:00:37. > :00:44.Court Palace Flower Show. This year, the show has been divided up into
:00:44. > :00:48.three sections and tonight, we will be looking primarily at the pass
:00:48. > :00:54.section, where you will find the Floral Marquee, the plant
:00:54. > :01:03.nurseries, everything to do with growing plants. But also, we will be
:01:03. > :01:13.looking at the growth of awareness. So, coming up tonight... Rachel
:01:13. > :01:14.
:01:14. > :01:24.looks at Roses. I visit a giant canvas biosphere, filled with exotic
:01:24. > :01:30.plants and butterflies. One designer explains why she has refused to let
:01:30. > :01:34.disability stop her gardening. Rachel, Joe and myself have been
:01:34. > :01:41.here at Hampton court all week, and we have been watching all of these
:01:41. > :01:46.little mini dramas unfolding. For example, we showed you Amulree
:01:46. > :01:51.Exotics on Monday night, and they had never won a gold medal here
:01:52. > :01:56.before. They have got a new display, and all of a sudden, they got a gold
:01:56. > :02:00.medal. Yes, and there are a lot of plants getting sold here as well,
:02:00. > :02:08.the mercenaries are doing a roaring trade. That is the nice thing about
:02:08. > :02:16.it, it is that combination. Nobody can buy that one. This one is named
:02:16. > :02:24.after a certain tennis player, who has just won Wimbledon. And the
:02:24. > :02:29.National Daily Collection have just launched this. The show is divided
:02:29. > :02:36.up into three groups this year. Last night, we showed you the Neal
:02:36. > :02:40.section. And we will also be showing you some show gardens from the i
:02:40. > :02:46.section. But tonight, we will be focusing mainly on pass. The
:02:46. > :02:51.centrepiece of the pass section is the Floral Marquee, where you will
:02:51. > :03:01.find an enormous range of plants. Alys Fowler has been along to see
:03:01. > :03:01.
:03:01. > :03:05.these new introductions. At this time of year, the Floral Marquee
:03:05. > :03:08.becomes drenched in the colours of summer. But I am not here to soak up
:03:08. > :03:15.the atmosphere, I am here to find the hot new introductions of the
:03:15. > :03:21.plant world. Now, these wonderful, statuesque flowers, known as the
:03:21. > :03:26.foxtail Lily. This year, there was a new introduction, this lovely, pale
:03:26. > :03:32.lemon coloured flower. Although they look very exotic they are actually
:03:32. > :03:38.easy to grow, as long as you get the ground rule is right. If you are on
:03:38. > :03:44.heavy clay, you are going to need to add some great. Conversely, on thin
:03:44. > :03:49.soils, you will need to add some compost to get to this fight. -- to
:03:49. > :03:54.this height. These ones are fantastically easy plants to grow,
:03:54. > :03:58.as long as you do not put themselves very wet, you really cannot kill
:03:58. > :04:02.them. They are known for their striking foliage, but what should
:04:02. > :04:12.not be missed is the lovely, delicate little flowers, which are
:04:12. > :04:16.much loved by the bees. This year, this lovely big, substantial one has
:04:16. > :04:20.been introduced. It wants to be grown in for sun to partial shade,
:04:21. > :04:23.but it is a large plant, and if you have got a tiny garden, you would be
:04:23. > :04:33.better off with their other new introduction, this pretty purple
:04:33. > :04:37.
:04:37. > :04:42.little one. I have a huge soft spot for violins. These are perennial,
:04:42. > :04:47.summer flowering ones. If you look after them well, they come back year
:04:47. > :04:52.after year. They like a nice cold, hard winter, and they are easy to
:04:52. > :04:58.look after. Every year, the nursery brings out some new varieties. But
:04:58. > :05:03.the ones which are going to win for me I think are these. I love a
:05:03. > :05:13.viable low with a face, and these ones have lovely, beautiful
:05:13. > :05:22.
:05:23. > :05:26.Floral Marquee so much is that you get to hunt out the rare and the
:05:26. > :05:30.unusual. This stand-off carnivorous plants is a great example. These
:05:30. > :05:35.plants all grow in body conditions, where the soil is poor in nutrients.
:05:35. > :05:40.They feed themselves by capturing insects. If you want something truly
:05:40. > :05:46.rare and unusual, you have to come to the end of the stand, because
:05:46. > :05:56.there is only one single plant for sale, and it is this beautiful one.
:05:56. > :06:12.
:06:12. > :06:16.Just one plant, for somebody lucky this year is the fragility of the
:06:16. > :06:19.ecosystem, particularly where man intervenes. Perhaps the most common
:06:19. > :06:29.example of this is the butterfly garden, which is inside this area
:06:29. > :06:34.
:06:34. > :06:40.here, designed by Paul Stone of the Eden Project. Within this 80' x 30'
:06:40. > :06:45.dome is a tropical rainforest canopy, with a spectacular variety
:06:45. > :06:51.of exotic plants, and some very exotic butterflies. There are 25
:06:51. > :06:57.different species, and about 1500 in here in total at the moment. They
:06:57. > :07:01.are a major pollinator, particularly, as a species, they are
:07:01. > :07:08.interested in nectar plants, of which we have got some good ones in
:07:08. > :07:14.here. And of course, this walkway, we need to imagine ourselves 100
:07:14. > :07:19.more than 90% of animal and plant life is going on in the canopy.
:07:19. > :07:27.plant is basically an aunt's hotel in the sky. Inside that there is a
:07:27. > :07:31.labyrinth of little corridors, perfect for ants to live in. It is a
:07:31. > :07:36.plant which is incredibly popular at Eden. This one will throw up the
:07:36. > :07:41.biggest single flower in the world, which stinks to high heaven and
:07:41. > :07:48.attracts every fly in the whole jungle. They come in, they pollinate
:07:48. > :07:52.it. There are a whole lot of stories in this space, where we have got
:07:52. > :07:56.perfect conditions for tropical plants. And the butterflies we are
:07:56. > :08:01.seeing here are part of that pollination story? They are a
:08:01. > :08:04.definite feature of any rainforest. Seeing the faces of people walking
:08:04. > :08:14.around the show, with butterflies landing on them, they are having a
:08:14. > :08:14.
:08:14. > :08:20.whale of a time. Having all these butterflies inside here is
:08:20. > :08:24.wonderful, but I have noticed quite a few out and about, as I have been
:08:24. > :08:28.filming this week, and other people have commented on these wonderful
:08:28. > :08:34.butterflies in the Showgrounds. They have been escaping. And there is a
:08:34. > :08:39.potential for this to be a problem to biodiversity, so I am going to go
:08:39. > :08:45.and ask a senior adviser at the RHS what the indications of this might
:08:45. > :08:49.be. How have these butterflies escaped? There is always a slightly
:08:49. > :08:52.cage of butterflies from any exhibit, as people go in and out,
:08:52. > :08:57.and also, we found a couple of gaps in the roof which we have had to
:08:57. > :09:01.mend. It is such a lovely warm weather, the butterflies have been
:09:02. > :09:07.much more adventurous than we expected. Do they pose any threat to
:09:08. > :09:13.the plant life? No, they are not a competitive threat to plant life in
:09:13. > :09:16.Britain. They tend not to survive that long and they tend not to
:09:17. > :09:22.travel that far, and they will not successfully breed, because they are
:09:22. > :09:26.tropical species. In the 40 years that we have had a butterfly house
:09:26. > :09:29.industry in Britain, there has been no evidence of this happening, but
:09:29. > :09:32.it probably does merit further strain to the scrutiny. At the end
:09:32. > :09:36.of the show, these animals have to be gathered up - how are you going
:09:36. > :09:40.to do it? I can think of no other way than people going around with
:09:40. > :09:44.butterfly nets and gathering them up no doubt attracting them with
:09:44. > :09:54.rotting fruit. And also we have professional butterfly people who
:09:54. > :09:56.
:09:56. > :09:59.will be doing this. I look forward to seeing their special skills.
:09:59. > :10:04.is not just tropical butterflies here at the show. They have been
:10:04. > :10:11.joined by their native Cozens, thanks to this, the British
:10:11. > :10:16.Butterfly Garden, designed and built by this lepidopterist. It is so
:10:16. > :10:21.lovely and colourful in here. I am intrigued to know, what is the
:10:21. > :10:24.situation with British butterfly is currently? As we know, British
:10:24. > :10:30.butterflies are in trouble. About 76% down in the last couple of
:10:30. > :10:34.years. But what is encouraging this year is this warm weather, which
:10:34. > :10:38.means they can find mates to pair up and produce future generations.
:10:38. > :10:44.Because they are cold-blooded, they need sunshine to warm them up and
:10:44. > :10:51.get them flying around. What should we be growing? Oddly, of course, but
:10:51. > :10:56.what other things? These ones are excellent. They are great for
:10:56. > :10:59.pollinators. But always go for the single varieties. So, still lots of
:10:59. > :11:04.problems for our British butterflies, but is there any good
:11:04. > :11:08.news? At last, there is. One of the butterflies which we thought was
:11:08. > :11:11.extent, the large tortoiseshell, has been discovered on the Isle of
:11:11. > :11:17.Wight, and may well be forming a breeding colony. If they had a bit
:11:17. > :11:21.further north, they will be hitting all of our shores soon. So we would
:11:21. > :11:25.like people to try to identify the large tortoiseshell. It is very
:11:25. > :11:30.rare, you will not see it in great numbers. But if you are out walking,
:11:30. > :11:34.look around in the woods, in the tops of the trees, the brambles,
:11:34. > :11:37.things like that, and we might be overlooking colonies in this country
:11:37. > :11:42.which we did not know were there. Just to be clear, the small
:11:42. > :11:46.tortoiseshell is a lot smaller, about two inches, and the colours
:11:46. > :11:50.are a lot brighter, and it is far more abundant. If you think you
:11:50. > :11:54.might have seen one all you want information on butterflies, go to
:11:54. > :11:59.our website, and we will provide a link to butterfly conservation. It
:11:59. > :12:03.is not just about butterflies here, because we have got this fabulous
:12:03. > :12:07.little garden, which is for a couple who are into both art and wildlife.
:12:07. > :12:12.It is a strong layout, but there is so much interest within it to
:12:12. > :12:17.attract wildlife in. This is a really good use of a vertical wall
:12:17. > :12:21.or fence, which can be quite a barren space, but here, he has just
:12:21. > :12:27.trilled lots of wood and put sections of bamboo and cardboard in
:12:27. > :12:33.there, to create the perfect habitat for ladybirds and solitary bees over
:12:33. > :12:38.the winter. And then, in the spring, they will come out and eat all your
:12:38. > :12:42.aphids. Now, water is an essential part of any wildlife garden. Here,
:12:42. > :12:47.we have got shallow water, so the birds can come in and get a drink.
:12:47. > :12:52.You have got things like damselflies here, I have seen a couple of
:12:52. > :12:57.those. And remember, bees need to drink as well. When it comes to
:12:57. > :13:01.plants, volume and variety is what we are looking for. Here, we have
:13:01. > :13:06.got trees, shrubs and perennials. Do not be overly tidy in the way you
:13:06. > :13:10.plant them, either. Something like this is absolutely perfect. It is a
:13:10. > :13:15.landing pad, made up of lots of little flowers in there, so they can
:13:15. > :13:24.sit on the pad and get their neck. This one as well, a nice, open
:13:24. > :13:29.flower, really pretty. -- get their nectar. And grasses as well. Bees
:13:29. > :13:33.nest down in the grassy mound at the bottom, so it is important that you
:13:33. > :13:43.do not cut those back in autumn, but cut them back in spring, if you are
:13:43. > :13:51.
:13:51. > :13:56.insects is reflected in another garden here at Hampton court. Last
:13:56. > :14:06.month, we caught up with its designer at his family home in
:14:06. > :14:18.
:14:18. > :14:22.Sussex, where he has created a haven years ago. This area was so
:14:22. > :14:27.overgrown with Bracken, loose paving slabs, it was so bad that my dad did
:14:27. > :14:31.not even realise there was a pond there. He stumbled in one day and
:14:31. > :14:36.broke his leg. When that happened, we thought, that might be a fun
:14:36. > :14:41.project, to redesign the area, but some plants in. That is where my
:14:41. > :14:44.love of gardening kicked off, and I have not looked back since. This
:14:44. > :14:49.garden all got redesigned over the course of several years, creating
:14:49. > :14:55.lovely spaces, with a distinct feel to each, always with an ecological
:14:55. > :14:58.aspects in mind. I have got a particular passion for that. Being a
:14:58. > :15:02.gardener, you are sharing your space with nature and with the animals, so
:15:02. > :15:09.you have to provide for them. The first thing we did was to do the
:15:09. > :15:15.pond again, to have deeper water for the newts and the frogs, and
:15:15. > :15:17.shallower stuff for frogspawn. You have got to have nice planting. The
:15:17. > :15:22.iris is especially good for the emerging dragonflies and
:15:22. > :15:27.damselflies. I was keen to add an area for animals to hibernate over
:15:27. > :15:37.the winter, so we put a rockery behind it. That allowed us to
:15:37. > :15:47.
:15:47. > :15:51.introduce running water as well, to to the house so we installed this
:15:51. > :15:57.big wall to create a strong visual piece to frame the view. The great
:15:57. > :16:01.thing is it leaves you these cracks and crevices that you can stuff and
:16:01. > :16:05.that provides a fantastic place for animals to live in. We have also
:16:05. > :16:11.taken some soil and rubbed it into some of these gaps. That will allow
:16:11. > :16:14.the plants to self-seed over time and really green, that will not only
:16:14. > :16:24.soften the impact of the hard landscaping piece but also provided
:16:24. > :16:30.
:16:30. > :16:35.more habitat and space for animals plants which all came from a local
:16:35. > :16:37.nursery, we are about to throw them -- they were about to throw them all
:16:37. > :16:43.away, in awful condition. But it just shows a little bit of feed and
:16:43. > :16:46.a little bit of care what it can turn into in a few years' time. In
:16:46. > :16:51.amongst them were absolutely gems when it comes to eco gardening, such
:16:51. > :16:55.as this here. It has glorious waves of white throughout the summer. As
:16:55. > :16:58.you can see, the bees absolutely love them. I was particularly
:16:58. > :17:03.delighted in amongst the flowers that we have examples of things
:17:03. > :17:05.flowering all the way through the year from early spinning to the end
:17:05. > :17:11.of autumn -- spring. Not only does that look fantastic for the border,
:17:11. > :17:21.but it's also ideal for the wildlife of the garden. A particularly nice
:17:21. > :17:21.
:17:21. > :17:29.native plant is the oyide daisy. It's built up of hundreds of
:17:29. > :17:33.individual flowers, it's like a one-stop shop for the pollinators.
:17:33. > :17:37.Sadly the populations have been declining, so when selecting plants
:17:37. > :17:42.for the garden I have always been conscious single flowers are better
:17:42. > :17:47.than thick heavy doubles because they allow better access for the
:17:47. > :17:52.insects to get in and collect nectar. We insist on not spraying.
:17:52. > :17:56.We don't use chemicals, we don't use slug pellets. I think it's important
:17:56. > :17:58.to accept if you are going to have a wildlife garden you are going to
:17:58. > :18:08.have a few casualties with plants but it's much more important to be
:18:08. > :18:09.
:18:09. > :18:18.providing that space and sharing it with nature. I am here in the garden
:18:18. > :18:24.with Caspian and the RHS wildlife expert, Katherine. You must be
:18:24. > :18:30.pleased. I am, colour everywhere. You stuffed the gaps. It's a simple
:18:30. > :18:35.idea, create a habitat for wildlife, pop it full of straw and bamboo and
:18:35. > :18:41.gives a great place for them to live in The idea came about through a
:18:41. > :18:46.strange story. I was trying to tune into the cricket on Radio 4 and I
:18:46. > :18:50.heard Helen talking aformtively on the plants and bugs campaign.
:18:50. > :18:55.you were promoting the campaign for the RHS. That's right. We have a
:18:55. > :18:59.four-year research project based at the gardens to investigate where
:18:59. > :19:03.plants originate from. We must not forget plants around us come from
:19:03. > :19:08.all over the world. Whether that's an influence on the amount of
:19:08. > :19:13.wildlife they attract, because there's an asum physician you want
:19:13. > :19:17.to attract British wieltd life you must plant native. In an average
:19:17. > :19:20.garden in the UK something in the region of 70% are not British
:19:20. > :19:25.native, they come from North America, Australia, New Zealand.
:19:25. > :19:29.What we really don't know is what different role these plants are
:19:29. > :19:36.playing in our gardens. It might be, for example, that spiders don't care
:19:36. > :19:40.where the plants come from. Yet something like hover flies, a great
:19:40. > :19:44.pollinating insect, is very picky about it. The early findings is
:19:44. > :19:49.plants are generally good for wildlife all round? We are in the
:19:49. > :19:52.final year so we - an early look at data from years one to three
:19:52. > :19:59.suggests that Wharf you plant it's going to be really good for
:19:59. > :20:03.wildlife. We find in good numbers, from beetles up to bees and
:20:03. > :20:13.butterflies. The important thing is get plants in the garden.
:20:13. > :20:14.
:20:14. > :20:22.Absolutely. There's plenty in this garden. Nice to meet you both. If
:20:22. > :20:32.you want to see tips from Caspian on how to care for pollinating plants
:20:32. > :20:39.
:20:39. > :20:43.I will say it loud and proud, I am completely addicted to Roses
:20:43. > :20:48.roses. I grow masses of them in my garden and I believe there's
:20:48. > :20:54.something for every situation. I am also aware that it's not only me
:20:54. > :20:59.that is enjoying them. Roses can be brilliant for encouraging lots of
:20:59. > :21:04.beneficial pollinating insects into our gardens and this is a perfect
:21:04. > :21:11.example. It's one of our native species roses and you have a simple
:21:11. > :21:17.set of single petals and a large golden stamen. Everything an insect
:21:17. > :21:23.could want. The bees love it, as you can see. From the original wild
:21:23. > :21:33.roses breeding over the centuries has brought us incredible diversity.
:21:33. > :21:35.
:21:35. > :21:40.By the 50s and 60s high dripped tees were all the rage. You can see these
:21:40. > :21:45.glorious blooms. They couldn't be further from the original species.
:21:45. > :21:49.Large flowers packed with petals, swirling from the centre and on this
:21:49. > :21:53.one I am pushing in there and can't get my finger through those petals.
:21:53. > :22:03.I am sure an insect can't get in either. They're beautiful in a
:22:03. > :22:11.
:22:11. > :22:16.garden but what is needed is a gardens had begun to move on. We
:22:16. > :22:24.wanted a more naturalistic romantic feel and breeders responded and gave
:22:24. > :22:32.us roses that reaccept bemed the original species. -- resembled.
:22:32. > :22:38.Things like Sally Holmes here. It's as if it's saying to the in in--
:22:38. > :22:43.insects, come on in. Today fashions in gardening are
:22:43. > :22:46.going hand in hand with an increased awareness of the importance of
:22:46. > :22:54.encouraging bees and other beneficial insects into our gardens
:22:55. > :23:00.and breeders are really taking that on board. For repeat flower
:23:00. > :23:05.flowering rose try Smarty which has a classic look. Kew Gardens grows to
:23:05. > :23:12.about five foot and flowering from mid-June to the end of the season.
:23:12. > :23:18.And for a climber, Friendship of Strangers, will repeat flower and
:23:18. > :23:23.make eight foot in height. This is the simple life and brand new this
:23:23. > :23:26.year. It's got that wonderful open flower shape. Perfect for
:23:26. > :23:32.pollinating insects. It's also just a fabulous garden rose. You can grow
:23:32. > :23:36.it as a climber, or a shrub. Single flowered Roses roses are
:23:36. > :23:46.absolutely enchanting and it's great to know we rose lovers can do our
:23:46. > :23:50.
:23:50. > :23:55.Whilst many gardens are carrying messages about the environment this
:23:55. > :24:02.year, a number have been designed to grow our awareness of a range of
:24:02. > :24:07.very different issues. One entitled a Garden For Joy is the co-creation
:24:07. > :24:10.for Hampton Court regular Heather and newcomer Bella Reid. Despite
:24:10. > :24:15.being plagued by a number of health issues over the years, Bella has
:24:15. > :24:25.refused to let her disabilities stop her from gardening. As we discovered
:24:25. > :24:26.
:24:26. > :24:30.when we caught up with her a few weeks ago.
:24:30. > :24:40.Of I love flowers and plants and can't stop buying them and I hate
:24:40. > :24:43.
:24:43. > :24:49.bare earth. That is probably my garden philosophy. I worked in the
:24:49. > :24:59.arts for 25 years. I decided that I wanted to be more creative. I went
:24:59. > :25:01.
:25:01. > :25:08.to college to do the design course. And that's how it started. I have
:25:08. > :25:13.been diabetes for 53 years and had a trible bypass, I developed more ash
:25:13. > :25:17.tliet joints. I realised that I was less mobile than I used to be and I
:25:17. > :25:22.couldn't do anything like the amount of gardening that I was doing all
:25:22. > :25:32.the time. So I looked at my own garden from the point of view of a
:25:32. > :25:33.
:25:33. > :25:38.designer. And made the garden more accessible to me. The first thing I
:25:38. > :25:42.did was get rid of the lawn and put paving in. Then I made the pond
:25:42. > :25:50.which was a great big round pond small smaller, so I didn't have to
:25:50. > :25:56.worry about cleaning it too much. I have a lot of seats and I move from
:25:56. > :26:03.seat to seat so I can get up, plant one plant, and then go and sit down
:26:03. > :26:10.again. Watering is quite fun because I look like a gnome with a fishing
:26:10. > :26:15.rod with the extension putting water all over the place. The beds are
:26:15. > :26:20.raised so I don't have to go right down to the ground and I can sit on
:26:20. > :26:26.my scooter or in a chair and dead head and I used my mobility scooter
:26:26. > :26:30.to cut the low box hedge at the front. I can go around the garden,
:26:30. > :26:36.it's a circular shape. But I have got a pathway that's a little bit
:26:36. > :26:43.awkward to get around, it's about a nine-point turn and I might fall
:26:43. > :26:48.into the roses. It's opened my eyes to things that people on legs take
:26:48. > :26:51.for granted. Quite often you can come up against a paving stone which
:26:51. > :26:56.nobody else will notice and you have to actually either get somebody else
:26:56. > :27:00.to lift the scooter before you, or get off and struggle yourself. You
:27:00. > :27:06.have to learn the different kinds of wheels are quite important to the
:27:06. > :27:16.surfaces you are going on. And gravel is terrible. You can stop in
:27:16. > :27:18.
:27:18. > :27:22.gravel without any trouble at all. I wanted to be an advocate for people
:27:22. > :27:27.with disabilities to be able to stay in their own gardens. I went to
:27:27. > :27:32.Hampton Court last year on my scooter and I met a designer called
:27:32. > :27:36.Heather Appleton at her Russian garden and we were talking about
:27:36. > :27:40.show gardens and how I would like to have an accessible garden at Hampton
:27:40. > :27:50.Court. She agreed with me and then we found ourselves talking about
:27:50. > :27:53.
:27:53. > :27:57.what kind of garden we could do. That's how it started really. I want
:27:57. > :28:00.our garden at Hampton Court to say to people with mobility problems
:28:00. > :28:07.that they don't have to give up their garden and they don't have to
:28:07. > :28:10.stop being a gardener, that they can make adaptations, that their garden
:28:10. > :28:14.is safe, they won't bump into anything and they can look after
:28:14. > :28:24.their plants. Disability can be a real pain in many ways, but it
:28:24. > :28:33.
:28:33. > :28:36.collaboration has reached fruitation with a stunning garden created for a
:28:36. > :28:42.charity helping disabled people. Tell us about the Queen Elizabeth
:28:42. > :28:46.Foundation and what they do. They help young people between 16-18 and
:28:46. > :28:49.they go and stay there for three years and they learn to be
:28:49. > :28:53.independent so they learn how to look after themselves in a flat and
:28:53. > :28:58.how to cook and things like that. After three years when they've
:28:58. > :29:02.graduated they can go out on their own and live their own independent
:29:02. > :29:06.life. Some of the people there don't have wheels, they have legs and they
:29:06. > :29:11.came up and helped with the garden. People on wheels came up and helped
:29:11. > :29:18.to plant the plants that they had done. They've raised 100 of these
:29:18. > :29:22.2,000 plants in their greenhouses. They've grown them. Fantastic.
:29:22. > :29:25.back to be their garden at the end of the show. The public on wheels
:29:26. > :29:31.can come and drive around. Yes, we have done that specifically because
:29:31. > :29:34.I wanted them to feel a bit special. The people on legs had to stay
:29:34. > :29:44.outside unless they're actually pushing. We have had lots of people
:29:44. > :29:45.
:29:45. > :29:49.and they've really appreciated that they can come on to a show garden.
:29:49. > :29:54.Heather Appleton designed it. designed it and put in everything I
:29:54. > :29:59.wanted, all the little touches for people with disabilities. The people
:29:59. > :30:06.have been in it this week and have recognised all those things which is
:30:06. > :30:10.very pleasing. The strong bugle theme comes through, the -- bubbles.
:30:10. > :30:14.What does that reflect? The bubbles are about that when you are disabled
:30:14. > :30:19.and learning to live with it and be independent each little achievement
:30:19. > :30:23.gives you a little bubble of achievement. The bubbles are there
:30:23. > :30:33.and that's why the garden is a garden for joy. A little lift.Yeah,
:30:33. > :30:46.
:30:46. > :30:53.a little lift every time you do programme, but there is still lots
:30:53. > :31:01.to come. Rachel meets the plant woman bringing her collection to the
:31:01. > :31:04.show. Andy Sturgeon and I have a good look at the conceptual
:31:04. > :31:14.gardens, which always provide food for thought. This year is no
:31:14. > :31:16.
:31:16. > :31:24.exception. And designer Ann-Marie Powell joins us on a shopping trip.
:31:24. > :31:30.Now, it seems that some plants go in and out of fashion, and Heather is
:31:30. > :31:40.not being grown nearly as much as it used B. One report has shown that
:31:40. > :31:50.there is a real danger that some of the old varieties could disappear.
:31:50. > :31:58.
:31:58. > :32:03.The Heather Society's chairman told us what their aims were. I did an
:32:04. > :32:09.apprenticeship at a local nursery when I was about 19, interested in
:32:09. > :32:14.how heathers really developed. There is such a range of flour and foliage
:32:14. > :32:19.colour, in essence, we have something in every day of the year.
:32:19. > :32:26.Even when a plant is not in flower, you have still got attractive
:32:26. > :32:33.bronze, gold and grey foliage. The home-grown heathers are grown by
:32:33. > :32:37.specialist growers in this country. There is a group of about 8-10,
:32:37. > :32:42.producing hardy heathers with such a range of foliage and flowers.
:32:42. > :32:50.Heathers were in their heyday in the 1970s, when I started collecting
:32:50. > :32:53.them. The concept was really for heather beds, planting them in
:32:53. > :32:58.groups of 5-7, or even larger, to get an impact with flowering. They
:32:58. > :33:02.were used with rockeries, they were planted with conifers. After that,
:33:02. > :33:06.they waned, and people were looking for something different. The concept
:33:06. > :33:14.of heathers has changed over the years. It is a more modern aspect
:33:14. > :33:17.now, with regard to the planting and utilisation of the heather. Grasses
:33:17. > :33:22.and heathers go together so well. They have got a natural affinity
:33:22. > :33:26.with each other, and you will find them growing in the heathland is and
:33:26. > :33:32.on the moorlands. They will both be growing together quite happily. We
:33:32. > :33:35.have got quite a few different heathers here. This one is a form of
:33:35. > :33:41.heather which you will find growing in the wild, in the forest and on
:33:41. > :33:44.the moorland. These colours have developed with a little bit of
:33:45. > :33:50.breeding and selection to provide a greater range of habit and flowering
:33:50. > :33:56.type. Some will flower in the winter, and some, right through from
:33:56. > :34:03.spring into late summer, and others coming in in the autumn. This one
:34:04. > :34:08.has got a much larger flower, with a grassy green foliage. -- glossy. It
:34:08. > :34:16.is a much more showy plant. You can just trim the flower heads back
:34:16. > :34:21.again, to produce even more. Rainwater is much better than tap
:34:21. > :34:26.water for summer flowering heathers. You can always store it and then
:34:26. > :34:35.give them a nice drink during the hot, dry summer period. They really
:34:35. > :34:41.appreciate that. The heathers are vital in the early spring as a
:34:41. > :34:46.source of pollen and nectar for the bees. It is nice to actually listen
:34:46. > :34:50.to it, when you have the bees humming on the heather bed. It is
:34:50. > :34:55.mainly bumblebees these days, because we seem to have diminishing
:34:55. > :34:59.numbers of the honeybees. The heather Honey is normally recognised
:34:59. > :35:09.as being one of the more expensive types of honey available in the
:35:09. > :35:27.
:35:27. > :35:37.a pot. They will home in on a particular variety, whatever is the
:35:37. > :35:43.
:35:43. > :35:46.collecting them and loving them, you have brought them here to Hampton
:35:46. > :35:55.Court to get a good, strong message across, because many of them are
:35:55. > :35:58.threatened, aren't they? Yes, there were 1000 1500 -- 1500 varieties in
:35:58. > :36:02.the early days, but most of them have gone, and there is no getting
:36:02. > :36:09.them back. They went out of fashion after the peak of interest in the
:36:09. > :36:14.1970s. But now, we are just gaining to see the initial stages of a
:36:14. > :36:19.revitalisation, and a new interest. So, you are trying to get younger
:36:19. > :36:23.people involved in them? Yes, we are looking to the new generation to see
:36:23. > :36:28.new ways of planting. There are lots of different ways of doing it these
:36:29. > :36:33.days, with lots and tubs and hanging baskets. One of my pet hates is
:36:33. > :36:37.seeing all of the gravel desert, areas in front of people 's gardens,
:36:37. > :36:41.or driveways, where there is no planting at all, there is no
:36:42. > :36:47.friendliness to the wildlife. It is not difficult to plant a few
:36:47. > :36:51.heathers in these places, to give a bit of colour. They will flower for
:36:51. > :36:57.3-4 months of the year, with different coloured foliage is as
:36:57. > :37:05.well. Whilst David has been highlighting the plight of our
:37:05. > :37:10.cultivated heathers, Plant Heritage charity is celebrating its 35th
:37:10. > :37:16.birthday, and it has its own marquee at Hampton Court this year. Rachel
:37:16. > :37:20.has been to visit it. This marquee is an absolute jewel in the show.
:37:20. > :37:24.You can compare different forms of the same type of plant, and you can
:37:24. > :37:34.also meet the people who are devoted to growing them, and get some really
:37:34. > :37:40.
:37:40. > :37:45.display. I know people love these. I do. There are so many to look at.
:37:45. > :37:48.But we are still struggling with slugs and snails, so please help!
:37:48. > :37:52.Absolutely, it is the biggest question I am asked. If you are
:37:52. > :37:57.growing them in the garden, the best thing to try to do is to replicate
:37:57. > :38:01.the natural environment, which is woodland, with the constant
:38:01. > :38:05.breakdown of leaflet. That is what the snails love. If they have got
:38:05. > :38:12.plenty to distract them, like that, they will not go for your plants.
:38:12. > :38:16.Also, if you grow your hostas in pots or containers, put them in
:38:16. > :38:20.shallow dishes or trays and keep them topped up with water. Snails
:38:20. > :38:23.cannot swim across the water, and also it takes away the guesswork of
:38:23. > :38:31.water in your plants, there is no risk of underwater in or over
:38:31. > :38:38.watering them. These ones have stopped me in my tracks. It is
:38:38. > :38:46.something I do not think I have seen before, these carnations... Dusk
:38:46. > :38:51.yes, they are called after the rows which we have got inside them here.
:38:51. > :38:57.There is a real similarity in the shape, isn't there? Not only the
:38:57. > :39:01.shape, also, the scent. You grow them in a pot, it can be in
:39:01. > :39:10.different kinds of compost. After flowering, you bring them into a
:39:10. > :39:15.cold environment. I do not think I have seen the National collection
:39:15. > :39:21.ofmm here at the show before. this is the first time this
:39:21. > :39:27.collection has been to the marquee. This is a gorgeous example.
:39:27. > :39:35.Absolutely beautiful, it is it is a climate, an absolutely delightful
:39:35. > :39:38.one. I know many are actually very tender, but the one back, with those
:39:39. > :39:43.gorgeous, starry flowers, tell me about that. If you fancy a challenge
:39:43. > :39:47.for the conservatory, it is fantastic. You have to pot up very
:39:47. > :39:57.gradually, it does need a lot of heat on it, and keep it more on the
:39:57. > :39:59.
:39:59. > :40:02.dry side in the winter. The scent is absolutely wonderful. Plant Heritage
:40:02. > :40:04.are celebrating their 35th anniversary this year, which is
:40:05. > :40:09.wonderful, because it means that future generations of gardeners will
:40:09. > :40:13.be able to grow plants which might otherwise be lost to us. When you
:40:13. > :40:18.come to the show there are many plants on offer, but also, all of
:40:18. > :40:26.these seeds, at �1 50 a packet, another thing to celebrate! I think
:40:26. > :40:30.I am quite happy here, I maybe sometime! And those are just a
:40:30. > :40:34.handful of the thousands of collections held by professionals
:40:34. > :40:41.and amateurs, designed to maintain and preserve our plant biodiversity.
:40:41. > :40:44.The environment is reflect and in many of the conceptual gardens.
:40:44. > :40:51.These conceptual gardens are intended to provoke thought, to
:40:51. > :41:01.inspire ideas, as well. Amulree Exotics and I are setting out to see
:41:01. > :41:12.
:41:12. > :41:20.what they provoke in us. -- Andy for its name. It is very evocative,
:41:20. > :41:23.isn't it? Yes, it is based on a limestone pavement. Of course, it is
:41:23. > :41:27.mirroring what happens in a limestone pavement. Yes,
:41:28. > :41:33.essentially, it is these values. I like the way that you can get
:41:34. > :41:38.download and look through. As you say, it is like looking into a
:41:38. > :41:48.mature landscape, in miniature. It is lovely. And we know that that
:41:48. > :41:52.
:41:52. > :41:59.limestone landscape is really rich in the wild. This garden is based
:41:59. > :42:02.upon the way that we see. Because actually, the eye gathers images,
:42:02. > :42:06.but the brain has to process them. Until they are processed, they do
:42:06. > :42:12.not make sense, so it is the conjunction between the two. Out
:42:12. > :42:16.here, we have rods and cones, mirroring the eyeball, and inside,
:42:16. > :42:19.there is a sculpture which I take as being a combination of the eyeball
:42:19. > :42:29.and the brain, working together. It is the two of them which produce the
:42:29. > :42:31.
:42:31. > :42:36.image. This garden is based on the Shinto philosophy, and the idea that
:42:36. > :42:39.the land around us is embodied with spirits, and that we should have
:42:39. > :42:45.respect for our land and our environment. The planting represents
:42:45. > :42:55.all living things, and the different flower colours are the ups and
:42:55. > :43:15.
:43:15. > :43:22.downs, the vicissitudes, of life. metal track. Of course, I knew that!
:43:22. > :43:29.What I did not know is that the graffiti on the walls is either a
:43:29. > :43:32.line from that song, or the only words in it. Yes, it is based on the
:43:32. > :43:37.idea that we are losing allotments to developers and that kind of
:43:37. > :43:45.thing. As we get older, we will be forced away from plants, but we need
:43:45. > :43:49.these plants to survive. And it is obvious, once you understand that
:43:49. > :43:55.message. I like it, because this is really quite sinister, but this is a
:43:55. > :44:01.serious business. It is, but it has a poetic quality. I like the
:44:01. > :44:06.graffiti. I like that image, it is a very beautiful gas mask. I like the
:44:06. > :44:11.way that these lines tie in with the lines of the vegetables. As you say,
:44:11. > :44:15.it is sinister, it is awkward, we do not quite know what is going on. I
:44:15. > :44:21.was not into heavy metal, but it is there. You are out of the comfort
:44:21. > :44:27.zone, and three Cheers for that. Yes, absolutely. This is another
:44:27. > :44:35.conceptual garden, and this one is based upon the re-stocking of the
:44:35. > :44:43.country after the devastation caused by Dutch disease. A few weeks ago,
:44:43. > :44:50.we went along to see how they were preparing for the show. Dutch elm
:44:50. > :44:55.disease really hit hard in the 06s and 70s when we lost about a million
:44:55. > :44:59.trees -- 06s. Part of the English land cape disappears. One of the
:44:59. > :45:05.most distinctive of English trees and its loss threatens to alter the
:45:05. > :45:09.shape of the countryside. It's carried by a beetle that eventually
:45:09. > :45:12.just kills the tree. There are some positive actions going on and
:45:12. > :45:16.there's some organisations that are taking some very positive steps.
:45:16. > :45:23.There are a few survivors and it's from these trees we are taking
:45:23. > :45:31.cuttings and growing new trees to see whether they will resist Dutch
:45:31. > :45:35.elm disease. They're being sent around the country to schools and
:45:35. > :45:39.community groups and planted. They're being monitored and mapped
:45:39. > :45:43.so the conservation foundation have an overall data base of where these
:45:44. > :45:50.little trees are and how they're getting on. There's just a little
:45:50. > :45:58.glimmer of hope potentially. I am designing a conceptual guarden at
:45:58. > :46:08.this year's Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. -- garden. There is a
:46:08. > :46:09.
:46:09. > :46:16.tale of destruction and a little bit of hope for the future. I found some
:46:16. > :46:22.fantastic dead wood from oak trees and they're crazy shapes, we are
:46:22. > :46:26.burning them up and it goes with the Ashes to ashes theme. We are looking
:46:26. > :46:31.for a sort of light flambe rather than a full cremation job. It can
:46:31. > :46:35.catch alight. It's dead wood so it's extremely dry. There is no sap in
:46:36. > :46:40.it. The difficulty may be getting it to Hampton Court in one piece
:46:40. > :46:45.because it's very brittle. The other end we have the tricky problem of
:46:45. > :46:50.actually making it stand upright and look like trees. The underplanting
:46:50. > :46:54.for this part of the garden is very kind of dark colours and also some
:46:54. > :47:00.of the plants, for want of a better word, they look dead and probably
:47:00. > :47:06.wouldn't walk by them and think they had had it, quite frankly. This is a
:47:06. > :47:16.fantastic plant, it looks dead as it is, but it's not. It's loving life.
:47:16. > :47:19.
:47:19. > :47:23.These are my ajucca plants. This will form a nice bed for the
:47:23. > :47:26.blackened trees. One concern here are these blue flowers coming up,
:47:26. > :47:33.blue's not really something I am looking to have in the garden. I
:47:33. > :47:39.might pick these flowers off. Running through this there's going
:47:39. > :47:42.to be a river of bright, bright red roses, I have chosen Lancashire and
:47:42. > :47:48.Hampshire. Lancashire is a cherry red. Hampshire is a real deep
:47:48. > :47:52.Scarlett. I think the combination of those two are trying to create fire
:47:52. > :47:57.underneath the trees and I think they'll be perfect. From that we
:47:57. > :48:03.have got this emerging new life spiral of our elm trees, starting
:48:03. > :48:08.from very, very small saplings and running up to some bigger plants.
:48:08. > :48:14.The underplanting will be ferns and the shape of the spiral itself
:48:14. > :48:19.really represents the unfurling of a frond so it kind of ties into this
:48:19. > :48:23.emerging new life. The challenge for this garden is really to make -
:48:23. > :48:32.obviously a great show garden, but that does have a very serious
:48:33. > :48:37.message and we really hope we can Bruce, congratulations. A gold
:48:37. > :48:41.medal. The judges not only understood the concept but the
:48:41. > :48:44.execution is immaculate. The trees made it. Fantastic. They did indeed.
:48:44. > :48:51.You were worried about them breaking. They are very, very
:48:51. > :48:55.brittle. We did end up looking like coal miners top to pot app --
:48:55. > :49:00.bottom, covered. They've made it well. The roses feel like a river of
:49:00. > :49:04.fire through the plot. A bit of sunshine and they've popped out,
:49:04. > :49:07.brilliant. Really happy with that. It's a huge plot you have taken on
:49:07. > :49:11.and it sets the scene from destruction through to hope at the
:49:11. > :49:16.end other. It's not all about elms, is it? Certainly not. The garden is
:49:16. > :49:20.about the ash trees. The ash dieback which looks as though it's going to
:49:20. > :49:24.wipe out millions of trees. I am joined with forces in the
:49:24. > :49:28.conservation foundation, they haven't given up on the elm trees,
:49:28. > :49:38.and I don't think we should give up on the ash trees. Time will tell.
:49:38. > :49:42.
:49:42. > :49:49.Thank you for bringing the garden messages of awareness but here three
:49:49. > :49:52.other gardens are tackling quite sensitive issues. Here on the
:49:52. > :49:56.Macmillan Legacy Garden has highlighted the journey through
:49:56. > :50:05.cancer and it's done in a clever way. With this path it takes you on
:50:05. > :50:10.twists and turns and shows it's a convolutated journey. And these dark
:50:10. > :50:15.pools, perhaps suggests moments of contemplation, even of darkness
:50:16. > :50:21.around it there is also hope and optimism in the planting. It's
:50:21. > :50:29.sparkling. The colours are quite subdued. You have a little bit of
:50:29. > :50:35.pushle there but you also -- pushle -- purple. And of course the
:50:35. > :50:38.foxgloefs over there. And then in amongst this planting there are
:50:38. > :50:42.those cut-out mirrored silhouettes and they represent the nurses and
:50:42. > :50:47.show how when you need them you can seek them out but then they can fade
:50:47. > :50:57.into the background. I think it's a very thoughtful and very beautiful
:50:57. > :51:02.
:51:02. > :51:07.award this year. The work of Matthew Charles and it has an important
:51:07. > :51:10.message. It does. The inspiration behind the garden is the fundamental
:51:10. > :51:15.principle that water is life. We have a lot of pollution that takes
:51:15. > :51:20.place in our waterways. For example, the 60% of litter found on beaches
:51:20. > :51:24.is plastic. We have an area in the Pacific twice the size of France,
:51:24. > :51:30.this is plastic floating around and obviously that is of grave threat to
:51:30. > :51:35.marine life, sea birds and even to ourselves. Fish are injesting these
:51:35. > :51:39.plastics. The idea is we wanted to set a scene of this watery landscape
:51:39. > :51:47.but it's a garden about solutions and we have this planting which
:51:47. > :51:53.rolls and you have the splashes of blue It's like sea foam on the top
:51:53. > :51:56.of the water. Those are amazing. Everybody is asking about those and
:51:56. > :52:00.they've been loved. They haven't been fed with anything special.
:52:00. > :52:02.Apart from the planting crashing through that you have strips of
:52:03. > :52:06.recycled plastic and we are trying to put this material in the
:52:06. > :52:11.spotlight at the moment because it's a potential solution, I think, to
:52:11. > :52:15.the waste plastic that we have out there. Rather than continually
:52:15. > :52:18.producing new plastics let's think about how we can use that weighs and
:52:18. > :52:22.as a result it can help solve the problem. This is certainly doing the
:52:22. > :52:32.trick. You are getting the message across and some of the most
:52:32. > :52:34.
:52:34. > :52:40.beautiful plant planting I have seen for a long time. This garden
:52:40. > :52:44.designed by Chris Beardshaw flags up issues connected with getting older
:52:44. > :52:48.as well as celebrating benefits. It starts here with this flower meadow,
:52:48. > :52:52.low-cut around the edge. Very pretty but it also suggests perhaps a sense
:52:52. > :52:57.of living on the outside of things, maybe even isolation. As you move
:52:57. > :53:01.through into the garden you pass between these hedges, both
:53:01. > :53:04.mid-height and very tall. That gives you a sense perhaps of the different
:53:04. > :53:07.generations, of the barrier between us and how we might want to break
:53:07. > :53:12.through that. Then you move through into the heart
:53:12. > :53:16.of the garden. The feeling is really different here. There's this
:53:16. > :53:21.monumental sculpture of a head made out of rusted metal and around it a
:53:21. > :53:28.multitude of different plants and to me that suggests memories, lots of
:53:28. > :53:32.memories. Lots of experience that can benefit all generations. If this
:53:32. > :53:35.garden encapsulatings the experience of getting older there is a lot to
:53:35. > :53:39.look forward to. Many of the show gardens are
:53:39. > :53:43.designed to grow our awareness of different issues, the grow zone here
:53:43. > :53:48.at the show is very much about going out and buying plants. Containers
:53:48. > :53:53.are always a very popular idea. But what do you put in them when you are
:53:53. > :53:57.faced with so much choice? We set Joe and Anne Marie their own
:53:57. > :54:04.challenge, what could they come up with after an afternoon of shopping?
:54:04. > :54:10.And most importantly, at what cost? We are going shopping, Joe! Yes, not
:54:10. > :54:15.clothes, remember. That's good. Two pots and two styles and we will
:54:15. > :54:18.choose whose is best. What are you going for? Glamour.I will go for
:54:18. > :54:23.frothy and romantic. Oh, lovely! It's not about spending as much
:54:23. > :54:26.money as possible, it's the opposite, it's about being frugal,
:54:26. > :54:36.value for money. I am having this pot. The people at Hampton Court
:54:36. > :54:38.
:54:38. > :54:42.will decide. It's the best pot for This is exactly what I am looking
:54:42. > :54:51.for. A frothy little number at the front of the pot. It will break up
:54:51. > :54:56.the edge nicely. And it will flower all summer long. �6, got to have it.
:54:56. > :55:06.Look at this! This is new to me. I have a feel feeling it's too tall
:55:06. > :55:16.for the pot. The proportions are all wrong. Are you feeling all right?
:55:16. > :55:19.
:55:19. > :55:29.Sorry! Please turn into a handsome Prince! This is gorgeous.
:55:29. > :55:30.
:55:30. > :55:38.What is this one? It's stunning. It's a delicate purple, pink
:55:38. > :55:41.flowers. That will look great in the middle of a pot. I love these. It's
:55:41. > :55:46.fantastic, got this horizontal flower habit. Love it is nice and
:55:46. > :55:56.dry. I think I have to have these and search for something to break it
:55:56. > :56:06.
:56:06. > :56:14.up a bit. I have finished mine! Hello there! Hi. I have finally got
:56:14. > :56:19.my glamour plants. I am delighted. They're hot and fiery. That will
:56:19. > :56:29.flower all summer long. Love it! you think they go together those
:56:29. > :56:39.
:56:39. > :56:47.colours, seriously? They clash. It's containers. I like yours. I like
:56:47. > :56:55.yours. How much did you spend?�31 �29. Let's put it to the vote. Hands
:56:55. > :57:02.up if you like Anne Marie's planter the best? Oh dear! Put your hands up
:57:03. > :57:05.if you like my planter the best. Yes! Anne Marie, outright winner, I
:57:06. > :57:15.am afraid. Congratulations, I think it's lovely. Don't like you much,
:57:16. > :57:24.
:57:24. > :57:28.We have all been to a lot of flower shows and they can merge into each
:57:28. > :57:33.other unless there's something that really stands out. For me this one
:57:33. > :57:37.is special. That's because the whole show, not any one display or garden,
:57:37. > :57:41.seems to have lifted up a notch. The standards are higher. It's a good
:57:42. > :57:48.show. It really is. That's true on a big scale but also you can hone in
:57:48. > :57:54.on tiny things. Have you been to the forestry? I skirted through there.
:57:54. > :57:58.You must go. There are extraordinary tiny cupcakes and teapots made of
:57:58. > :58:01.flowers, it's amazing work. For me it's the weather this year. It's
:58:01. > :58:05.been amazing. I have been to wet Hampton Courts over the year. This
:58:05. > :58:11.is what it's about for me, people sitting by the water enjoying the
:58:11. > :58:17.spaces at the show, having an ice-cream, Pimms, whatever. It's a
:58:17. > :58:22.great day out. Our day out is coming to an end, hopefully the weather
:58:22. > :58:25.won't. But the show is still open. If you want to visit it, you can
:58:25. > :58:29.visit until 5. 30 on Sunday. I recommend it. There are tickets