0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to The A To Z Of TV Gardening.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07We're on a mission to dig up the best advice and tips
0:00:07 > 0:00:10from all your favourite TV garden programmes and presenters
0:00:10 > 0:00:14so join me, as letter by letter, one by one,
0:00:14 > 0:00:18we explore everything from flowers and trees to fruit and veg
0:00:18 > 0:00:20on The A To Z Of TV Gardening.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41Everything we're looking at today begins with the letter G.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Here's what's coming up.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47Garlic tasting. Joe Swift is put to the test.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52- You're telling me the burn starts! - The burn starts and it's getting stronger and stronger.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Monty Don remembers a lesson on gooseberry growing.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59And he said, "The secret is give them a hard time.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02"Treat 'em rough, boy," he said, "treat 'em rough."
0:01:02 > 0:01:05And helping homeless gnomes is no laughing matter.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09I can't take this seriously!
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Just some of the treats we have in store.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15But let's start with a flower that will flourish almost anywhere.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17Carol Klein's been growing them for decades,
0:01:17 > 0:01:21so get your notebooks ready - here's all you need to know.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23Our first G is for geraniums.
0:01:23 > 0:01:29I've been making the garden here at Glebe Cottage for more than 30 years
0:01:29 > 0:01:34and during that time there's one genus of plants that I've used constantly.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36It's geraniums.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Within the garden there's all sorts of situations.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44Some are hot and sun-baked and others are shady nooks.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48You can find a geranium to suit every single situation.
0:01:48 > 0:01:53Out here in the Brick Garden, amongst all these billowing plants,
0:01:53 > 0:01:58Geranium pratense is in its element - it's in complete control.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Well, pratense means "of meadows"
0:02:12 > 0:02:16and that's exactly the sort of place that this geranium loves to grow.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21I suppose our beds and borders are really akin to an open meadow,
0:02:21 > 0:02:23with lots of plants mingling together.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26And this one can fend for itself.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29It's always a big, vigorous sort of plant.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34But within that vigour, there's such beautiful detail -
0:02:34 > 0:02:39these lovely flowers, often with striations - little lines.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44And on the back of it, this beautiful star where the calyx has expanded
0:02:44 > 0:02:46and now holds the petals.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50And what wonderful mixtures it makes.
0:02:50 > 0:02:51I don't know how it does it
0:02:51 > 0:02:56because invariably it seems to seed itself in exactly the right place.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00You get these associations you could never ever have dreamed of making yourself.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03I love it with this brown blupleurum
0:03:03 > 0:03:07and the colour is taken up within the geranium head
0:03:07 > 0:03:11and then reflected again in this bronze fennel,
0:03:11 > 0:03:16so you get this marriage of texture and colour and detail.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19I couldn't have done it nearly as well.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Sometimes, though, I want to decide where my Geranium pratense are going
0:03:27 > 0:03:30and the best way to do that is by growing it from seed.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34Seed is produced from summer right through to the autumn.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Last year, I collected and stored some.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Now I'm sorting the seed from the chaff
0:03:39 > 0:03:42and then sowing it thinly on gritty compost.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50Covering it with grit and pressing it down firmly.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Then, after giving it a thorough watering,
0:03:53 > 0:03:54popping the pot in a shady place.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00And shade is exactly where Geranium nodosum wants to be.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02It's a prolific self-seeder
0:04:02 > 0:04:07but this time it puts itself about anywhere where there's shade -
0:04:07 > 0:04:10underneath the trees and between shrubs,
0:04:10 > 0:04:12that's where it's happiest.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16And unlike most geraniums, it's evergreen,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19so during the winter you've still got this glorious ground cover
0:04:19 > 0:04:23and you get the benefit of rich autumn colour, too.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Well, out of the shade and into the sun.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40This is Geranium sanguineum
0:04:40 > 0:04:46and the species is a native plant and it occurs in really sunny places
0:04:46 > 0:04:48and often in thin, chalky soils
0:04:48 > 0:04:50and sometimes in pure sand.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55And because it thrives on poverty, it makes it an excellent candidate
0:04:55 > 0:04:56for growing in a pot.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01And it has several sort of strategies to ensure its survival
0:05:01 > 0:05:05in these really very inhospitable kind of places.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08First of all, it's got these very finely divided leaves
0:05:08 > 0:05:11which means it doesn't lose much moisture.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13And it has two sorts of roots.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16It has fine, fibrous roots like most geraniums
0:05:16 > 0:05:18but it's also got these thick, chunky roots
0:05:18 > 0:05:22which enable it to store water in times of drought
0:05:22 > 0:05:28and as gardeners, it also enables us to propagate it from root cuttings.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Whether your plant is in the ground or in a pot,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38first, expose some chunky roots.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Break off several lengths.
0:05:41 > 0:05:46You can feel the nodules where shoots will develop all along the roots.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Slice them into pieces a few centimetres long
0:05:50 > 0:05:55and, crucially, lay them horizontally on the surface of gritty compost,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58so they're in intimate contact with it.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Weight them down with grit.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05Root cuttings will work for all forms of Geranium sanguineum.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16Let me introduce you to what's possibly my favourite geranium.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18It's Geranium psilostemon
0:06:18 > 0:06:24and it's probably the most versatile of a multitalented troupe of plants.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29It'll grow practically anywhere. It loves full sun.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33It will grow in a bit of shade. It's happy wherever you put it
0:06:33 > 0:06:36and it's even happy in heavy clay soil,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39which is just what it's growing in here.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Now, 15 or 16 months ago, I stripped these borders
0:06:43 > 0:06:45and took everything out of here
0:06:45 > 0:06:49and there were just three or four clumps of Geranium psilostemon.
0:06:49 > 0:06:54I divided them up using back-to-back forks and made loads of plants
0:06:54 > 0:06:56and replanted a lot of them.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59And just look at them now.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01They look as though they've been here forever
0:07:01 > 0:07:05and how beautifully they combine with all these other plants in here.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07They're happy neighbours.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10And when you look at the plant itself,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12with these dramatic palmate leaves,
0:07:12 > 0:07:18lovely red stems and these gorgeous flowers,
0:07:18 > 0:07:22sizzling magenta and set off with these very dramatic black eyes,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25the whole thing is irresistible.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27And whether it's Geranium psilostemon
0:07:27 > 0:07:31or any of the other members of this marvellous family,
0:07:31 > 0:07:35it's a real privilege to grow them.
0:07:38 > 0:07:39What an amazing garden.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43Now let's look at something that's not quite so beautiful
0:07:43 > 0:07:46but that's usually the key element of most people's gardens.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49We're talking G for grass.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53And we've got Joe Swift and Toby Buckland next,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56with advice on getting your green, green grass of home
0:07:56 > 0:07:59as pitch perfect as a sports venue.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03The Sports Turf Research Institute has been getting the best
0:08:03 > 0:08:06out of every blade for grass for the last 80 years.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10It currently has over 400 cultivars spread across 20 acres,
0:08:10 > 0:08:15so where better to discover the secret of the perfect lawn?
0:08:15 > 0:08:16On me head, son.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20They can boast that their know-how has graced everywhere
0:08:20 > 0:08:23from the greens of St Andrews to Centre Court at Wimbledon
0:08:23 > 0:08:25via the World Cup.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28If it's played on grass, they think about it here.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33What, to you, makes a really good lawn?
0:08:33 > 0:08:35Well, I think it needs to be weed free.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37It needs to have good, full cover.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40We like it to be dense, hard-wearing.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44The leaves need to be quite fine and it needs to look good,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46so we're looking for a good visual appeal in a lawn.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49There may be over 400 cultivars here
0:08:49 > 0:08:53but it all boils down to four main categories of grass seed.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Perennial ryegrass is hard-wearing and provides traction,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58so it's good for football or rugby
0:08:58 > 0:09:01but also good for gardens where children are playing.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Smooth stalked meadow grasses are very similar
0:09:05 > 0:09:08but their root systems binds turf together,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11so it's great for areas with heavy traffic, like golf tees.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15Bent grasses form a dense carpet
0:09:15 > 0:09:17which is perfect for that bowling green look
0:09:17 > 0:09:19but you wouldn't want to let the kids play on it.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24Similarly, fescues are great for ornamental lawns, like a golf green,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26but take a lot of maintenance.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Now, I'm a big footie fan, OK?
0:09:28 > 0:09:32What would I expect to find on, say, a Premiership football pitch?
0:09:32 > 0:09:36The principal grass on football pitches is perennial ryegrass.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40It can take the kind of wear that's imposed on it
0:09:40 > 0:09:41by football matches.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45Alternatively, and many football pitches will have a blend like this,
0:09:45 > 0:09:50you would use some red fescue, which is a finer species of grass.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54So for a garden, that would be better, wouldn't it, getting that in there
0:09:54 > 0:09:58- because it knits together and gives it more... - For a garden, that's perfect.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Hopefully, that would eliminate the possibilities
0:10:00 > 0:10:05of the invasion of weeds and weed grasses coming into your lawn.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09Another trial they're working on is very much back on home turf.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13This area has been seeded in squares with 30 grass mixes
0:10:13 > 0:10:17bought from DIY stores, garden centres and on the internet.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20We're concerned about the consistency of the quality of the seed
0:10:20 > 0:10:23in the domestic market
0:10:23 > 0:10:25and so these trials have been maintained
0:10:25 > 0:10:27as you would a lawn at home.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29And what about these, then?
0:10:29 > 0:10:35Well, these are what you would term multipurpose or everyday lawn seed
0:10:35 > 0:10:39and it's generally made up predominantly of perennial ryegrass.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42But in general, they're not that impressive, I don't think.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46I mean, I know that you need to put in a lot of work to keep a good lawn
0:10:46 > 0:10:49but do think the quality of the seed that is coming through,
0:10:49 > 0:10:53is there a big gap between the professional market and the DIY market?
0:10:53 > 0:10:55I think you've hit the nail on the head. There is a big gap.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59What we would like to see is more consistency in the domestic market
0:10:59 > 0:11:02and better quality seed.
0:11:10 > 0:11:15Now, tell me, have you matched the specific grass types in your lawn
0:11:15 > 0:11:16to the soil in your garden?
0:11:16 > 0:11:20And do you treat the sward like the hallowed turf at Wimbledon?
0:11:20 > 0:11:21I thought not.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24That's probably why it looks like this.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Yes, all the usual suspects are here.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Leaves left on the grass too long so worm casts come to the surface.
0:11:30 > 0:11:36There's bare patches and there's moss and clover outcompeting the grass.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40But if you cultivate the lawn - this is what all lawn lovers know -
0:11:40 > 0:11:42you can get your grass to be good and thick and strong
0:11:42 > 0:11:44and now's the time to do it.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48But you don't make cakes without breaking eggs
0:11:48 > 0:11:50and this isn't going to look great when I've finished
0:11:50 > 0:11:53but it's going to come back to life
0:11:53 > 0:11:56and be a really hard-wearing, good-looking lawn.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05Move any family pets because the lawn feed we're going to apply later
0:12:05 > 0:12:06could harm them.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10Keep them off the grass until the feed has disappeared into the soil.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15Make sure the blade on your mower is sharp.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18You wouldn't shave with a blunt razor, would you?
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Here's why you should get your lawn mower serviced every year.
0:12:29 > 0:12:35If it's got a blunt blade it will leave the tips of your grass ragged, bruised and vulnerable to disease.
0:12:41 > 0:12:47Next, scarify. With a spring-tined rake, work the lawn lengthways
0:12:47 > 0:12:48and widthways.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52You'll be amazed at how much dead material, known as thatch,
0:12:52 > 0:12:53you gather up.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58This stuff can stop water and fertilizer reaching the soil.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Clearing it also lets the grass breathe
0:13:01 > 0:13:03and encourages side shoots to grow.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Now, this moss just loves what grass hates -
0:13:10 > 0:13:13compacted, moist, nutrient-poor soil -
0:13:13 > 0:13:16and that's why there's so much of it here.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22There are loads of weedkillers on the market that target moss
0:13:22 > 0:13:25but they will only treat the symptoms, not the cause.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29The best way to eliminate it is by aeration
0:13:29 > 0:13:31but first give the lawn yet another mow
0:13:31 > 0:13:33to suck up the last of the thatch.
0:13:34 > 0:13:39Now, you can aerate it. Spike the lawn every 10cm with a fork.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44This will improve drainage and get air and nutrients to the roots.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Lots of people never feed their lawns
0:13:48 > 0:13:53but if you want it to look good, then apply a lawn food four times a year.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56The key thing at this time of year is to avoid nitrogen
0:13:56 > 0:13:58because that just encourages soft leafy growth
0:13:58 > 0:14:00that will be damaged by winter cold.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Instead, you major on phosphates and potassium,
0:14:03 > 0:14:07two nutrients that encourage robust growth and healthy roots.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15If you're serious about looking after your grass,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17it's worth investing in a drop spreader.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21They cost around £30 and guarantee a measured dose.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23It's quicker, too.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Water in, then reseed any areas that are looking thin.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Finally, rake in the seed.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36A lawn this size will take about three or four hours' work.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38It's a lot of effort but if a job's worth doing...
0:14:38 > 0:14:42Well, I told you it wasn't going to look better straight away
0:14:42 > 0:14:45but believe me, come spring you won't regret the work.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Thanks, Toby. Next, we're joining James Wong
0:14:52 > 0:14:57as we discover the benefits of growing and cooking with our next G - for ginger.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02A-ha. This is what I'm looking for - ginger.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Just moving the leaves reminds me of growing up -
0:15:05 > 0:15:06that really characteristic smell.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10But the bit you'll recognise and the bit we're really interested in
0:15:10 > 0:15:13is the roots, or the rhizomes, to be more botanically accurate.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16They're actually swollen stems rather than roots.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20It's been used for over 2,000 years, perhaps a lot more than that.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24It's probably the most widely used medicinal plant in the whole world.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27You can grow ginger in the UK even without a greenhouse.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31Just plant fresh rhizomes from a supermarket in a deep pot
0:15:31 > 0:15:33and put it on a sunny windowsill.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Fresh ginger contains substances called gingerols
0:15:39 > 0:15:41which give it that fiery taste.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45When dried they convert into spicier substances called shogaols.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49These help ease stomach upsets by reducing acid
0:15:49 > 0:15:52but crucially they work to stop the vomit reflex
0:15:52 > 0:15:55by blocking messages sent from the gut to the brain.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07My anti-nausea remedy is one of my favourite medicinal sweets -
0:16:07 > 0:16:08crystallised ginger.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11It tastes great and it might just help.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15You could in theory just gnaw on a piece of fresh root
0:16:15 > 0:16:17and it would work just as well
0:16:17 > 0:16:21but the flavour's pretty intense and it's not really convenient -
0:16:21 > 0:16:24you couldn't pop it in your bag and take it on a ferry journey.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28But crystallised ginger works just as well and it's a sweet -
0:16:28 > 0:16:32you can use it on ice cream, you can put it in cookies,
0:16:32 > 0:16:33whatever you want to do.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36I need 350g.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41Just about it.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Now you've got your ginger peeled and weighed out, slice them up,
0:16:44 > 0:16:45a bit like you're making chips.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53I'm going to pour on just enough freshly boiling water
0:16:53 > 0:16:55to cover it by about an inch.
0:16:55 > 0:17:00Let it bubble away on a medium heat, just until it's al dente.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05This will take about an hour but will depend on the freshness of your ginger.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09When it's ready, strain and keep the liquid to one side.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13During the cooking process, the ginger will have absorbed water,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17so weigh it again and then add an equal amount of caster sugar.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Add two tablespoons of the liquid from the boiled ginger
0:17:23 > 0:17:25and put it back on the heat.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31The important thing is you've got to keep stirring it
0:17:31 > 0:17:33just to make sure it doesn't burn.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35It might take about half an hour to 45 minutes
0:17:35 > 0:17:39but the results are really worth it.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43You'll know it's nearly ready when the syrup has really thickened up
0:17:43 > 0:17:45to a gloopy consistency.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49And at this point, take this off the heat and it then starts to cool down.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53You can see it's just starting to crystallise -
0:17:53 > 0:17:56it's only been off the heat a couple of seconds -
0:17:56 > 0:17:58and at this stage I'm going to pop the stuff all out
0:17:58 > 0:18:02and sprinkle it onto a baking sheet covered in sugar,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05just to make sure it doesn't stick together.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10Sticky, chewy, translucent bits of amber
0:18:10 > 0:18:13that look fantastic, taste great.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Your crystallised ginger will keep for up to six months
0:18:16 > 0:18:18in an airtight jar.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20Take one or two pieces whenever you feel the need.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Still to come, we visit a sanctuary for gnomes,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28get planting tips on gooseberries
0:18:28 > 0:18:29and even start our own vineyard.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32But first, to the edible side of our garden
0:18:32 > 0:18:37and a veg that satisfies anyone who's both gardener and gourmet.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39G is for garlic.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42And here's Alys Fowler with all the essentials.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48We are well into the garlic planting season
0:18:48 > 0:18:51and I think I like growing garlic almost as much as I like eating it.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54It's an incredibly easy and very rewarding crop.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57All you do is take the bulb, break it into cloves,
0:18:57 > 0:19:01plant each individual clove and you get a lot more bulbs.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Well, that is if it doesn't rain all winter.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06If it rains all winter, you have a slightly harder task
0:19:06 > 0:19:10because garlic likes to grow in very cold, dry winters,
0:19:10 > 0:19:14nice warm, wet springs and then very sunny summers.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16And if you have soil that's anything like ours,
0:19:16 > 0:19:17which is the least bit heavy,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20you'll find that you can plant your garlic in autumn
0:19:20 > 0:19:22only to find that it's rotted away by spring.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26So one of the things I do to help against that is
0:19:26 > 0:19:30I work a lot of sand into the soil and then I also grow on ridges.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33So you make ridges about 10cm high,
0:19:33 > 0:19:37roughly about 10-12cm between each clove...
0:19:38 > 0:19:40and you should get good results.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Now, there are two types of garlic.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46There is soft-neck garlic and hard-neck garlic.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49Now, hard-neck garlic is quite easy to tell apart
0:19:49 > 0:19:51because it has this very hard neck.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55This is called the scape and it will eventually turn into the flower,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57which is this extraordinary twisted thing.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01And it is considered the gourmet of all garlics,
0:20:01 > 0:20:05whereas soft-neck tends to be a bit more pungent
0:20:05 > 0:20:09and soft-neck is the kind that you can then braid into plaits
0:20:09 > 0:20:11and it's what's sold in the majority of supermarkets.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14It tends to store much better than hard-neck.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17So I'm going to plant some hard-neck
0:20:17 > 0:20:20because I want that delicate, delicious garlic taste.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23So just break the cloves apart.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29And then each clove into individuals
0:20:29 > 0:20:31and you plant it with this flat end down
0:20:31 > 0:20:34about an inch or so into the soil.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38I'm going to try an experiment with the soft-neck garlic,
0:20:38 > 0:20:43where I'm going to plant at two-weekly intervals from now until February
0:20:43 > 0:20:46to see what kind of yields I get come the summer.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50I'm going to grow some outside here in lines
0:20:50 > 0:20:54and then I'm going to try some started off in modules in the greenhouse.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09Starting off your garlic in plugs is even easier than outside.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11All you need to do is use some good compost,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14fill up some decent, big plugs
0:21:14 > 0:21:17and start popping your garlic in.
0:21:18 > 0:21:24And then all you need to be aware of is that garlic needs roughly 30 days
0:21:24 > 0:21:26between zero and ten degrees.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28It's really important that it gets this cool period
0:21:28 > 0:21:31because this is when the bulb initiation happens
0:21:31 > 0:21:33and it starts forming into cloves.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37I'm going to start them off in here, which is a cool greenhouse,
0:21:37 > 0:21:42and the minute that they're up I'm going to take them outside,
0:21:42 > 0:21:47keep them somewhere where they're out of the worst of the rain
0:21:47 > 0:21:51and then when springs come along, say, the beginning of March,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54I'll plant them out.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58That's garlic planting but what about tasting?
0:21:58 > 0:22:01In a few minutes, Joe Swift will be giving it a go
0:22:01 > 0:22:04but before him, meet Colin Boswell,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08a man eats, lives and breathes garlic for a living.
0:22:13 > 0:22:14Garlic is powerful in itself.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18It's one of the few vegetables which really hits you
0:22:18 > 0:22:21when you cut it, when you touch it, when you feel it, when you smell it.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28We started growing garlic - my mother grew some in the kitchen garden
0:22:28 > 0:22:29in 1975, '76.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33We produced beautiful hard, white garlic bulbs
0:22:33 > 0:22:37and we looked on the supermarket shelves and they just weren't the same.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39We thought, if we can grow this on the Isle of Wight,
0:22:39 > 0:22:40then we can sell it.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Every year we grow about 12 different garlic types.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51We grow our hard-necks.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55This is elephant garlic that we're sitting amongst at the moment. This is the hard-neck.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59Or a soft-neck, which have been cultivated by man so long
0:22:59 > 0:23:03they've lost the ability to produce a seed head
0:23:03 > 0:23:07and they tend to be bigger, fatter and more commercial
0:23:07 > 0:23:11but gardeners definitely become passionate about growing hard-necks.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20This garlic is Iberian Wight, grown all around the Mediterranean.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23And here's a nice one here
0:23:23 > 0:23:25and I'm going to...
0:23:25 > 0:23:28There we are. Look at that - beautiful.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Any gardener can grow this.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Now, the real test for a garlic is this.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38I'm going to cut through there and what do we see?
0:23:38 > 0:23:41About eight, nine, ten really big fat cloves.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44All the ways that you might cook garlic in Mediterranean cooking,
0:23:44 > 0:23:47this garlic is superb for it.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54All the different garlics that we see around the world
0:23:54 > 0:23:56originate from the Garlic Crescent,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59which stretches from eastern Turkey through to Kazakhstan.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03Garlic was probably one of the first plants to be cultivated by man.
0:24:03 > 0:24:08As soon as man moved away from the area where the garlic grew,
0:24:08 > 0:24:12he still wanted that small, little bulb which kept him healthy
0:24:12 > 0:24:14and gave great flavour to his food
0:24:14 > 0:24:18and he found that if he stuck it in the ground it grew.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23And I think that's where man learned to cultivate, to grow.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34This is heritage garlic, here. Purple Moldovan.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43Now, this garlic grew, originally, around the Black Sea.
0:24:43 > 0:24:51And it has about six - five, six - really big, fat cloves.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56It's much more concentrated than the Mediterranean types.
0:25:00 > 0:25:01There we are, look at that.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04One, two, three, four, five.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13You can grow garlic in pots quite easily.
0:25:13 > 0:25:19Basically, break a bulb into cloves, plant the cloves with about an inch of soil on top, root down.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Four or five to a ten-inch pot.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26Keep it watered. Garlic needs to be kept damp all the time
0:25:26 > 0:25:28until just at the point of harvest.
0:25:28 > 0:25:29It's as easy as that.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33The secret of growing garlic is not to take it off the supermarket shelf
0:25:33 > 0:25:35because that's been held in a cold store.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40The best way is to buy a garlic that is actually meant for growing,
0:25:40 > 0:25:41been bred for growing,
0:25:41 > 0:25:46and you can get some fantastic results anywhere in the UK.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Garlic is a complete family
0:25:52 > 0:25:55and I've spent 30 years getting to know the family
0:25:55 > 0:25:58and I know a little bit about it and I'm getting closer to it
0:25:58 > 0:26:01and it's a fantastic story to tell.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03I think the story goes right back
0:26:03 > 0:26:06to our earliest forebears scratching in the dirt
0:26:06 > 0:26:10and finding that these little bulbs actually tasted good
0:26:10 > 0:26:12and did fantastic things for you.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22You really are Mr Garlic, Colin.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25They all look very different but do they taste that different?
0:26:25 > 0:26:28- Isn't garlic just garlic? - Not really, no.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30Let's try this.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32- This is our Solent Wight.- OK.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36- It's originated from the Auvergne in Central France.- Mm-hm.
0:26:36 > 0:26:37Look at it - see?
0:26:37 > 0:26:41Big cloves around the outside and long, elegant ones in the centre.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44And the taste - would you like to taste some?
0:26:44 > 0:26:46- Yeah. I'm not eating all of that, that's for sure.- Here we go.
0:26:49 > 0:26:50OK, talk me through this one.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55OK, what you're feeling is that it's got sweet and spring-like.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59- Mm!- It hasn't dried yet.- Like a spring onion, it starts off with.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01Absolutely. But the strength is coming up,
0:27:01 > 0:27:05- down the nose...- Mm.- ..through all the spaces...- Yeah, yeah.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08..and you can feel it and it's got an elegant bouquet.
0:27:08 > 0:27:13Purple Moldovan. Five fat cloves around a central stem.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17And this makes the best garlic bread you'll ever taste.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21So let's take this one there,
0:27:21 > 0:27:24- cut it in half... - Yeah, I was going to say.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28- There we go.- I should be able to taste the difference. Here we go.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31Together.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36- It's quite sweet to start with. - Mm.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39Quite sweet, yeah. It's quite light and sweet.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41- Sugary. - Sugary, sugary, yeah.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43- But then the burn starts. - Yeah... Oh!
0:27:43 > 0:27:45You're telling me the burn starts!
0:27:45 > 0:27:49The burn starts and it's getting stronger and stronger.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52Yeah, and that's clearing... I can feel it going up on the palate
0:27:52 > 0:27:54and across the sinuses like that.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Oh, my God. It's made my eyes water.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Mixed with butter, a little bit of salt, with butter,
0:27:59 > 0:28:03put it into garlic bread, just the aroma is just...
0:28:03 > 0:28:04It's a sensation.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10It certainly is a sensation, that's what it is. Ooh!
0:28:10 > 0:28:13I'm not sure I fancy standing too close to those two after that.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15But there's barely time to draw breath now
0:28:15 > 0:28:18because up next is a fruit that comes with the advice
0:28:18 > 0:28:20"treat them mean, keep them keen."
0:28:20 > 0:28:23This G is for gooseberries
0:28:23 > 0:28:26and Monty Don is showing some tough love.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29Now is the perfect time to plant gooseberries, redcurrants,
0:28:29 > 0:28:31blackcurrants, white currants.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34And I've got here some cordon gooseberries.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36I love gooseberries
0:28:36 > 0:28:39but I know a lot of people feel you need a lot of space to grow them
0:28:39 > 0:28:43but if you grow them as cordons, you can grow them in a foot-wide strip
0:28:43 > 0:28:45against a fence and they're perfect.
0:28:45 > 0:28:50And a cordon is simply a bush that has been trained onto just one stem
0:28:50 > 0:28:52and all the side shoots are cut off.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56And you keep it pruned so it can grow as high as it likes
0:28:56 > 0:28:58but never gets any wider,
0:28:58 > 0:29:01so it's perfect for growing in a small space.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04And I'm going to put a line of gooseberries along the back here.
0:29:04 > 0:29:09And gooseberries are tough plants. You just chuck them in the ground.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12In fact, I remember one old boy years ago
0:29:12 > 0:29:15when I said that I was having trouble with gooseberries,
0:29:15 > 0:29:17that they were getting mould and sawfly,
0:29:17 > 0:29:20and he said, "The secret is give them a hard time.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22"Treat 'em rough, boy," he said, "treat 'em rough."
0:29:24 > 0:29:27And it works, you know? So there's no extra manure in here.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29Just pop them in the ground
0:29:29 > 0:29:32and if you've got a fire, particularly a wood fire,
0:29:32 > 0:29:38put the ashes on them in April or a potash feed, perhaps, in spring
0:29:38 > 0:29:39and that's all they need.
0:29:39 > 0:29:44And the spacing for cordons is about one foot apart,
0:29:44 > 0:29:45so really quite close together.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49And just dig it out.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54You notice I've got them in a bucket of water.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Really important with all bare-root plants
0:29:57 > 0:30:00never to let them dry out, not even for half a minute.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03You can see that's a really good root system on this plant.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07It's only a small shoot coming off it but powerful roots
0:30:07 > 0:30:09and in the end, that's what you're buying.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12Good roots and you'll always have a good plant.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31And the whole point about gooseberries is that you can eat them like grapes,
0:30:31 > 0:30:34you can make jam with them, you can make pies with them,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37you can stew them - there's lots of different ways
0:30:37 > 0:30:39and also they will fruit at different times,
0:30:39 > 0:30:42so that they're very, very versatile.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44A lovely fruit to grow and not enough people do.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49And I will mulch these to keep the weeds down but not to feed them.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51The bamboo cane has to stay on.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55In fact, these are too short. I want a longer cane, which I will attach.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58And also they will need some kind of prop as they grow,
0:30:58 > 0:31:01just some wire to stop them flapping around in the wind.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03But all that can be done later.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07What matters at this time of year is to get them in the ground
0:31:07 > 0:31:10and then once you've planted them, just give them a little prune.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25And the great thing about gooseberries is they're tough -
0:31:25 > 0:31:28if you can grow a bramble, you can grow a gooseberry.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32And anyway, we'll be revisiting these regularly throughout the season.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37Thanks, Monty. Now, a gooseberry is of course a berry -
0:31:37 > 0:31:39the clue's in the name -
0:31:39 > 0:31:42and we're staying with a berry for this next topic,
0:31:42 > 0:31:45although you may not realise it is one.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49This letter G is for grape and grapevines
0:31:49 > 0:31:52and we're joining our green-fingered friend Toby Buckland again,
0:31:52 > 0:31:59this time to learn how to start your very own private vineyard.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01When you go and buy grapes down at the supermarket
0:32:01 > 0:32:04they invariably are seedless.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Now, you can buy seedless grapes to grow in your gardens.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11This one is called Lakemont, it's a variety from North America
0:32:11 > 0:32:16and it's a seedless white grape with quite a floral flavour to it,
0:32:16 > 0:32:17lovely and sweet.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20But the sweetness comes down to where it's grown
0:32:20 > 0:32:25and that's why I'm going to plant them against this south-facing shed.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28The dark colour of this will help to trap the heat as well,
0:32:28 > 0:32:30which the grapes will just love.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33The more sun your grapes have while they're ripening,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36the more sugar develops inside the fruit.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39When I was in France, I was taken round a vineyard
0:32:39 > 0:32:46and the owner, he told me that when he planted, he chopped off nearly all the roots of his vines
0:32:46 > 0:32:50to encourage them to seek out moisture in the water table
0:32:50 > 0:32:52and root very deeply.
0:32:52 > 0:32:57Well, I was thinking the water table in this country certainly isn't that high or that powerful
0:32:57 > 0:33:01and all that would happen if you did any of these French winegrowers' tricks
0:33:01 > 0:33:04is that you'd be back at the garden centre buying another vine
0:33:04 > 0:33:05because you'd kill it.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08So a bit of care is necessary.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12Get the roots down into the soil.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16Just a centimetre or so deeper than the pot.
0:33:16 > 0:33:20Now, here in the Midlands there's a good chance we will get grapes.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22There's a sort of a line
0:33:22 > 0:33:25up to which the grapes are almost guaranteed to do well outside
0:33:25 > 0:33:27if you give them a sunny position
0:33:27 > 0:33:30and that's between the Wash and Pembrokeshire.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34North of that you're taking a chance but you can always grow varieties like this indoors.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37In fact, Lakemont does very well under glass.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41Lovely little taste of the summer when these come out.
0:33:41 > 0:33:42They'll be delicious.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44Ooh, and one other thing.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48If you don't get very much fruit on your grapevines in the garden,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51you can always eat the leaves as dolmades -
0:33:51 > 0:33:56they're wraps for rice and lamb, a classic Greek dish.
0:33:56 > 0:33:57All you do is pick the foliage,
0:33:57 > 0:34:00particularly round leaves like this that are still succulent,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03dip them into boiling water.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05When they come out they're quite elastic and soft
0:34:05 > 0:34:10and you can wrap them round the food to make little parcels.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12Absolutely delicious.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18Now, one thing about grapes is, they need plenty of sunshine.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22Get enough of that and a wonderful wine is perfectly possible,
0:34:22 > 0:34:24as Julia Bradbury's been finding out.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31With vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see,
0:34:31 > 0:34:33you could be forgiven for thinking
0:34:33 > 0:34:36I'm on the slopes of the Champagne region in France.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38Mais non, mon ami!
0:34:38 > 0:34:41I'm actually in Surrey, just over the way from Matt on Box Hill,
0:34:41 > 0:34:44exploring an English vineyard.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47Now, there was a time when English wine struggled to make its mark,
0:34:47 > 0:34:49with a less than sparkling reputation,
0:34:49 > 0:34:51but that is no longer the case.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54Right now, I'm told, our home-grown grapes can challenge
0:34:54 > 0:34:56some of the best of our Continental cousins',
0:34:56 > 0:34:59at least when it comes to fizz.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02And this isn't the first time our vineyards have wowed the world.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07I'm at Painshill Park, where a restoration project has brought back to life
0:35:07 > 0:35:10one of the most successful vineyards of the 18th century.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14You don't expect to come across this off a roundabout on the A3.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19It was one of the best in the country in its heyday.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21The vineyard and the gardens around it were the vision
0:35:21 > 0:35:23of Charles Hamilton,
0:35:23 > 0:35:26a chap who, like many young aristocrats, spent time in his youth
0:35:26 > 0:35:28on a Grand Tour of Europe.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33And like many, he sampled his fair share of grape and grain on his travels.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37On his return, he created this rather grand, meandering garden
0:35:37 > 0:35:40with the feature vineyard, inspired by his times abroad.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43It must have been one heck of a gap year.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46Mike Gove of the Painshill Trust reveals more.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49Hamilton was truly inspired by his European travels, wasn't he?
0:35:49 > 0:35:50Oh, indeed.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53In 1738 when he bought Painshill,
0:35:53 > 0:35:56he started early in 1740 planting his vineyard
0:35:56 > 0:36:00In the early days he wasn't too successful in his winegrowing,
0:36:00 > 0:36:03so he sought help from David Geneste, a Frenchman,
0:36:03 > 0:36:08an experienced winegrower, and he was here for nine years, almost.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10- So he actually came?- He came here, yes, to give him advice
0:36:10 > 0:36:13and to help replant the vineyard, in many respects.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17And eventually, he produced a product that was good enough to fool the French, didn't he?
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Yes, indeed. It's said that the French ambassador thought
0:36:20 > 0:36:23that the wine he was tasting was indeed champagne
0:36:23 > 0:36:26and said it was one of the finest champagnes he had tasted.
0:36:26 > 0:36:31Despite fooling a Frenchman into thinking his English wine was bona fide champagne,
0:36:31 > 0:36:34the fashion for home-grown fizz didn't catch on
0:36:34 > 0:36:36and Charles Hamilton's vision didn't last long
0:36:36 > 0:36:39and that's when the vineyards, the rest of the park
0:36:39 > 0:36:43and indeed the English wine industry fell to rack and ruin.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47After the Second World War in 1945,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50a couple of chaps called Hyams and Barrington Brock
0:36:50 > 0:36:53started experimenting with grape varieties in their own garden
0:36:53 > 0:36:57and that really sparked a revival in the British wine industry.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01A few decades later and it's all a very different story.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05Now English vineyards are producing wines that are recognised worldwide.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08That's my cue to leave one of England's oldest vineyards
0:37:08 > 0:37:10and go to one of our largest.
0:37:10 > 0:37:15Just a few weeks ago, an English rose beat wine rivals from across the globe
0:37:15 > 0:37:18to become the only pink wine to win a gold medal
0:37:18 > 0:37:20in the International Wine Challenge
0:37:20 > 0:37:23and the grapes came from here.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28The English wine revival is in full swing
0:37:28 > 0:37:30but why have we got it so right now?
0:37:30 > 0:37:34Vineyard manager Sue Osgood spills the secrets.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37- Sue, hello.- Hello.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40So tell me, what is the secret of your great grapes?
0:37:40 > 0:37:43- Award-winning grapes! - Award-winning grapes!
0:37:43 > 0:37:44I think picking them at the right time,
0:37:44 > 0:37:47enough sunshine to make them sweet enough to make good wine
0:37:47 > 0:37:49and a very good winemaker, as well.
0:37:49 > 0:37:54If you had to define the difference between English sparkling wine and champagne,
0:37:54 > 0:37:56what would you say?
0:37:56 > 0:37:57I think the difference for us
0:37:57 > 0:38:00I think there's more fruit flavours in our wine.
0:38:00 > 0:38:01There's less in champagne.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03They're more... They're very dry, usually,
0:38:03 > 0:38:05slightly more acidic, I would say, than ours.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10And it seems the French are developing a taste for our sparkling wine, too.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13With land in the Champagne region becoming increasingly scarce,
0:38:13 > 0:38:17they're looking to vineyards like this one in Surrey as an alternative.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19So what is it about this part of the country
0:38:19 > 0:38:21that lends itself to such a fruity drop of fizz?
0:38:21 > 0:38:24I'm off to meet a man for whom wine is a way of life
0:38:24 > 0:38:27and there's nothing he doesn't know about posh plonk.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30We're just like Champagne, here.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32You know, Champagne vineyards, northern France,
0:38:32 > 0:38:34- king of sparklers, let's be honest. - Mm.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37What you've got here, everything's very, very similar.
0:38:37 > 0:38:42We've got the same climate - look around us, chilly, northerly, OK?
0:38:42 > 0:38:44The soil's just the same.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47The famous chalk soils in Champagne dip under the channel,
0:38:47 > 0:38:50emerge in the south of England and here we are,
0:38:50 > 0:38:51White Cliffs of Dover.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53And then the grapes are the same -
0:38:53 > 0:38:56Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59Bingo. Same winemaking method, so, yeah.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03For me, English sparkling wine is - I don't know - it's the ultimate champagne lookalike.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10We've had flowers, grass, edibles and drinkables
0:39:10 > 0:39:12but there's something missing.
0:39:12 > 0:39:16In fact, some would argue a great British garden isn't complete
0:39:16 > 0:39:18without one or two lying around.
0:39:18 > 0:39:22We're ending today with G for gnomes.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25And let's meet a man whose off-duty mission
0:39:25 > 0:39:28is to provide a haven for the gnome who is homeless.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41I'm Robert Chambers, chairman of the Essex Police Authority,
0:39:41 > 0:39:45and I have the only gnome sanctuary in the world.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49I can't take this seriously!
0:39:52 > 0:39:57A gnome sanctuary is a place for poor and distressed gnomes.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01It is here for people who, if for one reason or another,
0:40:01 > 0:40:05they can't keep their gnomes or their gnomes are in poor repair
0:40:05 > 0:40:09and need a good home, then they seem to send them here.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13The most important gnome is the welcoming gnome,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16so that when you open the gate and you walk up the drive,
0:40:16 > 0:40:19you have nice gnome looking at you with a big smile on his face
0:40:19 > 0:40:22saying, "Hi, Robert, nice to see you home.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24"I hope you have a good evening."
0:40:24 > 0:40:29# I don't believe that anybody feels the way I do
0:40:29 > 0:40:31# About you... #
0:40:31 > 0:40:33It's that sort of attitude that gnomes have.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38Well, of course, gnomes go back centuries
0:40:38 > 0:40:44and they were there originally to keep off evil spirits and witches
0:40:44 > 0:40:49and I hope now there aren't too many evil spirits or witches about but...
0:40:49 > 0:40:53Well done, Kate, well done, Kate. I'm getting cold sitting here now.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55No, I can't have a cup of coffee because...
0:40:55 > 0:40:56You can. It's cold out here.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00Kate, my wife, is not really a gnome lover
0:41:00 > 0:41:04but I think over the years she's grown to become very fond of them.
0:41:05 > 0:41:06When a new gnome arrives
0:41:06 > 0:41:09then obviously I have to look to see where I'm going to put it
0:41:09 > 0:41:13because it's very important that with the gnome sanctuary
0:41:13 > 0:41:15that they all get on with one another.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18And occasionally you do find that they have a slight fight.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21They've knocked one another over overnight
0:41:21 > 0:41:24and so perhaps you have to reposition them then
0:41:24 > 0:41:26so they're in with a gnome that's more friendly,
0:41:26 > 0:41:29although they do tend to live together quite well.
0:41:29 > 0:41:30HE LAUGHS
0:41:30 > 0:41:32Compose yourself, Chambers!
0:41:34 > 0:41:36Well, very often they are in a poor state of repair.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38They do need to be painted,
0:41:38 > 0:41:42they do need more of the tender, loving care that is necessary
0:41:42 > 0:41:43to look after them.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47And obviously during the winter, they go through harsh times just like we do,
0:41:47 > 0:41:51so they need to be constantly maintained
0:41:51 > 0:41:53to ensure that they are looked after well.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58My colleagues at work probably look at me and think,
0:41:58 > 0:42:00"I wonder why he's got the position that he has
0:42:00 > 0:42:03"and has a gnome sanctuary as well?"
0:42:03 > 0:42:08But life - and life is quite short, anyway...
0:42:08 > 0:42:11I'm a great believer in that you should have a serious side to life,
0:42:11 > 0:42:13where you have to make difficult decisions
0:42:13 > 0:42:15but you need to have a light-hearted side, too,
0:42:15 > 0:42:17so they look at it on the light-hearted side
0:42:17 > 0:42:19and are too polite to tell me
0:42:19 > 0:42:22even if they think I'm completely off my head.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26# Sitting in a garden In a little Noddy suit
0:42:26 > 0:42:28# With a sparrow on me fishing rod... #
0:42:28 > 0:42:30I don't think I've got any grumpy gnomes.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34I think perhaps their expression changes
0:42:34 > 0:42:37from when they leave some of their owners and come here.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40Some of their owners that don't like gnomes, they've thrown them out
0:42:40 > 0:42:42or decide that they'll send them here
0:42:42 > 0:42:45and by the time they get here, they have a nice smiley face.
0:42:48 > 0:42:49They do tend to come in waves
0:42:49 > 0:42:52and if there is anybody who's watching this programme
0:42:52 > 0:42:56who wants to send their gnome to a gnome sanctuary
0:42:56 > 0:43:00for whatever reason - moving house or whether you're getting elderly
0:43:00 > 0:43:02and can't look after those gnomes -
0:43:02 > 0:43:05and then, of course, I would be delighted to entertain them.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12What a great way to end today's programme.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16I hope you can join us next time for another A To Z Of TV Gardening.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18Goodbye.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd