0:00:02 > 0:00:04Hello and welcome to The A To Z Of TV Gardening,
0:00:04 > 0:00:06where we sift through all your favourite garden programmes
0:00:06 > 0:00:09and dig up a bumper crop of tips and advice
0:00:09 > 0:00:12from the best experts in the business.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Flowers, trees, fruit 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.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Everything we're looking at today begins with the letter D.
0:00:40 > 0:00:46'Here's what's coming up. Alan Titchmarsh gets poetic over delphiniums.'
0:00:46 > 0:00:50In spite of all my meekness, if I have a little weakness,
0:00:50 > 0:00:54it's a passion for a flight of delphiniums.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58'Dead-heading - the battle for success in the Gardener Of The Year competition.'
0:00:58 > 0:01:02You're not meant to miss any, either. You can't just go for the easy ones, can you?
0:01:02 > 0:01:06'And Monty Don on when best to plant dahlias.'
0:01:06 > 0:01:12And that actually is the perfect time to pot on or plant out a plant,
0:01:12 > 0:01:16so that you can see the roots around the outside but it's not root-bound.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18That's all in store on today's show.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21But first, a flower that represents the start of spring
0:01:21 > 0:01:24and hopefully signals the arrival of nicer weather.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29'Our first D is for daffodils. It's planting time
0:01:29 > 0:01:33'and here is Monty Don with some tricks on how best to do it.'
0:01:33 > 0:01:36We don't often show you this part of Berryfields,
0:01:36 > 0:01:39but we use it all the time. All our storage stuff is down there.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42We've got turf stacks and building materials
0:01:42 > 0:01:44and also nursery beds and all our bits and pieces,
0:01:44 > 0:01:48and we've got this curling path going through the grass which we let grow long.
0:01:48 > 0:01:53And I thought we'd plant some late-flowering daffodils in the grass
0:01:53 > 0:01:57which would follow the line of the path and could look really beautiful.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59And I've chosen a variety called Actaea.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03This is an old-fashioned, tried and tested variety
0:02:03 > 0:02:05that's been grown since the First World War
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and it's got beautiful white highly-scented flowers
0:02:08 > 0:02:10that grow to about 18 inches tall
0:02:10 > 0:02:14and they're rimmed with a little ring of crimson round the edge.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18A really good daffodil that will last for a long, long time.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20I was going to say forever, but probably for as long as you and I will.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23So it's worth taking trouble planting them.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27If you can get them in by the middle of October, you'll maximise their growing period.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30And I've got 600 to put in here, so it's quite a big job.
0:02:30 > 0:02:35And I had thought of using this turf-lifter,
0:02:35 > 0:02:40which you can hire, this costs about £25 a day or about 80 quid a week,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44and it makes a good job of lifting the turf. You just drive it through
0:02:44 > 0:02:47and you can see it just makes a flap that you fold up.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51The other thing is that with daffodils, you do need to plant them about four inches deep.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53So once you've lifted the turf,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56you'd still have to dig down.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01And after a hard, hot summer like this,
0:03:01 > 0:03:05the ground is pretty fierce, even without the turf.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08My feeling is, if it's going to make a difference then hire it,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11otherwise probably not worth it for daffodils.
0:03:11 > 0:03:17However, if you're putting a lot of crocus or muscari
0:03:17 > 0:03:20or other small bulbs in, it's ideal.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23And all you do is just get a handful like that,
0:03:23 > 0:03:27put them on the ground, fold the turf over,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30job done, they're planted. And you can do thousands like that.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33But they do make a straight line. So to get them looking natural,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37you need to take slabs of turf out around the place.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40And in the end, I'd rather just go straight through it.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42By the way, if you're buying a bulb-planter,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45get a long-handled one and get a good one.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48They're worth every penny you pay for them, nice and strong
0:03:48 > 0:03:50and it will last you for years and years.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54But if it's cheap, it'll break just after the first few hundred.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57And then take out a plug.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00And the way that I like to plant lots of bulbs
0:04:00 > 0:04:04is first of all, don't rush it, take it nice and easy,
0:04:04 > 0:04:08and do all the holes, or a good batch, anyway, first.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11And you can see that, as you dig the second hole,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14that pushes out the plug for the first.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18And I'm not measuring, I'm not worrying about how deep it is,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21but ideally, it wants to be about four inches down.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24And we're not putting them in a grid.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28Traditionally, you throw the bulbs on the ground and plant them where they land,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30but the trouble is, you have to move the bulbs to plant them.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33But it's never really as easy as that.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38I just go for it and let my instincts guide me.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42Now, I'd keep doing that until I got bored of it,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45probably do about 50 or 100, and then go onto the next phase,
0:04:45 > 0:04:50which is, unless you've got very light soil,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53to put a handful of grit in each hole.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56It adds to the job, but remember, these daffodils are going to last
0:04:56 > 0:04:59for years and years and years
0:04:59 > 0:05:01and it's worth giving them a good start.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04And they hate poor drainage.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06So on this heavy Berryfields clay,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10the grit just helps them establish
0:05:10 > 0:05:12a little bit better.
0:05:12 > 0:05:16That goes on there and then we get the bulbs.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21And actually, also worthwhile having another container
0:05:21 > 0:05:23and I'll show you why.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27Because you've got the depth of the bulb...
0:05:27 > 0:05:30And that's the sort of size you're looking for, a nice, healthy bulb.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33By the way, feel them. If they feel at all soft, don't plant it.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37And if you're buying them by the hundred, you're bound to have a few that are a bit dodgy.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40Pop them in the holes.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Now, because of the grit and the bulb, this is too big.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47So just put the excess in there and put the plug back on.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Now, this is a slow job. It's real gardening.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52It's not something you do for show.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54But you will reap the rewards next May
0:05:54 > 0:05:57and every May for generations to come.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Now, I think it's much better to plant just one variety
0:06:01 > 0:06:03if you're doing naturalised planting.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06But if you don't know what variety that might be,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08you need to go and see a number of them.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11We went along to Cheshire to see Len Tomlinson
0:06:11 > 0:06:14who's been daffodil mad since he was a small boy.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Daffodils, I've always been interested in daffodils.
0:06:19 > 0:06:24Always. It's the first sign of the spring and it lasts so long.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26Everything to do with daffodils and the season,
0:06:26 > 0:06:28I think that's what it's all about.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32A lot of these daffodils have been planted here for well over 50 years.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36I can remember working with my eldest brother with the horse,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39drawing the drills out and planting daffodils here.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42You walk through the daffodils, you can hear the bees.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Life is on the way.
0:06:45 > 0:06:50Some of the varieties I've got are ageless, really.
0:06:50 > 0:06:56They've come from the wild, so they could be, you know, since Adam was a lad.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58Obviously, the late ones have all got a perfume,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01because when they come out, the insects are about,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04so they've got beautiful perfume.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08There are daffodils for every month,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12from February right through to late May,
0:07:12 > 0:07:14starting with the trumpet daffodils that we all know
0:07:14 > 0:07:18and the wild forms of trumpet daffodils,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21running right through the narcissi coming later
0:07:21 > 0:07:24and the doubles usually are late season,
0:07:24 > 0:07:29right through to the poeticus, the wild varieties, late on in the season,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32May, even into June, some varieties.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35So there's daffodils for every season
0:07:35 > 0:07:37and they're all beautiful.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39This is Polar Ice.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43It's about early 1900s.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46This would flower middle of April, the whites,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48through to the middle of May.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52The ones that you can see behind me are Flower Record.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56This is a very vigorous variety,
0:07:56 > 0:08:00very disease-resistant and it was a great commercial variety.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03It's now become quite rare,
0:08:03 > 0:08:05but you wouldn't think so by the look of it here.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08But it is actually quite rare.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Most daffodils are good for naturalising.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16Some will grow and produce lots and lots of flowers without being split.
0:08:16 > 0:08:22Others you would have to dig up occasionally and spread them out,
0:08:22 > 0:08:26otherwise they make loads of bulblets and no flower.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33The white one there, that's Actaea, that's a particularly good variety.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35Very good commercial variety. Always crops heavily.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39Beautiful perfume and a very good commercial variety.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43A lot of modern hybrids have been bred commercially
0:08:43 > 0:08:47and they're grown to excess,
0:08:47 > 0:08:49they're grown so that they're ugly.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51They haven't got the natural beauty.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57'We've learnt how to plant daffodils
0:08:57 > 0:08:59'and all the varieties available out there.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02'We now head to Wales with James Wong
0:09:02 > 0:09:07'to find out why farmers there are growing daffodils in the millions.'
0:09:10 > 0:09:13'There is more to this Welsh icon than meets the eye,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16'or in this case, the mind.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19'The daffodil produces many chemicals,
0:09:19 > 0:09:20'one of which is galantamine.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24'The drug, originally found in wild snowdrops,
0:09:24 > 0:09:28'combats Alzheimer's, the most common cause of dementia.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32'But it's expensive and difficult to make.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39'The Stevens family farmed predominantly sheep until 2004
0:09:39 > 0:09:42'when they decided to try growing daffs as an alternative source of the drug.'
0:09:42 > 0:09:46My son decided he wanted to be a farmer when he grew up.
0:09:46 > 0:09:53And Hill Farm is not a really commercial, viable alternative going forward,
0:09:53 > 0:09:57so I was looking for diversification opportunities for a Welsh hill farm.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03We're off the beaten track, there's no passing trade, a farm shop wouldn't work.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07We needed a crop that had an industrial application.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11And presumably the conditions up here mean the things you can grow are quite limited.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Full of stones, high altitude, so it's cold.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18- Not the easiest place to plough and cultivate.- You're absolutely right.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Some of the daffodil-growing experts I've spoken to
0:10:21 > 0:10:23consider me to be completely mad.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26But I'm not growing daffodils, I'm growing galantamine.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28What's the market like for the product?
0:10:28 > 0:10:32Currently, the market is worth about 8 billion.
0:10:32 > 0:10:37The problem with Alzheimer's disease is it's increasing at a terrific rate
0:10:37 > 0:10:42and that's set to double in the next 20 years and double again in the following 20 years.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46Anything that can tackle those numbers has to be a good thing.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51'Neighbouring farmer John Price is one of a new breed of daffodil growers.'
0:10:51 > 0:10:54- You don't dig them all up like that, do you, John?- No, not quite.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58This is just a random sample that's required to be taken on a weekly basis
0:10:58 > 0:11:03to sort of try and identify when the galantamine is at its highest level within the plant.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Are they particularly hard to grow in this environment?
0:11:06 > 0:11:08The elements are a challenge, and growing them at 1,200 feet,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11which is the preferable height, creates problems,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14but no, the daffodil's a very resilient plant, basically,
0:11:14 > 0:11:18and it's able to establish itself and grow well in most circumstances.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22- So how much do you need for a sample?- That quantity is fine.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24- OK, just like a bunch of supermarket flowers?- Exactly.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27So you've got one. How many more do you need to pick?
0:11:27 > 0:11:31We've got another four varieties. Clearly they're all different.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35- It's easy to identify them by their different heads and their different flowering stages.- OK.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39- So I'm going to invite you to take the samples. - OK. Free labour. Brilliant.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45'Galantamine is only found in a few varieties of daffodil
0:11:45 > 0:11:49'and only in significant quantities when it's grown at altitude.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53'This stresses the plant and causes it to produce the chemical.'
0:11:55 > 0:11:59The smell of some of these varieties is really intoxicating.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02The thing is that I wouldn't be tempted
0:12:02 > 0:12:05to start knocking up a home remedy out of these
0:12:05 > 0:12:09because they are extremely toxic.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13'Armed with my daffodils, I'm off to a trial site
0:12:13 > 0:12:16'high in the Brecon Beacons to meet Professor Trevor Walker.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18'His research has gone a long way
0:12:18 > 0:12:22'in treating some of the 460,000 people
0:12:22 > 0:12:25'affected by Alzheimer's in the UK.'
0:12:29 > 0:12:32It looks like you've got a picnic set up here, Trevor.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34What are we going to do?
0:12:34 > 0:12:38- We're going to see if there's any galantamine in these varieties that you've picked for us.- OK.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41We'll cut these bulbs off.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44We'll squish some juice out of them
0:12:44 > 0:12:48and take that juice back for filtration.
0:12:48 > 0:12:55So you're already looking for the presence of galantamine in different plants. What sparked off that hunt?
0:12:55 > 0:12:59We had a eureka moment when the wife of one of my colleagues
0:12:59 > 0:13:03was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at the age of 58
0:13:03 > 0:13:06and we decided we'd do something about it.
0:13:06 > 0:13:11We'd make galantamine available as an anti-Alzheimer's drug
0:13:11 > 0:13:14to do something about the extortionate costs
0:13:14 > 0:13:17and the tremendous cost of care.
0:13:17 > 0:13:22If you can delay someone going into a home for a few years, then you've made a great saving.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25- You've got a lovely collection there. - Look at that!
0:13:25 > 0:13:28That's absolutely perfect. We'll take that back to the girls at the labs.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31- And that's enough?- That's enough. - You'd never think that that bit of plant juice
0:13:31 > 0:13:35would contain such an important drug that can really transform people's lives.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40So your purified extract goes in there.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42And what are all these spikes on the screen?
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Each of these spikes represents a different alkaloid.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48This one happens to be galantamine.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52Alkaloids are biologically active chemicals often found in plants.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54Yes, they are. But they have to be managed properly.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57- You can't just drink daffodil juice. - Mm-hm.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00The daffodil is an alkaloid factory
0:14:00 > 0:14:05and there are an awful lot in this because it's a very complex species.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Who would have thought? A revolutionary drug from something in your window box.
0:14:08 > 0:14:13Well, it has to be made in very large quantities.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15A few grams, like we're getting here,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17isn't going to make many tablets.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21But when we have enough thousands of hectares
0:14:21 > 0:14:24and enough tons of the material,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27then significant numbers of the world population could be treated.
0:14:29 > 0:14:35'Now, for the first time, the daffodil fields are able to commercially supply galantamine.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39'Currently, people like Keith Warward get the drug elsewhere.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42'He was diagnosed two years ago.'
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Totally gutted in the beginning.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48You think it's the end of the world.
0:14:49 > 0:14:55But time passes and you realise that life will carry on.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58I'm living a full life...
0:14:59 > 0:15:04..thanks to the medication that I'm taking.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08So how do you take the galantamine? Is it a pill or an injection?
0:15:08 > 0:15:10- No, it's a pill. It's only about that big.- OK.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14Right, so a single pill a day and it has this huge impact on your life?
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Oh, it's unbelievable! Unbelievable.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20The work that these guys are doing here, growing all of these daffodils,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24you think they just look pretty, but it's so important to so many people.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28- It is. Especially me! - THEY LAUGH
0:15:36 > 0:15:38You might think you'd need to trek into the Amazon
0:15:38 > 0:15:43or to the heart of Siberia to find botanical cures for major diseases,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46but who would've thought the humble daff would be such a giant
0:15:46 > 0:15:51at treating a debilitating disease that affects so many people?
0:15:54 > 0:15:58Isn't that amazing? Still to come, dahlias, delphiniums
0:15:58 > 0:16:00and the dreaded dandelion.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03But now let's look at the biggest flower family in the world.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07'Because D is for the daisy family,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09'also known as asteraceae.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12'And here's a botanical lesson with Carol Klein.'
0:16:16 > 0:16:20Ahh. This is beautiful!
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Every so often, I get the opportunity
0:16:22 > 0:16:26to actually sit in my garden and enjoy it.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30I mean, what else are gardens for, when it comes to it?
0:16:30 > 0:16:34But perhaps this isn't the place I would've chosen during the month of August.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38There was nothing really exciting going on.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40But now just look at it.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43This gorgeous Rubeckia.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45It's Rubeckia fulgida deamii.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55Daisies are such beautiful flowers, such a gorgeous construction.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59They almost look like the kind of flower that a child would draw,
0:16:59 > 0:17:03with this centre and then these beautiful petals around the edge.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07The petals actually are called ray florets
0:17:07 > 0:17:11and the whole purpose of them is to draw insects from far and wide
0:17:11 > 0:17:15to come and feast in the centre and pollinate the flowers.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17And the flowers are right in the middle,
0:17:17 > 0:17:21but there is not just one, there's a whole collection of them.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23There's lots and lots of little ones.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27And the daisies themselves make these gorgeous flat platforms
0:17:27 > 0:17:32so that insects can land and feast to their hearts' content.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37Rubeckia fulgida deamii needs decent soil.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39It needs a good living.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42So if you're really on the dry side, don't try and grow it.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46But there are a host of other Rubeckias, too, which you could try.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50One of them is the annual, Rubeckia hirta,
0:17:50 > 0:17:54and I've got a load of one called Rustic Dwarves,
0:17:54 > 0:17:56which was one of my mum's favourite flowers,
0:17:56 > 0:18:01and they are so rewarding! They just give you colour and colour and colour.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03They're wonderful cut flowers, too.
0:18:06 > 0:18:12All the Rubeckias and many of the other daisies that we use in the late Autumn garden
0:18:12 > 0:18:14are from the prairies of North America.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18But this scintillating blue aster
0:18:18 > 0:18:20is Aster frikartii Monch
0:18:20 > 0:18:23and it doesn't come from the States at all.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27It's a cross between a European and an Asiatic species.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30It flowers almost endlessly from July onwards
0:18:30 > 0:18:35and, as you can see, it's a pretty good companion to these Rubeckia.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44I no longer grow aster novi-belgii,
0:18:44 > 0:18:46the most popular Michaelmas daisy,
0:18:46 > 0:18:50cos I got fed up of people wandering down the paths and saying,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53"What's that plant with the interesting white foliage?"
0:18:53 > 0:18:58It was actually powdery mildew and it completely disfigured the plants.
0:18:58 > 0:19:04The reason for powdery mildew is that these plants are very, very inbred
0:19:04 > 0:19:07and the further a plant gets from its species
0:19:07 > 0:19:10then the more likely it is to get disease.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14And powdery mildew is caused usually in very dry conditions.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16So I'm afraid I abandoned them.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20Well, I'm not afraid, actually, because the asters that I've adopted in their stead
0:19:20 > 0:19:24are so much worthy of a place in the garden.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27They've got clouds of flowers.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31Plants like aster Little Carlow, which is one of my favourites,
0:19:31 > 0:19:34and aster Coombe Fishacre
0:19:34 > 0:19:39with these sort of cumulous cloudy, glorious myriads of tiny flowers,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41giving you a very, very soft effect.
0:19:41 > 0:19:47And later on, just starting now, is aster novae-angliae.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50That's a tall, handsome sort of plant.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53It tends to have bare legs, though,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56and most of the flower is concentrated at the top.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59But I think growing some Rubeckia round its bare legs
0:19:59 > 0:20:02is a really good solution.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04The two will enjoy the same conditions
0:20:04 > 0:20:07and they complement each other perfectly.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15'One member of the daisy family is the flower we're examining next.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17'They can be grown in most soils,
0:20:17 > 0:20:19'on the ground or in pots,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22'and there are shapes and colours for every taste.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25'Our next D is for dahlias.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28'And here are two dahlia devotees from Cornwall
0:20:28 > 0:20:32'who a few years ago helped drag this once unfashionable flower
0:20:32 > 0:20:35'back onto the big stage.'
0:20:35 > 0:20:39# I said no, no, no
0:20:39 > 0:20:43# Yes, I've been black but when I come back
0:20:43 > 0:20:46# You'll know, know, know #
0:20:46 > 0:20:51Dahlias were seen very much as the bald old man on the allotment
0:20:51 > 0:20:54growing the exhibition flowers for the local flower show
0:20:54 > 0:20:57in the one glass vase and carrying it down there preciously
0:20:57 > 0:21:00and putting it on the bench, and they did have an image of that.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04# Just try to make me go to rehab
0:21:04 > 0:21:08# I won't go, go, go #
0:21:14 > 0:21:19But, of course, they've now changed with the advent of their use in garden schemes
0:21:19 > 0:21:21and many of the landscape gardeners.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24I think of Great Dixter and the wonderful work Christopher Lloyd did down there.
0:21:24 > 0:21:29They've enjoyed a tremendous popular renaissance
0:21:29 > 0:21:34and they've become a real wow and must-have in many of our modern gardens.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45One of the things that we're beginning to see now
0:21:45 > 0:21:48is a resurgence of interest in some of those original species varieties
0:21:48 > 0:21:52that came from Mexico 350 years ago.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55They were first discovered by the Spanish Conquistadors.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59They found two things. They found dahlias and they found potatoes,
0:21:59 > 0:22:01and both headed home, actually, to Spain.
0:22:01 > 0:22:06When dahlias first came over, they were looked at primarily for a food crop
0:22:06 > 0:22:09and for their medicinal aphrodisiac qualities.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12It didn't stand out initially as a garden plant.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16It was just a very simple flower like this.
0:22:16 > 0:22:22And it certainly didn't have a major wow in terms of its initial impact throughout Europe.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24Once we get to the 18th century,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27we saw other European countries getting interested.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30And if you look at the modern forms of varieties,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33collarettes have got a very French influence
0:22:33 > 0:22:36and the pompom varieties actually are very German-influenced.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39And it was quite late on, actually, in the scheme of things
0:22:39 > 0:22:42that the things moved eventually into Holland
0:22:42 > 0:22:44and ultimately here into the UK.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54For me, in all my years of growing dahlias,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56there's nothing been better than this.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59This is a dahlia that I saw in Auckland in New Zealand
0:22:59 > 0:23:02three years ago, this is Magenta Star.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05For my money, the dahlia with everything.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08The colour, the iridescence of the foliage
0:23:08 > 0:23:10and the continual flowers
0:23:10 > 0:23:15make this probably the top dahlia of last and this century.
0:23:22 > 0:23:28At Chelsea last year, we took a small number of dahlias as part of a bigger exhibit
0:23:28 > 0:23:31and I think we were quite surprised at the reaction that we got
0:23:31 > 0:23:34from the public when they saw them there.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38And I think a lot of us questioned, "Couldn't we see more dahlias at Chelsea?"
0:23:38 > 0:23:41And we talked about it and said, "Let's have a go."
0:23:41 > 0:23:44What we looked at was how we could best achieve it
0:23:44 > 0:23:47and we thought, "Right, the dahlia normally flowers in September,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51"so we're going to give it June, July, August cultural conditions."
0:23:51 > 0:23:57So those are the conditions we've given them, plenty of water, plenty of warmth and plenty of feed,
0:23:57 > 0:24:00as if we were growing them normally, but we've done it from the period
0:24:00 > 0:24:03January, February, March, April, May.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06It's really very, very early in the year for dahlias.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09We're talking about the middle of May,
0:24:09 > 0:24:12and in most people's gardens, middle of August, maybe.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14We've needed heat, we've needed light
0:24:14 > 0:24:17and we haven't had much good light this spring,
0:24:17 > 0:24:19so yes, lots of sleepless nights.
0:24:27 > 0:24:33I'm feeling quite guilty having talked Mike into actually bringing an exhibit of dahlias to Chelsea.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37It's been a struggle. I don't know now even if we're going to make it.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40I hope we will. It's looking good today. But we never turn down a challenge.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43The public asked us to bring these flowers to Chelsea,
0:24:43 > 0:24:45and my goodness, we're going to have a good go at it.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50John, you set yourself a challenge, didn't you, this year?
0:24:50 > 0:24:54First time ever at Chelsea and you have won the President's Award
0:24:54 > 0:24:58and put on the most amazing display. How have you done it?
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Well, we grew them as if they were growing in natural season,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04so we started them in January and we created conditions
0:25:04 > 0:25:07that you'd have June, July, August.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10And I've lost a bit of hair and the growers have lost a lot of sleep,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13but we've got here, and what a fantastic result for the dahlia.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16So it's all about cheating the season, isn't it?
0:25:16 > 0:25:19But why do you think that they've come back into fashion
0:25:19 > 0:25:21and everybody wants them these days?
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Well, all plants have fashions, but what we've tried to do
0:25:24 > 0:25:26is go for very simple dahlias
0:25:26 > 0:25:29which reflect the ones that came over from Mexico.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32The singles have transformed the dahlia
0:25:32 > 0:25:34and some of the colours that you see,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Magenta Star and some of the other ones on this stand,
0:25:37 > 0:25:39have actually made them incredibly popular.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46'Now we're joining Monty Don again,
0:25:46 > 0:25:50'this time to learn the best way to pot young dahlia plants.'
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Originally, my plan was to grow these on
0:25:56 > 0:26:00so they'd be nice, stocky plants for next year.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04But I think that we can get flowers out of them this year
0:26:04 > 0:26:06and we can do that in pots.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Dahlias are tropical plants.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11They like warm, wet conditions.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14So I'm going to give them some extra goodness at the bottom of the pot.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18I've got two barrows here. This is pure garden compost.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23And then I've got my potting mix here, homemade.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Right, that goes like that.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31Now, this Arabian Night, which has got a really good red flower.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34And you can see, look, good root system on that.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36And that actually is the perfect time
0:26:36 > 0:26:39to pot on or plant out a plant,
0:26:39 > 0:26:43so that you can see the roots round the outside but it's not root-bound.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45Now, I'm putting these round the outside
0:26:45 > 0:26:48cos it just gives it more room
0:26:48 > 0:26:51and the plant will then consolidate to create one mass,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54whereas if I cram them in the middle,
0:26:54 > 0:26:58they would immediately be butting up against each other.
0:26:58 > 0:27:03And I guess we'll start to have flowers in a few weeks' time.
0:27:04 > 0:27:09As well as Arabian Night, I've also got another good red, Grenadier,
0:27:09 > 0:27:13and David Howard, which is a fabulous apricoty-orange colour
0:27:13 > 0:27:15with dark brown leaves.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23'And we'll leave Monty with his planting and move onto a competition.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25'The Gardener Of The Year, in fact.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28'Four green-fingered contenders taking on a challenge
0:27:28 > 0:27:31'that comes with a double-D factor.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33'Dahlias and dead-heading.
0:27:33 > 0:27:38'Joe Swift and Carol Klein will be keeping an eye on what's going on. Take it away.'
0:27:38 > 0:27:42Finalists, you have three minutes to dead-head the dahlias
0:27:42 > 0:27:45- starting now! - HE BLOWS WHISTLE
0:27:53 > 0:27:56They've really got to get in there.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00You're not meant to miss any, either. You can't just go for the easy ones, can you?
0:28:00 > 0:28:03You've got to go thoroughly through them.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14Look, Candida's definitely got the hang of it, hasn't she, there?
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Is she taking them back to the right point?
0:28:17 > 0:28:21You've got to take them back to where they're going to branch out and make another flower.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27Morris has missed loads of them.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29He's already gone to the end
0:28:29 > 0:28:32- He can't leave... He's going to come back, isn't he?- I don't know.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38- Bob.- Bob's getting focused. He's so focused, Bob, isn't he?- Yeah.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41- He's doing well. - He's got a great big bunch of them.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45- And he's doing it all in one go, look.- You have one minute to go!
0:28:53 > 0:28:56- How's Chung doing?- Chung's too timid.
0:28:56 > 0:29:01- Too slow.- Get in there. - Get in there!
0:29:05 > 0:29:10He's really working. Look at him go!
0:29:11 > 0:29:15- Yeah.- Look at that. He's done it beautifully.- Yeah.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19- HE BLOWS WHISTLE - Please stop what you're doing!
0:29:21 > 0:29:23Come on, Bob, let's see what you've got first.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25Interesting. How do you think that went, then?
0:29:25 > 0:29:28My dad used to grow them. I used to pull them off when I was a kid for him.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31- But I've never cut them before in my life.- OK.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33Cos you were very methodical, the way you went through.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35- Bob was like a machine.- Yeah. SHE LAUGHS
0:29:35 > 0:29:38He just went through the dahlia, didn't hold back whatsoever.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42- Very impressive, yes. - Really, just one fell swoop.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45- Yeah.- Really well done. And look how many.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49- Chung, how do you think you've done? - Oh, I hope I'm doing it all right.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52I do this at home every day,
0:29:52 > 0:29:56but I'm not sure if it's up to standard.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59She took the stem right down to a node,
0:29:59 > 0:30:02the appearance of the plant when she'd finished was top draw.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05But not all that many, really, are there?
0:30:05 > 0:30:07- Candida, how have you done? - Well, it was OK.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Not a huge amount, but I hope I've done them tidily.
0:30:10 > 0:30:15She did well. Erm, she wasn't too confident to begin with,
0:30:15 > 0:30:17but she quickly picked it up.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Morris, you went disappearing off into the horizon.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22We couldn't see you. You went steaming along!
0:30:22 > 0:30:26I had to because there were not enough to cut off in the first batch.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29- I mean, Morris really took off, didn't he?- Well, Morris was great.
0:30:29 > 0:30:34He approached the task with great confidence and efficiency
0:30:34 > 0:30:39and he did actually just speed through it, so he was very good.
0:30:39 > 0:30:40- So, all in all...- Very, very good.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44We've got a draw again. Bob and Morris, top points there.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47And after them,
0:30:47 > 0:30:50and there is really hardly anything in it, Chung.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53And Candida, you scored the least points.
0:30:53 > 0:30:58But it's big decision time. We've got to lose one of you.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01We've totted up the scores for all your five tasks today
0:31:01 > 0:31:06and I'm afraid the person we have to say goodbye to... is Chung.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11OK. That's all right. Thank you very much.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14- Well done.- Well done. ALL CLAP
0:31:14 > 0:31:17'Poor Chung. And in case you were wondering,
0:31:17 > 0:31:21'Bob, who you saw there, went on to win the entire competition.'
0:31:28 > 0:31:30Taking care of a garden isn't easy.
0:31:30 > 0:31:35There's always something that needs doing, even if it's just getting rid of those hated weeds.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37Which takes us onto our next subject,
0:31:37 > 0:31:42a flower most gardeners consider an absolute nuisance.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44'This D is for dandelions.'
0:31:46 > 0:31:50'Popping up here, there and everywhere,
0:31:50 > 0:31:52'for many, the dreaded dandelion is a pest,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55'destroying neat and tidy gardens.'
0:31:56 > 0:32:00But not everyone perceives them as an evil garden weed.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04In fact, there are many who are quick to heap praise on these yellow flowers.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07And I'm off in search of the dandelion fan
0:32:07 > 0:32:12to find out what gets them so excited about this yellow weed.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16'And where better to begin than with someone who chooses to grow them?
0:32:16 > 0:32:21'Paul Richards grows herbs to make into products for the alternative therapy market.'
0:32:21 > 0:32:23So here we are in the middle of one of your fields
0:32:23 > 0:32:27and you're actively encouraging dandelions to grow.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29- They're a weed, aren't they? - Well, they are a weed,
0:32:29 > 0:32:32but you can see that we've got St John's wort here
0:32:32 > 0:32:34and oregano growing over here,
0:32:34 > 0:32:36and in between, we just let the dandelions grow.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39It's a sort of peaceful coexistence, if you like, I suppose.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42And this time of year, just so they don't get out of hand, we dig them up.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46And it's a very useful medicinal herb. We use the roots of it,
0:32:46 > 0:32:49- which we make into a tincture. - And what's a tincture?
0:32:49 > 0:32:52A tincture is a liquid product in alcohol
0:32:52 > 0:32:56which you take a few drops in water or fruit juice.
0:32:56 > 0:33:01So a lot of people will try and specifically get rid of these from the garden
0:33:01 > 0:33:03cos they have a tendency to take over.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Do they take a lot of maintenance to keep them down, as such?
0:33:06 > 0:33:09Well, we tend to leave in between the rows
0:33:09 > 0:33:11because by digging them every year at this time of year,
0:33:11 > 0:33:13we find it just keeps them in check,
0:33:13 > 0:33:18but also enables us to enjoy the flowers, which are really beautiful.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21'Interestingly enough, the French common name for the flower
0:33:21 > 0:33:24'is pissenlit, meaning wet the bed,
0:33:24 > 0:33:27'and in fact, it really does act as a diuretic.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30'The name dandelion comes from Old French,
0:33:30 > 0:33:33'dent-de-lion, tooth of the lion,
0:33:33 > 0:33:37'because it was thought that the leaves of the flower looked just like lion's teeth.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44'Love it or hate it, there's no denying the dandelion's a tenacious plant.
0:33:44 > 0:33:49'Dominic Price gave me the lowdown on the secret of its success.'
0:33:49 > 0:33:53So, Dominic, is there more than one type of dandelion?
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Yes, there's possibly up to 250 types.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59Nobody can quite agree on the exact number.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02- But they must all look quite similar. - They do.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04There's small differences in the leaf structure,
0:34:04 > 0:34:07some of them are very jaggedy, some are quite round,
0:34:07 > 0:34:09some are very large, some are very small.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Some of them are extremely rare, as well.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15And why are they so prolific? Look at them stretching out behind us.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17They take over whole fields, whole gardens.
0:34:17 > 0:34:22Yes, well, one plant can produce more than 2,000 seeds in a year,
0:34:22 > 0:34:26and if you imagine each of those seeds forming a plant in a single growing season,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29they have an ability to take over extremely quickly.
0:34:29 > 0:34:35As a child, I remember picking them up and you tell the time by blowing them and seeing how they blow away,
0:34:35 > 0:34:40- so that's basically spreading the flowers.- Oh, yeah, an incredible aerial dispersal system.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44The sort of thing engineers dream of, lifting that weight and carrying it for hundreds of miles.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47So if someone does have them in the garden
0:34:47 > 0:34:50and they really dislike them and want to get rid of them, what's the best way?
0:34:50 > 0:34:53The best thing to do is catch them early if possible.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56They form these huge taproots, so if you can get them while they're still small,
0:34:56 > 0:34:59they will come up easily and they can be dug up.
0:34:59 > 0:35:04It's best to do it when the soil is fairly damp and just try and do it in one go.
0:35:04 > 0:35:09If you break them, you will probably end up with two dandelions where you had one before.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12'And if you can't beat them, I guess you might as well eat them.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15'I met up with Debs Cook from the Herb Society
0:35:15 > 0:35:19'for a gourmet dandelion master class in soup.'
0:35:19 > 0:35:23We've got some stock and you'll need a little bit of seasoning,
0:35:23 > 0:35:25and the dandelion leaves, that'll be the last stage.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29Everything was sounding very tasty until you mentioned the dandelion leaves in the end.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31- They'll be fine. Trust me. - OK. I'll trust you.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35- And then just pop that back on and stir it up a bit?- Yep.
0:35:37 > 0:35:39There we go. And leave that for a little bit.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Over here we've got a little salad that you've prepared already. So...
0:35:43 > 0:35:47It actually looks like you've got some of the dandelion flower in there, the yellow.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Yeah, we have, because you can eat the petals.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54- This looks like a...- Kids' favourite, dandelion and burdock. Lovely stuff.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58Is that what you put in here? I don't actually remember it, but...
0:36:00 > 0:36:04Mm! That's really nice. And what else have we got over here?
0:36:04 > 0:36:07- We've got some dandelion coffee. - Dandelion coffee?- Yep.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10- So this is the powder here?- Yeah.
0:36:10 > 0:36:15It actually looks like coffee. That's just extraordinary.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19And it smells just like it. Granulated coffee, isn't that amazing?
0:36:19 > 0:36:22- So what part of the dandelion is this?- That's the root.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25So when you see dandelions growing in a garden or in a meadow,
0:36:25 > 0:36:27- you see beauty, not a weed? - Yes, I definitely do.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31'Dandelion soup is packed with vitamin B, C and E.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35'20 minutes of simmering and we're ready for the taste test,'
0:36:35 > 0:36:37Now, I have to say, I've tried a few things over the years.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41I've had stinging nettles, which weren't so nice.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45But this is the first time I've ever had dandelion soup.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49- So you think I'm going to like it? - I think so, yeah.- OK.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53Right. OK.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58Mm!
0:36:59 > 0:37:04- That is surprisingly tasty. - See? Told you so.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07I don't think I'll look at dandelions in quite the same way again.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10- Good.- This is very nice. Yum.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12Mm.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14So, there you have it,
0:37:14 > 0:37:18the virtues of the really rather useful common dandelion.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22All that's left for me is to collect a few for my tea.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28'Who would've guessed they could turn out to be so tasty?
0:37:28 > 0:37:32'Now, from a weed to a flower that can be tricky to grow
0:37:32 > 0:37:34'but is still loved by most gardeners.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37'It's also a favourite with slugs and snails.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40'Our last D is for delphiniums.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42'And we start our look at them
0:37:42 > 0:37:45'with garden expert and poet, Alan Titchmarsh.'
0:37:45 > 0:37:49In spite of all my meekness, if I have a little weakness,
0:37:49 > 0:37:54it's a passion for a flight of delphiniums.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57How can you look at these and not be impressed?
0:37:57 > 0:37:59But they're not always easy to grow.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03Anybody who's tried will say, "Oh, they're a martyr to slugs and snails."
0:38:03 > 0:38:06And indeed they are, but get the recipe for growing them right
0:38:06 > 0:38:11and you too can enjoy spires like these up to six or seven feet high.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14Among my favourites, Blue Nile,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17as near to Royal Blue as you can possibly get.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19And to the right of it, Blue Jade,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22the colour of a May or June sky.
0:38:22 > 0:38:27To grow them well? Well, as you can see, at this kind of height and vigour, they are greedy feeders.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31They need a rich soil, plenty of garden compost or manure worked in,
0:38:31 > 0:38:34and a good feed of blood, bone and fish every spring,
0:38:34 > 0:38:37but also good drainage.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39I grow mine in quite sandy soil.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43I've built a brick-raised bed, filled it with sandy loam, which they love,
0:38:43 > 0:38:46because that slight dryness in the soil gives them the good drainage
0:38:46 > 0:38:49and makes it slightly less encouraging to slugs and snails.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52Though I protect my delphiniums in the first few weeks of growth
0:38:52 > 0:38:55with those copper collars that you can put round the shoots.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58They'll last for four or five years before you need to increase them,
0:38:58 > 0:39:01and you can do that by shoot cuttings in spring.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Just scrape away the soil as those shoots are coming through,
0:39:04 > 0:39:06put your knife in and root them in sandy soil.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09And then you'll get a lovely show like this.
0:39:09 > 0:39:14Now, Blackmore and Langdon have been exhibiting here since the very first Chelsea in 1913.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16And from what you can see here,
0:39:16 > 0:39:20they show absolutely no sign of fading.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28'Inspired? We hope so.
0:39:28 > 0:39:34'But if you can't make up your mind on which you love the most, have a look at this garden in Kent.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38'The local delphinium society there care for over 200 varieties.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40'You'll be spoiled for choice.'
0:39:43 > 0:39:47Delphiniums give you a huge range of colours.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50We get cranberry colours, pinks, whites, very nice creams,
0:39:50 > 0:39:53purples, light blues, Cambridge blues,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56but no reds, I'm afraid, and there are not likely to be in the future.
0:39:57 > 0:40:02Here is a very nice mid-blue called Molly Buchanan, with a dark bee.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06This has got the right shape, it's not big and awkward,
0:40:06 > 0:40:10it's very attractive and is a lovely garden delphinium.
0:40:10 > 0:40:14I'd rate it highly on that. Many people disagree, I assure you.
0:40:14 > 0:40:19There are a multitude of opinions about what is the best, what's the nicest colour, et cetera.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27Most people go for the deep blue,
0:40:27 > 0:40:30and I think I'm a culprit of that, as well.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34But this particular plant here, this real zingy blue of a colour,
0:40:34 > 0:40:36it's quite frilly compared to some of them,
0:40:36 > 0:40:40with just a little hint of white there.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42But it is quite a zingy blue, I think you'd agree.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50This one here,
0:40:50 > 0:40:52Tiddles,
0:40:52 > 0:40:54erm, is so pretty.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58And I like it because of the compactness of the flowers.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01As you can see, the flower's got three layers,
0:41:01 > 0:41:05and the one in the middle, which is called the bee,
0:41:05 > 0:41:09you can't see it very much because that's actually the same colour as the flower,
0:41:09 > 0:41:11which I think is quite attractive.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13I love this one.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15# Loving you
0:41:15 > 0:41:19We look after the Royal Garden of Godinton House,
0:41:19 > 0:41:22and we've been doing this for about ten years now.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25And the Royal Garden is developing all the time.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28So every year the display actually gets better,
0:41:28 > 0:41:31and this is probably one of the best years we've ever had.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39People say, "They're too big for me."
0:41:39 > 0:41:42But there are ways you can make delphiniums smaller.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45When the shoots come out of the ground, there are masses of shoots,
0:41:45 > 0:41:49many delphinium growers thin them out to make them grow tall.
0:41:49 > 0:41:54But if you do not thin them, they will grow much shorter and you'll have many more flowers.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58The other thing is, the more you water them, the taller they will grow.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03The most frequently asked question is, "I can't grow delphiniums because I've got slugs."
0:42:03 > 0:42:05And they do eat some of them,
0:42:05 > 0:42:10but a slug is a person you've got to live with and you've got to fight him.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15The taller varieties are obviously affected by the weather.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19They just fall over and there's no way of standing them back up again.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23They just snap and everything's lost, really.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27I mean, we all get frustrations over them and things like that,
0:42:27 > 0:42:29but you go back for more.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34Some years you think, "Why am I bothering with this?"
0:42:34 > 0:42:36But you go again and again
0:42:36 > 0:42:39because you've just got this thing about delphiniums.
0:42:45 > 0:42:50I'm very saddened to see that they are so under-represented in gardens around the country.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56Clearly a delphinium likes the best soil and the best mulch you can get,
0:42:56 > 0:43:00keep away from the trees, get lots of good sunshine, water them well.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03Do what you can for them and they will reward you very richly.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06The slug you just have to fight constantly.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08And you have to choose your own way that you wish to do this.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11I won't tell you what I do, it's not very nice.
0:43:16 > 0:43:20Well, that's slugs and snails. But we've got no time for puppy-dogs' tails,
0:43:20 > 0:43:22because we've come to the end of the show.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24Do join us next time for some more top tips
0:43:24 > 0:43:28on our A To Z of TV Gardening. Until then, goodbye.
0:43:30 > 0:43:35Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:35 > 0:43:35.