0:00:13 > 0:00:17Well, hello, and welcome to Beechgrove on a delightful autumn morning.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20- It's gorgeous, isn't it? - The lady from the cutting garden has joined me
0:00:20 > 0:00:22to look at some old-fashioned cut flowers!
0:00:22 > 0:00:25- Aren't they doing well?- They are really starting to strut their stuff.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28- These crysanths are lovely. - Yes, indeed.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32We're not worried about colours at the moment, but about shape.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35So, the sprays, single sprays, a single flower opens right up
0:00:35 > 0:00:37until you see the yellow centres,
0:00:37 > 0:00:41and we've got several varieties, there. That's quite a nice one, through the back.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Do you know, what's delighting me is how much bees, butterflies,
0:00:43 > 0:00:48- hoverflies are resting here and feeding.- Working away at them. - It's wonderful.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52We move from single to double, which is a rather nice full flower. Isn't that a lovely colour, too?
0:00:52 > 0:00:56- That's very pretty. I like that cream colour, it's beautiful.- Yes. Yes.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00- And then we move to, I shall say it, anemone-centred. - In case I say it wrong?
0:01:00 > 0:01:05- Well, you could just say, I know it as...- Cushion.- Cushion-centred, yes.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Again, a rather nice range.
0:01:07 > 0:01:12And, cut flower, absolutely superb cos they last quite a long time.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15- These were started in March? - Yes, cuttings came in March, April,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18and they were grown on until they were big enough to plant out
0:01:18 > 0:01:21in late April, so we looked after them pretty well,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24because look what's in prospect, here.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26- Yes, these are splendid. Look at that.- Absolutely.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29These have all been dis-budded, well, most of them have,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33you've got to keep going round and taking out these little buds.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35And the blue alkathene is here for a reason?
0:01:35 > 0:01:38- Well, you could do that one. - Are you sure I should?- Come on.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41- You're the guys that multitask. - Yeah.- Keep the chat going.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44So, the blue alkathene piping is because...?
0:01:44 > 0:01:47- Well, consider the weather we've had.- Yep.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50- And all of this bloom in prospect... - Just give them a bit of shelter.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Give them an umbrella. There we're using some bubble polythene,
0:01:53 > 0:01:56just take it over the top, keep the rain off them.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59But that one's lovely. That's actually come into flower, and it's huge.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Well, there is a lot of cloth in it,
0:02:01 > 0:02:04there's a lot of petal still to unfold, there.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08- And it'll finish up twice the size. - That's just gorgeous. - Isn't that lovely?
0:02:08 > 0:02:10Meanwhile, in the rest of the programme...
0:02:12 > 0:02:14Well, originally I'm from Durham, Jim's from Ayrshire,
0:02:14 > 0:02:16and Carole hails from Kent.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19But we're all hardy enough to cope here in the Beechgrove Garden.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Plants come from all over the world.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25How do you decide what's going to be hardy in your garden?
0:02:26 > 0:02:29And we've a slightly different feature this week.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Not about a garden, but about a gardener.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34And it's all about purple prose.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41Well, no sooner have we finished with the summer bedding
0:02:41 > 0:02:45that the ground has cultivated, and we're making a spring display.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47We're getting right into it now.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51The ground was cleared, dug over, a bit of organic fertiliser put in.
0:02:51 > 0:02:56It's in lovely nick. And since I was responsible for this lot,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59- instead of getting into bed with this pair... - THEY LAUGH
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Er, I decided... well, I'll describe it, and they can work away.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05So, we've got the old-fashioned wallflower in the top here,
0:03:05 > 0:03:09and it's orange and lemon wallflower with a triumph tulip,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12the idea being that the tulip will grow tall enough to just
0:03:12 > 0:03:13come over the top of the flowers,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16and that tulip is really dark purple.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19- CLEARS THROAT - Did you hear me? - I did hear that, it delights me.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Then we come to the two lower bits.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24It has been euphemistically referred to as the Y-front design!
0:03:24 > 0:03:28I'll leave you to think who said that, and it certainly wasn't me.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33And of course the rule of law is that you put in the straight lines first around the edge,
0:03:33 > 0:03:38and then random planting inside that, and then finally the bulb.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40But Carole, do you want to describe what you're up to?
0:03:40 > 0:03:43Yes, I really like what you've chosen here, Jim.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45The lovely, traditional blue myosotis,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49with a tulip, "Apricot Beauty". I think that'll be a nice combination.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53And then round the edge, you've got the pansy with a yellow blotch.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57But, of course, Lesley, you've gone and got the purple.
0:03:57 > 0:04:02Well, I have. This is called "Denim", it's a new pansy. It's just gorgeous.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Bi-coloured purple, yellow in the middle. Looks so pretty.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Then there's yellow primroses in the middle,
0:04:08 > 0:04:10and then a red tulip coming through.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14I think I've maybe got two in one hole, so you can blame me!
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Yes, it's "Monte Red", and once again, these are early tulips,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20so they're much shorter stemmed, and they should come
0:04:20 > 0:04:23just above the shortness and the spread of the...
0:04:23 > 0:04:27And we plant the plants first, and then place the bulbs, isn't it?
0:04:27 > 0:04:31- Yeah. You now know what to do.- Yep. - LESLEY LAUGHS We're busy.
0:04:31 > 0:04:32Very good, girls.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35If you're quick, you can have a piece of chocolate when you finish.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Well, I'm pretty sure you will have heard the expression
0:04:43 > 0:04:49"a walk through a well-stocked Scottish garden is like a world tour."
0:04:49 > 0:04:54It's a fact. Here we have Europe, the old heathers are there.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56Round the corner we've got eucalyptus,
0:04:56 > 0:05:00that's Australasia, and just over there, there's a Tibetan cherry.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03There we are, that's Asia covered, isn't it?
0:05:03 > 0:05:06And the reason we can do it, of course, is we have a maritime climate,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10we are helped by the Gulf Stream, and everything should be hunky-dory.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12But that's not quite the case.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15The Royal Horticultural Society have just announced
0:05:15 > 0:05:17that they're going to change their categories
0:05:17 > 0:05:20for describing degrees of hardiness of plants,
0:05:20 > 0:05:24because we are taking in so much from all over the place.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26They've got four categories at the moment.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30H1 needs a heated greenhouse. H2 needs a cold greenhouse.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32H3, what we would call half-hardy -
0:05:32 > 0:05:36in other words, six months outside, six months inside.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38And then, finally, hardy, number four.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42Well, that covers a whole multitude of situations.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46The American system is zones according to minimum temperature.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49That's not good enough either, I'm afraid.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52So, the RHS have come back and said, we're going to have seven zones,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55and were going to fill in a few of the gaps, because there are
0:05:55 > 0:06:00certain things that pertain in an environment that will affect the plants.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04Here we go again. Hamamelis, North America. Berberis, South America.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08From South Africa, the cape figwort. See what I mean?
0:06:08 > 0:06:11That's five continents already, in a very short walk.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14So, hardiness is a very big problem, and we're going to try and help you
0:06:14 > 0:06:17to decide how you can best protect your plants.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20The last time I saw Carole Baxter, she was waving her passport about.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22So you'd better go and see where she's going.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27Yes, Jim, I definitely need my passport to find this plant in its native habitat.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Of course, it's the tree fern, all the way from Australia.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34And we've had this plant growing in the garden for many, many years.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37What we've got to bear in mind, though, this one is frost hardy,
0:06:37 > 0:06:42but it won't withstand those temperatures that we get down to minus 15, minus 20 sometimes.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45So we protect it over the winter time.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48What we do is we put this mesh around the trunk,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51we then fill that with straw, we even use fleece.
0:06:51 > 0:06:55And on the top, to protect the crown, we put a bit of an umbrella,
0:06:55 > 0:06:57just to make sure it doesn't get wet.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02Now, it's not just the cold temperatures we need to think about.
0:07:02 > 0:07:07If a site's exposed, it means it's exposed to the wind, and you get that wind-chill factor.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11And this plant, Cotinus "Golden Spirit", it really doesn't like the wind.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13It can burn the edge of the foliage.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17So, have a look round your garden and find a sheltered spot.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21This one is ideal because we've got the hedge there, the hawthorn hedge,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23and we've got a fence behind it.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27So we've found a lovely little microclimate for this plant to do really well.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30However, we don't always get it right.
0:07:30 > 0:07:36This is the seaside garden, and do you know, for many years, I tried to grow a hedge.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38I tried two types of woody plants.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41I started off with Senecio greyi, or brachyglottis as it's now called,
0:07:41 > 0:07:46and also the small, shrubby Lonicera, Lonicera nitida.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50Now, the reason they didn't survive is another factor you have to take into account,
0:07:50 > 0:07:56and this is all to do with the wet, poor drainage, and in the wintertime that freezes.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59And the roots of woody plants really don't enjoy that.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01So, I had to settle for a dyke instead.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08But you know, there are ways round the winter wet and poor drainage,
0:08:08 > 0:08:12and this is a fine example, building yourself a raised bed.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15And this French lavender from the Mediterranean really needs
0:08:15 > 0:08:19good drainage and, when it gets nice and warm and sunny,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21it warms up the soil, as well.
0:08:25 > 0:08:31Well, another way of raising plants up and giving them good drainage is growing them in containers,
0:08:31 > 0:08:32but you must remember
0:08:32 > 0:08:35if you're keeping containers out all year round,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38you have now got the roots above ground.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40That means they could get really cold and chilled.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43When they're in the soil, that's a really good insulator.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47So you actually might need to put some bubble pack round once the temperatures drop.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52Now, Carole was looking at some splendid lavender plants in the raised bed.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55At this time of year, it is a good time of year for planting,
0:08:55 > 0:08:59but there are just one or two things that I wouldn't put in now.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02That's because I'd want them to get established in the spring,
0:09:02 > 0:09:06get a good root system going, and they could withstand the winter better.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10One of my candidates for not putting in now would be lavender.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12It hates winter wet.
0:09:12 > 0:09:13And similarly with the cordyline,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16I know it looks gorgeous, but I would really avoid it.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19There are lots of things you CAN plant.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23In a recent survey, over 80% of people didn't realise
0:09:23 > 0:09:27that autumn is a natural time for planting. It's nature's time.
0:09:27 > 0:09:32The soil is warm, it's certainly moist, seeds are falling to the ground,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35and things get going really, really well.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39A whole group of plants that you can consider planting now are conifers.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43And these give you structure and colour throughout the winter in the garden,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45and for the rest of the year.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49Teaming up with that, rhododendrons, azaleas and heathers.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Perfectly fine to plant them now.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Another whole group, deciduous shrubs.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58In other words, they lose their leaves in the winter. They effectively go to sleep,
0:09:58 > 0:10:02and therefore aren't nearly so vulnerable to cold winds and cold temperatures.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04And of course, the other advantage,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07as the leaves change before they drop,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11you get these stunning arrays of colours as I have in this cornus.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Roses are fine to plant now, they are very, very hardy.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18And then finally, the group of plants that are amongst my favourites,
0:10:18 > 0:10:20and that's herbaceous perennials.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25There's a stunning display behind me, giving us late autumn colour.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28These, again, will go to sleep over the winter,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31come back bigger and better next spring.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34I've got a beautiful aster here, and a pink phlox.
0:10:34 > 0:10:39The secret is, get the right plant for the right place.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Well, I'm thoroughly confused now, because here we are,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45the dry riverbed, rather similar to the Spanish branca, you know,
0:10:45 > 0:10:50but I'm amongst South African plants, the kniphofias and the crocosmias.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54I tell you what, this hardiness subject is a huge topic,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56and we've barely scratched the surface.
0:10:56 > 0:11:01But the important thing is, this is an age when we're minding the bawbees.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05Before you buy, before you waste your money, perhaps, seek advice.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Some of the garden centres have got really good advice systems,
0:11:08 > 0:11:12but just pause before you make that purchase.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Well, that's a really good bit of advice, Jim.
0:11:15 > 0:11:20Now, I'm in the Equinox garden, where it's all designed to look good in the autumn and the spring.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23And earlier this year, I had a look at the plant growing here
0:11:23 > 0:11:27which was just a big pile of shiny, green leaves.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29And it's the autumn flowering crocus, or colchicum,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32sometimes called naked ladies, you can see why,
0:11:32 > 0:11:36because these purple flowers are showing and there are no leaves left at all.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40There's the little white version behind there, as well.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42It's a real picture.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45Lots of other things looking really nice at the moment in this garden.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49The vitis here, scrambling over this obelisk, and what it will do,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53it'll colour up to a real fiery red later on in the autumn
0:11:53 > 0:11:56and look stunning. Scrambling through it is a geranium.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59This is "Rozanne", white centre and a blue edge,
0:11:59 > 0:12:01and it really will climb quite high.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03It's gone to three or four foot already.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06The centre of this bed, we've got a range of hypericums,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09this is the "Magic" series. They've got different coloured berries.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12There's pretty rosy red, a peachy one there,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15and then this sort of burnished brown one.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18And you know, there's a little bit of a secret under here,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21because a long time ago we planted a fuchsia.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23This is "Sunray", a variegated fuchsia,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26now that should NOT have come through the winter,
0:12:26 > 0:12:31but it's nice and sheltered, protected by the hypericum, so we're getting away with it.
0:12:31 > 0:12:36However, we did lose something in here because of hardiness.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40We had a cercis, "Forest Pansy", in here for years, but sadly it's died.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43I want to replace it, and I want to put something quite tall in there.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46It needs a tree to give it some height.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50We are very often asked about our favourite plants.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52Well, that's a difficult one,
0:12:52 > 0:12:55but if I'm ever asked about my favourite tree, then this is it.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59It's called Prunus "Aumtumnalis Rosea".
0:12:59 > 0:13:02So, it is a cherry, you can get from its name, Autumnalis,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04it actually flowers in the autumn.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08So it starts to offer up its blossoms in about November,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11and then any time when it's frost-free throughout the winter,
0:13:11 > 0:13:13it will actually be in blossom.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16And then again in spring, it will have a lot of blossom then,
0:13:16 > 0:13:17which is utterly stunning.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21It will also have good autumn colour, so, for a really good tree,
0:13:21 > 0:13:24then I reckon this is a good all-rounder.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Now, what I'm going to do, I've already got the hole dug,
0:13:27 > 0:13:31and this is in the site of where we had the cercis,
0:13:31 > 0:13:37and what I've also got in the hole, ready, is some mycorrhizal powder.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Now, this is specially designed to help the tree's roots develop,
0:13:41 > 0:13:43so I'm not going to put any other fertiliser in.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46And then we often had the debate about where to put this stake.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Are you going to put it in straight? Are you go to put it in squinty?
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Is it going to cut through the root ball of the tree?
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Well, the answer is, put your stake in first.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59And you will put the stake in so it is in the teeth of the wind,
0:13:59 > 0:14:02so the tree blows away from it.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04And then, when you take the root ball off the tree,
0:14:04 > 0:14:08have a look round and see.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Usually there's a side where you can actually present
0:14:10 > 0:14:13the trunk of the tree close to the stake.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15And I reckon I'm going to do it about here.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19If there are a few roots in the way, you can just slightly tease them.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21This is absolutely fine.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24And then we're just going to pop it in there.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28And then what I'm going to do is put the tie on and the buckle.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32The buckle goes between the stake and the tree to stop it rubbing.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35And then we're just going to fasten that nicely.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39And then, obviously, I am going to put the soil back in here.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43I will really firm it down hard with my heel.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46I'm also going to give it a good water to help it settle down.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50Now, this will ultimately get to about 12, 14 foot eventually,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53and it's going to give us years of pleasure.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05I reckon there are three reasons why we come into this conservatory.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08First and foremost if it's chucking it down with rain suddenly,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10as it might do any minute now.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15Secondly it may be to see our marvellous pelargonium collection. Looking good still.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Or maybe even a streptocarpus.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20I thought we had to have some more things to fill this
0:15:20 > 0:15:23magnificent piece of kit here, this conservatory.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26So we have a citrus collection.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29The bottom line for me was we would choose varieties of citrus
0:15:29 > 0:15:34that can take a temperature that goes down to plus five in the winter months.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37We have proved we can do that here. We are quite safe.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40All you can see here, some in flower, some in fruit,
0:15:40 > 0:15:45like this magnificent Meyer lemon, will stand that temperature.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48In the summer we can stand them out on a terrace
0:15:48 > 0:15:51which we will create over the winter months outside.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55We're looking forward to a whole collection of citrus.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58They're in flower and fruiting all at the same time.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01It is a whole new ball game for us here.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Secondly, we are always looking for early colour
0:16:04 > 0:16:07when we start a series in the spring of the year.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09This is a wee trailer for next year.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13What better to do than have a collection of camellias?
0:16:13 > 0:16:16We get a lot of questions about camellias.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20Are they hardy? In one part of Scotland, yes, in one part of Scotland no.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23The previous piece was taking that very line.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25Where can you grow things outside?
0:16:25 > 0:16:28The best thing to me, here in Scotland,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31is to use camellias as potted plants.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35Indoors in the winter and outside in the summer.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38They will also occupy that terrace with the citrus.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40We're going to be busy. There's a lot to look forward to.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Importantly we have got to talk about containers, drainage,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46compost, culture, the whole jing bang.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50We have got that to look forward to next year. I'm quite excited about it.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04First thing that comes to mind is a flash of purple.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08Boundless, almost infectious enthusiasm.
0:17:08 > 0:17:13The things that spring to mind when I think of Lesley are purple and clematis.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16After 16 years of service our lovely Lesley
0:17:16 > 0:17:22has decided to hang up her purple Beechgrove boots for the last time.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26She will longer be gracing our garden or our screens
0:17:26 > 0:17:30with her purple presence, her sound advice, her good humour,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32and, of course, clematis.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35Hello and welcome to the Beechgrove Garden.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37My penchant for purple is well documented.
0:17:37 > 0:17:44I've got the purple sweet pea here. It just smells gorgeous.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Obviously on a day like this it's going to be a real challenge
0:17:46 > 0:17:48doing any work in here.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Any time we come to film here we always have a problem.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59'As part of Beechgrove's 25th anniversary programme
0:17:59 > 0:18:03'Lesley described how she first came to know Beechgrove as a viewer.'
0:18:03 > 0:18:07We had just got our first house and had started our first garden
0:18:07 > 0:18:09and were faced with a sea of mud.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13This wonderful programme started which was doing exactly the same thing.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17They were starting from scratch. Showing you how to make a garden.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19It appears that although Lesley
0:18:19 > 0:18:23visited the Beechgrove Garden on an open day, she was a bit overcome.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28I was a visitor to the garden when it was open.
0:18:28 > 0:18:33I was too shy to talk to Jim McColl. I did not dare join the queue!
0:18:35 > 0:18:38But Lesley did meet Jim and the rest of us
0:18:38 > 0:18:40and joined the presenting team
0:18:40 > 0:18:42when we moved the garden to its present site.
0:18:42 > 0:18:47Carole did a Seaside Garden. Carolyn did the Low Maintenance Garden.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49I did the Garden For Life.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52That garden and, more importantly, the subject
0:18:52 > 0:18:55have become one of Lesley's many passions.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58It's hard to believe it's 16 years
0:18:58 > 0:19:02since the Garden For Life was first built and planted here at Beechgrove.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05'The aim was to showcase plants which are good for wildlife.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10'Not necessarily wildflowers, but good garden-worthy plants.'
0:19:10 > 0:19:12Lesley's other passions are also well known.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14She loves purple.
0:19:14 > 0:19:15She looks great in it.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18Those tend to be the colours she chooses in her gardens.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22This I love. If I had to have a favourite clematis it would be this one.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26"Clem-uh-tis" or "Clem-ay-tis" whichever way you want to say it, she wants those in the garden.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Every garden's got room for at least six clematis.
0:19:29 > 0:19:30I'd hate to think what will happen
0:19:30 > 0:19:33if they produce a really stonking tartan clematis.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35She will not know what to wear.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37And the number one easiest-to-grow clematis
0:19:37 > 0:19:40is one of my personal favourites.
0:19:40 > 0:19:41It is a viticella and it's "Etiolle Violette".
0:19:41 > 0:19:45It has got beautiful velvety purple flowers...
0:19:45 > 0:19:47And my theme this year is purple.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50- Surprise surprise. - Thought I'd have purple vegetables.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55This was described as dark navy, but it is the most gorgeous purple.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58They have a sort of purple-black skin.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02You can see the little sprouts are purple-black.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04What else was he trying to sell you?
0:20:04 > 0:20:06Lesley's brought a lot to Beechgrove.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10In particular her garden design, her flair for design.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Meticulous preparation. And flair.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Because her designs were quite delightful.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31Remember it's twice as long as it is wide. The first thing we've done
0:20:31 > 0:20:34is separate the two gardens with an arch.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36This has immediately given you
0:20:36 > 0:20:40two nice, evenly spaced, more in-proportion little gardens.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46- We come to the front door. It's not very welcoming.- It's not.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48We've got little steps that we go up
0:20:48 > 0:20:50and people are maybe here with bags of wine and presents.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52- Is it standable on? - Of course it is.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55You see. Then you can all hang around here...
0:20:55 > 0:20:58- With your bags of wine. - With your bags of wine!
0:20:58 > 0:21:02The temptation is just put the turf down, go and sit in the sunshine
0:21:02 > 0:21:06in the back garden, but this could be so much more.
0:21:09 > 0:21:15Now, what does this garden say about me? It says welcome to my home.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Lesley is an all-round gardener and is as happy
0:21:19 > 0:21:22in among the produce as she is in the ornamental.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25And she has the knack of making produce pretty.
0:21:25 > 0:21:30In this ice bowl I've actually got some little violas,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33some purple lettuce, some lavender,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37and then I picked some parsley seed heads.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40I'm going to miss her with the decking. We have our competition.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Lesley's always pulling my leg, saying I'm not competitive
0:21:43 > 0:21:47but I really am. So, how are we going to have our competition?
0:21:47 > 0:21:50- Are we going for yield and flavour? - We CAN'T go for yield.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53I've only got five, and you lot have got nine for a start!
0:21:53 > 0:21:56We're not competitive but we've weighed them.
0:21:56 > 0:22:01Carole got five pounds and I got three-and-a-half pounds.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Yes, but not bad, I think.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07How do you get so many potatoes in three-and-a-half pounds?
0:22:07 > 0:22:11Yes, do you not notice the difference there? These have been magicked.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13Oh, yes!
0:22:13 > 0:22:17- What's the varieties?- "Annabelle". It's a celebrity.
0:22:17 > 0:22:18You're cheating!
0:22:18 > 0:22:23'Gardening should be fun and Lesley always brings laughter to the garden.'
0:22:23 > 0:22:28It was always noisy and funny when Lesley was here.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30I think that is so important.
0:22:30 > 0:22:35# There may be trouble ahead... #
0:22:35 > 0:22:39- This reminds me of re-covering an ironing board.- Me too.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41THEY LAUGH
0:22:41 > 0:22:42Can I help at all?
0:22:42 > 0:22:47- Yes, you can supervise.- I'm helping. You do have instructions?
0:22:47 > 0:22:50- Yes.- Might it be worth having a little look at them?- No.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53That would be like admitting defeat!
0:22:56 > 0:23:00# And while we still have the chance
0:23:00 > 0:23:04# Let's face the music and dance... #
0:23:10 > 0:23:15Could somebody switch the chipper on for me, please?
0:23:15 > 0:23:19Lesley was great. She did not so much laugh but she did go very red
0:23:19 > 0:23:21when she was trying to hide her emotions.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25He bet me a bottle of wine that he would make me laugh
0:23:25 > 0:23:26and we'd have to retake.
0:23:26 > 0:23:31Here, in the Plant For Wildlife garden, wait till you see the hips in here.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34- I assume you're talking about the Rosa rugosa?- What else?
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Which is looking really gorgeous at the moment.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40She was extolling the virtues of feeding the wildlife,
0:23:40 > 0:23:41birds in particular.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45'Birds are like humans in that they all like different things.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47'They have different tastes.'
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Birds like to eat the seeds.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Because birds have different tastes in food just as we have.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56- Some like to eat seed, some like berries.- Coconuts?- They do indeed.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00I entrusted Carole, because I trust her, to look after my hanging basket,
0:24:00 > 0:24:01which was a series of three.
0:24:01 > 0:24:06That was an absolute classic because there we were, saying goodbye...
0:24:06 > 0:24:08It looked like it had been signalled.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- Until we see you then, goodbye. - Goodbye.- Goodbye.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14THEY SQUEAL
0:24:14 > 0:24:15Everybody still laughs about it.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20I sort of smile politely and say, "Yes, it was very funny."
0:24:20 > 0:24:21Aargh!
0:24:21 > 0:24:25The whole team at Beechgrove will miss our lovely Lesley
0:24:25 > 0:24:27and her purple passions.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30'But we wish all the very best for a great gardening future.'
0:24:30 > 0:24:36On a personal note all I would say to her was, keep laughing,
0:24:36 > 0:24:41learn to wear purple really when you get older, and for goodness sake
0:24:41 > 0:24:44just continue doing what you were doing because it was special.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48She is a real honest injun and she works damned hard at her job.
0:24:48 > 0:24:49I admire her for that.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53I'm going to miss those long car journeys that we used to share
0:24:53 > 0:24:55to far-flung community gardens.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57She's the only person I know
0:24:57 > 0:25:00that can talk from Edinburgh to the far north of Scotland non-stop.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02But I guess it takes two to tango.
0:25:02 > 0:25:07Lesley, I'm going to miss your smile. I'm going to miss your companionship.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09We've been great colleagues together,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13but I know that we'll always be friends and I wish you great luck in the future.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Whoo!
0:25:15 > 0:25:18You'd better cut that. Start again!
0:25:21 > 0:25:25I've had a few minutes to compose myself, having watched that.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29It's just lovely. And I've dried my eyes.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31I've had the most wonderful time here.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35I've really enjoyed working with the two of you and Carolyn and George.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37It's really been a privilege.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41As you know I'm still going to be busy horticulturally
0:25:41 > 0:25:42because of my day job.
0:25:42 > 0:25:47- And RHS judging. And my lovely family.- You'll see more of them.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49- My beautiful grandchildren.- Yes.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53- I like to see you're wearing purple today.- I thought I ought to.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57The one time I haven't got purple on. Oh, no!
0:25:57 > 0:26:00We're the front-of-house team.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03- There's another team at the back. - I know. I know.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05They are such fun to work with too.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Everybody behind the camera makes it such a pleasure.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12And the gardening team who, in a difficult year,
0:26:12 > 0:26:13have produced such wonderful things.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17- Fantastic.- Isn't this wonderful? Straight away, okra.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22- We have got two okra.- Okra! The twin towers! Here they are.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24Also... I'm going to keep going.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28We've got a little purple, lovely little aubergine.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32- Purple turnips. Purple kale.- Purple flowers. Just hang on a minute.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36I swear these blueberries are almost turning purple as well.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40- Yes, they are. - You've got persuasive powers.- Is she coming back?- She is coming back.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42There's purple, purple, purple.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45- There's Clematis in there. - That's gorgeous. Oh, I see that.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49These weren't all grown in the garden. There's anthurium.
0:26:49 > 0:26:54- Now, now.- They're beautiful. Thank you. They're just gorgeous.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Not only have we got the harvest here
0:26:56 > 0:27:00but autumn colour, I think, has done particularly well this year.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03The acer in a pot up in the Low Maintenance looks gorgeous.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06I like staring across at that rudbeckia, that "Goldsturm".
0:27:06 > 0:27:08It flowers for weeks and weeks and weeks.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11- It doesn't need staking. - It's a good cut flower as well.
0:27:11 > 0:27:12It can last for ages.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16I wonder how many people have seen something like that
0:27:16 > 0:27:19and thought, "Oh, my tree's deid!" and cut it down?
0:27:19 > 0:27:22- It goes that wonderful colour. - It is stunning.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25It has been a hard year but we've had good results.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28We've had some fun, haven't we?
0:27:28 > 0:27:32- Yes. And then you guys will be back next year...with more.- Yep.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36- We will, we will. Is it that time again?- It is. So...here we go.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39For the very last time, if you would like more information
0:27:39 > 0:27:42about this week's programme, particularly the hardiness
0:27:42 > 0:27:46cos we were just able to scrape the surface with that one.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- I need my jacket on! - It's all in the factsheet.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53- Apparently the easiest way to get that is online.- It is indeed.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56- And we're on Twitter or Facebook as well.- Oh, really(?)
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Twittering on. She's twittering on again.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02We'll be looking for a few small problem corners,
0:28:02 > 0:28:05trying to solve some problems for you, so if you want to get
0:28:05 > 0:28:08in touch with us, again, on the website you'll get all the details.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11We are also looking for community gardens.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13If you've got a group of like-minded people
0:28:13 > 0:28:16and a piece of land, why don't you apply for that as well?
0:28:16 > 0:28:20And all the information there for the application form,
0:28:20 > 0:28:21you can find that online as well.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24And as an honorary member of the team, my dear,
0:28:24 > 0:28:27you'll be welcome back any time you like.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30- Thank you. I shall be delighted to visit.- That's it until 2013.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32Until then, bye-bye.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34- Goodbye.- Bye-bye.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd