0:00:13 > 0:00:17Well, hello there, and welcome back to the Beechgrove Garden.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20I can tell you that the weather has improved since last week.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24Well, the snow's almost gone, but it's still as cold.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26It was a -2 at home this morning when I left.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28So we've still got to be very careful,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31but we're in the business of propagation for the most part.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33But if you blinked last week,
0:00:33 > 0:00:37you might have missed a little reference to seed potatoes.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39I was talking about the fact that the sprouts,
0:00:39 > 0:00:40or chits, if you like,
0:00:40 > 0:00:42are just beginning to come
0:00:42 > 0:00:45and they're nice and dwarf. They're really good.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Is it time to plant? I did say then it wasn't time to plant,
0:00:48 > 0:00:50but believe me, we're getting letters -
0:00:50 > 0:00:52well, they never stop all over the winter -
0:00:52 > 0:00:55"It says in the book that we should be planting our early potatoes."
0:00:55 > 0:00:57You forget the book.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59You go by the soil conditions.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02And I can tell you that the temperature of the soil,
0:01:02 > 0:01:04six inches, 15 centimetres down,
0:01:04 > 0:01:06is about five, thereabouts.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08I'd be happier when it's up to seven, eight, nine.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10And then we can plant.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Now then, back to the propagation thing.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15We've been really busy amongst the chrysanthemums, for example.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17This cut-back old stem,
0:01:17 > 0:01:19this is called a chrysanthemum stool,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22and from the base... Last week, I was talking about dahlias.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24Here we have beautiful cuttings,
0:01:24 > 0:01:26ready to be taken, about that long.
0:01:26 > 0:01:31And here we have one that's already potted into its medium here,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34with a little bit of feeding, coming along quite nicely.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37But we were only confident about propagating from them
0:01:37 > 0:01:39after we'd dealt with a problem.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Last year, our stock was infected
0:01:42 > 0:01:45by chrysanthemum eelworm.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Leaves were falling, leaves were badly marked.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Well, you wouldn't propagate from diseased stock,
0:01:50 > 0:01:55so these fellas in January were dipped in water at 46C
0:01:55 > 0:01:56for five minutes.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Not a little more, not a little less.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00It's a very precise business -
0:02:00 > 0:02:01a bit footery, as I would say.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05Nonetheless, we've got fine cuttings that are coming along delightfully
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and we hope we will have clean stock.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10At home? We're busy there as well.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13And I really brought these in simply because
0:02:13 > 0:02:15we use this little pot.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Roots coming through, geraniums.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19Verbena...there they are.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21And these have just been sitting
0:02:21 > 0:02:24on the kitchen windowsill,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27getting plenty light, and watered from the bottom -
0:02:27 > 0:02:29coming along nicely.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Now, tuberous begonias. If you want to propagate from tuberous begonias,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34you've got two ways of doing it.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37You can actually split the tubers.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Now, this is a tuber of a variety called Hatton Bedder
0:02:40 > 0:02:42from just up the road from here.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44It was born and bred, so to speak.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Big tuber, a bit difficult to handle.
0:02:47 > 0:02:48How do we propagate that?
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Well, we can split it. And if you leave it until now,
0:02:51 > 0:02:53until you see all the little sprouts coming up,
0:02:53 > 0:02:54you know where you can split.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57If I just want to make two of it, I can go through here.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00But the thought is I could go through there as well and get a third.
0:03:00 > 0:03:01It depends how greedy you are.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03Now, that's beyond me
0:03:03 > 0:03:05to put a knife through that. So how do I do it?
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Quite simply...
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Pick my spot, just about there...
0:03:11 > 0:03:12and then hit it a skelp.
0:03:12 > 0:03:13OK.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18Seems brutal, but I assure you
0:03:18 > 0:03:20the tuber will be perfectly OK
0:03:20 > 0:03:22when I've finished.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Well, quite obviously, you've got these wet cut surfaces
0:03:25 > 0:03:27and they have to be protected.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29You can use lime
0:03:29 > 0:03:31or you can use talc!
0:03:31 > 0:03:32At one time, we used sulphur,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35but that's no longer available, so there you go.
0:03:35 > 0:03:36They're still tender pants.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38They still need nurturing, a bit of TLC.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43They're going to be in these greenhouses until well into May.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45You may pot them up into baskets or whatever,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47but they must be protected.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Now, if you don't fancy that,
0:03:49 > 0:03:51or if the tubers are not big enough,
0:03:51 > 0:03:53of course, you can actually grow them on
0:03:53 > 0:03:57till these little shoots become available as cuttings.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Then we're back again - cuttings, into a proper cutting compost
0:04:00 > 0:04:04and into the heated frame, as we've been doing with all these others.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06Meanwhile, in the rest of the programme...
0:04:11 > 0:04:15The original plan was for me to be planting out herbaceous this week.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18However, that plan has been very firmly placed on ice.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25And how does hairy string stop spiralled roots?
0:04:25 > 0:04:26Wait and see.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34Well, it's more chat about tubers, but this time, it's all about artichokes.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37It's Jerusalem artichokes that we grew last year.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40We had them in a border and we also had them in barrels.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42And, well, this is some of the crop,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45because we've stored them over the winter time,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48and, of course, if you store them, you can grow them year after year.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51And this is a variety called Fuseau,
0:04:51 > 0:04:53so this is a named variety,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55which I'm quite impressed with
0:04:55 > 0:04:58in comparison to just our common Jerusalem artichoke.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01The tubers are really quite tiny,
0:05:01 > 0:05:04so, of the two, I would recommend the named variety.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08And as I say, we grew them in barrels, we grew them in the borders,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10and actually, the best results were in the barrels,
0:05:10 > 0:05:13and I think that's just because of the season.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15It was so cold, it was so wet.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17We didn't even crop them until November time.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20And then, we've a different type of artichoke here.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23This is the Chinese artichoke.
0:05:23 > 0:05:24Never grown this one before.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Rather strange-looking tubers.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31And they are really nice to taste.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33You can eat them raw. They're lovely and crunchy
0:05:33 > 0:05:35and they've got a nice nutty flavour,
0:05:35 > 0:05:37or they're great in stir-fries.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Now here we've got our gladioli corms
0:05:39 > 0:05:42and these have been stored over the winter time.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44This particular one is nice and firm.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48But I'm afraid quite a few are really soft.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50They really are quite rotten.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53And really, the important thing is to make sure
0:05:53 > 0:05:56that you dry them off properly when you lift them.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00In our particular case, though, I think it was when they were stored,
0:06:00 > 0:06:02they were quite humid,
0:06:02 > 0:06:04and that's what's caused the rotting.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08You really need a dry place with good ventilation and frost-free.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11Now onto a new project for us.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14And this is growing some wild flowers.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18We're going to eventually add these to our wild flower area,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21but I want to grow them from seed, grow them on as plug plants.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24And I've got a dozen different varieties.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27And the ones here in this container,
0:06:27 > 0:06:29they actually need a special treatment.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33The primrose, the betony and these lovely cowslips,
0:06:33 > 0:06:38they need a cold period to initiate or stimulate germination.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43The rest of the varieties, though, it's the standard way of putting them in a pot
0:06:43 > 0:06:46and we'll give them a bit of heat - round about 18 degrees Centigrade.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49And you fill your pot with compost,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53and if you can make yourself one of these presser boards, that's great.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Just sort of press the compost down gently.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Or if you don't have that, just use the bottom of a pot
0:06:59 > 0:07:01and that works perfectly fine.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05Now, the variety I'm going to sow at the moment is greater knapweed.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Now, you could tap the edge,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09but because of the size of the seeds,
0:07:09 > 0:07:11I prefer to put them into my hand.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13I think you've got better control
0:07:13 > 0:07:17and then you can spread them around the compost,
0:07:17 > 0:07:21making sure that they're not sown too thickly.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23And, in fact, with the number of seeds I've got here,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26I reckon I could probably do a couple of pots,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29because if they're too close together,
0:07:29 > 0:07:30you get really leggy seedlings
0:07:30 > 0:07:33and possibly damping off as well.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35So I'll just put those back in.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38And do check on the seed packet
0:07:38 > 0:07:41as to how much you should cover them.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45I've got a variety here called yarrow,
0:07:45 > 0:07:47and when you look at the instructions there,
0:07:47 > 0:07:48you shouldn't cover them at all -
0:07:48 > 0:07:51they actually need the light to germinate.
0:07:51 > 0:07:52Then get your sieve,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55lightly cover this...
0:07:57 > 0:07:58Then you've got to water it in,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01and then we will put it under a little bit of heat.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15My original intention for this week
0:08:15 > 0:08:16was to be up to my ankles
0:08:16 > 0:08:18in new herbaceous perennial border.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20However, as you can see,
0:08:20 > 0:08:23our mercurial climate states otherwise.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25And that means I get the chance to unlock
0:08:25 > 0:08:28one of the greatest secrets in creating beautiful gardens -
0:08:28 > 0:08:32the art of crafting boundaries and structure.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35And there's no better place to start than here
0:08:35 > 0:08:37at Crathes Castle.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Originally laid out in the 15th century,
0:08:40 > 0:08:43the principles remain as true today as they were then.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52Chris Wardle is the current head gardener -
0:08:52 > 0:08:54one of only four men in the last 100 years
0:08:54 > 0:08:57to be custodian of this most theatrical garden.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02What's remarkable about this space is the dominance of the prunus.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04I mean, it's a monstrous specimen.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06This must be part of the original plan.
0:09:06 > 0:09:11This tree here goes back to around about 1700, 1702, something like that.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13We speculate a lot about the tree,
0:09:13 > 0:09:15because it's only ever in etchings or pictures,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17but we know that something was in here.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19We know there was artistic licence,
0:09:19 > 0:09:21but we know that it's as old as that.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24And it's a fantastic focal point for the centre of the garden,
0:09:24 > 0:09:26because it allows everything else to hang off it,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29and that's what gives you
0:09:29 > 0:09:31somewhere to come to, to then jump off
0:09:31 > 0:09:32to the other parts of the garden.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35To have something which is quite as monumental
0:09:35 > 0:09:37being the hub, it draws you in from wherever you are
0:09:37 > 0:09:39in this section of the garden,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41but in its original form,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44it didn't have these axes running off it.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46So when do these gardens date back to?
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Well, what we're in here
0:09:48 > 0:09:53is a modern creation that comes from the 1920s into the 1930s.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55Another part of the garden is a lot older
0:09:55 > 0:09:58and it has an older feel to it,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01whereas everything that is here was hung around this.
0:10:01 > 0:10:02This tree was growing here.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05There was probably fruit and vegetables in production.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07You have to use your imagination during the winter,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10but in the summer, each of these axes comes alive
0:10:10 > 0:10:12with a very different personality.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14There's so much going on here. At the moment,
0:10:14 > 0:10:16it's this big, wide, open expanse.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18You get a chance to see all the areas.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20You can look through the garden.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Whereas, when the summer comes on, the borders grow up,
0:10:22 > 0:10:24it becomes a lot more intimate.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26And during the summer months,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29behind us here, now the fountain is the focal point
0:10:29 > 0:10:30at the lower end of the garden.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32But those are white borders,
0:10:32 > 0:10:34a pure white montage.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36The white borders are fascinating.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39The twist that the designers of the gardens,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Lady Sybil Burnett in the 1920s,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44how she chose to use purple
0:10:44 > 0:10:46as a foil for the white...
0:10:46 > 0:10:48And this is the Prunus pissardii,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50where you can see it very heavily pruned as a hedge.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52Well, we pollard it at this time of the year,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54so it doesn't give you the full effect.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56But by pollarding it, cutting it back hard
0:10:56 > 0:10:59when everything is down at this time of the year,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01that is another aspect as well.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05You've got structural shapes, and you can look through the gardens.
0:11:05 > 0:11:06But as they grow up in the summer,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08then it gives you that wall
0:11:08 > 0:11:12to divide the gardens and hence create spaces.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15One of the interesting gardens we've got here
0:11:15 > 0:11:17is the Gold Garden, just off to one side.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19And that is a fantastic garden.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22Our visiting public, it's their favourite garden.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24It's the one they all sit in, even on a dull day.
0:11:24 > 0:11:25It's light, it's spacious.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28It's an interesting garden because it's the one
0:11:28 > 0:11:29that we put the most effort in,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32but the one that looks like the least effort has gone in.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36What fascinates me about the way you're describing the garden
0:11:36 > 0:11:40is that you're painting a wonderful verbal picture of promise
0:11:40 > 0:11:42of what is about to happen.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44And yet at this time of the year,
0:11:44 > 0:11:46what we see is the structure -
0:11:46 > 0:11:49it's the hard form, the hard geometry -
0:11:49 > 0:11:53which, in a way, holds all of that personality together.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55It's the dividing points between those personalities.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58It's only at this time of year you can really get to see it.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11The highest possible vantage point
0:12:11 > 0:12:14affords the best views of structure in the garden
0:12:14 > 0:12:15at this time of the year.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19And up on the castle ramparts, you get the perfect view.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Here you can see the successive layers of terracing,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25each creating a very defined level
0:12:25 > 0:12:27at which the planting takes place.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31The enclosing walls that radiate warmth back out.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35And those really confident, striking axes
0:12:35 > 0:12:37and cross-axial lines.
0:12:37 > 0:12:38It's division and subdivision
0:12:38 > 0:12:40and further subdivision,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43each creating a narrative,
0:12:43 > 0:12:44one flowing narrative,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47that allows you to move throughout the garden,
0:12:47 > 0:12:51taking the personality of each space into the next chapter.
0:12:51 > 0:12:56And over here you get a real sense of just why this garden works.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58Look at the way the topography in the distance
0:12:58 > 0:13:01is creating layers of shelter
0:13:01 > 0:13:03from the onslaught of the wind.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06And then a bank of deciduous woodland to further filter it.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10Massive new hedges, 20 feet or more high,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13which help to just soften anything which then gets into the garden.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18It's this culmination of structural planting and material
0:13:18 > 0:13:21which means that the joy of this garden
0:13:21 > 0:13:23can erupt once the sunshine emerges.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32A grand castle garden is optional
0:13:32 > 0:13:36when it comes to making the most of boundary and structure.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Here's a great way of doing it, even in a confined space.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Narrow the path down at a turning point,
0:13:41 > 0:13:43line it with box hedging
0:13:43 > 0:13:45and have a stone threshold,
0:13:45 > 0:13:47which announces the emergence
0:13:47 > 0:13:49of a different chapter within the garden.
0:13:49 > 0:13:54And here in winter, the focal point is an urn, arching cherry,
0:13:54 > 0:13:56and a bench off in the distance.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58The whole point of this is that it tempts
0:13:58 > 0:14:00and teases you to explore.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Think of the principles as a theatrical experiment,
0:14:09 > 0:14:12designed to provoke emotional response
0:14:12 > 0:14:14from grand openness in the herbaceous borders
0:14:14 > 0:14:18down into a subtle narrowing.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20Here, enkianthus, enshrouded in lichen,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23gives the impression of enclosure.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26But rather perversely, the nature of this deciduous canopy
0:14:26 > 0:14:29affords glimpses and views
0:14:29 > 0:14:33that allow the eye to infiltrate to the delights beyond.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Unlike this, where the monumental scale of the hedges,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42their proximity and fine texture
0:14:42 > 0:14:46all conspire to absolutely limit the view.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48There's nothing timid about it.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51It's the designer grabbing the viewer by the scruff of the neck
0:14:51 > 0:14:55and saying, "Look at this!" Enclosure and now exposure.
0:14:55 > 0:14:56Pure artistry.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Isn't that fascinating to see the garden in winter with the snow on the ground?
0:15:06 > 0:15:08You certainly can see the structure.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11But more of Chris at a cold Crathes later on.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14Meanwhile, here in the veg tunnel,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Jane and I - the head gardener... Well, the temperature's rising.
0:15:17 > 0:15:18..are going to look at the show veg.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21- We had reasonable success last year. - We did really well.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Can you remember your excitement?
0:15:23 > 0:15:27- I know.- You can't wait to get your hands on it again!
0:15:27 > 0:15:30Now, look at that. That was a prize-winning beetroot.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33And if you look at this thing that was a down-pointer on this,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35it was the fact it had spiral roots.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38They criticised the spiral rooting in it.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40- Would you believe it?!- I know. Marked you down.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44So what I did was, I went and asked one or two of the growers what they would do
0:15:44 > 0:15:46to try and avoid the spiral roots,
0:15:46 > 0:15:47and I got an answer.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49And we'll try it. What they do is,
0:15:49 > 0:15:53they put a piece of string with a wee lump on the end
0:15:53 > 0:15:56down the hole. Right? So that's a lump there, like that.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59Drop that in. And that goes right down to the bottom of the hole
0:15:59 > 0:16:01and then you put the soil in.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03So if you put your compost in...
0:16:03 > 0:16:06and that goes into the top of that.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09And what it does is... You pour it in. I'll give it a shoogle.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11It'll all go down to the bottom.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15Now, what happens when you put this in with a funnel like this
0:16:15 > 0:16:18- is that generally, it goes in spirally.- Yes.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20It goes down in a spiral.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22So no wonder the roots grow like that.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25- A bit more, George?- Just a little bit. Not much. Thank you.
0:16:25 > 0:16:26That's fine.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28So what will happen now
0:16:28 > 0:16:29is that we will take that
0:16:29 > 0:16:31and we will pull up the piece of string.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35And what that does is, it dislodges the compost.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37And you can see that it all slumps back down again,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40- so that means it's lost the spiralling.- Mm-hm.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43And that is going to then be just absolutely right.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46No spiral roots, we hope.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48They'll just grow long and straight, won't they?
0:16:48 > 0:16:51Now, tell us what your secret formula is this year.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Well, we've chosen a soil-based potting compost
0:16:54 > 0:16:56and we've added perlite and sand to that
0:16:56 > 0:16:59to improve the drainage and the aeration.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02We've also got a secret blend of fertiliser.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06- You've nearly thought of everything, haven't you?- Nearly. But I've got something else.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09- Go on.- Do you remember, when we opened these pots,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13that the root tips had grown down into the soil underneath the pots?
0:17:13 > 0:17:16The roots at the end were really, really thick.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19And it was very difficult to get them out. So what we've done is
0:17:19 > 0:17:23excavated out a pit underneath each of these, and filled it with sand.
0:17:23 > 0:17:28- Not just a pretty face, eh? You've been thinking about it. Well done, you!- I have been thinking about it.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31- Now, this side?- We've got a row of pots
0:17:31 > 0:17:34and we've got some rather special leeks!
0:17:34 > 0:17:36- Look at this.- Look at that.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39These have been grown on specially for us.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43It was Arthur Provan that grew these on, National Vegetable Society of Scotland.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46And I picked them up just the other day.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49So they've been grown in heat and light to get them to this stage.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51We'll keep them in heat and light for a little while
0:17:51 > 0:17:54and then we'll plant them out in about ten days.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58- We'll put some in here, and then we'll plant others out into the bed. - Yes.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Yes. And we'll earth them up.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04Because we want to get about six inches of white onto them.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06And get them about six inches round -
0:18:06 > 0:18:07something like that,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10right round the top, so it's going to be a challenge.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14And in these pots at the front, we're going to put carrots.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Yes. And it's the usual one - it's Sweet Candle
0:18:17 > 0:18:18- and some of the other ones.- OK.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20So lots and lots to do.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23But not just here. We've got other things to sow in the potting shed.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27We've got to go and sow some of the exhibition long-pod bean,
0:18:27 > 0:18:31which we put out the challenge about last year, didn't we?
0:18:31 > 0:18:32Yes, I remember.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34- No pressure, then, Jane(!)- No!
0:18:36 > 0:18:38Well, that project of Mr Anderson's is long-term.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Mine is much more short-term
0:18:41 > 0:18:43and I'm looking for heat.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Now, we've talked about soil being cold and all the rest of it.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48Well, it's time to go back to the old days.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50We're talking about a hot bed.
0:18:50 > 0:18:51We're creating a hot bed.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54And the basis of it for the heat for nothing
0:18:54 > 0:18:55is manure.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58It happens to be horse manure with plenty straw.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00And that's the key to the whole thing.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04If you cover this up, it will produce heat by itself
0:19:04 > 0:19:06and it doesn't cost you a penny.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08So we were fortunate enough to come across a source.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10The straw is important.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12The bulk of it is important.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15And the muck comes from horses that have been well-fed,
0:19:15 > 0:19:17so it's always been the best of muck.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19So we've got about that depth...
0:19:19 > 0:19:24consolidated in this raised bed here, of that.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28Then, young Mr Beardshaw, when he was here last week,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31he suggested we maybe put in some carbon,
0:19:31 > 0:19:34some of this charcoal - biochar.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Well, we've actually put in a wee layer. It'll sweeten it, you see.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39It'll make them taste better.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41What? Coming in a minute.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45Then we've got so much of the soil that was already in here.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47It's a mixture of soil and compost.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49The hoops are in place,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51because as soon as this is filled up,
0:19:51 > 0:19:53we will cover it with polythene
0:19:53 > 0:19:55and wait for the heat to come up.
0:19:55 > 0:19:56Well, in fact, before we started,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59I shoved the thermometer into the dung here
0:19:59 > 0:20:02and it shot up to 50.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04That's ten C.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07And I'd been talking earlier about six, seven, eight,
0:20:07 > 0:20:08you know, to get germination.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10So it's already gone up.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12I have to say that since then,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14it's gone down because it's open to the air.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17But once it's covered up, temperature comes up,
0:20:17 > 0:20:19the whole thing is ready for planting.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21Hardened-off lettuces,
0:20:21 > 0:20:23but also sowing radish,
0:20:23 > 0:20:27carrots, turnip, salad onions in here.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30And just stand back and watch them go!
0:20:30 > 0:20:32I can tell you, we'll get some earlier crops
0:20:32 > 0:20:35than we will across here.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39Because we'll put the same crops in here, which is a simple raised bed.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43We will cover it with polythene so it's got an equal chance,
0:20:43 > 0:20:45so to speak, but it'll be quite a bit longer
0:20:45 > 0:20:48before these plants start to mature in here.
0:20:48 > 0:20:49Time alone will tell.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Now then, I've just been describing creating an environment
0:20:52 > 0:20:54to grow salad vegetables quickly at this time of year.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57It's time to go back to Crathes now,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00where Chris is talking to head gardener Chris Wardle
0:21:00 > 0:21:04as they look at the conditions and the kind of environment
0:21:04 > 0:21:08that's been created there to grow the wonderful plants that they do.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17There's an obvious aesthetic reward
0:21:17 > 0:21:21to creating these successive layers of structure and protection,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24but there's also, of course, a horticultural reward.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27There's a physical reward in the plant material you can grow.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29When the gardens were put together,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32the concept of using the layers of protection
0:21:32 > 0:21:33has great pay-off
0:21:33 > 0:21:36for what we can horticulturally do within the garden.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39For example, down on the wall below me here,
0:21:39 > 0:21:41we have a daphne in flower
0:21:41 > 0:21:42and a sophora.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44These are all exotic specimens
0:21:44 > 0:21:48that you wouldn't necessarily expect to be performing in quite that way
0:21:48 > 0:21:50this far north
0:21:50 > 0:21:52in a garden like this.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55But with the way the garden is set out,
0:21:55 > 0:21:57because we have these layers of protection,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00then we could constantly trial and use each of those areas,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02and it's a great concept to apply to all gardens,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05because then you can start to push the boundaries
0:22:05 > 0:22:08and really look closely at what you can grow within that environment.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Talking about pushing the boundaries,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13towering over you is a Eucalyptus gunnii here.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15Now, further south, in the Cotswolds, where I am,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18there isn't a single eucalyptus that's performing really well.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21They've all been wiped out by a succession of really harsh winters.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25And yet yours... Well, you've lost the head of it, but the rest of it is looking pretty healthy.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28So it demonstrates that, if you put the right structure in place,
0:22:28 > 0:22:30you can nurse plants through.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33Even more so, can get plants to start to thrive.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35This arbutus over here...
0:22:35 > 0:22:38It's from California. What on earth is it doing here?
0:22:38 > 0:22:42When you look beyond the context of where the garden actually sits,
0:22:42 > 0:22:44we're protected on the north side by a hill.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Predecessors, 200, 300 years ago
0:22:46 > 0:22:48knew that they needed to protect this environment,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50so they planted the policy trees.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52And then, way further out,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55we have then another layer of protection as well.
0:22:55 > 0:22:56And we have the hills beyond that.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58So there's layer upon layer upon layer
0:22:58 > 0:23:02of microclimates heading down to where we finally are here.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05And these walls, of course, perform a fantastic function.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Not only do they divide the garden up and create the terraces,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11but they also create lovely warm spots,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14south-facing, and the heat radiates back out.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16And you've got some interesting specimens over here too.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18A wonderful paulownia,
0:23:18 > 0:23:20with the thicker stems and slightly hirsute.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22The paulownia will have big leaves
0:23:22 > 0:23:24and if it ever gets to flower,
0:23:24 > 0:23:25if we get a hot enough summer,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28it should have a thing that looks like a foxglove flower on it.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31That'd be quite something against the blue sky like today.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35And then the more delicate, twiggy nature of koelreuteria.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37These are specimen trees
0:23:37 > 0:23:38that should be really on the edge.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41But here we have our heat-source radiators here.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44During the day, even with low sunshine in the sky,
0:23:44 > 0:23:46the heat is soaked in by these walls
0:23:46 > 0:23:49and it gradually gives it out over the night,
0:23:49 > 0:23:51so you'll never get that low temperatures
0:23:51 > 0:23:53and everything is really buffered,
0:23:53 > 0:23:55and that gives you just another aspect
0:23:55 > 0:23:59of how we can play with the little microclimates we've got.
0:23:59 > 0:24:00You're not entirely protected here,
0:24:00 > 0:24:02because you have some extreme conditions.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06Not last winter, but the really hard winter of two years ago,
0:24:06 > 0:24:10we went down to -16, -17 degrees, stayed there for three weeks.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14We had a total snowfall depth of 63 inches here,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17but with using the walls, the shelter, the climate, everything...
0:24:17 > 0:24:19I know it's a hot topic at the moment,
0:24:19 > 0:24:23and I think the snow is not going to be good for everybody, but it's actually your friend.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26It can help to insulate and blanket the plants,
0:24:26 > 0:24:28and then it can work in your favour.
0:24:28 > 0:24:29Don't fight nature - go with it.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33Do you think when Lady Sybil Burnett originally conceived and laid the garden out,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36with its successive layers of structure,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38would she have anticipated
0:24:38 > 0:24:42the level of protection that her horticultural specimens would have been afforded?
0:24:42 > 0:24:45I think she knew what she was doing.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49She was collecting plants, talking to other people
0:24:49 > 0:24:53and thinking about what that protection could do within this garden.
0:24:53 > 0:24:54She knew what she was doing,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57and that's allowed us to then take the garden forward.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01This is an autumn-flowering gentian
0:25:01 > 0:25:03which I've been growing in a pot,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06but it's got quite congested and I want to reinvigorate it,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09so I'll pull off some of the old foliage that's on the top there.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11This comes away quite easily, the dead material.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Then you're left with these fresh young shoots.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16Now, on the top,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18we have the shoots, and underneath those,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21this wonderful arrangement of thong-like roots.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Now these are the ones which give it the energy
0:25:24 > 0:25:26to grow right through the summer,
0:25:26 > 0:25:28produce lots and lots of foliage,
0:25:28 > 0:25:30and then big buds and superb flowers,
0:25:30 > 0:25:34which will appear somewhere around October, November,
0:25:34 > 0:25:36because this is a late-flowering one.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38So, if you rush, you've still got time to do it.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Plant them out in the garden, split them up that way,
0:25:40 > 0:25:44or, indeed, grow them in a container with ericaceous compost
0:25:44 > 0:25:47and you can move it around the garden to where the sun strikes it
0:25:47 > 0:25:48in the autumn period.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53It's quite some time since we looked at our fedge,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56which is defined as a living fence.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Made from willow,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00it comes at this height,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02gives you an instant barrier,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05and it the first few years, it leafs out all the way down,
0:26:05 > 0:26:07but with time,
0:26:07 > 0:26:08all the growth has gone to the top.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12You can see where we've been cutting back the top growth.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15In the meantime, some of the shoots have died.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Here they are. And they will be cut back
0:26:17 > 0:26:20to make room for a whole series of...
0:26:20 > 0:26:23hardwood cuttings
0:26:23 > 0:26:26planted into the base. Look at that.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Give them half a chance and they will start to green up
0:26:30 > 0:26:32and we'll be back to where we started.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38I would just like to take the opportunity
0:26:38 > 0:26:40of looking at what I think is a really good planting combination
0:26:40 > 0:26:42at this time of year.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45We've got the wonderful hebe here, Red Edge,
0:26:45 > 0:26:46which of course is evergreen
0:26:46 > 0:26:48and it gives us interest for 12 months of the year.
0:26:48 > 0:26:53And that foliage, well, it's a maroony-pink. I think it really is gorgeous.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55And then next to it, well,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58here we've got the sort of early spring interest,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00with the stinking hellebore.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02OK, you maybe don't like the name,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05but isn't it lovely with these bell-shaped flowers?
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Well, I don't think I've seen this jacquemontii bark looking better.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13It's quite stunning, isn't it?
0:27:13 > 0:27:17Absolutely. And normally, you see, if you rub your hands over these,
0:27:17 > 0:27:18they come off with a dust on them.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21But there's nothing there. I think they're enhanced!
0:27:21 > 0:27:23I feel you've got to touch it, actually. It is beautiful.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25And the gardeners, what they've been doing
0:27:25 > 0:27:29is just using a soft cloth on it. Not a scrubbing brush or anything.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31- I've heard people use a little nail brush to...- Mmm.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33They've little else to do with their time!
0:27:33 > 0:27:35- But it's beautiful, isn't it?- It is.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38What about the bamboo? I think that looks great.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41Like this birch, I think they're looking as good as we've ever seen them.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43Don't go too close - you might disturb the panda!
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Look at the colours of the stems on that.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47It's a real golden colour, isn't it?
0:27:47 > 0:27:50And the golden colour is echoed in the golden yew,
0:27:50 > 0:27:52but also, look at the cryptomeria. Isn't that brilliant?
0:27:52 > 0:27:56- Some people think it's dying, but that's the winter colour. - It's the way it should be.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59If you'd like any more information about this week's programme,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02especially all those plant names, it's all in the factsheet.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05And the easiest way to access that is online.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08And don't forget as well, we're on Facebook and Twitter.
0:28:08 > 0:28:09And next week...
0:28:09 > 0:28:11And next week... Yes, I'm hedging my bets.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14I'm under cover and I'm going to be looking at house plants.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Well, I'm having a humungous battle with a hosta
0:28:17 > 0:28:19somewhere up in the Secret Garden.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23So we'll keep a watch out to be sure you come back from that, George!
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Well, with fingers crossed, toes crossed, legs crossed,
0:28:25 > 0:28:29I MIGHT just get a few early potatoes planted next week.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32- Until then, goodbye.- Bye!- Bye!
0:28:38 > 0:28:40Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd