0:00:14 > 0:00:17Well, hello there and welcome to Beechgrove Garden.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21We're going to have a nice crop of peaches in due time
0:00:21 > 0:00:23but I'm here to talk about strawberries.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25You may recall last year, we set ourselves a wee challenge:
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Could we pick strawberries from the end of May
0:00:28 > 0:00:31right till the programme went off air at the end of the season?
0:00:31 > 0:00:32It more or less worked.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35June 1st was the first picking, to be honest with you.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Well, last year we tried three different varieties.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39This year we've gone for the one that did best.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43In fact, Sonata picked more than the other two put together
0:00:43 > 0:00:46and that told me the story we like Sonata.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49It's not a bad fruit, either, so we planted these up in late February.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51We had a wee hiccup to begin with
0:00:51 > 0:00:53because there was a bit of crown rot in them.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Whether it was conditions or not, I don't know, but we had to do a bit of replanting.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00However, they're coming away nicely and who knows?
0:01:00 > 0:01:04They may well be on schedule for the end of May,
0:01:04 > 0:01:08beginning of June. We shall see because, look, the fruits are there.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Encouraged by starting to feed them now
0:01:11 > 0:01:14and we're using a high potash tomato feed
0:01:14 > 0:01:17and that will see them cropping well into June.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21But then, our outdoor crops will take over
0:01:21 > 0:01:24and, incidentally, the outdoor crops
0:01:24 > 0:01:27have had a wee frost attack the leaves.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29It's turned them white and one or two of the early flowers
0:01:29 > 0:01:31have got the black centre,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33the Black-eyed Susie centre,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36which means frost damage and these flowers will not produce a fruit.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38But this is looking good
0:01:38 > 0:01:41and we will follow it up with a second batch later in the summer,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43to take us to the end of the series.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45In the meantime, on the rest of the programme...
0:01:47 > 0:01:50I'm in Fife, visiting two out of twelve gardens
0:01:50 > 0:01:53that are open under Scotland's Gardens
0:01:53 > 0:01:55and they're joining in the Jubilee celebrations.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00And I'm in a rather soggy Garden for Life.
0:02:00 > 0:02:05After last week's big prune, we've now got a huge replanting job.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Well, it makes a change for me to be allowed in the fruit cage.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13No fruit at the moment, but lots of blossom.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15The cherries are looking great
0:02:15 > 0:02:18and then we've got apples and pears and again,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20there's quite a bit of bloom there,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23so hopefully we're going to have a really good crop.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25The other thing about the trees at the moment
0:02:25 > 0:02:28is they're looking lovely and healthy, no sign of aphids
0:02:28 > 0:02:31and this is something you really have to look out for
0:02:31 > 0:02:32at this time of year.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35At the moment, we've got a spray program going on.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39About every week to 10 days, we are spraying with garlic.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43So, a new addition to the fruit cage. What am I putting in?
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Well, I'm putting in a fig.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50And it's a new variety. It's called Violetta and it comes from Bavaria.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53It's meant to be hardy down to -20.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55So surely it's going to do OK here.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Leslie has this variety in her garden.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02She put it in last year and she tells me it came through the winter.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05So, hopefully, it will succeed.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Now, a fig has to be constrained.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11In other words, we have to build this sort of pit with shuttering.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13We've used paving slabs
0:03:13 > 0:03:16but again you could use wooden shuttering if you like,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19but it needs to be open at the base
0:03:19 > 0:03:20because the fig puts on a tap root.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24First of all, lots of old crocks in the bottom
0:03:24 > 0:03:27and then I'm going to put a layer of gravel in.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32And that just gives a chance for the tap root to go down.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35So we'll just level that off.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37And then as for the compost,
0:03:37 > 0:03:39obviously this is a permanent plant,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42so we need to give it plenty of goodness,
0:03:42 > 0:03:46so we've got some of our own well-rotted garden compost,
0:03:46 > 0:03:51roughly about a quarter, and then a soil-based John Innes number 3
0:03:51 > 0:03:56with some bone meal and that's a slow-release fertiliser.
0:03:56 > 0:03:57It's high in phosphates
0:03:57 > 0:04:00and that's quite important for root development.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04Now, I haven't explained why this plant has to be restrained,
0:04:04 > 0:04:09it's because a fig is very vigorous and by constraining it,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13what we will do is encourage the flowers and the fruits
0:04:13 > 0:04:15at the expense of the foliage and that's really important.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19Think about it when you go to a garden centre and you buy,
0:04:19 > 0:04:22for example, a shrub in a small container
0:04:22 > 0:04:24and it's already flowering for you
0:04:24 > 0:04:28and then you put it into the garden and it tends to put on leaf growth.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30So, quite a bit of filling up to do here.
0:04:30 > 0:04:35I also notice on the plant itself that we have got one small fig.
0:04:35 > 0:04:36Hopefully it'll do well for us.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55This week I'm back in our Garden for Life.
0:04:55 > 0:04:56It's 16 years old,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59so it had got a little bit overgrown and neglected.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01What we did last week
0:05:01 > 0:05:05was really seriously prune a lot of the framework trees and shrubs
0:05:05 > 0:05:08and we also did a lot of spring-cleaning jobs,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10so the moss was removed from the paving
0:05:10 > 0:05:12and the slabs were all cleaned.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14This lovely swing seat in the corner here
0:05:14 > 0:05:17has responded so well to the furniture cleaner we put on it.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20It's going to be a gorgeous place to sit in the sun.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24This conifer was completely overgrown and encroaching on the beds.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27It's been trimmed back, exposed a whole new border here
0:05:27 > 0:05:30which has been planted up and then mulched with bark
0:05:30 > 0:05:32to reduce the amount of weeding.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35This week we're going to concentrate on the replanting of this garden
0:05:35 > 0:05:39and we're going to be using the most suitable plants which are good
0:05:39 > 0:05:40sources of food for wildlife.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44We're going to have a look at that real vital element, the pond.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48But let's just have a look at one of the real surprises.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50This is the discovery of this patio.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53The hurdle here had completely rotted,
0:05:53 > 0:05:55bringing down with it all the climbers,
0:05:55 > 0:05:56completely covering this.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01So we've replaced the nice barrier here with some trellis,
0:06:01 > 0:06:03so it's going to be a nice secure place to sit
0:06:03 > 0:06:06on this seat on a sunny day
0:06:06 > 0:06:09and watch wildlife.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11One of the joys of a more mature garden
0:06:11 > 0:06:15is you get some really nice tapestry and mingling of plants.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17We've got a lovely pattern here with the ajuga
0:06:17 > 0:06:20and the chrysanthemum all working nicely together.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23But there has had to be a lot of planting
0:06:23 > 0:06:25and the New Hopetoun Garden teams have done a lot of that
0:06:25 > 0:06:27but they've still left some for me to do.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Well, here under the shade of the amelanchier,
0:06:41 > 0:06:42I'm putting a collection of plants
0:06:42 > 0:06:45which bees particularly enjoy feeding from.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47This first one is digitalis,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50or foxglove, and when it flowers in the summer,
0:06:50 > 0:06:52the flowers have little tramlines
0:06:52 > 0:06:55that the bees follow to go up into the plant.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Bees are incredibly important to us
0:06:57 > 0:06:59because they are such good pollinators
0:06:59 > 0:07:02and they do that for our crops and fruit.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05For summer-flowering interest I've got a lupin here.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09This is one with a gallery mix, it's a pink one.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12And then a larger shrub here at the back is Helleborus foetidus.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15That actually flowers over the winter.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17This is quite significant.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20We've got to make sure we have a spread of interest across seasons.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23It's no good having feast and famine.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25It is incredibly wet at the moment,
0:07:25 > 0:07:27so I'm actually going to delay planting this little corner.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Well, as a brief respite against the weather,
0:07:35 > 0:07:37we've come inside to fill the containers
0:07:37 > 0:07:39that we're going to put back in the Garden for Life.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43These have been in the garden for 16 years, so they're nicely weathered.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46They're stone and on the front here,
0:07:46 > 0:07:47there's lots of quite nice-looking moss.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Then, it's the usual thing,
0:07:50 > 0:07:52we've got a drainage hole in the bottom,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55which we want to keep clear, so we put a crock on the bottom.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59The compost I'm using is peat-free, multipurpose,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02which I have used for years and had very good results with.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06Then, some of the things I'm going to put in the containers, these are permanent plants.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Rosemary officinalis.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Over the years, we've planted this in the Garden for Life because it is so good.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Bees love the blue flowers on this
0:08:15 > 0:08:18but we have lost it time and time in the winters here.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21So I'm going to pop it into a container and, of course,
0:08:21 > 0:08:24the advantage of that is when it gets cold,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27over the winter, we can move it into a cool greenhouse.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30It's interesting how many of our culinary herbs,
0:08:30 > 0:08:34when they flower, are good for wildlife. In another container
0:08:34 > 0:08:36I'm going to put chives and hyssop.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41Another character that we have systematically lost over the winters,
0:08:41 > 0:08:44is Choisya ternata or the Mexican orange blossom.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48It has white flowers, that orange, citrusy perfume
0:08:48 > 0:08:50and, again, bees love it.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54I'm going to surround it, this is a little campanula, it's portenschlagiana.
0:08:54 > 0:08:55It's quite a thug,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58so I'm going to let it tumble over the side of the container,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01but it'll slightly restrict its activity.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10Just on the other side of the trellis,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12we've got a nice sunny area
0:09:12 > 0:09:15and this is where we're going to put a lot of butterfly plants.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17Butterflies need to bathe in the sunshine
0:09:17 > 0:09:19and warm up before they feed.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22We've got a real old-known favourite
0:09:22 > 0:09:24and that is the buddleia, known as the butterfly bush.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26This is Pink Delight.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Next to that is sambucus, this is Black Beauty.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31I may look as if I've got these really spaced out
0:09:31 > 0:09:34but they are going to get huge and occupy this space.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36Of course, the sambucus is very good
0:09:36 > 0:09:39because it has berries in the autumn and birds are going to feed on that.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Going back to the butterfly plants,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Verbena bonariensis
0:09:43 > 0:09:48has great big arching stems with purple flowers on.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51It's a very airy plant, so it'll fill up this space
0:09:51 > 0:09:54and then sedum, Autumn Joy.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58You see butterflies resting and relaxing on these
0:09:58 > 0:09:59as they just drink the nectar.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19If there was one change you're going to make to your garden
0:10:19 > 0:10:22to help it increase the amount of wildlife you have there,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26then it would be the inclusion of a pond. It's a vital habitat.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29The pond here was incredibly overgrown.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Ten years' growth of matted aquatics,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35which was a terrific job to get rid of.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38We have also got our fountain working again.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43There are a couple of significant things to do
0:10:43 > 0:10:47to make sure that your pond is good for wildlife and one of them
0:10:47 > 0:10:49is have a gently sloping side, so that things
0:10:49 > 0:10:51can get in and out easily.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55Also, this rock is useful for birds to perch on and preen.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58We've got some pretty plants round the edge here. This is a caltha.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02Make sure you plant single varieties of plants
0:11:02 > 0:11:06because then all the pollen and nectar is available for the wildlife.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09I want to slightly increase the number of plants we've got here because we have lost some.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13When you plant a pond, you're doing it in a special aquatic basket.
0:11:13 > 0:11:14No need for hessian any more,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17the roots can get oxygen through the sides here.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21Special compost as well and then top-dressed in gravel.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24In this basket, I have popped in some water mint,
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Scrophularia aquatica and a lychnis.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35And finally, one more tip
0:11:35 > 0:11:38about encouraging more wildlife into your garden.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Just relax about pests.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Remember they're somebody else's lunch,
0:11:43 > 0:11:45so no spraying.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Aphids will be eaten by ladybirds
0:11:47 > 0:11:50and frogs will guzzle the slugs.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55And, also, make sure you plant single varieties of suitable plants
0:11:55 > 0:11:58and you will be absolutely inundated with wildlife.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01And the names of all the plants are going to be on the fact sheet.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10I'm returning now to the saga of trying to find a decent compost.
0:12:10 > 0:12:15A month ago, we planted up some calibrachoa from little plugs
0:12:15 > 0:12:19and some brachycome which is the 'Swan River Daisy', on the same day.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Five different composts,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24to see if we can find one that is reliable amongst them all.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27And lo and behold, the news is really positive
0:12:27 > 0:12:30because you can hardly tell the difference.
0:12:30 > 0:12:35Just look at the growth. So far, not a mark on them right the way through.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37I reckon that's progress. It means that these guys
0:12:37 > 0:12:41are beginning to get the job right, thank heavens!
0:12:41 > 0:12:45Now the next stage, through in the Robinson greenhouse.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55We might be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel
0:12:55 > 0:12:57as far as these composts are concerned
0:12:57 > 0:13:01but the next nightmarey scenario, to me, are grow bags.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Nearly every firm in the land has grow bags
0:13:05 > 0:13:07and they're all different sizes and shapes.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Just look at the two we've picked out.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12One of the biggest and one of the smallest. How do you compare them?
0:13:12 > 0:13:15For long it's been recognised that grow-bag compost
0:13:15 > 0:13:19is probably the cheapest and I've known many an allotmenteer
0:13:19 > 0:13:21who buys his compost as grow bags and then tips it out
0:13:21 > 0:13:24into all manner of different containers
0:13:24 > 0:13:25for actually growing the plants.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28In a sense, that's what we've done. We've got eight different composts
0:13:28 > 0:13:32set out to have a look at value-for-money
0:13:32 > 0:13:34and the growing qualities of these bags.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37We'll be using one tomato variety, it's Shirley,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41one of my favourites, and getting ready to plant into the pots now.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44They've been sitting here for a while, warming up,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47which is one of the tips that I would pass on to you.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Never put things into cold compost.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53We've got bags of varying sizes,
0:13:53 > 0:13:55so how do you compare like with like?
0:13:55 > 0:13:56The fact of the matter is,
0:13:56 > 0:14:00each one of these pots takes about seven and a half litres
0:14:00 > 0:14:04and the way we've worked it out is they've got a range of prices
0:14:04 > 0:14:08that run from 5 pence halfpenny a litre to 10 pence halfpenny a litre.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11So that will all come out in the wash at the end of the day,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14when we see how they perform because, let's face it,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17the 5 1/2p might be just as effective as the 10 1/2p.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Nice plants, in good nick, nice white roots
0:14:21 > 0:14:25and I don't worry much about using a trowel.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Fingers were invented long before that.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Here we go, press them in nicely.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32This is going to look real good.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36We're in the trials area, having a look at the bed here
0:14:36 > 0:14:38which is full of dwarf tulips and narcissi.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42When we planted them, Lesley, that end should be the first flowering
0:14:42 > 0:14:44and this is the later flowering
0:14:44 > 0:14:47and we've still got 'Fire of Love' in flower.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50- I think Lady Jane is so pretty in pink and white.- It's lovely.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53It's a shame that the sun isn't shining because when that opens up,
0:14:53 > 0:14:55it's a gorgeous shape.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58But anyway the narcissus are giving us lots of flower cover.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Looking at floweringness, I mean, this is nearly finished
0:15:01 > 0:15:05and these are still full of flowers. 'Katie Heath' is gorgeous.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07Value for money because it's multi-headed,
0:15:07 > 0:15:11and I think that's almost got a slight tinge of orange to it.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Lovely. And this is a new one. This is 'Golden Echo'
0:15:14 > 0:15:17and the yellow there is just bleeding out into the petals.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19- Lovely.- Pretty.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22The one I particularly like at the moment is 'Silver Chimes'.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24Very delicate, multi-headed and lovely perfume.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27It's a very attractive narcissus.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29The last one here, this is 'Toto',
0:15:29 > 0:15:33it's the white version of 'Tete-a-tete', which always performs well.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36And you know, they've been flowering since, what was it,
0:15:36 > 0:15:38the end of January, and now we're into May.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40So pretty good, aren't they?
0:15:40 > 0:15:43We also did the layering with varieties, two layers,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45and they flowered for a long time.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47I would just put them into a shady spot,
0:15:47 > 0:15:51let the foliage die down and then you can just bring them out again.
0:15:51 > 0:15:52They will come back next year.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56Now in this next bed, we're going to have a look at what happened.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00We saved seed last year. I'm going to look at some of the results.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02I was looking at the fleshy seeds,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05so I had things like the rowans, this is Viburnum opulus,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08or the Guelder Rose, so here's a great success story.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11They've germinated, we've got the rosehip there.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Whereas you looked at different types of seed.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17I've saved seeds and what I want to do now is grow these on.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19This is a purple podded pea.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22I want to see if the saved seed gives me a purple pod.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25I've saved some sunflowers. This is Little Dorrit that we grew in the beds last year.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29- Little Dorrit means that it should be quite small.- It should be.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31We started them off in March, we've rowed them out now
0:16:31 > 0:16:33and we're going to have a look and see if they are all...
0:16:33 > 0:16:35I think we might get big Dorrits!
0:16:35 > 0:16:38You're going to sow Little Dorrit as well
0:16:38 > 0:16:41- and we'll be able to compare them. - Put a row of that in as a control.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45Lupins, again, we don't know what colour we're going to get from that.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48That's quite nice. We might get lots of different colours.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52And I saved some poppies and you get so many seeds from a poppy head.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56It's like a little pepper pot when they come out of here.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58And I've saved a red-fringed one,
0:16:58 > 0:17:00I don't think it will be red-fringed but we'll see.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03And we've also got cornflour and some poached egg plant.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Poached egg plant, I'm pretty sure that will come true.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- It's a really good value way of filling the bed.- Absolutely.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14We've got pansies to look at and they're looking really colourful at the moment.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20Lesley, we do have a little bit more flower colour here with the pansies.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24They are looking a bit sorry for themselves, a bit scruffy still.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28We need to go through what happened because they were fairly small when they were put in,
0:17:28 > 0:17:33then the frost lifted them and the rain has hammered them a bit.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37They've got such pretty little faces, haven't they?
0:17:37 > 0:17:40But the gardeners have kept a meticulous record here.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43I think it's quite interesting because the one in the bed
0:17:43 > 0:17:46that's come out top is 'Panola Yellow', which is over there,
0:17:46 > 0:17:50and that started flowering on the 31st January
0:17:50 > 0:17:52and it's still in flower now.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55I like the one next to it, 'Matrix Morpheus'.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58- It's got little whiskers. It looks like a cat.- Lovely.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02And I quite like this mix here, 'Matrix Blue Frost',
0:18:02 > 0:18:05and that came out second. It's been flowering for quite a long time.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08But what is absolutely stunning are the ones in baskets.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10These are the star of the show.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14We looked at 'Plentiful Yellow' before and it was looking good,
0:18:14 > 0:18:18and now we've got 'Lavender Blue' and I think that is really gorgeous.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20I don't normally like a mix but the mixed one,
0:18:20 > 0:18:24there's a little sparkle of yellow.
0:18:24 > 0:18:25I think they're gorgeous.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29If you keep dead-heading them, you should have flower for a long time.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31In the next couple of weeks,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34we've got to be taking away the winter baskets
0:18:34 > 0:18:35and putting in the summer ones
0:18:35 > 0:18:38but I think we should find a spot for them in the garden.
0:18:38 > 0:18:43I recommend people have two lots of baskets so we can put those somewhere else and bring the summer ones out.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46They're too good to get rid of.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53I'm in the Royal Burgh of St Andrews
0:18:53 > 0:18:56and as part of the Queen's Jubilee celebrations
0:18:56 > 0:18:59we have the Fife Diamond Garden Festival.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02There's 12 gardens open to the public
0:19:02 > 0:19:04and they're going to be open over a weekend.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07I'm going to take a sneaky preview of two of those
0:19:07 > 0:19:10and the first one is right in the centre of the town,
0:19:10 > 0:19:12belonging to June Baxter.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28So when you first came here, what was your first impression?
0:19:28 > 0:19:31I think of the garden, because my husband said,
0:19:31 > 0:19:34"There's a marvellous house coming on the market, you have to see it."
0:19:34 > 0:19:36I came up the stairs and said, "Oh, but it's got a garden."
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Because you've no idea that there's a garden.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42- So you don't remember the house? - Not at all!
0:19:42 > 0:19:45It's one of the only long gardens that remains, is that right?
0:19:45 > 0:19:50The only one that goes right down to the bottom. Originally they all did and that was the farm at the bottom
0:19:50 > 0:19:55and all the animals and lots of little houses where people lived.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00- And you have designed this, basically, from scratch?- Absolutely.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Because it's long and narrow, we tried to make separate rooms.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07It is amazing. I can't see the whole of the garden from here,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10so I think we should go for a bit of a wander.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13I would be delighted to and that exercises the dogs as well!
0:20:23 > 0:20:25This is the orchard.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29With a wildflower meadow which we planted with wildflowers.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32It sometimes works. It's always got something in it.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36It had daffodils earlier on and now the bluebells are out.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41And not only do you have the blue of the bluebells but you have some pink ones and white ones coming in.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44And pears, are they quite productive?
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Inedible, except for this big tree here, which is rather out of scale
0:20:47 > 0:20:51but it does produce marvellous pears, so that's worth it.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Wow, this is beautiful, this part of the garden.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Where did you get your inspiration for this?
0:21:05 > 0:21:09I think I always loved shrub roses. I had a shrub rose border in my old garden,
0:21:09 > 0:21:13so I thought this would make a marvellous shrub rose garden.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17We planted the roses and then it all sort of tied up with the dookit
0:21:17 > 0:21:21which is 18th century and is now a garden room.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25It's a stunning building. And you've got somebody busy working here at the moment.
0:21:25 > 0:21:26This is Alan Reekie,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30who's helped me in my garden since I started in 1990.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33- Hi, Alan.- As you can see, it all looks immaculate.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35- So you've been here for over 20 years?- Yes, yes.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38So it's a lot of work for you, I'm sure.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42You get used to certain routines when you're doing things like this.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46And a lot of preparation, presumably, for the open days?
0:21:46 > 0:21:48It's amazing how it concentrates the mind,
0:21:48 > 0:21:49opening the garden to the public.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Well, I hope you get lots of visitors
0:21:51 > 0:21:53and I hope the days go well for you.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56I'm off now to the next garden, off to see my pal, Willie Duncan.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07Willie, it's lovely to have a seat in the garden, isn't it?
0:22:07 > 0:22:08It's most comforting.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12I have them in various places so you can get out of the wind.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14The wind here is right off the sea.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17This is the original part of the garden?
0:22:17 > 0:22:19This is the little pentacle, aye, that's right.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22The blackcurrants down either side of the path,
0:22:22 > 0:22:25and the vegetables on either side.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27What you've created now is a lot of colour.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30Presumably you've done this on purpose with the tulips for the two open days?
0:22:30 > 0:22:36- Oh, aye, we did that.- And the variety?- It's 'Purple Splendour'.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38It's lovely, isn't it, the lily-shaped one?
0:22:38 > 0:22:42- Yes, it's a lovely lily head.- And how many have you planted in the garden?
0:22:42 > 0:22:44Overall, there's 1,000 planted.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48And a lot of interest here, evergreen interest too.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52That's the winter. You're looking out your windows in the winter,
0:22:52 > 0:22:54you want to see something green,
0:22:54 > 0:22:58and that 'Baggesen's Gold' just allowed it to ramp.
0:22:58 > 0:23:03- And likewise, the Berberis darwinii. - Some flower!- I know.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20I think it's lovely to hear water in the garden, very therapeutic.
0:23:20 > 0:23:25It is, it's a lovely sound. That one's man-made.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28The only thing is, Carole, if you're drinking a gin and tonic
0:23:28 > 0:23:33and it's a wee bit cold, it tends to make your waterworks go!
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Now what about the erica here because that's some size.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43It is, it's really quite large that.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48That's Arborea alpina, the common name was the Briar,
0:23:48 > 0:23:52because the old men that smoked the pipes,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55their pipes were made from the roots of that plant.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Now I didn't know that. Every day's a school day with you, Willie,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02because you always know something about the plants.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07It's lovely, Willie, to see the leaves coming on the trees.
0:24:07 > 0:24:13- And that acer is looking beautiful. - That's a variety called 'Osakazuki',
0:24:13 > 0:24:18and it's absolutely pillar-box red in the autumn.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Now that needs a bit of shelter.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23And people maybe don't realise that just beyond this,
0:24:23 > 0:24:27- not far away, is the sea. - That's right.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31- So you get problems with the wind and the salt spray.- That's right.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Now this is the surprise part of the garden, isn't it?
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Aye, it's the old quarry.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49What you're looking at here is a panorama of the planting.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51It's absolutely beautiful.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53I think we've straightaway we've got to mention the azalea here
0:24:53 > 0:24:56- because you get that perfume, don't you?- Oh, it's a super thing.
0:24:56 > 0:25:02- And what about any other plants that you'd pick out?- Well, the Youngiis, the weeping birch there.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06And there's two other birches there that are notorious.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10- This is the one from Ontario. - It's stunning.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14I think the bark on the betulas are beautiful, even in the wintertime.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15Absolutely.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19But the golden form of the Metasequoia is worth a look, Carole.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Oh, that loves moisture, doesn't it?
0:25:22 > 0:25:25It's super in moisture. Aye.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27Absolutely beautiful.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31And, in fact, if you'd like to see these plants in Willie's garden
0:25:31 > 0:25:34or in June's garden, well, they're both open on the 19th
0:25:34 > 0:25:38and 20th May but the festival actually starts on the 18th.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44Well, I do admit I've been bragging about our over-wintered brassicas.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Sown last August, planted in September,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50we started cropping them in the spring, early in the spring.
0:25:50 > 0:25:55The cabbage and broccoli's good. We're taking the second head still.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59But this crop of cauliflower, which is the variety 'Mystique',
0:25:59 > 0:26:02is going to remain a mystique. But here we are, 8, 9 months later
0:26:02 > 0:26:05and they're showing no signs of heading up.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09They were meant to be winter-spring residents
0:26:09 > 0:26:14because the summer residents are due to come in here very soon. So this lot are out, I'm fed up with them.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Back in the Garden for Life, if you want to include water
0:26:17 > 0:26:22but you're a little bit worried about the safety of having a huge amount of open pond,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25then this is a really safe way of still having water in the garden.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28It's a bubbling cobble, balanced on a grid here and then,
0:26:28 > 0:26:33obviously, there's a reservoir of water underneath, all covered over with stones.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35And this is where we found most of our frogs.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Carrying on the pond theme and planting,
0:26:40 > 0:26:42we've already seen Lesley planting marginals.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45Well, I'm going to put some oxygenators into the pond.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48They're going to help to keep the water crystal clear.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Very often you buy them as bunches and you see people
0:26:51 > 0:26:53just throwing them into the pond.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Well, you can do that but I think it's a much better idea
0:26:56 > 0:26:57to put them into the basket.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01That way it contains them because they can be a little bit invasive.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Lesley, what a transformation with the Garden for Life.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20It's just fantastic. Lots of work but it really has made a difference.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24It certainly has because up until now, as the thing has matured,
0:27:24 > 0:27:26you had to go into it to see things around.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30Completely changed. You can see it from the path now. That's the way things are in gardening.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34- A lot more space. - Twice the size, I think!- Absolutely.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37Speaking about things looking good, well, things that have survived,
0:27:37 > 0:27:39what do you make of those sarracenias?
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- I'm absolutely underwhelmed. - George and myself planted them.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45I didn't think they were going to be hardy enough.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47- They're a bit strange-looking. - What are they for?
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Well, you've proved they come through, can we get rid of them now?
0:27:50 > 0:27:54No, you've got to see what happens! And, in fact, in two weeks' time,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57I can't believe that it's Gardening Scotland,
0:27:57 > 0:28:01and next week I'm going to give you a little preview of an exhibitor
0:28:01 > 0:28:04that is going to Gardening Scotland for the first time.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08He grows carnivorous plants. It's called Pretty Ugly Plants.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11That just about sums it up for me.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13But thinking about Gardening Scotland,
0:28:13 > 0:28:161st June for three days at the Royal Highland Centre. Can't wait.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19New plants, new people, new things to look at and buy.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20- Exciting!- We'll see you there.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24If you'd like any more information about this week's programme
0:28:24 > 0:28:27or about Gardening Scotland, it's all in the fact sheet.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29The easiest way of accessing that is online
0:28:29 > 0:28:32and we're also on Facebook and Twitter.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34- Wow(!)- Haha!
0:28:34 > 0:28:37- Until next week, goodbye. - Goodbye.- Goodbye.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd