0:00:02 > 0:00:04Hello and welcome to The A To Z Of TV Gardening.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07We're on a mission to dig up the best advice
0:00:07 > 0:00:09and tips from all your favourite
0:00:09 > 0:00:11TV garden programmes and presenters.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13So, join me as, letter by letter,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16one by one, we explore everything
0:00:16 > 0:00:19from flowers and trees to fruit and veg,
0:00:19 > 0:00:21on The A To Z Of TV Gardening.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41Everything we're looking at today begins with the letter I.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Here's what's coming up.
0:00:43 > 0:00:44The British honeybee.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47George McGavin is buzzing with enthusiasm.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52GEORGE: Wow. This is one of my top wildlife experiences.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Absolutely amazing.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57How painting and gardening go hand in hand...
0:00:57 > 0:01:00What I'm hoping to do is to collect together every single iris
0:01:00 > 0:01:05that Cedric Morris ever bred and named, before they're lost for ever.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08And ivy and its bad reputation...
0:01:08 > 0:01:10Ooh, they kill trees.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13Ooh, they climb up your pebble dash and pull it off.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Ooh... They are wonderful garden plants.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19Just some of the treats we have in store.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22We start with an in-depth look at the creatures who,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25especially during the warmer months, arrive in our gardens
0:01:25 > 0:01:28in their millions and play a role in them
0:01:28 > 0:01:30that's as crucial as our own.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32Yes, I is for insects.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35And, to get things started, let's join Chris Packham
0:01:35 > 0:01:39and bask in the beauty of the Great British butterfly.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43CHRIS: With the arrival of spring comes the emergence
0:01:43 > 0:01:46of the true British treasure.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Symbolic.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Objects of fascination.
0:01:57 > 0:01:58Inspiration for artists.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03And adorning our countryside with colour.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10Seeing your first butterfly gives you the sense that spring has arrived,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13and the warm days of summer lie ahead.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19I look forward immensely
0:02:19 > 0:02:23to seeing each new species of butterfly
0:02:23 > 0:02:25every season, because we have spring butterflies
0:02:25 > 0:02:27and high summer butterflies
0:02:27 > 0:02:29and the late summer butterflies and
0:02:29 > 0:02:35it's reacquainting and strengthening relationships with old friends.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38CHRIS: And there's plenty to get to know.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42You know, we have over 50 species of butterflies in the UK
0:02:42 > 0:02:45and they've been living alongside us for thousands of years
0:02:45 > 0:02:49in our woodlands, field margins, parks and gardens.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53But butterflies are not just pretty faces. Oh, no.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57Their private lives can be both complex and fascinating.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Take the Large Blue, for example.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03The caterpillars hatch out
0:03:03 > 0:03:06and feed on wild thyme, but then
0:03:06 > 0:03:08they trick a species of ant into taking them
0:03:08 > 0:03:11into their nest underground
0:03:11 > 0:03:13and here they eat the ants' own grubs
0:03:13 > 0:03:16before emerging again the following year.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20You've got to agree, butterflies are pretty amazing.
0:03:27 > 0:03:28Sadly, in recent years,
0:03:28 > 0:03:33Britain's butterflies have been in serious trouble.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36And the statistics are fairly sobering.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Well, it's really bad news for British butterflies.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41Over the past three decades or so,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43three quarters of our
0:03:43 > 0:03:44butterfly species have declined,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46so that's a massive loss
0:03:46 > 0:03:48for many different species.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Five species have become extinct in Britain completely
0:03:51 > 0:03:54and many others are threatened with extinction.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59To understand why our butterflies are suffering,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02we have to uncover their complex and fascinating lives.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08To do that, we have to start at the beginning.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Female butterflies are notoriously
0:04:11 > 0:04:13picky about exactly where
0:04:13 > 0:04:15they lay their eggs.
0:04:15 > 0:04:20- MATHEW:- Some butterflies only breed on a single species of plant.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24White admiral, for example, only breeds on honeysuckle.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27But most of them actually breed
0:04:27 > 0:04:29on plants from a single family.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32Purple emperor breeds on sallows,
0:04:32 > 0:04:33which are a type of willow.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36- RICHARD:- They're very choosy, these butterflies,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39and that makes them very sensitive. As soon as that plant has gone,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41then they go extinct in that place straightaway.
0:04:41 > 0:04:42They live very fast lives,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45so they respond very quickly to these changes.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50CHRIS: And the reason they are so fussy? Well, it's because of these.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54The key to a butterfly's success is getting the right
0:04:54 > 0:04:58food plants for their hungry caterpillars and, unfortunately,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02these plants have been disappearing from our countryside.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06- RICHARD:- The big problem that our British butterflies have faced is
0:05:06 > 0:05:11the loss of traditional ways that we manage our farmland and forests.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15They're now increasingly restricted to small pockets of habitat,
0:05:15 > 0:05:19small islands in a sea of otherwise inhospitable terrain -
0:05:19 > 0:05:23might be intensive farmland or housing, roads and so on.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26And they really need to be able to move through the landscape.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32CHRIS: But with that landscape changing so fast and such specific
0:05:32 > 0:05:34and different needs, it's no wonder that
0:05:34 > 0:05:36they've found it difficult to cope.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42But there is a simple solution to their complex problem.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46Understand the species and then make space for its needs.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49We're lucky. We know a lot about butterflies in Britain,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52probably more than any other country in the world.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54They respond so quickly to change
0:05:54 > 0:05:57and we can reverse some of these declines.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02The perfect example is the Heath Fritillary.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05Its food plant, Common Cow-wheat,
0:06:05 > 0:06:07grows in sunny, woodland glades.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Now, when traditional forestry methods stopped,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14the clearings covered over and the butterflies came close to extinction.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18But by simply changing back to the original practices,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21in woodland in Kent the Heath Fritillary
0:06:21 > 0:06:24is now thriving once again.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28- MATHEW:- It's not all bad news for butterflies, by any means.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31The truth is that they live in a bit of a different dynamic,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33almost a different dimension to us
0:06:33 > 0:06:37and their populations yo-yo up and down,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39depending on weather cycles
0:06:39 > 0:06:42and what's happening with their habitats
0:06:42 > 0:06:45and they can boom or bust.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48We want to see far more boom.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50# Boum
0:06:50 > 0:06:52# L'astre du jour fait boum
0:06:52 > 0:06:54# Tout avec lui dit boum
0:06:54 > 0:06:57# Quand notre coeur fait boum-boum... #
0:06:58 > 0:07:01So, how do you attract butterflies to your garden?
0:07:01 > 0:07:04In a minute, a few tips from Toby Buckland,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07but first, here's Carol Klein and Ivan Hicks
0:07:07 > 0:07:10at the Butterfly World in Hertfordshire.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14CAROL: 'Within the 27 acres here are
0:07:14 > 0:07:17'a series of gardens that show us
0:07:17 > 0:07:19'all what we can do at home
0:07:19 > 0:07:22'to provide these charismatic insects with
0:07:22 > 0:07:24'all that they need.'
0:07:24 > 0:07:27It's so sheltered in here, isn't it?
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Yes, these walls create quite an atmosphere and I find
0:07:30 > 0:07:34they trap the aromas of the garden, just like a walled garden, in fact.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36So, really pull the butterflies in.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38I bet this does, too, doesn't it?
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Yes, it's a very popular plant nowadays,
0:07:40 > 0:07:42but it's ideal for butterflies.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44It's reckoned to be Britain's
0:07:44 > 0:07:46second-best nectar plant after Buddleja.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48Right, so Verbena bonariensis
0:07:48 > 0:07:50really fits the bill, doesn't it?
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Yes, and it seeds itself, as well.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54It's incredibly easy to grow, isn't it?
0:07:54 > 0:07:58I mean, you can grow it anywhere, providing you've got sun.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01But not everybody might have walls like this.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03- They're marvellous, Ivan.- Thank you.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06They're deliberately created to provide nooks and crannies
0:08:06 > 0:08:09for insects and bugs and butterflies of all sorts.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12- It's just brilliant. - This is what insects need.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14Everywhere's so rendered nowadays and covered over.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18And insects need places to live outdoors.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22They need these plants, too, cos these are for homes, aren't they?
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Oh, this is an extraordinary plant, of course, Onopordum acanthium,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27silver thistle.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30Earlier this summer, painted ladies laid their eggs on this.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33We watched the caterpillars and they've pupated.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37I think we can find one on one of the leaves, just down here.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41It's just in there, you see?
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Oh, look! Isn't it beautiful?
0:08:44 > 0:08:47A little golden beauty. And it should emerge later this summer.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50You can see exactly where they've been eating this Onopordum.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Oh, yes.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56People get a bit apprehensive about caterpillars, don't they?
0:08:56 > 0:08:59It's only really the cabbage white, so-called, that eat your vegetables.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01The rest of them don't.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04I suppose the message is there's plenty for them
0:09:04 > 0:09:07and there's plenty for us and we can all get on very happily together.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Yes. And if you choose the plants in your garden that are
0:09:09 > 0:09:13butterfly-friendly, you can still garden in a very beautiful way,
0:09:13 > 0:09:15but you can be helpful.
0:09:24 > 0:09:28So we thought we'd do our bit for the butterflies here at Greenacre.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30We're going to extend the bee border.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33So I'm going to put some bee-friendly,
0:09:33 > 0:09:35nectar-rich plants in here,
0:09:35 > 0:09:40and some real crackers that should bring in the butterflies, as well.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43First one, is a Buddleja.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47It's called lindleyana, Buddleja lindleyana.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49It has the most delicate little
0:09:49 > 0:09:52purple tubes for flowers.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55They're produced in long panicles, like on any butterfly bush
0:09:55 > 0:09:57and that's good for the butterflies that visit,
0:09:57 > 0:10:01because it means they've got food over a long period of time.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04They open at the base of the panicle first
0:10:04 > 0:10:06and then working their way up, I suppose like
0:10:06 > 0:10:08a firework fizzing to the tips.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Last for months.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Actually, I've got another cracking plant over here.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18This one has one of the best Latin names of all.
0:10:19 > 0:10:24It's called Vitex agnus-castus 'Latifolia'.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29Sounds like an old Roman general from 2,000 years ago, doesn't it?
0:10:29 > 0:10:31But, again, like the Buddleja,
0:10:31 > 0:10:36has these sort of clusters of flowers and stubby little tubes.
0:10:36 > 0:10:37Butterflies just love it.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41But here, against this fence, I think we'll do really well.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53There are so many beautiful butterfly plants,
0:10:53 > 0:10:57but if you're not sure which ones to choose when buying,
0:10:57 > 0:11:02a good tip is to look out for small flowers in clusters or spikes.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Thanks, Toby. Now, let's join Joe Swift,
0:11:06 > 0:11:10who's been having pest-related problems on his vegetable plots.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15It's a relaxed summer's day at the allotment.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18A bit of harvesting, bit of weeding, bit of watering,
0:11:18 > 0:11:22maybe putting a few bits and pieces in and taking some out.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24But, the exciting thing is, I've got
0:11:24 > 0:11:26an entomologist coming up here today.
0:11:26 > 0:11:27What's one of those?
0:11:27 > 0:11:29An entomologist, Mark, is Bugman.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Bugman. You've heard of Batman, you've heard of Spiderman,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36we've got Bugman coming up, because there's a few bits and pieces
0:11:36 > 0:11:39eating some of my crops, so I thought I'd get him up and have a look.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43Right, Ian, something has been nibbling my brassicas.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Well, I know it's not birds. It's not that sort of damage.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48- But also, I've had this net on.- Yeah, this will be caterpillar damage.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50- Right.- And, in fact, the net, I think,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52has contributed to your problems,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55because it's great to put it on when your plans are small,
0:11:55 > 0:11:59stop the pigeons coming down and chewing up your leaves,
0:11:59 > 0:12:01but this size mesh would allow
0:12:01 > 0:12:05things like moths, whitefly, aphids
0:12:05 > 0:12:08to come in and start causing a little infestation on your plants.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11And that's the point where you need to inspect the plants, as well,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14and remove the first infestations.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16But this is quite old damage, from
0:12:16 > 0:12:18what looks like cabbage moth caterpillars.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21And the caterpillars will now probably be down in
0:12:21 > 0:12:24the soil as chrysalises.
0:12:24 > 0:12:25They've pupated in the soil.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28OK. How can I get rid of those? I mean, if I hoe and dig
0:12:28 > 0:12:30around a bit, will the birds come in?
0:12:30 > 0:12:31Yes, expose them to the birds.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35Damage them by digging around the base with a hoe or
0:12:35 > 0:12:36a small fork or something.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Oh, look, there's a caterpillar there!
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Sorry, mate. I've got to do this to you.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- Au revoir.- Ah!- Hasta la vista, baby.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48- What have you got there?- This is the start of some mealy cabbage aphid.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51- And, again, if you nip it in the bud now...- Nip it in the bud?
0:12:51 > 0:12:53- Wipe it off like that?- That's it.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55- Just wipe it off like that... - And that's gone.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Otherwise, that would have spread all over the leaf, all over the plant.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00You have to get down on your hands and knees
0:13:00 > 0:13:01- and have a good look, don't you?- You do.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04- It tells you what'll be around next year, too.- Exactly.
0:13:04 > 0:13:05I might have missed it a bit this year,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09but next year I'm going to be much more aware of it now.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Right, I just want to show you my peas,
0:13:11 > 0:13:13cos I'm not sure what this is at all.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16There's a couple that have died out and I was wondering
0:13:16 > 0:13:20whether it was early stem damage, the stem got damaged or something.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23But now they're going a little bit yellow around this patch.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25I suspect it's actually a virus.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Looking at some of these plants, you can still see
0:13:27 > 0:13:29- the mosaic symptoms on the leaves. - Oh, yeah, OK.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32This will be a virus that's transmitted by aphids, greenfly.
0:13:32 > 0:13:37I did have some blackfly and some greenfly here and I've used this.
0:13:37 > 0:13:38It seemed to have got rid of it,
0:13:38 > 0:13:40but maybe the virus had already been spread.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44This is just an organic soapy solution.
0:13:44 > 0:13:45OK, fatty acids.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Yeah, and it did the job.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Yeah. Looking at these plants, I can't see any aphids on there,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52so it looks like you have done a really good job of it.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- But you will need to keep on top of those aphids.- OK.
0:13:55 > 0:13:56What about next year?
0:13:56 > 0:13:59Well, these seed are likely to contain the virus as well,
0:13:59 > 0:14:04so don't use the seed for planting next year's plants.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Just keep a very good eye on the plants early on
0:14:07 > 0:14:09and try to keep on top of the aphids.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Cos it's possible that there's a reservoir of the virus
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- somewhere else on this allotment. - OK, right.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15It would be a real shame to get rid of them.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19- cos I'm getting loads of peas off them at the moment!- Absolutely.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Who's this fellow? He looks like he's after your sandwiches, rather than my brassicas.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24This is a larvae of a moth of some sort.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27It could be a tiger moth of some sort.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29But it's certainly not a problem to your allotment.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31OK, I'm glad, cos he's so beautiful,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33I wouldn't want to damage him or her.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36This will be feeding on some of the weeds around, maybe bramble.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39How do you know which are the goodies and which are the baddies?
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Yeah, that's tricky, but I think it's just experience, really.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45If you watch your plants, you'll recognise the caterpillars
0:14:45 > 0:14:48that are eating your vegetables and the ones that aren't.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Is it a problem? If something is eating your caterpillars, is it bad?
0:14:50 > 0:14:53I've just squashed one between my thumb and forefinger.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57Is that a bad thing to do, or is that perfectly legitimate in the world of the allotment?
0:14:57 > 0:15:00I think if you're 100% certain that that species is eating your plants,
0:15:00 > 0:15:04then it's a safe and effective way of getting rid of them.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07But certainly don't go around killing every caterpillar you see,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09because things like this aren't a problem.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13Right, on my sage.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16I've had a bit of problem at home with mildew and stuff,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19but this doesn't look like mildew at all.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21That's the feeding damage of the sage leafhopper.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24- Do you see them on here? - Feeding damage? Oh, right. OK.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27- Do they hop?- Yeah. - Oh, they do hop?- Yeah.
0:15:27 > 0:15:28They hop nicely, actually.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Is there anything else I should be worried about?
0:15:31 > 0:15:33It looks perfectly edible, this sage.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36No. All that is, really, is a little bit of leaf damage.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38They feed on plant sap,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41so what they're doing is tapping into the cells,
0:15:41 > 0:15:43sucking out the contents, and you end up with
0:15:43 > 0:15:45these little necrotic areas,
0:15:45 > 0:15:46which is basically empty cells.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48OK. It's not affecting the taste?
0:15:48 > 0:15:51- They're not nicking all the tasty bits of my sage?- No.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53What have you got there?!
0:15:53 > 0:15:55I've brought my pooter along
0:15:55 > 0:15:58which is what an entomologist uses to catch insects.
0:15:58 > 0:15:59Oh, this is exciting!
0:15:59 > 0:16:01You basically suck down the tube and
0:16:01 > 0:16:03- the insects end up in the pot.- OK.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08Oh, it's completely silent...
0:16:08 > 0:16:10- There they are.- And there they are,
0:16:10 > 0:16:12in your little jar. Hopping around.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15If you look at these under a microscope, they're really pretty.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18- They are very beautiful, aren't they?- Yeah.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21- They won't cause you too much damage.- OK, fine.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23So I'm going to leave those little fellas there.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25We'll release these later.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31We'll investigate some more insects later on in the show,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34but we're moving on, now, from creepy crawlies
0:16:34 > 0:16:36of spring and summer to a creeping climber
0:16:36 > 0:16:38that is often associated with winter time.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42Our next item, I is for ivy.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44Let's join John Craven
0:16:44 > 0:16:47and the editor of the Flora Britannica, Richard Mabey.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50JOHN: Well, here we are in your very own wood in Hertfordshire
0:16:50 > 0:16:53and there's a lot of ivy on these beech trees.
0:16:53 > 0:16:54Yes, but only at the edge of the wood.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Ivy's not really a plant of the dark interiors of ancient woodlands.
0:16:58 > 0:16:59It tends to grow at the edges.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01It likes hedgerows, it likes a bit of light.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03It likes a rich soil.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06It gets established along an edge, like that one there,
0:17:06 > 0:17:08which used to be an old track down to the village.
0:17:08 > 0:17:09And when it's growing in a hedge,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13like that, it will put down these suckering tendrils
0:17:13 > 0:17:16and gradually creep over the ground, into the wood, towards the trees.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20And when it reaches the tree, does it cause any damage as it climbs up it?
0:17:20 > 0:17:22No. It's one of the myths that we ought to nail
0:17:22 > 0:17:24right from the outset about ivy.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26It isn't a parasite.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29It doesn't take any sustenance out of the tree at all.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30It doesn't even strangle it or suffocate it
0:17:30 > 0:17:32in the way that some people think.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34All it does is use the tree as a kind of trestle.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37It puts out these little suckering tendrils
0:17:37 > 0:17:38and climbs up it towards the light.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40This one's almost reached the top of the tree.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Yes, it can get to a great height.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44And sometimes, when it does get that height,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47it can cause a bit of trouble by smothering the leafing branches,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50which, of course, will cut down the tree's capacity to make food.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52But that's no excuse, really,
0:17:52 > 0:17:54for the hacking down of ivy that you see so often.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Because it's a terrific plant.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58But it does have a sort of gloomy image, ivy, doesn't it?
0:17:58 > 0:18:01- As opposed to holly, which is a joyous plant.- That's right.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04I think it may have picked this up in the last century.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06It has a habit of growing around old ruins
0:18:06 > 0:18:09and derelict churches and cemeteries.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11And the Romantic poets used to notice this quite a lot
0:18:11 > 0:18:14and I think that association may have lingered.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16An association with death, really.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18This very dark green of the leaves.
0:18:18 > 0:18:23That's right. It keeps that colour right through winter, of course.
0:18:23 > 0:18:28That's an introduction to ivy, but here's more from Alan Titchmarsh.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Now, a few years ago, ivies were having a bad press.
0:18:31 > 0:18:32Ooh, they kill trees,
0:18:32 > 0:18:36ooh, they climb up your pebble dash and pull it off. Ooh...
0:18:36 > 0:18:38They are wonderful garden plants.
0:18:38 > 0:18:39And look at the variety,
0:18:39 > 0:18:42particularly if you want something golden.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45This is Golden Carpet,
0:18:45 > 0:18:48rather strangely trained up a moss pole,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52but beautiful, vibrant, lime greeny-yellow leaves.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55They don't come more butter yellow than Midas Touch.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Not much green speckling here,
0:18:57 > 0:18:58it's almost all yellow.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02And, when it comes to leaf form, as well, they are amazingly diverse.
0:19:02 > 0:19:07Manda's Crested - larger, fingered leaves with rippled edges.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11You can even train them into standards, with a sturdy trunk.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13This is Deltoidea,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17with bright green, heart-shaped leaves and this lollipop head
0:19:17 > 0:19:20of branches looks every bit like a bay tree
0:19:20 > 0:19:22and equally evergreen.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25The only thing is, don't use it in your bouquet garni.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29And, if you like the look of that, here's Rachel de Thame
0:19:29 > 0:19:30on how to train one.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Many people grow plants as a standard,
0:19:34 > 0:19:38but for a different alternative, how about training one from ivy.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Try and use a variety of Hedera helix,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44which is our native English ivy.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46This lovely one is Gold Ingot.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50And this is Glacier, with a lovely silvery variegation.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52But I'm going to use a very
0:19:52 > 0:19:54plain ivy, called Chicago.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58You need to try and choose a plant with two good, long stems on it
0:19:58 > 0:20:00and then remove all the leaves
0:20:00 > 0:20:04from the lower part of the stem, like that.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Pop a couple of crocks in the bottom of the pot
0:20:07 > 0:20:10and then I'm going to fill it up with John Innes No 2,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13which is a soil-based compost, so it's a little bit heavier and it
0:20:13 > 0:20:17will give it some stability and stop the pole from wobbling around.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Now, pop the plant in.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23A bit of a squeeze.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25There we are.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27I'm going to plant it slightly to the side, here,
0:20:27 > 0:20:29to leave room for the pole.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33Now, this is just a broom handle with a wired-on hanging basket.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37I'm going to push it down, right by the side of the ivy.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Really firmly like that.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Weave the stems evenly up the pole
0:20:43 > 0:20:46and secure it with plastic ties.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50When you get to the top of the pole, weave the stems into the basket
0:20:50 > 0:20:52and then remember to pinch out the tips.
0:20:52 > 0:20:57And, as it matures, keep clipping away to maintain the shape.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Thanks, Rachel. And, for the last word on ivy,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09let's turn to Geoff Hamilton,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12who's got things covered when it comes to walls.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18If you want to plant a new ivy, or any self-clinging climber,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21come to that, like Virginia creeper or climbing hydrangea,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24there's one important point to remember,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28and that is that it's only the new growth that will stick to the wall.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30So, when you go down to the garden centre
0:21:30 > 0:21:33and you're tempted to buy a plant like this,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36remember that none of this old growth will actually stick
0:21:36 > 0:21:41to the wall and there's not a lot of point in fixing it to the wall
0:21:41 > 0:21:44either, because the top of it will then wave around
0:21:44 > 0:21:48and the new growth will have great difficulty sticking to the wall.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52You're much better off to buy a smaller, cheaper plant like this.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57Make the hole a good foot or two
0:21:57 > 0:22:00from the wall, where it'll get a bit of moisture,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04and prepare the soil really well with lots of organic matter.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08And then it can be planted in just the normal way.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18And then, what you do is you simply point
0:22:18 > 0:22:21the shoots in the direction of the wall and you can hold them
0:22:21 > 0:22:27down there with a couple of these little wire staples.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31And then, very soon that'll hit the wall and, as soon as it
0:22:31 > 0:22:35does, the new growth will fix to the wall and away it will go.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37And it will provide a lovely evergreen
0:22:37 > 0:22:40background for plants in the border, here.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45It's time to move on to our next subject
0:22:45 > 0:22:48and it's a flower species that's a perfect pollinator.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52Yes, this I is for iris and we're rejoining
0:22:52 > 0:22:57Carol Klein for an introduction to the wide-ranging iris family.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Named after the Greek goddess
0:22:59 > 0:23:01of the rainbow and no wonder -
0:23:01 > 0:23:03just look at these beautiful,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05jewel-like colours.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07And these little Iris reticulata
0:23:07 > 0:23:09and histrioides represent what
0:23:09 > 0:23:12we come to expect from an iris.
0:23:12 > 0:23:13They're typical.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15They've got these six sepals.
0:23:15 > 0:23:20Three in the centre are erect, and they're called standards.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23And these three, which hang down, are called falls.
0:23:23 > 0:23:28And they've also got something else that we see on nearly every iris,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31this golden band in the centre of the fall.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35Both it and these beautiful little markings here
0:23:35 > 0:23:38are pollen guides and they bring the insect in
0:23:38 > 0:23:40and that's way the iris does what's
0:23:40 > 0:23:42most important to it,
0:23:42 > 0:23:44it procreates.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48And what a joy it is to see such wonderful,
0:23:48 > 0:23:51brilliant colour at this time of year.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Lots of us use these little irises,
0:23:54 > 0:23:57but British gardeners have one complaint.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01The next spring, up these bulbs will come, but they'll
0:24:01 > 0:24:04appear as little, tiny green leaves
0:24:04 > 0:24:06and no further flowers ensue.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09And the reason for that is where these bulbs come from,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13up in the mountains of Iran and Turkey.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17And although it may be fearfully cold there during the winter,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20in the summer, the sun is boiling hot.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Well, you don't get many British summers
0:24:22 > 0:24:23that are quite like that.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28In the UK, there's insufficient heat to bake the bulbs
0:24:28 > 0:24:31and they don't ripen enough to flower again.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35The one exception to this is this gorgeous iris.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37This is Iris 'Katharine Hodgkin'
0:24:37 > 0:24:40and it doesn't have this rather annoying habit.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44You can depend on it, year after year.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Not all irises are bulbous by any means.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51A lot of our most popular irises,
0:24:51 > 0:24:53things like Iris sibirica,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56Iris ensata, are actually fibrous rooted.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58These roots go down into the soil
0:24:58 > 0:25:02and then form this whole network of small feeding roots.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05These are plants in their natural habitat
0:25:05 > 0:25:07of sort of open meadowland,
0:25:07 > 0:25:08very often damp.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10And, in total contrast to those,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Rhizomatous irises,
0:25:12 > 0:25:15these very popular bearded irises,
0:25:15 > 0:25:19demand poor soil and they love to be baked by the sun.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23The Iris clan is massive.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Iridaceae is a huge, huge family.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Plants like gladioli, Dierama,
0:25:29 > 0:25:30or Angel's Fishing Rods,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33freesia and the crocus are all relatives,
0:25:33 > 0:25:39along with the fiery late summer favourite, the crocosmia.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43I like to plant them in a great big sort of swathes,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46or waves, through here.
0:25:46 > 0:25:51And incorporate lots of really good compost,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54because you want to get them off to a flying start.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56You only need to plant them
0:25:56 > 0:26:00with a couple of inches over the top of the corms.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Well, I think crocosmias
0:26:05 > 0:26:09are amongst the most elegant members of Iridaceae.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Some of the family are glamorous,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14some of them are just downright cheerful,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16but whatever your soil and situation,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18you can bet that there are at least
0:26:18 > 0:26:23several members of the family that you can incorporate into your garden.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31One person who has incorporated irises into her life is
0:26:31 > 0:26:35Sarah Cook, former head gardener of Sissinghurst Castle
0:26:35 > 0:26:36and preserver of the legacy of
0:26:36 > 0:26:39the legendary plants man, Cedric Morris.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45'I've loved irises all my gardening life.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47'They're a fantastic group of plants.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51'They're the real pinnacle of the summer in May and June.'
0:26:52 > 0:26:55Cedric Morris' irises come in every shape and colour.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58He bred them particularly, being an artist,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00he bred them with a painterly eye
0:27:00 > 0:27:03and I think that's what makes it a really lovely set,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06because they're so different, but all this sort of artistic
0:27:06 > 0:27:09patterning, which you don't get with some of the other breeders.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13What I'm hoping to do is to collect together every single iris that
0:27:13 > 0:27:17Cedric Morris ever bred and named before they're lost for ever.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21It started as a mission, it's now turned into a real obsession.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25Cedric Morris lived in Suffolk from the 1930s.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29In 1940, he moved to Benton End, Hadley, in Suffolk,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31with his partner, Lett Haines,
0:27:31 > 0:27:33where he opened an art school,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36teaching, amongst others, Lucian Freud and Maggi Hambling.
0:27:36 > 0:27:37So, a very influential artist.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40His other great passion in life was plants.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42He used to collect them abroad and
0:27:42 > 0:27:45was a huge influence on Beth Chatto.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Irises, though, were always his greatest love
0:27:48 > 0:27:51and he bred them by crossing different parents
0:27:51 > 0:27:53and would raise up to a thousand seedlings a year,
0:27:53 > 0:27:57then picking out the best to register and sell to the public.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00He died, unfortunately, in 1982.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03No-one knows now where all the irises are.
0:28:03 > 0:28:04We know where some of them are,
0:28:04 > 0:28:06but some of them may have already been lost.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15This is Benton Nigel, which I think is probably
0:28:15 > 0:28:18the inspiration for the whole collection.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20I found it growing at Sissinghurst when I was
0:28:20 > 0:28:22a young gardener there and it just
0:28:22 > 0:28:24made me feel so much at home.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27He named his irises Benton
0:28:27 > 0:28:30after Benton End where he lived in Hadley, the place of my youth,
0:28:30 > 0:28:33then gave them a second name, often after his friends
0:28:33 > 0:28:36and this is named for Nigel Scott,
0:28:36 > 0:28:39a young man who helped Cedric Morris
0:28:39 > 0:28:41in his garden for many years.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44When I came to finding his irises growing at Sissinghurst,
0:28:44 > 0:28:47it was only a small step from there, really, to when I retired,
0:28:47 > 0:28:50to thinking, "I know, I'll collect together the ones that he bred."
0:28:50 > 0:28:54At the time, I knew five names from the Plant Finder.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56Imagine the horror when I discovered
0:28:56 > 0:28:58there were about 90 altogether.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01This iris is particularly exciting.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03It's one of Cedric's pinks,
0:29:03 > 0:29:06and probably could be Strathmore, which is one that I haven't
0:29:06 > 0:29:08had before, identified possibly
0:29:08 > 0:29:10from the picture in this book.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12Strathmore, very interesting,
0:29:12 > 0:29:16because it was shown in the 1948 Chelsea Flower Show
0:29:16 > 0:29:19and Sir Cedric Morris met the Queen Mother
0:29:19 > 0:29:21and asked her permission as to whether he could
0:29:21 > 0:29:23actually call it after her home
0:29:23 > 0:29:25and she kindly granted that to him.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31There are really three stages to researching this collection.
0:29:31 > 0:29:32The winter stage in the
0:29:32 > 0:29:35Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library,
0:29:35 > 0:29:37looking at old catalogues and books that were written
0:29:37 > 0:29:39when Cedric Morris was breeding, which gives me
0:29:39 > 0:29:41the descriptions of the irises.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44And then the sort of mad May, mad June stage,
0:29:44 > 0:29:48which is going around, seeing the irises, meeting people,
0:29:48 > 0:29:50rushing all over the country,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53really, looking for the actual plants themselves.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56So, then you bring them all back home again, grow them and
0:29:56 > 0:29:58flower them and then the following year
0:29:58 > 0:29:59'is the really difficult, tricky bit
0:29:59 > 0:30:02'which is matching the descriptions you've got
0:30:02 > 0:30:05'from the libraries with the actual flower when it comes into bloom.'
0:30:07 > 0:30:09This one's potentially very exciting.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11It came to me from Benton End.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14I've read the descriptions in catalogues to try and match it up
0:30:14 > 0:30:18to one of Cedric's irises and the best match is
0:30:18 > 0:30:20Benton Alcibiades.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23And Alcibiades was the bull terrier of a friend
0:30:23 > 0:30:25and I love the idea of having
0:30:25 > 0:30:27an animal growing in my garden.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30It's described as, "Very tall, late and robust.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34"Standards cream," then the falls are described,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37with a slight coffee reticulations.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40And I wonder, could this possibly be described as coffee?
0:30:40 > 0:30:42They're certainly reticulations.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44And here, in the same catalogue,
0:30:44 > 0:30:46I have a picture of Benton Rubeo,
0:30:46 > 0:30:48that was Sir Cedric Morris' pet macaw.
0:30:48 > 0:30:49So, if anyone has this,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52I'd just love to get the macaw as well as the bull terrier.
0:30:52 > 0:30:53It'd be really exciting.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01To me, it's really important as soon as possible to see how
0:31:01 > 0:31:06we can find the remaining 70 or 80 that I need to find.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10I've come to realise they're really as important as his works of art.
0:31:10 > 0:31:11The pictures are safe in galleries,
0:31:11 > 0:31:15the irises may be dying in gardens, so look for them, find them,
0:31:15 > 0:31:18safely grow them and then pass them around to other people.
0:31:18 > 0:31:19Keep them for ever.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27Thanks, Sarah. We're leaving the garden briefly, now,
0:31:27 > 0:31:28and heading under cover,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31because this I is for indoor plants.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35Let's get the low-down from expert grower, Lynne Dibley.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44'The business started over 30 years ago.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47'My father was really keen on house plants'
0:31:47 > 0:31:52and he just was given a streptocarpus by a friend
0:31:52 > 0:31:54and he just started propagating it
0:31:54 > 0:31:57and it just moved on from that.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04Today, we have somewhere in the region of one acre of glasshouses.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08We're best known for streptocarpus and we hold the
0:32:08 > 0:32:11national collection of streptocarpus as well, in this country.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15Streptocarpus come from southern Africa and Madagascar
0:32:15 > 0:32:20and they grow in wooded areas in the mountainsides up there.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23And the features which distinguish streptocarpus are the
0:32:23 > 0:32:27five lobes which are fused into a trumpet-shaped flower
0:32:27 > 0:32:29and the flowers are held on stems
0:32:29 > 0:32:31above a rosette of leaves.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34And what I love about streptocarpus
0:32:34 > 0:32:37is this range of colours you can get in them.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39We have everything, now, apart from orange.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41And it's not just the colours.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44They're all equally easy to grow as plants.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46Keep them on a nice, bright windowsill,
0:32:46 > 0:32:48not in the midday sunshine.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52Keep them on the slightly dry side, never over-water them and then
0:32:52 > 0:32:56feed them a high potash regularly, through the spring and summer time.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Coleus are another example of a great option as house plants,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09because they have fantastic foliage.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12Most people know coleus from council bedding displays in parks,
0:33:12 > 0:33:16but they actually make really good house plants, as well.
0:33:16 > 0:33:20The foliage varies from yellows, reds, greens and orange
0:33:20 > 0:33:22and all sorts of patterns in between.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25And the best thing about coleus is
0:33:25 > 0:33:27they're the easiest plants ever to grow.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34I believe house plants are undervalued.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37They're not considered the most elite of plants
0:33:37 > 0:33:40which are grown in the horticultural world in Britain, certainly.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Over in Germany, Denmark, on the continent,
0:33:43 > 0:33:47house plants are considered far more popular and far more important.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51MUSIC: The Addams Family theme song by Vic Mizzy
0:33:56 > 0:34:00I think begonias might get a bit of a bad press, more than other plants.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03Probably with what things they're associated with
0:34:03 > 0:34:06and how your Great Aunt Maud, or whoever, might have grown them.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09I think that's a very unfortunate tag for begonias to have.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11# They're creepy and they're kooky
0:34:11 > 0:34:13# Mysterious and spooky
0:34:13 > 0:34:15# They're altogether ooky
0:34:15 > 0:34:17# The Addams Family... #
0:34:17 > 0:34:19The great thing about begonias
0:34:19 > 0:34:22is the variety of textures and colours.
0:34:22 > 0:34:23Begonia sizemoreae has this
0:34:23 > 0:34:27fantastic hairy surface, which is lovely and soft
0:34:27 > 0:34:30and then you get the colours in Vesuvius,
0:34:30 > 0:34:34the black and the red, the really intense colours.
0:34:34 > 0:34:35And then Fireworks has got this
0:34:35 > 0:34:37lovely markings with the pink
0:34:37 > 0:34:39and the dark black on it, as well.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41And then Escargot has got
0:34:41 > 0:34:43the swirl in the centre,
0:34:43 > 0:34:46which is emphasised by the colour of the foliage.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52I think house plants are becoming more popular,
0:34:52 > 0:34:55but, at the end of the day, it's quality that counts.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00'I hope we will get a gold medal in Hampton Court.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02'I'm pretty sure we will,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05'looking at the plants we've got to one side at the moment for it.'
0:35:05 > 0:35:06I'm pretty confident.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12And she came so close, winning silver that year.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15But never mind, there have been plenty of golds since then.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Now we're nearing the end of our journey through the letter I,
0:35:19 > 0:35:21and returning to the subject of insects.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24And this time the buzz is about bees.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27Bee numbers have been falling dramatically,
0:35:27 > 0:35:29so George McGavin went to speak
0:35:29 > 0:35:32to Bromley beekeeper, Peter Springall,
0:35:32 > 0:35:36to find out what we can do to help the British honeybee.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38- Hi, Peter.- Oh, hello, George.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41Is there more interest in having bees?
0:35:41 > 0:35:43Certainly, yeah.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45People take much more interest now.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47Especially the younger people,
0:35:47 > 0:35:48which is a good thing.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51'If you've thought about beekeeping, but were afraid of being stung,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54'Peter's bees would appeal to you.'
0:35:54 > 0:35:58For many years, now, I've been trying to breed docile bees
0:35:58 > 0:36:02and I'm pretty well there, now, as you'll see.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05Wow.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08This is one of my top wildlife experiences.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10Absolutely amazing.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14'Honeybees are not just essential to our survival,
0:36:14 > 0:36:18'they're also fascinating creatures in their own right.'
0:36:18 > 0:36:21Honeybees are the most socially advanced of all the insects
0:36:21 > 0:36:24and we've got worker bees everywhere, because worker bees are in
0:36:24 > 0:36:28the job of making honey, which, of course,
0:36:28 > 0:36:30they bring back fluids from flowers,
0:36:30 > 0:36:32they swallow that, it comes back
0:36:32 > 0:36:35to the hive, and then they basically throw it up into the cells.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37So, in fact, what you're eating
0:36:37 > 0:36:40when you spread honey on your bread is bee sick.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42And, wait a minute... Mmm.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Oh, that is fantastic.
0:36:44 > 0:36:45'It can take up to ten million
0:36:45 > 0:36:48'foraging trips to produce one jar of honey, so
0:36:48 > 0:36:50'bear that in mind if you're thinking
0:36:50 > 0:36:52'of replacing a flowerbed with a lawn.'
0:36:52 > 0:36:54There she is. There's the queen.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57She is responsible for laying all the eggs in this colony
0:36:57 > 0:37:00and all the workers are her offspring.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04So, Peter, what are your top tips for increasing bees in the world?
0:37:04 > 0:37:06We need beekeepers.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08'So, no doubts there, then.
0:37:08 > 0:37:09'But if beekeeping isn't for you,
0:37:09 > 0:37:12'there are other ways you can help bees out.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15'You can encourage them to your garden by planting flowering plants
0:37:15 > 0:37:18'like marjoram, senecio and allium.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21'You can even let parts of your garden go wild.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23'It provides them with a variety of wild flowers
0:37:23 > 0:37:26'to collect pollen and nectar from.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28'And don't kill bees that come into your house,
0:37:28 > 0:37:33'instead use my neat invention for removing bees humanely.'
0:37:33 > 0:37:36All you need is a pair of cheap barbecue tongs
0:37:36 > 0:37:38and a couple of tea strainers.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40And you basically assemble them,
0:37:40 > 0:37:43so that you make a little bee capturing device.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Here's how it works.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48You cut the ends off the tea strainers
0:37:48 > 0:37:50and then you drill some holes
0:37:50 > 0:37:52and then, after you drill them all,
0:37:52 > 0:37:56you simply assemble your bee catcher.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00So, there we have it, a very simple and cheap tool.
0:38:00 > 0:38:02If bees enter your house, you don't have to kill them,
0:38:02 > 0:38:06you can catch them and put them outside. Every bee counts.
0:38:08 > 0:38:09BEE BUZZES
0:38:10 > 0:38:14Thanks, George. Now, on our insect investigation,
0:38:14 > 0:38:15we've encountered the bees,
0:38:15 > 0:38:17the bugs and the butterflies.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21So, let's make it a fab four with a look at the beetles.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Stag beetles, in this case,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26in the company of Miranda Krestovnikoff.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29At first sight, rotten trees could be mistaken for a sign
0:38:29 > 0:38:33of neglect, but decaying timber is actually one of our most important
0:38:33 > 0:38:37wildlife habitats and is home to a rather formidable-looking giant.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44The stag beetle, Britain's largest.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47Adults may only live for a matter of weeks,
0:38:47 > 0:38:51so they're hard to track down and getting more scarce.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56Richmond Park in southwest London
0:38:56 > 0:38:59is a real beetle hotspot.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02Dr Nigel Reeve is the ecologist for the Royal Parks
0:39:02 > 0:39:08and he knows the value of Richmond's 100,000 trees, alive or dead.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13Even after they're dead, 200, 300 years they can be rotting away.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16Meanwhile they're providing very, very important habitat for
0:39:16 > 0:39:19the invertebrates, for which this park is internationally designated.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21One of the highlights is the beetles.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23We did a recent survey in the park
0:39:23 > 0:39:29and we found over 348 species of beetles living in the decaying wood.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31- That's astonishing! - That's just the beetles.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34If you're conserving decaying wood, you're doing a very big favour
0:39:34 > 0:39:37to biodiversity, because this is normally a group of species
0:39:37 > 0:39:40that just doesn't get favoured in conservation management.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44Southeast England's warmer, drier climate
0:39:44 > 0:39:47is the last stronghold of the stag beetle in Britain
0:39:47 > 0:39:51as it's believed wet, cold winters kill their young.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55The males' huge, antler-like jaws,
0:39:55 > 0:39:58or mandibles, give the stags their name
0:39:58 > 0:40:01and they use them to fight for access to the smaller females.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Mating is the adult's only concern
0:40:11 > 0:40:12and it's a race against time.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15As soon as they emerge in spring,
0:40:15 > 0:40:17they're vulnerable to hungry birds...
0:40:17 > 0:40:18MACHINE WHIRRS
0:40:18 > 0:40:19..as well as lawn mowers.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24But the real surprise with stag beetles is not
0:40:24 > 0:40:26the short lives of the adults,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28but the long lives of their young.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35'At Royal Holloway College, University of London,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38'Professor Alan Gange and his team have been uncovering
0:40:38 > 0:40:41'some of the secrets of the Richmond Park beetles.'
0:40:41 > 0:40:43Now, obviously, you've not brought along some ice cream.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46- What have you got in there?- Well, this is the larva of the stag beetle.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49- And it is huge!- It is.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52- It's enormous. How old is that, then?- Six years old.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56That was probably laid as an egg in June 2002.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58- Wow.- And very few people see them,
0:40:58 > 0:41:02because they live in the soil, often at a depth of up to a metre.
0:41:02 > 0:41:03The larva itself eats rotten wood,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06so this is an example of what they do to the wood.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08They don't borrow through it, like a woodworm does,
0:41:08 > 0:41:10but they live in the soil and chew wood from the side.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13- Massive mandibles, as well. - Yes, it has.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17- Well-equipped to do its job, isn't it?- Yes.- That is just incredible.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19I can't believe the size of it.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21A very curious thing is the adults
0:41:21 > 0:41:23don't feed at all in the adult stage.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26Although they have mouthparts, they take no nourishment whatsoever,
0:41:26 > 0:41:30so they are utterly reliant on the resources which the larva acquires.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34The problem we have with males is that males fly, albeit like a brick.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37He doesn't fly very well. But females don't.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40The females scuttle on the ground. People tread on them,
0:41:40 > 0:41:42thinking they're cockroaches and wanting to kill them.
0:41:42 > 0:41:43I think one of the biggest threats
0:41:43 > 0:41:46is habitat destruction, in terms of tidying up your garden.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49'By complete coincidence, Lorraine Bardell,
0:41:49 > 0:41:53'a telephonist at Royal Holloway, has left some pockets of wildness
0:41:53 > 0:41:57'in her own garden and has been rewarded with some rare visitors.'
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Look at that rotting log. That's fantastic!
0:41:59 > 0:42:02This is exactly the sort of habitat they really like to live in.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04- Can we shift this, then? - Yeah, yeah.- Will that come off?
0:42:04 > 0:42:07- Can you see anything? - You've got loads of woodlice.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09Oh, there's a stag beetle there. A male one, huge.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13- OK.- That's a find, isn't it? Let's just pick him up.
0:42:14 > 0:42:15There's a beauty, look at this one.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18Oh, he's hanging on. There we go.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22- Wow, magnificent. - He's really nice, isn't he?
0:42:22 > 0:42:24- He's quite a good size, isn't he?- Yeah.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26How big have you seen them in your garden?
0:42:26 > 0:42:28I'd say a good sort of
0:42:28 > 0:42:30inch longer than that.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32Have you seen them here every year?
0:42:32 > 0:42:35For at least the last five years, I've definitely seen them.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38But I've obviously encouraged quite a wild garden...
0:42:38 > 0:42:41- That's superb.- ..so obviously it comes with the territory.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43- They're more than welcome to stay.- It's great.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46- It's great you don't want to get rid of them.- No, no.- It's good news.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50These gentle giants really need our help to give them
0:42:50 > 0:42:53the habitat they so desperately need, so don't be afraid to
0:42:53 > 0:42:56leave the odd bit of decaying wood lying around your garden.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59And you never know, you might be lucky enough to catch
0:42:59 > 0:43:02a glimpse of the mysterious stag beetle.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05What a fantastic specimen.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07Thanks, Miranda, you've brought us creepy crawling to
0:43:07 > 0:43:09the end of our journey through the letter I.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12I hope you've enjoyed the ride and do make sure you join me
0:43:12 > 0:43:15next time on the A To Z Of TV Gardening.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17Goodbye.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd