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 > 0:00:12But there's a problem.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Not everything is rosy in our gardens.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18Our iconic plants are under attack from foreign invaders.
0:00:18 > 0:00:23Ancient woodlands are at risk of being lost forever.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25And our favourite flowers are disappearing
0:00:25 > 0:00:28right before our very eyes.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31So we need you to help us in our revival campaign.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36We'll be inspiring you to dig deep and celebrate the best of British...
0:00:36 > 0:00:40..As we reveal the country's most stunning gardens...
0:00:42 > 0:00:45..And sharing our top gardening tips.
0:00:45 > 0:00:50It's time to rediscover our passion for plants...
0:00:50 > 0:00:53..And breathe new life into our gardens.
0:01:31 > 0:01:36There's one plant that has the power to calm, soothe and relax.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42It will provide colour and fragrance right throughout the summer,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45it's incredibly versatile and if you give it the conditions
0:01:45 > 0:01:49that it loves it'll become your best garden buddy.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53But this traditional British garden favourite
0:01:53 > 0:01:57is in danger of being reduced to a handful of varieties
0:01:57 > 0:02:01unless we rekindle our love for lavender.
0:02:05 > 0:02:11On my revival campaign I discover the origins of one of our most iconic lavenders.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13This is the daddy of them all?
0:02:13 > 0:02:15This is it. This is the Hidcote lavender.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18This is what people know Hidcote for.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22- 'I swap the garden for the kitchen.' - Well, this is for lamb rump.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24What we're going to do, we've taken some rosemary here...
0:02:24 > 0:02:27- Hold on. Lavender and lamb? - Lavender and lamb.
0:02:27 > 0:02:32'And I show you how easy it can be to get a stunning lavender display in your garden.'
0:02:32 > 0:02:35If it's happy where it's growing
0:02:35 > 0:02:38you should easily get a good ten years out of a plant.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40And that's not bad, is it?
0:02:57 > 0:03:00This is the very beautiful Hidcote Manor Garden in Gloucestershire.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04If you're a lavender fan already it will come as no surprise
0:03:04 > 0:03:07that I've chosen to start my revival here.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13Hidcote is the name given to perhaps the most famous of the English lavenders.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Lavandula angustifolia Hidcote.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22This world famous Arts and Crafts style garden was the life's work
0:03:22 > 0:03:25of garden designer and plants man Lawrence Johnston.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29He first introduced lavender at the turn of the 20th century
0:03:29 > 0:03:32and it's been grown here ever since.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35I couldn't imagine planting up a garden and not using lavender
0:03:35 > 0:03:38because it represents everything about gardening to me.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41I once did a garden at the Chelsea Flower Show and I only used
0:03:41 > 0:03:43lavender and box balls.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49Because I think it's so wonderful. It's structural and yet floral.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52It has wonderful scent and it brings wildlife into your garden.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55There are over 400 varieties of lavender
0:03:55 > 0:03:58with a range of form, scent and colour.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01No, lavender isn't just purple.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06But sadly today there is only a limited choice available at our garden centres.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10We need to revive some of the wonderful lavender
0:04:10 > 0:04:14varieties before they're lost from our gardens forever.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Historically lavender has been highly prized,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27believed to have been brought to the UK by the Romans
0:04:27 > 0:04:30who celebrated its healing qualities.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34For the Tudors, lavender was the herb of cleanliness and calm
0:04:34 > 0:04:38and the Victorians used lavender in perfumery and for scenting clothes.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42From the 19th century till the Second World War,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45the small market town of Hitchin in Hertfordshire
0:04:45 > 0:04:49was one of the major lavender-growing regions in the country.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52At its height of popularity in the 19th century,
0:04:52 > 0:04:54100 acres were grown around the town.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57But by the end of the Second World War,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59landowners were turning to more prosperous crops
0:04:59 > 0:05:02and succumbing to urban development
0:05:02 > 0:05:05and the lavender-growing industry in the UK witnessed a decline.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09'But in recent years, local farmers Alec and Zoe Hunter
0:05:09 > 0:05:14'decided to start their very own Hitchin lavender revival.'
0:05:14 > 0:05:17I feel all of a sudden I've travelled to France and I'm not in Hertfordshire.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19It's amazing.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Why did you come along and decide to start growing it again commercially?
0:05:22 > 0:05:26We were farming here anyway and my wife and I decided
0:05:26 > 0:05:29that growing a bit of lavender, because of the historical connection to Hitchin,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32would be such a nice thing to do.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36So it was a simple as that but it built on historic foundations
0:05:36 > 0:05:39- and, of course, perfect growing conditions?- Exactly. Yes.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43And when you saw it growing we just want to grow more and more.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46And what is it that you've always loved about the plant?
0:05:46 > 0:05:48The way it changes during the season.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52It's lovely at the green stage and lovely when it's in full flower.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54It's perfect.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Hitchin lavender is now a family affair with Alec's son Tim
0:06:00 > 0:06:04returning to the farm in 2009 with his Argentinian wife
0:06:04 > 0:06:07to take over the running of the lavender side of the business.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09Now it's not just about growing lavender,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11visitors can come and pick their own.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18It's quite amazing that just outside of London, really,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22- anybody can come along and pick a bag of lavender.- That's right.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25We want to encourage visitors when they come into the farm to be
0:06:25 > 0:06:27picking as much lavender as they can get into a bag.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30- Show me. What do I do?- I'll give you a pair of scissors.- Lovely.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37It's a very short stem on this lavender. What would it be used for?
0:06:37 > 0:06:42This particular variety is very good for gauze bags, organza bags.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45So if you want to do lavender pillows.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48And then your longer varieties over there would be for your bunches.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51'The farm has over 15 acres of lavender
0:06:51 > 0:06:54'and the rows add up to a staggering 17 miles.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57And many different varieties of lavender.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59When I first came back we probably only had four or five
0:06:59 > 0:07:02and now we've got over 60 so, yeah, there's a lot to choose
0:07:02 > 0:07:04and a lot to pick from and come and see.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07And visitors here are enjoying it. How many visitors?
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Nowadays we're looking at about 30,000 a season
0:07:09 > 0:07:12and when I came back it was a couple of thousand so it's really grown.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16It's really coming on in leaps and bounds so it fits in perfectly
0:07:16 > 0:07:21with this idea of reviving lavender in our gardens and as an industry.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23- So you support it? - I'm all for it, obviously.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26I mean, not only is it a wonderful flower, a beautiful scent,
0:07:26 > 0:07:28so many different varieties,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31it attracts the birds, bees, butterflies.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34- It's amazing.- So the future is in lavender.- Absolutely.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43This farm has demonstrated that there definitely is the interest
0:07:43 > 0:07:47for people to come and enjoy this wonderful plant.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Let's hope they start growing lavender in their own gardens.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Hidcote Manor Garden is famous for its eponymous lavender
0:08:01 > 0:08:06which has grown amongst a whole host of other colourful plants.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09The garden is a series of distinct rooms
0:08:09 > 0:08:11created during the Edwardian era.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16Garden curator Andrew Hunt knows all about the garden's history
0:08:16 > 0:08:19and famous connection to lavender.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Tell me about Lawrence Johnston,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25the guy who created this garden very early in the 20th century.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Well, Lawrence, between 1907 and 1948,
0:08:28 > 0:08:32he created Hidcote Garden that people can see today.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37He had no formal training in horticulture
0:08:37 > 0:08:40but he was very passionate and loved plants.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43He would only select the best of the best varieties
0:08:43 > 0:08:45and that's exactly what he did with this lavender.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47He saw this growing in the south of France
0:08:47 > 0:08:50and absolutely loved it and brought it back to this garden.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52And this is the daddy of them all?
0:08:52 > 0:08:54This is it. This is the Hidcote lavender.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56This is what people know Hidcote for.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58And how long has this been here?
0:08:58 > 0:09:03We presume this plant has been here just over 25 years.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06So it's not the original plant but it's one of that plant's children?
0:09:06 > 0:09:08It is, yeah. It's the baby.
0:09:08 > 0:09:13We estimate that Lawrence Johnston brought lavender into this garden
0:09:13 > 0:09:18in the 1930s and we've taken cuttings from the original plant
0:09:18 > 0:09:20and this is one of them.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Now, I'm on a revival to being back
0:09:22 > 0:09:27so many of the 400 varieties that we don't grow so often any more.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29I think that's a great idea.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32I personally love lavender and the different varieties,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34colours, growth forms you can get.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37It's just so versatile it's unbelievable.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39What's your favourite variety of lavender?
0:09:39 > 0:09:42- It's got to be Hidcote. - HE LAUGHS
0:09:42 > 0:09:45'When selecting lavender for your own garden,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47'there are choices to be made about size,
0:09:47 > 0:09:49'shape and form, fragrance and colour.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51'From purple through to pinks and even white.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54'Depending on how you're going to use your lavender
0:09:54 > 0:09:57'you'll also need to decide which type to go for.'
0:10:04 > 0:10:07This is a French lavender and it wears a hat.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10These petals fly up in the air like bunny ears.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12I mean, it's grand.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17It's not as hardy as the English type and it is a bit showy-offy.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21And this, to me, is the perfect English garden lavender.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Absolutely beautiful.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Flowers for a month during the summer on elegant long stems
0:10:27 > 0:10:29with nice silvery foliage.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33'For real impact, plant a low growing hedge
0:10:33 > 0:10:36'using several different coloured lavenders.'
0:10:36 > 0:10:41One of the really great joys of the British garden is a gravel pathway
0:10:41 > 0:10:44edged by a low lavender hedge.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47I've dug out a nice little trench.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Now, it will rely on really good drainage
0:10:50 > 0:10:55so I'm going to spread some of this grit just for extra drainage.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03The species I'm starting off with, with this hedge, is angustifolia.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05Lovely, feathery, silvery foliage.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Long spikes and look at those blooms.
0:11:08 > 0:11:13Absolutely beautiful and quite simply tip...
0:11:13 > 0:11:18Tip it out of the pot and lay it in the trench over that gravel.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24I'm going to lay the second one in the trench
0:11:24 > 0:11:28about 12 to 18 inches apart from the first.
0:11:28 > 0:11:35They'll close up and will be fully mature within three to four years.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38Now, to get some variety into the hedge I'm going to move onto
0:11:38 > 0:11:40a slightly different variety.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42This is Loddon Pink.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47Lower growing and slightly lighter coloured flower.
0:11:47 > 0:11:52Beautiful nonetheless. We'll place him here.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57When you're planting lavender, and this one is a nice white one,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01what you do is you plant slightly above ground level
0:12:01 > 0:12:05so that no water lodges around the base of the plant.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11Ideal growing conditions will be a nice, open, bright, sunny position
0:12:11 > 0:12:16with a really well-drained soil but the sun is the most important thing.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18'Even though lavender thrives in hot, dry conditions,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21'like any new plant it will benefit from a drink
0:12:21 > 0:12:24'to help it establish once freshly planted.'
0:12:27 > 0:12:30I think that looks superb.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33In a couple of years these lavender spikes
0:12:33 > 0:12:37are going spread gently over this path.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39They're going to soften this area
0:12:39 > 0:12:41and they're going to be an absolute delight.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46'For me, there's nothing better than a lavender hedge-lined path
0:12:46 > 0:12:50'as you gently brush past the flowers and release the incredible scent.'
0:13:01 > 0:13:04'Key to reviving lavender is highlighting the huge
0:13:04 > 0:13:07'diversity of this beautiful family of plants.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10'Thankfully, there are lavender enthusiasts out there
0:13:10 > 0:13:12'who are just as passionate as me.'
0:13:12 > 0:13:16I've read about one man in Kent who's on a lifetime quest
0:13:16 > 0:13:20to either find or invent the ultimate lavender.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23'Simon Charlesworth started growing lavender in his back garden
0:13:23 > 0:13:28'23 years ago and he now has over 400 different types,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30'holding a national collection in his walled garden
0:13:30 > 0:13:33'near Tonbridge in Kent.'
0:13:33 > 0:13:36What do people look for, for a good garden lavender?
0:13:36 > 0:13:38Now, the first thing really is scent.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41The second thing is a dark flower
0:13:41 > 0:13:44and the third thing very often is a short lavender.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48Now, the interesting thing is the dark flowering lavenders
0:13:48 > 0:13:52very often don't carry the heavier scent so you need to go a bit paler.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57'Simon wants people to appreciate the different colours, scents
0:13:57 > 0:14:01'and sizes of lavender and how it can make an impact in modern gardens.'
0:14:03 > 0:14:05This is a great variety. This is called Edelweiss.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08It's been around since about the early 1800s.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12It's beautiful. Very long stem. Branching on the stem.
0:14:12 > 0:14:13Cracking scent.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17The contrast between the white and the dark purple is amazing.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21How long is the lavender season?
0:14:21 > 0:14:25Well, you get a good four weeks on the short ones
0:14:25 > 0:14:28and then just as they're going over you get the taller ones
0:14:28 > 0:14:30coming into bloom so that pushes it to eight weeks.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33And there are some Dutch lavender
0:14:33 > 0:14:35and they'll flower right through to the frost.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38So if you plant properly for succession,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41you could have enough all summer long.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44That's right. Probably 12, 15 weeks.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49'French and English lavenders flower first with the hybrid
0:14:49 > 0:14:52'intermedias starting and finishing later.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55'Mixing varieties not only gives a longer flowering period
0:14:55 > 0:14:58'but also creates a striking visual effect.'
0:14:59 > 0:15:01This is a really sweet drift.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04I presume a mixture of different types of lavender.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07A little pink one called Little Lottie just weaving through this bed
0:15:07 > 0:15:11and you've got St John here, which is just a wonderful pale pink,
0:15:11 > 0:15:13very tall lavender.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18And we've spotted them with the taller intermedia types with the heavier scent.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21- So it's a real tapestry, isn't it? - It is. It's wonderful.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25'As well as safeguarding this national collection,
0:15:25 > 0:15:29'Simon's other mission is to create the ultimate lavender.'
0:15:29 > 0:15:32So this is the latest lavender we've produced.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34It's called Heavenly Night.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37What we've done is we've taken a small bit of material to the lab
0:15:37 > 0:15:42and we've treated it in some solution for a given length of time.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44It will give them the strength
0:15:44 > 0:15:46and it just changes the structure of the plant.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51Much shorter stature than its parent with these thick, rigid stems.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54And that's all to please market forces?
0:15:54 > 0:15:58It is. For late flowering, well-scented,
0:15:58 > 0:16:04dark-flowered lavender for July into August.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07As part of my lavender revival campaign
0:16:07 > 0:16:12you'd like to see a whole load of new varieties, different varieties,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15different sizes on offer in garden centres around the country?
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Yeah, I think it would really important to put a modern spin
0:16:18 > 0:16:20on an old garden favourite.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Rarely have I visited a garden that was so interesting
0:16:25 > 0:16:29and it just goes to show that with a little bit of creative planting,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32this garden classic can feel fresh and contemporary.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Lavender's Mediterranean roots are very nicely reflected here
0:16:44 > 0:16:48at Hidcote Manor Garden around the lily pond
0:16:48 > 0:16:51with the lollypop bay trees and the spiked agaves
0:16:51 > 0:16:53perching on the side of the water.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57However, some of the lavender has just gone over flowering
0:16:57 > 0:16:59so it's a perfect time to give it a bit of a haircut
0:16:59 > 0:17:01and get it shipshape for next year.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13I always approach this job with a slight sense of regret.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18It's still summer, the sun is out but the lavender is over,
0:17:18 > 0:17:22and if I don't want this particular shrub to get leggy and woody,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25it needs treatment and it needs it now.
0:17:25 > 0:17:31So I'm going in and I'm going to just cut back to, I suppose,
0:17:31 > 0:17:35just below the flower spike.
0:17:38 > 0:17:45So, what I'm doing now is really maintaining a nice compact shape
0:17:45 > 0:17:51and also by pruning like this I'm encouraging lots of side shoots
0:17:51 > 0:17:54and lots of flower for next summer.
0:17:56 > 0:18:02The hint of regret is tinged with hope for next year.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06'Lavender responds well to a good cut-back.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10'It will bounce back after a few weeks and look fine through winter.'
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Not all of us will have been careful enough to give our lavender
0:18:12 > 0:18:14a light haircut like this.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18If you've allowed your lavender to get woody
0:18:18 > 0:18:22and slightly brittle there is another way to rejuvenate it.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30This plant is...well, it's just been here a long time.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33It's got old. It's got gnarly. It's very, very woody.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35There are a few options.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Whipping it out completely and replacing it with something else,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41but that would be a shame in a way because if you look into it
0:18:41 > 0:18:46there is some new growth in the very crown of the plant.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50What I'm going to try here is to do something that is not often advised.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54I'm going to cut hard into the old wood and see
0:18:54 > 0:18:58if these shoots will act as a rejuvenation for the entire plant.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02I would only do this at a milder time of year.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Never too early and never too late.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08I'm going to come in about ten inches from the crown
0:19:08 > 0:19:12and I'm going to cut back hard.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16The idea is that you've got to be cruel to be kind
0:19:16 > 0:19:19and if I want to rejuvenate this plant
0:19:19 > 0:19:24and to solve the problems of brittle wood, I really have to get in there.
0:19:25 > 0:19:30I'm not sure if this is going to regrow but I may as well have a try
0:19:30 > 0:19:35and there are some really fine new shoots there, so fingers crossed.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39'Only attempt to cut back woody lavender like this
0:19:39 > 0:19:43'if the plant has new shoots and if you're willing to gamble
0:19:43 > 0:19:46'as regrowth isn't guaranteed and you could lose the plant.'
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Now, the cutting back here has been quite brutal
0:19:49 > 0:19:52but look what it's opened up.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56These fresh shoots which really will form that new, vigorous regrowth.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58I hope.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06The lesson here is cut it back as soon as it's finished flowering.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11With regular pruning and if it's happy where it's growing,
0:20:11 > 0:20:15you should easily get ten years out of a plant.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17And that's not bad, is it?
0:20:30 > 0:20:33'Lavender has long-held a reputation for its fragrance.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36'Used in beauty products and essential oils,
0:20:36 > 0:20:38'with its magical scents and soothing qualities.'
0:20:40 > 0:20:43But did you know that English lavender is perfect for cooking?
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Another reason to grow some in your garden.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Castle Farm in Kent is the biggest lavender grower in the UK,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55with over 85 acres.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59They grow many varieties including those suitable for use in cooking.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Caroline Alexander runs the farm shop where they sell
0:21:02 > 0:21:06all things lavender, including lavender flavoured food products.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09Caroline, what variety is this?
0:21:09 > 0:21:12This one is called Maillette so it's a true angustifolia type.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16Specifically bred for really, really good oil content.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20Not only has it got a lot of oil in it but the type of oil is really
0:21:20 > 0:21:23powerful so this is the really high grade stuff that goes into
0:21:23 > 0:21:26the massage oils and the high grade perfumery and high grade toiletries.
0:21:26 > 0:21:31- Is this cooking lavender for people to grow at home?- Certainly.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34The Maillette, this specific variety is generally not available
0:21:34 > 0:21:37in the garden centres yet. It may come through.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41Really, any angustifolia can be used for cooking but some will have
0:21:41 > 0:21:45a much stronger scent and flavour to them than others.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47The' best time to harvest lavender
0:21:47 > 0:21:50'is when it has the most oil in the plant.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52'This is at its mid-flowering stage,
0:21:52 > 0:21:54'when a third of the heads are in bud,
0:21:54 > 0:21:57'a third are in flower and a third have gone over.'
0:21:57 > 0:22:00At home what you can do is just cut bunches like this.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Hang them somewhere where it's nice and warm and just let them dry out
0:22:04 > 0:22:07and then keep the heads stored in a jar in a dark place.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10You can just drop a few heads in when cooking a lavender cake
0:22:10 > 0:22:12or lavender biscuits.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Infuse the flavour by maybe putting the lavender into oils
0:22:15 > 0:22:18or into vinegar or into sugar and just letting it steep there.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Or into vodka and adding a bit of honey. That's really good.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24- Really good. - That put a smile to your face.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26A bit of lavender liquor from that.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31'Someone else who loves experimenting with lavender in food
0:22:31 > 0:22:35'is local chef Ben James, who serves up lavender-infused meals
0:22:35 > 0:22:37'at his pub, The George and Dragon.'
0:22:37 > 0:22:41- So, Ben, what are you going to use these for?- This is for lamb rump.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43What we're going to do is take some rosemary...
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- Hang on. Lavender and lamb? - Lavender and lamb.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47I've literally got some olive oil, some salt, some pepper
0:22:47 > 0:22:50and some rosemary. And the lavender just really helps
0:22:50 > 0:22:53the sort of aromatic note hit your nose first.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57So we just rub that all the way into the nicely scored meat.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Both sides.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02What do you think is so good about cooking with lavender?
0:23:02 > 0:23:04It's nice to be able to offer people food
0:23:04 > 0:23:07that is different to everyday menus.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Give somebody something exciting to try.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12So we're going to put this fat-side-down in a cold pan.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15Put it on a low heat to let some of the fat render out
0:23:15 > 0:23:17before we put it in the oven.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19'I can't wait to try it.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23'Ben's prepared a range of treats that we're hoping to tempt people with back at Castle Farm.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26'We've got a lavender drink with cucumber, mint and lemon.'
0:23:26 > 0:23:28I think you should find that you've got a little bit
0:23:28 > 0:23:31of the perfume on the nose and then at the back
0:23:31 > 0:23:33but straight away you've got the lemon and the mint.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Yeah, yeah, yeah. It works very well together.
0:23:36 > 0:23:41'The lamb with the lavender rub.' That's delicious. Gorgeous.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45- 'Honey and lavender carrots.' - It's very fragrant but not too much.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47'And lavender chocolates.'
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Really delicious.
0:23:50 > 0:23:56Well, I'm sold. But more importantly, can we get the farm visitors eating lavender?
0:23:56 > 0:23:58- You can taste the chocolate.- Yes.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00But then after a while you get a bit of the after kick.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04- The lavender really comes through. - Yeah. It's really nice.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08That's not for you.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12- How do you find that?- I wouldn't say the lavender is too much.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15I do use honey but I've never thought about putting
0:24:15 > 0:24:18- lavender on them at all and I've bought some lavender.- Fantastic.
0:24:20 > 0:24:25- Mm.- Yeah.- That is gorgeous.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31- Cheers.- Well, that was really lovely.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Introducing a new idea of lavender in food and drink
0:24:34 > 0:24:37and looking at the surprise on people's faces.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40They really appreciated it and I hope it will make them
0:24:40 > 0:24:43all go home and plant lavender in their gardens.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00If you'd like to increase the amount of lavender plants you have
0:25:00 > 0:25:03in your garden, it's easy to do, by taking cuttings,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05and I'm going to show you how.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15Now, this is a very nice plant to take some cuttings from.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18So, what I'm looking for are some stems, side shoots,
0:25:18 > 0:25:24that haven't flowered this year and all I do is simply peel them
0:25:24 > 0:25:28away, taking a little bit of a heel.
0:25:28 > 0:25:33Put that in a plastic bag there. A little bit of water.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Keep it nice and fresh.
0:25:36 > 0:25:41Good time to do this is between April and September.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44So, there you go with the heel there, which is
0:25:44 > 0:25:49just a tear from the stem, and that will be from where the new
0:25:49 > 0:25:56roots emerge, as it begins to take as its own new little plant.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59'It's best to do this first thing in the morning,
0:25:59 > 0:26:03'or later in the evening when water content in the plant is higher.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08'To plant the cuttings, use a small terracotta pot filled with compost.'
0:26:08 > 0:26:12I'm adding plenty of grit because with lavender,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15it's all about good drainage and I get my cutting,
0:26:15 > 0:26:20I strip off the base leaves and I'm going to clean that heel with
0:26:20 > 0:26:23a sharp knife, running it across the base.
0:26:23 > 0:26:28When you've done that, dip the end in the rooting hormone
0:26:28 > 0:26:33and tap it at the side, just to shake off any excess powder.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37Then, gently put it into the pot, firm the compost around it.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Do a few of those.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43'A pot this size should take about six cuttings.'
0:26:43 > 0:26:45Give it a little watering.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48When excess water has drained away, create a mini
0:26:48 > 0:26:55greenhouse by covering the pot with a very simple plastic bag.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58That should create the perfect atmosphere for these
0:26:58 > 0:27:01cuttings to strike. And after a couple of weeks, you can
0:27:01 > 0:27:04snip the corner off and let some air begin to circulate.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Check it every so often.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10You don't want any disease like mildew taking over.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13And after a couple of months, those should have rooted.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18When they root, take off the covering and grow this on, maybe
0:27:18 > 0:27:20in a greenhouse,
0:27:20 > 0:27:24in a frost-free situation for a couple of months, or even pot them
0:27:24 > 0:27:29on and plant them out in the garden when they're about a year old.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Terry Winters is a computer designer by trade,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44but a self-confessed lavender anorak.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47He taught himself all about lavender to solve a gardening problem
0:27:47 > 0:27:49when he moved into a new home.
0:27:49 > 0:27:54This is a garden that my wife and I created from scratch three years ago.
0:27:54 > 0:28:00It's a tricky site because it's very sunny, it's very dry,
0:28:00 > 0:28:02and it's on chalk.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06I knew from day one, lavender had to
0:28:06 > 0:28:10be the centre of the planting plan.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14I knew nothing about lavender and so I sought out lavender specialists
0:28:14 > 0:28:19and I learned about the different varieties and the different species.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23We grow them in pots here, we grow them in this large lavender bed
0:28:23 > 0:28:27and along pathways. It's great just to be in amongst it.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30The combination of different types of lavender,
0:28:30 > 0:28:33which flower at different times of the year, combine to create
0:28:33 > 0:28:38almost like a Persian carpet effect of colour that runs across the bed.
0:28:38 > 0:28:39Along this alley,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42we've grown lavender on either side of the pathway,
0:28:42 > 0:28:45intermingled it with the Verbena bonariensis,
0:28:45 > 0:28:49so you get a kind of a purple haze that I think looks quite lovely.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52I know this journey will take me forward into the future
0:28:52 > 0:28:55and I'll grow many more different varieties.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58I think people should do what I've done, they should go on that
0:28:58 > 0:29:01learning experience and bring lavender into their own gardens.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03Really, what's not to like about lavender?
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Lavender is such a wonderful, versatile plant with
0:29:13 > 0:29:15so many great uses.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19With just a little bit of care and attention, it'll fill
0:29:19 > 0:29:24our gardens with scented blossoms in blue and white and pink and purple.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27But let's grow some of the more unusual varieties
0:29:27 > 0:29:31and fill our gardens with that scent and the sound of buzzing bees.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Across the series, our revival team are travelling the length
0:29:40 > 0:29:43and breadth of Britain, celebrating our gardens,
0:29:43 > 0:29:46flowers and plants, in all their glory.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48With one important mission -
0:29:48 > 0:29:51to champion our rich gardening heritage.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57Next, Alys Fowler is on the campaign for knot gardens.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15A knot garden is one of the most distinctive contributions
0:30:15 > 0:30:18we have made to the garden world.
0:30:18 > 0:30:23It was a centrepiece of the Tudor garden, an elaborate, living
0:30:23 > 0:30:27tapestry of plants, woven together in glorious intricate design.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34'Sadly today, they are seen as dated and simply too much effort.'
0:30:34 > 0:30:39But I think the knot garden does have a place in the modern world.
0:30:39 > 0:30:40We just need to be inspired.
0:30:42 > 0:30:47I want to show you that knot gardens don't have to be old-fashioned
0:30:47 > 0:30:51or fussy, they can be simple, low-maintenance and stylish.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54I think they're an important part of our heritage
0:30:54 > 0:30:56and one that we should be proud to revive.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02On my revival campaign, I'll see how an artist's contemporary
0:31:02 > 0:31:06take on a traditional knot garden has become a true labour of love.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08This is entwined heart.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11You're a shameless romantic, aren't you?
0:31:11 > 0:31:14'How a fantastic competition in the Midlands led to a knot garden
0:31:14 > 0:31:16'being revived by local volunteers.'
0:31:16 > 0:31:21It's looking wonderful and I feel very Zen after all this raking.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25'And I'll show you how easy it is to create your very own knot
0:31:25 > 0:31:27'garden from scratch.'
0:31:27 > 0:31:29I've mostly chosen herbs
0:31:29 > 0:31:34because I want this knot garden to be as useful as it is pretty to look at.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48In terms of style and design,
0:31:48 > 0:31:51knot gardens truly are a thing of beauty and what better place
0:31:51 > 0:31:56to start my revival campaign than here, at Helmingham Hall, in Suffolk?
0:31:59 > 0:32:03'This spectacular moated manor house was
0:32:03 > 0:32:06'built at the start of the reign of Henry VIII.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09'Today, its formal gardens include a magnificent walled kitchen
0:32:09 > 0:32:14'garden with herbaceous borders, a stunning parterre,
0:32:14 > 0:32:19'and a shining example of a knot garden.' And this is it.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21Isn't it fantastic?
0:32:21 > 0:32:25The knot garden is basically a structured symmetrical design,
0:32:25 > 0:32:27using low-growing plants.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31More traditionally, these were herbs, but more recently, it's box.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35'Sometimes, the elaborate patterns in Tudor knot gardens have meanings,
0:32:35 > 0:32:39'like symbols of love and complex puzzles, or family crests.'
0:32:39 > 0:32:42The overall effect is said to resemble embroidery,
0:32:42 > 0:32:47and often there's a rope motif, but when is a knot not a knot?
0:32:47 > 0:32:50Well, when it's a parterre.
0:32:50 > 0:32:51This is a parterre.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55So what's the difference between this and a knot garden?
0:32:55 > 0:33:00Well, if the knot garden is an intricate interwoven tapestry,
0:33:00 > 0:33:06then a parterre is a much cleaner, bolder architectural feature.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10What I love about knot gardens is they're one of those few
0:33:10 > 0:33:14historical features that work in the modern day
0:33:14 > 0:33:18because they give your garden both structure and style.
0:33:18 > 0:33:23I've come to the historic royal retreat of Hampton Court Palace,
0:33:23 > 0:33:27where today we can see a 20th-century recreation of a Tudor knot garden.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35Terry Gough is head of gardens and estates for historic royal palaces.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38People looking at it now would go, "Oh, it's much looser than
0:33:38 > 0:33:42- "I imagined," but that's because it's in an interim period.- That's correct.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45What we will do now is get them nice and sharp
0:33:45 > 0:33:50and then we will plant with wonderful summer-flowering plants.
0:33:50 > 0:33:56'Hampton Court Palace was originally owned by Henry VIII's Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey,
0:33:56 > 0:34:00'who is thought was an early advocate of the knot garden.'
0:34:00 > 0:34:03So, how does the history of knot gardens in this palace work?
0:34:03 > 0:34:08Well, Wolsey's biographer reports that Cardinal Wolsey had
0:34:08 > 0:34:12"knots so in knotted, it cannot be expressed",
0:34:12 > 0:34:16so obviously referring to Thomas Wolsey's knot gardens
0:34:16 > 0:34:19because he was the first builder of Hampton Court Palace.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22And then, of course, Henry VIII took it from him, made it a royal
0:34:22 > 0:34:25palace and then he started to change the gardens completely.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28So, do we have any of those early knot gardens?
0:34:28 > 0:34:31Are there pictures of them? Does any of it exist any more?
0:34:31 > 0:34:34Unfortunately, they've all been swept away.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38All we have from that Tudor period are the walls
0:34:38 > 0:34:42and some of the surviving features, but the gardens have been swept
0:34:42 > 0:34:47away by later monarchs demonstrating later gardening tastes.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50It's always the way with gardening history.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52Everybody has to rip it up and start again.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54'By the 17th century, there was
0:34:54 > 0:34:58'a change in attitudes towards the traditional knot garden.'
0:34:58 > 0:35:02Over time, grander parterres, such as this one, began to take over
0:35:02 > 0:35:06and British monarchs, such as William of Orange, started to try
0:35:06 > 0:35:10and outdo the great gardens of Versailles.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12'This royal rivalry reached its peak with
0:35:12 > 0:35:16'the introduction of the ultimate supersized knot garden.
0:35:16 > 0:35:17'The maze.'
0:35:17 > 0:35:22Hampton Court Palace is home to the oldest surviving puzzle hedge maze.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25It was built in the late 17th century.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28'But by the mid-18th century, mazes, knot gardens
0:35:28 > 0:35:32'and parterres fell out of fashion as garden trends changed
0:35:32 > 0:35:36'and naturalistic landscape gardens became all the rage.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39'The Victorian Arts and Crafts movements were a mini
0:35:39 > 0:35:42'revival of confusing knot garden, parterre combinations.'
0:35:42 > 0:35:47But ultimately the knot garden was lost in the aftermath of the
0:35:47 > 0:35:49First World War, seen by many as just
0:35:49 > 0:35:53too labour-intensive and old-fashioned.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57'That's why on my revival campaign, I'm out to prove that knot gardens
0:35:57 > 0:36:03'can be low-maintenance, ultra-modern and fit for the 21st century.'
0:36:10 > 0:36:13'Here at Helmingham Hall the knot garden has been created to be
0:36:13 > 0:36:15'historically sympathetic to the house
0:36:15 > 0:36:18'but still manages to look effortlessly modern.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21'Owner Xa Tollemache is an award winning landscape
0:36:21 > 0:36:24'and garden designer.'
0:36:24 > 0:36:29It was in 1980 that we decided to do our own garden on this side of the house.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32Gosh, it looks incredibly established for that time, doesn't it?
0:36:32 > 0:36:34And how did you come up with the design?
0:36:34 > 0:36:39We did it in initials, which is "A" for Alexandra, but no-one calls me
0:36:39 > 0:36:43by that. And then "T" is over there for Tim.
0:36:43 > 0:36:44- Oh, I see.- My husband.- Yes.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48And then the other two are the fret, which is such a wonderful
0:36:48 > 0:36:52pattern to do a knot garden with because it sort of lends itself.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55And the planting in between is delightfully informal.
0:36:55 > 0:36:56Is that on purpose?
0:36:56 > 0:36:58Well, I love a formal structure but informal planting,
0:36:58 > 0:37:02so I want all the flowers and planting to be very exuberant
0:37:02 > 0:37:05and soften the architectural element of it.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08And how did you go about choosing the plants in the beds?
0:37:08 > 0:37:12I was keen that this knot garden should be historically
0:37:12 > 0:37:14correct up to a point,
0:37:14 > 0:37:18so most of the genus are old plants introduced
0:37:18 > 0:37:22in Britain before 1750, and I pop in some annuals every now and again.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26So this side is your initial, but the design changes over here.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30Yes, they are four beds for herbs.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33So we did this in basically a Union Jack,
0:37:33 > 0:37:37and then I just put this stud work of box as a sort of punctuation.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41So what do you like most about a knot garden?
0:37:41 > 0:37:43Well, it's tremendously adaptable.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47It's a very nice thing to look from your windows onto a knot garden,
0:37:47 > 0:37:50and they can be as simple or as complicated as you like to make them.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53You can have gravel in between. It can be very low-maintenance.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57You know, you can have a knot garden or a parterre or anything,
0:37:57 > 0:37:59sort of in that vein, outside a modern house,
0:37:59 > 0:38:03and it will look smart, cool, contemporary and fun.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05- Yeah, yeah.- And, of course, you now, in the winter,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08I've seen this in snow and it's just fantastic.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12I think it's a marvellous way to enjoy gardening.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17So I see there's an element of seasonal planting.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20Do you put that on every single bed?
0:38:20 > 0:38:24Where there are gaps. For instance, we've had narcissi here.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26White narcissi, and then they die down, you know,
0:38:26 > 0:38:28and the leaves get really ugly, so I chopped them
0:38:28 > 0:38:31off and I have an antirrhinum, which is an old plant.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33It's a snapdragon,
0:38:33 > 0:38:37and I pop them in and it prolongs the flowering season.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40- But some of the beds are perennial planting and there's no need.- Right.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44But where there are bulbs, you know, you need to just give them
0:38:44 > 0:38:45a bit of encouragement.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49What do you find works best between the beds?
0:38:49 > 0:38:51I mean, are there sort of plants you really rely on?
0:38:51 > 0:38:53Well, this is a new invention.
0:38:53 > 0:38:58These are agapanthus, and I like the combination of leaf.
0:38:58 > 0:39:04- Mmm.- ..the contrast and, of course, the box roots are quite greedy
0:39:04 > 0:39:08and the agapanthus, like, sort of its root being starved.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10So they come up and they have fabulous flower heads
0:39:10 > 0:39:14and then the seed heads, they die off and the seed heads go through
0:39:14 > 0:39:17the winter, so it works well there.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19And then I have other old plants.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22I mean, you know, all the astrantias.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26All the aquilegias and sedums
0:39:26 > 0:39:30and sort of things that really don't mind being a little bit competitive.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33Yes, I suppose that's the, that's the point, isn't it?
0:39:33 > 0:39:34I particularly like the astrantias
0:39:34 > 0:39:37and aquilegias as they sort of rise above the box.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Yes, because in the middle...
0:39:40 > 0:39:42- you want to be able to see them. - Yes.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46You can have the lower plants, you know, on the outside beds
0:39:46 > 0:39:47because you can look down on them.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49You can't always look in there,
0:39:49 > 0:39:53so when the agapanthus are up here, you know, it works quite well.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55I'm quite pleased with that.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58And it's exactly that which I think works so well with this design.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02It's the very formal, and then this incredibly delicate, relaxed air to
0:40:02 > 0:40:07- it that I think this garden pulls off so well.- We're nearly there.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09THEY LAUGH
0:40:13 > 0:40:17'One of the best things about knot gardens is that they allow
0:40:17 > 0:40:19'you to be creative.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22'I've come to the village of Tilford, in Surrey, where artist
0:40:22 > 0:40:25'Rod Burns and his wife Pamela have created a series of gardens
0:40:25 > 0:40:30'brought to life with Rod's unique artwork.'
0:40:30 > 0:40:33So this is their delightful herb garden,
0:40:33 > 0:40:36and actually its roots are very much with the knot garden.
0:40:36 > 0:40:40So although it looks fairly modern in some extent, actually this
0:40:40 > 0:40:45is a very ancient idea of having a hortus conclusus, so it's a tiny
0:40:45 > 0:40:49hidden garden, and the beginning of the knot garden comes out of this.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53'In medieval times an enclosed garden was a space in which to grow
0:40:53 > 0:40:57'culinary and medicinal herbs, often protected by box hedging.'
0:40:57 > 0:40:59And from that comes the knot garden
0:40:59 > 0:41:02and then later into parterre gardens.
0:41:02 > 0:41:03So they look radically different
0:41:03 > 0:41:08but their origins are actually from the same place.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11'Like the cooks and apothecaries of old, holistic therapist Pam
0:41:11 > 0:41:14'uses the gardens to their full potential.'
0:41:14 > 0:41:18They are places for reflection and contemplation.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20But not only that, it's very practical.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24We can enjoy the culinary herbs. We can enjoy herbs for teas.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26We can enjoy the medicinal properties of the herbs.
0:41:26 > 0:41:31It's multipurpose. But also...very beautiful space.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35'And actually there's another secret garden that I've come to see...'
0:41:35 > 0:41:36Hello.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38'..created by Pam's husband Rod,
0:41:38 > 0:41:42'a self-proclaimed garden renaissance man.'
0:41:42 > 0:41:43Hello, Alys.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47This is not at all what I expected. It's delightfully hidden.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49- Everything is all little compartments.- Yeah.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51All little secret places,
0:41:51 > 0:41:53and that's what I've tried to do throughout the garden.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56To have little areas which have their own identity.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58It was my vision when I came here.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02I thought, "Wouldn't it be good to have maybe 50 or 100 people
0:42:02 > 0:42:04"in the garden and actually not be able to see them.?"
0:42:04 > 0:42:07Gosh. OK, that's an interesting way of thinking about it.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09You've really, kind of, built up little hidden rooms.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Yeah. It infuriates my wife because she can never find me.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16Oh, I like the fact you've got a proper knot going on on the outside.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18- Yes.- Yes. And then is this a heart?
0:42:18 > 0:42:21- This is an entwined heart. Like four hearts.- That's lovely.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24And a couple of kisses thrown in.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26You're a shameless romantic, aren't you?
0:42:26 > 0:42:30THEY LAUGH
0:42:30 > 0:42:33'Rod's creative talent is clearly on show here.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36'I love the clever rope edge design which plays with shadow
0:42:36 > 0:42:41'and light, and the sense of symmetry you get when viewing from different angles.'
0:42:41 > 0:42:45So as I want to, you know, persuade everyone out there that they
0:42:45 > 0:42:47should have a little version of this,
0:42:47 > 0:42:50what do you think are the kind of... What are the key practicalities?
0:42:50 > 0:42:53- Particularly with getting the design right.- You can design your own.
0:42:53 > 0:42:57You don't have to follow any particular design. You can do it any way.
0:42:57 > 0:43:01I grew all the plants from...
0:43:01 > 0:43:04- you know, that.- Yes. - And they all took.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08I don't think I had any casualties at all, and I'd drawn it out
0:43:08 > 0:43:11and I just measured it, and...
0:43:11 > 0:43:14the plants just planted only a few inches apart.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18And within five years, I had a knot garden.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21Now it's very mature and it's just right.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24How many days does it take you? Because you have to prune it.
0:43:24 > 0:43:28Yep. It takes two days. Shears. Nothing else. No mechanical...
0:43:28 > 0:43:33It has to be shears. But it's very, very low-maintenance.
0:43:33 > 0:43:34People look at it and think, "Wow,
0:43:34 > 0:43:37that's massively high maintenance," and it's not.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43As part of my revival and campaign, imagine
0:43:43 > 0:43:47if you walk down the street and every other front garden had
0:43:47 > 0:43:50a wonderful, playful knot garden like this.
0:43:52 > 0:43:54'I think what Rod's done here is fantastic.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57'It shows that the knot garden does not need to be a fusty, old
0:43:57 > 0:44:00'relic consigned to history. It can be modern.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03'It can be arty and it can be fun.'
0:44:16 > 0:44:19I am always at home in a kitchen garden like this one
0:44:19 > 0:44:22here at Helmingham Hall, in Suffolk.
0:44:22 > 0:44:26Traditionally, knot gardens were created using herbs like these
0:44:26 > 0:44:27chives in flower.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30So this is the perfect setting to show you how to
0:44:30 > 0:44:34create your own stylish, modern knot garden.
0:44:37 > 0:44:42In order for your design to be effective, you need a bold, simple
0:44:42 > 0:44:48outline, and then the intricacies can come into what you fill in between.
0:44:48 > 0:44:53So I have created a very simple sun motif, which gives me
0:44:53 > 0:44:56a very instantly recognisable design.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59And then I can have fun with the beds in between.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02So...
0:45:02 > 0:45:07the important thing with a knot garden is for it to be precise.
0:45:07 > 0:45:09'I'm marking my edges with bamboo canes
0:45:09 > 0:45:14'and I'm using twine secured with tent pegs to create my sun's rays.'
0:45:14 > 0:45:17So now that I know where my centre point is,
0:45:17 > 0:45:19I'm going to go in.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21And are you ready for the magic?
0:45:21 > 0:45:23Circle...
0:45:23 > 0:45:27'I'm using a sand-filled bottle tied to another secure peg to
0:45:27 > 0:45:30'help me draw the perfect circular sun.
0:45:30 > 0:45:34'Whilst I'm not using box hedging in my knot garden I'm giving
0:45:34 > 0:45:37'a nod to Tudor traditions with my planting.'
0:45:37 > 0:45:42I've chosen plants, mostly herbs and edibles, because I like
0:45:42 > 0:45:47the idea of a knot garden being useful as well as pretty to look at.
0:45:47 > 0:45:50'I'm marking out my border with lavender dwarf blue -
0:45:50 > 0:45:54'a small compact variety which will produce deep purple flowers.'
0:45:54 > 0:45:58Now lavender was very traditional in knot gardens.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01It was often used as edging.
0:46:01 > 0:46:05You get the joy of the scent, the flower, the pollinators
0:46:05 > 0:46:07and the bees are all happy.
0:46:07 > 0:46:11'You need to grow them 15-20cm apart and they'll eventually grow
0:46:11 > 0:46:15'to form a good, solid, low hedge that's hardy and easy to maintain.'
0:46:15 > 0:46:20From here on in, my next back bone in my design is going to be chives
0:46:20 > 0:46:22and the reason I chose chives was,
0:46:22 > 0:46:25similar to the lavender, you get lovely flowers.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28They look fantastic. The pollinators like them.
0:46:28 > 0:46:32You get to eat the chives but, more importantly, it's an incredibly
0:46:32 > 0:46:34cheap and easy way to place out a design.
0:46:39 > 0:46:43And the joy about chives is that you can really shove these
0:46:43 > 0:46:47guys in together so you can make a very kind of strong, bold line.
0:46:50 > 0:46:53'To knit my design together, I'm adding purple sage.
0:46:53 > 0:46:54'It's wonderfully fragrant
0:46:54 > 0:46:58'and will work visually with the lavender and the chive flowers.'
0:47:00 > 0:47:02And that's the bones of this design.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05It's the permanent planting that makes this a knot garden,
0:47:05 > 0:47:08so all that's left to do now is just to get it in the ground.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17'My plants are in so it's time to remove the twine
0:47:17 > 0:47:19'and finally plant my sun centre piece.
0:47:19 > 0:47:23'I want to create height so I'm going to use a larger variety of lavender.'
0:47:27 > 0:47:31So now you can see the layout of the design
0:47:31 > 0:47:35and all I have to do is fill in the bare spaces.
0:47:35 > 0:47:38'Later I'm going to bring this design to life with colourful bedding
0:47:38 > 0:47:40'and more edible plants.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43'The end result will be a cost-effective, great-looking,
0:47:43 > 0:47:46'practical knot garden that you can easily recreate.'
0:47:54 > 0:47:57'For more inspiration on my revival, I've come to the ancient site
0:47:57 > 0:48:01'of Astley Castle in Warwickshire, where the owners have come up with
0:48:01 > 0:48:05'a unique way of bringing their historic knot garden back to life.
0:48:05 > 0:48:10'In 1900, a Tudor garden with parterre elements was revived here
0:48:10 > 0:48:11'but, in 1978,
0:48:11 > 0:48:15'the castle-turned-hotel was devastated by fire
0:48:15 > 0:48:17'and the gardens fell into disrepair.
0:48:17 > 0:48:20'The building's remains have since been turned into holiday homes
0:48:20 > 0:48:24'but now it's the garden that's getting all the attention.'
0:48:24 > 0:48:28As part of a restoration project, the owners invited the public to
0:48:28 > 0:48:32get involved in designing and building their own knot garden.
0:48:32 > 0:48:36'A competition was launched and the winning design was for
0:48:36 > 0:48:40'a knot garden which harked back to the castle's Tudor past.
0:48:40 > 0:48:43'The installation of the garden is being headed up by Kasia Howard.'
0:48:43 > 0:48:45Hello.
0:48:45 > 0:48:47Pleased to meet you. Welcome to our knot garden.
0:48:47 > 0:48:50Ah, what a location! What a back drop!
0:48:50 > 0:48:51It's fantastic, isn't it?
0:48:51 > 0:48:55We're just very lucky to be able to recreate a knot garden here.
0:48:55 > 0:48:58A slightly contemporary styled knot garden.
0:48:58 > 0:49:00And was there always a garden here?
0:49:00 > 0:49:02We believe that there was always a garden here, yes.
0:49:02 > 0:49:06Some of the old maps that we've got show that there was
0:49:06 > 0:49:08a garden here on the north side of the moated island
0:49:08 > 0:49:11and, more recently, a knot garden was planted here during
0:49:11 > 0:49:15the Arts and Crafts revival of knot gardens and so,
0:49:15 > 0:49:17when we came to this site in 2008,
0:49:17 > 0:49:21there were a few straggly remains of hedges here.
0:49:21 > 0:49:26'The revival of this knot garden is faithful to the castle's royal past.
0:49:26 > 0:49:27'During Tudor times,
0:49:27 > 0:49:30'the Nine Days Queen, Lady Jane Grey, lived here
0:49:30 > 0:49:33'and she's not the only former resident
0:49:33 > 0:49:35'to have worn the English crown.'
0:49:35 > 0:49:37The lady who designed the garden, Kate,
0:49:37 > 0:49:43she was inspired by the fact that the site was linked to three queens.
0:49:43 > 0:49:46Elizabeth Woodville, her daughter, Elizabeth of York,
0:49:46 > 0:49:49and then poor, old Lady Jane Grey.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52So the garden roughly follows that pattern, that theme of three.
0:49:52 > 0:49:56So we've got three main beds and then three yews
0:49:56 > 0:49:58and then we've got this seating area at the back.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01Very clever kind of interweaving of the history there.
0:50:01 > 0:50:02Yes, definitely. Definitely.
0:50:02 > 0:50:04- Now, can I help?- You certainly can.
0:50:04 > 0:50:08We are just levelling this area here
0:50:08 > 0:50:12so that we can put down some crushed brick, because the Tudors loved
0:50:12 > 0:50:17to use different coloured gravels within their garden and we're
0:50:17 > 0:50:20just going to lay it along this part of the garden here as the surface.
0:50:20 > 0:50:25- Fabulous.- There you go.- Thank you. Oh, that's a lovely colour.
0:50:25 > 0:50:27'I love how this modern knot garden
0:50:27 > 0:50:30'has some very careful historic references.
0:50:30 > 0:50:31'The coloured gravel,
0:50:31 > 0:50:35'centred herbs and the protective Hornbeam hedge were all
0:50:35 > 0:50:37'common features in Tudor gardens.'
0:50:38 > 0:50:42It's looking wonderful and I feel very Zen after all this raking.
0:50:44 > 0:50:46So, we're putting in privet
0:50:46 > 0:50:49because they're hoping to make that lovely rope effect, where it goes
0:50:49 > 0:50:53sort of up and over, that you see in so many traditional knot gardens.
0:50:53 > 0:50:56'And one of the best things about this restoration work is
0:50:56 > 0:50:59'that it's a community project with volunteers from the local
0:50:59 > 0:51:01'area all mucking in together.'
0:51:01 > 0:51:05I have a certain affinity with Astley Castle.
0:51:05 > 0:51:08When I first met my wife, I brought her here
0:51:08 > 0:51:13had a meal in a castle and I think, you know, she was impressed
0:51:13 > 0:51:17because over 40 years now we've been together.
0:51:17 > 0:51:18HE LAUGHS
0:51:21 > 0:51:25So this is a wonderful example of a revival of knot gardens
0:51:25 > 0:51:27and the thing that seems to me
0:51:27 > 0:51:29is it works very well as a community project.
0:51:29 > 0:51:32You know, you just keep following the pattern, isn't it?
0:51:32 > 0:51:35Exactly. It has a rhythm to it which people get,
0:51:35 > 0:51:37people understand, and a balance
0:51:37 > 0:51:41and I think, sometimes, with some gardens, it can be very difficult.
0:51:41 > 0:51:43You kind of... You approach them and you think,
0:51:43 > 0:51:46"Oh, I'm not sure what's going to happen here,"
0:51:46 > 0:51:49but the structure of a knot garden somehow fixes you.
0:51:49 > 0:51:54It places you and you feel kind of quite comforted by it.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58Yeah. I can't tell you how impressed I am with the whole thing.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00- Well, congratulations. - Thank you very much.
0:52:04 > 0:52:08It's great to see a much-loved landmark being restored by locals.
0:52:08 > 0:52:10It's even better that it's a knot garden
0:52:10 > 0:52:14because that means my campaign is already up and running.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27Inspired by the enthusiasm of those volunteer knot gardeners,
0:52:27 > 0:52:30I'm back at Helmingham Hall, where I'm ready for the next
0:52:30 > 0:52:33stage in my modern take on the knot garden.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40The permanent element of my knot garden is now in.
0:52:40 > 0:52:44These plants are all perennials so they'll be here this year
0:52:44 > 0:52:47and next year and all I need to do is maintain them.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49It does look a little bit spacey in the beginning
0:52:49 > 0:52:53so what I'm going to do is use some bedding plants to sort of
0:52:53 > 0:52:56fill it in and give it a little bit more colour.
0:52:56 > 0:53:01Now, these are French marigolds and they're very...
0:53:01 > 0:53:05colourful and bright and not expensive.
0:53:05 > 0:53:08'I'm alternating them with dwarf lavender
0:53:08 > 0:53:11'to break up what will become the hedge border and
0:53:11 > 0:53:16'the bright yellow will compliment my lavender sun centrepiece perfectly.'
0:53:16 > 0:53:19So, although these plants are small now, they will grow bigger.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22You don't want to plant them on top of each other
0:53:22 > 0:53:26so leave at least 10-15cm.
0:53:27 > 0:53:33There you go. Now you can start to see my sun a little bit better.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35And now I have these spaces in-between, which I can
0:53:35 > 0:53:39fill in with other edibles which will not only pull the design
0:53:39 > 0:53:43together but it means I have lots to pick over the summer.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45'The first salads I'm going to add
0:53:45 > 0:53:49'is a loose-leafed lettuce called Salad Bowl Red.'
0:53:49 > 0:53:53You don't want to crowd them in because they need a good, extensive
0:53:53 > 0:53:59root system in order to allow you to pick them time and time again.
0:53:59 > 0:54:03So you really want them sort of 20-25cm apart.
0:54:04 > 0:54:10I also have some Green Salad Bowl lettuce
0:54:10 > 0:54:13and, finally, I have a Romaine-style lettuce.
0:54:13 > 0:54:16So this is a slightly more upright, crunchy lettuce
0:54:16 > 0:54:18but, again, you can treat it in exactly the same way.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20You just keep harvesting.
0:54:24 > 0:54:28And for the final segment of the design, I'm going to sow some
0:54:28 > 0:54:31coriander and I'm going to sow it really quite thickly
0:54:31 > 0:54:35so I get it as cut-and-come-again, baby-leaf coriander
0:54:35 > 0:54:38and this is when the leaves are really packed full of flavour.
0:54:38 > 0:54:46Just liberally sow the coriander fairly thickly and cover...
0:54:46 > 0:54:48cover the seed.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51And here it is - my knot garden.
0:54:51 > 0:54:55So it will evolve and the lettuces will grow bigger and the chives will
0:54:55 > 0:54:59finally make a full bank and the lavender will make a proper hedge.
0:54:59 > 0:55:06A very simple, very cheap, very easy and very productive
0:55:06 > 0:55:11knot garden that can be put into absolutely any garden or any space.
0:55:15 > 0:55:19Knot garden designs work well in small spaces
0:55:19 > 0:55:20and even in raised beds.
0:55:20 > 0:55:24Just use plants that work for you and don't be afraid to be creative,
0:55:24 > 0:55:28like Roger and Susan Chartier, who live in the village of Otham in Kent.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31They've proved you don't need stately home grounds
0:55:31 > 0:55:34by turning their front garden into a parterre.
0:55:34 > 0:55:39Originally, it was just grass with a pampas grass in the middle
0:55:39 > 0:55:40and it looked very boring
0:55:40 > 0:55:44and we thought we'd try something different about 15 years ago.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46I come up with all sorts of weird and...
0:55:46 > 0:55:47Very ambitious with your projects.
0:55:47 > 0:55:51..wonderful ideas and she just tempers things down.
0:55:51 > 0:55:54- And of course I listen to her.- It's because you're a retired engineer
0:55:54 > 0:55:57and you've always got projects going, haven't you?
0:55:57 > 0:56:01We ended up with a simple design of basically curves.
0:56:01 > 0:56:04You did a lot of drawings first, didn't you?
0:56:04 > 0:56:08And then you laid out this black sheet and you drew it all first.
0:56:08 > 0:56:11We started planting it up and we then filled it with these
0:56:11 > 0:56:16laurel, what we call lollipops, and viburnum, which are evergreen.
0:56:16 > 0:56:20Even though it's quite hard work once a year for all
0:56:20 > 0:56:22the trimming and actual sweeping up of all the bits,
0:56:22 > 0:56:25the rest of the time you can leave it.
0:56:25 > 0:56:28I let all the mess go on the ground, which upsets Sue
0:56:28 > 0:56:30because she likes putting clods down there
0:56:30 > 0:56:33but then I just fall over them.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36He'd rather do it like that and then rake it up.
0:56:36 > 0:56:37I believe in chaos.
0:56:37 > 0:56:40Yeah. He does, actually.
0:56:40 > 0:56:44To create their garden, Roger and Sue collected over 500 cuttings,
0:56:44 > 0:56:46which came with sentimental value.
0:56:46 > 0:56:51This front garden has emotions for us because the hedging
0:56:51 > 0:56:53came from our mothers' gardens
0:56:53 > 0:56:59and they've both recently passed away so it does remind us of them.
0:56:59 > 0:57:00I think that was my mum's
0:57:00 > 0:57:03and the smaller one was your mum's, wasn't it?
0:57:03 > 0:57:06- No, love, it wasn't.- Oh. - SHE LAUGHS
0:57:08 > 0:57:10This garden is no bigger or smaller than most
0:57:10 > 0:57:13and I think it fits in well.
0:57:15 > 0:57:19Well, with busy working people cos a lot of people work all the time
0:57:19 > 0:57:23and they haven't got a lot of time to tend flower beds, have they?
0:57:23 > 0:57:27It's not difficult to maintain and it's not difficult to set up.
0:57:27 > 0:57:29You can do all sorts of great shapes.
0:57:29 > 0:57:32I mean, this is circles but you could do interlocking squares.
0:57:32 > 0:57:35If you plant this, it only requires attention once a year.
0:57:36 > 0:57:38I think he's done very well.
0:57:38 > 0:57:40I think he's got some nice shapes there.
0:57:40 > 0:57:45Perhaps that one could be slightly a little bit rounder
0:57:45 > 0:57:47but that makes it unique, doesn't it?
0:57:47 > 0:57:49- Yeah. OK, love. - HE LAUGHS
0:57:58 > 0:58:01What I've learnt about knot gardens is,
0:58:01 > 0:58:06despite their historical settings and their seemingly strict rules,
0:58:06 > 0:58:11they're actually the perfect design for the modern gardener.
0:58:11 > 0:58:13If done well, they're very low-maintenance.
0:58:13 > 0:58:15They offer year-round structure
0:58:15 > 0:58:19and the design, it's open to a lot of interpretation,
0:58:19 > 0:58:24which means, I think, they're absolutely ripe for a revival.