0:00:02 > 0:00:04Hello, and welcome to the A To Z Of TV Gardening.
0:00:04 > 0:00:06We're on a mission to dig up the best advice and guidance
0:00:06 > 0:00:09from all your favourite programmes and presenters.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12So join me as, letter after letter, one by one,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15we explore everything from flowers and trees
0:00:15 > 0:00:17to fruit and veg.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Everything we're looking at today begins with the letter...
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Here's what's coming up.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42Alan Titchmarsh declares war on moss.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45I want a lawn that looks a bit like a bowling green.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Christine Walkden asks if marigolds are too much.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54Bright and colourful, but a bit in your face.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57Tricks and tips on how to grow mushrooms at home.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00There's an extraordinary range of edible mushrooms available to us,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04from the common field mushroom to things like this - an exotic oyster.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07And kissing and telling is James Wong.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10You can only kiss under mistletoe with berries on it.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13And every time you steal a kiss, you've got to pick off one of these,
0:01:13 > 0:01:15which means, once you've picked them all off,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18the free-for-all of the office Christmas party
0:01:18 > 0:01:20is well and truly over.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Just some of the treats we have in store.
0:01:22 > 0:01:28But first, to something that provides one of the most gorgeous displays of the gardening year,
0:01:28 > 0:01:32even though it can take up to ten years for its flowers to first appear.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35And when they come into full bloom in the spring and summer,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38they just dazzle one and all with their beauty
0:01:38 > 0:01:41and they're certainly worth the wait.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43This M is for magnolias.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46And let's begin with Alys Fowler being mesmerised
0:01:46 > 0:01:48in Trewithen Gardens in Cornwall.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51This garden is remarkable
0:01:51 > 0:01:53not just for the number of magnolias it has,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55but also for their size.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Many of the 50 varieties of magnolia in this garden
0:02:00 > 0:02:03have been here over 100 years,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06thanks to the plant-hunters who brought the seeds back
0:02:06 > 0:02:09to our shores from China in the early 1900s.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15- So a tree this size, how old does...?- This one particularly is collected in 1928
0:02:15 > 0:02:17and planted in 1929.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19It was planted here as an 18-inch seedling.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21And magnolias hate root disturbance.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23They don't like their roots being disturbed at all,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26so to plant it here and get it into perspective to the house
0:02:26 > 0:02:29is either luck or genius. We err on the side of genius.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Sadly, just a few maps and letters remain from those expeditions.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38But the driving force behind the garden, George Johnstone,
0:02:38 > 0:02:39published in 1955
0:02:39 > 0:02:43what is still considered to be the Bible on magnolias -
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Asiatic Magnolias In Cultivation.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49I suppose it doesn't even start to touch on
0:02:49 > 0:02:52how they must have felt when they saw these things.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55It's hard to imagine trying to see one of these in the wild for the first time.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Mature trees, some 80 feet tall,
0:02:57 > 0:02:59completely clothed in these pink flowers.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02And we're now beginning to see that maturity
0:03:02 > 0:03:03in the garden here, 100 years later.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08If they were alive and visiting Trewithen today,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11those intrepid plant-hunters would only now be seeing
0:03:11 > 0:03:13the impressive scale of the magnolias they discovered.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18A tree of this size - how do you maintain it?
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Luckily for me, the early maintenance had been done.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23On some of the younger plants, we do aesthetic pruning
0:03:23 > 0:03:25during the summer when the magnolia is in full leaf.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28That way, the sap's got a chance to stop running before winter sets in,
0:03:28 > 0:03:29which could cause damage.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32It's just aesthetic pruning, taking off the whippy branches,
0:03:32 > 0:03:34the long branches, just to keep the plants tidy.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38We've been having these very cold winters. Has that been affecting them at all?
0:03:38 > 0:03:43Magnolias are very lucky, the way they develop. They've got these bud sheaths,
0:03:43 > 0:03:44which are very hairy.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46And they protect the bud during winter,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49so as long as these are still enclosing the flower,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51then it's fine. It's when we get a late frost,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54which, in Cornwall, is any time past February,
0:03:54 > 0:03:55that's when any damage can occur.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Thanks to its illustrious horticultural history,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Trewithen has six magnolias classed as champion trees.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07That means they are the largest of their kind in the UK.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13And here is one of those champion trees.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16This is Magnolia sargentiana,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19and it's one of the Chinese species.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20And the flowers are so exquisite,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23they look like they've been cut out of silk.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26But like any of the species, you have to wait a very long time
0:04:26 > 0:04:28before you see it flower like that.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36It used to be said that if you wanted to enjoy a magnolia,
0:04:36 > 0:04:40then your grandparents would have had to have planted it many years ago.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42But these days, thanks to some modern hybridising,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45there's plants like this one, Star Wars,
0:04:45 > 0:04:46which will flower in three to five years.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50So that'll be something for you to enjoy - and your grandchildren.
0:05:01 > 0:05:02We're staying in Cornwall
0:05:02 > 0:05:04for more marvellous magnolias,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07and joining Carol Klein in Glendurgan Gardens
0:05:07 > 0:05:10with assistant head gardener Ned Lomax.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Just look at this - woo-hoo!
0:05:14 > 0:05:16It is magnificent, isn't it?
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Yes, it's beautiful. Beautiful.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21It's huge! You just have no idea of the scale of it
0:05:21 > 0:05:22until you stand underneath it.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Which magnolia is it, Ned?
0:05:25 > 0:05:27- This one's Campbellii Alba.- Right.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29- From the Himalayas?- That's right.
0:05:29 > 0:05:30How old is it?
0:05:30 > 0:05:31Not as old as you might think, really.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33This was planted in the mid-'60s.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36It's a decent size now, probably won't get too much bigger.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39- What you're interested in is this flower production, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41They're so lovely up there,
0:05:41 > 0:05:43but it's a shame I can't actually see one.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46- Well, if I can reach, I can get you one down.- Can you?
0:05:46 > 0:05:48- Yeah.- I was thinking of climbing up the tree!
0:05:49 > 0:05:52- How's your catching, Carol?- Oh!
0:05:52 > 0:05:53- You ready?- Yeah.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Oh!
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Got it! Look at that!
0:05:57 > 0:05:59- It's heavy.- Yes.
0:05:59 > 0:06:00It's a beautiful one, isn't it?
0:06:00 > 0:06:04- Of course, beetles pollinate it, don't they?- That's right.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07Because they were around magnolias long before bees.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09Millions of years they've been around, yes.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Well, I love to see it like that,
0:06:12 > 0:06:13- but in the distance...- Yes.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17- It's beautiful.- Perfect. You can really appreciate it.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21We're probably about a couple of weeks behind with most of the plants in the garden.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23So usually this would be out in full flower by now,
0:06:23 > 0:06:25but, as you see, it's getting there. Another week or so.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28- Yeah. Which one is it, Ned? - This is a long one...
0:06:32 > 0:06:33- Right.- Sargentiana.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37- Robusta because it really is strong, isn't it?- It is robust.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39But, I mean, it's not the sort of plant
0:06:39 > 0:06:43- you can really imagine in most... - No, not many people have space for it.
0:06:43 > 0:06:44No, they wouldn't, would they?
0:06:44 > 0:06:46But we've got, um...
0:06:46 > 0:06:48we've got two magnolias at Glebe Cottage.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50We've got stellata, and then Leonard Messel.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53And the great thing about them both
0:06:53 > 0:06:57is they flower from being young plants.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01- That's right.- And also, they're on a scale that most people could...
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Exactly. They'll fit in most gardens and you won't have to wait a lifetime for your results.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08The flower bud itself will take maybe nine months to develop,
0:07:08 > 0:07:11because this bud has to go all the way through the winter.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14In the very coldest part of the winter, this furry cover protects it.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17As soon as you get the sun on it, the bud will swell
0:07:17 > 0:07:18and the casing will drop away.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20- And these just peel back.- They do.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22They are like little mice, really!
0:07:22 > 0:07:25They're just lovely.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38So, as Carol said,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41if you've not got the space for a thumping great magnolia tree,
0:07:41 > 0:07:44a shrub can be just as satisfying.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Here's some quick planting tips from Monty Don.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49This is a Magnolia stellata,
0:07:49 > 0:07:53which has wonderful daisy-like white flowers in April.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57It'll grow in almost any soil,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01although it's happiest if it's slightly acidic
0:08:01 > 0:08:03and practically any position,
0:08:03 > 0:08:05though it does like some sunshine.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08The only thing to avoid is early-morning sun.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Don't put it on an east-facing wall,
0:08:10 > 0:08:12simply to protect it from spring frost,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14when the buds on the flowers can be damaged.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18But ideally in a west-facing position,
0:08:18 > 0:08:20or what we've got here is northwest.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Now, I'm going to plant it here,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25set back a little bit from the path.
0:08:26 > 0:08:27And if you're planting any shrub,
0:08:27 > 0:08:29keep it simple.
0:08:29 > 0:08:30There we go, like that.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34Now, magnolias have rather fleshy roots.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37They can be quite easily damaged. They're brittle.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39So when you take it out the pot,
0:08:39 > 0:08:40be fairly careful.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Good root system on this, slightly pot-bound.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45So what I'll do is just tease them a little.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49Not to break them up, but just to stimulate growth...
0:08:50 > 0:08:53..outside its confines of the pot,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55as quickly as possible.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01Now, although I'm not adding compost, what I will do is add some mycorrhizal fungi.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06The purpose of this is to act as a conduit
0:09:06 > 0:09:09from nutrients in the soil to the roots.
0:09:09 > 0:09:14It speeds up the root growth and the way it can take up nutrients.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17The important thing is to have it in direct contact
0:09:17 > 0:09:19with the roots themselves.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Now, I'm going to give that a good soak,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34and then mulch it. And the mulch is really important.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Where did I put the lid?
0:09:44 > 0:09:48Still to come - mistletoe, moles, and how to grow mushrooms at home.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52But now, let's look at one of our more intriguing trees.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54This M is for monkey puzzle.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58And here's a look at how it was first introduced in Britain.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07Monkey puzzle trees have been something of a horticultural oddity
0:10:07 > 0:10:09in British gardens since the Victoria era.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17This avenue of trees in the grounds of Bicton College, Devon
0:10:17 > 0:10:21offers an incongruous canopy to the journey up to the main house.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28More incongruous still is the story of the tree's discovery
0:10:28 > 0:10:31and subsequent journey to England from the Chilean Andes.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Only five seeds came back to Britain
0:10:35 > 0:10:37with plant-hunter Archibald Menzies.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Menzies encountered them when they were served to him as a dessert
0:10:43 > 0:10:45during a dinner party in the Chilean capital.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Intrigued by the nut-like seeds,
0:10:48 > 0:10:52he pocketed his pudding and headed for home.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55It was decades later before William Lobb
0:10:55 > 0:10:57introduced the seeds commercially.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01They became an instant hit.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06The seeds of these particular trees
0:11:06 > 0:11:10came from that original introduction from Chile.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12When these trees were planted, of course,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14they had no English name.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16They already had a scientific name,
0:11:16 > 0:11:18Araucaria araucana,
0:11:18 > 0:11:22named after the Araucarian Indians,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25who were the Indians in the area from where the trees,
0:11:25 > 0:11:27the seed of the trees, was collected.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31The name "monkey puzzle" came from an observer
0:11:31 > 0:11:34of the trees in cultivation
0:11:34 > 0:11:38who said, "Gosh, it would puzzle a monkey to climb one of those trees."
0:11:38 > 0:11:40And so that name - monkey puzzle tree -
0:11:40 > 0:11:42has actually stuck to this day.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48These were planted out as a very early avenue,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50probably the very first avenue,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53of these newly introduced trees.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57I think...although we have a concept today
0:11:57 > 0:12:00of what these trees look like, where we see them in our gardens,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03remember that at that time, they were a curiosity
0:12:03 > 0:12:06and nobody had any idea, who was planting them,
0:12:06 > 0:12:08what they would actually grow into.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39In their native Chile,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41the trees date back to the Jurassic period.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43And this prehistoric ancestry
0:12:43 > 0:12:48is largely responsible for the monkey puzzle's bizarre look today.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51The tress are like they are
0:12:51 > 0:12:54because they've evolved a dinosaur-deterrent habit.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57They've got this enormously prickly foliage.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59They've got these every tall trunks.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02They evolve these tall trunks to move that foliage up
0:13:02 > 0:13:05above a height which the dinosaurs could possibly eat them.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09Of course, this is a case actually of co-evolution,
0:13:09 > 0:13:12because as the monkey puzzle trees produce their canopies
0:13:12 > 0:13:16ever higher and higher above the herbivorous dinosaurs,
0:13:16 > 0:13:18so, of course, the herbivorous dinosaurs
0:13:18 > 0:13:20evolved longer and longer necks
0:13:20 > 0:13:24to try and actually eat the foliage,
0:13:24 > 0:13:26which was becoming up above them.
0:13:26 > 0:13:27And so what we've got here
0:13:27 > 0:13:30is a mutual Cold War, if you like.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33The trees trying to avoid the dinosaurs,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36the dinosaurs evolving necks to go up.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38But of course, the dinosaurs became extinct,
0:13:38 > 0:13:40but here, in cultivation,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43we still see the residue of that inherence.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46And the great height of these trees,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49coupled with a relatively small root ball,
0:13:49 > 0:13:51do make it susceptible to high winds.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55And this showcase avenue was all but destroyed in the 1920s
0:13:55 > 0:13:58by a storm that is still remembered today.
0:14:00 > 0:14:01In 1928,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04when that great gale was,
0:14:04 > 0:14:09it blew down around 30 trees in this avenue.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13I mean...really ripped the heart out of the avenue,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16if you can understand what I mean.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21You couldn't believe that nature could be so cruel, really, in one way.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27Luckily, the fallen trees had been planted with male and female seeds,
0:14:27 > 0:14:32so it was possible to propagate replacements still standing today.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Now from one of our most unusual plants
0:14:35 > 0:14:38to one we all recognise easily,
0:14:38 > 0:14:39especially at the end of the year.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42This M is for mistletoe.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44And kissing and telling all about it
0:14:44 > 0:14:46is James Wong.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55Tenbury Wells is the mistletoe capital of the UK
0:14:55 > 0:14:58and the auctions of holly and mistletoe that take place here
0:14:58 > 0:15:00have been going on for over 100 years.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04And although it looks calm at the moment, in a couple of hours,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06everything you see here will be gone.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10Mistletoe is found in many places in the west of England,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12and it particularly likes apple orchards.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16It's one of only a handful of our native evergreen plants.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18We associate it with Christmas,
0:15:18 > 0:15:20but the folklore goes back even further.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23Now, everyone knows about kissing under the mistletoe,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26but what most people don't know is the traditional rules state
0:15:26 > 0:15:29you can only kiss under mistletoe with berries on it.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31And every time you steal a kiss,
0:15:31 > 0:15:33you've got to pick off one of these.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35Which means, once you've picked them all off,
0:15:35 > 0:15:39the free-for-all of the office Christmas party is well and truly over.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43Unless, of course, you get a big old bunch like this!
0:15:44 > 0:15:47The ancient Romans used to perform fertility rituals
0:15:47 > 0:15:48under mistletoe.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51But we don't quite go that far in public nowadays.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54But it does explain where the kissing tradition came from.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57There's so much more to mistletoe than quaint traditions
0:15:57 > 0:15:58and stealing a kiss at Christmas.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01For many, it can be a real money-maker.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Nick Champion has been running Tenbury's mistletoe auction for 30 years.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08This year's crop is looking especially good,
0:16:08 > 0:16:10as growing conditions have been perfect.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13How many people are you expecting to come today?
0:16:13 > 0:16:15We normally have about 100, 120 buyers
0:16:15 > 0:16:17register at each sale.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20So how much is in each one of these bundles? They look awfully heavy.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25Well, in these ones in particular, they're probably about 30 or 40 pounds in weight in a bundle.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27And how much in money does that get turned into?
0:16:27 > 0:16:29On a good year, if supply is short,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31they'll make £30 to £40 each.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34It's quite abundant this year
0:16:34 > 0:16:37and I would expect to see about £20 for them.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41- When you see it in garden centres, a couple of sprigs will cost you maybe a couple of quid.- Yes.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44- So you really do get...- Value for your money, yes.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46I'm no mistletoe expert.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49How do you judge the creme de la creme of mistletoe?
0:16:49 > 0:16:51The best mistletoe has dark green leaves
0:16:51 > 0:16:53and a very white berry.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55The least attractive is the yellower leaves
0:16:55 > 0:16:59and unripened berries, which are greener in colour.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03- So you want the most dramatic colour difference?- Yes.
0:17:03 > 0:17:04Later, I'll be back at the auction
0:17:04 > 0:17:08to find out how much this year's bumper crop is fetching.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11Mistletoe has always fired the imagination.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13In Christian mythology,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16mistletoe was condemned to live as a parasite on other trees
0:17:16 > 0:17:19as punishment because its wood was used
0:17:19 > 0:17:21for the cross at Christ's crucifixion.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23That's why they say, even today,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26mistletoe can never sink its roots into good soil.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31I've come to a local orchard to meet mistletoe expert Jonathan Briggs.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35Mistletoe's so unusual-looking. What exactly is it?
0:17:35 > 0:17:38Well, mistletoe is a hemiparasite of trees.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41It grows on the tree branches, never grows in the ground.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45So what it does is it uses the whole tree as a sort of root system.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47It is green, it is photosynthetic,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51so it produces all of its sugars from sunlight. It does all of that bit itself.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53In a sense, all it's taking
0:17:53 > 0:17:55is the water and the mineral salts.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58- But not the nutrients?- But not the nutrients.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01I hear there's loads of it in this part of the country,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03more than anywhere else. Why is that?
0:18:03 > 0:18:06It's a plant that grows on trees, but it doesn't like woodland.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09So it needs trees in open habitats, like this one we're in here.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12The other thing that it wants, in Britain at least,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15is some climatic conditions that are quite difficult to define,
0:18:15 > 0:18:20but seem to be best found in the Severn and Wye catchment,
0:18:20 > 0:18:24so Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28So how does mistletoe spread itself around in the tops of these trees?
0:18:28 > 0:18:29It's spread by birds.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33The berries are eaten by mistle thrushes,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36who excrete the seeds out in a sticky string.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38They stick to the bark of the tree,
0:18:38 > 0:18:39and then they germinate.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Mistletoe has both male and female plants.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46The female plant is harvested regularly for its berries,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48but it's also important that the male plant is cut down,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51to prevent it from over-running the tree.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54And Reg Farmer has been doing just that.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58He's been harvesting mistletoe for over 50 years,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00using little more than a saw and a stick.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02Hi there, Reg. I hear you're going to show me
0:19:02 > 0:19:04- how to do all this business.- Yes.
0:19:04 > 0:19:05It will come down...
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Wow! That's a lot easier than I thought.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12- It just snaps off?- It snaps.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15It's quite brittle.
0:19:15 > 0:19:16Cos this isn't very old, you see.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18Would you like to have a go?
0:19:18 > 0:19:20I'd love to have a go, Reg.
0:19:20 > 0:19:21So, literally, it's just a saw on a stick?
0:19:21 > 0:19:24It's just an ordinary saw on the end of a stick.
0:19:24 > 0:19:25You made it look very easy.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29Uh-huh...and then you kind of lower it down with this?
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Are you busy tomorrow?
0:19:31 > 0:19:33Do you have a lot of work you need helping with?
0:19:33 > 0:19:35There we are - look at that!
0:19:36 > 0:19:39That is Chelsea Flower Show ready. Look at that.
0:19:39 > 0:19:40Beautiful.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45So from the apple orchard to the auction.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49It's time to find out how much today's bundles are going for.
0:19:51 > 0:19:5516 again, 10 bid... 10 I'm bid, 12...
0:19:55 > 0:19:56Now, there are 800 lots here,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59but at the rate they're rattling through it, they'll be done in no time.
0:19:59 > 0:20:0118 bid, 18...
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Unlike most auction halls,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05the people actually move to the lots
0:20:05 > 0:20:08rather than the lots passing through a big hall.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10It's quite difficult to get right in the centre,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12because these rows are so packed close together.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17There's a lot that's just gone for £32.
0:20:17 > 0:20:22And the cheapest ones are about £16, and it seems to be all about the berries -
0:20:22 > 0:20:25the number of berries, and how brightly coloured they are.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28That's really quite a big price difference.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30So what do you do with a huge bundle of mistletoe?
0:20:30 > 0:20:33I've got this wedding on Saturday
0:20:33 > 0:20:35and coming on the Tuesday,
0:20:35 > 0:20:40we just thought it would be ideal to come up here and buy a nice quantity of really fresh mistletoe.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44So you've got a whole cartload of holly and mistletoe. What are you going to do with it?
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Taking it to Wolverhampton town centre
0:20:46 > 0:20:49and we'll bunch it into smaller bunches.
0:20:49 > 0:20:55I've got a big trailer, which should be groaning full when I head back to Suffolk.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57You've come all the way from Suffolk to come here?
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Well, Suffolk used to be a great cider-producing area.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03After the war, they dug most of the orchards up,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05so mistletoe is very scarce over there.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09- It's on those apple trees that mistletoe normally grows. - Absolutely.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12- So you've come all the way down here.- I've been coming here for 12 years.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15I've had a great time learning all about mistletoe.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19But for now, it's time to see if that kissing tradition works.
0:21:25 > 0:21:26Thanks, James.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Now to an M that's as familiar in the kitchen
0:21:29 > 0:21:31as it is in woods and forests.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Our next M is for mushrooms.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36And we've got a couple of fun guys here with advice
0:21:36 > 0:21:38on growing your own edible ones.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40In a minute, Joe Swift.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43But let's kick things off with Chris Beardshaw.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48They can be beautiful, but deadly.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Some fragrant, delicate and edible,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53and others used to make antibiotics.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57They make bread rise and put bubbles in beer and champagne.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00There's no doubt that fungi
0:22:00 > 0:22:03are amongst the most important and versatile organisms on the planet,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07in terms of their ecological and economic benefits.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Gardeners will be most familiar with them
0:22:09 > 0:22:12because of smuts, rusts and rots.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14This is a bracket fungus,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18sitting on a rotting stump of Wych elm,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22and it's performing perhaps the most important function of fungi.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25It's rotting down the solid wood,
0:22:25 > 0:22:27breaking down the cells,
0:22:27 > 0:22:28releasing nutrients
0:22:28 > 0:22:30and making those nutrients available
0:22:30 > 0:22:32to the plants around it in the garden.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35And this is a perfect example of where fungi thrive.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37It's shady, it's cool,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39and it's damp.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42But it's not the bracket fungi I'm most interested in today -
0:22:42 > 0:22:44it's the edible ones.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49There's an extraordinary range of edible mushrooms available to us,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52from the common field mushroom to things like this -
0:22:52 > 0:22:53an exotic oyster.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55And this is growing on a bale of straw,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58but, as you can see, it's almost entirely white,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01and that's because of the way the organism operates.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03It's a very simple structure -
0:23:03 > 0:23:05linear cells arranged in threads called mycelium,
0:23:05 > 0:23:09and they exist almost entirely beneath the surface.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11In this case, on the bale.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13That's what gives it its white colour.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16And it exists underground almost all year round,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18only popping to the surface to fruit,
0:23:18 > 0:23:20which is exactly what a mushroom is -
0:23:20 > 0:23:21it's a fruiting body.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Now, you can buy kits to do at home.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27And this is typical of what you get -
0:23:27 > 0:23:28a bag of fresh straw.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31You also get a bag of oyster grain spawn,
0:23:31 > 0:23:34instructions, polythene sheet, the whole works.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38What you have to do to start with is to tip boiling water into the bag,
0:23:38 > 0:23:39a couple of kettlefuls of boiling water.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42That sterilises the straw, killing any other mycelium
0:23:42 > 0:23:44that may be present in the straw.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Then you break up...
0:23:48 > 0:23:49..the spawn,
0:23:49 > 0:23:50sprinkle it in,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53and...once you've got it all in,
0:23:53 > 0:23:55give the bag a good shake
0:23:55 > 0:23:57and seal the bag.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04Once you've done that, you have to put it somewhere dark and warm,
0:24:04 > 0:24:06about room temperature, for about four weeks.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09When I was a student, I used to shove the bales of straw under my bed,
0:24:09 > 0:24:11which seemed to be the perfect place.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13Then after four weeks, bring it out.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Two nights in a fridge is what's then required,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19and that just promotes a bit of fruiting body growth.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Then break the bag open, put it onto a tray,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25keep the tray moist, cover it in a sheet of polythene,
0:24:25 > 0:24:27and then within four to ten days,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29you should have your own oyster mushrooms.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Now, this isn't the only kit you can get.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34You can also buy shiitake mushrooms.
0:24:34 > 0:24:39They arrive looking a bit like this. It's a dowel peg impregnated with shiitake mycelium.
0:24:39 > 0:24:41And what you'll need in addition to this
0:24:41 > 0:24:44is a log from a deciduous tree
0:24:44 > 0:24:47that's less than a month old.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Any deciduous tree will do, except a laburnum,
0:24:50 > 0:24:52which has toxic sap, and therefore,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55the sap will get into the mushrooms and make the mushrooms poisonous.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57Once you've found your log,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00you then need to drill a series of holes.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Knock the mycelium-infected dowels into the holes
0:25:07 > 0:25:10and then the fungus will do the rest.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15In a log like this, you can get about 20 or so pegs.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19Once you've got them dotted amongst the timbers,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22you have to seal the moisture in on the log.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25You can do that by covering it in a polythene bag.
0:25:27 > 0:25:28And then...
0:25:28 > 0:25:30it has to go outside.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Now, the perfect place for it is where you find
0:25:35 > 0:25:36fungi growing naturally,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39which is right next to our bracket fungi,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43and, incidentally, next to the hedgehog hut Chris Baines did a few weeks ago.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47So you just drop the bag containing the log in the hedge,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49and then insulate it with...
0:25:49 > 0:25:51leaves.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58And after six to ten months, you can then pull away the leaves,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01take the log out of the bag, but leave it in the hedge.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Then, when the conditions are perfect,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07what you'll get is a crop of shiitake mushrooms,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10and the log will keep cropping for up to five years.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16But if that all looks a bit too involved,
0:26:16 > 0:26:20Joe Swift's option could be described as bog standard.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22Now, this one is really, really very cheap,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24but very easy to do.
0:26:24 > 0:26:25You get a toilet roll,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27put it on a plate,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30preferably unbleached toilet roll, definitely white.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32Put it on a plate, inside a plastic bag.
0:26:34 > 0:26:35And then you get your kettle,
0:26:35 > 0:26:38boiling water - it's got to be boiling water -
0:26:38 > 0:26:40pour it all over the toilet roll,
0:26:40 > 0:26:42completely soaking it.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45You see it's expanding already.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47Then you let it cool down.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Here's one I've done earlier,
0:26:50 > 0:26:51which is already cooled.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53It'll look something like that - nice and soggy.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55Then you get these.
0:26:55 > 0:27:00This is an oyster mushroom, and it's grain that's been coated with oyster mushroom spores.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02One packet like that will do two toilet rolls.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04You get half of the packet...
0:27:06 > 0:27:08..empty it into your hand,
0:27:08 > 0:27:10and you literally just place it
0:27:10 > 0:27:12into the centre...
0:27:13 > 0:27:15..of the toilet roll there.
0:27:15 > 0:27:16Pour it right down the middle.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23Now that's ready to go.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26What you do is you seal the plastic bag up now.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Seal it tight.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31You leave it for about two weeks.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36And it's going to get to the consistency of maturing Stilton.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39You'll notice that there's something going on there.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41It really will start looking a bit mouldy.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43But then after about two weeks,
0:27:43 > 0:27:48you put it in the fridge to create the reaction, make sure that the mushrooms think that it's autumn,
0:27:48 > 0:27:49and they'll start fruiting.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52You slice some holes in the side
0:27:52 > 0:27:54and the mushrooms will start coming out.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58And basically, out of that, you should get a few good omelettes!
0:28:00 > 0:28:02Thanks, Joe. And we're mixing things up now,
0:28:02 > 0:28:04because our next letter isn't a typical one.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07M is for miscellaneous.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09Molehills are coming up.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12But we begin with moss, and Alan Titchmarsh
0:28:12 > 0:28:15on removing it if it's messing up your lawn.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Phew! Now, it's not all as long as that.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26That's where the daffodils have been growing,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29but it's now six to eight weeks since they finished flowering,
0:28:29 > 0:28:32and safe to sever them by their stocking tops.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37A week later, this is what it looks like.
0:28:37 > 0:28:38Straw.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41A hayfield that's just been mown.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44But don't worry. In dry weather, if you water it every now and again,
0:28:44 > 0:28:46it will come back and green up.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49But watering will not improve this.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51No daffodils have been grown here.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55It's never been fed. It's never been weedkillered.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58And it's never been moss-killered, and yet
0:28:58 > 0:29:00I call it a lawn.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04It seems to me it's no longer politically correct to have a proper lawn.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07You have to put up with buttercups, daisies,
0:29:07 > 0:29:09dandelions and plantains.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Well, I've done that for ten years.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15And now I want a lawn that looks a bit like a bowling green.
0:29:22 > 0:29:23The first thing to do
0:29:23 > 0:29:25is to get rid of the moss.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27And the thing to use to pull all that out
0:29:27 > 0:29:31is this - a wire-toothed lawn rake.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33It's wonderful for your stomach muscles.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36If you've got a lot of lawn, you're going to get a lot of pain.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39Better to find a quicker, easier method
0:29:39 > 0:29:40of getting the moss out.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43And that is a powered lawn raker,
0:29:43 > 0:29:46fitted with a cylinder of wire teeth.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49Make sure it's plugged into an earth leakage circuit breaker -
0:29:49 > 0:29:51this is an electrical piece of equipment.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54Keep the cable over your shoulder and out of the way.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Set it so that it's fairly high.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59It doesn't want to be too low.
0:29:59 > 0:30:00There are adjustable screws on it.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02Put the grass box on straight,
0:30:02 > 0:30:03and then away you go.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14You'll be amazed how much comes out.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21All that from just two square metres of turf.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25Doesn't look very nice, but don't worry - it's going to get worse before it gets better.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28What we're going to do now is to apply this -
0:30:28 > 0:30:33a combined weedkiller, fertiliser and moss-killer.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35The tendency is to put it on by hand.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37It's uneven, it's wasteful.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40Use a wheeled calibrated distributor like this.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43It applies it evenly, and it goes a lot further.
0:30:46 > 0:30:47Once you've applied it,
0:30:47 > 0:30:50if no rain falls within a couple of days,
0:30:50 > 0:30:52then you must water it in.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55Then this is what happens.
0:30:55 > 0:30:56The moss goes black
0:30:56 > 0:30:59and the weeds start to grow, and then die.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07After about a month,
0:31:07 > 0:31:08if you make sure it doesn't get dry,
0:31:08 > 0:31:10it'll look like this.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16All you need now is the stripes.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20MOTOR STARTS UP
0:31:42 > 0:31:44Well...they're subtle.
0:31:44 > 0:31:45But they're there.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51And after that marvellous work from Alan,
0:31:51 > 0:31:54we're sticking with mowing, but going back in time
0:31:54 > 0:31:56for a look at the future of lawn mowing
0:31:56 > 0:32:00as Tomorrow's World saw it in 1979.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03There's a two-eyed monster on the loose on the lawns of Hampshire.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09But unlike its ancestors,
0:32:09 > 0:32:11this one is man's friend,
0:32:11 > 0:32:13programmed to do his bidding.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18In fact, it's an automatic lawn mower.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22Designed by three Farnborough sixth formers,
0:32:22 > 0:32:25the Grasshopper always moves in a straight line
0:32:25 > 0:32:26until it comes to the lawn's edge.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30When, by rolling its eyes,
0:32:30 > 0:32:31it smartly crabs sideways,
0:32:31 > 0:32:33switches into reverse,
0:32:33 > 0:32:34and carries on.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39But it isn't clever enough to cope completely with the unexpected.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53And when this happens, Man the master must step in.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58The motor, powered by mains electricity,
0:32:58 > 0:33:01cuts the grass with standard rotary blades.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03They're driven by this central motor,
0:33:03 > 0:33:05rescued from an old washing machine.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07There are two other motors.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09This one drives the wheels.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11This one, the eyes.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13They both used to work windscreen wipers.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16But the really clever bit is this probe.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18When it detects the edge of the lawn,
0:33:18 > 0:33:20it sends a message to a relay,
0:33:20 > 0:33:22which stops the drive motor,
0:33:22 > 0:33:23activates the eyes
0:33:23 > 0:33:25and then puts it into reverse.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30Mind you, the Grasshopper isn't totally labour-saving.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32You do have to dig a trench all round your lawn
0:33:32 > 0:33:35before it can start to work at all.
0:33:37 > 0:33:38Perhaps that's why it never took off.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44Now we end this miscellaneous mix with more lawn-related matters.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48And here's Martin, Chris and Kate from the Springwatch team
0:33:48 > 0:33:49on managing molehills.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52Not everyone wants mammals in their gardens.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54Certain sorts - nothing but trouble.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58And the top troublemaker? The little gentleman in the velvet jacket.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00- The mole, I'm afraid.- Yeah.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02Messageboards full of it.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04How do you get rid of the mole in your garden?
0:34:04 > 0:34:06Right. Here are a few top tips
0:34:06 > 0:34:08from you. Right, here we go.
0:34:08 > 0:34:13What do you do with that? Stick it in the molehill - lots of people have said this -
0:34:13 > 0:34:15and when it goes round and round, it makes a noise,
0:34:15 > 0:34:17frightens the mole off. Does it work?
0:34:17 > 0:34:18No.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20ALL LAUGH
0:34:20 > 0:34:23- But loads of people said that!- That would look so nice on your lawn.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25All over the molehills. It would really help.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27Then there's the bottle.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29Bury the bottle, then when the wind blows...
0:34:29 > 0:34:31frightens the mole away.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33Fantastic. Does it work?
0:34:33 > 0:34:34No.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36What DOES work?
0:34:36 > 0:34:38Smells. Pungent smells.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40Loads of people say chopped-up onion
0:34:40 > 0:34:41or mothballs.
0:34:41 > 0:34:42Do they work?
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Maybe.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46- Really?- Actually, yes.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49And if you go really pungent... Here's - it's not very nice -
0:34:49 > 0:34:52but it might work. Here it goes. This is from Peter Kiersley. He says,
0:34:52 > 0:34:56"I know it might sound awful, but I put fresh dog poo down the molehills."
0:34:56 > 0:34:57- No!- Oh, goodness!
0:34:57 > 0:35:00"It works for me every time, and they soon move to a sweeter-smelling area."
0:35:00 > 0:35:03I don't think that they're that unlovable
0:35:03 > 0:35:06that you'd spend a Sunday morning piping dog poo into their tunnels.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08Do some people actually do it?!
0:35:08 > 0:35:10I don't even want to imagine.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12What about you, Kate? Any top tips?
0:35:12 > 0:35:14I'm afraid my top tip is
0:35:14 > 0:35:17that I just leave my moles alone.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19I think moles know when there's a vendetta against them
0:35:19 > 0:35:24and they go, "You know what? We don't care. We're just going to dig up your entire lawn."
0:35:24 > 0:35:26I find that I'll just rake over the molehills,
0:35:26 > 0:35:28so that the tunnels don't collapse,
0:35:28 > 0:35:30and just leave them be.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33And I have to say I haven't got a big problem with moles.
0:35:35 > 0:35:36Now we've come to our final M
0:35:36 > 0:35:40and it's a flower that adds a real zing of colour to your garden
0:35:40 > 0:35:43in spring, through summer and even into autumn.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46This M is for marigolds.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48Also known as calendula.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52And we start by rejoining a slightly wet Monty Don
0:35:52 > 0:35:55for some tips on planting and colour co-ordination.
0:36:00 > 0:36:04I was going to sow these seeds direct
0:36:04 > 0:36:05in my garden for the senses.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08These are some marigolds and poppies.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10But I've been dodging showers all day.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13The ground is now getting fairly wet, so I've decided to sow them indoors,
0:36:13 > 0:36:17which the poppies won't like, because they don't transplant well.
0:36:17 > 0:36:18But the calendula I can do.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21Now, the reason I'm sowing them is for colour.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24And obviously, this is to do with sight, that aspect of the senses.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28And I'm aware that everything you can see in the garden
0:36:28 > 0:36:30is to do with sight,
0:36:30 > 0:36:32but what I'm trying to do in this particular garden
0:36:32 > 0:36:35is to focus on how the senses work
0:36:35 > 0:36:37and how we can manipulate them in the garden
0:36:37 > 0:36:39to maximise them.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41With colour alone, for example,
0:36:41 > 0:36:43these calendula are an orangey yellow.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47If I put them next to a blue or a purple,
0:36:47 > 0:36:51the purple and the yellow will seem much, much stronger.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55Orange and blue are opposites, and any opposite colour, like red and green,
0:36:55 > 0:36:57you'll intensify the other colour.
0:36:57 > 0:37:02On the other hand, if I put them next to a red or a pure yellow,
0:37:02 > 0:37:04they'll spread the colour,
0:37:04 > 0:37:05so you get a massed effect,
0:37:05 > 0:37:07like we've got at the hot end of the border
0:37:07 > 0:37:08in the long borders.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12Now what I've got here is Calendula officinalis Radio,
0:37:12 > 0:37:16which is a really good orangey double marigold.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19So I will plant this
0:37:19 > 0:37:21into plugs.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25And when you're going into plugs
0:37:25 > 0:37:28with annuals, which could just as well be planted outside,
0:37:28 > 0:37:32just get them going in the greenhouse or cold frame
0:37:32 > 0:37:35and then harden them off and then plant out the whole plug.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37And just a pinch
0:37:37 > 0:37:38in each plug.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40Two or three. I'm not going to count them.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42I can thin them out later if I feel
0:37:42 > 0:37:45that there are too many.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49But I won't worry if I've got a little clump.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51And I'm already thinking
0:37:51 > 0:37:55do I want to contrast them with a purple or a blue
0:37:55 > 0:37:58or do I want to create a sort of fiery effect
0:37:58 > 0:38:02and think in terms of yellows and reds to go with them?
0:38:02 > 0:38:04The colour that won't look good with them
0:38:04 > 0:38:06is pink in any form.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08Or even whites.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12So I'll have those in a different part
0:38:12 > 0:38:13of the garden.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Now those are on there. I've got a little sieve here.
0:38:16 > 0:38:20And I can just cover them up with a little bit of soil.
0:38:20 > 0:38:25And, by the way, a little sieve when you're sowing seeds is invaluable.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28And all that lumpy stuff
0:38:28 > 0:38:31won't block the passages of the
0:38:31 > 0:38:32plants.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36And obviously, water them in well and label them.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38And I'll do a few trays like this
0:38:38 > 0:38:40and they can go into the garden.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44And the poppies will be done when we get a properly dry day.
0:38:46 > 0:38:47Thanks, Monty.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50Now let's finish with Christine Walkden,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53who says there is more to these flowers than meets the eye.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03Marigolds - are they gorgeous or gaudy?
0:39:05 > 0:39:09For some people, the marigold is a vibrant vision of summer,
0:39:09 > 0:39:11a must-have for your border.
0:39:11 > 0:39:16For others, well...it's the Jordan of the plant world -
0:39:16 > 0:39:17bright and colourful...
0:39:17 > 0:39:19but a bit in your face.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25But if you ever see them in their thousands,
0:39:25 > 0:39:28they completely transform a British landscape
0:39:28 > 0:39:30into something utterly Mediterranean.
0:39:30 > 0:39:34This rare sight is a field full of pot marigolds,
0:39:34 > 0:39:38or Calendula officinalis, being grown as a crop.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42It's thought that their oil will replace the poison in paint
0:39:42 > 0:39:46and reduce the dangerous pollution given off by paint fumes.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48We're using the oil from the pot marigold as an alternative
0:39:48 > 0:39:51to volatile organic compounds,
0:39:51 > 0:39:53which are used in paints and varnishes and suchlike.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56We're also using it as a wood preservative.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59So the colour is totally insignificant? It's just the oil from the seed?
0:39:59 > 0:40:02The colour is very nice, but we're only after the oil.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04It has been used in the past as a colorant
0:40:04 > 0:40:08in things like butter and cheese, and as a fabric dye.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12But that's all taken from the petal, which is hand-harvested and extremely expensive.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Here we're just looking at the seed, which we harvest mechanically.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19So when will we be able to see this fantastic oil used in paint?
0:40:19 > 0:40:21We've still got quite a bit of development work to do,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24both in shelf life and pigment, but hopefully, fairly soon.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27So let's be clear about these marigolds.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31We've got the French marigold that's commonly used in our gardens
0:40:31 > 0:40:34and often popped inside greenhouses to keep whitefly away.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37It's a large single flower,
0:40:37 > 0:40:39dark green foliage that's aromatic
0:40:39 > 0:40:41and the leaf is divided.
0:40:41 > 0:40:46Whereas the pot marigold, grown in pots historically as a beautiful hardy pot plant,
0:40:46 > 0:40:50well, the differences are that it's got a flat head,
0:40:50 > 0:40:52matt green foliage
0:40:52 > 0:40:53that doesn't smell.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58It's this marigold, the calendula, that's amazingly versatile.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01You can eat the flowers in salad,
0:41:01 > 0:41:02turn them into tea,
0:41:02 > 0:41:03dye your clothes with them
0:41:03 > 0:41:06or make a healthy mouthwash.
0:41:06 > 0:41:11In 2007, the calendula helped win gold at Chelsea
0:41:11 > 0:41:14as part of Sarah Eberle's Mars Garden -
0:41:14 > 0:41:18a garden made up of plants specially chosen to keep astronauts safe
0:41:18 > 0:41:20and healthy on the red planet.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24The marigold is well known in medicine.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26Recently, after intense research,
0:41:26 > 0:41:28the European Medicines Agency
0:41:28 > 0:41:32officially recognised the plant's soothing, antiseptic properties.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36Something that herbalists have believed for centuries.
0:41:38 > 0:41:43It was always used in the house when we didn't have antiseptic creams.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46You would use the marigold flower.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49If you were now stung by the bee,
0:41:49 > 0:41:51you could just rub it onto your skin
0:41:51 > 0:41:53and the inflammation would go down.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57It is used in almost 90%
0:41:57 > 0:42:01of our creams, ointments, toiletries.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05How do you capture that in a solution?
0:42:05 > 0:42:08Well, there are many ways of extracting marigold flowers.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11This is the traditional way. You just put them in the jar,
0:42:11 > 0:42:14cover with a little bit of oil.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17I'm going to do it with organic sunflower oil.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20It's light oil and it will extract beautiful
0:42:20 > 0:42:25colour and all the resinous material out of the flowers.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28And now I have to, of course...
0:42:28 > 0:42:31close it down, because we don't want anything else coming in.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35And this will be left in the sunshine to infuse.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39Ten days or so, and then strained through a sieve
0:42:39 > 0:42:41- and this is what you get.- Wow!
0:42:41 > 0:42:43- Beautiful colour oil.- Isn't that beautiful?
0:42:43 > 0:42:45And what would you use this for?
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Small cuts, burns...
0:42:48 > 0:42:53anything that needs antiseptic quality to it.
0:42:53 > 0:42:58So instead of using French marigolds in our garden, we should really be putting pot marigolds in
0:42:58 > 0:43:00and enjoy them?
0:43:00 > 0:43:02Ah, they should be celebrated, definitely.
0:43:04 > 0:43:05Thanks, Christine.
0:43:05 > 0:43:09And as marigolds like full sun, they're probably loving it today.
0:43:09 > 0:43:10That's all for now.
0:43:10 > 0:43:15Do join us next time for another A To Z Of TV Gardening.
0:43:21 > 0:43:23Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd