09 > 0:41:13and then divide them and create the same impact elsewhere.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15OK, that's it, couldn't be simpler.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33The hardy annuals that I sowed in here just a couple of weeks ago -
0:41:33 > 0:41:36already coming up. We've got marigolds, there's cerinthe.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40And these wallflowers will be used over the next few weeks.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43So, this is very much for cut flowers and this bed,
0:41:43 > 0:41:46which had wedding sweet peas in it
0:41:46 > 0:41:49has now been cleared and is ready
0:41:49 > 0:41:52for bulbs to be grown as cut flowers.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Before I start, I'm going to dig a little trench.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03I have a feeling I know what's going to happen, Nigel.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05You're going to plant the rabbit?
0:42:05 > 0:42:06Take it, there's a good boy.
0:42:09 > 0:42:10I'm going to put some grit in,
0:42:10 > 0:42:13because although this had asparagus in it a few years ago
0:42:13 > 0:42:16and has got lots of drainage, with the most bulbs,
0:42:16 > 0:42:17you can never have too much drainage.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19They will grow the better for it.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26I've got an allium here, it's Allium cristophii.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28It's bigger than the purple sensation
0:42:28 > 0:42:30that we have in the Jewel Garden,
0:42:30 > 0:42:35and it's paler, and that will appear the end of May, beginning of June,
0:42:35 > 0:42:38and stay flowering for weeks.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41So, a really, really good plant in the garden
0:42:41 > 0:42:44and stunning as a cut flower indoors.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48Now, I'm going to place these...
0:42:50 > 0:42:53..in a staggered row.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Cos what you've got to imagine is
0:42:55 > 0:42:58they're going to grow up and then the heads are going to be up here.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00So, we don't want them too close together.
0:43:00 > 0:43:04At the same time, we want to get as many as possible for cutting.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10And although there will be no sign of these until next spring,
0:43:10 > 0:43:14like all spring-flowering bulbs, they do start growing in autumn.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17So, it is important to get these in the ground as soon as you can.
0:43:19 > 0:43:23Right, I've got one more allium, which is truly spectacular.
0:43:25 > 0:43:30This is a dried flower head of Allium schubertii,
0:43:30 > 0:43:36and if ever a flower was a floral explosion, this is it.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39It's fantastic dried, but you can imagine when it's in flower,
0:43:39 > 0:43:44each of these stems carries a small flower head
0:43:44 > 0:43:46of lavendery mauve colour.
0:43:49 > 0:43:52And it really is one of the supreme cut flowers,
0:43:52 > 0:43:56cos you can cut it when it's green and fresh,
0:43:56 > 0:43:58or you can let them dry and they will last for years.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00We've got some of these in a vase
0:44:00 > 0:44:02which must be ten years old, at least.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06So, although they are extraordinary flowers,
0:44:06 > 0:44:08growing them is identical to any other allium.
0:44:11 > 0:44:13It's very exciting -
0:44:13 > 0:44:19to put these little, seemingly innocuous objects in the ground
0:44:19 > 0:44:22and know that spring will light the fuse
0:44:22 > 0:44:25that will turn them into floral fireworks.
0:44:27 > 0:44:32It's always nice when plants perform heroically for you
0:44:32 > 0:44:36without any special effort, but the truth is we do have a fixed idea
0:44:36 > 0:44:39of what we can and we can't grow in the garden,
0:44:39 > 0:44:42and we feel that those limits can't be broken.
0:44:42 > 0:44:45And clearly, that's influenced a lot by where you live
0:44:45 > 0:44:48and what the soil is like, but if you give things a go,
0:44:48 > 0:44:53it is surprising what will flourish in your garden,
0:44:53 > 0:44:55as Frances has been finding out
0:44:55 > 0:45:00when she went to visit Melissa and Keith Scott in Norfolk.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09When creating a garden, some people like a cottage look,
0:45:09 > 0:45:10others a modern minimalist look,
0:45:10 > 0:45:13some people like flowers and other people like foliage.
0:45:13 > 0:45:15The choice is yours.
0:45:15 > 0:45:19But whatever you choose, let's face it, we all like a bit of exotic.
0:45:22 > 0:45:25Melissa and Keith Scott are so obsessed by the exotic,
0:45:25 > 0:45:27they have turned their entire back garden
0:45:27 > 0:45:31into a paradise of glorious plants that wouldn't look out of place
0:45:31 > 0:45:34in the Mediterranean or other far-flung continents.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38It's hard to believe I'm in Norfolk!
0:45:38 > 0:45:40It's just so tropical, isn't it?
0:45:40 > 0:45:42Yes, hasn't quite got the Norfolk feel, has it?
0:45:43 > 0:45:45How big is this garden?
0:45:45 > 0:45:47- It's about an acre.- It seems so much bigger, doesn't it?
0:45:47 > 0:45:49I suppose cos of the layering.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51- I think cos of the levels...- Yeah. - ..it's difficult to get...
0:45:51 > 0:45:54Cos you can't see the whole garden at one time.
0:45:54 > 0:45:57This area is a very arid area,
0:45:57 > 0:46:00so we're growing things like the opuntia and the agave,
0:46:00 > 0:46:03and succulents and cacti.
0:46:03 > 0:46:07They all like this very dry, sunny position.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10And the opuntia, we've had that a few years now.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12We've had it under six inches of snow, haven't we?
0:46:12 > 0:46:15I would never expect a opuntia to grow outside in the UK.
0:46:15 > 0:46:16What do you do to protect it?
0:46:16 > 0:46:20The opuntia, we actually leave and it does its own thing.
0:46:20 > 0:46:25A lot of the other plants do have covers put over the top of them.
0:46:25 > 0:46:29- Right.- They'll take the cold, but they don't like it when it's wet.
0:46:29 > 0:46:34Things like the agaves, this one that's a Agave montana,
0:46:34 > 0:46:37it will survive outside as long as you give it the right conditions,
0:46:37 > 0:46:41i.e, it needs a very well-drained soil,
0:46:41 > 0:46:44south-facing or certainly a lot of sun.
0:46:44 > 0:46:49If you get snow in there or wet underneath, they then start to mark.
0:46:49 > 0:46:53So, we put a cover on it really just to keep it as pristine as we can.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56You cover most of these plants?
0:46:56 > 0:46:59- Yeah.- Pretty much.- I would say all of them.
0:46:59 > 0:47:01Certainly all the agaves.
0:47:01 > 0:47:03The cacti as well.
0:47:03 > 0:47:06They all get individual covers, unless they are in a tight group,
0:47:06 > 0:47:09and then they might get a purpose-built frame and cover.
0:47:09 > 0:47:11So, you're not just draping something over?
0:47:11 > 0:47:13- You're building...- Yes. - ..making covers?
0:47:13 > 0:47:19Keith and Melissa really do go the extra mile to protect their plants.
0:47:19 > 0:47:21Incredibly, every year as winter comes,
0:47:21 > 0:47:24Keith builds these bespoke shelters.
0:47:24 > 0:47:27Then every spring, he takes them down again.
0:47:27 > 0:47:29Montana Park, front.
0:47:29 > 0:47:32Yeah, so you know which way it goes round, you see?
0:47:32 > 0:47:35- It's very organised.- So that goes that side.- So it goes this way.
0:47:35 > 0:47:37- OK.- Like so.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40And then the back?
0:47:40 > 0:47:44Keith, how long does it take you to do this for all of your delicate...
0:47:44 > 0:47:46Some of the other ones are a lot bigger than this,
0:47:46 > 0:47:49and it can take probably an hour or so just to put one up.
0:47:49 > 0:47:52Really? And you've got 40-50 of those to do.
0:47:52 > 0:47:53- Yeah.- Every year?
0:47:55 > 0:47:57Take this side.
0:47:57 > 0:47:59And it should...
0:48:00 > 0:48:01..sit on there.
0:48:13 > 0:48:17Your whole garden's sort of divided into lots of rooms, isn't it?
0:48:17 > 0:48:20- Yes.- Is that intentional or has that sort of happened as it evolved?
0:48:20 > 0:48:25We didn't intend to set out with rooms but I think cos we did areas
0:48:25 > 0:48:28bit by bit, they tended to fall into rooms.
0:48:28 > 0:48:34And everywhere I look, there are new plants in every nook and cranny!
0:48:34 > 0:48:35They're crammed in a bit, yes.
0:48:35 > 0:48:37And loads of them are in pots.
0:48:37 > 0:48:40The ones in pots aren't hardy enough to be planted out,
0:48:40 > 0:48:42so it's easier to grow them in pots
0:48:42 > 0:48:44and then we can put them away in the winter,
0:48:44 > 0:48:47into either the arid house or one of the greenhouses.
0:48:47 > 0:48:50How long does it take you to move all of these into the greenhouse?
0:48:50 > 0:48:51Anything up to a week.
0:48:52 > 0:48:54When you're moving these plants,
0:48:54 > 0:48:57I've noticed how spiky some of them are.
0:48:57 > 0:48:59What do you do to protect yourself?
0:48:59 > 0:49:03Well, sometimes you don't and you just take it as it comes.
0:49:03 > 0:49:07But we have got strong sort of welders' gloves.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18This is one of the five greenhouses.
0:49:18 > 0:49:20So, this is the smallest greenhouse,
0:49:20 > 0:49:22where a lot of the succulents are kept.
0:49:22 > 0:49:24- It's crammed! - I know, it's absolutely crammed.
0:49:26 > 0:49:29And what are these for? Do they go in the garden?
0:49:29 > 0:49:32Some of them I take cuttings from, for the pots.
0:49:32 > 0:49:34Others, I just like them so I keep them in here.
0:49:34 > 0:49:37Cos actually they're not hardy, so they can't go out.
0:49:37 > 0:49:38Wow!
0:49:47 > 0:49:51And into another completely different area, this is amazing.
0:49:51 > 0:49:53So, it's sort of secluded and really tropical and, you know,
0:49:53 > 0:49:58this tetrapanax is just so jungly, isn't it?
0:49:58 > 0:50:01- Yes, great plant.- I love it. I've never seen them this high in the UK.
0:50:01 > 0:50:05- How old would this be? - Four, five years old.
0:50:05 > 0:50:07How do you get them to get so big?
0:50:07 > 0:50:09They get some protection because of the, if you like,
0:50:09 > 0:50:11barriers that we've built up.
0:50:11 > 0:50:15So, it has its own sort of microclimate in this area,
0:50:15 > 0:50:19so it doesn't get the sort of frost and cold
0:50:19 > 0:50:21as you would out in the open part of the garden.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23And with that in mind, you've got shade,
0:50:23 > 0:50:25you've got woodland on that side.
0:50:25 > 0:50:28You're growing things in here that actually need shade,
0:50:28 > 0:50:31and the big leaves would indicate that they do need shade.
0:50:31 > 0:50:33So, you're kind of working with what you've got.
0:50:33 > 0:50:35And then what you've got creates even more of that
0:50:35 > 0:50:39- to create the planting looks that you want.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:50:39 > 0:50:44- Another one I've seen which I love is this Clerodendrum.- Yes.
0:50:44 > 0:50:47That likes it here as well but that's a fairly...
0:50:47 > 0:50:49- They smell incredible, don't they? - ..fairly easy plant.
0:50:49 > 0:50:51Yeah, but it has that look, doesn't it?
0:50:51 > 0:50:53- Really tropical. - It gives you colour now as well
0:50:53 > 0:50:56cos it's now coming out this time of year.
0:50:56 > 0:50:58Yeah, it's gorgeous, really, really nice.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02It's quite incredible what you've achieved in here -
0:51:02 > 0:51:04the variety in this garden.
0:51:08 > 0:51:10Tender plants like these come with a health warning.
0:51:12 > 0:51:17Tragically in 2010, a bout of heavy snowfall killed most of the plants,
0:51:17 > 0:51:20destroying Keith and Melissa's masterpiece,
0:51:20 > 0:51:23which had taken nearly two decades to create.
0:51:24 > 0:51:28We were really devastated by the loss of all the plants.
0:51:29 > 0:51:31Yeah, we nearly gave up then.
0:51:31 > 0:51:34Completely lost our mojo with it all, but as you say,
0:51:34 > 0:51:37now we've got it all back with a vengeance.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41Well, it's a kind of passion that's hard to put down, I would imagine!
0:51:41 > 0:51:44Yeah, it is, once you get going.
0:51:44 > 0:51:47I can see it's an incredibly high maintenance garden.
0:51:47 > 0:51:49But it's also a very, very beautiful garden,
0:51:49 > 0:51:51so thank you so much for showing it to me.
0:51:51 > 0:51:52You're very welcome.
0:51:59 > 0:52:01The real difference between Norfolk
0:52:01 > 0:52:03and the eastern side of the country and here
0:52:03 > 0:52:06is not the temperature, because obviously as we saw,
0:52:06 > 0:52:10they get really cold weather, and they can have snow and frost,
0:52:10 > 0:52:12just like we can here, but it's the rainfall.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15When plants are wet and cold together,
0:52:15 > 0:52:18that's when a lot of them give up the ghost.
0:52:18 > 0:52:22And if you're growing alpines, for example, which are completely hardy,
0:52:22 > 0:52:26top them up with grit and if you're potting them up, add loads of grit,
0:52:26 > 0:52:28so you have really good drainage.
0:52:28 > 0:52:31And if you've got pelargoniums or agapanthus,
0:52:31 > 0:52:33some of the tender lavenders,
0:52:33 > 0:52:36your best bet if you can't make shelters for them all
0:52:36 > 0:52:38is to take them indoors, and that's what we do,
0:52:38 > 0:52:41not so much to keep them warm, because we don't heat them,
0:52:41 > 0:52:43we just keep them above freezing, but to keep them dry.
0:52:43 > 0:52:47And if they're dry, they remain pretty hardy.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52Now, as well as taking in pots to keep them dry,
0:52:52 > 0:52:55here are some other jobs for this weekend.
0:53:02 > 0:53:05If you've got some garden compost that's ready for use,
0:53:05 > 0:53:09it's a good idea to sieve some now.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12And then that can be stored in a dry place over winter,
0:53:12 > 0:53:16ready for use with potting or seed compost in the spring.
0:53:17 > 0:53:22And the lumps and bumps that you take out can be put under a hedge
0:53:22 > 0:53:24to slowly break down and act as a mulch.
0:53:27 > 0:53:29If you want to store your apples,
0:53:29 > 0:53:32it is important that they are not damaged in any way.
0:53:33 > 0:53:36Check them often, and you'll know they're ready
0:53:36 > 0:53:39when you lift and twist them, they come away in your hand.
0:53:39 > 0:53:42Place them gently in a basket,
0:53:42 > 0:53:45and then you can store them either in a polythene bag
0:53:45 > 0:53:47with a few ventilation holes,
0:53:47 > 0:53:50or anywhere that is cool, dark and well ventilated.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56If you sow sweet peas now,
0:53:56 > 0:53:58you should get larger plants in spring
0:53:58 > 0:54:02which will give you more flowers over a longer period.
0:54:02 > 0:54:05I put three seeds to a three-inch pot,
0:54:05 > 0:54:09and then water them and put them somewhere protected to germinate.
0:54:09 > 0:54:12They don't need any extra heat over winter,
0:54:12 > 0:54:16but to put them somewhere where they are out of heavy rain
0:54:16 > 0:54:17and extreme cold.
0:54:25 > 0:54:30The tithonia is going to seed very quickly,
0:54:30 > 0:54:34and you do have to keep deadheading it daily.
0:54:35 > 0:54:40And if you do that, the new buds will form and it will keep flowering
0:54:40 > 0:54:41right up to the first frost.
0:54:42 > 0:54:44But it's desperate to form seed.
0:54:45 > 0:54:51But like so many of these very bright, late-flowering plants,
0:54:51 > 0:54:54it's responding to heat, not light.
0:54:54 > 0:54:56So, although the days are getting shorter,
0:54:56 > 0:54:58that's not what's making it go into seed.
0:54:58 > 0:55:00It's the cooler nights.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04So, I am trying to reassure it
0:55:04 > 0:55:08by removing all these spent flower heads,
0:55:08 > 0:55:11that actually there's warm weather coming
0:55:11 > 0:55:14and these buds that are forming can and should go on flowering.
0:55:16 > 0:55:17But if we do get a frost,
0:55:17 > 0:55:21that will be it for the tithonia and so much else that is looking good
0:55:21 > 0:55:22in the Jewel Garden,
0:55:22 > 0:55:25so let's find out what the weather is going to be like this weekend.
0:56:07 > 0:56:12I'm replanting the Iris sibirica that I dug from the Jewel Garden
0:56:12 > 0:56:14here into the grass borders...
0:56:17 > 0:56:22..where I think the foliage will merge more successfully
0:56:22 > 0:56:27and it won't matter that it spends most of its year without flowers.
0:56:29 > 0:56:33And when you move Iris sibirica, as I found over the years,
0:56:33 > 0:56:36don't be surprised if it's a little shy in growing
0:56:36 > 0:56:38and flowering the following year.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41It does seem to need two seasons to really pick up momentum,
0:56:41 > 0:56:46but they're tough plants and they certainly won't mind the experience
0:56:46 > 0:56:47of being dug up and moved.
0:56:49 > 0:56:54And as the rest of the garden is slowly slipping away,
0:56:54 > 0:56:56the grass borders are picking up.
0:56:56 > 0:57:01This is their season, this is when they really do become the best thing
0:57:01 > 0:57:04in the garden and will remain so from now
0:57:04 > 0:57:06right through until Christmas.
0:57:06 > 0:57:08However, we can't remain any longer I'm afraid,
0:57:08 > 0:57:11because that's the end of today's programme.
0:57:11 > 0:57:16I'll be back here at the same time next week, so join me then. Bye-bye.