Glasshouses and Shrubs Great British Garden Revival

Britain has a long and proud gardening heritage.

And a passion for plants that goes back centuries.

But all is not well in our once green and pleasant land.

-Front gardens paved over.

-Our lawns lacklustre.

And rare wild flowers on the brink of extinction.

So we need you...

..to help us...

..in our campaign...

..to help rediscover...

..our passion for gardening.

We're going to give you the best gardening tips.

And revealing British gardens

that will quite simply take your breath away.

It's time to plant...

..and prune...

..and sharpen your shears.

Let the Great British Garden Revival begin!

'On tonight's show, Matt James wants us all to get planting shrubs.

'But first, I'm on the glasshouse revival campaign.'

For me, these grand glasshouses show the best that Britain has to offer.

Cutting edge architecture and horticulture under one roof.

'Under this immense glass construction are plants

'from right across the globe.

'Golden cestrums from Chile...

'rain daisies from South Africa...

'and kangaroo paws from Australia.

'But this type of exotica is rare.'

In our own gardens we've lost sight of the great potential

of growing under glass.

Where once we grew the world under glazed canopies,

now our greenhouses are full of a humdrum collection

of plants and boring veg.

I want to restore adventure, flair and excitement to our gardens.

I want to push our plant collections to their very limits.

So join me, Diarmuid Gavin, for my Great British Glasshouse Revival.

'To help with my revival, I've been meeting people

'who are restoring our great glasshouse heritage...'

I mean, it's like the last of the great conservatories to be restored,

it's a work of art.

'..showing you how to make your very own mini-glasshouse wonderland...'

What I'm doing here is creating a miniature world.

It does bring me back to those days of watching Blue Peter

during my childhood.

'..and I get a lesson in tropical pruning from a lady

'whose plant collection is not to be trifled with.'

-So what about this bit up here?

-No, no, no.

-What's wrong with it?

You'll be in serious trouble.

'To start my revival,

'I've come to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales to visit

'the largest single-span glasshouse anywhere in the world.'

This is really a perfect example of what great

glasshouses are all about.

A beautiful space that's been filled with interesting

and exotic species, talking points at every turn.

This place really knocks your socks off with its grand

architectural ambition.

What better place for me to host my revival?

'Under this elegant dome is a 3,500 square metre spectacle

'of my favourite sort of flora.

'And growing under glass like this allows us

'to massively extend the range of plants in our gardens.

'But if we don't maintain and use our greenhouses,

'that potential will be lost, and our gardens could become

'identikit spaces filled with the same old boring varieties.'

I like adventurous design,

and sometimes I even like to break the rules.

So it should come as no surprise that I'm absolutely

fascinated by glasshouses and greenhouses.

I remember seeing my first ever glasshouse.

I was about six or seven.

We went to the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin.

It was hot and there were plants like big triffids coming at you.

Huge bananas shooting up and even producing fruit.

Absolutely gorgeous. Ever since then, I've been hooked.

'But I'm not the only one who's been bitten by the glasshouse bug.

'Simon Goodenough, the gardens' curator, is a kindred spirit.'

Simon, what is it that you love about glasshouses?

Oh, I think, when you walk into a glasshouse like this, I mean,

the structure is just so awe inspiring, but the ability to

grow such a wide range of plants and bring it to the people and say,

"Look at this, this is nature, and we've tamed it."

Why do you think it's important that we still have these things,

because people are travelling to all sorts of different countries

and seeing everything?

Without a doubt, the pressure is on,

particularly countries where these plants come from.

Mediterranean zones, a great deal of pressure on the land

and many of these plants are extremely vulnerable,

they're on the point of extinction in some cases.

We've got plants in here that are almost impossible to grow

that we've had success with.

So it's that sort of excitement which gets me going.

And people can take that excitement back home?

Yeah, you can do it in your own home.

Get some seeds of something unusual, grow it, happy days.

'I want everyone to join my revival and celebrate growing exotic plants.

'And whether you call them glasshouses or greenhouses,

'if I've inspired you to get one,

'there are a range of things to consider.'

Now you've made the decision, you are going to buy a greenhouse

and you're going to fill it with loads of lovely plants.

But the problem is there's so much choice! Where do you start?

Well, let me guide you through.

'Glass, plastic, aluminium, wood,

'lean-to's or free-standing,

'there's a whole language to get to grips with.

'But first things first, size matters.'

I just know that you're going to fall in love with your greenhouse,

and you're going to want to spend so much time there,

so at the very start, make the decision

to make it as big as you can.

This one is perfect, shelves on one side for potting up

and you can grow tall tomatoes on the other side.

Loads of space.

'But lean-to greenhouses are often smaller, more economical

'and cheaper to heat, and great if you're short on space.'

So, where are you going to put this new greenhouse?

Well, choose a spot that's nice and bright and light

and sheltered from the wind.

Make sure you have access all the way round the structure

so you can clean the glass.

'Some greenhouses are made from polycarbonate, which means

'they can be a lot more economical but they may not last as long.'

I like real glass in a greenhouse because it's traditional.

It's easy to keep clean but I like to use toughened glass

because if it does break, it won't shatter into very dangerous pieces.

'Next think about the frame.

'You've got two main choices, wood or aluminium,

'which can be cheaper and maintenance-free.'

But you know what I think, wood is always going to be the best.

It's a natural material

and it'll look beautiful in the natural surroundings of your garden.

Ventilation is a must in every greenhouse.

You need good air circulation.

Adding some heat might be an important factor.

One source of heat could be this wonderful big paraffin lamp.

This one you just plug in.

'Overall, my best piece of advice is to take a little bit of time

'and consider your choices.

'And then the right greenhouse for you will give you

'a lifetime of gardening adventures.'

'A glasshouse provides an opportunity to grow all types of

'botanical treasures,

'but first you need to decide which types of plants you really

'want to grow, and which types of climate they'll need to thrive.

'Hot, humid and jungly, or warm, dry and sunny?'

I've done some gardening in South Africa

and one of the plants that I love to use in a planting scheme

is their national flower, and that's the protea.

Aren't they wonderful, structural and exotic?

But did you realise you could grow some of these

proteas in your own garden if you had a temperate glasshouse?

A temperate house is really quite simple,

it's like the house I'm standing in.

It just means a very bright glasshouse that's well

ventilated but one that's kept free from frost, so you may need

some insulation and you may need some heat on those frosty evenings.

Otherwise just keep it nice and bright. Don't let it be too steamy.

Get some seed into a gritty compost

and after a while something like this should germinate.

'But maybe a warm Mediterranean-type climate

'isn't quite doing it for you.

'If that's the case, you might want to turn the heat and humidity up.'

We've just seen the temperate house, but now we're in my favourite,

the really exotic tropical house.

Look, I'm swinging out underneath the arches of one of these

massive philodendron leaves.

It is a type of species,

a type of foliage you'd expect to see in a jungle.

Look at these dramatic aerial roots.

These plants will want to be really quite warm,

they'll want an awful lot of moisture

so a good maintenance system of coming in every morning,

damping down, using a hose, letting steam rise.

And because they're so vigorous, they'll need some re-pruning,

and you'll need to train them up along the rafters.

In the past we've used a lot of these plants

such as the philodendron or the Monstera,

the Swiss cheese plant, as house plants.

They don't want to be there, set them free!

Build a tropical greenhouse.

'And I'm certainly not the first person to fall under the spell of

'growing these magical plants.

'It's a passion that has captivated people for centuries.

'In Britain, a desire for exotic foods

'gave birth to the first glasshouse.

'In the 17th and 18th centuries,

'orangeries became popular for growing citrus trees,

'and simple wooden-framed glass structures were utilised for growing

'tropical fruits such as pineapples.

'But the golden age of the glasshouse was the Victorian era,

'and the elaborate conservatories at Kew are evidence of the desire

'to collect, cultivate and master nature that soon became

'the obsession of the aristocracy as well as scientists.'

Any self-respecting Lord or Earl would have their own glasshouse,

or collection of glasshouses,

to show off their expansive and expensive collection of plants.

'This is the Victorian Conservatory at Wentworth Castle near Barnsley.

'Its restoration is nearing completion, and I've come to

give the curator, Michael Klemperer, a hand with a few final stages.'

So, Michael, how old is this building?

This building was commissioned in 1876 by the Earl of Wentworth.

He was an extremely rich man,

he was almost like the Abramovich of his day.

It was right up to the minute, he had electricity in it.

Buckingham Palace didn't have electricity at the time.

He wanted a tropical hothouse to show off to his friends.

He also wanted it as a showcase of his power and wealth really.

'In the late 1800s,

'this really was the ultimate in horticultural bling,

'state of the art in its design

'and home to an incredible selection of plants.

'Visitors would have been amazed

'as they first entered the conservatory.

'After the Second World War, and then the Earl's death in 1951,

'the estate fell into disrepair,

'and the glasshouse slowly became derelict.

'But in 2002, the Wentworth Castle Heritage Trust was formed

'and raised £3.7 million for work to begin on restoration.'

It was taken off to a big workshop in Barnsley, er, shot blasted,

any parts that needed repairing repaired and all stuck back together.

And how many layers of paint were found on the...?

There was over 50 layers of paint found on the metalwork,

so it was held up by paint almost.

To see a true original come back to life must be hugely exciting?

It's magnificent. I mean, it's like the last of the great conservatories

to be restored and it's truly fantastic. It's a work of art.

'With the beds and borders full of freshly raked soil, it's time for

'the first leafy arrival.'

So, I've had the great honour of

planting the first plant in the new life of this wonderful glasshouse.

But by next week, this little guy will have plenty of friends.

Oh, yeah.

All of this will be planted up with nearly £20,000 worth of new plants

that have been specially selected from around the world.

And the new life, the new era of

this magnificent glass palace really begins.

It's a magical moment.

'Back in the conservatory of the Botanic Gardens of Wales,

'I'm going to show you how a glasshouse doesn't need to be grand.

'You can capture their magic in the tiniest space imaginable.'

When explorers from this country were going to foreign lands and

discovering wonderful species that they wanted to bring back to

Britain two or three hundred years ago, it was very hard to get them

here until somebody discovered a thing called the Wardian Case.

What they discovered was you could create miniature environments

and trap moisture and allow for plenty of light,

and when they arrived in Britain, all their plants,

all their cuttings were still good and fresh.

'The Wardian Case was the direct forerunner of the modern terrarium,

'and I'm going to show you all the stages of setting one up.

'The first ingredient is some grit or gravel

'to line the bottom of your container.'

It does bring me back to those days of watching

Blue Peter during my childhood, seeing things being created.

'The next layer is some fresh multi-purpose compost,

'mixed with grit, and, importantly, charcoal.

The charcoal will continue to purify any gases

that are released by the plants or their roots.

'The design for my terrarium landscape is

'a mini-shop of horrors featuring a range of carnivorous plants.'

What I'm planting now is a pitcher plant.

It seduces flies to come in with some scent that it gives off.

'Pitcher plants like these grow naturally in moist boggy areas,

'and for extra texture and colour,

'I'll be using the dramatic pink leaves of Fittonias.'

I think the effect that we have to go for today is Jurassic Park.

With a bit of a Jurassic gardener.

Mind you, not as Jurassic as some of the others.

'The final plant to add to the terrarium is my favourite,

'and quite a naughty little monster.'

This is the one that all children really love, the Venus fly trap.

Once the flies, tiny flies wander in they touch some almost

invisible hairs and trigger these jaws to shut very dramatically.

I'll show you how it does it.

Here's one that's very open, just to the front.

We'll see if this takes to it. Ah! There you go.

And I still find that very exciting.

It's a great project for kids, very cost-effective,

and it's not only terrariums you can use,

here's a collection done in glass dishes, or jars, or bottles.

Look at that wonderful orchid growing in a bottle,

and because it has aerial roots it doesn't need compost.

With the cacti you're creating a lovely dry environment

and very warm environment by surrounding that by glass.

There's a lot of grit and sand around the base.

'To help me with a few final touches,

'I've taped some old cutlery to some bamboo canes.

'And to build some decorative layers to my landscape,

'I'm adding sand...'

I'll smooth that out.

'..and two different types of moss.'

I'll just make it a little bit more textural by putting in

sphagnum moss and then this wonderful Spanish moss.

'To finish, lightly water the plants,

'and clean off the glass and foliage.'

Don't let them dry out but they don't want to be too moist.

'And then one last addition.'

For my final flourish,

you can't have a terrarium, can you, without a dinosaur?

So this little lad

is going to have his new home

that he's going to be wandering through.

And pretty much there you have it.

A new indoor world.

A miniature glasshouse...

..for your home.

'I defy anyone not to be the most popular dad in the world

'after making this.'

If you'd like to transform your greenhouse from something

ordinary into something really special,

you need to consider your plant collection.

The right choice of plants could make your greenhouse come alive.

'If there's one plant that screams exotic and is absolutely

'tailor-made to be grown in a greenhouse, it's the orchid.

'I've come to Burnham Nurseries in Devon

'to meet Sarah Ritterhausen,

'the third generation of one of Great Britain's most knowledgeable

'orchid growing families.'

What do you love about these creatures?

I think the fascinating thing about the orchid family is it's just

so huge. There's thousands and thousands of species and hybrids.

And they're all united by, really, one thing in people's minds,

-they're exotic, aren't they?

-Yeah, yeah.

You've got cooler growing orchids from higher up the mountains,

higher altitudes, and then the lower down the mountains you go,

it's warmer and more sort of steamy and tropical.

The idea of the glasshouse to greenhouse is to recreate

the conditions that you'd find in the jungles.

That humidity is probably the main thing,

and the warmth, keeping that warmth in, definitely, yes.

'In recent years, moth orchids have been bred to survive in our dry,

'centrally heated homes, and have become readily available and cheap.

'But there's so much more to orchids than this,

'and with a glasshouse comes a wonderful opportunity to grow

'a much more exciting and diverse range.'

Immediately you come in here, the atmosphere changes.

-It's that bit warmer.

-Yeah, a little bit warmer,

little bit more humidity because of that,

and that's just what these slightly more tropical orchids need.

So what we're looking at here is a hanging orchid.

This is a Vanda, which, erm, grows with lots of

aerial roots hanging down,

and if you can give them enough humidity and moisture

then they'll grow like this quite happily.

Now, Sarah, this collection really shows

the variety in terms of flower shape, size and colour.

What have we got here? What's this one?

This is an Oncidium type, erm, which has a very highly patterned lip.

And I'm getting a very strong scent. Oh, that's amazing.

There are lots of scented orchids.

People don't realise that orchids have fragrance because,

you know, a lot of the house plant types, it's been bred out of them.

This is a Prosthechea garciana, pretty little pairs of kind of

back-to-back flowers which are really nice.

This is the octopus orchid, this is another species of Prosthechea,

Prosthechea cochleata.

This is actually the first tropical epiphytic orchid that was

flowered in this country in Kew Gardens in 1787,

so there's a lot of history attached to this plant.

-It's wonderful, isn't it?

-Yeah.

And this is almost a profusion of cherry flowers.

It is so beautiful and each one so delicate, and all this collection

could be grown in that greenhouse you abandoned five years ago

-cos you didn't want to grow any more tomatoes.

-Definitely.

Just to make a few alterations to the greenhouse,

make it orchid-friendly, put a bit of shading on there,

get a bit of heating in there, erm, a bit of humidity,

then you can grow things like this, definitely.

The passion and the enthusiasm that Sarah has

is really quite infectious.

It's amazing to find a nursery that is keeping up that great tradition

of finding plants that usually grow in jungles in Borneo and Chile,

propagating them, and we can have

our own miniature version of this right down the end of our gardens.

Wouldn't that be great?

'At the Botanic Gardens of Wales, orchids and exotic blooms abound.

'I'm meeting Ann Maloney, who's cared for the tropical conservatory

'since it was first planted.

'Today she's going to share her tips

'in a mini-masterclass in how to care for a jungle display.'

-So, Ann, the tropical house is your domain.

-Yes, it's my baby.

And what do you like about the plants that we're

surrounded by in your greenhouse?

A lot of them are very big and then they give that tropical feel,

and you can lose yourself in another world as soon as you come in here.

So the big jobs would be keeping everything nice and moist?

Absolutely, the humidity is crucial.

OK, so damping down every morning, spraying the hose everywhere.

-Absolutely.

-And look what you've given me.

-I know, aren't they nice and shiny?

-We're going to have some fun here.

This is a bit untidy, Ann.

It's very untidy, I'm sorry you're looking at this bed, Diarmuid.

-You would choose this one, wouldn't you?

-What have we got growing here?

We've got Piper nigrum, which is pepper.

This is where you get your black pepper and your white pepper from.

Ah, OK, from the seed heads, is it?

The seed heads, they dry off, and that's how you get your black pepper.

Then they're put through a process and you get your white pepper.

-OK.

-So you get two things from one plant.

-But somebody's gone very heavy on the pepper here.

-Er, just a wee bit.

You can just cut it back, it stands any amount of pruning

because you can see it's pretty vigorous.

It'll climb through everything

and it's all up this tree up here as well.

-OK, I'm not going to do it on my own.

-I've got to do it as well?

-Yes, you have to help me.

-Oh, for goodness' sake.

You've to help me and keep an eye on me.

You've got to keep the balance

-between it looking tidy for the visitors...

-Yes.

..but not too manicured at the same time.

-Ann, I'm told that any dirt around the place really upsets you.

-Yeah.

-What about this bit up here?

-No, no, no.

-What's wrong with it?

No, I want that to grow up tall. Not that bit, definitely not. No.

You'll be in serious trouble.

'Ann's got me on a tight leash, but keeping on top of climbing

'and scrambling species like the black pepper is crucial,

'as they can soon swamp slower growing plants.

'But my brief apprenticeship seems to be going well.

'In fact, she's even going to let me plant a tropical fruit

'in one of her beds.'

So, Ann, you've been very kind to me, and letting me plant...

Yeah, I am, but you're honoured cos I don't usually let

anybody in here do that, so...

-OK, and what is this plant?

-This is a pawpaw, it's a Carica.

And by the look of it I think it's a dwarf.

It is a dwarf, you're right there. It grows to 50 centimetres.

-And you've grown this from seed?

-From seed, yes.

-Very healthy looking specimen.

-Shall I hold it for you?

No, no, you're grand. I can hold it and I can...

I can multitask.

Oh. How unusual.

Ooh!

Right. What do you think that looks like?

Yeah, that's not too bad.

No, that is absolutely perfect.

'This dwarfed pawpaw plant should be

'bearing its first fruits in just a few months' time.

'So, it's the perfect exotic plant for a small hothouse.'

And it is one of the joys of hothouse gardening,

that you can grow stuff like this.

You've pawpaws, you've bananas.

All in a tropical greenhouse.

We've even got coffee.

-When this fruits, are you going to send me one?

-Hmmm...

Yeah, if you finish the job properly and put a label in.

-I wouldn't dare not finish the job properly.

-Thank you very much.

You're very welcome.

'But, it's not only Ann and I that are passionate about glasshouses

'and growing exotic foods.

'There are others that have already taken up my revival.'

I'm visiting St Anns Allotments in Nottingham and, hidden amongst

the hedges, there's a wonderful Heath Robinson range of glasshouses.

Some made from recycled doors and windows

and some from plastic drink bottles.

They are totally ingenious.

'I'm meeting Don, who has a total of five structures, all craftily

'put together and perfect for growing his hothouse favourites.'

-Don, it's not often I'm lost for words.

-Yeah.

-I can't get over what you've done here.

-Really?

Yeah. It's astonishing. It's overwhelming.

When did you start building this world?

I started this one about ten years ago.

But you've been 30-odd years on this site?

-33 years.

-33, that's not easy for an Irishman to say. 33 years.

-Where do you come from?

-I'm from Jamaica.

So, you're trying to recreate the type of food you would have

-had in Jamaica back here.

-Yes.

-In the middle of England.

-That is correct.

-So you need heat.

-You got it.

-Wow.

'In this home-made structure, Don's growing cucumbers,

'chillies and peppers.

'But, in another greenhouse, his range of exotic crops gets

'even more colourful and includes his beloved vegetable, callaloo.'

Peppers again, chillies.

-Those oxheart tomatoes.

-Yes.

-Callaloo.

-Chinese one.

-When did you build this one?

-Three years ago.

-And why?

-You just needed more space for callaloo.

-That's it.

How much callaloo can one man eat, or how many people can he feed?

It's not just one man.

Friends, among friends.

'It's so good to meet gardeners who have approached growing under

'glass in such an inventive way.

'And, on another part of the site,

'a group of allotmenteers have wasted no time

'in roping me into their latest construction project.'

You wouldn't get Monty Don doing this, would you now?

What you're really trying to achieve today is building something

-much simpler that we could all make use of in the garden.

-Yes.

'The lads are using recycled railway sleepers

'and some discarded windows to make a set of cold frames.'

So, what can I do to help?

Well, you can make the tea.

Make the tea. That's all a bit dismissive.

'Cold frames are glasshouses in miniature -

'transparent roofed enclosures built low to the ground

'and used to protect plants from adverse weather.'

So, this is the cold frame

and the soil there will warm up.

You'll be able to put cuttings directly into the ground.

How would you rate my work?

Brilliant. You can come here again.

'These structures are an asset, as they enable seedlings

'and young plants to steal a march early in the growing season.

'And they can help save the gardener a stash of cash.'

There you go. That's great.

Easy action. Solid.

It'll last pretty much for ever.

So, listen, there is no excuse.

Everybody can garden under glass.

Everybody can rediscover that idea of propagation

or starting off things early and making use of this wonderful

material to heat up the soil, to heat up the pots.

You can build it yourself or you can go and buy it.

Everybody should do it.

Glasshouses are a really important part of our heritage.

We should appreciate them an awful lot more

and revel in the exotic species that they allow us to grow.

So, come on, join my revival and have a look at your garden

and maybe make a space to add a house made of glass.

Next, Matt James is on another garden revival.

There is no greater experience than walking into a beautiful garden where

there's scent in the air and there are plants in every form,

colour and texture imaginable.

And, at the heart of my favourite gardens are a real

group of unsung heroes, shrubs.

From the beautiful flowers of magnolia to the colourful

stemmed dogwood and fragrant daphne.

Great for privacy and screening, backdrops, focal points,

fragrance, flower and foliage,

shrubs deliver by the bucket-load.

But, these days, the poor shrub is often ignored

and overlooked, which is such a shame.

Shrubs give a garden so much.

I'm Matt James and I want people to rediscover

and appreciate the importance of this amazing group of plants,

in the Great British Shrub Revival.

'I want to know why shrubs have lost their appeal.'

They're seen as the sort of backdrop to flowering plants.

They're anything but that.

'To find out what will happen

'if we don't fall back in love with these wonderful plants.'

If they don't, there's a danger of becoming an arid landscape.

'And I'll show you my tips on how to get the very best from your shrubs.'

To be honest, don't worry if you get it wrong.

Plants are pretty forgiving and will bounce back,

whatever you do to them, really.

I think every garden needs shrubs.

Smaller than trees, more permanent than perennials

and ornamental grasses, shrubs are the backbone of any plot.

There's a shrub for every spot too, a shrub for every season.

And they're particularly useful in autumn and winter,

when there's little else about.

And that's why I'm here at the

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Hampshire.

These amazing gardens cover 180 acres

and are home to over 42,000 trees and shrubs.

It's an ideal place to start my revival campaign.

I thought I'd set the record straight on what a shrub actually is.

Well, shrubs can be this big -

a lavender, for example -

or they can be four to five metres high, like a stately magnolia.

But they all share one common characteristic -

a series of stems emanating from their base,

just like this mophead hydrangea.

And when is a shrub not a shrub?

When it's a tree, like that oak there,

which has one single stem, a trunk.

It's that simple.

As a garden designer, I'm always spoilt for choice

when it comes to deciding which plants to include in a garden.

Yet, shrubs are always in the forefront of my mind.

For me, the shrub is number one in more ways than one.

The wintersweet here, Chimonanthus praecox,

was the first plant I ever fell in love with and it was

the first plant I ever bought my mum.

The first plant I propagated, Euonymus alatus, the winged spindle,

which I also think was the first plant

I ever pinched from the prop bench at college.

For me, the shrub is number one and I'm hoping soon

that it will be number one on your list of favourites as well.

Many people think that shrubs are dull and boring,

the eternal horticultural bridesmaid and never the bride.

With perennials and ornamental grasses stealing their thunder

and an unfair reputation of being difficult to manage,

the shrub is often overlooked.

If we want to rekindle our love affair with shrubs,

we need to look back in time to an era

when they really were the stars of the show.

I'm on my way to Croome Park in Worcester.

This stunning landscape was created in the mid-1700s for the

Earl of Coventry by Capability Brown.

He was famed for his use of shrubs

and Croome was a classic example of his work.

'Sadly, the shrub, though, fell victim to the changing

'fashions in the early 20th century

and Croome's shrubberies were removed.

'But property manager Michael Smith is heading up an exciting project

'that aims to restore the park to its former 18th century glory.'

This is a shrubbery. It's a collection of shrubs.

-Or a bit more than that?

-Definitely much more than that.

And in the 18th century, this would

have been one of the most fashionable places to be seen -

in amongst the collection of exotic plants drawn from the

four corners of the world to create a wonderful shrubbery.

So the plants we're looking at were essentially

the height of fashion at that time?

They were, and what we've got to remember is that Britain

had a particularly poor native flora.

So, there wasn't a lot to work with.

So it was as much about a collection of plants to show off?

Yeah, the shrubs are the bling of the plant world.

It would have been a great status symbol to be able to bring

guests round and show them plants that had been collected from China,

the Mediterranean, even North America

towards the end of the 18th century.

'In its day, this shrubbery was one of the finest in the country.'

Michael, that's something I really love.

The spindle, Euonymus europaeus. Such a gorgeous plant.

'Although the restoration isn't complete, the new planting is

'incredibly rich and the park is now full of many wonderful shrubs.'

Here's another favourite of mine. The Laurustinus.

-Such a reliable, hardy evergreen shrub, isn't it?

-Yeah.

And provides colour from December through to March.

Just at the time when you need colour in the garden.

Behind each one of these shrubs, there's a fascinating story.

Laurustinus, originally from the eastern Mediterranean.

Visitors wouldn't have just walked through a shrubbery,

they would have stopped and admired each and every plant,

spoken about their origins, how they came to Croome.

-A talking point?

-Absolutely. In the archives of Croome,

there are letters from the British ambassador to the Spanish court.

He's doing no diplomatic business, but he's finding seeds,

you know, Spanish brooms, sending them back to Lord Coventry.

So, all those stories behind them.

What an incredible place of excitement.

For me, it's that passion for shrubs that's been lost, hasn't it?

Yeah. And somehow now they're seen

as this sort of drab backdrop to flowering plants.

They're anything but that.

They are the most exciting plants that we could have to hand.

I couldn't agree more.

'With such a rich heritage,

'I'm curious as to why we fell so out of love with the shrub.

'To find out, I'm heading to John Woods Nurseries in Suffolk

'to meet plant buyer Colin Dale.

'Colin has been in the business for over 30 years,

'witnessing the decline and demand for the shrub.'

So, Colin, how have our plant buying habits changed in terms of shrubs?

There's been quite a change, I think, really.

There has been a real fear factor.

-I think people have been afraid about complicated pruning.

-Yes.

They're probably not doing the research into shrubs

and all the wonders of shrubs.

I mean, one of the examples,

I've brought along one of these very old catalogues from the 1970s.

-Right.

-And in here, I can show you, for example,

there's two whole pages with 29 varieties of just Viburnums.

Now, if you compare that with the average garden centre now...

You might have two, maybe three, maybe four.

And even then, you'd only have them when they're doing their thing,

whether it be flowering or whether it be autumn colour.

'The lovely Viburnum is only one example of this decline.

'If we don't do something about it now,

'we may lose cherished varieties from our gardens altogether.

'Fortunately, there are people like Colin working to

'cater for the changing trends in gardening.'

So, these are some of the ones that you're now growing,

which are smaller, more compact versions and better flowers, etc?

That's right. Just a small sample of some of the improvements

that the breeding has made.

This is Forsythia, isn't it?

This one's called Gold Mine.

And, as its name suggests, it's a mass of colour.

And the beauty about this one is it flowers

on the current season's wood.

So none of that complicated...

You don't have to worry about pruning.

It picks up that whole fear point about making it

nice and simple for the customer.

Santolina 'Lemon Fizz'?

This is now a lovely golden form.

It's got that sense of foliage, as well.

-And it's just a lovely, bright, happy shrub.

-Yes, absolutely.

And we've got hydrangeas in front, big hydrangeas.

This is called Endless Summer.

It flowers, really, from early summer, right into the autumn.

So, to cut a long story short, with all the work that growers

and breeders are doing to produce plants which are easy to prune,

easy to care for and are colourful or flower for a lot longer,

there's no reason that we shouldn't be putting more

shrubs in our gardens, is there?

I totally agree.

The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens are overflowing with shrubs.

In fact, they have more than 800 varieties,

some of which you will find flourishing in a centenary border.

'I'm meeting fellow shrub fanatic, garden director Wolfgang Bopp,

'to find out how he gets the best from a buddleia.'

Tell me, we're sort of deadheading this buddleia here,

which to me is slightly odd, I have to say,

because I don't do a lot of pruning,

a lot of work with my shrubs.

-Lazy gardener.

-Well, yeah, a little bit.

And the thing I like about shrubs, most of them, at least, if you pick

the right shrub for the right place, is that they take care of themselves.

You don't need to do anything. Why are we deadheading here?

It's really because, when you look at that,

this is now beginning to go over.

You can leave that for another five days.

But then these side shoots have got buds on them.

If you deadhead it, it means they will develop more quickly.

Cos, at the end of the day, a plant,

it's not designed to flower, it's actually designed to produce seed.

Once it does that, it puts its energy into that.

And, by deadheading, what you're doing is telling that plant,

"Oh, actually, I've lost the first production of seed,

-"so therefore I've got to produce more."

-Sure.

And that means it carries on flowering.

-Encouraging more flowers, being greedy.

-Yep.

Nothing wrong with that.

What I like about buddleias is that, yes, they grow quite strongly,

but because you can prune them hard every year, you can

actually keep them contained.

So, this shrub, there's no reason why that has to get any bigger.

If you want to allow it to, yes,

it will carry on building up and building up.

Do you think we should be using more shrubs in your garden?

-Because I certainly do.

-I think so. Yes, yes.

There's so much richness out there.

I go into a plant centre, I go into a nursery and I see,

that's looking good, I'll buy it now.

And there's nothing wrong with that.

But what you should do is also go around gardens

and see what different shrubs do at different times of year.

And then think, "Right. What I want is something which

"I can enjoy in the winter."

And you might go for Hamamelis, for instance.

Oh, yeah. Witch hazel. Absolutely gorgeous.

Co you come home in the evening, it's pitch black,

but when you walk past Hamamelis 'Pallida',

for instance, that will be scented at eight o'clock in the evening.

-So choose them for different times of year.

-Good stuff.

There's a fair bit more pruning to do, isn't there?

So we better crack on and stop nattering.

Commonly called the butterfly bush, buddleia's flower power gives

fabulous colour and a subtle fragrance from June to September.

Plus, as the name suggests, it's a magnet for butterflies.

Without doubt, there is a shrub for every situation

and no matter the month, the week of the year,

there's always something which will look spectacular.

That's an ethos that lies at the heart of the Old Vicarage

in East Ruston, Norfolk.

It's made up of 20 individual gardens,

each one different to the next.

But one thing they all have in common is they all contain wonderful shrubs.

Well, that's a bit different from your average roundabout.

And when all this colour dies away,

what's at the heart of this display?

Shrubs.

These stunning gardens have been lovingly created over the last

22 years by shrub enthusiast, Alan Gray.

Your garden is, in part, famed for its exuberance and vibrancy,

-but shrubs are a very important part.

-Yes, because without shrubs

we wouldn't have the garden we have today.

Shrubs are the backbone of any garden.

I look at shrubs as the walls of a garden, they're the reliable,

dependable plantings.

Absolutely. When people are new to gardening, they think of shrubs

as being spring-flowering plants. But you and I know that

-shrubs flower throughout the year.

-It's a huge world.

-Absolutely.

There's a flower for every month,

plants with spectacular architectural interest, and those that recede

into the backdrop of the garden and then, suddenly,

-for two weeks of the year scream at you.

-There are numerous varieties,

not just the one. And there'll be one that shines out for you

on a personal level

-better than anything else, and go for that. Do your homework.

-Yes.

Alan's passion and knowledge of shrubs is evident in every

aspect of these beautiful gardens.

-Look at this.

-No matter how many times you see a big bank

-of mophead hydrangea in flower, it's still exciting, isn't it?

-It is.

I think every time you look at it, it reminds you of the seaside,

-do you know what I mean?

-Yes...

It has a strong visual ecology,

we associate it with place, so when we see it,

it evokes memories of that place.

We do see them by the seaside,

and they're usually planted beside a front door where they grow too big!

Yes, yeah, that's true!

These gardens really demonstrate how versatile shrubs can actually be.

A prime example of shrubs used as a backdrop to all the frothy colour

-in front, isn't it?

-Absolutely.

On the left we have an ilex, a holly, it's called Golden King.

Here we have a Box Ball,

Now that Box Ball doesn't give a great deal of interest in the summer

but in the winter, when all that's gone,

it gives you interest in the dark months.

Absolutely, absolutely.

I've noticed a lot of people are doing this now -

they're not using Box Balls, they're using clipped columns.

It could be yew, or it could be even a semi-evergreen,

which is what I call beech because beech retains its leaves

-in the winter.

-Yeah, marcescence.

-Absolutely.

-What was that word?

-Marcescence.

-I've learnt a new word, I love it!

Alan's use of shrubs to create structure varies in each garden,

from the classical, to the far less conventional.

This is an unusual area to have in a British garden.

It is, I suppose. We affectionately call it the desert,

because it's home to many plants that grow in places like Arizona

-which is what this kind of landscape is inspired by.

-Yeah.

In here shrubs are an integral part of the scheme, aren't they,

-they're the architecture.

-Absolutely.

They go from the huge things like the cordylines

and these enormous yuccas here, great colonies of those,

to this diminutive little chap down here

which is called Haloragis erecta, Wellington Bronze.

which comes from New Zealand.

A little story I'll tell you

I got that from Ventnor Botanic Garden, I was given a piece

to bring back. And the head gardener,

he grudgingly gave me a piece

-saying, "You'll never grow that in Norfolk."

-And there you go.

It goes to show, it's worth a go.

What do you think will happen if people don't start planting

-more shrubs in their garden?

-Well, it affects everything.

The flora, fauna.

If they don't, it is in danger of becoming an arid landscape.

You might think this is an arid landscape, but if you look at it,

it's surrounded by banks of shrubs, we need shrubs, we need the shelter

-we need them for the kind of order that they bring.

-Of course.

This special place confirms one thing and that is that shrubs

are an integral part of the garden.

They can offer privacy and screening,

or, from the beautiful fragrance of the wintersweet

to the gorgeous colour of the buddleia,

they can be the stars in their own right.

Plant shrubs in your garden and you really will reap the rewards.

With such a vast range of shrubs to choose from, it's easy to get

confused about what to plant at home, but don't be put off.

Using the Sir Harold Hillier gardens for inspiration,

here's my advice on how to get started.

One of the most obvious things to look for is colour.

Here's a cornus, or dogwood,

which is prized, treasure, for its black, yellow,

but, more often than not, red stems,

and when these shrubs lose their leaves,

left behind will be a scarlet firework display

which will pretty much last until spring.

And colour doesn't only come from the stems and bark.

This is callicarpa,

and you can see it's got these berries which are just about to turn

the most iridescent purple you have ever seen,

and they'll last right through until February.

These berries of the guelder rose are pillar box red, just like the leaves

when they flame up in autumn.

And, of course,

everybody loves flowers.

Exochorda x macrantha, The Bride,

blossoms for six months during spring

with masses of pure white blooms.

But remember - shrubs don't only blossom in the spring and summer.

This is a sarcococca, or Christmas Box, a really valuable

ever green plant especially for small gardens

because it rarely gets higher than chest height.

It's called Christmas Box because of these fairly inconspicuous

white flowers which open at Christmas,

and, boy, when they do, do they pump out the most intoxicatingly

sweet scent. But the best thing about it is it thrives in shade,

AND it needs virtually no maintenance whatsoever.

Fragrance really does add another dimension to your garden.

Ask any gardener what their favourite scented shrub is,

and I bet you that this will top many people's lists.

It's a Daphne. It really is a fragrant flirt.

Come February, the pinky-purple flowers emit

the most gloriously sweet scent which will perfume this path.

And I defy anybody who says they don't love lavender,

with its gorgeous flowers in summer, a top ever green, silver foliage

which looks good all year round.

If you've got a sunny spot

and pretty much any soil, as long as it's not shallow chalk,

how about one of these? This is a flowering dogwood,

a beautiful, elegant group of shrubs

that grow to about 4cm to 5m in height.

I love flowering dogwood, or Cornus cusa,

because they offer a lot throughout the year.

In June, the white bracts, or flowers,

followed by these wonderful raspberry-like fruits

and then gorgeous autumn colour.

It's a shrub worthy of any garden,

because it performs right throughout the year

and the fruits taste good, too.

There is another aspect to my shrub revival that can't be overlooked.

Shrubs are essential for our native wildlife.

They're an important food source and also provide vital cover

and shelter for many animals, insects and birds.

Here at Flatford Mill in Suffolk,

the RSPB are promoting shrubs to all their visitors.

Garden manager, Shirley Boyle, tells me why she thinks

shrubs are so significant.

Let me ask you this - what do you think is going to happen

if we don't plant more shrubs in our gardens?

Since the Second World War

we've lost 200,000 miles of hedgerow in this country.

That's eight times around the world.

Our gardens cover something like 8,000 square kilometres

in this country. That's the biggest nature reserve in the country.

If we were trying to help wildlife in our gardens,

planting shrubs and creating that cover and shelter is critical.

I've set up my shrub store to hopefully inspire

some budding conservationists and tell them about the virtue of shrubs.

-Who here likes wildlife? ALL:

-Yeah!

-Who here like plants and flowers? ALL:

-Yeah!

-Fantastic. Who knows what a shrub is?

-A small tree.

It's like a small tree, absolutely.

So we've got these bushes, OK, which will attract

all sorts of different wildlife, what are your favourites?

-I like...

-You like that one? What do you think that shrub's

-going to attract into a garden?

-Red wings, maybe.

-Bees and wasps.

-Right.

-Bees and wasps.

What we've got here is lots of different shrubs,

which are going to attract lots of different wildlife

and they look good, too.

So we should plant more of these our gardens, shouldn't we?

-ALL:

-Yeah.

-We should plant lots more of these in our garden.

It's time for my future gardeners to get hands-on

with some wildlife friendly shrubs.

The fishbone, cotoneaster,

so-called because it looks like the bones of a fish.

-Look at the lovely red berries on there. Who likes that? ALL:

-Me!

That's a nice thing, isn't it? That's a lovely thing.

This is called pyracanthor, or fire thorn.

A good wall shrub, ideal for a shady wall.

And you get the white flowers in summertime,

and this particular one which is called golden charmer,

you get golden orange berries, which are great for the birds.

-Who likes this one here? ALL:

-Me!

That's what we like to see.

If I give that to you, is that all right, will you go home and plant it?

Watch the prickles.

I really do hope these starter shrubs encourage little and big kids alike

to get planting.

Take that home. If you're not allowed to plant it in a corner,

pop it in a little corner at the back of the garden.

So, what you need to do now is

you need to go home and plant those shrubs in the garden,

but don't just stop at one shrub.

There's a shrub for every single month

which will not only look good, but it will also attract wildlife.

I like the berries and it will attract birds for dad's bird feeder.

I've learnt that this plant... Butterflies like this plant a lot.

That was fun, but underlying is an important message -

shrubs are important.

And, hopefully, I've now got more converts to my cause.

Here at the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens,

shrubs are just as revered for helping wildlife.

A great way to bring both colour and wildlife

into your garden, especially over autumn and winter,

is to use gorgeous berrying shrubs, like this cotoneaster.

A plant this size may need pruning,

but unfortunately it is pruning that puts many people off buying shrubs.

But it's actually pretty straightforward.

So I've got a few tips to help you make the most of yours.

This is a deutzia, a wonderful summer shrub with white flowers

and it looks gorgeous with roses and lilac.

It has a romantic elegance to it, I think.

This one has finished flowering so I need to go in

and give it a prune to get a fantastic display the following year.

You always need to remove the three "Ds"

- dead, diseased or damaged wood.

Dead wood is relatively easy to spot on a plant like this

cos you'll find there won't be leaves

and when you give the bark a little scratch with your fingernail

the growth underneath will be brown rather than green.

Damaged wood, again, easy to spot. It'll either be broken,

or where branches are rubbing together, there's damaged area.

And disease, look for lesions and oozes coming from the stem.

And always cut above a bud or a leaf axle.

It's basically the bit where the leaf joins the stem.

This way, you won't create a snag, which will only die off,

potentially get diseased, and infect the bud below.

Of course, not all shrubs need pruning.

But here's how to deal with the two main groups that do

if you want if you want to encourage more flowers.

When you are pruning, you might need a pair of loppers

or even a saw, as well as your secateurs.

A pair of loppers like this, for example, is ideal

for growth which is thicker than your finger.

I'm just going to remove a third of the old shoots to the base

to encourage new youngsters to come up.

Look. There's a new youngster in there, so I'm also...

Out of the way, youngster.

When you're pruning flowering shrubs,

plants like philadelfus, weigela, forsythia, and deutzia

flower on shoots which started to grow the previous year,

the previous summer,

and these need to be pruned in summer after flowering.

Shrubs such as buddleia and hydrangea,

which flower in late summer,

should be pruned in late winter

to encourage a prolific display that year. Cut that one out.

And, then, one more, right down to the bottom.

This is fairly drastic,

but necessary for a good display the following year.

Oh, look, that's really opened it up.

That's a third of the old shoots, right down to the base.

Now all I'm going to do is reduce shoots that have flowered this year

back by a third, leaving these shoots behind which are next year's flowers.

So, we'll come in there, pruning above a bud.

Come in there, pruning above a bud.

What you may find is some of the really young shoots

might be growing really whippy. If in doubt, or if they are,

you can just take of the tip. That won't affect the flowering.

To be honest, don't worry if you get it wrong.

Like most gardeners, I've butchered plenty of shrubs in my time.

But plants are pretty forgiving and will bounce back

whatever you do to them, really.

Given a little sun, deutzia is a pretty tough shrub

and will cope in any reasonable garden soil, including clay.

In a small town in Gloucestershire,

there is a group of local residents

who are already pioneering our great British shrub revival.

Formed in 2005, the Tetbury In Bloom Committee

have been planting shrubs in their displays to transform the town.

The volunteers who've joined Tetbury In Bloom over the years,

they've all wanted to be part and parcel of our group

to make a difference within the town.

Except when there's a hard frost or there's thick snow on the ground,

we will still go out.

Municipal planting does have a reputation for being dull

and unimaginative, but these guys are changing that.

I joined because I loved the sustainable planting

that had been put in place.

The shrubs and the perennials, they're real gardens.

The Committee believe in using shrubs to create sustainable gardens

which look great all year round.

We've got shrubs that lend themselves to being

trimmed and shaped here. We've also got looser shrubs

that come out and arch and form very good shapes.

The team began with one roundabout and now

they've gardens all over town.

We would encourage other people to do exactly as we have done

in the towns and villages where they live.

Take ownership of where they live.

Shrubs are the backbone to any space,

but they're also beautiful things in their own right.

Adding shape, scent and seasonal interest,

plus they're vital for wildlife, too.

Join my campaign, buy a shrub, plant a shrub, love a shrub.

They really do need to be centre stage once again in all our gardens.