0:00:02 > 0:00:06There's no doubt that Britain is a nation of very proud gardeners.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10Our love of flowers and plants goes back centuries.
0:00:10 > 0:00:15But there's a problem. Not everything is rosy in our gardens.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19Our iconic plants are under attack from foreign invaders.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23Ancient woodlands are at risk of being lost forever.
0:00:23 > 0:00:28And our favourite flowers are disappearing right before our eyes.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31So we need you to help us in our revival campaign.
0:00:32 > 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.
0:00:45 > 0:00:50It's time to rediscover our passion for plants.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53And bring new life into our gardens.
0:01:28 > 0:01:33When it comes to our garden heroes, the list of plants is endless.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40But as for the villains of the piece,
0:01:40 > 0:01:46there's one group of plants that we love to hate. It's conifers.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49Their roots invade our flowerbeds.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Their branches block out the sun
0:01:51 > 0:01:54and all most of us want to do is get rid of them.
0:01:57 > 0:02:02But conifers have a very different side too. They're glorious plants,
0:02:02 > 0:02:07both in their own right and as part of the wider garden community.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10That's why I want to revive them.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17'On my campaign I'm finding out all about pruning.'
0:02:17 > 0:02:18Can you see light though there?
0:02:18 > 0:02:20- Yeah. At the end of the tunnel! - Yeah!
0:02:23 > 0:02:26'I'm creating a fantasy conifer island.'
0:02:26 > 0:02:28These ducks are in for a surprise.
0:02:30 > 0:02:35'And showing you how to propagate your very own conifers.'
0:02:35 > 0:02:38A very technical piece of equipment here. A plastic bag.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01This is Foggy Bottom, at Bressingham Gardens in Norfolk.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05It's the go-to place to see conifers in all their glory
0:03:05 > 0:03:10and it's the place from which I'm going to convince you to
0:03:10 > 0:03:12bring back conifers into your garden.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21I used to be a teacher and I can remember there were always
0:03:21 > 0:03:24some kids that people would warn you against,
0:03:24 > 0:03:26tell you they're trouble.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29In actual fact, given love and attention,
0:03:29 > 0:03:32and the right kind of treatment, they'd reward you with
0:03:32 > 0:03:38magnificent results, and it's exactly the same with conifers.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45There's a risk that these misunderstood plants,
0:03:45 > 0:03:50the nemesis of many a gardener, may become hated or just forgotten.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56So I want us to embrace conifers
0:03:56 > 0:04:00and rediscover what they can offer us and our gardens.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Trees are vital elements in our gardens
0:04:11 > 0:04:14but some outgrow their welcome.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Cutting them down is a last resort
0:04:16 > 0:04:20and the sound of a chainsaw is one we never want to hear.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25Sadly, it's a sound that's heard more and more often on suburban
0:04:25 > 0:04:30streets and almost invariably it's associated with conifers.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38And it's usually two conifers in particular.
0:04:38 > 0:04:44The leylandii or its close relative, the Lawson cypress.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47They come in for the chop from tree surgeons like James Jackman.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Do people tend to plant them in daft places?
0:04:52 > 0:04:54That is one of the problems, yeah.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56Lack of planning, where the final height of the tree
0:04:56 > 0:05:00is not considered. You maintain them as best you can, but a lot of them
0:05:00 > 0:05:02end up coming down.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04Ultimately, it's death by chainsaw.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06Death by chainsaw, yes.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10It's tragic to see this once-proud conifer coming down through
0:05:10 > 0:05:12no fault of its own.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Planted too close to the driveway,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19it grew too large for its surroundings,
0:05:19 > 0:05:24but finally the current owner of the house is having to say goodbye.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27- What are you going to do now? - We're going to replant.
0:05:27 > 0:05:28What with?
0:05:28 > 0:05:31An Italian cypress so it will be narrower,
0:05:31 > 0:05:35so I can get the car in the drive and perhaps it won't grow as tall.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38- So another conifer?- Absolutely.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41But this time it will be the right conifer in the right place.
0:05:41 > 0:05:42Yes. Absolutely.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49Because trees like these have been planted in the wrong place,
0:05:49 > 0:05:51it's distorted our view of them.
0:05:54 > 0:06:00There are more than 600 species of conifers and thousands of cultivars.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03They're usually evergreen trees
0:06:03 > 0:06:06or shrubs with needle- or scale-like leaves.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09They take their name from the cones they produce.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Often a very decorative feature.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18Someone who certainly won't be cutting down any conifers in
0:06:18 > 0:06:24a hurry is Matthew Pottage, Garden Manager at the RHS Garden, Wisley.
0:06:25 > 0:06:31'Matthew oversees the pinetum here. It dates back to the 19th century.'
0:06:31 > 0:06:34I mean, there are only two or three indigenous conifers, aren't there?
0:06:34 > 0:06:36That's right, yeah.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38A measly handful, and I think that's part of the excitement
0:06:38 > 0:06:42when these were first introduced to these shores all those years ago.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Late 17th century, early 18th century, seeds were coming over.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47These were being discovered, brought to our shores
0:06:47 > 0:06:51and if you had the space and the wealth to have a pinetum,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54a collection of these massive stately conifers,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57it was really quite something. And also if you had the connections,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59you know, where could you get these plants from? They're new,
0:06:59 > 0:07:02not everyone has them, so if you could get hold of them
0:07:02 > 0:07:05and show them off in huge avenues, yeah, you were someone.
0:07:05 > 0:07:10You'd say, "Look at my trees and just imagine who my friends are."
0:07:12 > 0:07:17The pinetum contains some amazing specimens from around the world.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Including this, the monkey puzzle tree which many people don't
0:07:21 > 0:07:25realise is, in fact, a conifer.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28They were planted in front gardens as exotic
0:07:28 > 0:07:33novelties in the early 20th century, but they soon outgrew their welcome.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37You know, ultimately a big tree, a beautiful thing when young,
0:07:37 > 0:07:40- and in the right setting, absolutely splendid.- Yes.
0:07:40 > 0:07:45In the UK, conifers add millions to the UK economy from timber
0:07:45 > 0:07:50and paper, but they're also extremely versatile garden trees,
0:07:50 > 0:07:55coming in an amazingly diverse range of shades, textures,
0:07:55 > 0:07:57shapes and sizes -
0:07:57 > 0:08:00from rock garden dwarfs to forest trees.
0:08:00 > 0:08:05Planted in the right place, they add drama and visual impact.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09That's why I think we should be growing them again in our gardens.
0:08:18 > 0:08:23At Foggy Bottom in Bressingham Gardens in Norfolk, Adrian Bloom has
0:08:23 > 0:08:28devoted his life and these wonderful grounds to growing conifers.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32I want to find out how he maintains the structure
0:08:32 > 0:08:35and shape of these pristine specimens.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39This one has got a bit too big.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Well, yes, it has, and I'm faced with that all the time.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44We had the chainsaws in with some of the big conifers,
0:08:44 > 0:08:47but this is one that I sort of might give a reprieve
0:08:47 > 0:08:49if we can make a good enough job of it, Carol.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52We're pruning this out to make it like some of the other ones
0:08:52 > 0:08:54that I have pruned underneath and lifted up.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56This is Pinus mugo "Ophir".
0:08:56 > 0:08:59It turns a lovely gold in the winter
0:08:59 > 0:09:02so I wouldn't want to chuck it out unless I have to.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07Now, pruning is essential to keep conifers looking their best
0:09:07 > 0:09:10and at a manageable size.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14And removing low branches allows well-chosen plants
0:09:14 > 0:09:15to grow underneath.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18First thing is to cut the lower branches
0:09:18 > 0:09:22because we're probably going to have to get rid of all of those.
0:09:22 > 0:09:23It will take a little while, I think.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26- So you do this with secateurs first? - Initially with secateurs.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30- And not with loppers.- If you do it with loppers you often
0:09:30 > 0:09:32can't see the branches properly.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35But anything dead that has got no shoots on the end can come
0:09:35 > 0:09:39away anyway and probably some of the weaker shoots in here.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Can you do this to any conifer?
0:09:42 > 0:09:45Some conifers don't lend themselves to this
0:09:45 > 0:09:48because the final form won't look very good.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51It depends on the shape of the tree and the branching system.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Pines are a great candidate for this,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56just because they have got these big individual growths
0:09:56 > 0:09:59and you can make sort of blobs of them and you can see through them.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01Yes.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Don't be afraid to prune your conifer.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09The best time to do it is during the summer or autumn.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13- Can you see light through there? - Yeah. At the end of the tunnel.
0:10:13 > 0:10:14Yeah.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16- SHE LAUGHS - Definitely.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21A job like this can take a good few hours,
0:10:21 > 0:10:23but the results are impressive.
0:10:25 > 0:10:26It's fabulous.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28It's fantastic.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Look at all this stuff that's come off it.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32You can see through it, too.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36All these wonderful new vistas that have been created,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39and look at the space underneath now.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Imagine what fun he's going to have planting stuff here.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51One of the most enchanting things about conifers is their diversity.
0:10:51 > 0:10:56You know, there's so many different forms. Look over here.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58How's this for a perfect example?
0:10:58 > 0:11:02Here you've got something that's like a '70s executive toy.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05It's just wonderful fountains.
0:11:05 > 0:11:11Everything's upwards. And over here this looks as though,
0:11:11 > 0:11:12I don't know, it's creature-like.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14It's almost like a tortoise.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Some great creature going through the bed
0:11:17 > 0:11:19and this time everything hanging down.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22Quite different shape and form to the needles, too,
0:11:22 > 0:11:26and everything about it is pendulous, hanging down.
0:11:26 > 0:11:31But some conifers are totally esoteric. Look at this one.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35It's higgledy-piggledy. The whole thing is just going every which way.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36All over the place.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40But sometimes conifers are so predictable.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Look at this juniper in the middle.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45This is Juniperus communis "Sentinel"
0:11:45 > 0:11:48and it's always going to be this tall, slender shape,
0:11:48 > 0:11:53adding those great punctuation marks to the border. What variety, eh?
0:12:03 > 0:12:08Conifers shouldn't be thought of as giant overbearing monsters
0:12:08 > 0:12:12so I've come to the Peak District to see an old friend, Steve Furness,
0:12:12 > 0:12:17who grows the most extraordinary collection of dwarf varieties.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20His garden proves small is beautiful.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Most people have conifers growing too big.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Here I've got a dwarf conifer that's growing too slowly.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32We've got a slow-growing alpine here which is actually out-competing it.
0:12:32 > 0:12:33Yeah.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35That grey one there. What is that, Steve?
0:12:35 > 0:12:38That's a Picea pungens. That's one of those spruces.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40It's one of the very dwarf ones
0:12:40 > 0:12:44and it doesn't really grow much higher than about six inches.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47So some varieties of this would be great big trees, wouldn't they?
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Yes. The blue spruce is a forestry tree. It grows enormous.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57This is a very different proposition, isn't it?
0:12:57 > 0:13:00This lovely sort of tight cushion.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02Oh, it's strong. What is it?
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Yeah, this is one called "Green Globe"
0:13:04 > 0:13:06and doesn't it just make you want to stroke it?
0:13:06 > 0:13:08It's absolutely gorgeous.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Steve's always been crazy about conifers
0:13:13 > 0:13:16and his obsession goes back 50 years.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20He's created the most exquisite rock garden packed with
0:13:20 > 0:13:23some of the smallest and most unusual conifers.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Most of the conifers that you see behind us
0:13:25 > 0:13:28have been in about 35 years.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30- Really?- Yes. 35 years. Some are a lot older than that
0:13:30 > 0:13:34because people tend to move conifers, and I'm no exception.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36I've still got ones that I had as a child.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38- They're friends, really, aren't they?- Yes, they are.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41- They're like pets. - They are. They grow with you.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45You know, they will last a lot longer than the average gardener,
0:13:45 > 0:13:47which is a sobering thought.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02The garden here at Foggy Bottom uses conifers here in
0:14:02 > 0:14:05so many imaginative ways.
0:14:05 > 0:14:10Sometimes as specimen trees, other times in groups.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Very often mixed and mingled with all sorts of other plants
0:14:14 > 0:14:17and sometimes as hedges.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23I'm going to show you how to get the very best
0:14:23 > 0:14:27out of your conifer hedge and keep it in tiptop condition.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33This is Thuja plicata, "Western Red Cedar",
0:14:33 > 0:14:35although it's not a cedar at all.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39It makes such a belting hedge because it's thick,
0:14:39 > 0:14:41it's dense, you can trim it.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Leylandii often goes brown in the centre when you trim it,
0:14:45 > 0:14:46but not this one.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50The reason this hedge looks so dapper, and it does -
0:14:50 > 0:14:52it's dense and green and brilliant -
0:14:52 > 0:14:57is that it's been regularly pruned and that's the secret, really.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00To get in there with some sharp shears.
0:15:00 > 0:15:05Just cutting in a bit at a time.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09It's very much easier to cut again
0:15:09 > 0:15:12than to stick the other bits back on.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Because thuja is so dense it makes a great nesting spot
0:15:19 > 0:15:22for birds like greenfinches and chaffinches.
0:15:23 > 0:15:24Wait till late summer,
0:15:24 > 0:15:29when fledgling birds have flown the nest before you prune.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33I think the thing is that there's nothing to be afraid of with this.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35It's going to regenerate.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Even when you cut into quite old wood, you can
0:15:38 > 0:15:42see these new shoots that are about to take over.
0:15:42 > 0:15:43I'm shaping this thuja
0:15:43 > 0:15:47so it's broader at the bottom than it is at the top.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51That's vital to stop it getting top-heavy because if it does it
0:15:51 > 0:15:53will start to splay apart,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57especially if we have snow, and you never know
0:15:57 > 0:16:03but with this sort of built-in buttress shape, then it should be
0:16:03 > 0:16:05fairly well guaranteed,
0:16:05 > 0:16:10a good-shaped hedge for a long, long time.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25For me, conifers are a key component for our gardens
0:16:25 > 0:16:29and, used imaginatively, they can be combined with other plants to
0:16:29 > 0:16:33make interesting glorious displays.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35Don't you just love this planting?
0:16:35 > 0:16:37It's so relaxed. So informal.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41The Ageratina "Chocolate", with gorgeous dark foliage,
0:16:41 > 0:16:45set off by these wonderful geraniums.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49Geraniums are such brilliant plants but I think this is one of the best.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53It's Geranium "Rozanne", with these white centres to the blue flowers.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57It scrambles everywhere and it flowers for ages and ages,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00and to use it with this fiery red crocosmia.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04But surely the crowning glory of this whole planting is this
0:17:04 > 0:17:06magnificent conifer.
0:17:06 > 0:17:11This is Juniperus chinensis "Aurea", and it's a proud sort
0:17:11 > 0:17:15of statement, right in the middle of this rather formal planting.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19It's got lovely sort of lax tips to the growth too, which I think
0:17:19 > 0:17:24combines marvellously, and if you look up to this Scots pine,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27straightforward indigenous tree,
0:17:27 > 0:17:31and in its branches is clambering a lovely yellow clematis.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33That's Clematis "Bill Mackenzie",
0:17:33 > 0:17:37and it just gives an extra dimension to that conifer.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48Here, those same two plants - the crocosmia and the geranium -
0:17:48 > 0:17:52are used together, but this time in a completely different way.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56With this soft pennisetum, they make great waves right through
0:17:56 > 0:18:00the planting and the whole thing is separated from the front
0:18:00 > 0:18:05of the border by these fence posts of conifers.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09This is Thuja "Degroot's Spire", and it makes a series of sentinels
0:18:09 > 0:18:13that describe this wave running right through the bed.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16And at the front of the border, in total contrast,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19this very formal planting.
0:18:19 > 0:18:25Lines of festuca. This is "Elijah Blue" contrasted with dark sedum.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28It's a really inspired planting.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39The unique shape and size of conifers makes them
0:18:39 > 0:18:42incredibly versatile to play with in your garden,
0:18:42 > 0:18:49create new pictures mixing colour, texture and foliage and using scale.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52So I've got a grand plan to create an amazing
0:18:52 > 0:18:56display of conifers on an island in this park
0:18:56 > 0:19:02in Matlock in Derbyshire, to spread the word about my campaign.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05But first I need to find the right ones.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09They've got a really good selection of different conifers.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13Some very beautiful things, and I think some of them
0:19:13 > 0:19:16are going to be just what we need for our island installation.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21With the help of nursery owner Neil Thompson, I think we've chosen
0:19:21 > 0:19:23the right plants.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26I think this is a lovely yew. These are columnar, aren't they?
0:19:26 > 0:19:28- Yeah.- So they're just going to keep going up.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Exactly. Very tight. Very slow growth rate.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33Grow in almost any soil.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38This is the perfect spot for my display
0:19:38 > 0:19:44and I hope it'll prove that conifers deserve a place in all our gardens.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48Well, I've got my setting. I've got my conifers. Aren't they beautiful?
0:19:48 > 0:19:50But what I need now is a centrepiece.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Something to set the whole thing off.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57And I know just the man to help.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Rob Heard has found a fantastic use for conifers.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06Now, all these wonderful constructions you've made
0:20:06 > 0:20:08- out of leylandii.- Leylandii.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12Yeah, I used to be in forestry for sort of 15 years and a tree surgeon.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15We chopped them down endlessly. Everybody hated them
0:20:15 > 0:20:18and I thought, "This thug of a tree, we've got to do something with it."
0:20:18 > 0:20:22In actual fact, leylandii has got some attractive curves and sweeps.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24So it's the only use I've found for it.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26- Well, isn't that a lovely thought? - It is, yeah.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29That something that is just thought of as a thug
0:20:29 > 0:20:30and ought to be destroyed
0:20:30 > 0:20:34suddenly becomes, through your wonderful creative hands...
0:20:34 > 0:20:38- Thank you. - ..something utterly beautiful.
0:20:38 > 0:20:39Ahoy there!
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Can we have a lift to our island, please?!
0:20:49 > 0:20:51These ducks are in for a surprise.
0:20:51 > 0:20:56'And hopefully it's not only the ducks that are in for a surprise.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59'I want to convince the people of Matlock to rethink conifers.'
0:21:01 > 0:21:04I used to have them many years ago and they just grew that big
0:21:04 > 0:21:08that it just blocked all the sun and it just killed my grass.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11But you can choose something that's only going to grow
0:21:11 > 0:21:12to the size you need it.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15It's just a question of information, isn't it?
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Yeah. It is. They are nice.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20I mean, I wouldn't ever say no.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22Keep coming. Keep coming.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28You almost feel as though you could walk along some of these branches.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31- Yeah.- And just jump off and get into the castle.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42I think Rob's amazing creations
0:21:42 > 0:21:45and the conifers complement each other perfectly.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51But now it's finished, have I convinced the local folk
0:21:51 > 0:21:53to revive the conifer?
0:21:53 > 0:21:55How do you like our instant garden?
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Fantastic. Beautiful.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01What do you think about what we've done here?
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Oh, it's absolutely lovely, I hope it stays here forever.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07I like the different colours and different sizes and shapes
0:22:07 > 0:22:10and the way you've mixed it all up. It's lovely.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Don't they just prove this point that conifers aren't just
0:22:14 > 0:22:18- leylandii planted as a hedge? - No. Not at all.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21I wouldn't have thought that just green would look so pleasant.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23I've always been a flower man.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29So in future do you think you might be persuaded to grow a few conifers?
0:22:29 > 0:22:31I might be!
0:22:38 > 0:22:42The wonderful garden at Foggy Bottom in Bressingham Gardens has been
0:22:42 > 0:22:47a labour of love for 50 years for king of conifers Adrian Bloom,
0:22:47 > 0:22:52and in that time he's grown many different varieties.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Propagating conifers is straightforward.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58There are three ways of doing it -
0:22:58 > 0:23:02grafting, growing from seed or by taking cuttings.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04It's easy. Anyone can do it.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11This is a Lawson cypress, it's called "Globus",
0:23:11 > 0:23:14and it's got this lovely sort of rotund shape.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16This tree is 40 years old,
0:23:16 > 0:23:20but it would still be nice to have a few more, wouldn't it?
0:23:20 > 0:23:26So all we want to do is find a really good energetic shoot.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29You want to select a piece right down here
0:23:29 > 0:23:35into where you can see that the wood changes to a darker brown
0:23:35 > 0:23:37and you want a nice big chunk like that
0:23:37 > 0:23:40because you're going to get several cuttings from this.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44So straight into this plastic bag
0:23:44 > 0:23:48and probably it's a good idea, especially on a hot day,
0:23:48 > 0:23:53or if you can't do it immediately, just to spray it.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58Just to give it a little bit of extra moisture, and off we go.
0:23:58 > 0:23:59Now for the exciting bit.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Aren't I lucky?
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Adrian's given me access to his private treehouse
0:24:07 > 0:24:08to take my cuttings.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18What I want to do now is select some good cutting material,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21and you can see that you've got the main shoot coming through here
0:24:21 > 0:24:26and you've got these little laterals and side shoots and I'm just
0:24:26 > 0:24:30going to gently pull those down so they come off with a heel.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33That's what this little piece down here is.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36So it's a bit of the wood from the main stem.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40From this I should get several cuttings, and next I'm going
0:24:40 > 0:24:44to trim the heels to help ensure they won't rot in the compost.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47And then I want to take these bottom growths off here.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Now, I can do it with finger and thumb.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Fortunately, I've got some fingernails.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Or again, I could use the knife.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58But the whole object of the exercise is to just make sure you've
0:24:58 > 0:25:02got a nice chunk of clean stem because a lot of this cutting,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04the base of the cutting, is going to be under
0:25:04 > 0:25:08the surface of the compost when it reaches the pot.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11All right, next step is your compost.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15So the compost I'm using is a mixture.
0:25:15 > 0:25:22Almost 50/50 of very fine grit and a loam-based compost.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26Grit improves drainage yet helps retain moisture.
0:25:26 > 0:25:33So just tap down the top gently and then here's our lovely exposed bit,
0:25:33 > 0:25:37and this is the piece that's going to sit right under the compost.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Now, you want them close,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46nestling in to the edge of your compost
0:25:46 > 0:25:51and just press them in nice and firmly, like that,
0:25:51 > 0:25:56so there's no air pockets in between the cutting and the compost.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Just firm it down, and then room for one more here.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02One more little one,
0:26:02 > 0:26:07and they're going in right up to that first whole leaf.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10That's really quite important
0:26:10 > 0:26:14because they will take roots all the way along that stem.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16Especially where I've wounded them
0:26:16 > 0:26:19by pulling those little side pieces off too.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22So that's absolutely fine.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Now, if my compost was dry at this stage, I'd water it thoroughly,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28but it's not. It's nice and moist
0:26:28 > 0:26:31and this sort of additional spray will just add to that.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37I've got a technical piece of equipment here.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41A plastic bag. And just very gently, without disturbing
0:26:41 > 0:26:46your cuttings at all, just slide this over the top and pull it down
0:26:46 > 0:26:50so it makes a proper seal with that, and put a rubber band around it.
0:26:50 > 0:26:57That just means that they're in their own little greenhouse. Yeah.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02With plenty of light, but out of direct sun, these cuttings
0:27:02 > 0:27:05will produce roots in a matter of a few weeks.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08But don't get tempted to see if they've started to root.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11When you start to see new growth appearing on the top of these
0:27:11 > 0:27:14shoots and that wonderful moment
0:27:14 > 0:27:17when you finally see white shoots emerging from the drainage hole,
0:27:17 > 0:27:21you know that your cuttings have been successful.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25Tip them out, pot them up individually and eventually they'll
0:27:25 > 0:27:28be ready to join all these other wonderful plants in the garden.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39A couple who don't need to be convinced to revive the conifer are
0:27:39 > 0:27:44Carol and Keith Marsh, who have been enamoured of them for over 30 years.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46- Look at the yew trees. - They're amazing.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- You can't believe they were only a foot tall when they went in.- Yeah.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52They use their garden in Bedfordshire to showcase
0:27:52 > 0:27:56the diversity and range within the species.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59I've treated it rather like a flower garden.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Using low, prostrate-type conifers at the front
0:28:03 > 0:28:07and then getting taller and taller as you go to the back so, although
0:28:07 > 0:28:11it's trees, it's emulating what people do with flowers every day.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17This is one of my favourite conifers.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21It's a weeping yew, and look at all the new growth.
0:28:21 > 0:28:22It is just so stunning.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28This hedge is quite special
0:28:28 > 0:28:32because it separates where I park the car from the part of the
0:28:32 > 0:28:37garden that we use, and the one nice thing about yew is that you can
0:28:37 > 0:28:42grow it to a reasonable height, but you can grow it extremely narrow.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44So although it's getting very dense,
0:28:44 > 0:28:47the actual thickness of it is not much more than a foot.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55There are so many varieties, so many colours, so many shapes.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57Look lovely 12 months of the year.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59Most gardens can't give you that.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09In the '70s I suppose conifers were overexposed
0:29:09 > 0:29:13but do you know what? The more I've come to know this wonderful
0:29:13 > 0:29:17group of plants and appreciate their myriad qualities,
0:29:17 > 0:29:20the more I've fallen in love with them.
0:29:20 > 0:29:26I'd implore you all to include at least one conifer in your garden.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31Even if it's only a single one, I know you'll come to love it.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42Across the series, our revival team are travelling the length
0:29:42 > 0:29:46and breadth of Britain, celebrating our gardens.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50You couldn't draw, as a landscape artist, a more perfect picture.
0:29:50 > 0:29:51Flowers...
0:29:51 > 0:29:54And the scent. Oh, it's sensational.
0:29:54 > 0:29:55..and plants.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59This plant is perfect. That's going to get off to a great start.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Next, Tom Hart Dyke shares his passion for pelargoniums.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19When I step into a garden, the scent conjures up botanical
0:30:19 > 0:30:22fables of plant hunters on missions of discovery.
0:30:24 > 0:30:29In the colours, I see the sweat and tears of nurserymen
0:30:29 > 0:30:32breeding for perfection.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34And for me,
0:30:34 > 0:30:39a great garden is like exploring our most treasured works of art.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44So perhaps someone could explain why one of the most fragrant,
0:30:44 > 0:30:48colourful and historically interesting plants has become
0:30:48 > 0:30:51so maligned and misunderstood.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55Ladies and gentleman, this is not a geranium,
0:30:55 > 0:30:59this is something we should proudly be calling the pelargonium.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04On my revival I'm going to be battling to give
0:31:04 > 0:31:07the pelargonium its rightful name.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10Ever since I started gardening that's been a geranium.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13I'll show you just how diverse this wonderful plant is
0:31:13 > 0:31:16when I visit the biggest collection in the world.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19From a distance it looks like a cactus.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23And I'll be hitting the campaign trail for my pelargonium referendum.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25Place your vote now!
0:31:32 > 0:31:35The pelargonium was brought from South Africa to Europe
0:31:35 > 0:31:39in the 17th century by Dutch plant hunters, and it resembled a plant
0:31:39 > 0:31:45native to Europe, the true geranium, and in their enthusiastic eagerness
0:31:45 > 0:31:52to classify their new discovery it was incorrectly called "geranium".
0:31:52 > 0:31:55The rest, as they say, is horticultural history.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00Although incorrectly named, they still gained popularity
0:32:00 > 0:32:03and still found their way into the gardens of some of the grandest
0:32:03 > 0:32:05stately homes in the country.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08This is Calke Abbey near Ticknall in Derbyshire,
0:32:08 > 0:32:12and what makes the baroque mansion behind me so unique is that,
0:32:12 > 0:32:16rather than being restored to its former historic glory, it is
0:32:16 > 0:32:20being preserved as an example of a country house in decline.
0:32:22 > 0:32:27Today there's a sort of poetic symbolism between the faded glory of
0:32:27 > 0:32:32this estate and the faded reputation of the glorious pelargonium.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38However I'm pleased to say that not all is lost at Calke Abbey,
0:32:38 > 0:32:40as the gardens here have been preserved to reflect their
0:32:40 > 0:32:47glory years, including a fascinating display of potted pelargoniums.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50It's just a shame that we don't hold these colourful
0:32:50 > 0:32:52beauties in such high esteem any more.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57Personally, I find it very frustrating that people still today
0:32:57 > 0:33:01think of the pelargonium as a cheesy seaside bedding plant or as a plant
0:33:01 > 0:33:06that's thrown away onto the compost bin at the end of the season.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08I want to show you that there is
0:33:08 > 0:33:11so, so much more to the glorious humble pelargonium.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18If there's one place where the mistaken
0:33:18 > 0:33:22identity of pelargoniums as geraniums could be rectified
0:33:22 > 0:33:24it's where we go to buy our plants, and that's why
0:33:24 > 0:33:26I'm kicking off my campaign
0:33:26 > 0:33:29at a major gardening centre in Warwickshire.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32To show you why the names are so important, I'm going to find
0:33:32 > 0:33:36you a true geranium.
0:33:36 > 0:33:41It's this variety here, one of the most famous geraniums to date.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43Geranium "Rozanne".
0:33:43 > 0:33:48I'm 99.999% sure that these bedding plants over here will be
0:33:48 > 0:33:51called geraniums.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53And, lo and behold, I was right.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55These vibrant bright-red pelargoniums have been
0:33:55 > 0:33:58incorrectly labelled as geraniums. Ladies and gentleman,
0:33:58 > 0:34:01what's the difference between a pelargonium and geranium?
0:34:01 > 0:34:03Well, what else do you need to say?
0:34:03 > 0:34:06They are completely and utterly different in the flower shape,
0:34:06 > 0:34:08the flower structure.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11The scent of the leaf, the colour of the leaf
0:34:11 > 0:34:12and the whole form of the plant.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16You can clearly see the difference, and even in the form
0:34:16 > 0:34:20of the true geranium here, much more a straggly habit.
0:34:20 > 0:34:25It's a fully hardy perennial. A pelargonium is a tender perennial.
0:34:25 > 0:34:30The difference is staggering. This is not a geranium that I'm holding.
0:34:30 > 0:34:35This is a pelargonium. This is not an isolated case.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38These plants tend to be wrongly labelled as geraniums
0:34:38 > 0:34:41at garden centres across the nation.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44I want to see if the customers here can spot a true pelargonium.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47What do you think this plant is?
0:34:47 > 0:34:50- Well, I know what it is. - What is this plant, sir?
0:34:50 > 0:34:52It's a nice geranium.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Would you be surprised to hear that it's called a pelargonium,
0:34:55 > 0:34:57- and it's from South Africa? - You see that? Geranium.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59I would recognise it as a geranium.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02Pelargonium is a little bit more of a mouthful.
0:35:02 > 0:35:03Do you grow these in your garden?
0:35:03 > 0:35:07I do, but not pelargoniums. This type!
0:35:07 > 0:35:10Ever since I started gardening, that's been a geranium.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13But if it's got its own individual name, why not use it?
0:35:13 > 0:35:14Well, this chap's got a point.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16I want to see
0:35:16 > 0:35:19if I can get an explanation from Plant Area Manager Jackie Barker.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23You've got a fantastic array of pelargoniums here but I see on
0:35:23 > 0:35:27the big sign in the middle and all the labels they're called geraniums.
0:35:27 > 0:35:28Why have you got them as geraniums?
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Well, I totally agree with you. They are all pelargoniums.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33It's just that, for ease,
0:35:33 > 0:35:36and for the customers, we always still call them geraniums
0:35:36 > 0:35:39and the suppliers and the nurserymen still call them geraniums.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42Do you think by renaming them pelargoniums
0:35:42 > 0:35:44they would drop in sales,
0:35:44 > 0:35:47or is there a difficulty in changing the name?
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Well, it would stop a lot of confusion because obviously
0:35:49 > 0:35:53we've got the issue of when a customer comes in for a geranium
0:35:53 > 0:35:57the first thing I have to say is, "do you want a hardy geranium,
0:35:57 > 0:35:59"a herbaceous perennial or do you want the bedding geranium?"
0:35:59 > 0:36:02And as soon as I know that, then I can say, "Oh, you mean
0:36:02 > 0:36:03"pelargoniums, then?"
0:36:03 > 0:36:05- So if you had them as two distinctive...- That's it.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07It would be a lot easier.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09Do you think in the future it's possible, then?
0:36:09 > 0:36:11Oh, absolutely. I mean, it's one of my favourite plants.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13I love summer because of geraniums,
0:36:13 > 0:36:15the pelargoniums are coming out!
0:36:18 > 0:36:21To find out more about this much-misunderstood plant
0:36:21 > 0:36:24I'm heading to the home of one of the oldest significant
0:36:24 > 0:36:27collections of pelargoniums in Britain.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31I call myself a modern-day plant hunter but I have never been to the
0:36:31 > 0:36:38wonderful staggering gardens at Stourhead in the depth of Wiltshire.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40This garden was founded on plant hunting.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43Avid plant collector Sir Richard Colt Hoare inherited
0:36:43 > 0:36:45the estate in the late 1700s.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48He had a particular passion for pelargoniums
0:36:48 > 0:36:50and amassed over 600 varieties.
0:36:50 > 0:36:55Around 120 of which still survive today.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58This hugely important collection is cared for by walled garden
0:36:58 > 0:37:00supervisor Penny Lee.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02Here's the pelargonium house in here.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04I can smell it 30 yards away.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07Why did you bring me in here?
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Don't bring Tom, the plant nut, into a structure like this.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13Penny, this is the finest collection of pelargoniums I have ever seen
0:37:13 > 0:37:17and shows you how diverse this extraordinary family is.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21Plants I've just heard about.
0:37:21 > 0:37:22Fantastic.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26Was this collection influential in the rise of the pelargonium?
0:37:26 > 0:37:28It was considered the finest in the country.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32Richard Colt Hoare, being the plantsman that he was,
0:37:32 > 0:37:34was cross-breeding, experimenting
0:37:34 > 0:37:37with the diversity of the plants that he had.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41This is one of his hybrids. This is a really important plant.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44It would have been a really exciting plant at the time because it
0:37:44 > 0:37:48was one of the first hybrids produced in the pelargonium group.
0:37:48 > 0:37:49The one thing I want
0:37:49 > 0:37:53to come out of this pelargonium Great British Garden Revival
0:37:53 > 0:37:57is for everybody to say pelargonium, not geranium.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Is that going to happen?
0:37:59 > 0:38:02That would be very good if it did because they are not geraniums.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05They're pelargoniums, and they're special in their own right.
0:38:12 > 0:38:17In the early 19th century when Sir Henry Crew began expanding
0:38:17 > 0:38:20the pleasure grounds here at Calke Abbey, he didn't want
0:38:20 > 0:38:24the vista from his house being spoilt by the comings and goings
0:38:24 > 0:38:29of his gardening staff, so he built a tunnel to keep them out of sight.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34Well, if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39In keeping with the former rules of the house I'm off to the gardens
0:38:39 > 0:38:43to show you how to create a display of pelargoniums to be proud of.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54In my personal view the best way to show off the genus
0:38:54 > 0:38:58pelargonium is by displaying them in a container.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Whether you've got a window box, whether you've got a hanging basket.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03Whatever type, shape
0:39:03 > 0:39:07and size of your container they will look cracking and I think it's
0:39:07 > 0:39:11so fitting for me to actually have this Victorianesque urn because
0:39:11 > 0:39:16it was the Victorians, after all, that popularised the pelargonium.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20Fist up, I want to give you this trailing, blinding display
0:39:20 > 0:39:21of foliage and flowers.
0:39:21 > 0:39:26This particular plant, Pelargonium peltatum, is a blinder.
0:39:26 > 0:39:27Now, this is quite fragile.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30It's been growing in the greenhouse for the past two or three months.
0:39:30 > 0:39:35So what I'm going to do is give it a little tip using the container
0:39:35 > 0:39:39so it doesn't move too much. It sounds and looks a bit harsh.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43I'm pulling it out by the base of the stem, but I do not want to pull
0:39:43 > 0:39:48it out by the smaller branchlets or else they'll just snap off.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52I'm carefully going to place it at the edge of the container.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55Planting it just level with the compost that you've placed in.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58I'm not going to press it in and fully plant it
0:39:58 > 0:40:02until I've put its two companions in.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05While this plant produces beautiful flowers, I'd personally be
0:40:05 > 0:40:07happy with its stunning foliage alone.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12For me it's now one of my favourite pelargoniums to add to the mix.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15I'm putting in three scented pelargoniums.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18It's not just about the looks of the foliage with these ones,
0:40:18 > 0:40:19it's that smell.
0:40:19 > 0:40:24Just lightly rubbing on the leaves will release a citronella scent.
0:40:24 > 0:40:29It is magic, and in a hot summer's evening you don't even have
0:40:29 > 0:40:31to touch them to get the smell.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34You just waft past and they fill the atmosphere
0:40:34 > 0:40:36with their seductive oils,
0:40:36 > 0:40:41and now I'm going to go over to this variety called "Old Spice".
0:40:41 > 0:40:44It's got a real aftershave smell to it,
0:40:44 > 0:40:49and like every other pelargonium the smell is so distinctive.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52No two pelargoniums smell the same.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55That's looking pretty good
0:40:55 > 0:40:58and now we're going for this great-named plant
0:40:58 > 0:40:59which is "Orange Fizz".
0:40:59 > 0:41:02The flowers on this are actually pretty ornamental
0:41:02 > 0:41:04and are a good large size.
0:41:04 > 0:41:05Smell check again.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07Subtle. Subtle.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10In-between the two scents, I would say.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12And the icing on the cake.
0:41:12 > 0:41:17This is a regal pelargonium called "Hazel Cherry".
0:41:17 > 0:41:21These have these almost orchid-like flowers and a very,
0:41:21 > 0:41:23very compact plant.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25It's a great centrepiece.
0:41:25 > 0:41:30I'm giving it quite a lot of space because it will expand out
0:41:30 > 0:41:33and fill all remaining space.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36I'm just lightly firming in the compost.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40The most satisfying thing to do is the watering.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43I'm not going to absolutely soak the plants from above.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47I don't want to soak them in water just to start with.
0:41:47 > 0:41:48Especially the flowers.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50If you soak the flowers of this - they've just come out
0:41:50 > 0:41:53the greenhouse - you'll end up blemishing the flowers.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56It would be a bad start to your joyous container.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01The most crucial thing to do to bring a smile to anyone's
0:42:01 > 0:42:04face is to just step back and admire your work.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16Once you start growing pelargoniums you won't want to stop.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19I'm off to meet a couple in Coventry who grow their own
0:42:19 > 0:42:22pelargoniums from seed, but while they share a love for the same
0:42:22 > 0:42:25plant, they express it in two very different ways.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29This is Malcolm Harris.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31He's been growing and breeding the beautiful bushy
0:42:31 > 0:42:34and compact angel varieties for over 30 years.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37I love these angels because they're MY angels.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39They are easy to grow.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43They are very rewarding in terms of producing a very attractive
0:42:43 > 0:42:46plant in a very short amount of time.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48This is Judy, Malcolm's wife.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52She loves pelargoniums too, but she grows the dwarf zonal
0:42:52 > 0:42:56varieties, known for their succulent stems and attractive foliage.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00These are my babies. They are dwarf pelargoniums.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03They are absolutely gorgeous and they're far better than the
0:43:03 > 0:43:08angels that my husband grows across the way, but don't tell him that.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10What's your favourite plant in the collection?
0:43:10 > 0:43:13It's a gold-leaf variety that we named
0:43:13 > 0:43:15"Berkswell Golden Anniversary"
0:43:15 > 0:43:17because last year was our 50th anniversary.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19- Many congrats.- Thank you.
0:43:19 > 0:43:21- You see, that's a dwarf. - A good compact plant.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25They don't grow big and that's the beauty of them.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28I'm very proud to say some of these plants are mine.
0:43:28 > 0:43:31This is one of mine. It's got, like, fingers on the leaves.
0:43:31 > 0:43:33- It's one you bred yourself? - I bred myself. Yes.- Wow.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35Yes. You don't have to grow them in a greenhouse.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37You can grow them on a window ledge.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40You can grow them in a conservatory and you can also keep them
0:43:40 > 0:43:42growing 12 months of the year.
0:43:42 > 0:43:45All you've got to do is dead-head them and they'll keep flowering.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47And what fascinates me
0:43:47 > 0:43:52is the majority of breeding is done by British amateur growers
0:43:52 > 0:43:54that, without people like yourselves,
0:43:54 > 0:43:55the pelargonium industry,
0:43:55 > 0:43:58not just in this country but worldwide, would just fall apart.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00That's right.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03It could, and it could happen in the next few years if we're not careful.
0:44:03 > 0:44:05It's getting into a little bit of a desperate situation
0:44:05 > 0:44:10so you really need to get through to the public by
0:44:10 > 0:44:14whatever means possible that this is the plant to grow.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16This is the plant to grow in your garden.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19This is the plant you will love to grow
0:44:19 > 0:44:21and you will carry on growing it once you've got hooked.
0:44:21 > 0:44:24I've got a real plan here to raise the profile of pelargoniums.
0:44:24 > 0:44:26- Are you both with me on this one? - Yes, certainly.- Yes.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29Brilliant, let's raise our hands to pelargoniums. One, two, three...
0:44:29 > 0:44:31ALL: Pelargoniums!
0:44:31 > 0:44:35I've come up with a great revival idea that will raise public
0:44:35 > 0:44:37awareness of the pelargonium but I'm going to need Malcolm
0:44:37 > 0:44:41and Judy to join me and take to the streets.
0:44:41 > 0:44:44Vote in the Great British Pelargonium Debate!
0:44:44 > 0:44:46Place your vote now!
0:44:46 > 0:44:50Place your vote between two sumptuous pelargonium candidates.
0:44:50 > 0:44:52Thanks to Judy and Malcolm.
0:44:52 > 0:44:57But will the public vote for Judy's dwarf varieties or Malcolm's angels?
0:44:57 > 0:44:59Have you heard of a pelargonium before?
0:44:59 > 0:45:01No, I haven't heard of pelargonium.
0:45:01 > 0:45:04- Have you heard of geraniums?- Yes.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07They're quite nice because they've got the zones on the leaves,
0:45:07 > 0:45:09and that's one of the reasons they're called zonals.
0:45:09 > 0:45:10Into the ballot box there.
0:45:10 > 0:45:12They're much easier to grow than weeds.
0:45:12 > 0:45:16In actual fact they can take the place of weeds in the garden.
0:45:16 > 0:45:19My vote is cast.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21It is a secret.
0:45:21 > 0:45:22Into the box I go.
0:45:27 > 0:45:29Where are you ladies both from?
0:45:29 > 0:45:30Zimbabwe.
0:45:30 > 0:45:34Did you know that the origins of the species responsible for all
0:45:34 > 0:45:37the plants you see today are from your neck of the woods?
0:45:37 > 0:45:39We didn't know that.
0:45:40 > 0:45:42You can grow them on window ledges.
0:45:42 > 0:45:45You can grow them anywhere you like, and I just love them!
0:45:45 > 0:45:47They last a lot of time.
0:45:47 > 0:45:48There's an awful lot of flowers on them.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51Angels like yourselves ought to be growing these.
0:45:54 > 0:45:56Well, it's been a hard-fought campaign,
0:45:56 > 0:45:59- hasn't it, Judy and Malcolm? - Definitely.- It has.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02- Do you think you've won it, Judy? - I'd like to think I have.
0:46:02 > 0:46:03And whatever the result?
0:46:03 > 0:46:05I shall still live with her!
0:46:11 > 0:46:14And the winner is...
0:46:14 > 0:46:17Angel pelargoniums. Well done, Malcolm.
0:46:17 > 0:46:19- It was close. It was close. - Commiserations, dear.
0:46:19 > 0:46:21That's all right. I can live with it.
0:46:21 > 0:46:22Guys, it's been good fun today
0:46:22 > 0:46:27but the point is we have raised awareness of this fantastic genus.
0:46:27 > 0:46:31Of course you don't just have to decide between zonals and angels.
0:46:31 > 0:46:34There are over 200 species and thousands of cultivars,
0:46:34 > 0:46:36so you're guaranteed to find the perfect
0:46:36 > 0:46:39plants for your gardens or windowsills.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47Seeing the pelargoniums in the greenhouse here at Calke Abbey
0:46:47 > 0:46:50has brought back memories of my childhood love for these
0:46:50 > 0:46:51fabulous flowers.
0:46:53 > 0:46:57My personal passion for pelargoniums started at the age of 14 whilst
0:46:57 > 0:46:58I was at school.
0:46:58 > 0:47:03Now, next to my dormitory were two amazing glasshouses filled
0:47:03 > 0:47:05with lovely scented pelargoniums.
0:47:05 > 0:47:08I would often sneak in there during the lunch hour,
0:47:08 > 0:47:11and on one particular occasion, I was in there two hours, I snuck
0:47:11 > 0:47:15in at the back of the classroom in the middle of a maths lesson,
0:47:15 > 0:47:18hoping nobody would see me. I was wrong.
0:47:18 > 0:47:22The maths teacher saw me all right. "Hart Dyke. Where have you been?"
0:47:24 > 0:47:26"I've been in the glasshouses, sir."
0:47:26 > 0:47:28"You've been sniffing those geranium leaves, haven't you?
0:47:28 > 0:47:31"Right, I want 1,000 words after class, please."
0:47:31 > 0:47:32"What am I going to write, Sir?"
0:47:32 > 0:47:36"You will never ever sniff geranium leaves again."
0:47:36 > 0:47:38"I have a problem with that, Sir."
0:47:38 > 0:47:39"Do we have a problem?"
0:47:39 > 0:47:42"Yeah, they're actually called pelargoniums
0:47:42 > 0:47:44"and they're from South Africa."
0:47:44 > 0:47:46Well, if looks could kill.
0:47:48 > 0:47:50I got a C for maths at the end of that year
0:47:50 > 0:47:54and I've sniffed pelargonium leaves ever since.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58Inside the walled garden here at Calke Abbey
0:47:58 > 0:48:02they have an ingenious pelargonium display that's just so charming.
0:48:02 > 0:48:05Gardener Jules Mitchell is here to show me more.
0:48:06 > 0:48:12Jules, I can't help but produce this amazingly broad smile on my face.
0:48:12 > 0:48:14It's the most quirkiest thing I have seen.
0:48:14 > 0:48:16I love the blue shelving.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18Yeah.
0:48:18 > 0:48:22It's a theatre that is known for displaying auriculas
0:48:22 > 0:48:24early on in the spring.
0:48:24 > 0:48:26Once the auriculas had finished,
0:48:26 > 0:48:28it seemed to make sense to put pelargoniums on
0:48:28 > 0:48:32that last right the way through till the end of October.
0:48:32 > 0:48:33How many different ones have you got?
0:48:33 > 0:48:36We've got about 25-30 different varieties so we try
0:48:36 > 0:48:40and put a selection of those on in a tapestry of colours.
0:48:40 > 0:48:43What's your favourite one?
0:48:43 > 0:48:46I think the sidoides. I think that's lovely.
0:48:46 > 0:48:48I love the colour of it. It's different.
0:48:48 > 0:48:50It is different and you look at the leaves
0:48:50 > 0:48:52and think true geranium, don't you?
0:48:52 > 0:48:54Yeah, and I think people will look at the flower
0:48:54 > 0:48:58and say that's not a pelargonium, but it is.
0:48:58 > 0:48:59And you've got at the top there -
0:48:59 > 0:49:03I can just see from the corner of my eye - what's reputed to be
0:49:03 > 0:49:06the earliest pelargonium introduction from South Africa.
0:49:06 > 0:49:10Yeah. Triste. No-one would ever identify that as a pelargonium.
0:49:10 > 0:49:13- Dare I say fern?- I know. I know.
0:49:13 > 0:49:16- It's got a fern-like leaf. - It's really weird, isn't it?
0:49:16 > 0:49:19One plant that's seducing my eye is the one over here
0:49:19 > 0:49:22because I know that the colour yellow in a pelargonium is
0:49:22 > 0:49:24particularly rare, isn't it?
0:49:24 > 0:49:26Yeah. Solaris, and they are yellow, aren't they?
0:49:26 > 0:49:28Creamy yellow, aren't they? Flowers. Yeah.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31There's one other one that's really caught my eye.
0:49:31 > 0:49:35Personally, for scent, it just cannot be beaten.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38- Yeah. No.- It's pole position on my pelargonium list.
0:49:38 > 0:49:41- Yeah. Tomentosum. Yep. - Just a slight little rub.
0:49:41 > 0:49:44- Yeah.- It percolates through the nasal hairs.
0:49:44 > 0:49:48- It just sort of would make a good tea, wouldn't it?- Great tea.
0:49:48 > 0:49:49Fantastic.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52Because of the nature of the theatre,
0:49:52 > 0:49:54it's slightly dark at the back
0:49:54 > 0:49:56so they don't tend to flower as well at the back.
0:49:56 > 0:49:58So if we leave them,
0:49:58 > 0:50:00you'll end up with a green stripe along the back
0:50:00 > 0:50:02and flowers at the front
0:50:02 > 0:50:05so we will move them about just for that reason.
0:50:05 > 0:50:08It is a brilliant display. So easy to maintain.
0:50:08 > 0:50:12So easy to look after. Why don't more people do this?
0:50:12 > 0:50:14- They should.- Yeah.
0:50:21 > 0:50:23The range of flowers, colour, fragrance
0:50:23 > 0:50:28and foliage you get from pelargoniums is truly unrivalled.
0:50:28 > 0:50:29To inspire you to get planting,
0:50:29 > 0:50:32I've come to Fibrex Nurseries in Warwickshire.
0:50:32 > 0:50:36This nursery is home to the largest collection of pelargoniums,
0:50:36 > 0:50:38not just in the UK, but in the world,
0:50:38 > 0:50:40and I can't wait to get stuck in.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45This family business was born out of a true love
0:50:45 > 0:50:47and appreciation for the pelargonium
0:50:47 > 0:50:52so it's safe to say that owner Richard Key is a fellow fanatic.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57This is probably our most weirdest pelargonium.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00It's eccentric, Richard!
0:51:00 > 0:51:03It's spinosum. It's a cactus flowering one.
0:51:03 > 0:51:06- From a distance it looks like a cactus.- Yes.
0:51:06 > 0:51:08I've never heard of it.
0:51:10 > 0:51:11What's your best seller?
0:51:11 > 0:51:15- Oh, the best seller now is a variety called "Lord Bute".- Oh, dear.
0:51:15 > 0:51:19It's almost luminescent pink around the margins of each
0:51:19 > 0:51:22of the flower parts and why is it so popular?
0:51:22 > 0:51:24It just flowers and flowers.
0:51:24 > 0:51:29I've had it in flower right up until end of November, outside.
0:51:29 > 0:51:30Over 100 years old.
0:51:30 > 0:51:35These old varieties were very tall, small flowers, and the breeding
0:51:35 > 0:51:39that went in to get these were done by the head gardeners in big
0:51:39 > 0:51:42country houses as they were the only people who could afford it.
0:51:42 > 0:51:45- Afford the heating bill of the greenhouses.- That's right, yeah.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47Breeding now has been changed
0:51:47 > 0:51:51- and we've got bigger flowers, smaller plants.- More compact.
0:51:51 > 0:51:55More compact, and it's just the British heritage.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58- We have growing plants. - It's funny to me you saying all this
0:51:58 > 0:52:01because I immediately think of South African breeders who are responsible
0:52:01 > 0:52:04for a lot of this because that's where this originates from,
0:52:04 > 0:52:07but actually without the British influence with breeding, developing
0:52:07 > 0:52:10these plants, we wouldn't have the eclectic mix that we have today.
0:52:10 > 0:52:12No, you're absolutely right.
0:52:12 > 0:52:14Do you get South African visitors popping over
0:52:14 > 0:52:16- and going, "oh, goodness me." - Well, we get a few.
0:52:16 > 0:52:19We had some the other day and they were knocked out by the collection.
0:52:19 > 0:52:23- And they were their own plants originally.- Yes, yes!
0:52:23 > 0:52:26The vast variety of pelargoniums here are truly astonishing
0:52:26 > 0:52:31and it's one family of plants that keeps on giving.
0:52:31 > 0:52:35'It seems that Richard's sister has one more pelargonium-based surprise
0:52:35 > 0:52:36'lined up for me.'
0:52:36 > 0:52:39Leaves in the cake, Ange? Are they pelargonium leaves?
0:52:39 > 0:52:41Yes, they're pelargonium "Radula".
0:52:41 > 0:52:44It should give a Turkish-delight flavour to the cake.
0:52:44 > 0:52:45I want to turn it over
0:52:45 > 0:52:48because there's a little bit of lemon icing on the top.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51Oh, I see.
0:52:51 > 0:52:52There, that's better, isn't it?
0:52:52 > 0:52:55Now, that is absolutely spectacular.
0:52:55 > 0:52:58With all the leaves removed, it's time to taste.
0:53:00 > 0:53:01Fantastic.
0:53:02 > 0:53:04Cups of tea in the air.
0:53:04 > 0:53:07Pelargoniums forever. One, two, three, pelargoniums forever!
0:53:09 > 0:53:11Well, it's true what they say.
0:53:11 > 0:53:13Variety really is the spice of life.
0:53:16 > 0:53:20There's nothing that I enjoy more than expanding my plant collection.
0:53:20 > 0:53:23Especially my precious pelargoniums.
0:53:23 > 0:53:26I'm back at Calke Abbey to show you how easy it is for you to
0:53:26 > 0:53:28propagate them from cuttings.
0:53:32 > 0:53:36One of the most thrilling aspects of being a gardener is being
0:53:36 > 0:53:39able to propagate plants. And pelargoniums are as easy
0:53:39 > 0:53:43as horticultural pie to take cuttings from.
0:53:43 > 0:53:47In my personal opinion the best time to take a pelargonium cutting
0:53:47 > 0:53:49is at the end of June, beginning of July.
0:53:49 > 0:53:51It's the perfect time to take them.
0:53:51 > 0:53:54It gives you the rest of the season for the plant to take root
0:53:54 > 0:53:58and develop into a very, very nice looking plant by early autumn
0:53:58 > 0:54:01and then you're multiplying your favourite
0:54:01 > 0:54:03pelargoniums for seasons to come.
0:54:03 > 0:54:08One of my favourite pelargoniums to take a cutting from are these ones.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11The variegated-leaved zonal pelargoniums.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14Now, the cutting itself, very, very simple,
0:54:14 > 0:54:17but there are a couple of important points to make.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20With a very sharp knife here, I'm going to make the cut
0:54:20 > 0:54:24just below this node here.
0:54:24 > 0:54:29Three or four nodes down from the apex of the stem.
0:54:30 > 0:54:35A node is where the leaf is coming out of the stem section here.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38You want to make the cut below the node,
0:54:38 > 0:54:42and that is where the roots will burst forth.
0:54:42 > 0:54:47If you make it above the node, it will not root in this section here.
0:54:47 > 0:54:51It's such an important part of plant propagation.
0:54:51 > 0:54:53You'll get at least three out of this plant.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57My next one here, slightly smaller.
0:54:58 > 0:55:02So we're going down three-and-a-half nodes down the stem.
0:55:02 > 0:55:06This may seem quite harsh to take off a lot of the lower leaves.
0:55:06 > 0:55:10It's just to reduce the moisture loss through the leaves.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13There are no roots for the moisture to draw from,
0:55:13 > 0:55:18so you want to de-stress it as much as possible by leaving just a couple
0:55:18 > 0:55:23of leaves at the top of the plant, and now it's time to pot them up.
0:55:24 > 0:55:27Before adding the compost you need to make sure you have good
0:55:27 > 0:55:31drainage by covering the base of your pots with grit, and the idea
0:55:31 > 0:55:36is to fill the pot with compost to about an inch of the rim of the pot.
0:55:36 > 0:55:39And now for the fun bit. Placing the cutting in the pot.
0:55:39 > 0:55:41In the compost.
0:55:41 > 0:55:46Sliding it down the inside of the pot by an inch,
0:55:46 > 0:55:47inch-and-a-half at the most.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50Not placing the cutting in the middle of the pot in the compost.
0:55:50 > 0:55:53I find they rot a lot easier if you do that.
0:55:53 > 0:55:55It's a tip that will add to your success,
0:55:55 > 0:55:59propagating pelargoniums from cuttings.
0:56:01 > 0:56:05Give it a gentle tap and they're ready to go.
0:56:05 > 0:56:08And don't forget to label your cuttings.
0:56:08 > 0:56:12To me, it's important to know the name of the plant.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14And just to get them going, just a little
0:56:14 > 0:56:19trickle of water around the edge of the pot so that we can guarantee
0:56:19 > 0:56:24that we won't have to water them again until they start rooting.
0:56:24 > 0:56:30The last crucial thing to do is just to cover the pot with a plastic bag
0:56:30 > 0:56:35and just with a rubber band, tie the plastic bag around the pot.
0:56:35 > 0:56:38That will reduce the transportational loss of moisture
0:56:38 > 0:56:42coming up through the leaves and will ensure your cuttings will root.
0:56:42 > 0:56:47Between four to six weeks' time and by the end of this season,
0:56:47 > 0:56:50September or October, you'll have plants to die for.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57Clearly, pelargonium growers are a passionate bunch
0:56:57 > 0:57:00but the problem is there just aren't enough of us.
0:57:00 > 0:57:04We could all do with taking a leaf out of Ken Abel's book.
0:57:04 > 0:57:06Based in Suffolk, he's known amongst pelargonium
0:57:06 > 0:57:09enthusiasts as the best prize grower in the country.
0:57:09 > 0:57:12I got Best Of Regal in the show with this one,
0:57:12 > 0:57:14which is "Oriental Delight".
0:57:14 > 0:57:19This plant, angel "Berkswell Fiesta" got Best In Show.
0:57:19 > 0:57:22A lovely round shape is what judges are looking for.
0:57:22 > 0:57:27I first decided to put some plants into a show at the local society,
0:57:27 > 0:57:29and I got talking to the judge there, and he said,
0:57:29 > 0:57:33"Why don't you try going to the National because your plants are good enough?"
0:57:33 > 0:57:38So 1999, I took six plants and I came away with five trophies
0:57:38 > 0:57:41and I kind of got hooked on it.
0:57:41 > 0:57:44Ken's so good at growing prize-winners that he's now
0:57:44 > 0:57:47banned from entering some local competitions as his impressive
0:57:47 > 0:57:50plants put other potential competitors off.
0:57:50 > 0:57:53Over the years I've been quite successful.
0:57:53 > 0:57:55I've won 16 national shows
0:57:55 > 0:57:58and I think I stand at 67 Best In Shows at the time.
0:57:59 > 0:58:02Most days, on average, about four hours a day
0:58:02 > 0:58:03I spend on my pelargoniums.
0:58:03 > 0:58:07Heading up to a show, I can be in there 12 hours a day.
0:58:07 > 0:58:09If you want a good plant, you have to be prepared to spend some
0:58:09 > 0:58:11time on them.
0:58:16 > 0:58:17I love pelargoniums.
0:58:17 > 0:58:20They're such a great plant with so much to offer.
0:58:20 > 0:58:23From their wonderfully scented patterned leaves
0:58:23 > 0:58:27to their showy flowers that add a splash of colour in summer.
0:58:27 > 0:58:29No longer should they be called a geranium.
0:58:29 > 0:58:31They are the pelargonium
0:58:31 > 0:58:34and everybody should be growing them in their gardens.