0:00:02 > 0:00:04Hello and welcome to the A To Z Of TV Gardening.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07We're on a mission to dig up the best advice
0:00:07 > 0:00:11and top tips from your favourite TV gardening programmes and presenters.
0:00:11 > 0:00:16So join me as, letter after letter, one by one, we explore everything
0:00:16 > 0:00:21from flowers and trees to fruit and veg, on The A To Z Of TV Gardening.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40Everything we're looking at today begins with the letter A.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Here's what's coming up.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45Alys Fowler finds an apple tree
0:00:45 > 0:00:49that produces over 250 different types of apples.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52- You no longer have to get stuck with just kind of a cooker.- Exactly.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Have the lot.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57Toby Buckland plants one of his favourite veg.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00You can't buy asparagus that is as tasty as the stuff
0:01:00 > 0:01:02you can pick from your back garden.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06And it's all about alliums with Alan Titchmarsh.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Look at those dead ends on those leafs.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11This is the way they grow naturally.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Good green leafs and as the flower spike comes up
0:01:14 > 0:01:16so they start to die back.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18Just some of the treats we have in store.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23But let's start with a fruit we consume in its millions.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28Our first A is for Apples. Here's Chris Beardshaw investigating
0:01:28 > 0:01:32just why apples are so unpredictable.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Imagine the frustration of those early horticulturalists
0:01:42 > 0:01:43thousands of years ago,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45stumbling across an apple.
0:01:45 > 0:01:50It was the perfect fast food and yet when they sowed the seed
0:01:50 > 0:01:54what came up wasn't the same.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57In fact it was just as likely to be sour and inedible
0:01:57 > 0:02:00as it was to taste good.
0:02:01 > 0:02:06The mother tree gives birth to thousands of pips contained within the fruit
0:02:06 > 0:02:10and every single pip is genetically different.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14And just like children, most grow up to be ordinary,
0:02:14 > 0:02:19but once in a while an apple with the most delicious taste and texture
0:02:19 > 0:02:20is born.
0:02:20 > 0:02:21When you sow the pips
0:02:21 > 0:02:24you don't get the original form.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27If you sow a Bramley seed, you won't get a Bramley.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30If you sow a Braeburn, it won't be a Braeburn that grows.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Or a Cox or a Worcester, or any of them for that matter.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35Apples require pollinators.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39That's to say, the pollen from one plant needs to be transferred across
0:02:39 > 0:02:41into the flower of another,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43and that crossing of pollen
0:02:43 > 0:02:47brings with it the most wonderful genetic exchange.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Apples generally have 34 chromosomes
0:02:51 > 0:02:55and that means that you get 17 characteristics from one parent
0:02:55 > 0:02:58and 17 sets of characteristics from the other.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00It's part of the excitement of growing them.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08And this presented man with a real puzzle -
0:03:08 > 0:03:12how to persuade nature to reproduce exactly the same apple tree
0:03:12 > 0:03:15and fruit over and over again.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18And the solution we came up with was grafting,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21a method of cloning the original tree.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25The practice of grafting is thought
0:03:25 > 0:03:28to go back around 5,000 years,
0:03:28 > 0:03:29and to this day
0:03:29 > 0:03:32every apple tree in commercial cultivation
0:03:32 > 0:03:35is grafted in exactly the same way.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39The principle behind grafting is delightfully straightforward
0:03:39 > 0:03:42and in fact hasn't change since the Romans played around
0:03:42 > 0:03:44with gluing one plant on top of another.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Not apples but, in their case, probably grapes.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51And they realised that plants were able to fuse together
0:03:51 > 0:03:57for the very simple reason that on any plant there is a layer of growth
0:03:57 > 0:03:59immediately underneath the bark.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02That area of green is the cambium layer.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05That's where the cell division and the cell expansion is taking place.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08It's essentially the life of the plant.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12And if you can put two of those cambium layers together,
0:04:12 > 0:04:15then the plants fuse and become one.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17First you need a rootstock.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20This is a wild form which has been cultivated
0:04:20 > 0:04:23for a particular characteristic.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27It will essentially become the driving force behind the plant.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30It will govern how much nutrient is taken up.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32It's like the sort of engine of a car.
0:04:32 > 0:04:38And the principle is to cut the head off the rootstock.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41And then to take your scion.
0:04:41 > 0:04:49This is the particular variety of apple that you're after.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54It's taken from the parent plant and it means that the genetic material
0:04:54 > 0:04:59contained within that scion is exactly the same as the parent,
0:04:59 > 0:05:05so any characteristics the parents have in terms of the flavour of the fruit, the ripeness of the fruit,
0:05:05 > 0:05:10the colour of the skin, are all contained within that piece of wood.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14And what we do is literally put that on top of there,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17and the two are then bound up with tape
0:05:17 > 0:05:21and the rootstock fuses with the scion.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23And, in fact, the genetic material
0:05:23 > 0:05:25of the rootstock remains in the rootstock.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28The genetic material of the scion remains in the scion.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31But what we end up with is a scion
0:05:31 > 0:05:36which is totally governed by the energy of the rootstock.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38And that's what gives us
0:05:38 > 0:05:42the particular vigour and height of the tree.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46One of Britain's most prosperous and time-honoured apples
0:05:46 > 0:05:50was planted 200 years ago in a back garden in Nottinghamshire.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Its clones have generated a £50 million industry.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59"The Bramley apple tree was grown from a pip by a young lady, Mary Anne Brailsford,
0:05:59 > 0:06:01"between 1809 and 1815.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03"It was thought it came from an apple
0:06:03 > 0:06:06"grown on a tree at the bottom of her garden.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09"One seedling produced very fine apples in 1837,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11"when the new occupier was Mr Matthew Bramley."
0:06:11 > 0:06:12Fantastic.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14HE KNOCKS ON DOOR
0:06:14 > 0:06:15Hi!
0:06:15 > 0:06:17- How are you?- What a lovely day.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Well, I've seen better days for looking at apple trees!
0:06:21 > 0:06:22SHE LAUGHS
0:06:22 > 0:06:27The Bramley tree's proud custodian is 90-year-old Nancy Harrison.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29- So you were born in this house?- Mm.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33- And...- The tree...- The tree was in the next-door neighbour's garden. - Yes.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36- So you bought the house next door. - That's right.- To get the tree.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Yes. I paid £500 for it.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40HE LAUGHS
0:06:40 > 0:06:44It's a garden typical of cottages of this period.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46Long and narrow.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Look at that!
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Isn't that amazing?
0:06:58 > 0:07:01It's like walking into an enchanted woodland.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03You can see where the original has fallen.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07The original was planted here and has obviously been blown,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11and this piece would originally have been up here
0:07:11 > 0:07:13and would have branched away.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18You hear people talk about living history and this really is living history.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21It's like standing next to a cathedral.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24This is a cathedral of horticulture.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29And from an historical apple tree,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32we move on to an extraordinary modern one,
0:07:32 > 0:07:36joining Alys Fowler as she finds out about the incredible results
0:07:36 > 0:07:39you can get with grafting and cloning.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46ALYS FOWLER: I was amazed when I discovered that nurseryman Paul Barnett
0:07:46 > 0:07:50has managed to grow over 250 varieties on just one tree.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53I was eager to find out how he'd done it.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00This tree is the stuff of dreams!
0:08:00 > 0:08:04It's the most wonderful thing I have seen in a long time.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07It's looking particularly good this year.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11What possesses you to plant 250 different varieties on to a single tree?
0:08:11 > 0:08:14The nursery I used to work for had about 80 or 90 varieties
0:08:14 > 0:08:17and they would be lined out in quite a large field,
0:08:17 > 0:08:21so, not having a large field, I needed to condense it down
0:08:21 > 0:08:23into something smaller.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26So that's really why there were put on here.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27It's fantastic!
0:08:27 > 0:08:30- So each branch is a different variety, right?- Yes, it is.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33You've got Royal Gala here,
0:08:33 > 0:08:35you've got Crown Gold up here...
0:08:35 > 0:08:37And therefore it could be possible to have a tree which had cookers
0:08:37 > 0:08:40- and eaters...?- Yes, it is, yeah.
0:08:40 > 0:08:41It's very clever.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45What I get quite excited about is, if you had a tree you didn't like,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48- you have the potential to have a tree that...- Just bud or graft it over.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Add any varieties that you like eating on to it.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54- So you no longer have to get stuck with just a cooker.- Exactly.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Have the lot.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00It's amazing. I am completely in awe of it.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Paul has worked with apple trees for 25 years
0:09:03 > 0:09:07and was happy to give me a lesson in apple budding.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13The small orchard at the bottom of his garden was a perfect place
0:09:13 > 0:09:15to have a go.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18But first I had to choose which varieties I wanted to grow.
0:09:20 > 0:09:21This is a lovely-looking apple.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24- Which is this one? - This is a variety called Fiesta.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26It's a lovely apple.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Crisp, juicy and sweet.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31- Can I try it?- Yes, you can, yeah.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Mmmm! Really crisp.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Shows quite a good resistance to pests and disease.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Quite an easy one for gardeners.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44- Yeah, lovely.- Very fertile variety. - Lovely-looking apple as well.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47- It is.- Really pretty.- What you'd expect from an apple, isn't it?
0:09:47 > 0:09:51- Can I have one of these?- You can. - This is great. It's like being in a supermarket.
0:09:51 > 0:09:52SHE CRUNCHES
0:09:55 > 0:09:59I can see one of my all-time favourite apples here.
0:09:59 > 0:10:00PAUL CHUCKLES
0:10:00 > 0:10:01Now...
0:10:01 > 0:10:03- Good old Pitmaston Pineapple.- Oh...
0:10:03 > 0:10:06I have such fond memories of eating way too many of these.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09- It's a lovely little heritage variety.- Oh, it's beautiful.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11It's a very late one, isn't it?
0:10:11 > 0:10:14- Yeah, never gets much bigger than this either.- No.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17- Anything from memory. - Be a good one for your tree.
0:10:17 > 0:10:18You get the red of the Fiesta
0:10:18 > 0:10:21and also the yellow of the Pitmaston Pineapple.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23It's a perfect kind of one person quick eat,
0:10:23 > 0:10:25- that's what I like about this. - It is.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27Mm, perfect!
0:10:31 > 0:10:35Next, it was time to learn the magic of budding.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37First, Paul selected and cut off a healthy shoot
0:10:37 > 0:10:41from one of my chosen varieties and stripped it of all its leaves.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48- So, we've got our material.- Yes. - And this is my tree.
0:10:48 > 0:10:49Is it a good tree?
0:10:49 > 0:10:53Yeah, you've got some nice young, vigorous growth here. It's ideal.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57You're looking for two or three nostrum shoots,
0:10:57 > 0:10:58which we've got here.
0:10:58 > 0:11:03- And about this thickness?- Yeah. - So that's the thickness of a pencil.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07Next, he prepared the area on my tree where the bud would go.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09After clearing the leaves and shoots,
0:11:09 > 0:11:13he made a 4cm-long cut with a clean, sharp knife,
0:11:13 > 0:11:17deep enough to expose the cambium layer - the green bit below the bark.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24Then Paul cut a sliver of the same length from the donor branch.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28This contained the bud of the apple I wanted to grow on my tree.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33The bud was then placed into position,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35making sure it matched exactly.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39To keep it in place, it was tightly wrapped using budding tape.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41But a clear plastic bag, secured with tape,
0:11:41 > 0:11:44would've done the job just as well.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Well, you made that look incredibly easy
0:11:46 > 0:11:49but I know that practice is how you get good at these things
0:11:49 > 0:11:51and it's a long time. So...
0:11:55 > 0:11:59It started well when I made the incision on the mother plant.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Cutting the bud was another matter, however.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05But in the end, it seemed to fit... well, almost perfectly.
0:12:06 > 0:12:12It would be a nail-biting six weeks to see if my graft had taken.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Now for the moment of truth.
0:12:24 > 0:12:29You're not looking for any great...
0:12:29 > 0:12:30change at this point,
0:12:30 > 0:12:36you just need to make sure that the bud is nice and fat and healthy.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41And it looks like it's taken perfectly.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44So let's see how the rest are doing.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Well, so far, so good.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59And only time will tell with these grafts, but the joy about this tree
0:12:59 > 0:13:02is the fact that you have five varieties on one tree.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05So even in a small space, I get plenty to eat.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12So, now that we know how to clone and bud apple trees,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14let's get hands-on.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18Here's Monty Don with some tips on picking and storing.
0:13:22 > 0:13:27Now, obviously the orchard is where the action is in October.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30We've got apples here falling every day, and what I do is
0:13:30 > 0:13:33I put down crates underneath each tree and pick up the windfalls
0:13:33 > 0:13:38so they don't get too eaten by the chickens and mice and slugs.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41But the point about windfalls is, they can't be stored.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44They're good to eat and we eat them now, and this, for example,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47is a Herefordshire Beefing apple, and you can see lots of windfalls.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50It's a very old-fashioned cooking apple.
0:13:50 > 0:13:51In fact, it was used for drying.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Whereas, if you want to store apples,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56then you really need to look after them.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59And storing apples is one of those things that is a treat
0:13:59 > 0:14:03because, when you get to Christmas time, next February and March,
0:14:03 > 0:14:07you can have an apple that you've grown tasting perfect.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10In fact they tend to get better as they store.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12And so it shouldn't be just a question of growing your own
0:14:12 > 0:14:13but also storing your own.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18It's dead easy to do. However, you mustn't store a bruised apple.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22It's really a question of handling them with kid gloves.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24So, when they're ripe, and you've got an apple here,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27this is Blenheim Orange, which is a good cooker,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30although, in fact, as it gets older you can eat it.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33If that's ripe, I'll know because it will come away in my hands,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36so I just hold it like that and twist. Now that's not ripe.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38That is not ready for picking, so we'll leave it.
0:14:38 > 0:14:44That one there looks as though it should be. Come here, just go up.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46And it's just come away in my hand.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49And just hold it carefully, treasure it, put it into a basket.
0:14:49 > 0:14:50Don't chuck it.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54It doesn't matter what it looks like. If it comes away, it's ready.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59And the whole point about growing apples is, you're so limited
0:14:59 > 0:15:01in a supermarket in the varieties.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04But there are hundreds of different apples that you can grow,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06a lot of them good, a lot of them have meaning.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09For example, in this orchard I've got quite a few apples that
0:15:09 > 0:15:10you only get in Herefordshire.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13And so as well as... I think I need a ladder for that.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15As well as an orchard, which is a lovely thing,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17you've got the romance of the apple.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20You store it carefully and then when you eat it
0:15:20 > 0:15:23you're ingesting part of the history of it.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Let's go for this one.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Now, there are lots of ways of storing apples
0:15:47 > 0:15:51but essentially what you're looking for is somewhere cool and dark.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54And we've got this shed, we store lots of things in it.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57And it's fine for apples as long if as it's not too cold.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00And if it is, we have to cover them. But I use these.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04These used to be my grandfather's and I inherited them from my mother.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07But you can buy similar things and you can make them.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10The beauty of them is that you get lots of air and ventilation
0:16:10 > 0:16:13and they stack.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16And what you're looking for is somewhere that is not too dry,
0:16:16 > 0:16:17so the fruits don't dry up.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23And just stack them in rows and again don't chuck them on.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27And also they shouldn't be touching. So just keep them apart.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30And the reason why they don't want to touch is because,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34if there is bruising or damage, that will spread from apple to apple.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37But if they're not touching, there's no danger of that.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Now if you're thinking, "Why take so much trouble
0:16:43 > 0:16:45"just over some apples?"
0:16:45 > 0:16:48well, the answer is simple - it's because they taste so good.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53Your own apples, grown and stored carefully, are a delicious fruit.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56It's not just any old thing that you eat all the time,
0:16:56 > 0:16:58they're absolutely beautiful.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03And will stay good right through till next March or April.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08So I think they're worth taking any amount of trouble over.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Thanks, Monty. That's apples covered.
0:17:14 > 0:17:19Still to come, how to plant alliums, award-winning asparagus
0:17:19 > 0:17:22and advice from an allotmenteer.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25But before all that, A is for Alpines.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28And for a quick crash course in all you need to know,
0:17:28 > 0:17:32here's Keith Grey Wilson from the Garden Alpine Society.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41Many people ask me what an alpine is.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45It's, in effect, any plant which grows in high, mountainous areas
0:17:45 > 0:17:46above the tree line.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50But in gardening terms, alpines can be any small plant which is
0:17:50 > 0:17:54hardy, can be grown in the open garden, and can include small ferns,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57small herbaceous plants, bulbs and many other types of plant.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Alpines are ideal for today's small garden,
0:18:12 > 0:18:14and they provide interest throughout the year.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17You don't need to have a rock garden in order to grow them,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20they're ideal for containers and pots on the patio.
0:18:39 > 0:18:44The majority of alpines need gritty, well-drained soil
0:18:44 > 0:18:45and plenty of sunshine
0:18:45 > 0:18:49but a few need damper conditions and dappled shade in the garden.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Now that we know what alpines are
0:19:08 > 0:19:12and the wide variety available out there, here's Rachel de Thame
0:19:12 > 0:19:16with some basic tips if you want some in your garden.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Well, I think one of the first signs of spring, for me,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22has to be when the cyclamen are in flower.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26Just look at that fantastic magenta colouring. Beautiful plants.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Of course, you might not think of these as classic alpine plants
0:19:29 > 0:19:31but the term alpine is used to cover
0:19:31 > 0:19:33such a wide range of different plants.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35You've got the true alpines,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38which come from that area above the tree line, in mountainous parts,
0:19:38 > 0:19:42and you've also got other things that might work in an alpine house,
0:19:42 > 0:19:45either because they have the right sort of scale
0:19:45 > 0:19:47or because they need that little bit of extra TLC,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50so they need a bit of protection, and that can be things from
0:19:50 > 0:19:55seaside areas, it can be forest or woodland, so there's a vast range.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58They all need perhaps slightly different growing medium
0:19:58 > 0:20:00in order to do really well
0:20:00 > 0:20:03and the key to success is getting that right at the beginning.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07So, there's a good general mix which will work for most alpines.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11And it's a third each of loam.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14And of leaf mould.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16You don't have to be exact about it.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20And then, because most alpines do like really good drainage
0:20:20 > 0:20:23and they particularly hate winter wet, you need a third as well
0:20:23 > 0:20:30of either horticultural grit, sharp sand or this stuff, which is perlite.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32And very nice and light as well.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37So just mix that up. Then, depending on the sort of plant you've got,
0:20:37 > 0:20:38you would adapt that slightly.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41So, for instance, I am going to plant a dodecatheon,
0:20:41 > 0:20:46which is a woodland plant, and that would like a bit more leaf mould,
0:20:46 > 0:20:48so I'm going to add a bit more of that.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51And just mix it in. If you're planting a bulb,
0:20:51 > 0:20:56you'd probably put a lot more grit in and give it even sharper drainage
0:20:56 > 0:21:03and if it's a lime-loving plant, such as these little saxifrages here,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06then they need something like a bit of ground chalk
0:21:06 > 0:21:08to help them along.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11- Looks pretty.- It's coming on, isn't it?- You know what I like?
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Although this is completely practical
0:21:13 > 0:21:15and it's keeping the roots...
0:21:15 > 0:21:17It's such a good display case.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20It's fantastic because it really sets them off beautifully -
0:21:20 > 0:21:23when you get this top dressing on, I'm going to get some grit around
0:21:23 > 0:21:27the top here as well, that keeps, of course, the foliage dry.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31- Practical and beautiful. - That's what we like.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Really good tips, Rachel. Thank you.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36Now, it's not every day that you hear that a spring veg can add
0:21:36 > 0:21:38a touch of class to your dining table.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41But this one can. We're at A for Asparagus.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Here's Toby Buckland on how to grow your own.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48April is asparagus planting time
0:21:48 > 0:21:52and asparagus is one of my top five vegetables to grow.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56You can't buy asparagus that's as tasty as the stuff you can pick
0:21:56 > 0:21:58from your back garden.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00And it's expensive to buy as well.
0:22:00 > 0:22:06But more than that, asparagus is one of the few perennial vegetables.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09That means it comes back year after year,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11so you only need to plant it once.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15Because once you've got those crowns in the ground,
0:22:15 > 0:22:21they'll give you 10, 15, maybe 20 years of service.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23And tasty dinners through early summer.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Asparagus - you can buy it in pots
0:22:27 > 0:22:32but you're always better to send off for it from a nursery.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36It arrives in the post like a present in a box.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38It's rather strange stuff.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42Because it comes as a crown, as it's known,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45with a little bud breaking at the top.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49Quite spidery, aren't they? Now, what I do to make sure they're nice
0:22:49 > 0:22:53and hydrated is pop them in a bucket to give them a drink
0:22:53 > 0:22:57while I dig out my trench and prepare the soil.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01And soil preparation is the key to success
0:23:01 > 0:23:03as far as asparagus is concerned.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08You can't have weeds. Because those roots are so spidery
0:23:08 > 0:23:11and spread out through the soil, if there's weeds,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14perennial weeds, things like dandelions and cooch grass growing
0:23:14 > 0:23:18in amongst your asparagus beds, you can't get a fork in amongst them
0:23:18 > 0:23:22to pull them out without damaging your asparagus roots.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26So it pays to leave a bed fallow, maybe covered over with some carpet
0:23:26 > 0:23:29for a summer season, before you plant.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33We'll start with a clean, raised bed, like this one.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38And because you can't dig, it always pays to fork in lots of manure
0:23:38 > 0:23:40and compost before you plant,
0:23:40 > 0:23:44because you can only mulch afterwards to improve the earth.
0:23:45 > 0:23:51Now, this trench is something like 15cm, 6 inches deep.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54And the way you plant is along a ridge that supports the roots
0:23:54 > 0:23:56when you're planting the crowns.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00And to make the ridge, you can do it by hand or by running
0:24:00 > 0:24:04a spade on its edge along the side of your trench one way.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08And then the other.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12And that just leaves a nice little pyramid of soil
0:24:12 > 0:24:14running along the middle.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16I've got an old English variety in my bucket,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19it's called Connover's Colossal.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23And it is a male and female variety of asparagus,
0:24:23 > 0:24:27that means some plants will bear berries and others won't.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31And the modern trend in asparagus is to produce plants that are
0:24:31 > 0:24:34all male, because they're more vigorous and you get thicker stems.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37But this variety, Connover's Colossal, is one of my favourites.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40I like the thin spears it produces and it's very reliable,
0:24:40 > 0:24:44and I'm planting this so it just sits on the ridge like that,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47with the roots spreading down either side.
0:24:47 > 0:24:54Now, ideally you want to give your plants 45cm between each crown.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59And just shy of a metre, a yard actually, between each row.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03You just leave those buds slightly proud of the soil surface.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Then as they grow, you backfill even more
0:25:06 > 0:25:08until the soil is nice and level.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11Going to leave these plants to establish
0:25:11 > 0:25:15and put on lots of leaves to produce a good crop of spears next year.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18But I'll only harvest a few, because it's in the year after,
0:25:18 > 0:25:22the third year in the ground, the third summer you can start taking spears
0:25:22 > 0:25:25in earnest, and then only up to midsummer, because you've got to
0:25:25 > 0:25:28leave the plant's time to recover and get their energies back
0:25:28 > 0:25:32under the ground to produce more spears the following year.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34Lovely.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Four more rows to plant.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Thanks, Toby. We'll leave you to get on with that
0:25:40 > 0:25:43and catch up with Countryfile's Adam Henson,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46who has joined a veritable army of asparagus gatherers.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51It's now the climax of the asparagus harvest.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54It needs to be cut as soon as it starts to sprout up.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59There's been a surge in demand for asparagus over the past decade.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02And it's now grown on a huge scale around Worcestershire.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06By mid June, harvesting stops.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08So the crop will be ready to grow again next year.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Now, one of the biggest frustrations for asparagus growers is that
0:26:13 > 0:26:15limited harvest from April to June.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18In theory, the plant will keep growing as long as the weather
0:26:18 > 0:26:20is warm but, in order to let it recover,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23you need to stop cutting it and let it run to fern.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26So if you let asparagus grow, this is what it looks like.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32In order to harvest before it ferns,
0:26:32 > 0:26:36farmer Richard Caulwell relies on the hard work of migrant labourers
0:26:36 > 0:26:39to live on his farm for a few months of the year.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45Richard, the field seems quite bare. I imagined there to be more spears.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47We get lots of people commenting, you know,
0:26:47 > 0:26:50"What are you growing in that field? What's that?"
0:26:50 > 0:26:53And I said, "Asparagus." "Oh, I can't see anything."
0:26:53 > 0:26:58We cut every day, Adam, anything that gets to 20cm we cut.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02So, you know, following behind the workers,
0:27:02 > 0:27:04there will be next to nothing.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07So these little ones will grow and be cut tomorrow?
0:27:07 > 0:27:12If the sun would shine, yes, that would be cut tomorrow.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15So how do you know which ones to cut and which ones not to?
0:27:15 > 0:27:19If it's the length of the knife, that's 20cm, then we cut it.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25- There we go. What's that one? - That's it. Spot on.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27- Just cut it underneath? - Just cut below.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39We're getting left behind. I'm getting the hang of it.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41It's quite hard work, isn't it?
0:27:41 > 0:27:44'It may be tough but I hope to take some of my harvest with me
0:27:44 > 0:27:46'to the annual charity auction in Evesham.'
0:27:46 > 0:27:50- So, where is everybody from? - I am from Bulgaria.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52The others come from Romania.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55We've got Latvian people, Lithuanian people...
0:27:55 > 0:27:56- Amazing.- Yeah.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00So, these Eastern Europeans walk up and down these fields every day,
0:28:00 > 0:28:01cutting asparagus.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06- Like fitness!- It's like fitness? Better than the gym!
0:28:16 > 0:28:19SILVER BAND PLAYS
0:28:20 > 0:28:23The annual auction takes place at the Fleece Inn, near Evesham.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27And it has a long asparagus tradition.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30It's where workers would come after a hard day's picking.
0:28:30 > 0:28:35£42. I'm looking for 42. 42?
0:28:35 > 0:28:36For the past 30 years,
0:28:36 > 0:28:40they've raised money in aid of the local Bretforton village Silver Band.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45But how would my asparagus fare?
0:28:46 > 0:28:50Cut it with my own bare hands, packed it, weighed it.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53- What do you reckon?- That's very nice. I ain't being funny.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56It don't have to be big to be nice.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59- How much a round? - That's your problem.
0:29:00 > 0:29:06OK, so, ladies and gentlemen, a special, as-seen-on-TV asparagus.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08It's all for charity.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12£5 I'm bid, £5 over there. £6.
0:29:12 > 0:29:166, 10, 12. £12. £12 there.
0:29:16 > 0:29:20£12, thank you, sir. 14. 18. We're going up big jumps now. 28.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22Thank you. 28, 30. 30 in the middle.
0:29:22 > 0:29:2432. Oh, we're racing now!
0:29:24 > 0:29:2732 on the right-hand side. 32, 32, any advance on 32?
0:29:27 > 0:29:2934, 36, thank you.
0:29:29 > 0:29:3236. 36 on the left.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34It's going once, it's going twice.
0:29:34 > 0:29:3836 on the left-hand side, thank you very much there, £36.
0:29:40 > 0:29:41Someone give me £10.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43'After some frantic auctioneering,
0:29:43 > 0:29:46'my six rounds of asparagus raises over £200.'
0:29:46 > 0:29:49Well done to the gentleman in the middle.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54I have the distinct feeling he's trying to steal my show!
0:29:55 > 0:29:58I reckon we had a bit of money then!
0:29:58 > 0:30:03- I'm not having it.- Might take up an auctioneer's job.- Thank you, Adam.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06Outside of television, you could still earn yourself a living!
0:30:08 > 0:30:11British asparagus and especially...
0:30:11 > 0:30:15And hopefully after that your asparagus plants will have
0:30:15 > 0:30:17prize-winning potential too.
0:30:17 > 0:30:22Next on our journey through the letter A, we're at Allotments.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25It's time to meet allotmenteer Terry Walton,
0:30:25 > 0:30:28a green-fingered guru who shares his knowledge with millions
0:30:28 > 0:30:32of listeners over the airwaves on Radio 2's Jeremy Vine Show.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36JEREMY: 'Gather you got some weather down there, Terry.'
0:30:36 > 0:30:38'I'm standing right in front of my gooseberry bush
0:30:38 > 0:30:40'and this is always my barometer.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43'And there's little tiny little green leaves unfurling
0:30:43 > 0:30:46'and it now looks like a hazy green bush,
0:30:46 > 0:30:49'so if that's starting to grow, there's some warmth in the soil.'
0:30:49 > 0:30:52I do the Radio 2 Jeremy Vine Show once a fortnight
0:30:52 > 0:30:56and it's absolutely a pleasure to talk to him about my plot.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58My goal with the radio show is to get people out there,
0:30:58 > 0:31:01doing their allotments and having as much pleasure every day as I do.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04I was four when my father first brought me in,
0:31:04 > 0:31:05gave me a bit of ground.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07I raked and sowed a few radishes and I was thrilled
0:31:07 > 0:31:09when they came through the ground.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11I got the bug and I don't think I'll ever lose it.
0:31:11 > 0:31:12I eat well off my allotments.
0:31:12 > 0:31:17I can probably eat fresh vegetables off the plot for at least ten months of the year.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21On my allotments I've got garlic, shallots...
0:31:21 > 0:31:23This will produce a bumper crop.
0:31:23 > 0:31:24..strawberries...
0:31:24 > 0:31:25These will be some crunchy carrots.
0:31:25 > 0:31:26..beetroot...
0:31:26 > 0:31:28Look at these.
0:31:28 > 0:31:29..potatoes.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33Now these are my pride and joy. These are my broad beans
0:31:33 > 0:31:37and these are miles ahead of anybody else in the allotments.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39We've always got something on the plot,
0:31:39 > 0:31:42irrespective of the time of year, irrespective of the season.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44We've always got something we can eat.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47May is a very busy month. There are lots and lots of jobs to do.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50Well, this is known as earthing up your potatoes.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55And this does two things - one, it creates an extra bumper crop
0:31:55 > 0:31:58of potatoes because there's more potato underground.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01Plus the fact it stops the newly formed tubers going green because
0:32:01 > 0:32:05green potatoes are a no-no, they're poisonous, you can't eat them.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08And I really do love a new potato with a knob of fresh butter.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11I'm down here about four to five hours per day.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13And I might as well throw the wristwatch away
0:32:13 > 0:32:16because, when I'm here, the time just disappears.
0:32:16 > 0:32:17I think my wife does despair.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21She's a bit more in the habit of joining me on the allotment occasionally now -
0:32:21 > 0:32:23that's the only way she gets the chance to see me when I'm awake!
0:32:23 > 0:32:27If I was ever cited in the divorce, I think it would be the allotments
0:32:27 > 0:32:29would be the other correspondent, I think.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32She says it's better than another woman, anyway.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38What I'm doing here is actually planting some lettuce seed
0:32:38 > 0:32:41and doing these cut-and-come lettuce, some red, some green
0:32:41 > 0:32:43because Anthea loves this colour on her plate.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46And a good tip when you plant any small seed is originally line
0:32:46 > 0:32:48your drill with some good compost
0:32:48 > 0:32:51because, like everything else, the soil can be a bit cold and wet.
0:32:51 > 0:32:56So I put compost in the bottom, give them a nice little blanket to start their life off in.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01And all allotmenteers worth their salt are very, very thrifty.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03The last thing you want to do is spend.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06We have a big saying - "To become a true allotmenteer,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09"what you can't beg, steal or borrow, then you may have to buy."
0:33:13 > 0:33:16A friend of mine has started work in a coffee shop,
0:33:16 > 0:33:18and she's collecting coffee grounds for me.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20And I'm told that slugs and coffee grounds don't mix,
0:33:20 > 0:33:25so I'm hoping I can protect these cauliflowers with these grounds.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27If this works, this will be truly something
0:33:27 > 0:33:30because I will then be 100% organic.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37What happened to these tomatoes?
0:33:37 > 0:33:39'There's a group of us, the old timers,
0:33:39 > 0:33:42'been here for many, many years and we meet up socially -
0:33:42 > 0:33:45'when Albie rings his cafe bell we all troop along like milking cows,
0:33:45 > 0:33:48'and we sit down there and put the world to rights.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50'We talk about gardening, we brag, we boast.'
0:33:50 > 0:33:52We can solve all the world's problems.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55We do more business in the cafe than the United Nations.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57You went off on holiday and left them abandoned!
0:33:57 > 0:34:00You've got to be careful with the stem, haven't you?
0:34:00 > 0:34:02With tomatoes you don't...
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Not usually infected with tomatoes.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07You never leave at the end of the day with nothing to take home.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11Everybody who has a crop failure, the guy next to him has something which has grown.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14They'll always share with you so you'll always go home
0:34:14 > 0:34:17and have a feed and that's what brings you back, isn't it?
0:34:23 > 0:34:26Having an allotment is all about team spirit
0:34:26 > 0:34:28and it's amazing what can happen
0:34:28 > 0:34:30when a whole community gets together,
0:34:30 > 0:34:33as Joe Swift has been finding out.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42The Pilkington Allotments in St Helens, Lancashire are more than 60 years old.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45Over time they have become completely rundown,
0:34:45 > 0:34:49so a local, Alan Hull, decided to do something about it.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52He set up an allotment management committee.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56Alan and his team regenerated the site and have let 70 plots.
0:34:56 > 0:34:59They've created a beautiful and safe environment for the local community
0:34:59 > 0:35:00to be proud of.
0:35:03 > 0:35:08It's hard to believe that five years ago this was a dilapidated old site.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10And now it's been turned round to a thriving allotment.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13What are the keys of the success?
0:35:13 > 0:35:17Dedication. Hard work.
0:35:17 > 0:35:23- And organisation.- How important is it now for the rest of the community?
0:35:23 > 0:35:27Very important. We've got to become part of the community.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30And that's what the regeneration of allotments is all about,
0:35:30 > 0:35:33to bring allotments to the 21st century.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37So what would you say to someone who is trying to set something like this up?
0:35:37 > 0:35:41- Where do you start? - You start by doing your research.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45You look for the likes of Allotments Regeneration Initiative,
0:35:45 > 0:35:49and then of course we've got the National Society Of Allotments And Leisure Gardeners.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Go on the internet and find out who can help you
0:35:52 > 0:35:57because there is people out there that want to help and can help you.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02So as well as your regular plot holders, there's a lot of activity,
0:36:02 > 0:36:05isn't there, a lot of different people using this site?
0:36:05 > 0:36:09From people in wheelchairs from the day centre, from the learning
0:36:09 > 0:36:13difficulties group and also from the mums and tots group.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16For beginner gardeners, who is teaching these guys to get going?
0:36:16 > 0:36:21You have the services of a little bit of help from the average allotment holder who comes over
0:36:21 > 0:36:22and speaks to them and...
0:36:22 > 0:36:27- And show them?- The holder comes over and passes on their expertise.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31Allotments bring out the best in people.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34It's great to see how everyone just wants to help out.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36In fact, it's such a growing trend
0:36:36 > 0:36:40that there are over 300,000 plot owners in the UK.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44Now we are nearing the end of our journey through the letter A
0:36:44 > 0:36:47and we're looking at some flowers that belong to the onion family
0:36:47 > 0:36:49but looked nothing like it.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51Our last A is for Alliums.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55And who better to turn to for tips than Alan Titchmarsh?
0:36:59 > 0:37:03Alliums will pick up the baton from the tulips
0:37:03 > 0:37:06and run with it right the way through the summer.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09And if you look across this border, you'll see they are tremendous
0:37:09 > 0:37:13for lifting a planting scheme out of the flat and dumpling, like.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15Look at these wonderful verticals that I'm getting there
0:37:15 > 0:37:19right across the path and the lawn. I could afford a few more of them.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26And, happily, I don't have to reach for my cheque book, because back in
0:37:26 > 0:37:32September last year, when our garden was woolly and bulbs were packing our
0:37:32 > 0:37:36garden centres, I bought some allium bulbs for just this eventuality.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48The trouble is, you may not know exactly where in the garden
0:37:48 > 0:37:51you want to put these bulbs just yet. Don't worry about that.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54Stick them in compost in plastic pots
0:37:54 > 0:37:57and you can take them out and plant them later on.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01The mix is half and half of soil-less, multi-purpose compost
0:38:01 > 0:38:05and John Innes No. 2, which holds onto the moisture better.
0:38:05 > 0:38:10And why can't you buy them ready-mixed? Well, you can, but...
0:38:10 > 0:38:11they never do it quite right
0:38:11 > 0:38:17and I like to mix my own because then I can feel it and smell it's right.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21Oh, all right, just call me old-fashioned,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24they'll do perfectly fine in the bought stuff.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27And there are more important things to worry about,
0:38:27 > 0:38:29like how deep you plant your bulbs.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34I'm bunging them about three inches down, giving them some protection
0:38:34 > 0:38:36from the elements.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43When you're potting bulbs up in autumn,
0:38:43 > 0:38:45drying out is unlikely to be a problem.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48What is likely to be a problem is waterlogging,
0:38:48 > 0:38:51so the best thing to do is to stand them
0:38:51 > 0:38:54right by a shed or a house wall and they'll get a bit of moisture
0:38:54 > 0:38:58from the rain but they won't get drenched and they won't rot.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08By early spring, they're well on their way.
0:39:12 > 0:39:17And now, in May, they're just about to flower. Perfect for those gaps.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28You're probably thinking when you look at this, "Goodness me,
0:39:28 > 0:39:32"he hasn't grown those terribly well. Look at the dead ends on the leaves."
0:39:32 > 0:39:34Well, this is the way they grow naturally.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37Good green leaves and, as the flower spike comes up,
0:39:37 > 0:39:41so they start to die back. But once these are planted in the border,
0:39:41 > 0:39:43and I'm not plunging them, I'm planting them,
0:39:43 > 0:39:47they'll sink down so much more that the other foliage around them
0:39:47 > 0:39:49will cover up the embarrassment of their leaves.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53I've chosen two varieties for my border,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56to stretch out the season to its maximum.
0:39:59 > 0:40:04First on stage, it'll be the tall and stately Purple Sensation.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06As handsome as a timpanist's drumstick.
0:40:10 > 0:40:14Followed a week or so later by the huge, sparkle-like blooms
0:40:14 > 0:40:17of Allium cristophii, with their metallic sheen.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24And nobody will ever know
0:40:24 > 0:40:27they haven't been growing there all spring.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33They'll take a couple of weeks to reach their full glory
0:40:33 > 0:40:36but knowing they're on their way is half the fun.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41And if you want inspiration for your garden, just have a look
0:40:41 > 0:40:46at the allium collection in Harlow Carr's gardens in Yorkshire.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52We've got about 4,000 alliums on display on our main borders.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54And alliums are a fascinating group,
0:40:54 > 0:40:58really large group, around about 700 species in total.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01And they come from all around the world, the Mediterranean region,
0:41:01 > 0:41:03Asia, Turkey.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07And they make fabulous architectural plants within any garden.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11The bulk of the collection of the alliums here at Harlow Carr
0:41:11 > 0:41:15are predominantly Allium hollandicum and when you look at the alliums
0:41:15 > 0:41:18today across the border, you'll see that there are two shades.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21There's a darker one, which is Purple Sensation,
0:41:21 > 0:41:24and then the lighter one, Allium hollandicum,
0:41:24 > 0:41:26just straight Allium hollandicum.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28And if you grow them as a combination,
0:41:28 > 0:41:31the effect is very beautiful. Very visually attractive.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36There's such a wide variety of alliums on this border.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39We've got things like this beautiful white allium.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42This is Allium giganteum "Mont Blanc".
0:41:42 > 0:41:46And as you can see, this one is up to about 4ft in height.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Alliums are a diverse group of plants.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55And don't forget that alliums are related to edible onions,
0:41:55 > 0:41:57things like chives and garlic.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00And if you let chives flower en masse,
0:42:00 > 0:42:02you can see the family resemblance.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10They will actually set seed.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13Don't be tempted to pull them out and mistake them for grass,
0:42:13 > 0:42:15which is very easy to do.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18If you let them grow and develop, within about three to four years
0:42:18 > 0:42:21you should get an established allium head.
0:42:21 > 0:42:27What we've found at Harlow Carr is that if you let Allium "Purple Sensation" seed itself,
0:42:27 > 0:42:29it will actually come back lighter in colour.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32It'll revert straight to Allium hollandicum.
0:42:32 > 0:42:37So you have to bulk those up each year to retain that kind of deep colour.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41Sometimes people grow alliums and they don't flower in the first season.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44And what we've found here is that they like plenty of heat
0:42:44 > 0:42:45and plenty of sun.
0:42:45 > 0:42:50They will do in shade but they'll thrive better in a sunny position.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52Once the alliums have finished flowering,
0:42:52 > 0:42:54don't be tempted to cut them back.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Let them dry naturally in the sunshine
0:42:57 > 0:43:00and you'll get secondary display later on in the season.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13If you're thinking of getting some alliums for your garden,
0:43:13 > 0:43:15don't forget to plant them in a sunny spot.
0:43:15 > 0:43:19Easier said than done. That's the end of our look at the letter A.
0:43:19 > 0:43:24Join us next time for more top tips from The A To Z Of TV Gardening.
0:43:24 > 0:43:25Goodbye.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd