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 > 0:00:11But there's a problem.
0:00:11 > 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 > 0:00:26And our favourite flowers are disappearing right before our eyes.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31So we need you to help us in our revival campaign.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37We'll be inspiring you to dig deep and celebrate the best of British.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40As we reveal the country's most stunning gardens.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45And sharing our top gardening tips.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50It's time to rediscover our passion for plants.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53And breathe new life into our gardens.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31With purple loosestrife, pretty Persicarias
0:01:31 > 0:01:33and fabulous ferns, just to name a few,
0:01:33 > 0:01:37there's one style of planting that's low maintenance,
0:01:37 > 0:01:39fantastic for wildlife
0:01:39 > 0:01:42and performs particularly well in wet conditions.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44It is the bog garden.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Although popular in the 19th century,
0:01:50 > 0:01:52bog gardens fell out of favour.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55But I think it's time to bring them back.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Now, stick with me on this one.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59I know it doesn't sound particularly sexy,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02but our gardens are being battered by increasing rainfall,
0:02:02 > 0:02:04and there's also the risk of flooding.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08So now may be the ideal time to plant a garden for wet conditions.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16With over 90% of our wetland habitats damaged or destroyed,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19by planting a bog garden, you really can make a difference,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22and they're much more beautiful than the name suggests.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25To convince you about my campaign,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29I'll show you my top tips on how to build your very own bog garden...
0:02:29 > 0:02:31I think that's enough rocks.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34This is a bog garden, not a rockery, after all.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37..see how fantastic they are at attracting wildlife...
0:02:37 > 0:02:41Brilliant for dragonflies and smooth newts, common frogs.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Oh, it's beautiful out here, isn't it? Look at all the damsel flies.
0:02:44 > 0:02:45..and I'll be getting to grips
0:02:45 > 0:02:48with some supersized bog garden specimens.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51- I haven't done much gardening by boat before. - HE LAUGHS
0:02:58 > 0:03:00To start my bog garden revival,
0:03:00 > 0:03:04I've come to Cornwall, and a truly inspirational place.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14This is Trebah Garden near Falmouth,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17an exotic paradise of plants,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20many which love the wet conditions of this Cornish valley.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27The gardens are the result of 175 years of horticultural endeavour.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31This bog garden area was planted just three years ago
0:03:31 > 0:03:35and it shows what's achievable in just a short space of time.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37There's a natural spring that runs down here,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40runs all the way down the valley towards the sea,
0:03:40 > 0:03:41and it widens out.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45The planting gets deeper and denser and it surrounds a beautiful lake.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52When I first started out as a jobbing gardener in London,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55I used to maintain some gardens with beautiful ponds
0:03:55 > 0:03:58with wet areas and boggy areas, just like this,
0:03:58 > 0:03:59and I was always drawn to them.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01I loved the way you'd plant a plant
0:04:01 > 0:04:03and it would grow away really quickly,
0:04:03 > 0:04:07and the volume of foliage and the lushness of the fill
0:04:07 > 0:04:09was just magical.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11In a city garden, to create something like this,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13just transported you somewhere else.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19A bog garden is simply a piece of land laid out and irrigated
0:04:19 > 0:04:22to grow plants which prefer a damp soil,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25or uses an existing soggy area to best effect.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Lots of gardens have problematic wet areas,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30and with the increased risk of flooding,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33we need to work with the water, not against it,
0:04:33 > 0:04:38so let's forget the name and embrace the beauty of the bog garden.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49Record rainfall over recent years has led to some epic floods,
0:04:49 > 0:04:52which have been made worse by the loss of our natural bogs.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Now, bogs, whether natural or man-made,
0:04:55 > 0:04:56help soak up the rainfall
0:04:56 > 0:05:01and can slow down or prevent flash floods altogether.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06Here in Old Windsor, the Thames burst its banks in January 2014,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10flooding out homes and gardens far and wide.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13It was the same story from Somerset to Surrey.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18The loss of our wetlands was seen as a major factor,
0:05:18 > 0:05:22but in densely populated areas where there's lots of homes and gardens
0:05:22 > 0:05:26the bog garden can be part of the solution.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30The concept of a bog garden comes from the wild bogs
0:05:30 > 0:05:33and the interesting plants and flowers that can grow there,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36such as the iris and the primrose.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40They were pioneered by the Victorians,
0:05:40 > 0:05:42who had access to exciting new specimens
0:05:42 > 0:05:45brought back from all over the globe by plant hunters.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51The gardens at Upton House in Warwickshire
0:05:51 > 0:05:53have always been prone to flooding.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57But this negative was turned into a positive
0:05:57 > 0:06:00by pioneering gardener Kitty Lloyd Jones.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06It was here in the roaring '20s that Kitty, fresh out of university,
0:06:06 > 0:06:10designed these cascading terraces, using this slope beautifully,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13complete with herbaceous borders and a lake at the bottom.
0:06:13 > 0:06:14And just around the corner,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18she also designed a rare and unusual bog garden
0:06:18 > 0:06:21on the site of some medieval fishponds.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Today, Kitty's bog garden is maintained by Heather Aston.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33What was she like as a person?
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Obviously quite a pioneering gardener
0:06:35 > 0:06:36and very keen plantsperson.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Yes, but she was also very strict.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41She used to come down and watch the gardeners here working
0:06:41 > 0:06:43and be very strict about what they were doing
0:06:43 > 0:06:45and if it wasn't right, she would tell them as well,
0:06:45 > 0:06:47she'd get them stuck in and tell them it wasn't right.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56So this tree here, Joe, the Cercidiphyllum japonicum,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58would have been one of Kitty's trees
0:06:58 > 0:07:01which she would have planted here specially in the bog garden.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02It's a beauty, isn't it?
0:07:02 > 0:07:05I didn't know it was a real moisture-lover, I have to say.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08No, that's right. No. It seems to do really well in here,
0:07:08 > 0:07:09but obviously it loves the shade,
0:07:09 > 0:07:11so it's, you know, a really good, shaded area
0:07:11 > 0:07:12for this particular tree.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15Yeah, and a lot of these bog plants need shade, don't they?
0:07:15 > 0:07:18- They thrive on moisture and shade as well.- Yeah, absolutely.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26- This is an absolute beauty, isn't it?- It is.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28The Rodgersia is a lovely plant
0:07:28 > 0:07:31and it's ideal for a smaller back garden as well.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33Yeah, maybe not a huge block like this,
0:07:33 > 0:07:35but I mean, just one or two plants,
0:07:35 > 0:07:38and the foliage is that lovely purple tinge, isn't it?
0:07:38 > 0:07:41It just gives so much depth to the leaf cover.
0:07:41 > 0:07:42I think it's an absolute beauty.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52We had the wettest winter pretty much on history last year.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54How did this garden cope with those conditions?
0:07:54 > 0:07:56Did it thrive on it or did it suffer?
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Luckily, majority of plants survived. Being herbaceous plants,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02they just shut down through the winter.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Is this completely under water, this area, in the winter?
0:08:05 > 0:08:07It was, yes. It was at least thigh-deep,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09so 2ft to 3ft deep for about three months.
0:08:09 > 0:08:10- Up to about here?- Yes.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18You've got to be quite ruthless, haven't you? In a garden like this,
0:08:18 > 0:08:20you've got to really attack the weeds and the plants
0:08:20 > 0:08:22- when they get too big. - That's right, yes.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25We find they come up very quickly, so they're into life in May,
0:08:25 > 0:08:28and probably go down again quite quickly in September/October time,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31but throughout that season, they're growing very quickly, so...
0:08:31 > 0:08:34That's the whole thing about a bog garden, isn't it?
0:08:34 > 0:08:36That's what I love about them. Things grow so quickly.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39- I think that's a positive. - I think so too.
0:08:39 > 0:08:40I wish more people would have bog gardens
0:08:40 > 0:08:44and create some interesting...more interesting areas in their gardens.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09One of the most extraordinary sights here at Trebah is this
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Gunnera Passage.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Now, this is Gunnera manicata and it's native to Brazil.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17It gets up to 5m, even 6m tall here.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21It's deciduous, so this is all one year's growth just here.
0:09:21 > 0:09:22It's amazing.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25And in the winter, it dies back and it decays into the ground.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28They really are extraordinary plants,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31but you might not have room for even one of these in your garden,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34but there are some plants that are more suitable
0:09:34 > 0:09:35for the smaller bog garden.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45Astilbes are right up there when it comes to bog garden plants
0:09:45 > 0:09:50cos their feathery plumes just hover above that lush foliage beneath
0:09:50 > 0:09:53and they look great in bud, they look great in flower,
0:09:53 > 0:09:56and also when they've gone over as well.
0:09:56 > 0:09:57They come in a huge range of colours.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59They come in whites, reds, purples,
0:09:59 > 0:10:01some of them get quite garish,
0:10:01 > 0:10:05but for me, these soft pinks and whites combine beautifully,
0:10:05 > 0:10:09especially when they're planted in a huge drift just like this.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17A lot of us grow Hostas in shade, in moisture-retentive soil,
0:10:17 > 0:10:21but they can also cope with really boggy conditions that are wet all
0:10:21 > 0:10:25year round, and we grow them mainly for their sumptuous foliage which
0:10:25 > 0:10:27brings a cool presence to the summer garden.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31But they also have beautiful flower spikes too, just like this one -
0:10:31 > 0:10:33a lovely lilac colour.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35And it's reassuring to see that even here at Trebah,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38they've got a bit of slug damage on their Hostas.
0:10:38 > 0:10:39Well, haven't we all?
0:10:39 > 0:10:43There are lots of other plants which thrive in damp conditions,
0:10:43 > 0:10:47and I'm going to show you how to plant up your very own bog garden.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Now, this is the perfect area for a bog garden.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04The soil's nice and moist and it stays moist all year round,
0:11:04 > 0:11:08I've incorporated lots of compost, just regular garden compost is fine.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12I've put plenty of air in the soil to stop it getting compacted
0:11:12 > 0:11:15and affecting the development of the plants.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19Now, I'm going to put some planks down to walk on, and a first job is
0:11:19 > 0:11:23to position the plants to get a feel for how they meld together.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27So I've got a couple of these beautiful Matteuccias.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30That'll look really lovely next to the water here.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35And then five of these Kirengeshoma palmata.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38I'm going to use the smaller plants nearer the stream
0:11:38 > 0:11:42and the taller ones further away, to tier the planting.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46And then this lovely little Gunnera,
0:11:46 > 0:11:50which works perfectly right alongside the water's edge,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53echoing the line of the stream there.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55All the pots are roughly the same size now,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58but these plants are going to grow all different sizes,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01and, more importantly, all different spreads as well.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03So it's important that you do some research,
0:12:03 > 0:12:05you work out how big each plant's going to get,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08cos otherwise in a year or two, you'll be digging them up and moving them,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11or you're going to have lots of gaps in the planting.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13These Cimicifugas are beautiful.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16Really tall, and it's sometimes quite nice to bring some taller
0:12:16 > 0:12:17plants close to the water,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19so it's not all just really low,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22so actually the eye is drawn through.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25And then these lovely little maidenhair ferns.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Already I really like that - those two foliage plants together,
0:12:29 > 0:12:31looking great.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34I'm also going to throw in a few stepping stones
0:12:34 > 0:12:35to help create the look,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38but also make it easier to maintain the garden.
0:12:43 > 0:12:44I think that's enough rocks.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47This is a bog garden, not a rockery, after all.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Right. Time to get planting.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Going in first is the shuttlecock fern
0:12:56 > 0:13:00that'll eventually grow up to about 4ft.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02The best fern for wet conditions.
0:13:14 > 0:13:19We've seen huge Gunneras, but this is a tiny little one.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22This is called Gunnera magellanica,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25and it's really grown as a groundcover.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Like you have groundcover in any border, you also want
0:13:27 > 0:13:30groundcover in a bog garden like this, to cover the ground,
0:13:30 > 0:13:32stop the weeds getting in.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Down here in Cornwall, because they don't get deep frost,
0:13:37 > 0:13:38this is absolutely fine.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41It's slightly tender, so it won't get through the winter
0:13:41 > 0:13:43in some of the colder parts of the country.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49This is a really lovely plant.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52You've got this really deliciously dark foliage.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55This is called Cimicifuga 'Brunette',
0:13:55 > 0:13:57and it's a great garden plant.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59You don't have to have a bog garden to grow this,
0:13:59 > 0:14:02but you do need moisture-retentive soil that doesn't dry out
0:14:02 > 0:14:05and a little bit of semi-shade, catches a bit of sun
0:14:05 > 0:14:07and it'll colour up beautifully.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09And the common name is bugbane,
0:14:09 > 0:14:11cos it's meant to keep bugs off your garden.
0:14:11 > 0:14:12No guarantees though.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31It's really nice, in planting like this,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33to play with scale of foliage.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37We've got some large foliage plants and we've got some real detail as
0:14:37 > 0:14:40well that draws the eye in, and when you contrast those two together,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43you know, a bog garden's never going to be boring.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46And already you can see how these plants are going to work together,
0:14:46 > 0:14:47grow together.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49In fact, they grow so quickly, these bog plants,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52I think I can hear them growing already.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Many people create their first bog garden
0:15:07 > 0:15:09by converting part of an existing pond,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12which can become home to some interesting wildlife.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Here in the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in London
0:15:17 > 0:15:19they've done this on an enormous scale.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25A set of reservoirs in Barnes were landscaped for the millennium.
0:15:25 > 0:15:2760 football pitches of water and bog plants
0:15:27 > 0:15:30now give wildlife a home in London.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Adam Salmon is the manager of the reserve,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38and he's witnessed just how fantastic bog
0:15:38 > 0:15:40gardens can be for biodiversity.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42- Hi, Adam.- Hi, Joe. - What are you doing?
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Why are you pulling all the plants out of the bog?
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Well, it's this bulrush.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49They're a bit of an invasive plant, really, so if we leave them,
0:15:49 > 0:15:50they'll just take over the place.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Right. What plants have you got here? Are these all natives?
0:15:53 > 0:15:54Pretty much, yeah.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58We've got the water spider growing in the water there.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00You've got the greater pond sedge on the edge here,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03which is really good for water voles as well.
0:16:03 > 0:16:04They love eating that.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09So if you create a habitat like this, the wildlife will just turn up?
0:16:09 > 0:16:11That's right. Yeah, they'll find it.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14It's brilliant for dragonflies and damsel flies especially.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17There's also a lot of amphibians in here using it - smooth newts,
0:16:17 > 0:16:20common newts, marsh frogs, common frogs.
0:16:24 > 0:16:29Here at the Wetlands Trust, they like to innovate with gardening.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32The latest addition is a rain garden.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35This one was designed by Professor Nigel Dunnett
0:16:35 > 0:16:36for the Chelsea Flower Show.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Rain gardens, are they the new bog garden perhaps? What are they?
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Well, rain gardens are a way of soaking up all the rainwater that
0:16:44 > 0:16:47falls on your garden, your roof, your driveways,
0:16:47 > 0:16:50when you have a torrential downpour, when you have so much water
0:16:50 > 0:16:52you can see it running off all your surfaces.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54- OK. So how do they actually work? - So the water falls on the roof.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58We've got a green roof here, which is like a big sponge, which will capture some of that.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00- OK.- Any extra comes into the gutter
0:17:00 > 0:17:03and it runs down this rain chain into this water butt.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05You can then harvest it and use it in the garden.
0:17:05 > 0:17:06When that fills up,
0:17:06 > 0:17:10it overflows down this channel into the rain garden proper here.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13It will fill up, up until the lip, if need be,
0:17:13 > 0:17:15like a puddle, and then that will disappear.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18This hasn't got a liner in it, it's not like a pond.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20The whole point, when you're trying to capture the rainwater,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23is you want to get it back down into the soil or evaporate back up.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25So this overflows,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27and then that will overflow into the next one.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29You're trying to soak up as much water,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31so by the end of a sequence of these sorts of features,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34you really don't want any water left coming out of it.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37So this one will fill up and then we have a final one, which is a little
0:17:37 > 0:17:40bit more like a reed bed, with these ornamental reeds.
0:17:40 > 0:17:41Fantastic.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46I think this rain garden is fantastic,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48and I know it looks really big,
0:17:48 > 0:17:50but don't get overawed by the size of it.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53There's so many simple ideas that you can take home
0:17:53 > 0:17:55and incorporate into your bog garden,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58and harvest all the rainwater that lands on your plot.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12Trebah Garden is home to a huge variety of plants
0:18:12 > 0:18:15and the bog gardens here are extraordinary,
0:18:15 > 0:18:20with some wonderful planting, including this - the Hemerocallis.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Now, the common name is daylily, because the flowers only last a day,
0:18:23 > 0:18:27but don't let that put you off, because there's another one, two,
0:18:27 > 0:18:28three...six buds on this,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31and it's going to keep flowering, so if you keep deadheading this,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34it's going to flower all summer long.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44Many plants in a bog garden don't require much maintenance,
0:18:44 > 0:18:46but Trebah has some large specimens that do need
0:18:46 > 0:18:48a bit of a trim in the summer.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52I'm going to give head gardener Darren Dickey a hand with some
0:18:52 > 0:18:54rather large tree ferns.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59- If you want to jump in the back. - Jump... I'm not going to jump in.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04- I'm going to slowly and carefully... - DARREN LAUGHS
0:19:04 > 0:19:09- OK.- So once you've settled down... Are you OK?- Yeah.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12- You've done this before, right? - A few times.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16I love the oar. That's a real gardener's oar, that is.
0:19:16 > 0:19:17DARREN LAUGHS
0:19:21 > 0:19:24It's beautiful out here, isn't it? Look at all the damsel flies.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30I don't feel like I'm in the UK at all.
0:19:30 > 0:19:31DARREN LAUGHS
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Now, all we're going to do here is clean up these stems,
0:19:34 > 0:19:37just so you can highlight the stems and see them from the water
0:19:37 > 0:19:39and obviously see the reflection in the water,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42so if we can just pull off all these dead fronds.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44- Most of them will just pull out... - Pull off by hand.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46..because they're quite sort of old.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49- Just break them up. - We keep them in the boat?- Yeah.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56I haven't done much gardening by boat before...
0:19:56 > 0:19:58- THEY LAUGH - ..I have to say!
0:19:58 > 0:20:00Oh, it looks better already.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04These tree ferns, Dicksonia antarctica,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07came to Trebah from Australia in around 1880,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11and are believed to be some of the oldest in the country.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15The climate and setting here means they're thriving.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17So how suitable would one of these tree ferns be
0:20:17 > 0:20:19in a domestic-sized garden?
0:20:19 > 0:20:21I think as long as you've got a reasonable amount of space
0:20:21 > 0:20:24and a bit of moisture, really, just to let them do their own thing.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28Some colder parts of the country you might need to put a bit of straw or something,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31just into the top, just to protect those new fronds as they form.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33Obviously love having the base in water
0:20:33 > 0:20:35and then shade in the water as well.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37This is how they should be grown, really.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Yeah, yeah, they really do look good grown by water.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51Bog gardens can be created in the most unlikely places.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55The Iver Environment Centre is 2.5 acres of land
0:20:55 > 0:20:57owned by the National Grid in Buckinghamshire,
0:20:57 > 0:20:59close to Heathrow Airport.
0:20:59 > 0:21:04For 25 years, the local community has been able to come here
0:21:04 > 0:21:06and explore.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08I want to show you that bog gardens can be fun
0:21:08 > 0:21:12and inspirational places for us all to enjoy.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Mike Shadbolt, a landscape gardener at the centre,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21is working on creating a new bog garden.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23- I made it across.- You did.
0:21:23 > 0:21:24- JOE LAUGHS - You did.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26What a fantastic spot for a bog garden.
0:21:26 > 0:21:27It is, isn't it? It's perfect.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29Well, it's full of bog, that's for sure.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31So what plants have you got here, then?
0:21:31 > 0:21:35We have some water avens here, comes in these little plugs like this.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40We have some sneezewort. These are all native wildflowers.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Ragged robin here, and skullcap.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45And you only need little plugs, cos they grow away so quickly.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48- They will, yeah, they're much better like that. Yes, yes.- They go mad.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50Keep your feet in the water.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Debra Frankiewicz, from the Iver Environment Centre,
0:21:53 > 0:21:56and a group of schoolkids from nearby Slough are here to help plant
0:21:56 > 0:22:00and learn about the wonderful world of bogs.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03- Yeah, cos all these... - BOY:- It looks like chocolate cake! - JOE LAUGHS
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Yeah, it looks like chocolate cake, but I wouldn't try eating it.
0:22:06 > 0:22:11Now, bend down. Use your trowel and scoop away some of the mud.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Lovely. So you've got a little hole The water's filling it back up.
0:22:14 > 0:22:15GIRL: Should I put it in now?
0:22:15 > 0:22:18Yep, just put it in. Give it a little...little push on the top.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- That's right. - She likes planting skullcap.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24- Good planting, everybody. - Beautiful.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28- Sneezewort! - Who would like to plant sneezewort?
0:22:28 > 0:22:32- Don't sneeze while you're doing it. - DEBRA LAUGHS
0:22:32 > 0:22:34- Put it in.- I love getting dirty.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- I'm getting mud all over me hands now. That's it.- Yay!
0:22:39 > 0:22:41What have you enjoyed about the bog garden?
0:22:41 > 0:22:45Planting plants in the bog and getting my hands oozy.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Yeah, it's not bad, is it? You get into it after a while.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52I like about this, the plants and insects living there
0:22:52 > 0:22:55and there's lots of wildlife and nature.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58Over the next year, it's expected that 4,000 schoolchildren
0:22:58 > 0:23:01will come and enjoy this bog garden.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06All the kids absolutely love that, getting their hands dirty,
0:23:06 > 0:23:07building the bog garden,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11and it doesn't look like much at the moment, but give it a year or two -
0:23:11 > 0:23:14it will be full of foliage, full of flower,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16and the perfect habitat for wildlife.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25Here at the stunning gardens of Trebah,
0:23:25 > 0:23:29they've been cultivating plants in their bog garden for 175 years.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32And although their specimens are mature,
0:23:32 > 0:23:35you can grow bog-loving plants from seed
0:23:35 > 0:23:37and I'm going to show you how to do it yourself.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50Candelabra primroses are really fantastic plants -
0:23:50 > 0:23:52a shot of colour in a bog garden.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54They start flowering in early summer
0:23:54 > 0:23:58and you can see there's one or two just hanging on there for dear life.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02Wonderful yellow flowers that tier up on these really quite tall stems.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06But now it's late July, they've pretty much finished
0:24:06 > 0:24:07and they're setting seed,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10and naturally the seed would just drop on wet ground
0:24:10 > 0:24:12and they would grow all by themselves.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15But I'm going to take some of the seed and propagate them
0:24:15 > 0:24:18to create some new plants for another part of the garden.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23And all I need is a paper bag,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26then I'm going to simply snip off a couple of stems
0:24:26 > 0:24:28and they'll have loads of seed pods on them,
0:24:28 > 0:24:30which is plenty for what I need.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34So I've got my fresh Candelabra primula seed,
0:24:34 > 0:24:36I'm going to put it to one side for a minute
0:24:36 > 0:24:38and prepare the seed tray.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Now, all this is is a bit of plastic, really,
0:24:41 > 0:24:42with some holes in the bottom.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45You don't have to use a seed tray, you can use pretty much anything,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48as long as it holds compost and it drains freely.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52Now, the compost I'm using is a seed mixture,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55so it's got a bit of sand in there, it's got a bit of loam in there,
0:24:55 > 0:24:59and a bit of compost as well, but it's quite a fine mix,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02and I'm just going to fill the tray up,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04just give it a bit of a tap to even it out.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08I find it's much easier if you water the compost first,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10because after you've sowed the seed, if you water it,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13it can disturb them, move them around a little bit.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17So, if you wet it first, and now, this is bog garden planting,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19remember, so it's going to like it nice and wet.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27And that is pretty much all you have to do. And now the exciting bit.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31Now we need to get the seed out of here,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33and it's ideal to sow it
0:25:33 > 0:25:36when it's still green, just like this - nice and fresh.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39It'll germinate really quickly.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42And within each of these pods, there should be...
0:25:42 > 0:25:43Yep, there they are.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46..loads of tiny little seeds.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49Lovely little lime-green seeds.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Loads in one little pod.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Now, it's tempting to oversow these,
0:25:55 > 0:25:57to put too many all together
0:25:57 > 0:26:01and then they're quite hard to prick out later and to grow on.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04So I'm just going to be pretty scarce with these
0:26:04 > 0:26:06and just literally drop them
0:26:06 > 0:26:10as finely as I can on top of the compost.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14In fact, look at that - I've used one seed pod
0:26:14 > 0:26:17and that has filled up this entire tray.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19That's all you need.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21So whatever you do, don't cover them with compost.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25They're just in contact with the compost, and they're nice and moist,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27but they can get light to them as well.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29That's what's going to make them germinate.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31What you do do, though, is cover them with a lid.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34Now, if you haven't got a lid, you can use something like clingfilm.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36Just wrap it over the top.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39But this is a nice, simple lid that will hold the moisture in,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42create a nice little mini greenhouse, a constant temperature,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45and I would expect within three or four weeks,
0:26:45 > 0:26:48these will germinate and turn into nice little plants.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51When they're nice little plants, you just tease them out
0:26:51 > 0:26:53with a little fork or a chopstick or something
0:26:53 > 0:26:57and pot them on individually into a small pot, and they'll grow away.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59It really is as simple as that.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02These are one of the easiest plants in the world to germinate.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Now, if you can't get your hands on any fresh primula seed like that,
0:27:06 > 0:27:09you can buy packets from any garden centre,
0:27:09 > 0:27:13and these are dried seeds. So ideally, put them in the fridge,
0:27:13 > 0:27:17'cause that'll break the dormancy and it'll bring them alive quicker
0:27:17 > 0:27:19and they'll germinate better
0:27:19 > 0:27:21if they've been cold for a little period.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24But fresh seed are the best,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27and that is really one of the simplest tasks in gardening.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Someone who's already bonkers about the bog garden
0:27:39 > 0:27:44is Susan Hale, who's given over her garden in Cheshire to five of them.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48We didn't design it, it just sort of evolved over time.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52We thought, "We'll try a pond and then have a bog garden with it,"
0:27:52 > 0:27:54and then we got so into the bog gardening
0:27:54 > 0:27:57that we started just creating bog gardens without ponds.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Well, this area of the garden, which was the first bog garden we made,
0:28:02 > 0:28:04is all green at the moment,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07but it really is a riot of colour in the spring.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09These are all Candelabra primulas.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13You know spring's begun when you see those come out.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18This was the second boggy area that we made.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21As you can probably see, we're surrounded by mature trees,
0:28:21 > 0:28:25and they absolutely rip all the moisture out of the ground.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27So if we hadn't made the bog gardens,
0:28:27 > 0:28:31we'd have no colour here at all, because it would just be so, so dry.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37This is bog garden number three. It's next door to the chicken run.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41It's beautiful in the spring, full of spring-flowering plants.
0:28:43 > 0:28:44This is bog garden number four.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46It's all left very wild,
0:28:46 > 0:28:51because we have a lot of newts that breed in this particular pond.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56This is the fifth of the bog gardens,
0:28:56 > 0:28:58and this is my favourite area.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02All the marginal plants that have spread onto the land into the boggy
0:29:02 > 0:29:05bits just give an air of mystery,
0:29:05 > 0:29:07and it's so lovely at this time of year.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13I think bog gardens are wonderful. It looks wonderful all year round.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15Definitely worth doing.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28Well, I hope I've inspired you to put your wellies on
0:29:28 > 0:29:32and embrace the opportunity that wet weather can bring to our gardens.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36So if you've got what you think is a problem patch or want to create
0:29:36 > 0:29:38a bog garden from scratch, then go for it -
0:29:38 > 0:29:42create a wildlife haven that is low-maintenance too.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45What's not to love about that?
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Across the series, our Revival team are travelling the length
0:29:55 > 0:29:57and breadth of Britain,
0:29:57 > 0:29:58celebrating our gardens...
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Get your nostrils in there.
0:30:01 > 0:30:02..flowers...
0:30:02 > 0:30:04Look at this strapping 7-footer.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06..and plants.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10- I never thought we'd be having children, Ern.- At our age?
0:30:11 > 0:30:15Next, Alys Fowler is on the campaign trail for soft fruit.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27There is no greater taste of the British summer
0:30:27 > 0:30:30than freshly picked berries from the garden.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35But it seems most of us
0:30:35 > 0:30:38would rather pick up our soft fruit from the supermarket
0:30:38 > 0:30:40instead of growing it in our own gardens.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43By not growing our own berries
0:30:43 > 0:30:47we risk losing some of our oldest garden traditions,
0:30:47 > 0:30:49and for me, that just won't do.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54I want to bring berries back to our gardens,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57and show you that these fruit are ripe for a revival.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04On my revival campaign,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07I'll investigate the secrets of the berry's power to impress...
0:31:07 > 0:31:10They have been found and discovered to be a superfruit,
0:31:10 > 0:31:13and, uh, the craze is going mad for them.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16..uncover the grand fine dining tradition of the berry...
0:31:16 > 0:31:23Formal dinners culminated in this serving of the most exquisite fresh fruit.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27..and show you how to grow soft fruits in your own garden.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30I think this is such a stellar plant that every garden should have one.
0:31:42 > 0:31:47There was a time when every garden in this country grew all
0:31:47 > 0:31:48manner of soft fruits.
0:31:52 > 0:31:56Here at RHS Rosemoor, in Torrington, North Devon,
0:31:56 > 0:31:59blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries
0:31:59 > 0:32:00and my favourite, gooseberries,
0:32:00 > 0:32:04are just a few of the many berries grown in abundance
0:32:04 > 0:32:05in this fruit and veg garden.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09I started growing soft fruits seriously
0:32:09 > 0:32:11about seven or eight years ago
0:32:11 > 0:32:14and I have taken every opportunity possible to cram
0:32:14 > 0:32:16more into my garden,
0:32:16 > 0:32:20because for me, picking sun-warmed berries -
0:32:20 > 0:32:23that's one of the true joys of my garden.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25And it's not just all about the eating.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29Soft fruit plants are so easy to grow, with stunning form
0:32:29 > 0:32:30and striking foliage,
0:32:30 > 0:32:33they can bring interest to your garden all year round.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37It may be a style of gardening which we've somewhat forgotten,
0:32:37 > 0:32:39but it is one that I am determined to revive.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51To begin my soft fruit revival,
0:32:51 > 0:32:54I've come to The Secret Garden in Ashford, Kent,
0:32:54 > 0:32:57and it's home to all manner of edible delights,
0:32:57 > 0:33:01including some wonderful berries.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04Food historian Jo Morgan
0:33:04 > 0:33:06has been studying the history of kitchen gardens
0:33:06 > 0:33:08and knows all too well
0:33:08 > 0:33:10the importance of the great British berry.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15We're surrounded by soft fruit right now.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18How important was that for the kitchen garden?
0:33:18 > 0:33:20It certainly was very important.
0:33:20 > 0:33:25Soft fruit formed one of the fruits that were grown in order to
0:33:25 > 0:33:27serve at a formal dinner.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31Formal dinners culminated in the most exquisite fresh fruit.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35I'm assuming this took huge teams to produce this?
0:33:35 > 0:33:40Yes, so the head gardener would have a staff of anything from five to ten
0:33:40 > 0:33:43to 20 people, depending on the size of the garden.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49Sadly, changes in agriculture and increases in labour costs meant
0:33:49 > 0:33:54that by the 1940s, grand kitchen gardens were no long viable.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56I am happy, however, to see that there are
0:33:56 > 0:33:59still some fabulous berries being grown here.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02Look at these lovely jostaberries.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Mmm. Oooh. That one was a little tart.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09Why do you think we aren't growing quite
0:34:09 > 0:34:12so many soft fruit in our gardens these days?
0:34:12 > 0:34:15I guess gardens are smaller, we have less time,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18and we can buy so much fruit now in the supermarket,
0:34:18 > 0:34:19and it's easy, isn't it?
0:34:22 > 0:34:25It's a valid point, but supermarket berries are not always
0:34:25 > 0:34:28grown in the UK, never mind in our gardens,
0:34:28 > 0:34:30and that's what I want to revive.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34One great alternative to buying soft fruit in the supermarket
0:34:34 > 0:34:37is to visit a pick-your-own farm like this one in Kent.
0:34:39 > 0:34:44Coming here to a pick-your-own is a really lovely experience
0:34:44 > 0:34:46and so many people know it from their childhood -
0:34:46 > 0:34:49their parents brought them, their grandparents brought them.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52You know, hopefully they'll bring their own children,
0:34:52 > 0:34:54and it's a lovely thing to do.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56But it's missing one essential part,
0:34:56 > 0:34:58which is the joy of growing your own.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02This farm is owned by berry aficionado Tom Maynard.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07So, Tom, how long have you had a pick-your-own farm here?
0:35:07 > 0:35:10Well, my parents came to this farm in 1952.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13I came back to work on the farm in 1984, so I've...
0:35:13 > 0:35:15- You've been here a while. - ..been here all my life, yeah.
0:35:15 > 0:35:16THEY LAUGH
0:35:16 > 0:35:18I'm very interested in why people
0:35:18 > 0:35:21aren't really growing so much at home.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25People have been away, lost the skills to do it,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28and they come and look, and frankly, redcurrants,
0:35:28 > 0:35:31I shouldn't say this, but they're very easy to grow,
0:35:31 > 0:35:32as are a lot of the other soft fruits.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36What's your message, to getting people to grow more at home?
0:35:36 > 0:35:38Try it. It's easy.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Although it's a bit wet today,
0:35:45 > 0:35:48there are still some hardcore berry enthusiasts picking away.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53You guys look like a pretty dedicated bunch to be out in the rain.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55Why don't you grow raspberries at home?
0:35:55 > 0:35:58I think there's something quite nice about coming out and picking it.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01And it's less work, you know, than having your own.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05We don't necessarily have the garden space at home to grow our own.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09- Do you grow raspberries in your own garden?- Not technically, no,
0:36:09 > 0:36:12but our neighbours are very good at growing raspberries and some of them
0:36:12 > 0:36:15grow through the fence, which is very convenient.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17It's hard work, actually, and I just don't have the time.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21- What's your favourite thing about picking raspberries?- Um...
0:36:23 > 0:36:25- ..eating them. - THEY LAUGH
0:36:25 > 0:36:30So public opinion is that berries are high-maintenance, hard to grow
0:36:30 > 0:36:34and take up lots of space, but none of this is necessarily true,
0:36:34 > 0:36:38and on my revival, I want to prove just that.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54Some soft fruit wants to take over the world,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57like this blackberry here at Rosemoor, and trying to get
0:36:57 > 0:37:01this into a small space would just be too much hard work.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04However, there are plenty of lovely berries
0:37:04 > 0:37:07that are happy in containers, and I've got a few to show you.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15There are many soft fruits which you can grow in containers,
0:37:15 > 0:37:17like this blueberry.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19Now, everybody is familiar with blueberries,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22and you can happily grow blueberries in a pot,
0:37:22 > 0:37:25if you understand a few things about them.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Now, blueberries need to be grown in ericaceous compost.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32It's really important that they're in acid conditions,
0:37:32 > 0:37:34and you also have to give them a really big pot,
0:37:34 > 0:37:36but you need to keep that pot well watered
0:37:36 > 0:37:39and there needs to be space for the roots to grow.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42Now, there's a lot more out there than just blueberries to
0:37:42 > 0:37:43grow in pots.
0:37:45 > 0:37:50This is a purple chokeberry, Aronia prunifolia, 'Viking'.
0:37:50 > 0:37:55These wonderful dark berries really need to get incredibly dark
0:37:55 > 0:37:58and soften and it tastes truly divine,
0:37:58 > 0:38:00because it's so full of antioxidants.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04However, the one that really has my heart
0:38:04 > 0:38:09is this lovely Chilean guava.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12Now, I think this is such a stellar plant
0:38:12 > 0:38:14that every garden should have one.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18And this is the one that I'm going to plant up.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22So gently tease out the roots, make sure that it's well watered
0:38:22 > 0:38:24when you're potting it up.
0:38:24 > 0:38:30Into a pot, this lovely, beautiful pot. Plenty of space.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32You will have to pot it on in time,
0:38:32 > 0:38:36but this is good enough for a beginning.
0:38:36 > 0:38:42And then fill it up with really good-quality, multi-purpose,
0:38:42 > 0:38:47peat-free compost that is nice and open.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51You need to have good, free-draining quality.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54The roots really don't like to sit in a slump of water.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58Make sure that the plant doesn't sit proud,
0:38:58 > 0:39:02by which I mean it's at the same level of which it grew in a pot,
0:39:02 > 0:39:07because if you leave a plant proud, the top layer of roots dry out.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09That won't make it happy.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12You give it a good water,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15and then really remember to keep it well watered.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19No fruit is going to taste delicious if it's allowed to dry out,
0:39:19 > 0:39:21and so if you're getting tough, bitter fruit,
0:39:21 > 0:39:24it means you need to do a lot more watering.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27And that can be hard if you're away at work all day,
0:39:27 > 0:39:30so there's some tricks to making sure the plant doesn't dry out.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32If you're using terracotta pots,
0:39:32 > 0:39:37you can line the inside of the pot either with cardboard or an old
0:39:37 > 0:39:42compost bag, which will just keep that extra bit of moisture in.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46You can also put a saucer under the pot, so that it gathers up
0:39:46 > 0:39:50any of the excess water and keeps the pot nice and humid.
0:39:50 > 0:39:55And it's worthwhile keeping lots of other pots around the outside,
0:39:55 > 0:39:57because this essentially protects the pot
0:39:57 > 0:39:59from getting very hot and baked
0:39:59 > 0:40:03and keeps a nice, humid microclimate around the plant.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07All of these things are essential if you want to get good berries.
0:40:07 > 0:40:12Now, this plant has a berry like no other you will have ever tasted.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14It's so extraordinarily exotic.
0:40:14 > 0:40:18There's a hint of strawberry, a little bit of pineapple,
0:40:18 > 0:40:19definite notes of guava.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22It's truly something quite different.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26And while you're waiting for those lovely berries to ripen,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28you get to enjoy this really beautiful shrub.
0:40:28 > 0:40:32And if there's one thing to take away about soft fruit, it's that
0:40:32 > 0:40:37they may be delicious plants, but they are also truly beautiful ones.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47For the next part of my campaign, I want to discover some other unusual
0:40:47 > 0:40:50and interesting soft fruits that you can easily grow in your own
0:40:50 > 0:40:52garden at home.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54If you want to grow berries,
0:40:54 > 0:40:57and in particular if you want to grow unusual berries,
0:40:57 > 0:41:00then you need to come to a specialist nursery like this.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06Here, at the Victoriana Nursery Gardens in Kent,
0:41:06 > 0:41:10owner Stephen Shirley prides himself on the diverse selection of soft
0:41:10 > 0:41:12fruit plants that he has on offer.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17- So I spy the honeyberry.- Yes.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20- Uh, it's...it's the new fruit that isn't, I guess. - SHE LAUGHS
0:41:20 > 0:41:22They've been around since the 17th century, um,
0:41:22 > 0:41:26but, they've been found and discovered to be a superfruit
0:41:26 > 0:41:28and the craze is going mad for them.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31- The craze is going mad, and basically this is a honeysuckle, isn't it?- Yep.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35But it's a shrubby honeysuckle, and it has a little,
0:41:35 > 0:41:37tiny sort of grey-blue berry.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40- Grey-blue sort of... - Which is a bit like a blueberry.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44- Yeah, yeah.- A bit. - Bit sharper, I think. Yeah.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47So this is thornless tayberry,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50and one of the good things about this is there's quite often
0:41:50 > 0:41:54a trade-off between the thorned and the thornless in that the thorned
0:41:54 > 0:41:57- have all the flavour, and the thornless don't.- Yeah.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59But with 'Buckingham' with the 'Buckingham' tayberry,
0:41:59 > 0:42:02the fruits, as long as long as you pick them late, let them
0:42:02 > 0:42:05sort of darken right up, the flavour is outstanding.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09- Something like this thornless blackberry...- Yes, which is a lovely thing.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12..they're becoming quite popular, and very, very ornamental in the autumn.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14Lovely red foliage.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Usually hangs onto its foliage all the way through the...through
0:42:17 > 0:42:18the autumn and winter as well,
0:42:18 > 0:42:20so it's...it's a bit of everything really -
0:42:20 > 0:42:23lovely fruit and then ornamental as well.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25I love the cultivated blackberry.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28I feel like it's one of those things that have been really, like, left
0:42:28 > 0:42:30off the list of things, because people think,
0:42:30 > 0:42:33- "Oh, I can just go and get blackberries from the park," or, you know...- Yeah.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36They don't realise how good the cultivated blackberry is.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38And some of the newer varieties are getting huge.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41- Ginormous, aren't they? - They're sort of a couple of inches,
0:42:41 > 0:42:43and, yeah, no, they're fantastic.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46And the flavour, they've got so, so much more flavour and depth
0:42:46 > 0:42:47and, yeah, no, they're lovely.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51No, it's a lovely thing. I'm very fond of that one.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54It's not just strawberries and raspberries.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57There are some weird and wonderful berries available,
0:42:57 > 0:43:00but why aren't there more in our gardens?
0:43:00 > 0:43:04I feel that perhaps one of the barriers to soft fruit for
0:43:04 > 0:43:08particularly new growers is the idea that year one,
0:43:08 > 0:43:11- you don't necessarily get an extraordinary harvest.- No.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15But year two, three, year ten - that's actually, you know...
0:43:15 > 0:43:18And they build and build, and that is the thing.
0:43:18 > 0:43:19And that's their genius, really.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22Yeah, most certainly. And get larger and larger.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27Stephen propagates all his soft fruit plants from cuttings.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31At his display garden, he is currently upgrading to a rather
0:43:31 > 0:43:35impressive fruit cage to keep out all the greedy berry thieves.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38This is like a fruit cage like I've never seen before.
0:43:38 > 0:43:40- This is the Rolls-Royce of fruit cages. - SHE LAUGHS
0:43:40 > 0:43:45And why did you decide to go to such extraordinary extent
0:43:45 > 0:43:47with your fruit cage?
0:43:47 > 0:43:50We... We have given up with other attempts.
0:43:50 > 0:43:54So we've decided... We're using our own chestnut from our own wood.
0:43:54 > 0:43:56We decided that we'd go for something
0:43:56 > 0:43:59that hopefully is going to be here for many, many, many years.
0:43:59 > 0:44:04- Well...- And will keep the birds out and the fruit in.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09And I can't resist getting stuck in and helping out.
0:44:09 > 0:44:11- GUN HISSES - Whoo!
0:44:11 > 0:44:14I can see that this is a little bit addictive.
0:44:16 > 0:44:18This is fantastic amount of fun.
0:44:20 > 0:44:23I'm...I'm just, yeah, I'm mostly jealous,
0:44:23 > 0:44:26because if you saw my fruit cage.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29- I travel.- Oh, no. Oh, no. - He'll come and do one for you.
0:44:29 > 0:44:32Not in my allotment. You guys would laugh so much.
0:44:32 > 0:44:35Stephen already has some plants growing in the new fruit cage
0:44:35 > 0:44:39and I've always got room to try one more delicious berry.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42- And what's this one here? - It's a boysenberry.- Oh, OK.
0:44:42 > 0:44:46- It's one of those funny ones. - It's all the way from America,
0:44:46 > 0:44:49and it's one of those classic ones that you're never going to buy
0:44:49 > 0:44:53these in a supermarket, um, because they just literally will not travel.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55It's one you're going to grow in the garden,
0:44:55 > 0:44:58you're going to pick the fruits off, and you're just going to eat them
0:44:58 > 0:45:00straightaway, cos they are just gorgeous.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03Well, it's a funny looking thing, but it tastes delicious.
0:45:03 > 0:45:05It's got sort of vanilla notes to it, hasn't it?
0:45:05 > 0:45:07Yeah. Yeah, no, it's really, really nice.
0:45:07 > 0:45:11And this family-run nursery already has the next generation of berry
0:45:11 > 0:45:14enthusiasts getting hands-on with fruit.
0:45:14 > 0:45:18So what's the best thing about having all this fruit at home?
0:45:18 > 0:45:21Um, well, you get to eat it whenever you like.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24So do your friends like coming over to the garden?
0:45:24 > 0:45:25Yeah, quite a lot.
0:45:25 > 0:45:29They like picking the raspberries and eating them off...
0:45:29 > 0:45:30..straight off the bush.
0:45:30 > 0:45:32Oh, I like eating your raspberries straight off the bush.
0:45:32 > 0:45:36- THEY LAUGH - They're delicious.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47Here at Rosemoor, they have this wonderful fruit cage
0:45:47 > 0:45:49to protect all this luscious fruit.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51However, you don't need something quite
0:45:51 > 0:45:54so grand to protect the berries in your garden.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58So I'm going to show you a simple technique that will ensure
0:45:58 > 0:46:02that your precious berries are safe from fruit-hungry critters.
0:46:07 > 0:46:12The thing about ripe, juicy berries is ultimately they're delicious
0:46:12 > 0:46:13and everybody wants them,
0:46:13 > 0:46:15so if you want your fair share,
0:46:15 > 0:46:18then you're going to have to protect them.
0:46:18 > 0:46:22Blackbirds, robins, pigeons, mice -
0:46:22 > 0:46:24anyone and everyone will have a go.
0:46:24 > 0:46:28Now, I have made this lovely little raised bed for my strawberries.
0:46:28 > 0:46:32Now, I've put some dowels in and then this is plumber's pipe.
0:46:32 > 0:46:37You can pick it up from any kind of plumber or DIY merchant,
0:46:37 > 0:46:41and it makes a perfect sort of structure
0:46:41 > 0:46:45to put your netting over.
0:46:45 > 0:46:47By crossing the pipes and attaching them to the dowels,
0:46:47 > 0:46:50my structure is almost there.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52Just secure the pipes with a cable tie in the centre
0:46:52 > 0:46:54for added stability.
0:46:54 > 0:46:58So what you need next is some form of protection, and that's netting.
0:46:58 > 0:47:00Now, you can use all sorts of things,
0:47:00 > 0:47:02but what matters is the size of the netting.
0:47:02 > 0:47:06If you go and get netting which is too finely woven,
0:47:06 > 0:47:08you will keep out your pollinators.
0:47:08 > 0:47:10If you don't have pollinators, you don't get any fruit,
0:47:10 > 0:47:12so that detail matters a lot.
0:47:14 > 0:47:16Evenly layer the netting over your cage,
0:47:16 > 0:47:19making sure that it comes all the way to the ground on all sides.
0:47:22 > 0:47:26Those that are hungry for your berries will really persevere to
0:47:26 > 0:47:29get them, so if you leave any gaps in your netting,
0:47:29 > 0:47:30believe me,
0:47:30 > 0:47:33the blackbirds will spend a lot of time working out how to get in,
0:47:33 > 0:47:35so you need to make sure it's secure.
0:47:35 > 0:47:40Now, around my raised bed, I have just left the screws slightly proud
0:47:40 > 0:47:46so that I can get the netting on, and you need to pull it very taut,
0:47:46 > 0:47:51because pigeons have a trick or two up their sleeve,
0:47:51 > 0:47:54and they like to bang on the netting and if it's not taut enough,
0:47:54 > 0:47:57they literally sit on it until they can get it to the ground
0:47:57 > 0:48:00and then eat your berries that way.
0:48:00 > 0:48:02Firmly secure the netting all the way round,
0:48:02 > 0:48:04leaving the excess free at the back.
0:48:04 > 0:48:08Always requires some degree of patience getting netting right,
0:48:08 > 0:48:12but it's worth it in the end.
0:48:12 > 0:48:15I'm just going to roll up this excess
0:48:15 > 0:48:19and simply tuck it in the back, and this means I still have easy access,
0:48:19 > 0:48:22because clearly you want to get back in to pick the fruit,
0:48:22 > 0:48:24maybe to do some weeding and pruning.
0:48:24 > 0:48:30And that should keep these strawberries perfectly safe
0:48:30 > 0:48:34and, more importantly, mean that there's fruit for me to pick.
0:48:39 > 0:48:41For the next part of my revival,
0:48:41 > 0:48:45I'm bringing some soft fruit fun to the garden of England.
0:48:45 > 0:48:47I've come to the Kent Show to get people growing
0:48:47 > 0:48:49berries in the garden! Ooh!
0:48:53 > 0:48:57It's rumoured that there are some expert growers here today,
0:48:57 > 0:48:59and they've brought some berries.
0:48:59 > 0:49:04Now, this is really exciting, because in here is the best soft
0:49:04 > 0:49:07fruit in the country and possibly the best in the world.
0:49:11 > 0:49:12First up, strawberries.
0:49:14 > 0:49:17- SHE SNIFFS - It smells absolutely fantastic in here
0:49:17 > 0:49:19because of all these delicious strawberries,
0:49:19 > 0:49:22and I can see that you've done incredibly well, because you seem to
0:49:22 > 0:49:25have won first, second and third prize, so congratulations on that.
0:49:25 > 0:49:27- MAN:- Thank you very much. Yes, we're very proud.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29So what are your top tips for the home grower?
0:49:29 > 0:49:32I mean, if they're going to grow them at home, sunny spot,
0:49:32 > 0:49:34but not direct sunlight.
0:49:34 > 0:49:40Um, well-drained soil or, you know, don't overfill...overwet your pots,
0:49:40 > 0:49:43and keep the rain off - very important.
0:49:43 > 0:49:46And on the next table are some very impressive raspberries.
0:49:46 > 0:49:51So as a first prize winner with some of the most beautiful raspberries
0:49:51 > 0:49:53I have seen in some time, cos they're huge,
0:49:53 > 0:49:56what advice do you have for the home grower?
0:49:56 > 0:49:59Raspberries are very, very picky about soil conditions.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03I mean, probably more so than, say, a strawberry or a blackberry,
0:50:03 > 0:50:06so very well-drained soil and if you're on heavy dirt,
0:50:06 > 0:50:09then definitely put lots of organic matter into the soil.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12But the main one, if you're growing raspberries, is birds.
0:50:12 > 0:50:13- Right. Yes.- Get the birds off.
0:50:13 > 0:50:17So, put them in a cage, uh, you know, in your little tunnel,
0:50:17 > 0:50:19whatever it might be, but keep the birds off.
0:50:20 > 0:50:22Well, prize fruit is one thing,
0:50:22 > 0:50:26but I'm on a berry revival with a message for the masses.
0:50:27 > 0:50:32I am about to go live on air to persuade the nice people of Kent
0:50:32 > 0:50:36that they should revive their love of the great British berry.
0:50:36 > 0:50:39Good afternoon. Welcome live to the Kent County Show, 2.27.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41TV gardener Alys Fowler. How are you, Alys?
0:50:41 > 0:50:43Very well, thank you very much.
0:50:43 > 0:50:44I've come to the show today to try
0:50:44 > 0:50:48and persuade people to revive the great British berry.
0:50:48 > 0:50:49Really? Why?
0:50:49 > 0:50:53Well, I feel that we're really underusing our gardens to produce
0:50:53 > 0:50:55a lot more soft fruits.
0:50:55 > 0:50:58We have a huge wealth of these amazing berries,
0:50:58 > 0:51:00which are easy to grow, they're hardy,
0:51:00 > 0:51:02they're perennial, so once you get them in the ground,
0:51:02 > 0:51:04you have them for years and years to come.
0:51:04 > 0:51:06Well, look, thanks ever so much for popping along.
0:51:06 > 0:51:08Good luck with the program as well.
0:51:10 > 0:51:13I'm hoping that got my berry message out to the people of Kent,
0:51:13 > 0:51:16and I still have one more revival trick up my sleeve.
0:51:19 > 0:51:24So I am going to do a demonstration with some berries from my garden
0:51:24 > 0:51:28which I have grown and try and persuade these nice people who've
0:51:28 > 0:51:32turned up that growing your own berries truly is worthwhile.
0:51:32 > 0:51:36Now, I've chosen a faintly obscure cordial from the 18th century,
0:51:36 > 0:51:38but you never know - it might just work.
0:51:38 > 0:51:40For this historical beverage,
0:51:40 > 0:51:43which is rather confusingly called a shrub,
0:51:43 > 0:51:46I need some mixed berries from my allotment, combined with sugar
0:51:46 > 0:51:48and, for tartness, some cider vinegar.
0:51:48 > 0:51:51Really, the whole reason for making this shrub
0:51:51 > 0:51:55is so that I can talk to you about growing berries,
0:51:55 > 0:51:59and I was wondering how many people in the audience actually grow soft fruit at home.
0:51:59 > 0:52:01What are you guys growing?
0:52:01 > 0:52:03Blackcurrants and strawberries.
0:52:03 > 0:52:06Blackcurrants and strawberries, and which are your favourite?
0:52:06 > 0:52:08- Strawberries. - Yeah, I can understand that.
0:52:08 > 0:52:12The idea with the shrub is that you use it as, um, as a cordial.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15You make cocktails with shrubs,
0:52:15 > 0:52:20so this works really well with gin or vodka or stuff like that.
0:52:20 > 0:52:24This is a kind of old-fashioned, slightly tart fizzy drink.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28OK, so are you ready for the crazy Victorian drink?
0:52:35 > 0:52:38I do quite like it. It's quite vinegary, but... Yeah.
0:52:38 > 0:52:40- I have to say I enjoyed it.- Really?
0:52:40 > 0:52:42I was a bit sceptical, but, no, it was all right.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45Do you think more people should be growing berries in their garden?
0:52:45 > 0:52:49I think anything to encourage people to grow their own food, you know.
0:52:49 > 0:52:51Grow something and eat it.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53You get the connection, and you have a better...
0:52:53 > 0:52:58You then get a better understanding of what farmers do,
0:52:58 > 0:53:00what your countryside does.
0:53:07 > 0:53:10If you are going to join my revival and grow some berries,
0:53:10 > 0:53:13then it's important to know how to care for them.
0:53:14 > 0:53:16I'm back at RHS garden Rosemoor
0:53:16 > 0:53:18with fruit and veg garden manager Peter Earl
0:53:18 > 0:53:20to show you some simple summer pruning,
0:53:20 > 0:53:23which will keep your berry bush looking fabulous.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32So this is one ginormous gooseberry.
0:53:32 > 0:53:35It is a particularly vigorous variety.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37It's actually a hybrid cross.
0:53:37 > 0:53:41It's called 'Black Velvet', and you can see the extent of this fan,
0:53:41 > 0:53:45and perhaps might be too big for most small gardens,
0:53:45 > 0:53:48but you can treat any gooseberry in this way, and you wouldn't get quite
0:53:48 > 0:53:53such a size result, but exactly the same principle applies,
0:53:53 > 0:53:58and so we've trained it as a fan, which gets it up onto the wall, um,
0:53:58 > 0:54:00makes picking much easier, netting much easier.
0:54:00 > 0:54:04Mm-hm. And it makes it into this incredibly beautiful,
0:54:04 > 0:54:05ornamental feature as well, isn't it?
0:54:05 > 0:54:09- I mean, sort of elevates the gooseberry into something else. - That's right.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11But I can see that it needs a bit of pruning.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14The timing's just right now, so we do the first pruning in June,
0:54:14 > 0:54:16and then we'll come back to it in the dormant time
0:54:16 > 0:54:18in the middle of winter and do a second pruning.
0:54:18 > 0:54:22And... And this summer pruning is...is essentially just to make sure
0:54:22 > 0:54:24that it's not all kind of wild-looking out here.
0:54:24 > 0:54:26That's right. I mean, obviously these would break
0:54:26 > 0:54:28eventually over time,
0:54:28 > 0:54:31and to keep it maintained and trained as a neat
0:54:31 > 0:54:34subject against the wall, then this is essential.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37And you're right. I mean, the vigour is extraordinary.
0:54:37 > 0:54:40- This is a single...- It is. That's what it's grown this year, yeah,
0:54:40 > 0:54:42- so that is incredible, isn't it? - More than me.- Yeah.
0:54:42 > 0:54:44- HE LAUGHS - So what we're looking to do now,
0:54:44 > 0:54:46we've got the basic framework against the wall,
0:54:46 > 0:54:48- which is a permanent fan shape. - Yeah.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50And then everything which comes off that,
0:54:50 > 0:54:53we're going to be summer pruning back to five or six leaves now.
0:54:53 > 0:54:56- OK.- And then you'll get a little bit of regrowth
0:54:56 > 0:54:57but then in the winter,
0:54:57 > 0:55:00we'll take those back again just to one or two buds,
0:55:00 > 0:55:01and leave a short bit of new growth.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04- So by the winter, then, it must look fantastic.- Oh, yeah.
0:55:04 > 0:55:07- Cos you really see the framework, don't you?- That's right.
0:55:07 > 0:55:10And we're kind of encouraging more fruit bud to form doing this,
0:55:10 > 0:55:13and the other beauty of it is we're losing all these soft tips
0:55:13 > 0:55:15which is where any problems arise.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18This is where all the aphids start, this is where the mildew starts,
0:55:18 > 0:55:21so it's a good cultural way of dealing with these problems.
0:55:21 > 0:55:23- Mind the prickles.- Yeah.
0:55:23 > 0:55:26A lot of pruning techniques, you know, you read the books and it's
0:55:26 > 0:55:29very confusing and complicated, but this is so straightforward.
0:55:29 > 0:55:31And the wonderful thing about a gooseberry
0:55:31 > 0:55:34is it can be fitted into sort of spaces that it's quite hard to grow
0:55:34 > 0:55:36- other things, can't it? - That's right.
0:55:36 > 0:55:40I mean, this actual wall is kind of one of the least favoured, if you like.
0:55:40 > 0:55:44We've got the choice aspects of south-facing and west-facing walls,
0:55:44 > 0:55:46but this is an east-facing wall,
0:55:46 > 0:55:49so it sees a bit of sun until lunchtime,
0:55:49 > 0:55:52but the currants and the gooseberries are perfectly happy on this wall.
0:55:52 > 0:55:53And they taste very...
0:55:53 > 0:55:57I can find a little fruit and they still taste lovely and sweet. It hasn't in any way...
0:55:57 > 0:56:01They do. I mean, these are a really dark berry.
0:56:01 > 0:56:04They have a bit of a tail on them, but they are beautiful, yeah.
0:56:04 > 0:56:07They make lovely puddings and jams.
0:56:07 > 0:56:12I love this little row of wild strawberries in front.
0:56:12 > 0:56:15That's right. I mean, we kind of like to use every opportunity
0:56:15 > 0:56:17to grow something a little bit different.
0:56:17 > 0:56:18It makes a lovely edging.
0:56:18 > 0:56:20So pretty, it's just really crisp and...
0:56:20 > 0:56:22That's right, and productive as well.
0:56:22 > 0:56:26A bush this big is going to produce pounds upon pounds of fruit.
0:56:26 > 0:56:28- Do you actually bother netting it? - HE LAUGHS
0:56:28 > 0:56:30I mean, we could, because of the situation.
0:56:30 > 0:56:33It would be quite straightforward to put a net here.
0:56:33 > 0:56:34We haven't netted this.
0:56:34 > 0:56:37I mean, we don't mind if the visitors come and sample a few.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39That's part of the reason we're here, you know,
0:56:39 > 0:56:41so they can try the different things,
0:56:41 > 0:56:43and obviously the birds have got access.
0:56:43 > 0:56:45But there's plenty of fruit still there that we can pick.
0:56:45 > 0:56:47That's the whole point about a gooseberry.
0:56:47 > 0:56:50- There's enough for everyone...- There is.- ..even birds.- That's right.
0:57:05 > 0:57:07There is one soft fruit champion
0:57:07 > 0:57:10whose love for the berry is second to none.
0:57:10 > 0:57:11Barry Clarke's garden in Hampshire
0:57:11 > 0:57:14features a wide range of the genus Rubus.
0:57:17 > 0:57:20- BARRY:- Basically Rubus are blackberries and raspberries
0:57:20 > 0:57:24and mine is a national collection from plants from all over the world.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27Barry has been collecting blackberries and raspberries
0:57:27 > 0:57:32since the mid-'90s and has around 230 types.
0:57:34 > 0:57:37One of the big questions that people often ask me
0:57:37 > 0:57:40is what's the difference between a blackberry and a raspberry.
0:57:40 > 0:57:43The actual definition is when you pull the fruit away,
0:57:43 > 0:57:47if it comes away without a core, it's a raspberry.
0:57:47 > 0:57:49If it comes with a core, it's a blackberry.
0:57:50 > 0:57:52It's not just the fruit itself,
0:57:52 > 0:57:56but they come in a form on a vine or on a plant
0:57:56 > 0:57:57which is appealing in other ways too.
0:57:57 > 0:58:02A lot, for example, have interesting foliage or quite unusual flowers,
0:58:02 > 0:58:04or maybe it's just the way they grow.
0:58:06 > 0:58:09There's nothing more fun than picking fruit from your own garden
0:58:09 > 0:58:11and eating it.
0:58:11 > 0:58:13HE LAUGHS
0:58:21 > 0:58:24I can't imagine a garden without soft fruit.
0:58:24 > 0:58:27They keep the pollinators happy, they attract wildlife,
0:58:27 > 0:58:30they can be fantastic plants,
0:58:30 > 0:58:33and if that isn't enough, there's a harvest at the end.
0:58:33 > 0:58:35All you have to do as a gardener
0:58:35 > 0:58:39is put them in good, fertile ground and wait for your bounty.