0:00:02 > 0:00:04Hello and welcome to The A To Z Of TV Gardening,
0:00:04 > 0:00:07where we sift through all your favourite TV gardening programmes
0:00:07 > 0:00:11and dig up a bumper crop of tips from the best experts in the business.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15Flowers, trees, fruit and veg, letter by letter,
0:00:15 > 0:00:17they're all coming up a treat.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37Everything we're looking at today begins with the letter T.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Here's what's coming up:
0:00:39 > 0:00:42We're training trees with Alan Titchmarsh.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46Provided you've got an inside leg measurement of more than 24 inches,
0:00:46 > 0:00:49you'll see exactly why they're called step-over apple trees.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Rachel De Thame visits a garden that is a cut above the rest.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57It's the best, the oldest
0:00:57 > 0:01:01and certainly the most expensive topiary garden in Britain.
0:01:02 > 0:01:08And a fight against blight. Can Alys Fowler save her tomatoes?
0:01:09 > 0:01:12This structure is the only thing that is keeping me
0:01:12 > 0:01:17and the tomato in hope that we will still get ripening fruit.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21Just some of the treats we have in store.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24But let's begin with a wildflower that originated in Asia
0:01:24 > 0:01:27and then exploded in popularity across Europe,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30to such an extent that in the 17th century,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33a single bulb could sell for thousands of pounds.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35T is for tulip.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39Let's meet a couple of gardeners who've got a real passion for them.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52We bought the property in 1994.
0:01:52 > 0:01:54It had been empty for three years,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57but previously owned by a sisterhood of Anglican nuns.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Of course, the house has got huge history
0:01:59 > 0:02:03because it dates back to the 16th century,
0:02:03 > 0:02:04and prior to that,
0:02:04 > 0:02:08there was a structure on-site that's underneath the 16th century part
0:02:08 > 0:02:10that was part of the Benedictine monastery.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13When we first decided to open the garden to the public,
0:02:13 > 0:02:18we opened in 1998, so we've been open 10 years now.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Our first thought was to plant 2,000 different roses, but of course
0:02:21 > 0:02:24they start to bloom in late May, early June.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27There's a huge season in front of all that.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Now, why would your visitors come to you in March and April
0:02:31 > 0:02:33if you've only got roses?
0:02:33 > 0:02:38Of course, by under-planting the rose beds with thousands and thousands of tulips,
0:02:38 > 0:02:40we have a magnificent display of colour
0:02:40 > 0:02:42and interest for quite a long time
0:02:42 > 0:02:45because we've planted over early, mid and late flowering species
0:02:45 > 0:02:48so that there's a lot going on over a five, six, seven-week period,
0:02:48 > 0:02:50depending on the weather.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54Of course, the whole great explosion of interest in tulips
0:02:54 > 0:02:58occurred during the 17th century, when of course this house was already established,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00people were living here, life was going on.
0:03:00 > 0:03:05So it has lived through all that and it seems, therefore,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07quite appropriate that we represent that.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15We plant on average between 15,000 and 20,000 tulips every year.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17So at this point in time,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20there's something over 135,000 tulips in the ground.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24But we tend to find that we get a good three years
0:03:24 > 0:03:28out of 80% of the bulbs. Some multiply, some we don't see again.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32We find that any of the strong reds do seem to be
0:03:32 > 0:03:34the ones that will come up again and again.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Probably the best performing tulips are the Darwins and the Cottage.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40They are very strong.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49I'm particularly fond of the Species Tulips
0:03:49 > 0:03:52and we've got several different varieties growing down here.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54It's on a side of the house that,
0:03:54 > 0:03:56although predominantly in the shade for a lot of the day,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00this particular bed juts out and catches the sun for most of the time,
0:04:00 > 0:04:04and it suits this particular group of tulips extremely well.
0:04:04 > 0:04:09The Tulip Sylvestris that you see here is known as the leafy tulip
0:04:09 > 0:04:14and in fact, it was also known as the weed of the cultivated land.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18Apparently, it turned up in vineyards and there were times
0:04:18 > 0:04:22when the odd vineyard might be seen as bright yellow
0:04:22 > 0:04:24just because of the tulip that was growing at their feet.
0:04:24 > 0:04:29It's thought that maybe they found their way into large areas of Europe -
0:04:29 > 0:04:32Italy, France, in particular -
0:04:32 > 0:04:34simply because they moved with the vineyard's stock.
0:04:34 > 0:04:40I think this is gorgeous just for its bright, sunny-yellow colour.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Cheers my spirits.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47This one is the Apricot Parrot Tulip.
0:04:49 > 0:04:55They were around when the Dutch had all their mania for tulips
0:04:55 > 0:04:59and you'll see them in the early wonderful flower paintings,
0:04:59 > 0:05:01er, the Dutch canvases.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03They disappeared but they have been re-bred
0:05:03 > 0:05:04and this is what we're now getting.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08I think they're absolute knockouts.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Wow, just look at these! Another type of Species Tulip.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16This is Tulipa Clusiana 'Tinka'.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19The colours in the petals are just gorgeous.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22This lovely pale lemon inside colour
0:05:22 > 0:05:26and on the outside, suffused with a pinky red.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30Absolutely adorable and the petals opening up as if to the sun,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33saying, "Soak me up, soak me up, I love it!"
0:05:36 > 0:05:39So long as they're happy with us, so long as we're meeting their needs
0:05:39 > 0:05:42and we can keep them healthy, we'll carry on planting them.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46Now he knows there are 6,500 varieties out there
0:05:46 > 0:05:48and he's a bit of a train spotter!
0:05:48 > 0:05:53I've only got 500 of them, another 6,000 to go! Oh, dear me!
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Tulips are not tricky flowers to grow
0:06:04 > 0:06:08but it's still worth following these tips offered up by Monty Don.
0:06:10 > 0:06:11I love tulips.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13I love everything about them.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17They're probably the most voluptuous of all flowers.
0:06:17 > 0:06:24Also, they bring to spring that first flush of really intense colour.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29They have a silky vibrancy that almost no other flower has,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32and certainly no other at that time of year.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36In fact, here in the lime walk, I'm planting white tulips.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41Last year I planted some Nicholas Heyek, which is a new tulip on me.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Lovely, ivory, pale, pale yellow.
0:06:44 > 0:06:45Some of that will stay in there,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48but I'll top up with White Triumphator
0:06:48 > 0:06:51and that is a tall, simple tulip
0:06:51 > 0:06:54with perfect white flowers that last for weeks and weeks.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57Next year, I get the mixture of the two.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Tulips aren't cheap so if you can buy them in bulk,
0:07:02 > 0:07:04they will be a lot better value.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08What you're looking for, however you get them, is a nice, healthy bulb.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12Firm, no sign of mould, and looking fresh.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17A tip to get them looking reasonably natural
0:07:17 > 0:07:20is to put the same number in each bay
0:07:20 > 0:07:24but don't try and plant them uniformly.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Just squeeze them in between the plants,
0:07:27 > 0:07:30in this case it is the wallflowers.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32OK, now they're spaced out.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35I would do the whole lot, I would lay them all out on the ground
0:07:35 > 0:07:38before I planted the first one.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42There's a big debate about the best way to plant tulips.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44You can either treat them as annuals, in which case
0:07:44 > 0:07:47you might as well just bury them under the soil, and they'll do fine
0:07:47 > 0:07:51and they'll like the topsoil and feed well from it,
0:07:51 > 0:07:55or you can treat them as a perennial, coming back year after year.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56That's tricky.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58You can only do that if you have really good drainage,
0:07:58 > 0:08:02if they get a good summer baking, and even then, it doesn't always work.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04But if you want them to come back year on year,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07you must plant them deep.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10That means at least four inches and, if possible,
0:08:10 > 0:08:11six inches under the ground.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17To do that, a bulb planter is a real help.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21This is perfect for tulips, the right size.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27So I take out a plug and that's the start,
0:08:27 > 0:08:29but it's not really deep enough.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34So I want to work that out, get in there and you can see already,
0:08:34 > 0:08:39it's a bit of a fiddle. Then, get them in the ground.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41And that goes in.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46And it's covered over. That's fine on sandy soil, not too difficult.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48But over the years,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52I've come to the conclusion that it's best to treat tulips as an annual
0:08:52 > 0:08:55and if they flower again the following year, that's a bonus.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59That way, you get a really good display every year,
0:08:59 > 0:09:01and then you can top it up as the years go by.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03Planting them is dead easy.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07Simply, with a trowel, loosen the soil, pop them in - that's it.
0:09:07 > 0:09:13It does mean that you can get a lot in the ground pretty quickly.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Still to come: tomatoes, the best tools for your garden,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23and how to achieve a tropical look.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27But now to a gardening technique that gives aesthetically-pleasing results
0:09:27 > 0:09:31whilst being very practical, too, especially in small gardens.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33With this T, we're training trees.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37So, let's get twisting and turning with Toby Buckland.
0:09:47 > 0:09:53Drawing influence from historic garden design is a brilliant way of enhancing your own garden.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58The art of training and manipulating trees into impressive living structures
0:09:58 > 0:10:01is one technique that has been around for centuries.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05Whether it's weaving hazel into a green and dappled tunnel,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08training fruit, or sculpting with topiary,
0:10:08 > 0:10:12there seems to be no end to our love affair with training trees.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19With that in mind, I've got an idea to use one of these techniques -
0:10:19 > 0:10:22pleaching - in my family back garden.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28Now, essentially, pleaching is growing a row of trees,
0:10:28 > 0:10:32so they've got a clear leg, a trunk that comes up to a bushy top.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35The tops are all trained horizontally,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38so they grow one into the other and can be grafted together.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42So the whole thing becomes like a hedge on stilts, basically.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45Starting point, good chunky stakes.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48These are going to support a framework that
0:10:48 > 0:10:51I can train the branches of my trees down to
0:10:51 > 0:10:57and I've hammered these in every 1.5 metres, every 5ft.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00These are an ornamental crab apple.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04A wonderful tree that produces beautiful blossom in spring
0:11:04 > 0:11:08and they're followed by these round apples.
0:11:08 > 0:11:13And here, grown as a hedge, it will screen off my veg patch nicely.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16Now, to make the framework.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21The material for this is your common or garden bamboo.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25This is going to provide the support in-between those
0:11:25 > 0:11:27posts for the branches.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40As soon as your bamboo's all lashed together and it's nice
0:11:40 > 0:11:44and solid, put it in place on the posts.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49Now, the longer bamboo cane down the middle makes all the difference
0:11:49 > 0:11:50to how easy this is.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54You can just rest on the top like that,
0:11:54 > 0:11:56while you tie the sides in place.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01And then it's onto the rest.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Now onto the pleaching.
0:12:17 > 0:12:22Bend down branches that fit with the frame I've created,
0:12:22 > 0:12:26so the branches that are spaced ever 30cm apart
0:12:26 > 0:12:29up the main trunk.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31I'm just going to loosely hold them
0:12:31 > 0:12:35in place with a twist of the wire like that.
0:12:35 > 0:12:41It doesn't want to be tight cos if it is, it can strangle the branch
0:12:41 > 0:12:42and kill it off.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44I'll do the same on this side.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49You can see we're already creating those beautiful tiers that will
0:12:49 > 0:12:53give this such a traditional and formal look.
0:12:55 > 0:13:01Now, branches like this one, that grow out from the main trunk, between
0:13:01 > 0:13:06my bamboo framework, I'm just going to snip that back to a few buds.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13By snipping them off, not only will I get blossom on there,
0:13:13 > 0:13:15followed by fruit,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18these little stubs with the leaves on will encourage
0:13:18 > 0:13:21the stem of my apple tree, the trunk, to thicken up,
0:13:21 > 0:13:24so eventually I'll be able to dig out these posts altogether
0:13:24 > 0:13:28and the framework of bamboo will just be supported by the branches
0:13:28 > 0:13:30of the tree. It'll look a lot more airy and light.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34And over the summer, I'll get new branches forming.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38First on this tier, then the tier above,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41right to the top of the bamboo structure.
0:13:41 > 0:13:47And also, over time, the hedge will get wider and wider. It really will
0:13:47 > 0:13:49start to look magical.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56Training trees is something you can do even if space is at a premium.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00Here's Alan Titchmarsh with a few more tips.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07There is a way of fitting fruit trees into the smallest garden
0:14:07 > 0:14:11and that involves using what are known as single tier espaliers.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15More commonly known as step-over trees.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19You need an apple tree like this on a dwarfing root stock.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22That means it's never going to be one that you can sit under in your
0:14:22 > 0:14:27deckchair, but it will keep it small and in proportion to your garden.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31It's these sideways-spreading arms, the first tier of the espalier,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33that you aim to keep,
0:14:33 > 0:14:37so anything which is coming up here needs to be snipped off.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Sideways, lateral growth you're encouraging here,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43not growth that's going to come upwards.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46But like all trees, even a small one like this,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48needs to be planted to last.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52Spend as much on the hole as you do on the tree.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56And that means working into the bottom loads of well-rotted manure.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02Some in the bottom of the hole and some on the soil around so that
0:15:02 > 0:15:07when you put the plant in, you can return it, mix it, with that.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10Now, planting depth is quite important.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Now these roots here, if they're really tightly-bound in to
0:15:18 > 0:15:22that root ball, just tease them out a bit.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26And then you can fill that with more manure and more soil,
0:15:26 > 0:15:31just firming it in with your fist or your welly, as you go.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Now, it's had canes to support it in the nursery
0:15:37 > 0:15:41while it's been trained, but I've put in a post and wire framework,
0:15:41 > 0:15:45which you can tighten to give you a nice support.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50So the thing to do now is to take off these canes
0:15:50 > 0:15:57and gradually tie these horizontal stems back into that new wire.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Once those little tiny plastic ties have come off and this cane has
0:16:02 > 0:16:06come out, you'll see that it's quite
0:16:06 > 0:16:09capable really of supporting itself.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12But not for long.
0:16:12 > 0:16:18And these now need to be tied in to make sure that they take to
0:16:18 > 0:16:20this framework, rather than the previous one.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23I'm using plastic-coated wire here, which is
0:16:23 > 0:16:27fine for winding round that and then the stem.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31You can do this right the way along the stem.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39It's a lovely satisfying job, this.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44There we are. We've got the makings of our step-over tree.
0:16:44 > 0:16:49The one thing that people worry about with fruit trees is pruning.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53The thing with these is it couldn't be simpler.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56Most of your pruning takes place in summer,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00that's why it's called summer pruning and summer pruning tends to restrict
0:17:00 > 0:17:04growth, whereas pruning things hard back in winter encourages vast
0:17:04 > 0:17:07spring growth, so by pruning in summer
0:17:07 > 0:17:11and simply shortening these side shoots, or laterals,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15back to about finger length, you will build up the fruiting spurs,
0:17:15 > 0:17:20these short, stocky shoots that carry blossom and then apples.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24It looks incredibly simple. That's because it is.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28You will find in the middle, often enough,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31a shoot which is deciding, "No, I'm sorry.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34"I want to be a proper apple tree! I want to grow tall."
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Don't leave it on. Cut it back to finger length.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49Now, one year on, you've got five fruits on this,
0:17:49 > 0:17:53but each tree can easily have a dozen of them.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Feed them well every year, make sure they don't go short of water
0:17:56 > 0:17:58and keep up this summer pruning.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02The great thing then though is, provided you've got an inside leg
0:18:02 > 0:18:04measurement of more than 24 inches,
0:18:04 > 0:18:07you'll see exactly why they're called step-over apple trees.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19And we're staying with the ornamental use of trees
0:18:19 > 0:18:22and joining Rachel De Thame.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26This time, it's all about trimming, as your next T is for topiary.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51A visit to the gardens at Levens Hall is like taking a walk back
0:18:51 > 0:18:53through history.
0:18:53 > 0:18:54It's the best, the oldest
0:18:54 > 0:18:59and certainly the most expensive topiary garden in Britain.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03Some of these shrubs and trees were planted more than 300 years ago
0:19:03 > 0:19:06and the layout has barely changed since the 1690s.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Some of the planting may change and the topiary gets clipped,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18but above all there's a real sense of continuity with this garden
0:19:18 > 0:19:21that links the past with the present and the future.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27Nestling in the northern topiary garden is a small
0:19:27 > 0:19:31house which is where the history of the garden begins.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34This was built for the original designer for the garden,
0:19:34 > 0:19:37a Monsieur Guillaume Beaumont back in 1690,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40and it's still the head gardener's house today.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Since Monsieur Beaumont designed the gardens,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49there have only been ten head gardeners.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Currently occupying the title with a mere 15 years at Levens is
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Chris Crowder.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58Some of the topiary shapes are extraordinary.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01- How much are you allowed to change those?- Well, they are amazing.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Certainly, some of them have been here 300 years.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08We go round the outlines of the oldest and the biggest ones, but we plant new ones of our own
0:20:08 > 0:20:12and there's about a dozen down there that it's our generation that
0:20:12 > 0:20:16forms that shape and the generations to come will have to follow our outlines.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Most of them haven't got names. They're all different.
0:20:22 > 0:20:23There's about 100 of them.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28But the Great Umbrellas, these huge ones above our heads, ideal for sheltering on a wet day.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34All I can see actually is this sea of bedding,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36all these people working on it.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39How many bedding plants do you estimate you put in every year?
0:20:39 > 0:20:41It's about 10,000 or 15,000 and of course,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44we change it twice a year, so we've been through the beds already
0:20:44 > 0:20:47putting in the spring pansies and tulips. It stocks this summer.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50I'd love to stay and help you plant all these but actually even
0:20:50 > 0:20:55- better than that, I'd like to go and see the rest of the garden. - OK, we'll go for a walk.
0:20:59 > 0:21:00The first thing that strikes me
0:21:00 > 0:21:04- is just how strong the garden is, in terms of structure.- It certainly is.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09- These great beech hedges running off into the distance in this direction. - How old do you think these are?
0:21:09 > 0:21:14Before my time, before anybody's time. Possibly 300-years-old. But certainly on a map of 1730.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16And you can see how gnarled these shapes have become,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19these pieces of beech, as we've clipped them year by year.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21And how full of holes they are now.
0:21:21 > 0:21:26They're coming to the end of their natural lives and it's a wonder some of them stand up, really.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29It's a fantastic structure. It's almost like a cathedral
0:21:29 > 0:21:33- with bits of light just coming through the gaps in the leaves.- Yeah.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36And then you just come out into the light again.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40This is known as the Beech Circle. In a way, it's a quiet, still spot in-between the big
0:21:40 > 0:21:43hits of the borders that way and the borders that way.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48What is it, do you think,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51for visitors today that they love about the garden?
0:21:51 > 0:21:55I think when they first come in, they're absolutely gobsmacked at the sight of this topiary.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59Its age, its size and the extent of it all. It's such a visual feast.
0:21:59 > 0:22:04I hope when they go round the rest of the gardens, they actually find a huge interest really in the borders.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08There's a lot beyond this particular patch of garden, as we've seen.
0:22:08 > 0:22:09It's also on a reasonable scale.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12It's only six or eight acres, the entire garden,
0:22:12 > 0:22:16so comparisons can be made with home borders.
0:22:21 > 0:22:26This is the man, isn't it? "Monsieur Beaumont, gardener to King James II.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29"He laid out the gardens at Hampton Court Palace and at Levens."
0:22:29 > 0:22:33And many other places, we believe. But Levens is the only survivor.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Although it's got such a huge sense of history,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39it doesn't hang heavily round our necks.
0:22:39 > 0:22:44It's our garden to do with now and next year, it's always developing.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46So it's a living garden right into the future.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52That was really impressive.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Let's move away from the ornamental and head towards an edible garden.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Up next is a fruit that loves the sun
0:22:59 > 0:23:02and turns up in most of our savoury dishes and salads.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05T is for tomatoes.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08And we're out shopping with Alys Fowler.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10A must for my salads are tomatoes.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14For me, they completely capture the taste of summer.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18But because they're so cheap to buy, I'm not going to bother to sow any.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Instead, my friend Dave
0:23:22 > 0:23:26and I are heading off to a car boot sale where they sell young plants.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Whatever you're buying, check that the leaves are healthy and take
0:23:39 > 0:23:43the plant out of the pot to make sure that the roots
0:23:43 > 0:23:45are well developed but not pot-bound.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- Do you know what tomatoes these are? - My mother-in-law grew them.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55- She gave them to us yesterday. - Does she grow good tomatoes?
0:23:55 > 0:23:56She does actually, yeah.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Do you know if she grows them in a greenhouse or outside?
0:23:59 > 0:24:01In a greenhouse.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07- I'll take a gamble. How much are they?- 20p.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12'If you don't want to gamble, it's best to buy plants which have been
0:24:12 > 0:24:16'labelled, so you know exactly which variety of tomato you're getting.'
0:24:21 > 0:24:25This 20p plant and this 50p plant have quite a lot of difference
0:24:25 > 0:24:28and I'm beginning to slightly regret buying this one
0:24:28 > 0:24:30because this is a named variety,
0:24:30 > 0:24:34so I know where I'm going and it's clearly a much healthier plant.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37So I'm going to put this down as a bit of a loss
0:24:37 > 0:24:38and buy one of these as well.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45But tomatoes have one big enemy, blight,
0:24:45 > 0:24:49an airborne fungus that can destroy the plants, leaves, fruit
0:24:49 > 0:24:52and all, and those growing outdoors are most at risk.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Because the fungal spores spread through the air
0:24:54 > 0:24:58and thrive in our warm, wet summer weather.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00So I want to hedge my bets
0:25:00 > 0:25:03and keep one plant growing indoors as security.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06I don't have room for a full-size greenhouse,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09so I'm going to custom-build my own with my handy friend Sid.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Greenhouses serve two main purposes.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24They protect your plants from the cold and help to keep out pests
0:25:24 > 0:25:25and diseases.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37I want my greenhouse to be beautiful, as well as effective,
0:25:37 > 0:25:41so I'm making it out of some salvaged 1930s windows,
0:25:41 > 0:25:44joined together by timber supports and angle brackets.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47All up, it's cost me £160.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52OK, so it's a little eccentric, but I love it.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Out the way.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01- Perfect.- Mind your fingers.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05We'll see if they fit.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07- Yeah.- They do.- Yeah.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13- There's a really eerie light inside. - Open it out.
0:26:13 > 0:26:14Yeah.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16It's going to be perfect.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36I broke my heart last year over tomatoes.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39I grew so many different varieties and I watched them
0:26:39 > 0:26:44all go down to blight. So this year, I said no tomatoes, I'm not going to grow a single tomato.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47It was my big protest to the summer and yet,
0:26:47 > 0:26:52here I am in May with a tomato. And it's thanks to the car boot sale because at 50p,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55if it doesn't work, if we have an appalling summer,
0:26:55 > 0:26:57if the blight comes back, well, I lost 50p.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01And if it does work, I have lots of lovely tiny tomatoes
0:27:01 > 0:27:06because Gardener's Delight is one of the best, easiest tomatoes to start off with.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Tomato plants are hungry plants,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12so you need to feed them with a kind of vitamin tonic.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15There are bottles of seaweed feed that you can buy,
0:27:15 > 0:27:17but I prefer to make my own for free with nettles.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22I literally throw nettles into a bucket,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24add water and leave them to rot.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27This makes an amazing nutrient-rich soup,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30but be warned though, it smells revolting!
0:27:32 > 0:27:36The point is, it's good for the tomato.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38And if you want lovely tomatoes,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41you have to suffer a bit at the beginning.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47I've got one well-established tomato that a friend generously gave me
0:27:47 > 0:27:49a few weeks ago.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53That's the one I've chosen to closet in my new mini greenhouse.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56It's been out on the patio until now, so I'm moving it indoors
0:27:56 > 0:27:58and hoping for the best.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07But it's not all good news.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10As the days get warmer, the inevitable happens.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12Tomato blight arrives in the neighbourhood,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15killing all my outdoor tomatoes.
0:28:15 > 0:28:20As I garden organically, I don't want to use chemicals to fight it off.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23This structure is the only thing that's keeping me
0:28:23 > 0:28:30and the tomato in hope that we'll still get ripening fruit.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34If even a single spore gets in there, the whole thing is over.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40So far, things are looking good. If I only go in to water
0:28:40 > 0:28:44when necessary, I should get ripe fruit by the end of the month.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02It seems I spoke too soon.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05A couple of weeks later and blight has reached into my greenhouse,
0:29:05 > 0:29:10shrivelling my plants and making the fruit totally inedible.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12That's another year lost.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19I am resigned, these days, to the fact that I cannot really grow
0:29:19 > 0:29:24tomatoes, even when I try and build funny greenhouses for them.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27We've had lots of wet, hot, humid days
0:29:27 > 0:29:32and this dear, beautiful, large, lovely
0:29:32 > 0:29:36plant is now riddled with blight.
0:29:36 > 0:29:41Black stems, black leaves and eventually black fruit.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47This is truly heartbreaking and so that's it -
0:29:47 > 0:29:50I don't think I'm ever going to bother with tomatoes
0:29:50 > 0:29:53until somebody brings me an honest-to-God blight-resistant tomato
0:29:53 > 0:29:56and says you can grow it outside and it won't get it.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00But blight doesn't strike everywhere.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03So I don't want to put anyone off from trying
0:30:03 > 0:30:07because there's nothing quite like the taste of a home-grown tomato.
0:30:08 > 0:30:12Thanks, Alys. And now we're joining Toby Buckland,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15who is sharing some tips on how best to plant tomatoes.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17These were sown back in March.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21Whenever you're planting tomatoes, it's essential that they're
0:30:21 > 0:30:24given a good drink so the compost is moist before they go in the ground.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28And there literally are so many ways to grow them.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30There are those that can be grown outside
0:30:30 > 0:30:35and ones that need a protected environment under glass.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38Now, there's also two types of tomatoes.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42There are those that are grown as cordons on long single stems
0:30:42 > 0:30:43and those as bushes.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45And I always think that in a greenhouse,
0:30:45 > 0:30:48the cordons are the ones to go for cos they're more space efficient.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52And you get heavier crops over a longer period.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54The time to plant your tomatoes is
0:30:54 > 0:30:58when you notice flowers start to form on the stems.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03Now this is a cordon tomato, a variety called Rosada.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05Its party trick is it has thin skins
0:31:05 > 0:31:08and that is particularly good for greenhouse tomatoes
0:31:08 > 0:31:14because the sun streaming in through the glass can tend to thicken them.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17Before planting, because it's a cordon, I'm going
0:31:17 > 0:31:20to remove the side shoots.
0:31:20 > 0:31:25These appear just where the leaves meet the main trunk of the plant.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27We're going to pinch them off.
0:31:27 > 0:31:31That channels the plant's energy into producing a better crop of fruit.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37No need to worry that you're pinching off any flowers or fruit
0:31:37 > 0:31:40because those don't form in the leaf axles.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42They always form in-between the leaves,
0:31:42 > 0:31:45just come straight out from the stem like that.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47As long as you leave those shoots on,
0:31:47 > 0:31:50you're guaranteed to maintain your fruit.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54The way I'm growing the tomatoes in here is using ring culture.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57It's a technique that's been around years.
0:31:57 > 0:32:02The ring refers to plastic pots with the bases chopped off them.
0:32:02 > 0:32:08Now these are important because tomatoes have two types of roots.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12There's shallow roots that gather nutrients
0:32:12 > 0:32:16and they have deep roots that hunt for moisture in the soil.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20And by encouraging the shallow roots, the nutrient-gathering ones,
0:32:20 > 0:32:23you can really boost the productivity of your plants.
0:32:23 > 0:32:28Where these bottomless pots come in, is in planting,
0:32:28 > 0:32:32and looking after the tomato as it grows.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36Just going to set this one into the soil at the usual level,
0:32:36 > 0:32:38just covering the root ball.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41I'm dropping the pot over the plant and then each week,
0:32:41 > 0:32:44I'll carefully earth them up with a couple of centimetres of good
0:32:44 > 0:32:47compost until the pot is almost filled.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51This will encourage the plant to send out feeder roots that will
0:32:51 > 0:32:52soon fill the pot.
0:32:54 > 0:32:59So I can start to feed the plant with my tomato fertiliser once the fruit
0:32:59 > 0:33:04starts to set into the container, so none of the food is wasted.
0:33:04 > 0:33:09And when I want to water the plant, I water the soil around the outside.
0:33:09 > 0:33:14Really concentrates how well the plant grows
0:33:14 > 0:33:17and can improve performance drastically
0:33:17 > 0:33:22and I'm going to have a row of plants here, spaced 60cm apart.
0:33:22 > 0:33:28Because this is a cordon tomato, the main stem needs to be trained.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31You can use a cane to train your tomatoes up,
0:33:31 > 0:33:35but personally I like to use string attached to a cross-pole support.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38In this case, a piece of plumber's pipe.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40Simply tie the string to the top
0:33:40 > 0:33:44and then run it down to the stem of the plant and loosely tie it on.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48Each week, train the stem to wrap around the string to keep it
0:33:48 > 0:33:50tidy and productive.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53And don't forget to keep pinching out those side shoots over
0:33:53 > 0:33:54the coming weeks.
0:33:54 > 0:33:58If you prefer growing your tomatoes the traditional way,
0:33:58 > 0:34:02in grow bags, plant no more than two plants per bag.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04This gives them the room they need to flourish.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07There are lots of horticultural products on the market,
0:34:07 > 0:34:11like cane holders to keep your plants well-supported in grow bags.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15Or there are bespoke ring culture pots similar to my DIY version
0:34:15 > 0:34:18that I used in the greenhouse.
0:34:19 > 0:34:24Outside, there are other tricks to use.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28And I'm going to plant my outdoor tomatoes in the veg patch
0:34:28 > 0:34:31of my family back garden.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37The most important thing with growing tomatoes outdoors is
0:34:37 > 0:34:41the situation - full sun and shelter, they're essential.
0:34:41 > 0:34:46When growing in the ground, I like to prepare the soil with lots
0:34:46 > 0:34:50of compost and then stick stout canes
0:34:50 > 0:34:54in, two feet apart, in staggered rows.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57What I also do, this is a good trick,
0:34:57 > 0:35:02is bury tin cans with the bottoms taken off them next to the canes.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06These act like funnels, making for fast watering during summer
0:35:06 > 0:35:09when you don't have a lot of time to get out to your plants.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13Just guides the water down to the roots where it percolates
0:35:13 > 0:35:16out from the cans for the plants to lap up.
0:35:16 > 0:35:17When it comes to varieties,
0:35:17 > 0:35:22there are specific types of tomato that do well outdoors.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25Look for varieties
0:35:25 > 0:35:29that are listed as early producers.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33So Red Alert, Gardener's Delight, they tend to grow quickly and
0:35:33 > 0:35:37crop quickly, so even if the weather turns bad, you do get some tomatoes.
0:35:37 > 0:35:43Another group of tomatoes to go for are those listed as Russian
0:35:43 > 0:35:46or from the Eastern Bloc. Koralik is one variety we're growing
0:35:46 > 0:35:49here that's particularly blight-resistant.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51And this plant is called Black Russian.
0:35:51 > 0:35:56Medium-sized fruits. They're mahogany and delicious, absolutely lovely,
0:35:56 > 0:36:00particularly in a sunny year because when the weather's good in summer,
0:36:00 > 0:36:04tomatoes grown outdoors, well, there's just nothing to beat them.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06The flavour is fantastic.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Any gardener knows that dedication and time are key
0:36:20 > 0:36:23when it comes to having a great garden.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27But there's also nothing like having the best kit for the job.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30Because our next T is for tools.
0:36:30 > 0:36:36And Joe Swift and Carol Klein are sharing some of their favourites.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39- You show me yours and I'll show you mine!- All right.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41- You've got to have a fork and a spade, right?- Yeah.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43And these are my favourites. I've got quite a few.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47But these are the ones that I use all the time and they were my mum's.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51- Aw. Stainless steel?- Yeah. - Really nice size.- Aren't they?
0:36:51 > 0:36:55- You like that, don't you?- You could have your breakfast with that one. - You could.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57It also shows you, if you buy good quality stuff,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00it will last several lifetimes.
0:37:00 > 0:37:04Yeah, and with people like me, who leave their stuff out
0:37:04 > 0:37:09all the time, stainless steel really pays for itself. It really does. But what about that?
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Well, this is brilliant on the allotment, an azada hoe.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14They use them all around the world.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17Yeah, they come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20This is quite a big one. Some of them have two prongs at the back.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24There's a guy on my allotment called Michael who does everything with it.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27He digs with it, weeds, plants and harvests with it.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29You can do so many things with it.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31Especially leaning on it!
0:37:31 > 0:37:33Yeah. You're a man of the soil, Joe.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35I can see you using that all the time.
0:37:35 > 0:37:40- But some of the tools I use most... - Chopsticks!
0:37:40 > 0:37:43You're famous for your chopsticks!
0:37:43 > 0:37:47But they're so good for pricking out, they're just ideal.
0:37:47 > 0:37:52- Seed planting, if you're station sowing.- I'm converted. I've been watching you on the telly.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56- You haven't, have you?- I have. Now my missus is going, "Where's the chopsticks gone?"
0:37:56 > 0:38:01- I've got them in the allotment, they're brilliant. Really good tool.- They're ideal.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05But this is probably the thing that I use most. It's my penknife.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09- That's seen a bit of action. - Yeah, I dread to think how many cuttings I've taken.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13But it's simple, straightforward, does the job - that's the thing.
0:38:13 > 0:38:18- Yeah, that's a really nice knife. - It's beautiful. - Surprised you haven't lost that one.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22Here's something that's maybe not so beautiful an object, that's for sure.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25- Cable ties. - Yeah.- These are brilliant.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29I was at Gardeners' World Live last year and I started the allotment and
0:38:29 > 0:38:31someone said, "You know when you're tying beanpoles in
0:38:31 > 0:38:36"and doing avenues of boundary canes and stuff, cable ties, cable ties!"
0:38:36 > 0:38:39So I went off to the shop and bought a bag and they're brilliant
0:38:39 > 0:38:44because you don't need to tie a knot. And they keep them really tight.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47It's a man thing, getting excited about a cable tie!
0:38:47 > 0:38:51- Can you undo them?- You need a knife but you can actually undo them.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55They are reusable. They're recyclable.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59You slip a knife in there and then you slide it out.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02- Brilliant! Fantastic! - Not a lot of people know that.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05- What you need now is a really good knife.- That's true.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08- I'll do a swap!- No, thanks.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15With the basics covered, we're going a bit wild now,
0:39:15 > 0:39:20as our last T is for tropical gardens and this one is based,
0:39:20 > 0:39:23believe it or not, in the West Midlands.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34My name's Dave McKenna and I'm a butcher by trade.
0:39:34 > 0:39:39I've been a butcher all my life. I'm 57 years of age.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42I had a traditional garden with the lawns
0:39:42 > 0:39:45and all your normal run-of-the-mill plants.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47And I wanted something different.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49It was a case of - I'll try and make a jungle.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53And I went to this chap's garden and seen a banana tree,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56"Wow!" That was it and I never looked back.
0:40:01 > 0:40:06Five years ago, six years ago, when we actually started the tropical
0:40:06 > 0:40:10garden, it was a case of there wasn't that many tropical plants about.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13So you had to subsidise by using English-looking
0:40:13 > 0:40:17plants for large leaf. And now, it's getting better.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19Because of all the climate change
0:40:19 > 0:40:21and the nurseries are getting more adventurous.
0:40:21 > 0:40:26We started off with Chinese and Japanese, I've gone further afield
0:40:26 > 0:40:30now, to call it Indonesia, I can put any plant I can put my hands on.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42When I went to Thailand for the first time, four or five years ago,
0:40:42 > 0:40:46as soon as I got off that airplane, it was a case... I'm home.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50No matter where I looked, there was plants I just fell in love with
0:40:50 > 0:40:53and I didn't want to come home. And I've been back ever since.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00I've got no favourites because they all suffer with jealousy.
0:41:00 > 0:41:04If it's a case where I spend a little bit more attention on one, the others
0:41:04 > 0:41:06will start sulking, so it's the case they all have the same
0:41:06 > 0:41:10amount of care and there's not one favourite plant at all.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13And that's hand on heart, that is.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17CHIMES
0:41:18 > 0:41:22Over the summer, it's quite easy, it looks after itself.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25You just go round with a pair of scissors or clippers
0:41:25 > 0:41:27and tidy up as I go along.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31I like to go round with the old watering can or the hosepipe.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35By doing this, you can actually look at the plants
0:41:35 > 0:41:38and if they need that extra bit of care or attention or
0:41:38 > 0:41:41it's in the wrong place, I just move it about.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43Find its level of happiness.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51In the winter time, a lot of the plants we have,
0:41:51 > 0:41:55I have to walk round and I take up about 50% of the plants.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Now if I take them up, pot them up,
0:41:57 > 0:42:01put them in cold stores or in a greenhouse where they need to be
0:42:01 > 0:42:05temperature controlled, or some of the harder ones, I can leave
0:42:05 > 0:42:08outside, covered in soil with jackets on, so they're all nice and snug.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12But I've still got a nice display at any given time through
0:42:12 > 0:42:14the winter, in the winter months.
0:42:14 > 0:42:19The bamboos and the Cordylines and just the ordinary trees.
0:42:30 > 0:42:35The garden is actually 80ft in length by 60ft at its widest point
0:42:35 > 0:42:38cos it narrows down.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42But I made the garden longer and bigger by so many paths
0:42:42 > 0:42:46and that was only like an evolution thing where you used to
0:42:46 > 0:42:49just have a path down the garden and of course, when you
0:42:49 > 0:42:53come into a garden, if you see it all in one spot, the surprise is over.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55But if you put barriers there
0:42:55 > 0:42:57and start getting pathways going round,
0:42:57 > 0:43:02it gives people more time and you've got more control on plants
0:43:02 > 0:43:06and you can actually put more plants in. So if you do a pathway,
0:43:06 > 0:43:09it's the case where I've gained more space,
0:43:09 > 0:43:12but you haven't lost anything in plants.
0:43:15 > 0:43:19We've always got more room in the garden for plants!
0:43:19 > 0:43:22As long as the wife's out shopping, or at work, you can
0:43:22 > 0:43:24bring as many plants as you like!
0:43:31 > 0:43:34It's always amazing to see all the different things people can
0:43:34 > 0:43:38do with their gardens. That's all from us today.
0:43:38 > 0:43:42Until our next A To Z Of TV Gardening, goodbye.
0:43:42 > 0:43:46Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd