0:00:02 > 0:00:06There's no doubt that Britain is a nation of very proud gardeners.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10Our love of flowers and plants goes back centuries.
0:00:10 > 0:00:15But there's a problem. Not everything is rosy in our gardens.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19Our iconic plants are under attack from foreign invaders.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23Ancient woodlands are at risk of being lost forever.
0:00:23 > 0:00:28And our favourite flowers are disappearing right before our eyes.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31So we need you to help us in our revival campaign.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37We'll be inspiring you to dig deep and celebrate the best of British.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40As we reveal the country's most stunning gardens.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46And sharing our top gardening tips.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50It's time to rediscover our passion for plants.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53And breathe new life into our gardens.
0:01:30 > 0:01:35Of all the flowers in our gardens one stands out
0:01:35 > 0:01:37as being extra special -
0:01:37 > 0:01:39and this is it.
0:01:39 > 0:01:46The rose can justifiably claim to be Britain's favourite flower.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49While sales of modern varieties soar,
0:01:49 > 0:01:53those of our classic, traditional old roses are fading.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56And that means that they're gradually disappearing
0:01:56 > 0:02:00from our gardens, and only we can save them.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03I believe that old roses shouldn't be forgotten.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07They should be celebrated as fragrant, colourful,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09beautiful parts of our heritage.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19On my revival I'll be taking some time to smell the roses...
0:02:19 > 0:02:22- Ah!- Good old-rose fragrance.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24- That's a knockout fragrance.- Hm.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27..trying my hand at some cross-pollination...
0:02:27 > 0:02:31- I feel a great sense of responsibility - being a bee.- Yes.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35..and showing you which old roses to choose for your garden.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Not only does it look beautiful in flower, it still
0:02:38 > 0:02:41holds its own in the garden right the way through the season.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00I've come to Mottisfont House
0:03:00 > 0:03:03and garden in Hampshire where this beautiful house was built
0:03:03 > 0:03:06on the remains of a 13th-century priory.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08But for me the real jewel in the crown here
0:03:08 > 0:03:11lies just beyond the gate of the old walled garden.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22In the early 1970s this former kitchen garden was transformed
0:03:22 > 0:03:26by one of the most influential gardeners of the late 20th century -
0:03:26 > 0:03:31plantsman and rose aficionado - Graham Stuart Thomas.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34It was created as a home for his private collection of
0:03:34 > 0:03:36old-fashioned roses.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41It's been described as one of the world's most beautiful rose gardens.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Even Thomas himself called it his masterpiece
0:03:44 > 0:03:48and, I have to say, standing here it's impossible to disagree.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55I can't actually remember a time when I didn't love roses.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59My father was a huge influence but he really liked the hybrid teas,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02the floribundas...that were so popular in the '60s and '70s
0:04:02 > 0:04:06and of course we had lots of those in our garden.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09But we also did lots of garden visits as a family.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Came here to places like Mottisfont, just as the crowds are doing today.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16And it was then, I think, that I saw old roses for the first time
0:04:16 > 0:04:18and fell hook, line and sinker.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24While modern hybrid roses continue to gain in popularity,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26our classic old roses are going the other way
0:04:26 > 0:04:30and unless we can get the new generation of gardeners to start
0:04:30 > 0:04:34to fall in love with beautiful roses like this gorgeous Rosa mundi
0:04:34 > 0:04:37then we could be in danger of losing
0:04:37 > 0:04:39the vast variety on offer to us today.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42And for me that's just not an option.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49To start my revival I've come to Oxfordshire
0:04:49 > 0:04:52to an area that's synonymous with old roses.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55This region is known as the Golden Ridge as the soil conditions
0:04:55 > 0:04:58make it ideal for growing roses.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03Longworth village is famous for its beautiful gardens and I can see why.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07Now I'm being a bit cheeky here,
0:05:07 > 0:05:11but I've spotted another beautiful garden filled with roses.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Just look at this. Absolutely stunning.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Maybe not... Oh.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26- Hi. - That was quick. Hello.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28I hope you don't mind me knocking on the door
0:05:28 > 0:05:31but I've just seen your garden, and it's just so beautiful
0:05:31 > 0:05:33and I just wondered if I could ask you a little bit about the roses?
0:05:33 > 0:05:35- Would that be all right? - It would be a pleasure.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37You know that way that gardeners are very nosey
0:05:37 > 0:05:39- about other people's gardens? - I do. I do.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41But that's half the fun, isn't it? Sharing it?
0:05:41 > 0:05:44- Well, gardens are for sharing. - Exactly.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47But I couldn't help noticing the way that you're using the roses here.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49I mean, you seem to have them very mixed in
0:05:49 > 0:05:53with all sorts of other planting and lots of different types of rose.
0:05:53 > 0:05:54Yes.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58Well, when I moved here ten years ago we had a lot of these
0:05:58 > 0:06:01roses in place, but a lot of the other flowers had really
0:06:01 > 0:06:05finished their life so we replanted around the old roses.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08And I love this as well - the rambler on here.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Does that... And that flowers only once, presumably?
0:06:10 > 0:06:12That flowers once every year, yes.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14So why do you feel it's worth growing,
0:06:14 > 0:06:16even though it flowers only once?
0:06:16 > 0:06:19They do smell divine if you get the right ones
0:06:19 > 0:06:20and they just look so beautiful.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27Longworth is home to The Rose Nursery at Frilford Farm.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31They've been growing roses commercially for over 150 years
0:06:31 > 0:06:35and I'm here to meet fifth- generation grower Robert Mattock.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39This is the most wonderful room. Just wall-to-wall garden books.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42You've got a couple of roses on the table here, erm,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45which are very beautiful.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Absolutely, they are both called Longworth Rambler.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50You can see this through the village.
0:06:50 > 0:06:51It's still got a few old plants.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53But tell me why are they here?
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Why are they here in these pots?
0:06:55 > 0:06:58The reason that they're here, as indeed are these,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01is that these were roses that had been lost.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04So we put on a show called the Antique Rose Show.
0:07:04 > 0:07:05Very clever!
0:07:05 > 0:07:11And the idea was to try and search out the old roses that I thought
0:07:11 > 0:07:14must have been in the hedges and the old gardens in the village.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16Particularly the old cottage gardens.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20Out of that came a dozen varieties that we couldn't identify at all.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22- Wow. - Now that is quite interesting.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24That is very exciting.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26So what percentage of the roses,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29say, that were available in about 1900,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31do you think we can source today?
0:07:31 > 0:07:33I think we'd be lucky to find 10%.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35I find that really upsetting, actually.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Because to think that we might have lost 90%
0:07:38 > 0:07:40of all those glorious roses.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42And all that hard work by the breeders, you know,
0:07:42 > 0:07:47and, do you know, a lot of those varieties haven't been surpassed?
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Robert's nursery is involved in the restoration
0:07:50 > 0:07:52of historic rose gardens,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54and he's currently working on Iford Manor,
0:07:54 > 0:07:58which was once the home of famous landscape designer
0:07:58 > 0:07:59Harold Ainsworth Peto.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02So given that you're restoring this part of the garden,
0:08:02 > 0:08:04what evidence do you have
0:08:04 > 0:08:07for what roses might have been growing on these pillars?
0:08:07 > 0:08:13The evidence comes in the form of a set of very old plant labels.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17So we know the list of roses - we then had the problem of deciding
0:08:17 > 0:08:18where each one's going to go.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21So that's your artistic licence coming in there.
0:08:21 > 0:08:22Thank you very much.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26I don't know what you feel, Robert, but for me this just has...
0:08:26 > 0:08:30it has a softness about it compared to a modern climber or rambler.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32- It doesn't have very formed flowers. - No.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35But, actually, that's part of its charm.
0:08:35 > 0:08:36That's part of its charm.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39These old climbers, in particular the Wichurana climbers,
0:08:39 > 0:08:41flower along the whole length of the stem,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43no matter whether they're upright
0:08:43 > 0:08:45or whether they're running horizontal,
0:08:45 > 0:08:47simply because that's what they do in the wild.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50- Hm. And that's exactly what you want, isn't it?- Exactly.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53- You want it to be clothed in flowers all the way up.- Bottom to top.
0:09:05 > 0:09:06One of the oldest roses here
0:09:06 > 0:09:09in the national collection at Mottisfont, is this.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13It's Rosa gallica officinalis. Also called the apothecary's rose.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Now, it was thought to have been introduced into Britain
0:09:15 > 0:09:17probably during the Crusades,
0:09:17 > 0:09:19so it's been growing in our gardens for an awfully long time
0:09:19 > 0:09:22and it's absolutely ravishing.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Ah, and has the most fantastic fragrance.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28In fact, if you stand here, the perfume is incredible.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33And all these amazing flowers are under the care of head gardener
0:09:33 > 0:09:36and rose lover - Jonny Bass.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39How many roses have you got here, because it's an enormous space?
0:09:39 > 0:09:44About 420 registered with the national collection.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46It's the perfect setting for them, isn't it?
0:09:46 > 0:09:48I mean, you've got this wonderful walled garden
0:09:48 > 0:09:51and then it's actually a very simple design.
0:09:51 > 0:09:52That's exactly right.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55The whole garden is set out as a colour palette.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59The companion planting is there to help show off the roses,
0:09:59 > 0:10:01but, as you say, it's very simple.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03What about old roses specifically?
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Because I know that many people feel...
0:10:06 > 0:10:08because many of them don't repeat,
0:10:08 > 0:10:12some have a tendency to be slightly more tricky to look after.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14What's your feeling about that?
0:10:14 > 0:10:17These are certainly elements of growing old roses.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20You have to accept that, but it's no reason not to grow them.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23With just the right bit of TLC here and there
0:10:23 > 0:10:26and thinking about where you're planting them, you could have this
0:10:26 > 0:10:30fantastic display of roses and the scent is something you can't convey.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33When you walk in here in the morning it's like walking
0:10:33 > 0:10:34into a perfume shop.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36What are your favourites?
0:10:36 > 0:10:39I have a bit of a special affinity for the Adelaide d'Orleans
0:10:39 > 0:10:40that grow over the arches.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42I think they're stunning.
0:10:42 > 0:10:47But I also have a very special love for Kathleen Harrop, which is
0:10:47 > 0:10:51a beautiful pink climber - virtually thorn-less,
0:10:51 > 0:10:53heavily scented and it's just wonderful.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55To me that is a classic rose.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Often people ask the ages of the rose,
0:10:58 > 0:11:00in terms of when they were first discovered
0:11:00 > 0:11:03or when they were first bred. And when you look back and you think -
0:11:03 > 0:11:06some of them are 800 years old, possibly older, it astounds people.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10Do you think it also inspires people to grown old roses
0:11:10 > 0:11:11in their own gardens?
0:11:11 > 0:11:14I would like to think that people will come here
0:11:14 > 0:11:15and see what we do and think,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18"Hey, I can do a bit of that in my garden."
0:11:18 > 0:11:20And, in turn, bring back slightly more into fashion
0:11:20 > 0:11:22some of the old varieties.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27In order to get the most out of the roses here in the garden,
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Jonny employs some very clever, but simple, techniques.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Jonny, these beds are so floriferous,
0:11:34 > 0:11:38how do you get this quantity of blooms on the shrubs?
0:11:38 > 0:11:40What we tend to do here is pegging down.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44It's a way of using all of the growth of the shrub that's
0:11:44 > 0:11:48brought up over the year and we will use these stems
0:11:48 > 0:11:52and we'll bring them right the way down and peg them into the ground,
0:11:52 > 0:11:56and this way you get a flower effect all the way along that length.
0:11:56 > 0:12:01And instead of traditionally pruning them down to three or four feet,
0:12:01 > 0:12:05we're using all of this space to produce whole lengths of flowers.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08It's really clever and it absolutely works.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10What time in the year would you do that?
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Very early spring. And we will come through
0:12:13 > 0:12:17and take out the flower stems from the previous year.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Will you cut those right out?
0:12:19 > 0:12:21We will cut those right out at the base
0:12:21 > 0:12:25and that then encourages these lovely new bits of growth to come
0:12:25 > 0:12:26up over the season,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30and these will be our replacement stems for next year.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34So we'll bend these all the way down and they'll come over
0:12:34 > 0:12:35and peg in quite nicely.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37And the process repeats itself.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40What sort of rose is it most suitable for?
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Hybrid perpetuals and Bourbons.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Just precisely because they produce
0:12:44 > 0:12:48these lovely long bits of growth - six or eight feet in a year.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50But you could try it with anything, really.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53I think it's a case of, if you've got a rose which you think might be
0:12:53 > 0:12:55suitable, give it a go.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06My campaign is all about getting you,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10the Great British public, to buy more old roses for your gardens.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14I think that an awful lot of old roses
0:13:14 > 0:13:18are locked away in very beautiful, but quite often very grand gardens
0:13:18 > 0:13:23and I want to set them free so we can all enjoy them.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28I've conjured up an idea that is slightly off the garden wall
0:13:28 > 0:13:30but I can't do it alone.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33I've come to this garden centre in Solihull to enlist
0:13:33 > 0:13:37the help of a crack team of budding rose revivalists.
0:13:37 > 0:13:38Hey, everybody.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40ALL: Hello.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44This is what I want to see, a really enthusiastic bunch of gardeners.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47'This youthful crop of flower enthusiasts
0:13:47 > 0:13:48'hail from Solihull College
0:13:48 > 0:13:51'and I'm hoping that my slightly harebrained idea
0:13:51 > 0:13:54'will give this lot the inspiration they need.'
0:13:56 > 0:14:01We are going to plant a garden on a truck.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03- That's different.- Sounds good!
0:14:03 > 0:14:06And then we're going to take this truck out into Solihull
0:14:06 > 0:14:07and see what people think.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09We're going to sell those old roses.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12'And now for the roses, as well as some other plants that will
0:14:12 > 0:14:14'complement them.'
0:14:14 > 0:14:17I think I might have slightly overdone it, as usual.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24Oh, calamity. There's a disaster - losing a delphinium.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Revival is never easy... but it's worth it.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34'Time to get cracking before this weather gets any worse.'
0:14:34 > 0:14:38Just push it right down as far as it will go in the centre, yeah.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40I love it already. OK, some plants.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43This is Rosa gallica officinalis.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47So it's a really ancient rose. But so beautiful.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49That's great, thanks.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51That's a moss rose. Can you see?
0:14:51 > 0:14:54It's got a sort of really mossy... The buds are slightly fluffy.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Gorgeous, isn't it? Thank you.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59'My rose garden is finally taking shape
0:14:59 > 0:15:03'but the skies are getting darker and the rain has started.'
0:15:03 > 0:15:06They look pretty good with the rest of the stuff we're planting with it.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09Sometimes you see them in the garden centre or the nursery
0:15:09 > 0:15:11and they're just plonked there, aren't they?
0:15:11 > 0:15:13And you've got all the roses together.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16If you've got a mixture it probably makes people want to buy them.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20That's the last plant going in there, so well done, everybody!
0:15:20 > 0:15:21CHEERING
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Whoo! Excellent.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27'And, as luck would have it, the sun has finally come out to play
0:15:27 > 0:15:31'and just in time to take my garden to the people of Solihull.'
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Now, I'm very glad you're coming to have a look
0:15:35 > 0:15:37because I'm very proud of this.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39This is a pop-up rose garden.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41They are absolutely beautiful.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43- Do you like them? - I do.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46- Do you grow roses at the moment? - I've got a couple in my garden, yes.
0:15:46 > 0:15:47I don't grow them.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50I wish I had the time. But I do love them.
0:15:50 > 0:15:51Very attractive.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53I like the way that you've done
0:15:53 > 0:15:55the pale pinks with the dark foliage there.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57They look fab, yes.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00The thing that really strikes me about this is the smell.
0:16:00 > 0:16:01The smell is really, really lovely.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05- They smell nice. - A nice fragrance?
0:16:05 > 0:16:08- Oh, gosh, yeah, they do. - They do, don't they?
0:16:08 > 0:16:10That's one thing about the roses in my garden, they don't smell.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Oh, you see a rose without a scent,
0:16:12 > 0:16:14I mean, that's just no good at all. No, no, no!
0:16:14 > 0:16:16So would you consider perhaps including
0:16:16 > 0:16:18one old rose in your garden?
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Well, yeah, for sure. Yeah, definitely.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24- Old roses, that's the thing, yes? - I like receiving roses.
0:16:24 > 0:16:25Don't we all.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27It doesn't happen very often, though.
0:16:27 > 0:16:28THEY GIGGLE
0:16:28 > 0:16:32I think it's safe to say that my pop-up rose garden has given some
0:16:32 > 0:16:34inspiration to the gardeners of Solihull.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43This is the North Garden here at Mottisfont
0:16:43 > 0:16:46and these wonderful ramblers are just beginning to establish
0:16:46 > 0:16:49themselves over the arches. They're going to be magnificent.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Now there are many ways that you can grow old roses in your own garden,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55so here are just a few tips.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Most old roses are shrub roses like this ravishing...
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Absolutely beautiful.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Now, many of them have really strong, tough growth.
0:17:13 > 0:17:14They're very vigorous.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18They've also got, on the whole, pretty good disease resistance,
0:17:18 > 0:17:22so if you grow them healthily they tend to stay in good nick.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26Because they're so big it really makes such a statement -
0:17:26 > 0:17:29just the one plant and it will just be so breathtaking
0:17:29 > 0:17:30at this time of year.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32You'll never regret it.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38If you want a really substantial shrub, perhaps even for hedging,
0:17:38 > 0:17:43maybe with sharp thorns to deter intruders, well, this is perfect.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47It's Rosa rugosa 'Rubra'. It also comes in a white form.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52Beautiful healthy foliage and these lovely, large magenta flowers.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55They're single flowers. In there you can see the golden stamens
0:17:55 > 0:17:57in the middle of the flower.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Now it also has another trick up its sleeve.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03You get these beautiful flowers in the summer, then don't dead head
0:18:03 > 0:18:05because you will get stunning rosehips through the autumn.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09You can just see on this faded flower the beginning of that
0:18:09 > 0:18:11hip forming behind the bloom.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13And they're lovely.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15They're really fat and juicy and a gorgeous,
0:18:15 > 0:18:16sort of, orange colour.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20So this plant - nobody could say, "Here's an old rose that doesn't
0:18:20 > 0:18:22"earn its keep in the garden."
0:18:26 > 0:18:30Climbing roses have a stiff branching habit which makes them
0:18:30 > 0:18:33perfect for training onto walls and fences like this.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37But they're not self-supporting. They need tying into wires.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40They often have much larger individual flowers
0:18:40 > 0:18:45but sometimes less flowers overall. And sometimes they repeat flower.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48This is Crimson Glory.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50It was bred in the mid-1930s, so just getting into that
0:18:50 > 0:18:51old-rose territory.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55I think it's actually very beautiful and it has masses of impact.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Ramblers can go pretty big.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04In fact they can even romp up through a tree but they're also
0:19:04 > 0:19:09perfect for clothing a pergola or growing over an arch like this one.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12This was bred in the early 19th century.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16They flower on old wood, so ideally you just prune them,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19really, to give them a bit of shape and keep them within bounds,
0:19:19 > 0:19:24but I would say find a space where they can really do their thing
0:19:24 > 0:19:26and then just let them go for it.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30So, whatever shape or size your garden, there is surely
0:19:30 > 0:19:33a beautiful old rose for you.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44For the next part of my revival I'm visiting what is considered
0:19:44 > 0:19:47the most famous rose nursery in Britain.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53This is the perfect place to come if you want to see old roses
0:19:53 > 0:19:58looking their absolute best, and the very latest in modern breeding.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01David Austin is considered a legend
0:20:01 > 0:20:04when it comes to cross-breeding old roses with new.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08He aims to create plants that repeat flower
0:20:08 > 0:20:12and are disease resistant, but at the same time retain the colour,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15form and scent of older rose varieties.
0:20:15 > 0:20:21And his success is more than evident in this beautiful two-acre garden.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24This is absolutely stunning.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27- It is, isn't it? - A beauty. Tell me a bit about it.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32It's a gallica rose. Its name is Duc de Guiche.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34That will be the one flowering it has.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38- Oh! - It's a true old-rose fragrance.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41That's a knockout fragrance!
0:20:41 > 0:20:44There are some great examples here that demonstrate just how
0:20:44 > 0:20:49David's managed to get the best of both old and new roses in one plant.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51David, tell me a little bit about this one
0:20:51 > 0:20:54because I know this is new for this year -
0:20:54 > 0:20:55Olivia Rose Austin.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58It's very unique in that as far as we know
0:20:58 > 0:21:00we've never seen any disease on it.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03It has that real old-rose shape.
0:21:03 > 0:21:04It has, yes.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07One of the things we try to breed here is as much variety as possible.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10And this for me is a perfect example of how you bring
0:21:10 > 0:21:12through that old-rose quality
0:21:12 > 0:21:17- and you put it into a rose here with good disease resistance.- Yes.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20David's incredible propagating wisdom has been passed
0:21:20 > 0:21:23onto his son, David Austin Junior, who has worked
0:21:23 > 0:21:27alongside his father for over 15 years.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30Give me the cold hard facts, though, about old roses.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32I mean, are people buying them?
0:21:32 > 0:21:36Not in huge numbers, no. I think it's more for the connoisseur.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39The people who really know about roses and really appreciate
0:21:39 > 0:21:40what they offer.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Obviously, it is down to practicalities.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45They don't flower for as long.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48What about the argument that I have, which is that something
0:21:48 > 0:21:50flowering for a short time shouldn't be enough to put you off
0:21:50 > 0:21:53because there are lots of things that have a short flowering period.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Yeah. I mean, wisteria, you know.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58One of the most magnificent plants you can have in the garden.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00A short flowering period.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03But there isn't really a repeat flowering version, so the wisteria
0:22:03 > 0:22:08will always hold its own and commercially will be a huge seller.
0:22:08 > 0:22:09Whereas the poor old,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12old rose has to compete with something
0:22:12 > 0:22:14that performs over a longer period.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16But I totally agree with you.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18They have a place in the garden.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22In the quest to create new rose varieties
0:22:22 > 0:22:24some cross-pollination is required.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28Pollen from one rose variety is used to pollinate another plant,
0:22:28 > 0:22:30thus creating a hybrid of the two.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34I'm going to see just how it works with David Junior
0:22:34 > 0:22:37and chief propagator, Sue Baker.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40The first step is that we take the petals off and then
0:22:40 > 0:22:42we collect the pollen.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45She's obviously very carefully removing all the pollen
0:22:45 > 0:22:47heads on the top of the stamens.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51If she doesn't do that there is a risk that it could self-pollinate.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55If this happens it will be hard to determine the exact parentage
0:22:55 > 0:22:57of the new plant.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03So with all the pollen heads removed from this flower,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06it's time to introduce pollen from a different variety of rose.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11Why don't you have a go at pollinating?
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Ooh. Ooh this is very exciting!
0:23:13 > 0:23:16The pollen is normally around the side.
0:23:16 > 0:23:17Oh, it's the very, very fine dust.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20Make sure you've got quite a bit on your brush.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- So load the brush with the pollen? - That's it yes. Load the brush up.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26- OK, and then just where? All over the stamen?- Yes.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28It is really hard to see exactly what you're doing.
0:23:28 > 0:23:33- I feel a great sense of responsibility - being a bee.- Yes.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Once the cross-pollination is complete there's a very
0:23:36 > 0:23:40exciting wait to see if the cross has been a success.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45The cross that you made, the hip will be harvested
0:23:45 > 0:23:49and then the following spring, those seeds will be planted out
0:23:49 > 0:23:52- and this is the result.- This is just the first hurdle, isn't it?
0:23:52 > 0:23:54You then have all your trials and so on?
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Absolutely. It's an eight-year process.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01So there's something like 60,000 individual seedlings here.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04I had no idea it was that many to produce so few.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07We are very conscious of making plants that are
0:24:07 > 0:24:10easy for people to have in their garden,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13and the big aspect for people is disease resistance.
0:24:13 > 0:24:14If we don't have to spray them
0:24:14 > 0:24:18then it will be an absolutely fantastic thing to achieve.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27Back at Mottisfont there are hundreds of old rose varieties
0:24:27 > 0:24:31that you could choose for your garden.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Once you've picked your favourite you need to know how to plant
0:24:34 > 0:24:36and take care of it properly.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39So here are some key pointers to bear in mind.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Well, find yourself a nice sunny spot
0:24:48 > 0:24:51because most roses prefer a good five or six hours
0:24:51 > 0:24:53of direct sunshine every day,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56although ramblers will, sort of, scramble up to find the light.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58I'm planting a containerised rose
0:24:58 > 0:25:01although you can also buy roses bare root and, in fact,
0:25:01 > 0:25:05if you're going for an old rose often you'll find more variety out
0:25:05 > 0:25:09of season and then they arrive when they're dormant and you put them in.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13You want a nice big hole to be dug, either for containers
0:25:13 > 0:25:14or for bare root.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17At least twice the diameter really of that root ball
0:25:17 > 0:25:20and also you need to make sure it's deep enough.
0:25:20 > 0:25:25And I want to get that graft union there between the top
0:25:25 > 0:25:30of the rose and the root stock just slightly below ground level.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34With the hole ready, add compost
0:25:34 > 0:25:38and some mycorrhizal fungi for an extra boost.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42I'm just going to sprinkle into that hole so that it comes
0:25:42 > 0:25:46into really good contact with the roots and those roots - which become
0:25:46 > 0:25:49woody but initially they're quite fibrous - really benefit from those.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Because it will help them to draw up water
0:25:52 > 0:25:57and nutrients really quickly and help it to establish healthily.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00And, in fact, if you start your rose off well then you're going to find
0:26:00 > 0:26:03that all sorts of other problems like mildew and black spot
0:26:03 > 0:26:07are much less likely if you've got a rose to begin with
0:26:07 > 0:26:09that's in really good heart.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12Now we're just going to ease that out of the pot.
0:26:12 > 0:26:17There we are. And you can see there those fibrous roots.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19So I'm going to try and find its front.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22There usually is a front. I think that's probably the right way
0:26:22 > 0:26:28and then just start to fill in again around the base.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33Making sure that you don't miss any gaps.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35You don't want any air pockets under there.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42Now I've chosen here a rose called Charles de Mills which is
0:26:42 > 0:26:45one of my favourites. It's a gallica.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47I'm just going to firm that in with my boot.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49You don't want it rocking about.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54And Charles de Mills has a lovely fragrance.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57It's got these beautiful, almost quartered flowers.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Really just packed with petals and quite an open shape.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03In a lovely sort of raspberry shade that just, kind of,
0:27:03 > 0:27:05fades through to mauve.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10And that last bit I normally just do with my hands.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15And you can also leave just a little depression, sort of, around it.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Almost like a little moat.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20This will ensure that water effectively penetrates
0:27:20 > 0:27:23the soil surrounding the roots.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Now the other thing you can do, at the same time, particularly
0:27:26 > 0:27:27with an old rose is...
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Because it has a fairly short flowering period
0:27:30 > 0:27:34you might want to plant companions with it right from the outset.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36So something like clematis viticella.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38Now that's perfect
0:27:38 > 0:27:41because the pruning for this is at the same time as it would be for
0:27:41 > 0:27:44the Charles de Mills, so that's really before it gets going
0:27:44 > 0:27:48at the very beginning of the spring. And then under plant them as well.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50Put in narcissi or alliums
0:27:50 > 0:27:53so that you really extend the season of interest
0:27:53 > 0:27:56and the other bonus is that roses like Charles de Mills have very
0:27:56 > 0:28:00attractive foliage, so that not only does it look beautiful in flower
0:28:00 > 0:28:04it still holds its own in the garden right the way through the season.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16Deep in the Suffolk countryside lives one lady who's already
0:28:16 > 0:28:18an avid old-rose revivalist.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Smallwood Farmhouse is home to Widget Finn
0:28:21 > 0:28:25and her impressive collection of over 50 old-rose varieties.
0:28:26 > 0:28:32There's a grace to them. The old roses will just look beautiful.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36Look soft. Smell wonderful.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39Widget fell in love with old roses over 40 years ago
0:28:39 > 0:28:42and has grown them ever since.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45I love them for their names. There's Rambling Rector.
0:28:45 > 0:28:50There's Great Maiden's Blush. There's Cardinal Richelieu.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52They all have very wonderful names
0:28:52 > 0:28:55and they're very easy to grow. Once they get established
0:28:55 > 0:28:59they will just carry on growing and blooming.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04I think that more people should grow old roses.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08Partly to keep the history going and partly because they're very
0:29:08 > 0:29:11easy and partly because they're just absolutely beautiful.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23This is my idea of heaven.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26There's nowhere I'd rather be than in a scented rose garden just
0:29:26 > 0:29:29brimming with beautiful blooms.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31And old roses are survivors.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34They've been handed down to us through generations.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Almost like a precious family heirloom.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40They're far too good to let slip through our fingers
0:29:40 > 0:29:43and no British garden should be without one.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53Across the series our revival team are travelling the length
0:29:53 > 0:29:56and breadth of Britain celebrating our gardens.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00You couldn't draw, as a landscape artist, a more perfect picture.
0:30:00 > 0:30:01Flowers.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04And their perfume. Oh, it's sensational.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06And plants.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09This plant is perfect. That's going to get off to a great start.
0:30:09 > 0:30:14Next, Joe Swift is on the campaign trail for climbers and creepers.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24There's one group of plants inextricably linked to the way
0:30:24 > 0:30:28we view our homes and gardens. And I love them.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34From wonderful wisteria to deliciously-scented honeysuckles,
0:30:34 > 0:30:38heavenly hydrangeas and exotic passion flowers.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42Climbers and creepers just offer up so much
0:30:42 > 0:30:44and so many choices to the British gardener.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49But many of us are scared of them.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53We think they're going to get out of control and even damage our homes.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58I want to dispel some of the myths that have grown up around
0:30:58 > 0:31:02these fantastic plants and show you that with the right selection...
0:31:02 > 0:31:07and a little bit of maintenance, they'll suit any style of garden.
0:31:07 > 0:31:08On my revival campaign...
0:31:08 > 0:31:10Oh, we had a beep, a beep.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13..I'm going to be using science to make the case for growing
0:31:13 > 0:31:15climbers up the walls of our homes.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17It's like covering your house with a nice duvet?
0:31:17 > 0:31:19Yeah, that's a good way of thinking about it.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22I'll show you the best way to create a classic structure
0:31:22 > 0:31:23for your climbing vegetables.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25And there you go.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28That is one of the most satisfying gardening jobs you'll ever do.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31'And I'll be sizing up a 250-foot-long wisteria.'
0:31:31 > 0:31:33What?!
0:31:40 > 0:31:44This is Heale Gardens just outside Salisbury in Wiltshire.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48And the fantastic house behind me remains largely unchanged
0:31:48 > 0:31:53since King Charles II hid here before fleeing to France in 1651.
0:31:53 > 0:31:57But the eight acres of garden have evolved over time
0:31:57 > 0:32:01and are now a very magical place on the banks of the River Avon.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08But I've not really come for the interesting history nor
0:32:08 > 0:32:10the delightful Japanese garden.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13I'm here for the wonderful collection of climbers
0:32:13 > 0:32:16and creepers to start my revival campaign.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20There are honeysuckles and clematis-laden arches,
0:32:20 > 0:32:24and walls covered with wisteria and roses.
0:32:24 > 0:32:26These plants all have their own wonderful ways of growing up
0:32:26 > 0:32:29and over whatever they can attach themselves to.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36This ivy growing up this cherry tree reminds me of my first ever
0:32:36 > 0:32:40gardening job, which was to take an inappropriate plant out of a tree.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43This is absolutely fine because it can be snipped back, but I had
0:32:43 > 0:32:47to take a Russian vine that had completely taken over a vast tree.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51Climb up into it and cut it all the way back to the ground
0:32:51 > 0:32:52and then dig the roots out.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54And my first ever day taught me
0:32:54 > 0:32:57a very important lesson - it's to plant the right plant in the
0:32:57 > 0:33:01right place, but also to manage a plant as well and keep on top of it.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09Sadly, climbers are seen as aggressive thuggish plants.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11They're trying to take over the world.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13Give them an inch and they'll take a mile.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15But I honestly think these plants are misunderstood.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17They offer so much.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21Something like this rose has a delicious scent, as other
0:33:21 > 0:33:24climbers do too and they flower around eye level which is
0:33:24 > 0:33:25just where you want it.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28And over there that honeysuckle is perfect
0:33:28 > 0:33:30for softening a wall or a fence.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32They cleanse the air of pollution.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36Provide vital habitats for birds and insects.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39And with space at a premium in so many of our gardens they can
0:33:39 > 0:33:43give you a huge amount of interest with a relatively small footprint.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55And where better to start my campaign than Oxford?
0:33:55 > 0:33:57A city famous for its university
0:33:57 > 0:34:00and quadrangles covered in climbers and creepers.
0:34:03 > 0:34:07This is Lincoln College, founded in 1427.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10It's one of the oldest colleges at the university and one
0:34:10 > 0:34:13of the buildings most notable features is this Virginia creeper.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17Look at this. This is amazing.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20It's so quintessentially English somehow, with the stone
0:34:20 > 0:34:21and then the Virginia creeper
0:34:21 > 0:34:24and there's a climbing hydrangea over there.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26And people think that they're boring
0:34:26 > 0:34:29but actually a plant like this reflects every single season.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32The fresh green leaves in spring. Really glossy.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36Really alive. And then in the autumn turn the most intense red
0:34:36 > 0:34:38autumn colour.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40You can't have flowers everywhere in a garden.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43You've got to have a good backdrop at some point.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45The Virginia creeper was first introduced to these
0:34:45 > 0:34:49shores by 17th-century horticulturalist John Tradescant.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52And the fashion for climbers and creepers in our gardens
0:34:52 > 0:34:54reached its peak during the late Victorian
0:34:54 > 0:34:56and early Edwardian Arts and Crafts period.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01Here at the college it's head gardener Digby Styles's job
0:35:01 > 0:35:03to preserve this historic plant.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05Wow, this is ancient, isn't it?
0:35:05 > 0:35:08I've never seen a Virginia creeper with a trunk quite like that.
0:35:08 > 0:35:09How old is it? Do you know?
0:35:09 > 0:35:11We think about 120 years old.
0:35:11 > 0:35:12What about the roots?
0:35:12 > 0:35:14I mean, you know, a lot of people are really worried
0:35:14 > 0:35:17about the damage a plant like this would do to the building
0:35:17 > 0:35:19and how much moisture it takes out of the soil.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21Are there any problems here at all?
0:35:21 > 0:35:23Um, we notice it on the lawn in the summer where it saps all
0:35:23 > 0:35:27the moisture, but it doesn't cause any damage that we know of.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30They've been here for so long that, yeah, I think we'd know by now
0:35:30 > 0:35:31if they were going to.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34It would probably cause more damage if you took it out now, actually.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36Yeah. With the roots rotting off, yeah.
0:35:36 > 0:35:37It's fantastic.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40It's not hard to see why the rich green tapestry
0:35:40 > 0:35:41of this Virginia creeper
0:35:41 > 0:35:45has been inspiring students and staff here for over a century.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47Just admiring the greenery.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49I thought you were going to admire me.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51I'll admire you at the same time.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53SHE GIGGLES
0:35:53 > 0:35:56Well, what's it like working overlooking this courtyard?
0:35:56 > 0:35:58Oh, it's like no other place.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01You have quiet, tranquillity... and you see the season changes
0:36:01 > 0:36:04and the colours change all the time.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07So even just from these climbers you're sensing
0:36:07 > 0:36:09and experiencing every season?
0:36:09 > 0:36:12In the spring it makes me feel like I'm being renewed,
0:36:12 > 0:36:16when I see the new green shoots come up and in the autumn it's lovely.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18It's like you finish one year
0:36:18 > 0:36:22and you will complete a cycle, not only in the students' life,
0:36:22 > 0:36:24in the university's life, but also in nature.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29Unfortunately so many of us still live in fear of the climber.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32Fear that it will take over our gardens and trees
0:36:32 > 0:36:34and even damage the walls of our homes.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37Well, a research team from Oxford University have been looking at
0:36:37 > 0:36:41the facts and will hopefully settle this argument once and for all.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Dr Martin Coombes has been studying the effects of ivy on stone
0:36:47 > 0:36:52and brickwork and I'm hoping he'll have some good news for my revival.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54So what's going on here, then?
0:36:54 > 0:36:57We've been commissioned by English Heritage to look at how ivy
0:36:57 > 0:37:00interacts with the materials of the walls that it grows on.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03OK. So what results has it come up with?
0:37:03 > 0:37:06First thing we were interested in was how ivy responds to
0:37:06 > 0:37:11defects in walls, and so you'll see we've built in crevices and recesses
0:37:11 > 0:37:14and holes in some of the pointing and what we're actually finding is
0:37:14 > 0:37:18the ivy can only get in if there's an existing defect in the wall.
0:37:18 > 0:37:19So if your pointing is already good
0:37:19 > 0:37:22- your ivy is not going to get in there?- Absolutely.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24That's what I always thought. I always knew that one.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27- HE CHUCKLES OK, now there's a machine down there. - Yep.
0:37:27 > 0:37:28That looks exciting.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30So what this thing does
0:37:30 > 0:37:32is it gives us a reading of how hard the stone is.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34So this is going to tell us whether the stone
0:37:34 > 0:37:36has been softened in any way?
0:37:36 > 0:37:38- Can we do that?- Yeah. Have a go. Go for it.
0:37:38 > 0:37:39Oh, really? What do I do?
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Hold that onto this area here. Press the button.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44- There we go. - Oh, we had a beep.- A beep.- A beep!
0:37:44 > 0:37:46And then this gives us a reading on here.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48318.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52Then we get another number which is 359.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56359. Does that mean it's harder than the bit outside the ivy?
0:37:56 > 0:38:00Um, based on just two readings we can't really make that much of a conclusion.
0:38:00 > 0:38:01So this is a bit of an ongoing thing,
0:38:01 > 0:38:03but hopefully in the long term
0:38:03 > 0:38:05if we do much more readings we'll be able to make a more definite
0:38:05 > 0:38:07conclusion concerning this.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10So are there any conclusions that you have come to
0:38:10 > 0:38:11about ivy and the walls?
0:38:11 > 0:38:14Yes, we have found very good evidence that the ivy
0:38:14 > 0:38:16acts very much like a thermal blanket.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18So it keeps the stone cool in the summer
0:38:18 > 0:38:22and also what's really important, particularly when thinking
0:38:22 > 0:38:24about damage to the stone, is that it prevents frost from happening.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27And frost on your brickwork or stonework can degrade it
0:38:27 > 0:38:29- and it can actually flake away, can't it?- Absolutely, yeah.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32It's like covering your house with a nice duvet? In the winter.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35- That's a good way of thinking about it.- Good. I'm glad to hear
0:38:35 > 0:38:37that there's some positive stuff coming out of this.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39I know it's not, you know, fully concluded yet,
0:38:39 > 0:38:41but so far so good for the ivy.
0:38:41 > 0:38:42I would say so.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46And it's not just ivy that could be beneficial.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49Depending on certain factors such as the direction your walls
0:38:49 > 0:38:53are facing and density of foliage, research shows that many climbers,
0:38:53 > 0:38:58especially evergreens could provide extra insulation for our homes.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Climbers are basically cheats.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08They don't waste their energy growing stems strong enough
0:39:08 > 0:39:10to support themselves.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14It's much more energy efficient to use other plants or structures.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Here at Heale Gardens in Wiltshire this stunning pergola is
0:39:17 > 0:39:23laden with wisteria, laburnum, clematis and a grapevine too.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26Now, you may not have room for something this extravagant
0:39:26 > 0:39:31but let me inspire you with a few starter ideas for your garden.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38Honeysuckles are all about the scent.
0:39:38 > 0:39:43It's absolutely delicious and this is covered in blooms.
0:39:43 > 0:39:44And it's such a versatile climber.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46It can grow in partial shade or sun.
0:39:46 > 0:39:50Perfect for a garden wall or a fence and it's great for wildlife.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53In the summer when it flowers it's covered in bees,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56and then later in the autumn you get lovely red berries all over it
0:39:56 > 0:39:59which look great, but the birds love them too.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03Mm.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06When it comes to flowering plants you just can't beat clematis
0:40:06 > 0:40:09and this one is an absolute beauty.
0:40:09 > 0:40:10One of my favourites.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13Warszawska Nike it's called and you can see it's got lovely,
0:40:13 > 0:40:17velvety huge flowers and they're pretty easy to grow.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19They like to have their roots in the shade.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22Here it's perfect because we've got some perennials
0:40:22 > 0:40:25that are shading the roots and the plant will just grow away.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30If you've got a south or southwest-facing
0:40:30 > 0:40:32hot, baking boundary wall or fence
0:40:32 > 0:40:34then this is the plant for you.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36A passion flower.
0:40:36 > 0:40:40They come in a range of mauves and blues and pinks,
0:40:40 > 0:40:42but this one I really like.
0:40:42 > 0:40:43It's called Constance Eliott.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47It's got a whitey green flower with a lovely, distinctive yellow
0:40:47 > 0:40:51stamen in the middle. And it's a fast grower too.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54It's got these tendrils which cling onto pretty much anything.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56So if you wire up a wall like this.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00It's about nine or ten metres long - plant it in the middle.
0:41:00 > 0:41:04Within a few years that entire wall will be covered.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07I've got a passion for passion flower.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10But this is one of my all-time favourites.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12Trachelospermum jasminoides.
0:41:12 > 0:41:17Every garden should have one and it grows in sun or semi shade.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19As long as it's a protected wall
0:41:19 > 0:41:22and it doesn't get hit with really strong winds it will do nicely.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24It's just about to flower now.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27You get these tiny, little, white jasmine-like flowers
0:41:27 > 0:41:30and the stronger, sweeter scent.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33It's an absolute beauty and later on in the year - it's just turning.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36A few of the leaves got a nice, reddish tinge just to give
0:41:36 > 0:41:39a little bit more depth to the foliage colour.
0:41:39 > 0:41:43Now, a guide to climbers wouldn't be complete without climbing roses.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46And on this wall alone we've got three very different types, showing
0:41:46 > 0:41:49how versatile they are.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Over here we've got a beautiful white rose.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Absolutely covered in flowers emerging from pink buds.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59In the middle of this Trachelospermum we've got a very
0:41:59 > 0:42:03dainty little rose which is just scrambling its way through there.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06But this is my favourite.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10This yellow rose against the brick and the stonework there.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13The colours just work beautifully together.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16There's so many different roses to choose from
0:42:16 > 0:42:19and they come in a vast array of colours, but my advice would be
0:42:19 > 0:42:23think about the colour and how it's going to work with the wall behind.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27Just as they have here. And also make sure you get some that are scented.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29Why would you want to miss out?
0:42:37 > 0:42:40When it comes to climbers and creepers the key thing to
0:42:40 > 0:42:43remember is that you mustn't be afraid of pruning.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Be confident with your clippers.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48Here at Heale Gardens one man who knows how to keep these
0:42:48 > 0:42:52plants in check is head gardener Michael Maltby.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56Michael, beautiful akebia. I've got one at home, the maroon flowers.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59Lovely chocolaty scent in, well, late winter, really.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02But this has got a different flower, hasn't it?
0:43:02 > 0:43:03Yeah. Yeah, it's cream-flowering.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06The cream flowers really do work well with the stone.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08The balustrading.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11Yeah, because it's being trained laterally along the balustrade here.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14- Yes, yes.- And it's a very vigorous plant, isn't it?
0:43:14 > 0:43:15Yes, it is. It is.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17Erm, because of its vigour we tend to prune it
0:43:17 > 0:43:19three or four times a year.
0:43:19 > 0:43:20OK.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23What we do is we get hold of the long new growth
0:43:23 > 0:43:29and go back to the old wood, and one bud past the base or cluster,
0:43:29 > 0:43:32I would just prune it straight across there.
0:43:32 > 0:43:35But the beauty of it is you don't damage any of the old leaves
0:43:35 > 0:43:37that you're then going to be showing.
0:43:37 > 0:43:39And if it wasn't restricted it would take over
0:43:39 > 0:43:40the whole balustrade and probably...
0:43:40 > 0:43:43Oh, absolutely. It would just keep on going.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46I mean, it will climb up to, sort of, nine or 12 metres.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49Where you're comfortable climbing on a ladder that's where you...
0:43:49 > 0:43:52you should stop your climbers there.
0:43:52 > 0:43:55If you've get a level then, you know,
0:43:55 > 0:43:59train them into that level, erm, and I think that works very well.
0:43:59 > 0:44:01That's a very good bit of advice that.
0:44:01 > 0:44:03It's getting larger and larger
0:44:03 > 0:44:06so at some point then on a pruning then...
0:44:06 > 0:44:08we'd actually renovate a little bit as well.
0:44:08 > 0:44:09So cut back into some old wood.
0:44:09 > 0:44:10You'd have to go a bit harder.
0:44:10 > 0:44:13You might have to lose a few flowers one year maybe.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15Might lose a few flowers but, I mean, that's fine really.
0:44:15 > 0:44:17- That's the way it goes. - That's the way it goes.
0:44:17 > 0:44:20So this is a good plant to start pruning like this,
0:44:20 > 0:44:22- because you can't go too wrong. - Yes.
0:44:22 > 0:44:24People get so scared of pruning.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27Yeah, there's an extraordinary mystery about pruning.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29You know, some people love pruning,
0:44:29 > 0:44:31so for them it's an absolute pleasure.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34People just aren't... they tend to not be confident enough.
0:44:34 > 0:44:37- and something like this is going to build up your confidence.- Definitely.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40- Everyone should have one. - I agree. Yes.
0:44:40 > 0:44:41THEY CHUCKLE
0:44:41 > 0:44:43Everyone should have one.
0:44:57 > 0:45:00Someone who understands just how giving climbers and creepers can be
0:45:00 > 0:45:05is Judith Wilson. And this is her garden at Wickham Place in Essex.
0:45:05 > 0:45:06Judith, a wonderful walled garden.
0:45:06 > 0:45:09Absolutely beautiful. I get the sense of space.
0:45:09 > 0:45:11You've kept the lawn here with the stripes on it.
0:45:11 > 0:45:14But what was this garden like when you first came here?
0:45:14 > 0:45:18Overgrown. The flower beds just were a mass of weed.
0:45:18 > 0:45:22The lawn had been cut but everything just went into this great
0:45:22 > 0:45:25undergrowth of Japanese knotweed, brambles, nettles.
0:45:25 > 0:45:27You name it, really, and it was here.
0:45:27 > 0:45:29- So you had a real task on your hands.- Yes.
0:45:29 > 0:45:31I attacked it fairly vigorously - chain saw
0:45:31 > 0:45:35- and lots of bonfires and er... - THEY CHUCKLE
0:45:35 > 0:45:36It's the only way to do it.
0:45:36 > 0:45:39How important are climbers and creepers to your garden?
0:45:39 > 0:45:41With all the walls that we've got here we really do need to
0:45:41 > 0:45:46cover them up to an extent, but still be able to see the wall.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49Out of all the climbing plants in Judith's garden
0:45:49 > 0:45:52there is one in particular that I've come to see
0:45:52 > 0:45:56and it's one of the most popular creepers in the country - wisteria.
0:45:56 > 0:45:57Come and have a look out here.
0:45:57 > 0:46:00So on the other side of this wall there's more, is there?
0:46:00 > 0:46:01- The root's there. - The root's on this side
0:46:01 > 0:46:03and then you've trained it up and over and...
0:46:03 > 0:46:05And you come through here, then...
0:46:05 > 0:46:06What?!
0:46:08 > 0:46:10Never! That is amazing.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13There's a bit more. It actually goes round the corner.
0:46:13 > 0:46:16- How long is this, then? - That's 250 feet.
0:46:16 > 0:46:18- And it's one wisteria? - Yes.
0:46:18 > 0:46:20That is absolutely stunning.
0:46:20 > 0:46:22Now that's a labour of love, to prune that.
0:46:22 > 0:46:24- THEY LAUGH - It takes me about a week.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27So you cut it really hard back and then started training it?
0:46:27 > 0:46:30Yes, yes. Well, I brought just small pieces over
0:46:30 > 0:46:32and then started to train them
0:46:32 > 0:46:35long so it did about ten feet each year.
0:46:35 > 0:46:37Each direction.
0:46:37 > 0:46:41It took Judith 14 years to train this plant over the wall
0:46:41 > 0:46:42and it was a further six years
0:46:42 > 0:46:45before it came into full flowering glory.
0:46:45 > 0:46:48And now it's believed to be the longest wisteria in Britain.
0:46:48 > 0:46:50I've got something here I'm going to show you.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52This is one year's annual growth.
0:46:52 > 0:46:56OK. So this is... Wow. OK. This is from one year.
0:46:56 > 0:46:59- This is one year. - The whippy growth.- Yes.
0:46:59 > 0:47:02There we are. 5.8 metres.
0:47:02 > 0:47:04To you and I that's 19 feet.
0:47:04 > 0:47:07That's an incredible amount of growth in one year, isn't it?
0:47:07 > 0:47:11A younger shrub doesn't grow as much as that, you'll be pleased to know.
0:47:11 > 0:47:15This is 60 years old, so it is fairly vigorous.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18If you fancy a wonderful wisteria for your own garden, a good
0:47:18 > 0:47:21tip is to go for plants grown from cuttings or by grafting,
0:47:21 > 0:47:24as they are likely to flower sooner than those raised from seed.
0:47:24 > 0:47:27I think people have got the fear a little bit and are a bit
0:47:27 > 0:47:30scared of growing climbers, creepers on the house and the walls.
0:47:30 > 0:47:32- They shouldn't have. - What do you think about it?
0:47:32 > 0:47:35OK. I've shown you wisteria which is quite strong,
0:47:35 > 0:47:37but grown in the right place it can be very gentle.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40It can grow just across an archway of a door.
0:47:40 > 0:47:44The clematis, the hops, they're absolutely beautiful.
0:47:44 > 0:47:45They can be grown anywhere.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49But the important thing is - right place, right plant.
0:47:49 > 0:47:51I couldn't agree more.
0:47:51 > 0:47:53It doubles the area of your garden.
0:47:53 > 0:47:56Let's get climbing up the walls. Where's the ladders?
0:47:56 > 0:47:58THEY LAUGH
0:47:58 > 0:48:00What a pleasure it was to meet Judith.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03Now, she really understands what climbers bring to her garden
0:48:03 > 0:48:07and let's hope she inspired some of you to grow them too.
0:48:07 > 0:48:09But you don't have to grow them this big.
0:48:18 > 0:48:19Beautiful as they are,
0:48:19 > 0:48:22climbers and creepers are not just for decoration.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25Many of them serve a practical purpose too.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28Vertical plants have always created a striking structure
0:48:28 > 0:48:32in the vegetable garden, just as they have here in Heale Gardens.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35Now I'm going to show you how to make a wigwam to grow
0:48:35 > 0:48:39one of the most productive climbers in the vegetable garden -
0:48:39 > 0:48:40the runner bean.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47Now, the thing about runner beans is they like a good soil,
0:48:47 > 0:48:49well prepared.
0:48:49 > 0:48:51I'm just raking it level.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54And then the next thing to do is to start...
0:48:56 > 0:48:57..putting your posts up.
0:48:57 > 0:48:59Now, I'm using hazel.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02You can use bamboo but I think hazel looks a little bit better
0:49:02 > 0:49:06and, actually, what I've already done is cut a little slant
0:49:06 > 0:49:10in the bottom - poke into the ground that much easier.
0:49:10 > 0:49:12Use at least half a dozen sticks
0:49:12 > 0:49:14and tie them at the top with some string.
0:49:14 > 0:49:17There you go. And that really is very solid.
0:49:17 > 0:49:19So I've got some beans ready to grow.
0:49:19 > 0:49:21This is a good little tip, actually.
0:49:21 > 0:49:24Rather than planting it on the outside of the cane,
0:49:24 > 0:49:27if you plant them just on the inside
0:49:27 > 0:49:30they tend to grip on better and get growing.
0:49:30 > 0:49:32Dig a little hole...
0:49:35 > 0:49:37..and then pop it in.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40I'm popping it in a little bit deeper than
0:49:40 > 0:49:43it was growing away because it just makes it firmer.
0:49:43 > 0:49:48And it makes sure it's got a nice easy root run down there.
0:49:48 > 0:49:50And there you go.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53You can see it's actually going to just start growing,
0:49:53 > 0:49:56it's already attaching itself - that one.
0:49:56 > 0:49:58So there you go. One done, five to go.
0:50:05 > 0:50:07And there you go.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10That is one of the most satisfying gardening jobs you'll ever do.
0:50:10 > 0:50:12Now, I've used a variety called streamline.
0:50:12 > 0:50:14It's got a lovely red flower.
0:50:14 > 0:50:16A really ornamental plant in itself
0:50:16 > 0:50:19and I would expect that in a couple of months this will be
0:50:19 > 0:50:23completely covered with growth and it will have beans on it as well.
0:50:23 > 0:50:27Water them really well and regularly. Feed them,
0:50:27 > 0:50:30something like liquid seaweed is perfect. And also give them
0:50:30 > 0:50:33a mulch every now and then to lock the moisture in, and when they
0:50:33 > 0:50:38start fruiting just keep picking them and they will keep producing.
0:50:38 > 0:50:39That's as simple as that.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53There are those creepers that naturally drive themselves upwards,
0:50:53 > 0:50:56but there are other plants that can be manipulated to
0:50:56 > 0:50:58act like a creeper.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00The most famous one being the grapevine.
0:51:00 > 0:51:03It really is a vineyard, isn't it? Fantastic.
0:51:03 > 0:51:05Yeah. It's a solid little vineyard.
0:51:05 > 0:51:09Marko Bojcun lives in North London and started successfully
0:51:09 > 0:51:12growing his grapes on his allotment over 20 years ago.
0:51:12 > 0:51:15He now runs the Capital's only cooperative vineyard
0:51:15 > 0:51:19in Epping Forest, where he grows over 400 vines.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22- Pruning is key, isn't it? - Yes, yes, it is.
0:51:22 > 0:51:24- Because the way you prune these vines...- Yeah.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26How old are these?
0:51:26 > 0:51:29Erm, this vine is coming into its fifth year.
0:51:29 > 0:51:31At the end of every growing season when the leaves fall off,
0:51:31 > 0:51:37we cut 90% of the wood and leave only as many buds
0:51:37 > 0:51:40as the vine will be able to carry in the following season.
0:51:40 > 0:51:44By midsummer this vine will have climbed all the way up to the
0:51:44 > 0:51:47top wire, which is well over a metre from this point here.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50Yeah, they're vigorous plants, aren't they? They're really vigorous.
0:51:50 > 0:51:5310cm a day, which is very, very fast.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56So, the question on everybody's lips is how many bottles of wine
0:51:56 > 0:51:58do you expect to get from this vineyard?
0:51:58 > 0:52:01We should have up to 800 bottles of wine.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04Two... Roughly, two bottles of wine per vine.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06That's not bad, is it?
0:52:06 > 0:52:08Of course, you don't have to have a vineyard to grow grapes.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11I mean, a lot of people have got vines in their gardens,
0:52:11 > 0:52:14growing over pergola's or up the house wall or whatever.
0:52:14 > 0:52:18All you really need is a wall or a fence to train the vine onto
0:52:18 > 0:52:20and the vine will grow very healthily.
0:52:20 > 0:52:22You make it sound so easy.
0:52:22 > 0:52:25'This cooperative vineyard even has its own winery where people
0:52:25 > 0:52:27'come from all over the capital with grapes they've
0:52:27 > 0:52:31'grown on their own vines to be turned into wine.'
0:52:31 > 0:52:33What vintage is this, Marko?
0:52:33 > 0:52:36- This is a 2012 Regent. - Sounded good.
0:52:41 > 0:52:43Hm. There's a lot of raspberry.
0:52:43 > 0:52:44Quite clean.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47What sort of alcohol content would that have, then?
0:52:47 > 0:52:48This is about 11% alcohol.
0:52:48 > 0:52:50- OK. Good. - It's quite light.
0:52:50 > 0:52:52- Yeah, it's nice. That's very nice. - Thank you.
0:52:52 > 0:52:54So the grapes that you made this wine from...
0:52:54 > 0:52:56they're not from here, are they, the grapes?
0:52:56 > 0:52:59By the River Lea in Springfield Park in Hackney.
0:52:59 > 0:53:01- A Hackney wine...- Indeed. - ..for a Hackney man.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04- That's right.- Absolutely, yeah.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06- Cheers.- Cheers. - That gives me an idea.
0:53:08 > 0:53:10Being an East London boy myself,
0:53:10 > 0:53:14I'm taking to the streets to find out what people think of this local vino
0:53:14 > 0:53:17and show them the benefits of growing climbers and creepers.
0:53:17 > 0:53:20Try this. OK. It's a nice glass of wine.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23- OK.- Why not? - After a long day's work.
0:53:23 > 0:53:26- This is very good. - Do you like that?
0:53:26 > 0:53:28I do, yes.
0:53:28 > 0:53:29That's quite nice.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32Where do you think it might come from?
0:53:32 > 0:53:34I have no idea.
0:53:34 > 0:53:36- It's Portugal.- Portuguese?- Yeah.
0:53:36 > 0:53:38- Mary would know more than me. - Have a guess.- Chile?
0:53:38 > 0:53:41Chile? It's from Hackney, just around the corner.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44- I don't believe it.- Yeah. You could grow grapes on a balcony.
0:53:44 > 0:53:46- Really?- You could get about two bottles of wine per vine
0:53:46 > 0:53:48and you can still grow it on your balcony.
0:53:48 > 0:53:50You see these buildings, they're so bare
0:53:50 > 0:53:53and I'm trying to get people growing climbers and creepers.
0:53:53 > 0:53:54You can grow them in a pot.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57- All you need is a wall. - Really? I've got a balcony.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00- That will please all your neighbours as well, you see.- Good.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02- The more greenery the better. - Definitely.
0:54:04 > 0:54:05Come back. Oi. Oi!
0:54:07 > 0:54:09HE LAUGHS
0:54:09 > 0:54:12Well, I'm definitely not cut out to be a wine waiter, that's for sure.
0:54:12 > 0:54:15But I've definitely enthused some people to think about growing
0:54:15 > 0:54:20climbers and just softening these harsh walls with some vegetation.
0:54:20 > 0:54:22That's what it's all about. Cheers.
0:54:29 > 0:54:32Back in the tranquil setting of Heale Gardens I'm going to
0:54:32 > 0:54:35show you one of the most effective way of reproducing
0:54:35 > 0:54:38climbing plants, by giving nature a helping hand.
0:54:40 > 0:54:43There's lots of climbers that you can propagate through layering,
0:54:43 > 0:54:45and it's a very simple technique.
0:54:45 > 0:54:47It's like taking a cutting
0:54:47 > 0:54:50but actually leaving it connected to the mother plant. Till it turns
0:54:50 > 0:54:54into a little plant by itself with roots and all, and then you can lift
0:54:54 > 0:54:57it and move it somewhere else in the garden or give it to a friend.
0:54:57 > 0:55:01So what I'm going to do is take this honeysuckle.
0:55:01 > 0:55:03Get a nice healthy-looking stem like this
0:55:03 > 0:55:05which is somewhere near the ground.
0:55:05 > 0:55:10Just take off a couple of the leaves there. Snip them off.
0:55:11 > 0:55:16So you've got a nice section of clear stem there and then the next
0:55:16 > 0:55:19thing I'm going to do is just scrape back
0:55:19 > 0:55:21some of this outer layer.
0:55:22 > 0:55:24Either side of this node
0:55:24 > 0:55:27because that's where the roots are going to form from there.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29Now just to help it on its way,
0:55:29 > 0:55:33you don't have to necessarily use this - but a lot of people do -
0:55:33 > 0:55:35is a little bit of rooting powder.
0:55:35 > 0:55:39This has got hormones in it to encourage roots.
0:55:39 > 0:55:41You can see it just sticks to it quite nicely.
0:55:41 > 0:55:45And the next thing I've got to do is actually put that into the ground.
0:55:45 > 0:55:48What I'm going to do is just scrape back a little bit of soil.
0:55:48 > 0:55:53Place that into the ground like that.
0:55:53 > 0:55:57Backfill the soil like that, and then I'm going to get a peg
0:55:57 > 0:56:00and just peg this down to make sure it doesn't pop up.
0:56:00 > 0:56:04Or you can use a big stone or a brick or something like that.
0:56:04 > 0:56:06And that's holding it in place.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09Put the soil back over the top.
0:56:09 > 0:56:12The next thing to do is just get a piece of bamboo,
0:56:12 > 0:56:18carefully place it next to where the plant is growing
0:56:18 > 0:56:22and then I'm just going to tie this up...
0:56:25 > 0:56:27..and there you go.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30Now, keep it well watered. Don't let it dry out.
0:56:30 > 0:56:34And roots will form just where it's making contact with the soil.
0:56:34 > 0:56:38This time next spring it will be ready to cut away
0:56:38 > 0:56:40from the mother plant itself.
0:56:40 > 0:56:42Dig the entire plant up with the roots attached,
0:56:42 > 0:56:46of course, and then move it to somewhere else in the garden.
0:56:46 > 0:56:48Simple as that.
0:56:48 > 0:56:51You can do this with so many different climbers around the garden.
0:56:51 > 0:56:54It's very cheap. It's very effective. And it's quite fun to do.
0:57:01 > 0:57:04One woman who's already behind my campaign to get everyone
0:57:04 > 0:57:09growing climbers and creepers is university lecturer Elayne Coakes.
0:57:09 > 0:57:11She's spent the last seven years transforming her
0:57:11 > 0:57:15North West London garden into a haven for climbing clematis.
0:57:15 > 0:57:21I am passionate about clematis in all their many varieties.
0:57:21 > 0:57:26They take up so little space that really you can all grow one
0:57:26 > 0:57:28in the smallest container.
0:57:28 > 0:57:30Even hanging baskets.
0:57:30 > 0:57:34They are tremendous value for what you get in terms of flowers
0:57:34 > 0:57:37all the year round.
0:57:37 > 0:57:40Elayne is so passionate about this versatile climber that she
0:57:40 > 0:57:46now has over 40 varieties scrambling up and over every available surface.
0:57:46 > 0:57:50One of the wonderful things about clematis is that you can
0:57:50 > 0:57:52allow them to grow amongst other plants.
0:57:52 > 0:57:57That's quite a young clematis there in the middle.
0:57:57 > 0:58:00It has to be my favourite at the moment
0:58:00 > 0:58:03because it's actually subtle.
0:58:03 > 0:58:08It just has this tiny red edging to it.
0:58:08 > 0:58:13It really is a beautiful clematis that we planted last summer.
0:58:13 > 0:58:19Every time I look on the web or go to the garden centre
0:58:19 > 0:58:21I see another clematis.
0:58:21 > 0:58:23I want them all.
0:58:29 > 0:58:32It doesn't matter how big or small your garden is,
0:58:32 > 0:58:35there is a climber for every situation and every season.
0:58:35 > 0:58:37So I want us
0:58:37 > 0:58:41to forget about our fears and grow more of them in all of our gardens.