0:00:00 > 0:00:03Hello. Welcome to The A to Z of TV Gardening
0:00:03 > 0:00:05where we sift through all your favourite gardening programmes
0:00:05 > 0:00:09and dig up a bumper crop of tips and advice
0:00:09 > 0:00:11from the best experts in the business.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Flowers, trees, fruits and veg,
0:00:14 > 0:00:17letter by letter they're all coming up a treat
0:00:17 > 0:00:19on The A to Z of TV Gardening.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38Everything we're looking at today begins with the letter...
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Here's what's coming up.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Dominic Littlewood goes naked gardening.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Once a month, people come here to enjoy the scenery,
0:00:46 > 0:00:48throw their clothes off...
0:00:50 > 0:00:52..and not get told off for it.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56Christine Walkden finds out about naturalistic planting.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59This looks like you just get a packet of flower seeds and go...
0:00:59 > 0:01:02- It's not that?- There's an awful lot more involved than that.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06And the traditional nut is making a comeback.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08My very first cobnut.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Shame on you! You should have had them before!
0:01:12 > 0:01:14That's all to come on today's show.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18But first, let's look at a plant that we all love to hate.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22Especially when the sunshine is out and you've slipped a pair of shorts on!
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Our first N is for nettles.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28If you're one of those gardeners who's scared of them stinging you,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31James Wong is here to show that you can overcome that fear.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37As an ethno-botanist, nettles are fascinating to me
0:01:37 > 0:01:40because they've been used by so many cultures for so many different things.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43From medicines to foods to textiles.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45One thing I've never heard them being used for, however,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48is for entertainment, but that's exactly what happens
0:01:48 > 0:01:50at the World Nettle Eating championships
0:01:50 > 0:01:54where they're eaten raw and stinging. And I'm taking part.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58The championships held for the last 12 years at The Bottle Inn pub in Marshwood, Dorset
0:01:58 > 0:02:02has attracted competitors from around the world.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04However, it started from rather more humble beginnings.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08The legend goes that two local farmers decided to settle a dispute
0:02:08 > 0:02:11over who had the longest nettles on their land
0:02:11 > 0:02:13and the loser would have to eat them.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15From this, the championships were born.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19But if I'm to stand any chance of succeeding, I'll need some help.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24And who better to turn to for advice than one of today's judges and the current world record holder.
0:02:24 > 0:02:29So, Simon, you're a true veteran. What do I need to do to prevent myself getting stung?
0:02:29 > 0:02:30- Commitment.- OK.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32It's a psychological test for you.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34- OK.- OK. And to focus.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37That's really important. So, pick a leaf and see how you get on.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41- And stick it in my mouth? - Stick it in your mouth.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43OK. Ouch!
0:02:43 > 0:02:46- When you go for that leaf, go with commitment.- OK.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50I'll show you. Pull it off so you've got the complete leaf there.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52- OK.- Give it a go.- That's all kinds of manly.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54- OK. No fear.- That's half OK.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Now make a little parcel like that.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Put it between two fingers and put it in your mouth. Don't touch your lips.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Lips are very sensitive.
0:03:05 > 0:03:10That's a lot easier than I was expecting! I didn't sleep last night because I was thinking about...
0:03:10 > 0:03:11What flavours are you getting there?
0:03:11 > 0:03:13Tastes a bit like cabbage. Watercress?
0:03:13 > 0:03:16- Right.- Stings your fingers more than it stings your tongue.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19OK. You've got to hold that thought in your head, OK?
0:03:19 > 0:03:21- OK.- That's the happy thought you have to stick with.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24- OK.- When you get to the bigger leaves, which you'll have to eat
0:03:24 > 0:03:28because there's no choice. You'll be given a two-foot length of nettle
0:03:28 > 0:03:31and you've got to take all the leaves off that stalk
0:03:31 > 0:03:33and put them in your mouth and eat them.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36For my record, I actually ate 76 foot.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Which is 38 stalks.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42- What are my chances?- I think you did moderately well, shall we say.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44A first timer, I reckon by the end of the timed hour,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47if you've eaten ten stalks, that's 20 foot,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49I'll be very impressed.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52'So Simon has set me a challenge.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55'Maybe a little ambitious, but I'll do my best.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59'I've resigned myself to the fact that I'll get stung a lot today.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02'But there's a good reason for these weeds being so defensive.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06'Stinging nettles have evolved to protect themselves from being eaten by animals
0:04:06 > 0:04:09'and each leaf contains a layer of hollow hairs
0:04:09 > 0:04:11'which are similar to hypodermic needles.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14'When they penetrate the skin, an acid is injected,
0:04:14 > 0:04:19'causing painful stings lasting for a few minutes to up to 24 hours.'
0:04:19 > 0:04:23If you do get stung by nettles, Mother Nature often has a remedy to hand.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25It's found in the simple form of a dock leaf.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27The leaves contain chemicals that are alkaline
0:04:27 > 0:04:30which help neutralise the acid sting of the nettles.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33They remove pain and help reduce inflammation.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35All you need to do is break off one,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38crush it up so you get the juice out and rub it on the affected area.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40It will get to work quite quickly.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43But there's so much more to nettles than their nasty sting.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Although at today's competition, the nettles are eaten raw,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49when they're chopped or dried, the sting completely disappears
0:04:49 > 0:04:52making them perfect to be used in traditional medicine
0:04:52 > 0:04:55or eaten as food, as they contain 40% protein,
0:04:55 > 0:04:57more than any other leafy vegetable.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Humans aren't the only species to find nettles useful.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05Up to 40 different types of insects lay their eggs specifically on nettles
0:05:05 > 0:05:07because the stings help protect them from predators.
0:05:08 > 0:05:13And even though I feel a little guilty about depriving insects of their protected habitat,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16I don't think I can use it as an excuse to get out of the competition!
0:05:18 > 0:05:23Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for turning up.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27Please, competitors, join us up here. Please come on.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30'I'm starting to feel quite nervous.'
0:05:33 > 0:05:35Brace yourselves. Brace yourselves.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40Five, four, three, two, one, and go!
0:05:43 > 0:05:47'The aim is to eat as many nettles as you can in one hour.'
0:05:48 > 0:05:51It's basically like a salad eating competition.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Except the salad bites back!
0:05:55 > 0:05:58The more you eat, the more the dye from the nettles turns your tongue black.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03I'm way behind. I've got a new technique, though. Check it out.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07If you do that, they all come off pretty quickly.
0:06:09 > 0:06:10So they're neater then.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14So you can get clean stems, but you've also got to eat the damn things.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23I'm going to do ten, cos that's the challenge Simon set for me.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30- Five, four, three, two, one! - That's it!
0:06:30 > 0:06:31Hooray!
0:06:31 > 0:06:33'Thank goodness that's over.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36I think it did pretty well. Hope the judge agrees!
0:06:38 > 0:06:42- You've got four.- I should be proclaimed the winner!
0:06:42 > 0:06:44- Six disqualified.- Excellent.
0:06:44 > 0:06:49So I think I've eaten about ten stems. Not bad going.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51About 20 foot of them.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55Except the judges don't consider any of these are good enough.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Because there are little bits of leaf left on them.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59So I've only done four stems,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01but that's eight foot high, taller than I am.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05That's not bad. First timer. Never know, next time I may beat them.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Haven't even got a black tongue yet!
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Today's joint winners, Mike Hobbs and Mel Lang
0:07:11 > 0:07:14ate 46 feet of nettles each!
0:07:14 > 0:07:15Astonishing!
0:07:15 > 0:07:18I had a brilliant time today.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22Even though I'm disappointed I had six stems disqualified.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25But nettles can have other uses.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29We stay with James as he helps teenager Alice
0:07:29 > 0:07:30with her hay fever allergy.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34It's really important that hay fever sufferers consult their doctor
0:07:34 > 0:07:37but I think I've got a traditional plant-based treatment
0:07:37 > 0:07:39that might have something to offer, too.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42I'm going to show Alice how to make a tea from the humble stinging nettle.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Alice, it couldn't be easier.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49I'm going to hand you a suitably glamorous pair of pink gloves.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Most people know what nettles look like,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55but if in doubt, there are two species that look quite similar.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57One is the dead nettle, with these white flowers.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02It's completely safe to eat, but doesn't have any sting and doesn't have the properties we're after.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07It's these babies over here. As soon as you touch them,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09you realise they do sting.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11All you've got to do is snip off a couple of bits.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15Pop them in a bowl. You don't need that many, either, to make tea.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Research published by American and Italian scientists
0:08:19 > 0:08:23suggest that nettle extract could help reduce the symptoms of hay fever.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26Many sufferers find that drinking nettle tea does help.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29That's all we need, I think.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36I don't always head out to the countryside with teapots and cups.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41You can make this at home, or buy it in quite a few large supermarkets.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44All you need to do is give them a good rinse. We've done that already.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Just get it in there and chop them up.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48You can do that with the same secateurs you used earlier.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50No need for a chopping board. Want to have a go?
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Are they good for you?
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Nettles are full of all different types of minerals.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Once, they were commonly eaten as a vegetable.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02Once you boil them up, the sting completely goes away.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04They only sting when they're raw.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07All you need, if I can do this without stinging myself,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10is about that for a pot of tea.
0:09:12 > 0:09:13That's about two spoons, I think.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20All you need to do is leave this for about five or ten minutes,
0:09:20 > 0:09:24just until the water starts to be tinged with the green.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27You can already smell the flavour start to kick in. What do you think?
0:09:27 > 0:09:29- Quite strong!- What do you think it smells like?
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Like vegetable soup.
0:09:33 > 0:09:34Have a go. See what you think.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36I promise it won't sting you.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Is it better than you expected it to be?
0:09:44 > 0:09:47I thought it was going to be horrible, but it's quite nice.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49'I'm not sure she's convinced!
0:09:49 > 0:09:52'But I think used in combination with conventional medicine,
0:09:52 > 0:09:54'that tea is really worth a go.'
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Now to a real beauty.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Named after a Greek youth who, according to myth,
0:10:03 > 0:10:07was so good-looking, he fell in love with his own reflection.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09N is for narcissus.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13Here's Sarah Raven, finding out about an unusual way
0:10:13 > 0:10:15of planting them.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19Chris Bailes has developed a fantastic system of growing narcissi from seed.
0:10:19 > 0:10:24I'm slightly dubious about the idea of growing bulbs from seed.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27It just feels like it's so easy to do, the other way.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29So is it really worth it?
0:10:29 > 0:10:33It is. I would say it, wouldn't I, but it is worth it.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35We've been growing our own here now
0:10:35 > 0:10:36for about 20 years.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39So we've got a little conveyor belt system going.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41And every year now, we get some.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45You have to wait that first three or four years, but now they're coming through every year.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49It's delightful. The little capsules will split open
0:10:49 > 0:10:50around May or June.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53Having separated the seed from the capsules,
0:10:53 > 0:11:00we then will sow it, typically, very soon after we collect it.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02You can leave it until early October,
0:11:02 > 0:11:06but they need to spend a whole winter to break their dormancy,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09- because they will be coming up... - They need a cold snap.
0:11:09 > 0:11:10Whatever.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13These are sown into our normal seed compost
0:11:13 > 0:11:16but into what are unfeasibly deep pots.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19It seems rather odd that something so small needs a pot this deep.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24But in the wild Narcissus grows in moist meadows
0:11:24 > 0:11:27in the upland regions of Portugal and north-west Spain.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31So this retains the cool moistness that they appreciate
0:11:31 > 0:11:36but we put in around about 25% of super-coarse Perlite
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- which keeps it beautifully open. - Yeah.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41- So it's moist but not boggy. - Absolutely.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45One just broadcasts the seeds thinly over the surface,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48a very light covering of the same compost
0:11:48 > 0:11:51and then a layer of coarse gravel
0:11:51 > 0:11:55to stop the liverworts and mosses strangling the poor things at birth.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57They then go into a cold frame.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59They actually spend all their lives in the nursery in cold frames.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Two years they'll spend in the seedling pot
0:12:03 > 0:12:06and then around about July, August, in their second year,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10we then pot them on into small containers,
0:12:10 > 0:12:12five or so bulbs per container.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Here you can see them being grown in the modular way
0:12:15 > 0:12:18in our normal potting compost then.
0:12:18 > 0:12:23And these containers are then kept again for about another two years
0:12:23 > 0:12:26as they gradually grow to flowering size.
0:12:28 > 0:12:29So these are four years old.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31And they're ready for planting out.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Absolutely. They're hot to trot.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38- What you want to do initially in an effect that looks random.- Yep.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43- Natural.- And we will use the bulb planter in the classical way.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Take out a nice plug.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Should be at least the depth of the pot, a bit more if you can get it.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53- So I just literally plop it in the bottom there.- That's right.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Do I want to compact it down or just leave it?
0:12:55 > 0:12:59No, what we do is we take into account the fact that these are young bulbs
0:12:59 > 0:13:02and they can find it difficult to pierce thick turf.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06So we actually take the top layer off.
0:13:06 > 0:13:07We lose that.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12And then we just crumble the soil and that just refills the hole.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15You've almost lost the plant as you can see, immediately.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Everything else will grow across. It will all knit in.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20This is meadow, this isn't fine turf,
0:13:20 > 0:13:22so the finish is perfectly acceptable.
0:13:22 > 0:13:27So as well as these chaps, are there any other species of narcissus that you do like this?
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Yes, we're doing Narcissus Bulbiconium.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31The lovely hoop-petticoat one.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35How wonderful. So this whole area is just a carpet of colour
0:13:35 > 0:13:38- all the way through the spring. - It certainly is, yes.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41- Well, I think you've convinced me! - Pleased to hear it!
0:13:41 > 0:13:44It's not just spring flowering bulbs from bulb,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46but seeds. Sounds like a jolly good idea to me!
0:13:49 > 0:13:52That looked like hard work. And you could argue that our next pick
0:13:52 > 0:13:55also involves a great deal of effort.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Even though the results don't really show it at all.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01This N is for naturalist planting.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Christine Walkden is meeting Mark Bishop,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07head gardener at The Garden House in Devon,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10to find out if it's really that demanding.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14- Hi, Mark. Nice to meet you. - Hello. Hi.- So what's this area?
0:14:14 > 0:14:16This is the original part of the garden.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20It was started by Lionel Fortescue in the 1940s.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23And over the 50 or so years, it's come to the stage
0:14:23 > 0:14:25where it needed to be replanted.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27So it's left me with a very interesting project.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30I'll say! What were the Fortescues like?
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Lionel, particularly, he was a schoolmaster at Eton.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36I understand he was quite feared among the pupils.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38If you misbehaved, the chances were
0:14:38 > 0:14:40he'd get you to weed some of his garden.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43What a fantastic way to get your garden weeded!
0:14:43 > 0:14:44I think it worked!
0:14:44 > 0:14:47'The legacy of the Fortescues
0:14:47 > 0:14:49'is a garden that combines huge variety
0:14:49 > 0:14:53'with an uncompromising approach to the growing of the best specimens possible.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57'The Garden House has also developed a reputation
0:14:57 > 0:14:59'for ground-breaking garden ideas.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02'A big and growing trend is naturalistic planting.
0:15:02 > 0:15:07'With this approach, it's not about military-style lines of plants.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09'You let nature take its course
0:15:09 > 0:15:11'and let all the flowers intermingle.'
0:15:14 > 0:15:16This is one of my favourite parts of the garden.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20- This is the cottage.- This is what they talk about naturalistic planting, isn't it?
0:15:20 > 0:15:24It is. And it's anything but natural, I can tell you.
0:15:24 > 0:15:30So how much time... This looks like you get a packet of flower seeds, and go...
0:15:30 > 0:15:33- It's not that?- There's an awful lot more involved than that.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36This is a framework of perennial plants
0:15:36 > 0:15:41and also a mixture of annuals that self-sow themselves in between,
0:15:41 > 0:15:43but we also repeat the sowing later on
0:15:43 > 0:15:45to get a second flowering, if you like.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47- So you're trying to extend that season.- Yes.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51The season of the cottage garden, ideally, should go from the beginning of May
0:15:51 > 0:15:53right through till the middle of October.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55How would you start off a garden like this?
0:15:55 > 0:15:59The first thing would be to choose your perennials very carefully.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Nothing too chunky.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04You wouldn't have dahlias, you wouldn't have dahlia leaves in here.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07Things with thin stems that wave around in the breeze.
0:16:07 > 0:16:12The odd grass. Things that are really good stalwart perennials
0:16:12 > 0:16:15that will go on year after year without too much attention.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18- Yes.- And then also in-between them,
0:16:18 > 0:16:20you choose a selection of different annuals.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Poppies are the obvious things.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25We've also got California poppies here which get up and just do it.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28They come up every year and providing there's a bit of spare ground,
0:16:28 > 0:16:30they'll occupy it.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33But you have to remember to fork over the space between your perennials.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35The empty pieces of ground.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Because if there's poppy seed in the soil or even corn cockles,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42these are plants of disturbed soil,
0:16:42 > 0:16:44so you get the self-sowing as well.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46- So if you don't do it, they don't come up?- No.
0:16:46 > 0:16:51Do you have to dead-head any of this stuff to keep it going? Or do you just let it go?
0:16:51 > 0:16:53We don't do a massive amount of dead-heading here
0:16:53 > 0:16:56because we do want certain things to seed around.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59For example, there's a Geranium Sanguinium in here.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01We want that to seed around
0:17:01 > 0:17:04because it's such a fantastic plant and it varies.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Because we're gardening in a very naturalistic style,
0:17:06 > 0:17:08we want the plants to vary as well.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12And we certainly don't dead-head the poppies.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15We go round every day sometimes and collect the ripe seed heads
0:17:15 > 0:17:17and just literally chuck them around like this!
0:17:20 > 0:17:23'I've got a real sense of why the garden is so innovative.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26'A quest for perfection that can be traced down the years
0:17:26 > 0:17:29'from the head gardeners to the original owners.'
0:17:33 > 0:17:36If you want to find out what you can achieve in your garden,
0:17:36 > 0:17:40here's a good example from former gardener of the year
0:17:40 > 0:17:41Diana Guy.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45When I saw this garden and realised I had a bank,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47I thought, "This is it.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51"I can do an amazing wildside bank
0:17:51 > 0:17:53"with naturalistic planting."
0:17:53 > 0:17:54We've only actually been here 22 weeks.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57We started the garden on the first day of March
0:17:57 > 0:18:00and I have to tell you everything you see around you
0:18:00 > 0:18:03bar just the odd clump of hemerocallis or whatever,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06has actually been planted since that date.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09We started off by getting in diggers
0:18:09 > 0:18:12to clear away overgrown areas of which there were quite a few.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16And I also brought with me part of my extensive collection
0:18:16 > 0:18:19of hellebores from my previous house, Welcome Thatch.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22And they all had to go in the ground fairly promptly.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25So it was go, go, go, from the very first week, really.
0:18:25 > 0:18:31When we moved here, clearly the tropical plants weren't really going to fit in
0:18:31 > 0:18:34with a garden that's so rural with such a lovely rural background.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38So I thought naturalistic planting, using drifts of natural things,
0:18:38 > 0:18:39that's the way to go.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43That's going to be one of the key elements as I develop this garden.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47The winner is...
0:18:47 > 0:18:49..Diana Guy.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53'In 2004, when my name was called out
0:18:53 > 0:18:55'as the winner of Gardener of the Year,
0:18:55 > 0:18:57'I have to tell you it just felt amazing.'
0:18:57 > 0:18:59It felt as if I was literally walking on air.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03It was particularly poignant for two reasons, really.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05One was that it was my sixth attempt to win.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08And sadly, it was the year that my mother died
0:19:08 > 0:19:12and so I felt a little twinge of sadness
0:19:12 > 0:19:13that she hadn't witnessed that,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16but it was partly that, really, that helped me to win
0:19:16 > 0:19:21because she died in April and I threw myself into making my garden look as good as I could that year.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24It had been a real rollercoaster year for me.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28And then to have that announcement made, it was just wonderful.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32It's quite amazing what you can achieve when you're that determined.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Really inspiring.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35Still to come:
0:19:35 > 0:19:37nuts, naked gardening,
0:19:37 > 0:19:39and what happens in your garden at night time.
0:19:39 > 0:19:44But first, we're visiting a garden that belongs to the poet Pam Ayres
0:19:44 > 0:19:47for a quick look at one of her favourite plants.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Our next N is for Nepeta.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56One of the things I really like about my garden
0:19:56 > 0:19:58is that whenever anyone comes to visit,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01they always say, "Oh, what a lovely lavender walk."
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Actually, it's not lavender at all.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06It's Nepeta, otherwise known as catmint.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09Which, in my opinion, is a much better bet than lavender.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12I like lavender, but it gets very woody.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15It ages very quickly, it seems to me.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Whereas this has got a very long season.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Like lavender, it's a very good attractant for insects.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24When the flowers are finished blooming, you just go over it with the shears
0:20:24 > 0:20:28and it all comes up again in these lovely pale green cushions.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31The leaves smell lovely and herby
0:20:31 > 0:20:34and it blooms all over again, so it's got a nice long season.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37And in my opinion, it knocks spots off lavender!
0:20:43 > 0:20:44Well said, Pam!
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Now coming up is an exotic plant
0:20:47 > 0:20:50but it's one that can be seen growing in the wild in this country.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53N is for Nymphaeaceae.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55Water lilies, to you and me!
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Monty Don will plant a few later on,
0:20:57 > 0:21:01but first, here's Carol Klein with all you need to know.
0:21:01 > 0:21:06They take their name from the Greek word for Nymphaea,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09a water nymph, mythological creature,
0:21:09 > 0:21:13who lived in rivers, streams, ponds, lakes.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16It's these beautiful flowers
0:21:16 > 0:21:21which inspired some of the most celebrated paintings in the world.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Claude Monet's Les Nympheas.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25The Water Lilies.
0:21:25 > 0:21:31Of course, his water lilies were in his pools and ponds at Giverny.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33They were cultivated varieties.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37But those lilies, and all our water lilies,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40have their roots firmly in the wild.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50You'd hardly believe that this exotic looking plant
0:21:50 > 0:21:54is indigenous to the British Isles.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57It's one of only a couple of species
0:21:57 > 0:21:59that we have as wild flowers.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01It's an extremely vigorous plant.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04When it's left to its own devices,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08it will just take over any stretch of water it can find
0:22:08 > 0:22:11and cover it with these great green pads
0:22:11 > 0:22:14and these exotic white flowers.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24Think of water lilies and you imagine a whole array of colours
0:22:24 > 0:22:27that goes far beyond yellow and white.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30This is down to the life's work
0:22:30 > 0:22:31of one passionate Frenchman.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36Joseph Marliac devoted his life to the water lily.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39Using wild species as his starting point,
0:22:39 > 0:22:44he developed and hybridised over 110 new cultivars
0:22:44 > 0:22:47in a kaleidoscopic range of colour.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Here at Bennett's Water Garden,
0:22:49 > 0:22:56Jonathan Bennett knows all about how this incredible colour range was developed.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59What did he start off with, then?
0:22:59 > 0:23:03I believe he started off with the wild white alba lily.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08- Yeah.- And he also imported the Mexicana Yellow from South America.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11I think that was the magic ingredient.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15The plants that he got together there were capable of producing seed
0:23:15 > 0:23:17in the climate he brought them together in.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20It was in the south of France, a lovely warm climate.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Look at this! Isn't this beautiful!
0:23:25 > 0:23:26Yeah.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32You must love them, too, Jonathan.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Yes, I've been working with them for so many years now.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38If you have to throw the plant away because it's in the wrong place, it's a weed,
0:23:38 > 0:23:43you have to save the flower and pop it in water, cos it'll carry on opening for a few more days.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46It's such a beautiful thing. There you go.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54- It's a beautiful colour, isn't it? - Such perfection.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00What are their roots like?
0:24:00 > 0:24:01Apart from being ugly?
0:24:01 > 0:24:03The chunks of rhizome down there
0:24:03 > 0:24:06and fine roots that spread right out through the mud.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09In this situation, they're spreading miles away.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13Bring in the food, extracting nutrients from the base.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16And the leaves, they make a contribution, too.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18They're the food factory of the plant.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22The unique thing with aquatics is they're taking air down to the roots.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24There's not much air down in the mud.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28- And the stems have got these little...- Tubes.- That's it.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31So it's not just photosynthesis.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33It's dragging air in, as well.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Which one is this?
0:24:35 > 0:24:36This is a Marliac one, too?
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Yes. This one's called Hermine.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40It's almost brilliant white
0:24:40 > 0:24:45and it's grown for the unique thing about the star shape of the flower.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47And lovely apple-green leaves.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Something tells me this is a special favourite of yours.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52I've got this in my garden pond at home.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54- That's a really good recommendation. - Yes.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59- And you've got the pick of how many? - About 180 varieties! Yes.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11- This is Escarboucle. - Escarboucle. What a lovely name.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13It's difficult to say. It's a slow grower
0:25:13 > 0:25:16and it doesn't produce many side-shoots.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18So therefore, it won't fill a pond up so quickly.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Joseph Marliac's breeding programme continued apace.
0:25:29 > 0:25:35But he needed somewhere, a broader platform to exhibit what he'd achieved so far.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39The opportunity arose when, towards the end of the century,
0:25:39 > 0:25:40in 1889,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43the World Fair was held in Paris.
0:25:43 > 0:25:49He took his water lilies there and showed them off to huge public acclaim.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51One of the people who saw them there
0:25:51 > 0:25:53was the painter Claude Monet.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56He fell in love with them.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59He wanted to grow them, but more than that,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01he wanted to paint them.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05But just imagine what those paintings of Giverny would have been like
0:26:05 > 0:26:08if it hadn't been for the work of Joseph Marliac
0:26:08 > 0:26:13in creating this wonderful range of beautiful colours and forms.
0:26:13 > 0:26:21In fact, they might have contained only white and yellow water lilies.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35Thanks, Carol.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Now let's join Monty Don who's pulled on his waders
0:26:38 > 0:26:41to tell us more about these wonderful aquatic flowers.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45When I planted these water lilies...
0:26:46 > 0:26:50..I set them up on layers of bricks
0:26:50 > 0:26:54because the idea is to have the water lily foliage
0:26:54 > 0:26:56just sitting on the surface.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58If you've got deep water and a short plant,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01it's obviously not going to happen. They'd be completely submerged.
0:27:01 > 0:27:06So by jacking it up, that gives it a chance to get the maximum light
0:27:06 > 0:27:10and then as they grow, you can lower them down.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13If I lift this one up here,
0:27:13 > 0:27:15you can see it's well clear of the water.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17I could drop that by about six inches.
0:27:17 > 0:27:22As long as one or two of the leaves are floating on the surface,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24the others can be below the water level.
0:27:26 > 0:27:31Now, the base of the pond is sloping and it's quite slippery.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33So I don't want to go falling over,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36which I'm sure would provide good entertainment.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38But not the desired effect.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Leave that to one side.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43I'll set it down there.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46And then grovel around under the water
0:27:46 > 0:27:48for bricks.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51I put the bricks inside a plastic container
0:27:51 > 0:27:54so they wouldn't fall over and damage the liner.
0:27:54 > 0:27:55There are two.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02Two more.
0:28:17 > 0:28:18Right.
0:28:18 > 0:28:23See, that leaf is floating on the surface
0:28:23 > 0:28:26as is that one and just about that one.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28So that's perfect.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31Still one brick to take out
0:28:31 > 0:28:33and then it'll be sitting on the bottom.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35I don't have to do that this year. It can stay all winter, if need be.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38If they don't grow any more.
0:28:38 > 0:28:43But that now will encourage it go grow more and get more established and spread out.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46Thanks, Monty.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51We try on this programme to cast a bit of light
0:28:51 > 0:28:53over subjects that you come across whilst gardening.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55But for this next item,
0:28:55 > 0:28:57we're doing the exact opposite.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59It's all about darkness.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02This N is for Night Time.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05On this piece, we're looking at a night-loving creature,
0:29:05 > 0:29:07the moth.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09So let's join Toby Butland
0:29:09 > 0:29:12to check what's flying just outside your window.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16As night fell over Greenacre,
0:29:16 > 0:29:20keen moth catcher Dr Zoe Randle from Butterfly Conservation
0:29:20 > 0:29:22brought along two traps.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26One that captured the moths in a bowl beneath the light
0:29:26 > 0:29:30and the other, a more Heath Robinson sort of set-up.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32This is the low-tech option,
0:29:32 > 0:29:34but again we're going to use a mercury vapour bulb
0:29:34 > 0:29:38but if you wanted to do this at home without any hi-tech bulbs,
0:29:38 > 0:29:42just put a white sheet out and put a torch out.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46During the day, you see lots of butterflies drinking nectar
0:29:46 > 0:29:50and pollinating plants along with the bees and day-flying moths.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53But during the night-time, there'll be hundreds of moths out here
0:29:53 > 0:29:55helping to pollinate your plants.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59- What's this one called? - This is a Brimstone moth.
0:29:59 > 0:30:01Look at that. Absolute beauty.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04Really lovely, and really well camouflaged
0:30:04 > 0:30:08when it's in amongst the vegetation.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12They're coming in thick and fast, aren't they?
0:30:12 > 0:30:14Ah, I know exactly what this is.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16- Can you see...- It's like an owl!
0:30:16 > 0:30:20And he looks like he's got flying glasses on.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22- Yes.- It's called a spectacle.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26It's called a Spectacle because he looks like he's got big glasses on.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29- A Spectacle!- Yep. They're absolutely fantastic.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32- How apt!- Yes.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34- Shall we see how the other one's getting on?- Yes.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38I can see them flying round.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41Do you think we'll get any more in here tonight,
0:30:41 > 0:30:42or is this about it?
0:30:42 > 0:30:45No, we should get lots more. We'll leave the trap running overnight.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47They fly at different times of night.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49The longer we leave the trap out for,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52the more chance we've got of catching different things.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02I'm eager to see our catch.
0:31:04 > 0:31:05Let's hope it's a good one.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08- It was looking pretty good last night.- It was, yes.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Wow.
0:31:12 > 0:31:13I can't see anything, Zoe!
0:31:13 > 0:31:17Look at that down there. Quick, let's get in there.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19Are they likely to just flutter away?
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Some of them will. Some are quite flighty,
0:31:22 > 0:31:24so they will up and fly off.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26Just check under there. No.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28If we take this one off here.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31So they hole up amongst the egg boxes.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33They hide in amongst the egg boxes.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36This is one that people will commonly come across.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38This is the Large Yellow Underwing.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40It's quite flighty and he's a big beast.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42He's quite meaty, isn't he?
0:31:42 > 0:31:45Is that the main difference between moths and butterflies?
0:31:45 > 0:31:49No, there's no real difference between butterflies and moths.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52They're all the same. It's an artificial divide.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55Some people say butterflies have clubbed antennae,
0:31:55 > 0:31:56but there's many moths that have.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00Some say butterflies fly by day, and moths fly at night,
0:32:00 > 0:32:03but there are more day-flying moths than there are butterflies.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07As a gardener, you'll come across loads of day-flying moths.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11So this Large Yellow Underwing you'll come across quite often
0:32:11 > 0:32:13in the garden when you're weeding.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15You won't see the moth at first,
0:32:15 > 0:32:19but as you disturb it, it'll fly off and show you a flash of yellow as its underwings.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22- So that's a common one. - A really common one.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25Common and widespread. Everyone will have them in their garden.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29Now, this one here. See this one?
0:32:29 > 0:32:32This is a... That WAS a Dun-bar!
0:32:33 > 0:32:35The exciting thing about the Dun-bar
0:32:35 > 0:32:39is their caterpillars are cannibalistic.
0:32:39 > 0:32:43So if they come across other caterpillars, they'll eat them.
0:32:43 > 0:32:44Look at that one.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48Oh, yes. That's a Black Arches.
0:32:48 > 0:32:49That's a conifer feeder.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52It's probably come in from the woodland over the fence there.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55- So the larvae feed on conifers?- Yes.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57I've seen a lot of these around
0:32:57 > 0:32:58and wondered what they are.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01This time of year, they're pretty common this time of year.
0:33:01 > 0:33:07I have to say there's a lot of satisfaction to knowing what visits the garden at night.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11- Definitely.- Let's release them back to the wild.- Yeah.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15If we find some nice long grass and put them in there.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17They can rest there until they're ready to fly again.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19Let's do it.
0:33:28 > 0:33:32Our next pick covers a range of different types,
0:33:32 > 0:33:35some of which are common on trees in many people's gardens.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39Some you're used to seeing in recipe books or supermarket aisles.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41This N is for Nuts.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44Here we're joining Julia Bradbury and Jules Hudson
0:33:44 > 0:33:47on a specific quest for the cobnut.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50Don't worry if you've never heard of it. You're not alone!
0:33:50 > 0:33:53- Do you know what that is?- A hop.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55- Guess again.- Don't know!
0:33:55 > 0:33:57- Ever seen one before?- No.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59Do you know what that is?
0:34:00 > 0:34:02Yes. It's a nut of some sort.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04It is. Go on. What sort of nut?
0:34:04 > 0:34:06- A cobnut?- It is a cobnut! Yes!
0:34:06 > 0:34:08Later on, I'll be cooking with cobnuts.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12But first, Jules has been finding out why they're such a modern mystery.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15With walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews and pistachios
0:34:15 > 0:34:18we all sort of know what we're getting.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21But mention cobnuts and chances are, you'll draw a blank.
0:34:24 > 0:34:29Which seems strange, since they are one of our oldest and most traditional types of nut.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33A cobnut is really just a form of cultivated hazelnut
0:34:33 > 0:34:35and we've been growing them here for about 400 years
0:34:35 > 0:34:37in gardens and in orchards.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39But nowadays it seems the great British public
0:34:39 > 0:34:42have fallen out of love with them.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Or at least we had.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48Now, thanks to a handful of passionate growers, they're making a comeback.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52John Cannon is on a mission to put them back on the nation's dinner tables.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56John, why do you think it is that very few people know about cobnuts?
0:34:56 > 0:35:03I think basically the sort of people who enjoyed them in their youth have passed on.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07The younger generation have so much food offered to them in the supermarkets,
0:35:07 > 0:35:10they have forgotten or haven't had the experience of cobnuts.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13But there is something of a resurgence now with them.
0:35:13 > 0:35:18- Why?- I think there's a big interest in food, real food,
0:35:18 > 0:35:21unprocessed food, and the nut is coming into its own.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Cobnut orchards are called plants, short for plantation.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26At the time of the First World War,
0:35:26 > 0:35:30there were around 7,000 acres under cultivation, most of that in Kent.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33But now it's down to just 250.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35At this time of year, John takes on extra hands,
0:35:35 > 0:35:38to help pick the cobnuts whilst they're still green.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42Are they ready to go? How far off being edible are they?
0:35:42 > 0:35:44People like them in two different stages.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48One green, when they're crunchy, and these are very crunchy and sweet.
0:35:48 > 0:35:54And of course the normal nut is regarded as a brown nut at Christmas time.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57So if we leave these till they drop to the ground
0:35:57 > 0:35:59and we pick them up or thereabouts,
0:35:59 > 0:36:03they become storable to Christmas quite happily.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06But this has to be eaten fairly quickly because it's fresh.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Can we try one? Are they ready to go?
0:36:08 > 0:36:10Certainly you can, yes. They're ready to go.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16- Look at that.- That's the husk.
0:36:18 > 0:36:23To crack it we put it lengthways so we don't crack the kernel.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25- And there we have the kernel. - So that's it.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27My very first cobnut.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29Shame on you!
0:36:29 > 0:36:31Should have had them before!
0:36:32 > 0:36:36Once the nuts are picked and sorted, they're packed and sent off to the shops.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39These are Kent cobnuts, but there are many different varieties.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42This is a decorative nut, a garden nut.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44It's called Purple Filbert.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48It's edible and quite sweet but rather small.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52Here we have a French nut, a Fertile de Coutard,
0:36:52 > 0:36:54normally known as a Barcelona.
0:36:54 > 0:36:55It's more for processing.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59It's got too much felt on it to eat as a dessert nut.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03But it's a good processing nut and goes in chocolate and cakes and things like that.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07- These are huge, John.- These are an Oregon nut from America.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11A Butler, which is quite a popular nut to grow now commercially.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13It's good for cracking.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15John grows more than 40 varieties here.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17But these nuts are not just for Christmas.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21You can use them all year round, and in a surprising number of ways.
0:37:22 > 0:37:23Paul. Cobnut.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26- Pork and a bit of...- Black pudding. - Black pudding.
0:37:26 > 0:37:32- How do they go together?- At this time of year, the green cobnuts have a really subtle flavour.
0:37:32 > 0:37:33With the apples as well,
0:37:33 > 0:37:38the beetroot, the idea is to get these fresh local seasonal ingredients
0:37:38 > 0:37:39and just mix them together.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42So, on the menu, cobnut salad. Should be interesting!
0:37:42 > 0:37:46I'm toasting the cobnuts. Pan, bit of olive oil.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48Nice and hot and smoking.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50Turn the heat off, take the nuts
0:37:50 > 0:37:52and throw them in the pan.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56Let the heat of the oil in the pan just toast them off gently.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59A little bit of salt in there.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03What that does is bring out the natural flavour of the nut,
0:38:03 > 0:38:05and gives it a nice roasty flavour.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07Oh, that's divine.
0:38:07 > 0:38:09They're just roasting off.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12Cobnut kernels also have nutritional benefits.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15There's about the same amount of protein in six cobnuts
0:38:15 > 0:38:17as there is in a piece of steak.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20They're very rich in fibre, vitamin C and calcium.
0:38:20 > 0:38:21And that's our salad.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Here we go.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28Mmm! Mmmm! Mmmm!
0:38:29 > 0:38:31All the flavours ping off one another.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33The best thing is, it's a completely local dish.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35It is absolutely divine.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38The cobnuts have that lovely little crunch.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42The pork is done to perfection. That's delicious.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45And how about squash with a cobnut stuffing?
0:38:45 > 0:38:48And cobnut and chocolate shortbread.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50Its versatility is just one of the reasons
0:38:50 > 0:38:53that the cobnut is making a welcome comeback.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59And we've reached our final N today.
0:38:59 > 0:39:00Would you Adam and Eve it?
0:39:00 > 0:39:03That's a little cue to the subject matter!
0:39:03 > 0:39:06Our final N is for Naked Gardening.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08Here's Dominic Littlewood to reveal all!
0:39:09 > 0:39:11Today is a day with a difference.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13Because here in the heart of rural Wiltshire,
0:39:13 > 0:39:15lies Abbey House Gardens.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18And they're stunningly picturesque!
0:39:29 > 0:39:32This was a Benedictine monastery 1,300 years ago.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36So it's fair to say it's a historical and holy place.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38But nowadays, once a month,
0:39:38 > 0:39:40people come here to enjoy the scenery,
0:39:40 > 0:39:43the gardens, have a picnic.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45Throw their clothes off!
0:39:48 > 0:39:50And not get told off for it!
0:39:50 > 0:39:51It's a first for me!
0:40:01 > 0:40:03Like me, you're probably asking yourself
0:40:03 > 0:40:05why naked in the garden?
0:40:05 > 0:40:09Let me tell you. It all started when naturists Ian and Barbara Pollard
0:40:09 > 0:40:11bought Abbey House.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Being keen historians and gardeners,
0:40:13 > 0:40:15they set about recreating this estate
0:40:15 > 0:40:17to reflect the history of the site.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20Tell me about the gardens.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22We bought the place back in '94.
0:40:22 > 0:40:2513 years. When we came there was nothing here.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29The only bit of yew was that funny face. Not a bad resemblance!
0:40:29 > 0:40:31Thanks a lot! OK. I can see where this is going!
0:40:33 > 0:40:35I wanted to get the history of the place into the garden.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39So we're walking along the side of my Celtic cross knot garden.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47This is an open day with a difference, isn't it?
0:40:47 > 0:40:49We've become known as the Naked Gardeners.
0:40:49 > 0:40:54We found that naturists were emailing us saying, "If you garden naked,
0:40:54 > 0:40:59"can we visit naked?" And we decided to offer one day a month
0:40:59 > 0:41:01to allow people that opportunity.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04What's the difference between a normal naturists' day and an open day?
0:41:04 > 0:41:07A normal naturist event elsewhere
0:41:07 > 0:41:10would be where everyone has to take their clothes off.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13Here, it's entirely optional.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17What could you do that would make me feel like getting my clothes off now?
0:41:17 > 0:41:21We're not here to persuade you to take your clothes off at all.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24What we are doing is giving you the opportunity.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27- So I'm the odd one out with my clothes on!- Afraid so!
0:41:27 > 0:41:29You don't have to stay clothed.
0:41:29 > 0:41:34I can't help feeling a bit awkward about letting people see me in my birthday suit.
0:41:37 > 0:41:38Especially as it needs an iron!
0:41:48 > 0:41:50You know what they say?
0:41:50 > 0:41:52When in Rome, do what the Romans do.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56That's what I did. I got butt-naked and mingled with the naturists.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58Oi, do you mind?
0:41:58 > 0:42:01I've got to be honest. I didn't enjoy it at all.
0:42:01 > 0:42:02I felt very conscious of the fact
0:42:02 > 0:42:05that I was looking at people, they were looking at me,
0:42:05 > 0:42:07and I felt like covering myself up.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10I can understand why Ian and Barbara do it,
0:42:10 > 0:42:14but what I can't understand is why so many other people
0:42:14 > 0:42:17travel so far to come and do it here.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24- Where are you from?- Coventry.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27Everybody seems to be enjoying themselves, except me!
0:42:27 > 0:42:29I never know quite where to look!
0:42:29 > 0:42:32You find that people don't look anywhere apart from eye contact.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35Most of the time. It's the feeling of freedom
0:42:35 > 0:42:38that you can enjoy nature as nature intended.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41I hope you don't mind me saying your hair looks like it's lost!
0:42:41 > 0:42:44- Does it?- It's all over your chest with none up there!
0:42:44 > 0:42:46Why are you carrying towels with you?
0:42:46 > 0:42:49At all naturist events, we carry towels.
0:42:49 > 0:42:50We carry something to sit on.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52Do you tell people at work about this?
0:42:52 > 0:42:55- They'll all know now!- They'll definitely know now, yes!
0:42:56 > 0:42:59It's been a liberating experience, but I must be honest.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02I'm not so sure I'll be rushing back to do it again soon.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04One thing I have learnt, though.
0:43:04 > 0:43:05This is not a place for voyeurs.
0:43:05 > 0:43:09In fact, voyeurs are actively discouraged.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12So if you don't have any hang-ups and want to get back to nature,
0:43:12 > 0:43:14this could be for you.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18Can I just interrupt. You haven't seen a pile of clothes anywhere?
0:43:18 > 0:43:20No, sorry.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23- Can I borrow one of your towels? - No, bring your own!
0:43:23 > 0:43:24Thanks a lot(!)
0:43:26 > 0:43:29Well, he's shown everything he's got there!
0:43:29 > 0:43:31And so have we, for today.
0:43:31 > 0:43:36Do join us next time for more top tips on The A to Z of TV Gardening.
0:43:36 > 0:43:37Goodbye!
0:44:00 > 0:44:03Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd