0:00:12 > 0:00:15Hello there and welcome to Beechgrove Garden.
0:00:15 > 0:00:20Sun specs just now, but if the weather pattern over the last fortnight is anything to go by,
0:00:20 > 0:00:22I could be in oilskins in ten minutes' time.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25It really has been very testing. It's been testing for plants.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29So it's time for us to have a look at two of the new sets of plants
0:00:29 > 0:00:32that we've been trialling in the garden this year.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34First of all, we'll start with the garvinea.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37This plant, of course, is derived from gerbera.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41It is said to be hardy, so in order to test it,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44we've brought some big plants into the garden
0:00:44 > 0:00:48that were already in bud and some younger ones which I'll come to in a minute.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51These have been in flower constantly for eight to ten weeks.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54That is good value for money, I can tell you.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56There's lots of buds still to come,
0:00:56 > 0:00:58so if we get plenty of this sunshine,
0:00:58 > 0:01:02they will continue to flower, I would think, for another month or so.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06As I say, we brought some young plants in at the same time in plugs
0:01:06 > 0:01:10and they are intended to stay here all the way through into next spring.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14They've only just started to produce a flower now, but that's not what I'm interested in.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19These guys have proved beyond doubt that they're worth growing.
0:01:19 > 0:01:24Will they be hardy over the winter? They are sold as hardy plants and absolutely, given a chance here,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26the whole range of varieties.
0:01:26 > 0:01:31Again, they've been slow to flower, but that's not the primary purpose for this particular planting.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Now to one of my favourite kinds of plants, the dahlia.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38I've been impressed over the years at the improved variety
0:01:38 > 0:01:42of single flower, single colour dahlias,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45because I think they're absolutely wonderful in our kind of climate.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49Here we can look at a variety, all with this lovely dark foliage
0:01:49 > 0:01:52and colours to die for, really brilliant.
0:01:52 > 0:01:56I'm not the only one that thinks it. The bees and butterflies are there.
0:01:56 > 0:02:01I've even seen some honey bees, because they're so easy to forage, right into these flowers.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04They are going to flowers for weeks. One of the good things is
0:02:04 > 0:02:07the single flower dries out, it doesn't damp off quickly,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10so we can expect, by taking off the dead flowers,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13we can expect these to flower on right until the first frosts.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18They've got wonderful names. Happy Kiss, Happy Wink, Romeo,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21and this little flowered one, that's Scura in there.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Orange coloured, a stunning little thing,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26planted en masse would make a great display in the garden.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30This is a plant that I would happily grow in the garden every year.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32It's an absolute stunner.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Now then, in the rest of the programme...
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Steep slopes can be a real problem,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42especially if you want to plant on them
0:02:42 > 0:02:45so I'm going to be tackling just that.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49And I am surrounded by floral voluptuousness.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51What a garden we've got for you this week.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55I'm back here at the dried flower bed,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58but what a job we're having trying to harvest them,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00because it's been so wet at the moment.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04What I'm looking at here is what we call the safflower,
0:03:04 > 0:03:06or saffron thistle.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09It is one that you can pick when it is in the green bud stage,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11that is, really firm.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15Then if you strip off the foliage, maybe you can see what I mean,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17that really has a thistle head to it.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Or if you want, you can wait till it flowers
0:03:20 > 0:03:23and the flowers are thistle-like, but they're an orangey yellow.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27And then moving on, right at the front there,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30this is a new plant to me. Not quite sure how we say it.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Teloxys? Or the common name is tumbleweed.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35That was meant to grow to about 12-14 inches in height,
0:03:35 > 0:03:37so rather disappointing.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39But when you have a look at it,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42evidently, model makers really love this plant
0:03:42 > 0:03:46because it looks like a mini shrub or a mini tree,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49and I suppose we'd still need to maybe dry that off,
0:03:49 > 0:03:50hanging it upside-down.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Then we've got Nigella looking beautiful in flower,
0:03:53 > 0:03:55but it's not the flowers that we harvest.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59You can see one or two of the seed pods just starting to form.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03Really, I suppose we need to leave this about three to four weeks after flowering
0:04:03 > 0:04:06and then we harvest those beautiful seed pods,
0:04:06 > 0:04:08strip off some of the foliage.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11A very common one for drying has to be the statice.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14This one's called Sunset.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19They're very subtle shades, sort of peaches and pale pinks
0:04:19 > 0:04:21and even a little yellow centre to it.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25You can get more vibrant colours like the violets and the blues,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28but when we harvest this one, we've got to wait for all the flowers to open
0:04:28 > 0:04:31and then you just cut these lovely long stems.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34Then we've got Bells of Ireland. This is rather interesting,
0:04:34 > 0:04:37as it's the bracks that we're looking for.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40When you harvest that, you need to strip off the foliage,
0:04:40 > 0:04:44even nip out the top and then that shows off those beautiful bracks.
0:04:44 > 0:04:50Finally, another one that's really common for drying, the helichrysum.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53If we have a look at this one, I would say that's gone too far.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55It's kind of blown in the centre.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58What we are looking for is this one. Fairly tight in the middle,
0:04:58 > 0:05:03but the flowers are just starting to open there, or the petals are.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05I'm just going to pick one or two of these off
0:05:05 > 0:05:08and then we'll take them to the potting shed to wire up.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14You can see here in the potting shed
0:05:14 > 0:05:17we've already got some of our flowers drying off.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20I didn't mention some of the grasses.
0:05:20 > 0:05:21Here, there is the quaking grass,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24and behind it, that lovely cloud grass.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27You can see why it's called cloud grass.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30Then the Bells of Ireland, I just want to show you those.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34They've been stripped of foliage, so it really does show off those bracks.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37Back to the helichrysum, or the straw flower.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41All we need to do with this is pinch off the stem at the end,
0:05:41 > 0:05:45just leaving, oh, three or four millimetres.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Take off any of the foliage.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Then we want to wire that straightaway.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54The reason for that is if you wire it straightaway,
0:05:54 > 0:05:59the stem itself will firm around that and it won't fall off.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02That's it. It's really quite simple.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13For this week's problem corner, I'm in the Kingdom of Fife,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15on the north shore of the Firth of Forth,
0:06:15 > 0:06:17in the coastal town of Burntisland.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Adele Osborne has created a beautiful front garden,
0:06:20 > 0:06:23but has been struggling with what to do with an area round the back.
0:06:31 > 0:06:36Adele, the extension's fabulous. It does give you a nice little space here, doesn't it?
0:06:36 > 0:06:37Thank you. It's really marvellous,
0:06:37 > 0:06:40but this is the problem corner, I'm afraid.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43I've tried several things on it. I've tried the saxifrage,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46some aubretia and a few other bedding plants as well,
0:06:46 > 0:06:49but the problem is they just seem to die on this slope.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52The soil's really light and crumbly and the whole slope
0:06:52 > 0:06:55just wants to wash itself down towards the decking, unfortunately.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59This bit's looking so nice. That slope's not quite so steep.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02- Your lavender is gorgeous. - It's fantastic.
0:07:02 > 0:07:03I'm delighted with the lavender.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07And the Osteospermum as well. This bit could do with a jazz-up.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09This is where you sit.
0:07:09 > 0:07:10And this is what I look onto.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13We have to make it better. Let's clear it first.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15- Okey-doke. Sounds like a plan.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23- It's not a bad soil. - It just falls so easily.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25That's been my main bugbear.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29But you're right, it is really clay-ie.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37So that's all the little rocks out from around there.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41You said you've got plenty of rocks... I'm hoping you've got rocks to put in here!
0:07:41 > 0:07:43I've got plenty of rocks at the front.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47When we did the extension, a lot of rocks and stones that came out of the wall, I saved.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Some I've used as retaining wall and there's still some left.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52- Nice big ones?- Huge.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55- Heavy ones?- Yeah.- Great. - The heavier the better.
0:07:55 > 0:08:01The thing is, to carry on the wall at this sort of level
0:08:01 > 0:08:03using the big rocks,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06put that in as the base course there
0:08:06 > 0:08:08and as we go up, we can make layers in among them,
0:08:08 > 0:08:12so you've got level bits to plant in.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14Then we can enrich the soil, put some compost in,
0:08:14 > 0:08:17because it is very clay-ie. Real sticky stuff.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19It is. That sounds like a great idea.
0:08:19 > 0:08:20Right. So, some big rocks.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29The only good thing about this soil being clay
0:08:29 > 0:08:31is that you can basically dig a ledge.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33You could make a pond with that, Adele.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44- That was a good morning's work. - A good heavy morning's work.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Those stones are heavier than they look.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48And the clay was heavy to move as well. Goodness me.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50It's transformed that little area.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54You've now got some reasonably flat layers to work with.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57It's fantastic. I'm really impressed already.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00- It'll look even better when there's plants in there!- It will.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03One thing I'd like you to do structure-wise is put some trellising
0:09:03 > 0:09:06along here to give you a bit of privacy and grow some plants up.
0:09:06 > 0:09:07So that's the next thing.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16Adele, I have to say, I love your lavender hedge. It's stunning.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19Thank you. One of the success stories of the garden, actually.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23- It's all been propagated from one plant round the front of the garden.- Really?!
0:09:23 > 0:09:28I took cuttings, put them in a mixture of pearlite, compost and sand,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31just popped them in and left them to it, basically.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34So how old is this hedge then? It looks mature.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38About 18 to 20 months old probably. I planted it up last summer
0:09:38 > 0:09:42- and it's done all this in one year. I'm really, really delighted. - That's really good.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45So you've got a few more here that you've been growing.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48- I think another one in this space would finish it off.- I think so.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52- Let's see what your root system's like, shall we? The moment of truth. - Okey-doke.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Ta-da! Not bad at all.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59I've had them before when the root system hasn't been so good,
0:09:59 > 0:10:01and it falls to pieces and they're hard to plant.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04They like lots of drainage, so the fact you've put sand and pearlite
0:10:04 > 0:10:08has let the roots breathe. So that's absolutely lovely.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11I hope it catches up quickly!
0:10:23 > 0:10:26I told you it would look better when the plants go in!
0:10:26 > 0:10:27It looks magnificent.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30It's really turned out nicely.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33I like...this is mostly alpines and ground cover.
0:10:33 > 0:10:38It's nice to use them when you can lift them up with levels, so they're nearer to you,
0:10:38 > 0:10:42because they're just wee tiny things and you want to see them close up.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45The elevation of the site, it really brings that to the front.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48There's a few plants that I'm not familiar with.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52This little one in the corner, the three - pink and purple flowers.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Primula vialii, it's really an unusual combination of colours.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58- It is.- Really nice. - And I've not seen the aubretia
0:10:58 > 0:11:00with the variegated leaf before. That's nice.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03It's nice to have flowers and interesting foliage.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07I planted a couple of others. The artemisia, with the nice silvery foliage,
0:11:07 > 0:11:11and some ajuga. One at the top with lovely sort of cream and purple variegations,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14and one down here with black leaves.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17There's a scabious, that's a colour I'm not familiar with.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21That lovely creamy yellow colour. I've seen the purples and the blues.
0:11:21 > 0:11:22It's really delicate.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25There's things that flower at different times.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Things like gypsophila flowering now, phlox, that kind of thing.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34- You should have colour all year round, fingers crossed. - That would be fantastic. Thank you.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36I think the trellising just finishes it off.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- It feels nice and cosy in here now.- It does.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42I think having the third length brings that part of the garden
0:11:42 > 0:11:44back down here into the decking as well
0:11:44 > 0:11:45and it really ties them together.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48It really is very effective.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51I really feel as if I've got a really nice enclosed space.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55You should have lots of perfume, as we've got a clematis at the end,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57the jasmine in the middle
0:11:57 > 0:12:00and a honeysuckle here, highly-perfumed honeysuckle.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01You already had this rose.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05So you can tie this into that trellis and close that whole area.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08It's going to be magnificent. I can spend evenings out here
0:12:08 > 0:12:10sitting and relaxing after a hard day at work.
0:12:10 > 0:12:11It was hard, wasn't it?
0:12:11 > 0:12:14It was a lot of work.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18It was worth it. And your chairs are very comfy.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Earlier this year, here in the alpine garden,
0:12:24 > 0:12:29we cleared back all the cotoneaster, which was completely covering this lovely seat.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33It is actually starting just to regrow here. We'll have to keep our eye on this.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36It was also right across the bed here. We removed it
0:12:36 > 0:12:39and it gave us an opportunity to put in some new alpines.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42This little Campanula - Elizabeth Oliver -
0:12:42 > 0:12:45is looking so pretty. It's a little blue double.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Also in this garden, we've got alpine troughs
0:12:48 > 0:12:51and these give us a really good opportunity to put in
0:12:51 > 0:12:54little special plants, ones which are maybe a bit smaller
0:12:54 > 0:12:58and wouldn't really cope with the fighting here on the border.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01There are several things which are important about growing alpines,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04but the most important one is good drainage.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07There are lots of ways you can make sure that this happens in a trough.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10First of all, there's a drainage hole
0:13:10 > 0:13:13and we cover that with crocks, but also, we put some more crocks,
0:13:13 > 0:13:16or large stones, in the bottom of the trough.
0:13:16 > 0:13:22Here we've got a cross section, so we get this nice crocking layer,
0:13:22 > 0:13:26then cover it with gravel, put some more gravel in, and after that,
0:13:26 > 0:13:31the compost I'm going to use is John Innes Number One.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35That's quite important because "Number One" refers to the amount of fertiliser.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39It's just got one amount. We don't want these to grow really lush
0:13:39 > 0:13:41because it will make them susceptible to frost.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45What I'm also going to do is mix through gravel into the compost,
0:13:45 > 0:13:50get a nice mix and then put that on top, so when we replant this,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52we're sure we've got really good drainage.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56The last thing we do after planting is top dress with gravel
0:13:56 > 0:13:59and that helps the water move past the necks of the plant,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01which again helps with the drainage.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04I've taken out this section of the trough, but I want to keep
0:14:04 > 0:14:07one of the key plants and this is a little dwarf willow.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09It is Salix boydii.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Do you know, it must have been in here for about 10 years
0:14:12 > 0:14:14and it's minute. That's partly because
0:14:14 > 0:14:16this trough is quite shallow.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19It's quite interesting when you compare it to the Salix boydii
0:14:19 > 0:14:21we have in the main bed.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24It shows how its growth has been restrained.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28What we're doing the whole time is making a miniature landscape,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31so that sort of character is effectively our tree
0:14:31 > 0:14:32in the landscape.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36So in this little part of the trough here, I've cleared back
0:14:36 > 0:14:39a lot of the weeds and also what had invaded in here was the thyme,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42which had caused problems around the slabs.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45The tallest plant in this part of the trough is the euryops
0:14:45 > 0:14:47which has yellow flowers.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51Put in a little bit of rock and then again, to continue the landscape,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54we're going to have something that's the equivalent of a shrub,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57or a bushy thing, and then some trailing things over the edge.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00This is a little papaver, or a poppy, pacino,
0:15:00 > 0:15:04and then this... I'd never heard of this,
0:15:04 > 0:15:08this is Honaria Barbara and it's going to tumble over the side.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11That's the quite exciting thing about these troughs,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14we can do some really special, individual little plants.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16This one was planted quite recently
0:15:16 > 0:15:20and had just been slightly invaded with the thyme problem again.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23But having cleared it back, there's a little gentian, a little aquilegia
0:15:23 > 0:15:26and I am going to pop in the centre of there an erodium,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28then put the gravel back.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31The interesting thing is you can give these troughs a different look
0:15:31 > 0:15:35if you top dress them with different coloured gravels.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39So in my third trough, when again I took the thyme off the top,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42I found it's actually got miniature purple slate.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45It gives it quite a nice sort of acidy feel.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48Tallest plant in here is a little juniper.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51This is Juniper communis compressa.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54Quite remarkable, when you think that's exactly the same plant
0:15:54 > 0:15:58that is the tall conifer - well, relatively tall conifer - in our alpine beds.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01What I'm going to pop in here, as our shrubby thing...
0:16:01 > 0:16:03I did find, and this is a really good tip,
0:16:03 > 0:16:07when you plant a trough, you don't want the labels sticking up,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10but it's good to know what's in there. So if you can tuck them
0:16:10 > 0:16:13somewhere down the side, and then you can see what you've got.
0:16:13 > 0:16:18Actually, it's a bit depressing, because then you find out also what you've lost in the trough.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22But what we do have is a little tiny dwarf rhododendron.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26I thought the association of a conifer and a rhododendron
0:16:26 > 0:16:27is nice and ericaceous,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30so the plant I'm going to add in here is a lithospermum,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33or a lithodora, and this is Blue Star.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47For the last 20 years or more, this wonderful garden at Glenbervie House,
0:16:47 > 0:16:52which lies sort of halfway between Stonehaven and Laurencekirk,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55has been nurtured by Mrs Jill McPhee and her team.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03I take it that that 20-year journey has seen many changes,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06brought challenges and disappointments and so on?
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Yes, gardening is always a challenge
0:17:09 > 0:17:12and when there's change of gardeners,
0:17:12 > 0:17:17they bring new ideas and different ways of doing things.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20It just develops over the years and expands.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22That's really how a garden does evolve.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25One of the excitements of coming to a garden
0:17:25 > 0:17:27is the very scale of it, but then also
0:17:27 > 0:17:31plants that you haven't seen for years or have forgotten all about.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Seeing something as statuesque as that, what do you call it?
0:17:34 > 0:17:39- I say Veronicastrum, but I'm not sure.- Well, you're probably right.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43- I had another name in my head, but the botanists do change them.- Yes.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Let's just pause and feast our eyes on this Tropaeolum.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56All the way from South America. Absolutely stunning, isn't it?
0:17:56 > 0:18:00- It's very happy here and it obviously loves it.- Yes.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04Growing through a yew tree and it shows up wonderfully well.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Well, you're obviously very fond of Daylilies.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17There's a great colour range.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22- Yes.- It separates the vegetables from the flower part of the garden.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25- You've started harvesting.- Yes, the onions are quite good this year.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27That's a throwback to the old days too.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31Veggies and cut flowers. Right slap bang in the middle.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35And, of course, you're drawn round like this.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37Feast your eyes on that.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Different shapes, different heights, different colours.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42Even the greens are all different.
0:18:42 > 0:18:43Ever changing.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Wow! Delphiniums as they used to be.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54HE LAUGHS
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Not one net, but two. How high would you say these are?
0:18:58 > 0:19:02About 10 or 12 feet. They get a good load of farmyard muck.
0:19:02 > 0:19:07- Keeps them going.- Yes, the answer lies in the soil, as they say.
0:19:07 > 0:19:08Gee whizz.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Trying to avoid the slugs when they first come through the ground,
0:19:12 > 0:19:14- that's the...- Yes, yes, yes.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Well, they may be going over slightly,
0:19:17 > 0:19:21but by jingo, they are a major feature of this garden. Gorgeous!
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Well, a different environment here, but the same mixture of decorative
0:19:39 > 0:19:44and, well, let's start with that one up there.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48- The Justica.- Looks mildly exotic, I don't know it at all.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50But I recognise this chap.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53- The Ginger.- Yes.
0:19:53 > 0:19:54- But then...- Peppers,
0:19:54 > 0:19:56cucumbers,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58tomatoes.
0:20:00 > 0:20:01Quite a challenge, this.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06- This is the coolest end of the greenhouse.- Right.- In winter.- Yes.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20You can feel the difference. We've just jacked it up
0:20:20 > 0:20:22a little bit, the temperature, haven't we?
0:20:22 > 0:20:27- And...- White peach there, which is finished.- They've all gone. Good?
0:20:27 > 0:20:28Yes. They were delicious.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33- Our Beechgrove ones haven't been started on yet...I hope.- Lucky you.
0:20:33 > 0:20:34Is this a new plant?
0:20:34 > 0:20:40This is an apricot, which has only been in about three years.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43- It hasn't had fruit yet.- No.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46Everywhere you turn, there's something wonderful.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49There's this, look at the size of the head on that! That's agapanthus.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52- Agapanthus.- Oh, stunning.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54- It likes the protection. - It does.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58I'll bet there's not many people realise their asparagus plant...
0:20:58 > 0:21:02- Can go to that size. - ..can climb like that, yes, aye.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04We obviously notched up the temperatures again,
0:21:04 > 0:21:06we just get more and more growth.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10We're staring at a raft up there, a veritable raft.
0:21:10 > 0:21:11Now, why would that be?
0:21:11 > 0:21:15That's to try and keep the house a bit cooler
0:21:15 > 0:21:18- and give shade to the streptocarpus.- Yes.
0:21:18 > 0:21:23There's a frame up on the top which the passion flower grows through.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Aye, it's the most glorious coloured passion flower.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- Do you know which one it is? - Hahniokewensis, I think.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32- It's a stunning colour. - It's a beautiful colour.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34- You have those as well.- Yes.
0:21:34 > 0:21:35HE LAUGHS
0:21:35 > 0:21:39It does provide the right atmosphere for our wonderful streptocarpus.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42They really are superb.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45The trouble with having a greenhouse with such a variety
0:21:45 > 0:21:48is keeping the temperature right.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51- I know, but you've got them into sort of zones.- Yes.
0:21:51 > 0:21:58But I have to say, these are huge pots. Look at the size of this pot!
0:21:58 > 0:22:02And what was it they always say? The advice is...
0:22:02 > 0:22:05- Keep them smaller.- Aye, aye. It is. But what's in there?
0:22:05 > 0:22:07What sort of compost do you use?
0:22:07 > 0:22:12A bit of home-made compost and multi-purpose...
0:22:12 > 0:22:15and just keeping a mixture.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17You're not going to divulge. OK.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Gardeners have to have their secrets. But they are stunning. They're a great credit to you.
0:22:21 > 0:22:27- Carrying on, here we have begonia, I think.- Yes.- Begonia million kisses.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31Finally, the thing that impressed me the first time I came here...
0:22:31 > 0:22:35- The Rhodochiton.- It just flowers and flowers and flowers.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38It's like fairyland to me, you see, and I could go on and on
0:22:38 > 0:22:42and on and on, because these have just got so many memories.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45- We've had a lovely time.- Good. Thank you for coming.
0:22:45 > 0:22:46It's been wonderful.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58At the bottom of the silver garden,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01we've got a lovely plant combination here.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Clematis Chinook with the pink of the Bistort
0:23:03 > 0:23:05and that bright pink phlox, it looks beautiful.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08And this clematis is nicely,
0:23:08 > 0:23:12gracefully tumbling over the wall, disguising it beautifully.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15I thought that was a really good look. So I tried to copy this
0:23:15 > 0:23:18a little bit further by putting in some tender perennials,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22which I hoped again would disguise the wall and flow over it.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25My first one was Bacopa, this is Gulliver's White
0:23:25 > 0:23:27and it has a much bigger flower.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30It hasn't made the sort of growth I hoped it might.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33And the next one, frankly, I don't know if you can see this,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36but in here, this is Dichondra Silver Falls,
0:23:36 > 0:23:38and it's made very little growth at all.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42I've had very little success with that myself, I have to say, in the past.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45This is white trailing Lobelia.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47It's starting to approach getting over the edge of the wall,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51and inevitably, it all seems to happen, with any white Lobelia,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53you get a bit of blue just running through there.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57This is the success. This is Nepeta, and it's grown...
0:23:57 > 0:24:01It has no flowers, it's grown for its foliage, which is green with white edges.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05Let's see how much growth it's made. It's gone right the way over.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09So that is 94 centimetres. I'm trying to sound young.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13It's actually 36 inches or three foot. I'm pleased with that one.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16The Convolvulus has got these very pretty blue flowers.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19And I chose the plants here to complement the silver garden,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21so there are whites and silvers and blues.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24This is starting to get over the edge.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27More white Lobelia, not tumbling enough yet.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31This is silver Helichrysum, you grow this in hanging baskets,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34grown for its foliage, these silver leaves.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Starting to go into flower, which I'd be tempted to nip off.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40It's sort of making a bit of an upright statement,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43I want it to go over a little bit more, get some more dangleation.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47And then the variegated ivy is just starting to work and go over the edge.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Now, that's a permanent plant, so we'll leave that one in.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53We've also got some more permanent plants at the top of the garden,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56which are going to tumble over the walls there.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05Carol, I must compliment you on your taste in gardening clothes.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Very, very smart.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10We're properly co-ordinated, aren't we, today? I can't believe it.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13I know. We'll have to talk to the wardrobe department about it!
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Anyway, back to these trailey plants that we've got here.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20Now, the ones down there were all tender perennials or annuals,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22these are all permanent plants.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26This is Ice Dance. It had white flowers on it when we planted it.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28It's made good growth over here,
0:25:28 > 0:25:31but similarly to the plants down there, there's a lot of activity.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34This is all going in the wrong direction, back into the bed.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38So we want to prune to shape, don't we? We want to leave the front and take away the back.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42Yes. I'm going to take all this off, because it's going in completely the wrong direction.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44As you would with any shrub,
0:25:44 > 0:25:49take off the things that aren't doing what you want them to do.
0:25:49 > 0:25:54And I'm doing the same with the companion, this is called Blue Rivulet. So leave the front there,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57and one or two of these, just trim it back.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Obviously, once those flowers are over,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02I might do a bit of dead-heading.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05- The Hebe, that's a lovely plant. - That's worked really well.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07That's Summer Frost. It hasn't flowered this year.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09It'll have white flowers.
0:26:09 > 0:26:10Very, very huggy,
0:26:10 > 0:26:14so it's gone over and it's just started to cling to the edge.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18Again, it needs a little bit of a haircut just around the back to stop it going into the border.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Nice, hardy plant though. Then, the rosemary. I don't know how hardy that one is,
0:26:22 > 0:26:26but that, at the moment, has really started going down the way.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29That's the prostrate rosemary. Best chance of getting rosemary through
0:26:29 > 0:26:33in Aberdeen in a nice, sunny, raised bed with good drainage.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36And then the mint, that's not really doing what it's meant to do.
0:26:36 > 0:26:42It's already done it. It's had one lot of really long dangly bits coming over. Those have been trimmed off
0:26:42 > 0:26:44and it will have its next lot come over.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53Instead of a handy hint this week, I've got a little surprise for you.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Because we were away, we missed the harvest of the saskatoon berries.
0:26:56 > 0:27:03- It is little.- I've had to fight for these last two. Have a taste.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07- Thank you. - This is Amelanchier alnifolia.- OK.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Wonderful autumn colour on the bush, so it could be in a border.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14- A great flavour and very high in antioxidants.- Great flavour.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18- It's a bit mulled...- Mmm.- Mmm. - Tastes of mulled wine.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20You see, that's what makes the world go round.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24The reason for being here, we're going to be sowing some vegetables.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26Brassicas and lettuce to go over winter.
0:27:26 > 0:27:31- One of the seed companies is going to offer these varieties as plants later on.- OK.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Like you did with the leeks, we'll sow our own plants and see which of the two...
0:27:35 > 0:27:37There'll be some in a tunnel, and some outside,
0:27:37 > 0:27:41- maybe with a bit of fleece on just to protect them. - Yes, depends on the winter!
0:27:41 > 0:27:44It does. So, we'll see how we get on.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48- As I say, lettuce and cauliflower... - A whole bunch of this is to extend our season,
0:27:48 > 0:27:52because we've got a really good harvest now and want to keep that going into the autumn.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54These are gorgeous.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58- Clean as a whistle.- Lady Crystal. - Beautiful. Who's this brute?
0:27:58 > 0:28:02- It's for practising the shot put. - What about this tomato?
0:28:02 > 0:28:06- It looks like a lemon. Have you tried it?- It's cream sausage.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10Tried it earlier. I would say it's very bland.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13A bit like the saskatoon, I would think! If you'd like
0:28:13 > 0:28:17any more information about this week's programme, it might be about
0:28:17 > 0:28:20those lovely dahlias that you were looking at. Or, Lesley,
0:28:20 > 0:28:22you were filling the alpine truss. All the information
0:28:22 > 0:28:25is in the fact sheet, and the easiest way to access that is online.
0:28:25 > 0:28:31Next week, I'm going to be back in the cutting garden, looking at anything in flower.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34And I shall be starting the round of hedge clipping.
0:28:34 > 0:28:39- So until we see you in The Beechgrove Garden next week, it's goodbye.- Bye.- Bye.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:55 > 0:28:57E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk