0:00:02 > 0:00:04Hello, and welcome to the A-Z Of TV Gardening.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07We are on a mission to dig up the best advice and guidance
0:00:07 > 0:00:09from all your favourite programmes and presenters.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12So join me as, letter after letter, one by one,
0:00:12 > 0:00:17we explore everything from flowers and trees to fruit and veg.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37Everything we're looking at today begins with the letter U.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Here's what's coming up.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42Joe Swift goes to Germany for inspiration on urban gardening.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46You know, this place is so impressive.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50It's doesn't feel like high-density housing at all.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53We tool up for a fight against knotweed.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54It's just down here.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56It's impossible to miss, it's huge!
0:00:56 > 0:00:59I know. You just affect the plant you're targeting,
0:00:59 > 0:01:01you don't get anything else affected.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05And fatal attraction, Christine Walkden visits a garden
0:01:05 > 0:01:07that is packed with poisonous plants.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10I'm surrounded by a rather sinister collection of plants.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13Ones that you'd do well to avoid.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16That's all to look forward to, but let's begin with a gardening
0:01:16 > 0:01:22family that covers a huge range of plants, flowers and even vegetables.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27This U is for Umbelliferae, also known as Apiaceae.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31and here's Carol Klein on why she thinks they're unbeatable.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38I adore all sorts of cottage plants.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42But perhaps Astrantia major is the most iconic of them all.
0:01:42 > 0:01:47One of its country names is pincushion. You can quite see why.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51It belongs to the Umbelliferae family, which is now called Apiaceae.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55And usually the plants you associate with that are things like this Pimpinella,
0:01:55 > 0:02:01with these flat heads composed of lots of tiny flowers.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04But here it's got a completely different form.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06And I think it's unique.
0:02:06 > 0:02:11Each flower in the centre here is suspended on a little stem,
0:02:11 > 0:02:13so the whole thing shakes and shivers.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17And around the edge is this big circle of bracts
0:02:17 > 0:02:20in which these tiny flowers sit.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22And those bracts will stay there
0:02:22 > 0:02:25right the way through when this has been pollinated
0:02:25 > 0:02:27and each of these flowers has changed to seed.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31What happens then is the seeds fall off and they sit encompassed
0:02:31 > 0:02:35in these bracts until exactly the right time,
0:02:35 > 0:02:38when they fall to the ground.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42It does self-seed everywhere. You're always getting lovely seedlings.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49In its native habitat it lives on fringes of woodland
0:02:49 > 0:02:54around the edge, because what this plant adores is ample moisture
0:02:54 > 0:02:56and a really good, rich diet
0:02:56 > 0:02:58and dappled shade,
0:02:58 > 0:02:59and that's the kind of place
0:02:59 > 0:03:02where you will find it at its best in this garden too.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11And as well as this lovely green and white form,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13there are a whole load of others too.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Come and look at this one here.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20This plant, which I've got all over the place here,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23is astrantia Roma, one of the best atrantias of the lot.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28It's a completely sterile hybrid,
0:03:28 > 0:03:32so these plants last for ages and ages and ages.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37The sort of neighbours that astrantias enjoy living with are things
0:03:37 > 0:03:40that enjoy the same sort of condition.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41Just look how it goes
0:03:41 > 0:03:45so beautifully with things like this lovely soft Rosa mundi.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50With dark-red Sweet Williams. It's lovely with crimson.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52But as well as astrantia Roma,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55with these very pink flowers, there's also
0:03:55 > 0:04:00a whole range of very exciting astrantias in dark-crimson shades.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08I love to grow those dark ones
0:04:08 > 0:04:11with things like verbascum Cotswold Beauty,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14and the spikes of the verbascum
0:04:14 > 0:04:18are perfect with these big, soft mounds of flowers.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Try them with all manner of things.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24It really doesn't matter what you put them with.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26You can make them look formal,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30you can make them look completely soft, relaxed, laid-back.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33They're plants that everybody can use.
0:04:36 > 0:04:42I'm looking for the right home for these lovely Cenolophium denudatum,
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Baltic parsley,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48that I picked up at Chelsea, where it was very much in evidence.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52You can see immediately why this was one of the first
0:04:52 > 0:04:58groups of plants to be identified as belonging to one family.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01And so this seems at first to be just one flower,
0:05:01 > 0:05:04if you look more closely, you can identify
0:05:04 > 0:05:08the fact that it is composed of lots of these tiny little bouquets.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12And if you look underneath, what a wonderful evolution.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15All those stems are different lengths,
0:05:15 > 0:05:19but they make sure that that plateau is as flat as a pancake.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24So on different sort of levels you can get into more and more detail.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Another characteristic is the stems,
0:05:27 > 0:05:30which become hollow as the plant begins to flower.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34And yet another one is these ferny leaves.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39In some cases they are so ferny, they are downright filigree.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48One of the finest examples of this froth of foliage
0:05:48 > 0:05:50is this fabulous fennel.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55It's so tactile, you just feel like diving into the middle of it
0:05:55 > 0:05:58and the scent...
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Out of this world!
0:06:05 > 0:06:09This is the opposite sort of a plant. Ow!
0:06:10 > 0:06:11It's Eryngium bourgatii,
0:06:11 > 0:06:16and at first sight you'd think what has that got to do with Apiaceae?
0:06:16 > 0:06:19But there's always one or two members of every family
0:06:19 > 0:06:22that are quite different from the rest.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26I grow lots more of these from seed, from selected plants.
0:06:26 > 0:06:31But every so often you get a few plants which are extra special
0:06:31 > 0:06:33and the only way to propagate them
0:06:33 > 0:06:36and make certain that you've got the same plant,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39is to take root cuttings of them. There's a nice chunky root.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Look at that. Let's just pull this out. It's mouthwatering!
0:06:47 > 0:06:49I should get several out of that,
0:06:49 > 0:06:51so I won't bother with this little end bit,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55but I'll take one piece here.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Just going to cut them into quite even-sized pieces,
0:06:59 > 0:07:03making sure, because polarity is important,
0:07:03 > 0:07:08that the bit that was closest to the crown is facing upwards in my pot.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14Erngiums just adore a hot, sunny site
0:07:14 > 0:07:17and they love decent drainage,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19but there are some members of the family
0:07:19 > 0:07:21that like the opposite kind of conditions.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Astrantias thrive on heavy, damp soil,
0:07:26 > 0:07:32where they make luscious clumps. There are all manner of varieties.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37The pure green and white of major, hybrids like Astrantia roma,
0:07:37 > 0:07:44with these rich pink flowers and lots of glorious dark crimson shades, too.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46When you get right down to it,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49the structure of many of the flowers of this family
0:07:49 > 0:07:52are very, very similar, but when it comes to scale,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54it's quite a different matter.
0:07:54 > 0:07:59These towering stems of angelica archangelica
0:07:59 > 0:08:01represent one end of the scale.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05There are all manner of herbs and spices,
0:08:05 > 0:08:08from coriander to caraway to cumin,
0:08:08 > 0:08:14not forgetting the common or garden carrot.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17That's right, the green spouting part of the carrot
0:08:17 > 0:08:20is a sign that it belongs to the umbelliferae family, too.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23How's that for a bit of gardening general knowledge?
0:08:23 > 0:08:25Still to come, city gardening,
0:08:25 > 0:08:29and the undesirable plants you don't want growing near you.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32But now, for something completely different,
0:08:32 > 0:08:35extraordinary creations you encounter in gardening design,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38because this U is for unusual gardens.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42And we start by celebrating the king of unusual gardening,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Diarmuid Gavin.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47This is my seventh garden in 15 years
0:08:47 > 0:08:50and it just seems appropriate.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53I had an idea that I thought would be exciting.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56I had no particular desire to do Chelsea this year,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00but it just came together as something, that...
0:09:00 > 0:09:02..it was fate.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05You see the empty plot and you think, "Oh no!
0:09:05 > 0:09:07"I've got to dominate that and every square inch of it,"
0:09:07 > 0:09:13but after a while, you start to dig and you realise nothing has changed.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16As a generation of garden designers,
0:09:16 > 0:09:18we have to discover something new to say.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22On all sorts of different levels and for me there's no point in being here
0:09:22 > 0:09:27just painting a pretty picture that I've seen a million times before.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31It would be utterly pointless.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34There's lots of bits of inspiration for the garden,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37first of all it's coming from Ireland, but also a cinema,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Avatar, the idea of those floating islands,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43with strange creatures in blue zooming past them.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Then the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim,
0:09:46 > 0:09:51the stones that make this fascinating structure,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54stepping up, out of the water, I love that
0:09:54 > 0:09:57and also the idea of being able to be up in a garden in the sky
0:09:57 > 0:09:59and almost see home.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04I just love the elegance of it. I like the colour.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Seeing the colour in relation to this ribinia,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09this tree that's just outside.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12It's the first kind of garden association I've had with it,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15so that's a bit of a thrill.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17We have some trees coming today from Germany
0:10:17 > 0:10:19and I'm probably a bit more excited about those trees
0:10:19 > 0:10:23because they're unbelievable. Oh!
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Is it a big indulgence, is it a big pink elephant?
0:10:29 > 0:10:33I've caused this, I've caused a big load on a truck
0:10:33 > 0:10:38and I hope it's valid.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45Think about the colour.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- You won't see too much when we plant it.- No.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56What we have here is one of the feature trees of the garden,
0:10:56 > 0:10:58it's a cone-shaped carpinus.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01The big disks we see on the ground
0:11:01 > 0:11:06are 25, 30, very large circular pools.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Based on the idea of the Giant's Causeway, of those stones
0:11:09 > 0:11:12stepping up out of the water, almost up a hill,
0:11:12 > 0:11:15these will be reflective pools.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19The Chelsea Flower Show gave me a life.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23I did my first garden here in 1995.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28It's a very fair place, it's a fun place, it's a difficult place,
0:11:28 > 0:11:32it's a stressful place, but I owe it everything.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39So what does Chelsea owe Diarmuid?
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Well, quite a lot, when it comes to publicity.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45You can't have escaped the pictures of this flying pod
0:11:45 > 0:11:48in the newspapers all week and the cries from some
0:11:48 > 0:11:51that this isn't about gardening, it's about fantasy.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53We want to be rooted in the earth!
0:11:53 > 0:11:58So, is Diarmuid's garden a triumph of style over substance.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00I don't think so, come and have a look,
0:12:00 > 0:12:04along this snaking, rusted steel pathway,
0:12:04 > 0:12:08you pass banks of trees and shrubs, very few flowers.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10There's a bit of frothing lady's mantle down here
0:12:10 > 0:12:13and the odd pure white arum lily over there.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16The majority are grasses,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19these wonderful clipped scones of box,
0:12:19 > 0:12:22nudging aside the pines between them.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25And up here, a sort of valley that shows you the depth
0:12:25 > 0:12:29of this garden, it goes on and on, a whole flock of clipped yews,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32they're just beginning to grow out of their clipping,
0:12:32 > 0:12:35which gives them a pleasing, woolly texture.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39There are birch trees, photinias to add stature,
0:12:39 > 0:12:44but perhaps the most dramatic thing is these enormous clipped hornbeams.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Clipped into cones, some of them with foliage going right down
0:12:47 > 0:12:50to the ground, others as standards.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Now, these are classy trees, and pricey ones, too.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56One of these will cost you about £2,000.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59They take care, time and trouble to establish.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02If you're on a budget and even if you're a really good gardener,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05perhaps a smaller plant, allowed to grow will give you the pleasure
0:13:05 > 0:13:08of anticipating it looking like this,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10but this is quality plant material
0:13:10 > 0:13:13and the way in which it's all been stitched together,
0:13:13 > 0:13:15around these pools, some of which are clear,
0:13:15 > 0:13:21and some of which look like Irish stout, is a work, dare I say it?
0:13:21 > 0:13:23Just a little flash of genius.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27You look at Diarmuid, up there, standing proud in his pod,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30and you think, "Is it all pie in the sky?"
0:13:30 > 0:13:36"Is he flying in the face of tradition?" Yes he is, in a way.
0:13:36 > 0:13:37Pie in the sky, though, it isn't,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40down here on the ground, it's rooted in reality.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44What remains to be seen is if the height of his medal
0:13:44 > 0:13:49is as high as his aspirations, and his standard of planting.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52I hope it is. I wish him well.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58And there's more from Diarmuid later in the show.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00Now, gardening can go on anywhere
0:14:00 > 0:14:03and our next topic is for urban gardening.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Joe Swift wants our towns and cities to become more garden friendly,
0:14:07 > 0:14:14so he went to Germany to see how they do things there.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17I've come to Freiburg in Germany,
0:14:17 > 0:14:21because it's one of Europe's finest examples of a sustainable community.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25It combines high-density housing with loads of green space,
0:14:25 > 0:14:28both public and private.
0:14:28 > 0:14:34It's been dubbed the eco-capital of Germany and it's a huge success.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Vauban, a suburb in the city,
0:14:39 > 0:14:44is a mixed tenure housing development that's home to 5,000 residents.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46It has imaginative landscape architecture
0:14:46 > 0:14:50and a socially-oriented policy towards public space.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Master planning was crucial in the creation of this settlement.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57City planners set stringent design codes for developments,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00which even private developers had to adhere to.
0:15:00 > 0:15:05Unlike Britain, here, planners, architects and landscape designers
0:15:05 > 0:15:08work together, contributing to each other's work and crucially,
0:15:08 > 0:15:11landscape design is viewed as integral
0:15:11 > 0:15:14to the planning applications, which has resulted in a high standard
0:15:14 > 0:15:18of green space, both private and public.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20Oh wow, look at this, this is absolutely fantastic!
0:15:20 > 0:15:24A courtyard, were all the flats are overlooking
0:15:24 > 0:15:28down into the central space. It's so green, it's so lush.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31They've got these nice little low fences
0:15:31 > 0:15:33so that you can see over into it from the outside,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35but also from your neighbour's garden.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39Everybody has got their own balconies at the same time.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Combined with the modern architecture,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44I think it works beautifully well.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52I mean, look at this, it's a bike shed and it's got a green roof on it.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54It's just brilliant, the sedum on there
0:15:54 > 0:15:56is going to encourage loads of bees into it,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59it's going to flower, it's so much more...
0:15:59 > 0:16:01It fills your soul, it makes you feel good
0:16:01 > 0:16:04walking round in an environment like this
0:16:04 > 0:16:07and if it was just buildings alone, it would be so grim.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16Look over here, right, these lime trees,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19it makes sense, in the summer, they're cooling the building
0:16:19 > 0:16:21because they're all in leaf, but in the winter
0:16:21 > 0:16:24when they've dropped their leaves, they let more light through,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27that's when you need it, using plants cleverly, combined with architecture,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30they seem to have got it just right here.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Even the tram lines for the citywide tram network
0:16:33 > 0:16:35are inter-planted with grass,
0:16:35 > 0:16:39and it's all part of the city's approach to environmental matters.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42A stone's throw away from Vauban is the solar community area
0:16:42 > 0:16:46of Schlierberg. Here, 58 timber-framed houses
0:16:46 > 0:16:48have been fitted with state-of-the-art solar panels
0:16:48 > 0:16:53and as a result, actually produce a net gain of energy.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57A five-storey office residential and retail block
0:16:57 > 0:17:01forms part of the development and provides hot water for the houses
0:17:01 > 0:17:03through its solar technology.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08You know, this place is so impressive.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11I can't quite believe it, it doesn't feel like high-density
0:17:11 > 0:17:15housing at all, because of the green spaces integrated into it.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18And everybody has made an effort, they've done their bit,
0:17:18 > 0:17:22they've got real pride and it's a fantastic place to live.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28So, that's how it can be done, with serious design and planning.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32But a bit of DIY gardening can cheer up anywhere,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36as Joe Crowley found out in Liverpool.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39This might look like any other alley around here,
0:17:39 > 0:17:44but it's actually an oasis of green. Blooming marvellous!
0:17:44 > 0:17:47In 2007, Irene Humphreys and Audrey Roberts
0:17:47 > 0:17:51started turning their alleyway into a stunning garden.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54And so all this, it's incredible, where did it all begin?
0:17:54 > 0:17:57I came home and Irene said, "Have a look at what I've got in my back."
0:17:57 > 0:18:00And I said, "It's a bath, what's that for?"
0:18:00 > 0:18:03She said, "I'm going to plant flowers." I said, "Are you?"
0:18:03 > 0:18:06"Where's mine? Because you can't have one without me!"
0:18:06 > 0:18:07And before you know it, suddenly...
0:18:07 > 0:18:11- This is what we're left with. - You've got walled gardens.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14As you can see, these are tomatoes,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17last year our courgettes were about two foot long.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20That bathtub is one big bouquet, basically, isn't it?
0:18:20 > 0:18:23- See the honeysuckle?- Yes I do. - Isn't that fantastic?
0:18:23 > 0:18:25That's been there for 40 years.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28I completely missed that, the cistern just above it.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31What was this alleyway like before, you've got to help me out,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35- because all I can see is a beautiful garden.- It was a disgrace.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37A dumping ground.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Instead of putting your rubbish out for binmen,
0:18:39 > 0:18:41the rubbish went into the back alley,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44so we just decided to get rid of it all and start this oasis.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48We've got gardens here, so this is our garden, really.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50We can come out here any time.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Children can come out here, it's a safe place for them.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57They come up and down on their little scooters and bikes.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00One man who understands how special this place is
0:19:00 > 0:19:03is chairman of Northwest in Bloom, Bill Blackledge.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06They won the Northwest in Bloom Best alleyway competition
0:19:06 > 0:19:08for two out of three years.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12They've also won the Royal Horticultural Society certificates
0:19:12 > 0:19:14for it must be five years now.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17They've won so many trophies in the Liverpool area,
0:19:17 > 0:19:19I've just lost count!
0:19:19 > 0:19:21So what do the neighbours make of it?
0:19:21 > 0:19:25- It's really good, because it makes a nice and clean.- I like the roses.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29- You like the roses? - I like the purple ones.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Not all the neighbours are behind the project
0:19:31 > 0:19:35and that's why the garden stops right here at this point.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38- Gardens used to come up further. - Right.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Until then people got fed up with that.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43They were enriching the schemes.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45There were hints that people didn't care
0:19:45 > 0:19:47and they were the only ones who cared.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50It's a personal choice, if they don't want to get involved,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54there's nothing we can do about that, we have to go with the flow.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57Keeping a garden like this going isn't cheap,
0:19:57 > 0:20:02it cost over £1,000 last year and now the funding could be drying up.
0:20:02 > 0:20:08The council has finished funding us. We're not getting funded at all.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13You can't do it on fresh air, we need funding.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15I couldn't imagine it not to be here, really.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20- I don't even want to think about it. - Oh, I don't.
0:20:20 > 0:20:25I might have to go out and get myself a fella, to come and keep me company!
0:20:25 > 0:20:29Well, for the good of him, I hope the garden stays!
0:20:29 > 0:20:30THEY LAUGH
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Very funny, Joe. We had you in line, actually.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Cheeky! Now, it's competition time.
0:20:38 > 0:20:43The challenge? To build an urban garden worthy of the title
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Young Gardener Of The Year.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50So, this is it. The final challenge.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53In just three hours, competitive Damian from Wigan
0:20:53 > 0:20:56or green-fingered entrepreneur John from Lancashire
0:20:56 > 0:21:00will be crowned the first-ever Young Gardener Of The Year.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04I just want to give you a brief, and show you what I was thinking of.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08Can you get us the plants off the trolley that are ours?
0:21:09 > 0:21:13The rivals get straight down to choosing their materials,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16planning their design and briefing their team,
0:21:16 > 0:21:17in the hope that their urban garden
0:21:17 > 0:21:21will blow the competition out of the water, and win them the title.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Try and keep it as simple as possible, really.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Small, circular table in the middle.
0:21:25 > 0:21:26Need a gate at the front,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28but I don't know how we're going to secure that.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Judges Chris and Alex will be analysing every stage
0:21:31 > 0:21:34of this gardening battle.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Plus, to pile on the pressure, our finalists' friends and family
0:21:37 > 0:21:40are watching their every move.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45- You all right, Damian?- No!
0:21:45 > 0:21:47Let's have a look at the plans.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48Damian's design includes
0:21:48 > 0:21:50a circular entertainment area,
0:21:50 > 0:21:51a circular lawn,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53and a large set of metal gates.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56I'm just trying to think of a small space,
0:21:56 > 0:21:58so I've gone with a circle theme on both sides,
0:21:58 > 0:22:03and try and get it as low maintenance as possible, so that's the planting I've chosen.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07And then they just need to keep on top of the lawn, really. But that's why I kept it small.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10And your thought process revolving around the materials?
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Try and keep it a bit more rustic, really.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15It's a modern couple, they've probably got a modern house,
0:22:15 > 0:22:19so a bit more of a retreat, something totally different.
0:22:19 > 0:22:20And just give them an escape.
0:22:23 > 0:22:24Take a seat, by all means.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27So, can you just talk us through your approach to this plan
0:22:27 > 0:22:28and the garden?
0:22:28 > 0:22:29For John's urban garden,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32he's planned a winding gravel path
0:22:32 > 0:22:33with a rope handrail,
0:22:33 > 0:22:36large beds and a back trellis.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Taking a different slant on urban.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40- Right.- It is very low maintenance
0:22:40 > 0:22:43because they've got quite a hectic lifestyle.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Can you justify the choice of your materials?
0:22:46 > 0:22:49It's urban, but you could say it's urban, brinking on the edges of rustic.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53But I'm hoping, with all the gravel, bricks, a lot of hard materials,
0:22:53 > 0:22:55to soften it up with the planting. So I'll be very focused
0:22:55 > 0:22:59on the choice of plants we're going to use.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Throughout the contest, competitive Damian's creative skills
0:23:08 > 0:23:11have beaten his opponents' hands down.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14With these, do you reckon I should just screw them to this board?
0:23:14 > 0:23:17Less than an hour into the challenge, his gates are up
0:23:17 > 0:23:20and he's already laying the turf for his circular lawn.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Like laying a carpet. Look at that!
0:23:25 > 0:23:28Although the grassroots gardener's plant knowledge
0:23:28 > 0:23:30has been unbeatable in every round,
0:23:30 > 0:23:32John's creative flair has been severely lacking
0:23:32 > 0:23:34throughout the competition.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38- And if you can put two more in. - Same?- Yeah, please.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41But, having painted the backboard a fresh blue,
0:23:41 > 0:23:44and with his winding path starting to take shape,
0:23:44 > 0:23:49John's garden is poles apart from his rival's design disaster.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53You're at the halfway mark, guys, you've got about an hour and a half to go.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58With the clock ticking until our judges crown the first ever
0:23:58 > 0:24:00Young Gardener Of The Year,
0:24:00 > 0:24:01our contenders' empty plots
0:24:01 > 0:24:04are being totally transformed into stunning gardens.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07We want to fill it up.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09John's team are busy filling beds with bark.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Yeah, keep it coming.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15While his attention is fully focused on climbing a jasmine up his back trellis.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17DAMIAN SIGHS
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Damian's team have constructed an archway,
0:24:20 > 0:24:23to divide his controversial circular areas.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26The fences are up, and his lawn has completely taken shape.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34You got 20 minutes to go, guys. 20 minutes left.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38With only minutes left until the judges choose their winner,
0:24:38 > 0:24:43the rivals pick up the pace and push their teams for perfection.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Put that back in that barrow.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47- I think it's neck and neck at the moment.- Really?
0:24:47 > 0:24:52I certainly think John has gone not for that show impact at all.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57The back of it looks a bit sparse. And how is he going to view that in the future?
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Damian has produced some crazy combinations of plants.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01I'm so worried about them.
0:25:01 > 0:25:06He's got cotinus next to fatsia, and they're cheek by jowl.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08That is just not going to work.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10- It's just... - SHE GROANS
0:25:15 > 0:25:16OK, guys, five,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18four,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20three, two,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22and one. Time's up.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24APPLAUSE AND CHEERING
0:25:24 > 0:25:28Two very different gardens, two very different contenders,
0:25:28 > 0:25:31but who will be the first ever Young Gardener Of The Year?
0:25:40 > 0:25:44Damian, John, it's been a tough contest,
0:25:44 > 0:25:48but only one of you will be going home as Young Gardener Of The Year.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Before we find out which one of you that's going to be,
0:25:52 > 0:25:57- I'd like to get some feedback from the judges.- Damian, you were strong and brave in your design,
0:25:57 > 0:26:01and you took risks, which I liked. Keep working on your plant knowledge,
0:26:01 > 0:26:05and remember, plants don't sit still, they move and they grow.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Well, John, you have constantly wowed Chris and I
0:26:09 > 0:26:13with your plant knowledge, but what has thrilled us most
0:26:13 > 0:26:17is your growth in your design work in this competition.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Still lots to improve, but you're well on your way.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23OK, guys, crunch time.
0:26:23 > 0:26:29This is it, the first ever Young Gardener Of The Year is...
0:26:40 > 0:26:42It's John.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44APPLAUSE AND CHEERING
0:26:44 > 0:26:48John's outstanding plant knowledge blew the judges away.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Now, most of the plants we show you on the A To Z Of TV Gardening
0:26:56 > 0:27:00are things of beauty, for you to admire and desire.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05But not all. Because our next U is for Undesirable Plants.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Those you'd normally want to avoid outright.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Christine Walkden's found a very good place to get us started.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, built in the 11th century,
0:27:16 > 0:27:21and now home to a very unusual garden.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24I'm surrounded by a rather sinister collection of plants -
0:27:24 > 0:27:26ones that you'd do well to avoid.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Eating this can cause an agonising death.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Just a taste of this can make you vomit,
0:27:35 > 0:27:40and this plant contains one of the most toxic chemicals known to man.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42Welcome to the Poison Garden.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47This garden is so dangerous, the gates are kept locked.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50It's monitored round the clock,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53and visitors are not allowed in without a guide.
0:27:53 > 0:27:58All this is down to one woman - the 12th Duchess of Northumberland.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02She's been fascinated by poisonous plants for 15 years.
0:28:02 > 0:28:07Jane, why are you so passionate about poisonous plants?
0:28:07 > 0:28:10The same plant almost always kills and cures.
0:28:10 > 0:28:15And I saw gardens around the world, mostly which were apothecary gardens,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18and I just thought, this is a bit boring, let's try and do it differently.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Let's focus on the kill rather than the cure.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25There are some notorious killers in here,
0:28:25 > 0:28:29such as belladonna - Italian for "beautiful woman",
0:28:29 > 0:28:31but you'll know it by another name.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34Deadly nightshade is one of the biggest nasties here,
0:28:34 > 0:28:37and if you were to eat just one leaf, it could kill you.
0:28:37 > 0:28:43But centuries ago women used it as a beauty aid, in the form of eye drops.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47This plant contains atropine, which paralyses the muscles in the eye.
0:28:47 > 0:28:52So the eye drops dilated the pupils, making them appear more attractive.
0:28:52 > 0:28:57But overuse of belladonna could cause blindness.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00Jane, which plant turns you on the most?
0:29:00 > 0:29:01The datura without a doubt.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Beautiful, beautiful flower,
0:29:04 > 0:29:07but every part of the plant is poisonous.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11Datura was used by the Aztecs to prepare human sacrifices.
0:29:11 > 0:29:16It would leave their victims numb to their gruesome fate.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19You have to take special precautions in this garden.
0:29:19 > 0:29:25Gloves are essential. A little while ago one of the gardeners had blisters all over their arms,
0:29:25 > 0:29:29caused by the sap of this plant, known as rue.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32Otherwise known as ruta graveolens,
0:29:32 > 0:29:37rue causes light-sensitive burns which can flare up whenever they're exposed to the sun.
0:29:37 > 0:29:42The Duchess has sourced her plants from all over the world.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45This is the castor oil plant, a native of India,
0:29:45 > 0:29:48but I used to have to take the oil of this as a kid,
0:29:48 > 0:29:50and it tasted just like poison!
0:29:50 > 0:29:55It is. It's disgusting. Revolting smell. But once you've extracted the oil,
0:29:55 > 0:29:59- you're then left with a really poisonous residue.- Right.
0:29:59 > 0:30:04You then have a really strong and very potent poison,
0:30:04 > 0:30:08and there's no antidote to that.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11The plants have really developed their strengths
0:30:11 > 0:30:14to keep away their natural enemies - insects, not really us -
0:30:14 > 0:30:19and it's how we've decided to use the plants to suit our means,
0:30:19 > 0:30:21and that's where we've had trouble.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23This is obviously a labour of love.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27I love this garden. I love the stories about poison.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31When I'm dead, I'm going to have some of my ashes scattered here,
0:30:31 > 0:30:33probably against one of the walls,
0:30:33 > 0:30:37and I plan to come back and haunt this garden and keep an eye on it!
0:30:37 > 0:30:40I'm normally at my happiest when I'm surrounded by plants,
0:30:40 > 0:30:43but this Poison Garden leaves me on edge.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46But it is absolutely fascinating.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52It's not just deadly poisonous plants that are undesirable -
0:30:52 > 0:30:54here's Christine with more.
0:30:56 > 0:31:01In this community garden behind me lurks something quite sinister,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04which is wreaking havoc across the UK.
0:31:05 > 0:31:09Believe it or not, it's this, fallopia japonica,
0:31:09 > 0:31:12commonly known as Japanese knotweed.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16The nearest thing to Godzilla in the plant world.
0:31:19 > 0:31:24Native to Japan, it was introduced into the UK by the Victorians as an ornamental plant.
0:31:24 > 0:31:29But it soon escaped, and it's now romping across the UK.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32Listed by the International Union For Conservation Of Nature
0:31:32 > 0:31:36as one of the world's 100 most invasive species,
0:31:36 > 0:31:41Japanese knotweed swamps all over vegetation in its path and can even burst through tarmac.
0:31:41 > 0:31:46It grows incredibly quickly, over a metre in three weeks,
0:31:46 > 0:31:50and is now so prolific that there's not a single six square mile in the country
0:31:50 > 0:31:52where it's not found.
0:31:52 > 0:31:56If you've ever tried to eradicate this Triffid-like plant, you'll know how difficult it is.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00Complete removal methods are both difficult and expensive,
0:32:00 > 0:32:07and currently cost the UK an estimated £150 million a year.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09And it's incredibly easy to spread knotweed -
0:32:09 > 0:32:13all it takes is a pea-sized root fragment to infest an area,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16like this site in West Horsley, Surrey.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19It appears to me it's likely to have come in on that rubbish.
0:32:19 > 0:32:20We've marked it all off,
0:32:20 > 0:32:23so that people don't keep walking in and out here
0:32:23 > 0:32:26cos if we just take a little bit away on our boots
0:32:26 > 0:32:27without checking them when we leave,
0:32:27 > 0:32:29we could have it all over the rest of the garden.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33Absolutely. Well, I think that's the problem. People don't recognise it,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36then don't know how to deal with it and don't realise that
0:32:36 > 0:32:40the tiniest little bit in a bit of rubbish like a dump
0:32:40 > 0:32:42can then infect your land. So what have you done so far to control it?
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Well, last autumn we had a spray in here,
0:32:44 > 0:32:47and as you can see,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50this spring it's come back as if nothing had happened.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53To eradicate the knotweed for good,
0:32:53 > 0:32:57the community have had to call in an environmental consultant.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01So why is Japanese knotweed so incredibly difficult to remove?
0:33:01 > 0:33:05Well, you've got underneath this stand of Japanese knotweed
0:33:05 > 0:33:10a massive underground root system which we call rhizomes.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12Typically on a well-established stand like this
0:33:12 > 0:33:16you'll have roots going down at least two metres deep,
0:33:16 > 0:33:17and they will spread laterally,
0:33:17 > 0:33:21normally within two to three metres of any visible plant.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24So why can't I just dig it up and throw it in my dustbin?
0:33:24 > 0:33:28Well, because Japanese knotweed is classified as a controlled waste,
0:33:28 > 0:33:32and therefore all the Environmental Protection Act requirements
0:33:32 > 0:33:34apply to this plant.
0:33:34 > 0:33:39Knotweed's destructive force is now gaining the attention of homeowners,
0:33:39 > 0:33:41as some High Street banks are declining mortgages
0:33:41 > 0:33:44on properties infested with knotweed.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47To finally rid the community garden of knotweed,
0:33:47 > 0:33:51Nic and his team have had to extract and sift tons of infested soil.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55'This costly method is effective, but researchers at CABI,
0:33:55 > 0:33:58'an agricultural research organisation,
0:33:58 > 0:34:01'are hoping they've found a natural solution to the knotweed problem.'
0:34:01 > 0:34:03So what research have you been doing here?
0:34:03 > 0:34:06Well, we've been going back to the area of origin of the plant,
0:34:06 > 0:34:08which is surprisingly Japan,
0:34:08 > 0:34:10and trying to find the natural enemies that feed on it
0:34:10 > 0:34:12and might have a potential for controlling it here.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15In Japan there's almost 200 species feeding on it,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18and our job was to find which of those might be suitable.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21It's vital to find a predator which feeds only on knotweed,
0:34:21 > 0:34:24so it does not damage other British plants and wildlife.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27It's a process of elimination choosing the agent -
0:34:27 > 0:34:31we had to reject 199 of those organisms to find the one that does feed on it, aphalara itadori,
0:34:31 > 0:34:34this is this little psylid, and these psylids suck the sap from the plant,
0:34:34 > 0:34:36or at least their young do.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40This is the damage caused by a group of nymphs just feeding at the base here,
0:34:40 > 0:34:43but what you can see here is these tiny leaves,
0:34:43 > 0:34:45and those leaves won't get any bigger.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49So that plant is not going to be performing well if it had loads of leaves like this.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51It ends up with the plant suffering quite significantly.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54- So it's basically stunting it. - Effectively, yeah.
0:34:54 > 0:34:59The Government have now granted a licence for a controlled release of this natural predator.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03In the time being, if you're under attack from Japanese knotweed,
0:35:03 > 0:35:04call in the experts.
0:35:04 > 0:35:09If tests with natural predators go well, we could soon have a method of
0:35:09 > 0:35:11controlling this super weed,
0:35:11 > 0:35:14saving the economy millions of pounds a year.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18Thanks, Christine. Now let's join Helen Skelton,
0:35:18 > 0:35:21who's with Sam Bull from the Wildlife Trust,
0:35:21 > 0:35:25for a case of same undesirable problem, different solution.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Right, here we are.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35This is the serious work.
0:35:35 > 0:35:36This is the serious work.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39We've got Japanese knotweed all around us.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42Because we're doing injection using pesticides,
0:35:42 > 0:35:43I've got to get my kit on.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45I've got this lovely white suit.
0:35:47 > 0:35:48You can carry the bucket.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59You've cut all this back yet it still seems to be growing really well here.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02We cut this back about a month ago to help control it,
0:36:02 > 0:36:04but, as you can see, this is all grown up within a month.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08You can see how fast it grows and what a problem that is.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10If it crops up in your garden, how do you get rid of it?
0:36:10 > 0:36:13Act as quickly as you possibly can. The longer you
0:36:13 > 0:36:15leave it, the more expensive it gets to treat
0:36:15 > 0:36:17and the more difficult it can be to get rid of.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20- It's like something out of Day Of The Triffids.- Yes, a bit.
0:36:22 > 0:36:26'What Sam is doing today is far more hardcore than pulling up
0:36:26 > 0:36:27'a few roots.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30'This is chemical warfare.'
0:36:34 > 0:36:35It's just down here.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40- It's impossible to miss. It's huge.- I know.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43This is the area that couldn't have been chopped down.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46We're going to treat it today using the injection guns.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49How effective is the injection?
0:36:49 > 0:36:51It's really effective because the spraying,
0:36:51 > 0:36:53you're landing the spray on the leaves
0:36:53 > 0:36:57and you are not always going to get 100% take-up by the plant.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00It's so much better for wildlife because with injecting,
0:37:00 > 0:37:03we're getting the chemicals straight into the stems
0:37:03 > 0:37:06and nothing that's surrounding us will be hit by any chemical.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10You just affect the plant that you're targeting.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12You don't get anything else affected.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14It's fairly simple.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19We just need to inject between the first node, which you can see
0:37:19 > 0:37:22is the ring around the stem here.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24And the third node. This one up here.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27We need to get the chemical in there.
0:37:27 > 0:37:32It's just a simple push in there and an injection.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35That one is done.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40There is a little hole halfway down the needle which shoots
0:37:40 > 0:37:44- the chemical down into this stem. - How long does it take to die?
0:37:44 > 0:37:47You can see the effects between almost immediately
0:37:47 > 0:37:50and in a few weeks' time.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53Because we use a dye in the chemical,
0:37:53 > 0:37:57you will see the stems turn blue and you can see it, the colour
0:37:57 > 0:38:01moving down as it takes the chemical down into its root system.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04It can be worrying for people. They pass stands of blue knotweeds,
0:38:04 > 0:38:07we put up a sign saying to people that it's been treated
0:38:07 > 0:38:09so don't worry about it.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13We've seen how quickly it grows. Do you think we'll ever get rid of it?
0:38:14 > 0:38:18I think, on this site in particular, yes, if we persevere with this
0:38:18 > 0:38:23and keep visiting it, year-on-year, we'll be able to eradicate it.
0:38:23 > 0:38:28- What about the rest of the country? - It depends on everyone else.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30I think countrywide is a big task.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36We end today with a return journey to the unconventional world
0:38:36 > 0:38:37of Diarmuid Gavin.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42And Alan Titchmarsh is looking at his entry
0:38:42 > 0:38:44for the 2012 Chelsea Flower Show.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50Alliums and hostas, silver birches and rhododendrons,
0:38:50 > 0:38:52a swing and scaffolding.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55It's gardening, Scotty, but not as we know it.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59It's had Chelsea pensioners stacked up its outside
0:38:59 > 0:39:04and ladies shrieking as they come down that steel chute to escape.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08It's Diarmuid's magic pyramid.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11Enough of the flummery. What's it all about?
0:39:11 > 0:39:15- There must be a serious point to this as well. Isn't there?- There is.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19It is exploring the notion of a multi-storey garden
0:39:19 > 0:39:21in an increasingly urbanised society.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23Lots of people live in cities like London.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25There's not a lot of green space.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27It is an experiment in gardening,
0:39:27 > 0:39:30lots of people gardening on top of each other.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33You reckon this could work on a tower block?
0:39:33 > 0:39:38It's a scaffolding pyramid that could be permanent in a plaza.
0:39:38 > 0:39:43We've created, from a 16-by-16 metre base, 576 square metres of usable
0:39:43 > 0:39:44garden space.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47If there is enough light coming in, I don't see why not.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Let's go and have a look. Let's go and look at it.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53This is a fabulously padded swing seat. I'm reluctant to leave it.
0:39:53 > 0:39:57- Past the shed. - Past the practical garden shed.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59We've lots of sheds, lots of water.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02We want to show sustainable gardening.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05We come up to a communal terrace, which is the meet and greet area
0:40:05 > 0:40:08where everybody who gardens here would come together.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11- How many floors altogether?- Seven different floors.- Wow.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16Residents' members' club.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18I'm not a member. Am I allowed in?
0:40:18 > 0:40:22- You are a member now.- Oh, look.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Oriental style pavilion that's half Irish cowshed, half...
0:40:26 > 0:40:29It's rustic in nature
0:40:29 > 0:40:33and we have this circular opening leading into a secret garden.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36You walk into a secret garden. It is magical.
0:40:36 > 0:40:41You just disappear from one area into another.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44- It's a garden that keeps you moving. - It does.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49I love this sort of treetop bamboo walk.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53They shoot up, then the black ones start from here.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57You walk past this shady plant and rhododendrons
0:40:57 > 0:41:00and walk up around the pink shade to another level.
0:41:04 > 0:41:09- There is a pond here! - The roof of the shed collects water.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11It's used in the washing machine.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14You do your washing as you're gardening and you hang it out to dry.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18- Good drying day.- Very good, isn't it?
0:41:18 > 0:41:22- It's your washing, it really is, isn't it?- It is.
0:41:22 > 0:41:28Fir tree, elevated on the fourth floor. Rosemary, thyme.
0:41:28 > 0:41:29Good light levels up here.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32We have the Victorian style greenhouse
0:41:32 > 0:41:36and these old industrial containers used to plant our fruit and veg.
0:41:39 > 0:41:44- Which level are we on now? - On four, about to go to five.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49Vegetables going up.
0:41:53 > 0:41:57So you wash your clothes down below and your body
0:41:57 > 0:42:00- and do your ablutions up here? - That's right.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02This is a shower and a bath. The water is collected.
0:42:02 > 0:42:07It's fed to a barrel down below and used for the fruit and vegetables.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09I needn't have stayed in a hotel!
0:42:09 > 0:42:10I could've stayed here in your pyramid.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13- You could have lived here.- Magical. Are we still going up then?
0:42:13 > 0:42:17- One more?- Yeah.- Two more? - Up and up and up.
0:42:17 > 0:42:22- Great vantage point. - Across the river.- Absolutely.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25From here, I can see what you have for breakfast.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28From here, a lot of people would see their own breakfast.
0:42:29 > 0:42:30Getting very high.
0:42:32 > 0:42:33It's rather fitting that,
0:42:33 > 0:42:38on top of your 80-foot pyramid, is a plant and it's a fabulous birch.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41Wonderful peeling bark. Which one is it?
0:42:41 > 0:42:45It's a beauty, a heritage. It has fantastic bark.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47We wanted to crown it with a plant.
0:42:47 > 0:42:52It's in a bed of billowing Mediterranean-style planting.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54There is full sun so I think it's going to enjoy it here.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58There could not be a better day to see this. It's absolutely wonderful.
0:42:58 > 0:42:59The London skyline around us.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03The bridges into London and Battersea Power Station. Well done.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05It's a lovely job. Congratulations.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11Unusual but wonderful. I hope you enjoyed that.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15Do join us again on the next A-Z Of TV Gardening. Goodbye.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd