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 > 0:00:27And 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 > 0:00:45And 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.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30We've been told for decades now that we all need to take responsibility
0:01:30 > 0:01:32for looking after the planet,
0:01:32 > 0:01:37and yet, one of the biggest tools we have to ensure a greener future
0:01:37 > 0:01:40is often overlooked and it's right on our doorstep -
0:01:40 > 0:01:41the back garden.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45In our manic desire for ever-increasingly
0:01:45 > 0:01:47low-maintenance plots
0:01:47 > 0:01:50we've chopped down trees, we've dug up borders
0:01:50 > 0:01:52and we've decked over lawns,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54when in fact we should be viewing our gardens
0:01:54 > 0:01:58as the biggest nature reserves we have in the country.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03On my revival, I'm finding out how simple wildlife gardening can be...
0:02:03 > 0:02:06The way we're talking about it, sounds like you've got to have
0:02:06 > 0:02:08all this knowledge and do all these things. You don't!
0:02:08 > 0:02:12..by learning how to choose nature over pesticides.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14Encouraging beneficial insects in becomes easier
0:02:14 > 0:02:16than going for the zapper.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20And planting beautiful flowers for our precious pollinators.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23Really my favourite wild flower, these are cornflowers.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26You know that really beautiful, bright blue flower
0:02:26 > 0:02:28that just looks fantastic in a meadow.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39This is the University of Bristol Botanic Gardens,
0:02:39 > 0:02:43set on four wonderful acres on the edge of the city.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46It is buzzing with life, with bees and butterflies
0:02:46 > 0:02:48searching for nectar.
0:02:48 > 0:02:53There's a symphony of birds and even the pond is teeming with frogs.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56This environment is a shining example
0:02:56 > 0:02:58of what I like to call a wildlife garden -
0:02:58 > 0:03:02a garden with trees, shrubs and flowering plants that attract
0:03:02 > 0:03:05all manner of creatures and creepy crawlies.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09As gardeners, we have this instinct to take land, to tame it
0:03:09 > 0:03:12and to produce something that's beautiful and bountiful,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16but we should be doing this in harmony with nature.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Over the past 30 years, intensive agriculture, industry
0:03:20 > 0:03:22and habitat loss
0:03:22 > 0:03:26have resulted in a sharp decline in much of our native wildlife.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29From butterflies to bees.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31From blue tits to newts.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35And it's time we turned this around, starting in our own gardens.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38If we just make some choices about what we plant,
0:03:38 > 0:03:42we can still create plots that are teeming with wildlife
0:03:42 > 0:03:45but have gardens that we're really proud of.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49To understand just how important our gardens are
0:03:49 > 0:03:52to Britain's wildlife population,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55I'm visiting the Old Moor Nature Reserve in Yorkshire.
0:03:55 > 0:04:00This was once a barren land owing to nearby coal industry,
0:04:00 > 0:04:04but through regeneration has become a haven for all kinds of creatures.
0:04:04 > 0:04:09RSPB conservationist Matthew Capper knows just how important
0:04:09 > 0:04:12our gardens are to Great British wildlife.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15This is an amazing project,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18but how does it relate to my garden back home?
0:04:18 > 0:04:22All of our nation's gardens collectively is a bigger land area
0:04:22 > 0:04:25than all of our nature reserves put together.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29And you reckon you and me can do something about this back home?
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Anybody can do something about it. Absolutely.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33There are simple things that we can do
0:04:33 > 0:04:35that will make a massive difference.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39Here at Old Moor they've created a wildlife garden that demonstrates
0:04:39 > 0:04:43some important factors that we should all consider at home.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47So what are the three main areas that we need to consider
0:04:47 > 0:04:48when we're attracting wildlife?
0:04:48 > 0:04:52They need food. They need shelter, they need somewhere to live.
0:04:52 > 0:04:53And they need water.
0:04:53 > 0:04:54It doesn't have to be a big pond.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Ponds are nice, but we've just put a Belfast sink here.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00It sounds complex, doesn't it? The way we're talking about it,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02it sounds like you've got to have all this knowledge
0:05:02 > 0:05:03and do all these things. You don't!
0:05:03 > 0:05:06It only needs to be one thing, each household.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09Because if you've got a nest box in your garden and next door has got
0:05:09 > 0:05:12a cotoneaster or a hawthorn in theirs,
0:05:12 > 0:05:14and next door's got a bird table,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16you know, all those things collectively,
0:05:16 > 0:05:18that's the collective habitat.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20And it builds up this wildlife neighbourhood, then?
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- Absolutely. Absolutely. Perfectly put.- Amazing.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27One common misconception about creating a wildlife garden is
0:05:27 > 0:05:31that it has to be wild and unkempt, but this simply is not the case.
0:05:31 > 0:05:32- Ken.- Hi there.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Dr Ken Thompson is a plant biologist from Sheffield University
0:05:36 > 0:05:39whose back garden encourages wildlife to thrive,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42whilst maintaining a beautiful and tidy appearance.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46I love the garden, Ken. Absolutely love it.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51To many people, this would be their ideal retreat, wouldn't it?
0:05:51 > 0:05:55Yeah. It's very nice. Very quiet. Very relaxing.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00So you've created a... Pretty much a full eco system here.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04You've introduced cover, be it in trees, shrubs.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07You have open spaces, you have shade spaces.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10There's probably dry areas and every condition, really,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12that we like to grow in.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15That's one of the things that makes gardens so good for wildlife -
0:06:15 > 0:06:18the fact that they pack all this variety.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21There's no natural habitat that provides that variety
0:06:21 > 0:06:22on this small scale.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25But the really crucial thing that you need
0:06:25 > 0:06:29for lots of wildlife in a garden is lots of big, woody plants.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Hedges, shrubs, trees.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35The more of those you have, the more wildlife you have.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Woody plants like these beech hedges don't just provide cover
0:06:39 > 0:06:42for creatures in a wildlife neighbourhood.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44If you look at gardens,
0:06:44 > 0:06:48if you can imagine a sort of aerial view of gardens,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52they actually don't exist in isolation,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55and as far as the wildlife in your garden is concerned,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58as long as they can get from one to the other,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01as long as you have nice permeable boundaries like these hedges here,
0:07:01 > 0:07:02they don't care.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Along with half the country,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07my fences were blown down this past winter
0:07:07 > 0:07:11and coming into your garden today, I've decided what I'm going to do
0:07:11 > 0:07:13is to grow a holly and beech hedge
0:07:13 > 0:07:15because that's not going to happen again.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19It's cheaper, it'll last forever, it'll never blow down.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34Providing a regular supply of pollen and nectar is a sure-fire way
0:07:34 > 0:07:36of attracting pollinators to your garden,
0:07:36 > 0:07:39and that's exactly what they're doing here
0:07:39 > 0:07:41at Bristol University Botanic Gardens.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45For instance, this clump of honesty is perfect for attracting
0:07:45 > 0:07:48nocturnal insects such as moths.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51And the flowering kale over here
0:07:51 > 0:07:56is packed with nectar which makes it absolutely seductive for bees.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Wild flowers are great for our precious pollinators and
0:08:00 > 0:08:03I'm going to show you how to create a wonderful patch in your garden.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11What I'm going to do is take a little patch of garden
0:08:11 > 0:08:15in an open, sunny position and plant some wild flower seeds.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19The first job is to clear the patch of ground of any weeds.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23In particular, look out for perennial weeds with big roots.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27Just dig down maybe a couple of weeks before you sow the seed.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Perennial weeds like dandelions and ground elder are common
0:08:31 > 0:08:33and can thrive in your garden year after year.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36If you don't want them competing with your wild flowers
0:08:36 > 0:08:40you need to make sure you remove their roots completely.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44The soil that we have here is relatively free-draining
0:08:44 > 0:08:46but it is quite stony.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50That won't be an issue for the type of gardening that we're doing.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Wild flowers flourish easily in stony earth
0:08:53 > 0:08:56and by gently tilling the soil with a rake
0:08:56 > 0:08:58you can create the perfect bed for your seeds.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03I've chosen three of my favourite wild flowers for this small patch.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07I'm going to start off with these poached eggplant.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10They look exactly as you'd imagine, like a poached egg.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14Yellow in the centre and a white veil all the way round.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17They are great for attracting hover flies,
0:09:17 > 0:09:18which of course will eat the aphids
0:09:18 > 0:09:21that are attacking so many other things in the garden.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26Sprinkle your seeds over the raked soil without worrying too much
0:09:26 > 0:09:27about where they land.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31After that, really my favourite wild flower.
0:09:31 > 0:09:32These are cornflowers.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36You know that really beautiful, bright blue flower
0:09:36 > 0:09:39that just looks fantastic in a meadow.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41In the countryside they're a little bit endangered
0:09:41 > 0:09:44so isn't it lovely to encourage them into our own gardens?
0:09:44 > 0:09:46And finally, I have poppy seeds here.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Now those produce these long, hairy stems
0:09:49 > 0:09:53and on the top of them will be these beacons of red.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55And to spread them evenly can be a bit tricky
0:09:55 > 0:09:57so just be a little bit careful.
0:09:57 > 0:10:03And right the way round the patch, let them fall into the ground.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Although poppies only flower for a short period,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09they produce a huge amount of edible pollen,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12which is a favourite of both bumble bees and honey bees.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14And if you fancy a bit of pot luck,
0:10:14 > 0:10:18there's another way to achieve a fantastic wild flower patch.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20If you want, you can just get wild flower mixes
0:10:20 > 0:10:22and you never know what you'll find in here.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25There could be some orchids, red campion, all sorts
0:10:25 > 0:10:29and it's the excitement of waiting to see what shows up
0:10:29 > 0:10:30out of the ground is great.
0:10:30 > 0:10:35You can sow wild flower seeds really at any time of the year
0:10:35 > 0:10:37except in deepest winter.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40In a matter of six or eight weeks, these will be jumping
0:10:40 > 0:10:42out of the ground and creating a wonderful
0:10:42 > 0:10:46and colourful display both for us and for the wildlife.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Creating habitats to attract wildlife
0:10:56 > 0:10:59is essential for promoting a balanced ecosystem,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02which in turn will make for healthy plants in your garden
0:11:02 > 0:11:06without the need for pesticides and chemical fertilisers.
0:11:06 > 0:11:11This is exactly what Malcolm Mullart has achieved here in one of the UK's
0:11:11 > 0:11:13only chemical-free community wildlife allotments.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Now, what really strikes, Malc,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20is that all of this gardening is done organically.
0:11:20 > 0:11:25Everybody has signed up to the notion of working with nature.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- That's right. - It's very difficult in an allotment.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30What's happened is as the wildlife has come in,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32people are seeing the work being done for them.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36So for example, a girl called Tracey over there had a terrible trouble
0:11:36 > 0:11:38with blackfly on her broad beans.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41But within about an hour, she had an invasion of ladybirds
0:11:41 > 0:11:45from the insect homes close by and wiped the whole lot out.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48I would say now, if you rely on encouraging beneficial insects in,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50they do the work for you
0:11:50 > 0:11:53so it becomes easier than going for the zapper.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58Each of the 68 allotments here in Shropshire are producing
0:11:58 > 0:12:01all manner of fruit and vegetables organically and although harvest is
0:12:01 > 0:12:06a little way off yet, I can already see crops peeking through the earth.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09This is all made possible by specially designed habitats
0:12:09 > 0:12:10that surround the plots
0:12:10 > 0:12:13which has a diverse array of crop-friendly creatures,
0:12:13 > 0:12:17and Malcolm is going to show me how it works.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20At one side of the pathway you have the typical allotment
0:12:20 > 0:12:23but everywhere else you look, there are little habitats.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25What are this pile of old paving stones?
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Yes, that's a pile of broken paving stones from
0:12:28 > 0:12:31when someone had a new patio made at home
0:12:31 > 0:12:34and we made a little dry-stone wall and that attracts beetles.
0:12:34 > 0:12:35Why are beetles important?
0:12:35 > 0:12:38They are prey insects and they'll be after
0:12:38 > 0:12:41some of the bugs that will be spoiling our vegetables and fruit.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44It's great fun, apart from anything else.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47All of these man-made habitats are set amongst
0:12:47 > 0:12:49some very well-considered planting.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52So this area is the winter garden?
0:12:52 > 0:12:54- Yes.- And what does that mean?
0:12:54 > 0:12:55This area has got plants in it
0:12:55 > 0:12:58that predominantly look good in the winter,
0:12:58 > 0:13:00but we make sure it looks good all year round.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03So we have things like the hellebores and the carex
0:13:03 > 0:13:06which will be flowering in the winter and the myosotis and...
0:13:06 > 0:13:09Yeah, and coloured stems of the dogwoods and willows.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Right. That's very nice, isn't it?
0:13:11 > 0:13:13- You see that's got insects on it. - Yeah.- Little flies.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18By encouraging predatory and pollinating insects to the site
0:13:18 > 0:13:21all year round, Malcolm and his fellow gardeners
0:13:21 > 0:13:23are working in harmony with nature.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29The other amazing thing is all the bird sounds.
0:13:29 > 0:13:35Yes. We bring in by having nest boxes and natural hedges,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38ornamental trees around the site that will bring the birds in
0:13:38 > 0:13:40so there's somewhere for them to nest,
0:13:40 > 0:13:44somewhere for them to shelter and food right throughout the year.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46Behind us there, we've got a turf spiral
0:13:46 > 0:13:49with a textured totem pole in the middle.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52One of the main purposes of that is it brings voles in
0:13:52 > 0:13:54and they come out and they eat slugs.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57This balanced ecosystem doesn't just unite wildlife,
0:13:57 > 0:14:02it's also created a close-knit community of all ages
0:14:02 > 0:14:04that embrace organic gardening with a passion.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08And they love to get together to taste their chemical-free bounty.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13- Got the fennel.- Yep. - Which has a great liquorice scent.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15- And what's this, marjoram? - Marjoram. Yes.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17So these are all wonderful for wildlife gardens
0:14:17 > 0:14:19because I suppose they'll all produce flowers.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21They all produce flowers which brings in the bees
0:14:21 > 0:14:23and the butterflies and the hoverflies.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27Do you think what you're doing here should be a beacon to
0:14:27 > 0:14:29the gardeners of the rest of the country,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32whether it's on an allotments or in their own back gardens?
0:14:32 > 0:14:35I think, we're trying to encourage the youngsters on the allotment.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38We've got quite a few young families so if we can sort of encourage them,
0:14:38 > 0:14:42show them and let them see and understand what we're doing,
0:14:42 > 0:14:44hopefully they will be the gardeners of tomorrow.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52'These guys are true champions of my revival.'
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Oh, that's delicious.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Just imagine if we all took a leaf out of their book
0:14:58 > 0:15:00and started gardening in harmony with nature.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02We could restore wildlife populations
0:15:02 > 0:15:04to our green and pleasant land
0:15:04 > 0:15:07and enjoy some healthy and delicious food.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13Coming to this allotment and meeting people with a passion
0:15:13 > 0:15:18for gardening along with nature has been absolutely inspiring.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30To achieve a balance in your garden's ecology,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33you really do need to invite the whole food chain.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Here at the University of Bristol Botanic Gardens,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39there's some ingenious methods of enticing all manner of wildlife,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42and I'm going to show you some simple ideas that will work a treat
0:15:42 > 0:15:43in your garden.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50As homemakers, housekeepers and gardeners, we've kind of evolved
0:15:50 > 0:15:55into a species that expects things to be neat and tidy inside and out.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58It's not the way it is with nature and it's not the way it should be.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Having an area of garden like this,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04just a few pieces of rotting, decomposing wood,
0:16:04 > 0:16:09is very important for a healthy ecosystem.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11If you won't have room for a pile of logs,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13just avoid sweeping up dead leaves
0:16:13 > 0:16:16as they will also be decomposed by your creepy crawlies,
0:16:16 > 0:16:18and they in turn will become food
0:16:18 > 0:16:20for another important garden inhabitant
0:16:20 > 0:16:23that you can invite with the right plants.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Trees, shrubs and hedges provide
0:16:26 > 0:16:29great nesting opportunities for birds.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Take this holly behind me. It's perfect.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34It's evergreen, so there's cover all year round.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37Later in the year, there's berries for food
0:16:37 > 0:16:41and with those prickly leaves, there's protection from predators.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Birds like all sorts of different plants.
0:16:44 > 0:16:49Sunflowers look great and their seeds are a real avian treat.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Or why not plant a delightfully scented honeysuckle?
0:16:52 > 0:16:54Yew hedges work really well,
0:16:54 > 0:16:56providing shelter and nesting opportunities.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59And a crab apple tree is sure to attract robins
0:16:59 > 0:17:04with a fruit crop that can last throughout the winter.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06If you don't have room for big trees in your garden
0:17:06 > 0:17:08but you still want to encourage birds to nest,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11well, give them a little bit of a helping hand.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14How about this? This cute little nesting box.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18This one has a large opening which makes it perfect for species
0:17:18 > 0:17:20such as robins and wrens.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22And the thing about those birds is
0:17:22 > 0:17:27that you don't have to put the house on a wall too high.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30They like to be just above eye level.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33I'm putting this behind an evergreen shrub - an elaeagnus.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43But it's not only birds that need a helping hand.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45How about this bat roosting box?
0:17:45 > 0:17:47This similarly is perfect for them.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52They enter up this way and if you put it high up in a tree,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55they could be adding to the biodiversity in your garden.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59To help these endangered winged mammals,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01incorporate night-scented plants into your garden,
0:18:01 > 0:18:04such as evening primrose, that will attract moths,
0:18:04 > 0:18:07a favourite delicacy of the bat.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16Recent years have shown that our bee population is in shocking decline.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Bees are integral to our ecosystem
0:18:19 > 0:18:22and their disappearance would result in a loss of a huge range
0:18:22 > 0:18:26of plant life that rely on them for pollination.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28We can all help to turn this around by planting pollen
0:18:28 > 0:18:32and nectar-rich flowers to bring back the bee to Britain.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Hi, Jez.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36I've come to South Yorkshire to meet Jez Daughtrey who,
0:18:36 > 0:18:39after 20 years in IT, has quit the rat race
0:18:39 > 0:18:42to become a champion of the honey bee.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47We hear stories all the time that they're in decline.
0:18:47 > 0:18:48What's your take on that?
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Bees need a good source of flowers and nectar and pollen
0:18:51 > 0:18:53and I think the more we can do to help bees that way,
0:18:53 > 0:18:54that's the way forward.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56Just spend a few pounds on a packet of seeds.
0:18:56 > 0:18:57Everyone can make a difference that way.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00And do you do anything like that? Do you sow seeds or...?
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Back of my truck, we've got a big bag of five kilos of borage seed
0:19:04 > 0:19:06and we scatter it everywhere. Literally.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08- Without telling anyone. - Without telling anybody.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Jez is a true guerrilla gardener
0:19:10 > 0:19:13and although I'm a bit wary of bee stings,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15I feel compelled to lend a hand in moving a hive.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17How many times do you get stung a day?
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Uh, myself, about 20-30 times.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22I'm not happy.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24So we're going to close the entrance on here.
0:19:24 > 0:19:25Aargh!
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Jez moves his bees to various locations
0:19:28 > 0:19:31so they can gather nectar and pollen from different species of flowers.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34And there's a very good reason for this.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37One of the ideas was to create bespoke honeys -
0:19:37 > 0:19:40the idea of creating a honey from a specific plant.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43So we take the bees to the heather moors, it produces a heather crop.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46We take the bees to the borage plants in North Lincolnshire,
0:19:46 > 0:19:47it produces a borage honey.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Every single hive will have a distinct and unique honey,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52a different flavour.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56But before I get to taste this bespoke honey,
0:19:56 > 0:19:57there's still work to be done.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00This is a new block of flats or a new factory?
0:20:00 > 0:20:01- This is a new factory.- OK.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04- We're upgrading. That's what we're doing.- Right.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06- Pair of gloves. - They're not even real gloves!
0:20:06 > 0:20:07Not even real gloves.
0:20:07 > 0:20:08Did you go on any bee-keeping courses?
0:20:08 > 0:20:11- JEZ LAUGHS - That's why you get stung!
0:20:12 > 0:20:15The smoking device subdues the bees,
0:20:15 > 0:20:17so I'm hanging onto it for the scary bit.
0:20:18 > 0:20:20- So we take our roof off.- OK.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22- If I lift this corner up... - Yep.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25..you can gently smoke inside. A bit more than that.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29Over the frames themselves just to push the bees down a little bit.
0:20:29 > 0:20:30That's perfect.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34So gently we're going to lift the frames out one by one.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Well, it's amazing to see, isn't it?
0:20:38 > 0:20:40- Can you see the honey here?- Yeah.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42- All this is honey. - Wow, look at that! That's fantastic.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Nectar. Nectar to become honey.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46- And then look at the dandelion pollen here.- Yeah.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49It's incredible.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54'The most important part of the relocation is to find the queen bee
0:20:54 > 0:20:57'and clip her wings before transferring to the new hive.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00'This will discourage the queen from leaving her new home
0:21:00 > 0:21:02'and keep Jez's honey flowing.'
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Are they going to get annoyed knowing that you have the queen?
0:21:05 > 0:21:07No. They won't be aware of that difference at the moment.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11- In about ten minutes time, they're going to know that she's missing.- OK.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14Apparently it's my turn to get sticky hands,
0:21:14 > 0:21:16but I'm not sure that I'm particularly keen.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20And then you're going to place it into the gaps in the hive itself.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22Ah!
0:21:22 > 0:21:23No sudden movements.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Now, I reckon out of that ten minutes
0:21:27 > 0:21:28you've got about two minutes left
0:21:28 > 0:21:31until these guys realise something has happened.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33- So are you going to brace yourself for this?- Yeah.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35- OK. Do you want to stand back a little bit?- Yeah.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37- DIARMUID LAUGHS NERVOUSLY - What's a little bit?
0:21:37 > 0:21:39I think the best thing to do is...
0:21:41 > 0:21:42..tell me when it's over!
0:21:44 > 0:21:48After my heroic attempts at beekeeping, it's time to take
0:21:48 > 0:21:51some of this bespoke honey to the people of Sheffield.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57What we're doing here is trying to create
0:21:57 > 0:22:00an awareness of the different flavours of honey
0:22:00 > 0:22:05that are available just in this city by doing some honey tasting.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08And then if people like what they taste,
0:22:08 > 0:22:11we're trying to encourage them to grow some of the plants
0:22:11 > 0:22:14that will result in these distinctive flavours.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19I've brought along three different types of honey produced from flowers
0:22:19 > 0:22:21that any of us can grow in our gardens.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24One where the bees have fed from heather,
0:22:24 > 0:22:26one apple blossom, and one borage.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29- Definitely mild.- Definitely mild.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31- What do you think of that? - Flavour?- Yeah.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Where do you think honey gets its flavour?
0:22:37 > 0:22:38Flowers?
0:22:38 > 0:22:41The beekeeper is growing this plant called comfrey
0:22:41 > 0:22:43and that's what's giving this its flavour.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- Heather.- Heather.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47- SHE LAUGHS - Isn't that amazing?
0:22:47 > 0:22:49That shows you how green-fingered I am, doesn't it?
0:22:49 > 0:22:51- Do you like it?- It's lovely.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53That's nice. Very soft.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56It feels as though it's just so good for you, really.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00The honey is a hit and I'm hoping that the people of Sheffield
0:23:00 > 0:23:04will support their local bees and plant some nectar-rich flowers.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06All take a packet of seeds
0:23:06 > 0:23:08and if you sow them in your garden or anywhere,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11in no time at all you'll have the bees coming to your place.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Does it need to be in the sun or will it grow in shade?
0:23:13 > 0:23:15- Nice open, sunny area. - Nice open, sunny area.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19Unless we have wildlife, we won't be able to produce honeys like this.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23The chap on the next allotment's got a couple of hives.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26- He has hives on the allotment? - Yeah.- Fantastic.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28If he wants an expert beekeeper,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32now I'm not one for boasting or anything like that,
0:23:32 > 0:23:34but I'm pretty good.
0:23:34 > 0:23:35OK. Thank you.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Thank you very much. Bye.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40Good morning, shoppers.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43Please join the wildlife garden revival by planting
0:23:43 > 0:23:47wonderful pollinating plants in your garden which will
0:23:47 > 0:23:51provide a great resource for all the bees and other insects
0:23:51 > 0:23:54in our back gardens, so that we can produce wonderful honey.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Food and shelter are critical for wildlife
0:24:07 > 0:24:11but nothing can exist without water.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15This large pool is teeming with wildlife such as pond skaters,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18water beetles, newts and tadpoles.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22But if you don't have the space or the inclination to dig a pool,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25I've just the thing for you.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28'I'm going to show you how to make your very own mini water feature
0:24:28 > 0:24:29'for your garden.'
0:24:34 > 0:24:36We start off with a container.
0:24:36 > 0:24:42I'm using a simple plastic container so no need to seal up any holes.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44I'm going to add a whole system of plants here
0:24:44 > 0:24:46that will keep the water fresh
0:24:46 > 0:24:50without the need for any pumps or plumbing or electricity,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53so it's magic in a barrel.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55By using upturned clay pots you can create
0:24:55 > 0:24:58different levels on which you can place your plants.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01The first one, a starwort. A very interesting arrangement.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04A star-like arrangement of foliage.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07What this will do is it's an oxygenator, so that's going to
0:25:07 > 0:25:12add oxygen to the water and the foliage will float to the surface.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Once in position, it's time to add the next level.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20And our big structural planting is this wonderful equisetum.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Looks a bit like rushes or bamboo
0:25:23 > 0:25:26and also hosts lots of different insects.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Dragon flies lay their larvae here and those little insects
0:25:29 > 0:25:33eventually creep all the way to the top of these stems.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37In front of that I'm going to... It's not exactly planting,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40I'm going to place one of these carexes.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Now, all these plants seem to be in pots,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46but they're in little baskets with holes right the way around the base
0:25:46 > 0:25:48and all along the side
0:25:48 > 0:25:52to allow for the exchange of water and the gasses that will build up.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56Next, I add some rocks, building up to surface level.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00This creates a nice landing spot for my winged bathers.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04Our main plant is going to be one of the stars of the show.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08This is a water lily and again, it's coming in a basket.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12Those leaves which are at the moment lying rather limply
0:26:12 > 0:26:15have a beautiful kind of ruby colour
0:26:15 > 0:26:20and that, once I place it in the deepest area of the pot,
0:26:20 > 0:26:25those lily pads, upon the addition of water, will float to the surface.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Water lilies like this will not only offer a hiding place
0:26:28 > 0:26:30for creatures that live under the water
0:26:30 > 0:26:34they also provide a perfect landing pad for dragon flies.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37The best type of water to use isn't from your tap.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Collect it when it rains in buckets or from the water butt
0:26:40 > 0:26:42at the end of the drain pipes.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46It's important to add oxygenating plants to keep your water fresh.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49This one is called hornwort.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52It's a funny way we have of planting this.
0:26:52 > 0:26:57I'm just going to tie a little stone to it to weigh it down.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01It takes all its nutrients from the water
0:27:01 > 0:27:04and produces lots of oxygen to keep that water fresh.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09When you plant up this or any garden pond initially,
0:27:09 > 0:27:14you might find that some algae takes over, the water goes a bit greenish.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17It takes a while for the ecosystem to develop
0:27:17 > 0:27:19and all the workings of these plants to kick in.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22The only thing to do now is to sit back and enjoy it
0:27:22 > 0:27:26and no in time at all, it will become a habitat,
0:27:26 > 0:27:29a home to all sorts of pond life.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42One common misconception is that to create a wildlife garden,
0:27:42 > 0:27:43you need lots of space.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47But Keith Reynolds' inner city Manchester flat
0:27:47 > 0:27:49is proof that that is simply not true.
0:27:49 > 0:27:50This is my balcony.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54As you can see, I've used lots and lots
0:27:54 > 0:27:58of galvanised metal buckets because these are the building blocks
0:27:58 > 0:28:01of the wildlife garden balcony.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03The buckets are really cheap to get.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05I just drilled holes in them and then filled them
0:28:05 > 0:28:10with peat-free compost and plants which are fantastic for wildlife.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15When I look out and see around me in the inner city of Manchester
0:28:15 > 0:28:19all these blank, sterile balconies, I think it's a crying shame
0:28:19 > 0:28:22because people could be making them really green.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25They could be attracting lots bees and butterflies
0:28:25 > 0:28:26with the right plants.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28They're missing out on an opportunity to actually sit out
0:28:28 > 0:28:31on their own balcony and have their own piece of nature
0:28:31 > 0:28:33right on their doorstep.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36Keith has employed some very inventive techniques
0:28:36 > 0:28:37to attract wildlife.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40What we have here is my dustbin lid meadow.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43So what we've got now is white campion, which is great for bees
0:28:43 > 0:28:49but also for moths at night because it has a night-scented flower.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54Here I've got a bucket pond which, as you can see, is essentially
0:28:54 > 0:28:56a bucket that's been filled with water
0:28:56 > 0:29:01and I've planted water bistort as well as yellow flag iris.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05He's even started a blog to give advice to other inner city
0:29:05 > 0:29:06wildlife enthusiasts.
0:29:06 > 0:29:09I started the blog for my wildlife garden balcony
0:29:09 > 0:29:11approximately four years or so ago.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15It contains lots of details about what plants to choose,
0:29:15 > 0:29:18what containers to use, how to set up the right conditions
0:29:18 > 0:29:21so that your plants don't die, to hopefully inspiring people
0:29:21 > 0:29:24to see if I can do it, they can do it.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35To be able to sit back and relax
0:29:35 > 0:29:39and enjoy the wildlife in your own garden is such a real treat.
0:29:39 > 0:29:45But our birds, bees and butterflies are under real threat.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48We can make a difference, though, if we provide some food,
0:29:48 > 0:29:50water and shelter for them.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53No matter how big our outdoor space,
0:29:53 > 0:29:55your wildlife will be all the richer for it.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Across the series, our revival team are travelling
0:30:01 > 0:30:03the length and breadth of Britain,
0:30:03 > 0:30:05celebrating our gardens...
0:30:05 > 0:30:09You couldn't draw, as a landscape artist, a more perfect picture.
0:30:09 > 0:30:10Flowers...
0:30:10 > 0:30:13The perfume. Oh, it's sensational!
0:30:13 > 0:30:14And plants.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16This plant is perfect.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18That's going to get off to a great start.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21Next, Charlie Dimmock campaigns to revive the peony.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31Ask anyone what their favourite flower is
0:30:31 > 0:30:35and you'll probably get rose, daffodil or maybe even sweet pea.
0:30:35 > 0:30:40But there's one flower that doesn't appear very high on anyone's list.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45It's a really gorgeous flower that I feel has been somewhat neglected
0:30:45 > 0:30:47and overlooked by the British gardener,
0:30:47 > 0:30:50and that flower is the peony.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55Considered difficult to grow and with a short flowering period,
0:30:55 > 0:31:00we're simply not planting as many of them in our gardens.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02But if we don't, there's a chance we might lose
0:31:02 > 0:31:04some of our more beautiful varieties.
0:31:04 > 0:31:08That's why I want to make it the star of the border again.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15On my revival campaign, I'll see just how versatile
0:31:15 > 0:31:17these stunning plants are.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21No-one can say that there's not a peony for them.
0:31:21 > 0:31:22I totally agree.
0:31:22 > 0:31:27'I take to the streets to ignite people's passion for peonies.'
0:31:27 > 0:31:33What would be most romantic? Getting peonies from sir or roses?
0:31:33 > 0:31:36And I'll show you my top tips on how to establish
0:31:36 > 0:31:38peonies in your own garden.
0:31:38 > 0:31:43Just be patient. I promise you it's well worth the wait.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55This is the enchanting Kiftsgate Court Gardens in Gloucestershire.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59This seven-acre garden is on the edge of the Cotswold escarpment
0:31:59 > 0:32:02and has stunning views as far as the eye can see.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13In early summer, the borders are a blaze of colour
0:32:13 > 0:32:15and it's the peonies that steal the show.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22Some people think peonies are old-fashioned and uncool
0:32:22 > 0:32:25but I've always thought they're rather glamorous and romantic.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28There's nothing understated about the flowers
0:32:28 > 0:32:30and no matter what border they're in,
0:32:30 > 0:32:32they'll always draw your attention.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39Whenever I see peonies, I get transported back
0:32:39 > 0:32:41to when I was a child.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45I've got lots of very happy, fond memories of helping my grandad,
0:32:45 > 0:32:48who was a gardener, in the garden
0:32:48 > 0:32:50and I would be drawn to the peonies
0:32:50 > 0:32:52because they were so colourful and full-on,
0:32:52 > 0:32:55and probably much to his irritation, I would go
0:32:55 > 0:32:58and collect the petals even if they were still on the flower
0:32:58 > 0:33:01and then distribute them round the lawn.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03But they are beautiful and it takes me
0:33:03 > 0:33:05right back there every time I see them.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10To try and understand the decline of the peony,
0:33:10 > 0:33:15I have come to the West Country, the flower's spiritual home in Britain.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18Now, I think one of my biggest problems with the campaign is
0:33:18 > 0:33:22that people don't actually recognise peonies when they see them.
0:33:22 > 0:33:24Would you know what those flowers are?
0:33:24 > 0:33:26- Not a clue.- No.
0:33:26 > 0:33:27- No?- No.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Would you know what these flowers are?
0:33:29 > 0:33:30I have no idea what they are.
0:33:30 > 0:33:31Carnations?
0:33:31 > 0:33:32Is it a camellia?
0:33:32 > 0:33:36They smell lovely, though. No eating them, darling.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38My wife will kill me if she sees this because she's a florist.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41- SHE LAUGHS - Oh!
0:33:43 > 0:33:47It seems the poor peony is suffering a bit of an identity crisis,
0:33:47 > 0:33:51yet it's here in Somerset where the flower was historically grown.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56Kelways is one of the UK's oldest plant nurseries,
0:33:56 > 0:34:01established in 1851 and named after its peony-loving owners.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05They helped spread the popularity of peonies as far as America
0:34:05 > 0:34:09and turned them into a bit of an Edwardian obsession.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12But as the craze for labour-intensive herbaceous borders
0:34:12 > 0:34:14diminished in the mid-1900s,
0:34:14 > 0:34:18the peony gradually fell out of favour across the country.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22I'm not the only one that thinks
0:34:22 > 0:34:24that peonies have got a bit of a raw deal
0:34:24 > 0:34:28and we've neglected them slightly in the garden.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31Mr Kelway wrote in his garden peony book,
0:34:31 > 0:34:35"It seems to me surprising as well as unfortunate that the peony,
0:34:35 > 0:34:40"one of the loveliest of all flowers and available to all,
0:34:40 > 0:34:43"is not as widely known to the general public in Britain."
0:34:46 > 0:34:50But current owner Dave Root is determined to safeguard
0:34:50 > 0:34:52these historic peonies for the future.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Using the nursery's original hand-written catalogue,
0:34:55 > 0:34:59Dave is attempting to identify all the peony varieties
0:34:59 > 0:35:00from the collection
0:35:00 > 0:35:05so that he can replant them and preserve them for the future.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08I'm here to help relocate one of these original peonies.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11We've got our, what we call our peony bible here,
0:35:11 > 0:35:13which is our big stock list made by James Kelway
0:35:13 > 0:35:18back in the 1930s of all the peonies they've got in the collection.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21Occasionally, a plant still comes up and flowers
0:35:21 > 0:35:23which is actually not what it's supposed to be.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25I'm pretty convinced this is one called Bridal Veil,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28which I thought had actually been lost from our collection.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30So I'm really pleased that we've discovered it again.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36Dave needs to dig up the peony so it can be moved to a different area
0:35:36 > 0:35:39where he's growing the new collection.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42There it can be labelled and catalogued.
0:35:42 > 0:35:47So when would you say the real big heyday of peonies was?
0:35:47 > 0:35:52I think the heyday was at the end of the 19th century when...
0:35:52 > 0:35:56Which was the days of the great Victorian plant collectors
0:35:56 > 0:35:58and the big estates and the big gardens.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00And in those sort of times,
0:36:00 > 0:36:04everyone had the grand double herbaceous border
0:36:04 > 0:36:07and peonies were an integral part of that.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10And it was said that the peonies were like the Victorian ladies of the day
0:36:10 > 0:36:13with very thin necks and big hats.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16- SHE LAUGHS - OK, yeah. I can see that.
0:36:16 > 0:36:18So why did they go into decline, then?
0:36:18 > 0:36:21It all changed about the time of the First World War
0:36:21 > 0:36:25because the labour, the gardeners all went off to war
0:36:25 > 0:36:28and a lot of the big houses had the gardens turned into vegetable plots.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30- Of course, yeah. - And the houses themselves
0:36:30 > 0:36:32were turned into hospitals.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35So gardening and things like peonies ceased to be an important thing.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40Post-war, the lack of man power saw British growers struggling
0:36:40 > 0:36:43and American and Dutch breeders took over.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46We stopped exporting peonies and started to import.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50What makes Kelway special is the peonies.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53They've been here since the 1850s and we want them
0:36:53 > 0:36:56to be here forever more, really, if we can.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59And the great thing with peonies is you'll get more and more flowers
0:36:59 > 0:37:02every single year and you see them getting bigger and bigger.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04They are plants that need a little bit of time to establish
0:37:04 > 0:37:07in the garden, which does put some people off.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10But once they're in, they're there forever.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14And to hopefully preserve the rediscovered Bridal Veil forever,
0:37:14 > 0:37:17it's being relocated to the new collection
0:37:17 > 0:37:19in a more condensed area of the nursery.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25We started planting this back in the autumn of last year
0:37:25 > 0:37:27and we've got 150 varieties in here already,
0:37:27 > 0:37:30but my dream, Charlie, is to have 1,000 in here.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32- 1,000? Fantastic. - How amazing would that be?
0:37:33 > 0:37:36The only important thing when planting a peony
0:37:36 > 0:37:38is that you don't plant it too deeply.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40Can you see those little growth buds,
0:37:40 > 0:37:42- which are the buds for next year? - Mm-hm.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45They want to be no more than about five centimetres
0:37:45 > 0:37:47- below the soil surface.- Right.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49Any deeper than that and you'll get loads of lovely leaves
0:37:49 > 0:37:51but you'll never get flowers.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53And it also gives rise to the myth
0:37:53 > 0:37:55that if you move a peony it won't flower.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57If that were true, then we wouldn't be able
0:37:57 > 0:37:59to propagate these plants at all or sell them.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02- And it's just because someone's planted it too deep?- All it is!
0:38:02 > 0:38:05It's just all down to that planting depth.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07Get that right and you'll never have a problem moving your peonies
0:38:07 > 0:38:09or making them flower.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13And you'll be labelling this one so that you know...
0:38:13 > 0:38:15I will indeed. It will be proudly labelled 'Bridal Veil'.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18- SHE LAUGHS - And it's not lost.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21It's not lost. It's back in the collection.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26We'll log it on the database and next year, I'll come back
0:38:26 > 0:38:28and inspect the flowers again.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32Why do you think it's so important to have a collection like this?
0:38:32 > 0:38:35It's just all part of the world's richness of flora
0:38:35 > 0:38:36and fauna, isn't it?
0:38:36 > 0:38:38Some of these plants exist nowhere else in the world
0:38:38 > 0:38:41but in this little field in the corner of Somerset
0:38:41 > 0:38:43and I think that's really, really special.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45So what do you think of my campaign to get people
0:38:45 > 0:38:46to put a peony in their garden?
0:38:46 > 0:38:49I would love you to get more people to grow peonies.
0:38:49 > 0:38:50I think they are one of the best
0:38:50 > 0:38:52and most rewarding of all the garden plants.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55Everyone's got to have a peony, as far as I'm concerned, in the garden.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59I'm all for that. Or even 1,000 varieties, like me.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02With enthusiasts like Dave flying the flag for peonies,
0:39:02 > 0:39:06it can only help my campaign to get everyone growing them
0:39:06 > 0:39:07in their gardens.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18Peonies fall into three different categories,
0:39:18 > 0:39:22all with different characteristics but perfect in any garden.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30Herbaceous peonies are the ones that most people recognise.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33They die right back down in the winter time
0:39:33 > 0:39:35and in the spring, there's the flowers.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38You can get simple single ones right the way through to
0:39:38 > 0:39:42full-on double in a vast array of colours.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46And that's why they often feature as a cut flower in bouquets.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Tree peonies flower much earlier than the herbaceous peonies.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51Late spring, early summer.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54In actual fact, it's a large shrub,
0:39:54 > 0:39:57getting up to about three metres by three metres,
0:39:57 > 0:39:59and although they have flowers,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02they're not quite as full-on as the herbaceous ones.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06But they do have these fantastic seed pods afterwards that
0:40:06 > 0:40:08look like court jester hats.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11The third group of peonies came about
0:40:11 > 0:40:14when a plant breeder in Japan crossed a tree peony with a
0:40:14 > 0:40:19herbaceous peony to give us what are called the intersectional peonies.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21They've got the structure of the tree peony
0:40:21 > 0:40:23and the lovely foliage,
0:40:23 > 0:40:26but they've also got the full-on glamorous flowers
0:40:26 > 0:40:28of the herbaceous peonies.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38Here at Kiftsgate Court in the Cotswolds,
0:40:38 > 0:40:40peonies have been a feature plant
0:40:40 > 0:40:44since the first one was introduced into the garden in the 1930s,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47a legacy that has been passed down through three generations
0:40:47 > 0:40:49of women gardeners.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52I'm meeting Anne Chambers, who is carrying on her grandmother
0:40:52 > 0:40:55and mother's passion for peonies.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00Anne, how did the gardens develop here?
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Well, my grandmother, my grandparents, bought the house
0:41:03 > 0:41:06in 1918 after the First World War
0:41:06 > 0:41:09and there wasn't really a garden at all here.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13Anne's grandmother Heather Muir had no horticultural training,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16but nonetheless, set to creating the garden.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20She decided that she was going to lay out this top garden to begin with
0:41:20 > 0:41:24and then set to on the very steep banks in the 1930s.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27And from there, your mother took over?
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Yes. My mum moved in in the 1950s.
0:41:30 > 0:41:31And you've kept it going?
0:41:31 > 0:41:34Well, we moved here, yes, 30 years ago and luckily for us,
0:41:34 > 0:41:37my mother was still going strong so she taught us a lot.
0:41:37 > 0:41:38- It looks amazing.- Oh, thank you.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41And have you always been peony enthusiasts?
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Well, yes. We love peonies. They're very special.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48And Anne has three special peonies to show me,
0:41:48 > 0:41:51planted by the three generations.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53The first was put in by her grandmother
0:41:53 > 0:41:55and had a long journey to get here.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58That's a climb, I have to say.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02This is a tree peony that my grandmother brought back from China.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04- Oh!- Back in the 1930s.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06So did she go out there?
0:42:06 > 0:42:10No, no. In those days it came back by boat, so it took six months.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13I always think it looks rather in situ here.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15It could be on a hillside in the Himalayas or China
0:42:15 > 0:42:18- with this sort of wooded area. - Definitely.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20Well, it's obviously finished flowering now.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Yes, absolutely. It flowered in May.
0:42:22 > 0:42:27It has wonderful, big... Those enormous, saucer-shaped pink flowers
0:42:27 > 0:42:29which are spectacular.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31Even when the flower's over they're still pretty.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33- So how old's that, then? - Nearly 90 years old.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Definitely worth the investment.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37Quite. Absolutely.
0:42:43 > 0:42:48Well, here we've got the lovely peony Bowl of Beauty.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50One of the most popular ones, really, isn't it?
0:42:50 > 0:42:53Absolutely, yes. I think most people do know it.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57Beautiful pink guard petals and then the fantastic centre.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59- They're known as Japanese peonies, aren't they?- Yes.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01- Or imperial.- Absolutely.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05You've got a real month or six weeks, probably, of flowering
0:43:05 > 0:43:07which is very good for a peony.
0:43:07 > 0:43:09Yeah, and I mean, so spectacular.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11Was this you that put this in or...?
0:43:11 > 0:43:15No, this was my mother so this one's been here, yes,
0:43:15 > 0:43:16probably since the 1960s.
0:43:16 > 0:43:20So, Anne, you grew up here as a child. Do you remember the peonies?
0:43:20 > 0:43:23As a child, you just take everything for granted.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25But I do remember that at this time of year,
0:43:25 > 0:43:28the roses and the peonies were very much a feature
0:43:28 > 0:43:33and as a result, yes, we've planted lots of other new varieties as well.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38And one of those varieties Anne planted six years ago,
0:43:38 > 0:43:41but this year is its first flower.
0:43:43 > 0:43:44It's called Jan Van Leeuwen.
0:43:44 > 0:43:47- I don't know if my pronunciation's right.- Oh, OK.
0:43:47 > 0:43:49And I'd sort of forgotten about it
0:43:49 > 0:43:52and then suddenly this year, this beautiful white flower.
0:43:52 > 0:43:55It's gorgeous. Another Japanese single peony.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58- Yes, yes. And a good leaf as well, don't you think?- Really nice.
0:43:58 > 0:44:01A really strong green, which contrasts fantastically with
0:44:01 > 0:44:02- the white of the flower.- Yes.
0:44:02 > 0:44:05I'm thrilled. Worth waiting for.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08So, Anne do you think I'm doing the right thing,
0:44:08 > 0:44:11encouraging people to put peonies in their garden?
0:44:11 > 0:44:13I do because really, they're very little bother.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15They don't get diseases.
0:44:15 > 0:44:17They disappear in the winter. They're totally hardy.
0:44:17 > 0:44:19I think they're a tremendous family, really,
0:44:19 > 0:44:21and there are so many different varieties.
0:44:23 > 0:44:26Peonies will reward you with a lifetime of flowers,
0:44:26 > 0:44:29so it's worth investing in a plant.
0:44:29 > 0:44:31To try and get the public excited,
0:44:31 > 0:44:34I'm setting up Pop Up Peonies here in Bristol.
0:44:40 > 0:44:44With my stall set, I call upon resident florist Lucy Manning
0:44:44 > 0:44:46to gain some insight into people's buying habits
0:44:46 > 0:44:49and to create some beautiful peony bouquets.
0:44:49 > 0:44:51I particularly love these ones.
0:44:51 > 0:44:54- They are gorgeous aren't they? - Yeah. Together they look beautiful.
0:44:54 > 0:44:55Are they popular?
0:44:55 > 0:44:57They're kind of popular.
0:44:57 > 0:44:59I mean, actually when I buy them, they look like this
0:44:59 > 0:45:02so people just tend to kind of confuse them with other things.
0:45:02 > 0:45:05- Poppies and roses.- Poppies, yeah.
0:45:05 > 0:45:07Clematis, maybe? Double clematis.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10- Sometimes. Even dahlias someone thought one was before.- Yeah.
0:45:10 > 0:45:14So, Lucy, what do you like about peonies?
0:45:14 > 0:45:18Um, I think what I really like is just watching them grow, really.
0:45:18 > 0:45:21When you put them in a vase and they're in bud like this
0:45:21 > 0:45:24and then you wake up in the morning and they've just opened.
0:45:24 > 0:45:26And, yeah, and they just smell so good.
0:45:26 > 0:45:30I have to say, in the garden peonies have gone slightly out of fashion.
0:45:30 > 0:45:35- Yeah.- Are they like that in the floral arrangement?
0:45:35 > 0:45:38Floral-wise, I think with weddings they are kind of,
0:45:38 > 0:45:40they are quite a fashionable flower now.
0:45:40 > 0:45:42I'm doing a lot of weddings that are corally, peach tones
0:45:42 > 0:45:45- that's the kind of the fashion. - So that would be perfect.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48Yeah, exactly, so I'm always recommending these.
0:45:48 > 0:45:49Only at this time of year, though.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53And price-wise in comparison to roses?
0:45:53 > 0:45:55Now they're in season, they're a good price.
0:45:55 > 0:45:56Come August, if a bride wants them,
0:45:56 > 0:46:00she might spend probably triple what she'd spend around May.
0:46:00 > 0:46:04And go on. I bet all these come in from abroad, don't they?
0:46:04 > 0:46:06They do. That's the sad thing.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10Most of the flowers I do get are locally-sourced,
0:46:10 > 0:46:12but with peonies it's virtually impossible.
0:46:12 > 0:46:16That's why I want to get everybody growing peonies in their garden.
0:46:16 > 0:46:17Yeah.
0:46:20 > 0:46:24I'm going to use Lucy's beautiful bouquets to grab people's attention,
0:46:24 > 0:46:27then hopefully convince them to buy a plant of their own.
0:46:32 > 0:46:33- Hello there.- Hi.
0:46:33 > 0:46:36It will cost about the same as a bouquet
0:46:36 > 0:46:40but you will reap the rewards and it will flower year after year.
0:46:41 > 0:46:47What would be most romantic - getting peonies from sir or roses?
0:46:48 > 0:46:50- I want a red one. - You want the red one?
0:46:50 > 0:46:53Would you buy a bouquet of flowers like that?
0:46:53 > 0:46:56I would. They're absolutely beautiful.
0:46:58 > 0:47:02I really want people to grow them so I'd prefer you to buy a plant.
0:47:02 > 0:47:03OK.
0:47:03 > 0:47:06- Now, do you grow peonies at home? - Yes, I do and I've got two.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09They were my grandfather's and they've been growing for 50 years.
0:47:09 > 0:47:12They're not as good as those but they're not looking too bad.
0:47:12 > 0:47:14The white one is really beautiful.
0:47:14 > 0:47:16Yeah, I'd grow that in my garden.
0:47:17 > 0:47:21- Thank you very much.- Kiss.- Mwah.
0:47:21 > 0:47:22Thank you.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26Well, it's getting to the end of the day.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28The market's closing down.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30I managed to get rid of half of the peonies.
0:47:30 > 0:47:34I'm really pleased with the positive reaction my plants got.
0:47:34 > 0:47:36I think I've definitely helped raise the profile of this
0:47:36 > 0:47:37incredible flower.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43Peonies are not only beautiful plants
0:47:43 > 0:47:46but they're one of the most robust as well.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50As the generations of plants here at Kiftsgate Court have proven,
0:47:50 > 0:47:54I'm going to show you how simple it is to manage peonies at home.
0:47:59 > 0:48:03Tree peonies require very little in the way of maintenance
0:48:03 > 0:48:07but what you may want to do is contain its size.
0:48:07 > 0:48:11This one here's got way too tall and is hanging over the path.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14I'm going to take this one out to reduce the height
0:48:14 > 0:48:15and also the width.
0:48:15 > 0:48:22Always prune to a nice strong shoot or bud that's outward-facing.
0:48:23 > 0:48:25A nice clean cut there.
0:48:25 > 0:48:29The other thing to remove is crossing stems.
0:48:29 > 0:48:32That way you keep the shrub nice and open
0:48:32 > 0:48:33and it lets air circulate through.
0:48:33 > 0:48:37So you can see this stem here is crossing right the way
0:48:37 > 0:48:40through the other upward stems.
0:48:40 > 0:48:43Again, always prune to a nice strong shoot.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49I'm doing this just after it's finished flowering, which is fine
0:48:49 > 0:48:54but if you're doing major retraining, then you're best
0:48:54 > 0:48:56to wait until the autumn when the plant's gone dormant
0:48:56 > 0:48:58and most of the leaves have dropped off.
0:49:03 > 0:49:07Now, this growth that's been taken back here will cause the side buds
0:49:07 > 0:49:10that are dormant at the moment to shoot next spring
0:49:10 > 0:49:13and of course, it's going to be covered in fabulous flowers
0:49:13 > 0:49:15in April-May.
0:49:15 > 0:49:19Unlike tree peonies which happily grow without any additional support,
0:49:19 > 0:49:25some herbaceous varieties may need a helping hand by staking.
0:49:25 > 0:49:28Now, personally, I would chose ones that don't -
0:49:28 > 0:49:32something like Pillow Talk that has lovely strong stems.
0:49:32 > 0:49:34But if you want to go for something like Sarah Bernhardt
0:49:34 > 0:49:37for cutting, then you will need to stake it.
0:49:37 > 0:49:41You could quite happily just use canes and twine
0:49:41 > 0:49:45but I like to use these herbaceous supports.
0:49:45 > 0:49:49So all it consists of is a circle that's been divided up with supports
0:49:49 > 0:49:52and then you've got three or four legs that hang off it
0:49:52 > 0:49:56which you must make sure you get in position above the plant
0:49:56 > 0:49:57before it starts growing.
0:49:57 > 0:49:59Push it down into the ground
0:49:59 > 0:50:04and as the foliage grows up, you can raise up the ring with it.
0:50:04 > 0:50:09As you can see from this peony here, you really don't notice the support
0:50:09 > 0:50:13at all and all you're seeing is the lovely flowers.
0:50:28 > 0:50:32Someone who shares my love for peonies is Claire Austin.
0:50:32 > 0:50:35She's been growing them in her nursery garden on the Welsh Borders
0:50:35 > 0:50:40since the 1980s and now has around 200 varieties.
0:50:44 > 0:50:47Now, I know you've got a passion for peonies
0:50:47 > 0:50:49but where did that come from, then?
0:50:49 > 0:50:52It was really just my father who was...
0:50:52 > 0:50:54He was breeding roses
0:50:54 > 0:50:57but he didn't think they were going to hit the big time.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00So in the early '80s, he bought a large collection of peonies
0:51:00 > 0:51:04and irises and other perennials, and then the roses went wow
0:51:04 > 0:51:08and he wasn't going to grow peonies any more, so I took them over.
0:51:08 > 0:51:11And you can't resist a peony when it's in flower.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13They are just so beautiful.
0:51:13 > 0:51:17They add the wow to the border and they're very easy to grow.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22Through 30 years of growing peonies, Claire has built
0:51:22 > 0:51:26a collection of reliable and easy-to-maintain varieties,
0:51:26 > 0:51:30and it's the modern intersectional peonies that stand out.
0:51:30 > 0:51:32So the intersectionals, then?
0:51:32 > 0:51:36Crosses between tree peonies and herbaceous peonies
0:51:36 > 0:51:40and they make lovely round, sturdy plants.
0:51:40 > 0:51:43Now this plant is actually only a couple of years old
0:51:43 > 0:51:47and the flowers will get bigger, like all peonies does as they age.
0:51:47 > 0:51:48This one's called Bartzella.
0:51:48 > 0:51:52It gets no disease and in the autumn, it just falls off very neatly.
0:51:52 > 0:51:54You don't have to cut it back.
0:51:54 > 0:51:56So there's no faffing around, cutting it back or...
0:51:56 > 0:51:57No. Self-supporting.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00So would you recommend intersectionals
0:52:00 > 0:52:01for the average person?
0:52:01 > 0:52:02Oh, absolutely, yes.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04They may be a bit expensive at the moment
0:52:04 > 0:52:06but they are going to get cheaper
0:52:06 > 0:52:08and they come in such a lovely range of colours.
0:52:08 > 0:52:09Why do you think they're so expensive?
0:52:09 > 0:52:12Is it just because demand outstrips supply?
0:52:12 > 0:52:13- They're new, in peony terms.- Right.
0:52:13 > 0:52:15A lot of peonies that might be cheaper
0:52:15 > 0:52:18may well have been introduced in the 1900s.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20This was only from the 1980s, 1990s.
0:52:20 > 0:52:23OK, so that's why.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25It's taking a lot of time to propagate them on.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28- Are they not doing tissue culture with them?- They're starting to.
0:52:28 > 0:52:31There are certain ones and they're going to be cheaper, much cheaper.
0:52:31 > 0:52:32And it's lovely and compact, isn't it?
0:52:32 > 0:52:35Not only that, they're really easy to grow.
0:52:35 > 0:52:36Just plant them and leave them.
0:52:36 > 0:52:39- That's what we like!- Exactly!
0:52:39 > 0:52:40That's what we like.
0:52:40 > 0:52:44One common complaint is the short flowering season,
0:52:44 > 0:52:46usually less than three weeks.
0:52:46 > 0:52:51But Claire thinks the intersectional peonies are key to overcoming this.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54So I suppose by having two or three of these different
0:52:54 > 0:52:56intersectional peonies in the garden,
0:52:56 > 0:52:58you're going to get quite a lot longer flowering period?
0:52:58 > 0:53:01That's right. They'll come in different heights as well.
0:53:01 > 0:53:03This one is particularly compact.
0:53:05 > 0:53:09By growing intersectionals alongside herbaceous and tree peonies,
0:53:09 > 0:53:12Claire ensures she further extends the flowering period
0:53:12 > 0:53:15and has blooms from April through to June.
0:53:15 > 0:53:20So what would you recommend, then, in a herbaceous line?
0:53:20 > 0:53:23Well, I think something like this Japanese peony,
0:53:23 > 0:53:25which is called Cream Puff.
0:53:25 > 0:53:27It's self-supporting.
0:53:27 > 0:53:30- So no staking. Once it's in, that's it.- That's right.
0:53:30 > 0:53:32It flowers for a good ten days, two weeks,
0:53:32 > 0:53:34- even two and a half weeks. - Each flower?- Each flower.
0:53:34 > 0:53:36- Yeah. Who's this, then? - This is Crackles.
0:53:36 > 0:53:38Hello, Crackles.
0:53:38 > 0:53:40- CLAIRE LAUGHS - Do you like the peonies?
0:53:40 > 0:53:43- Do they smell nice? - I think they've been eating them.
0:53:43 > 0:53:44- CHARLIE LAUGHS - Yeah.
0:53:47 > 0:53:51Claire's collection is a fantastic array of colour, shape and height
0:53:51 > 0:53:54with a long flowering period to boot.
0:53:56 > 0:54:00I can see why you've ended up with a field full.
0:54:00 > 0:54:04Absolutely. There are so many and they all flower at different times.
0:54:04 > 0:54:08No-one can say that there's not a peony for them.
0:54:08 > 0:54:09I totally agree.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28What I love about this border at Kiftsgate Court Gardens
0:54:28 > 0:54:30is the lovely pallet of colour,
0:54:30 > 0:54:33from the dark blue of the pea-flowered baptisia,
0:54:33 > 0:54:36the soft pink of the ballerina rose
0:54:36 > 0:54:39and the dark purple of the astrantia.
0:54:39 > 0:54:43But what still steals the show? The peony.
0:54:45 > 0:54:47And for a show-stopping peony of your own,
0:54:47 > 0:54:51here's how to plant a tree peony in your garden.
0:54:55 > 0:55:01Tree peonies are extremely hardy and not very demanding.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04Ideally, they'd like to be in partial shade
0:55:04 > 0:55:08but they will put up with full shade as well and do OK.
0:55:08 > 0:55:11What you must remember is they're going to get large
0:55:11 > 0:55:13so you make sure you give them the space
0:55:13 > 0:55:16because they're going to be there for a very long time.
0:55:18 > 0:55:24As with all plants, make sure you dig the hole big enough to get
0:55:24 > 0:55:29the whole of the root ball easily into the hole.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37So I'm just going to pop some bone meal at the bottom of the hole,
0:55:37 > 0:55:41which is really good for getting the roots established
0:55:41 > 0:55:44and the plant established and giving it a good boost.
0:55:46 > 0:55:48Now, I've had this standing in water
0:55:48 > 0:55:51so that the root ball is nicely soaked.
0:55:51 > 0:55:55And it's a case of gently tapping it out of the pot
0:55:55 > 0:56:00and there you can see we've got some really lovely young, fibrous roots.
0:56:00 > 0:56:03You just want to make sure that you plant it slightly deeper
0:56:03 > 0:56:04than soil level.
0:56:04 > 0:56:07That way it will give it more stability.
0:56:08 > 0:56:12And then just pop the soil back in.
0:56:13 > 0:56:17With all varieties of peony, if you buy them containerised
0:56:17 > 0:56:20like this one, they're happy to be planted at any time of the year.
0:56:20 > 0:56:24Now, tree peonies are hungry plants
0:56:24 > 0:56:30and they really will benefit from a top dressing of fertiliser
0:56:30 > 0:56:34in the autumn, which will help initiate lots more lovely flowers
0:56:34 > 0:56:36in the spring.
0:56:37 > 0:56:42So firm it in and of course, give it a good water.
0:56:42 > 0:56:43Soak it well.
0:56:43 > 0:56:46That way, the roots will start to grow downwards rather than
0:56:46 > 0:56:48come up to the surface.
0:56:48 > 0:56:52And you must keep on top of watering for the next year or so.
0:56:53 > 0:56:57And don't worry if you don't get flowers in the first year.
0:56:57 > 0:56:59You've just got to be patient.
0:56:59 > 0:57:02But I promise you, it's well worth the wait.
0:57:11 > 0:57:14It's not just in gardens and vases where peonies stand out.
0:57:14 > 0:57:18Floral artist Rebecca Louise Law regularly uses them
0:57:18 > 0:57:23in her art installations of floral 3D sculptures and wall hangings.
0:57:23 > 0:57:27I start all of my installations with flowers being fresh
0:57:27 > 0:57:30and I allow them to dry.
0:57:30 > 0:57:34Her most recent work is a private installation for a kitchen wall.
0:57:35 > 0:57:40Within my artwork, I love peonies because they dry incredibly
0:57:40 > 0:57:42and they hold their colours.
0:57:44 > 0:57:49The technique I use is hanging the flowers within a space
0:57:49 > 0:57:53where it has enough air to be able to stop the decaying process.
0:57:55 > 0:57:59I get really excited when it's this season and I can use peonies
0:57:59 > 0:58:00and dry them.
0:58:01 > 0:58:03Peonies should definitely be revived
0:58:03 > 0:58:06and people should really start to see the qualities in them,
0:58:06 > 0:58:08especially in the garden.
0:58:10 > 0:58:12Peonies are the best.
0:58:12 > 0:58:13I couldn't agree more.
0:58:19 > 0:58:22For me, no other plant gives such a show-stopping performance
0:58:22 > 0:58:24as the peony.
0:58:24 > 0:58:28You can have flowers from spring right into summer
0:58:28 > 0:58:29and they're glorious.
0:58:29 > 0:58:31And once they're in, you're going to have flowers
0:58:31 > 0:58:34year after year after year.
0:58:34 > 0:58:37Go on, splash out and put one in your garden,
0:58:37 > 0:58:39or maybe even two.