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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