0:00:15 > 0:00:17Well, hello and welcome to Beechgrove. I've drawn
0:00:17 > 0:00:19the short straw this morning. Temperature outside
0:00:19 > 0:00:22is already past 20, goodness knows what's like in here,
0:00:22 > 0:00:26but it's tomato-planting time, and I'm getting these bags ready
0:00:26 > 0:00:31and I'm doing my morning work-out, because they are in a terrible state.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34They are heavy, heavy, heavy and, therefore, they are very wet inside.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37Here's some of the compost from a bag that was burst
0:00:37 > 0:00:40and it's really not ready for planting.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45I should've been planting tomatoes today, but I'm not going to because this stuff is an awful state,
0:00:45 > 0:00:49simply because the bags are actually stored out of doors
0:00:49 > 0:00:52and they're compacted, and that's no way that you should be
0:00:52 > 0:00:54expecting plans to get away quickly.
0:00:54 > 0:01:00But the system is simple - nine varieties, all in the same compost.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Because we've had quite a few comments from people saying
0:01:03 > 0:01:05that their tomatoes lost their flavour.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07One chum up in Peterhead,
0:01:07 > 0:01:13colloquially known as The Blue Toon, grew Shirley last year, and Sungold.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16Sungold no problem, lovely flavour. Shirley, no flavour at all.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19But what is flavour? It's such a subjective thing.
0:01:19 > 0:01:20Well, we're going to try and find out -
0:01:20 > 0:01:23nine different varieties, all in the same compost,
0:01:23 > 0:01:27and later in the season we will formulate a wee test
0:01:27 > 0:01:30and all the crew will get to test it and we'll see what happens.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32But in the meantime, I can make them ready,
0:01:32 > 0:01:34this is how we grow our tomatoes here this time -
0:01:34 > 0:01:37in a grow bag with these on the top. Reason?
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Well, the compost in here will go in there.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43Plant the plants in the top here
0:01:43 > 0:01:48and the vertical from there to the ground gives sufficient for drainage
0:01:48 > 0:01:51to work effectively, because as the season progresses, if you're
0:01:51 > 0:01:55in the bag itself, it gets flatter and flatter and flatter.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Air is excluded and the thing is just gummed up with water.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01That's why the instructions are to cut slits in the side.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05Don't like that at all, so mine always grow in this fashion.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07And they'll get away to a marvellous start.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Now then, in the rest of the programme...
0:02:11 > 0:02:14This is one way of reusing your tree stumps.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16But this week, we've found an alternative.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25And my principal task this week was to find some stunning flower colour.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27And, by George, I think I've cracked it.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Well, this tree here, the Blue Cedar, makes a lovely focal point
0:02:37 > 0:02:38on our main lawn.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42But you can see the branches are really growing and, well, to make it
0:02:42 > 0:02:47easier to cut the grass, we thought we'd make the border a little bit wider.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51So what you need, basically, is an edging iron just to cut the turf -
0:02:51 > 0:02:53make a nice, neat cut with it.
0:02:53 > 0:02:59And then to lift it, this is Jim's tool, it's a turf lifter,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02and, you know, it's really quite heavy and I've never used one.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06Personally, I prefer to just use a border spade.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09And what you want to try and do is lift up between an inch
0:03:09 > 0:03:13to two inches, so that's about 2.5 to five centimetres.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15I've already started this one,
0:03:15 > 0:03:21and you've just got to keep it at a flat angle and that's it.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26And, hopefully, that's not too bad underneath.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28Now, I've got a cunning plan
0:03:28 > 0:03:31because we're going to use this elsewhere in the garden.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36Since I'm passing the pond, it's great to have a look at it -
0:03:36 > 0:03:39wonderful in the sunshine, great reflections
0:03:39 > 0:03:44and those Marsh Marigolds look really wonderful in the sun, too.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Now, this is the area where I want to do a little bit of turfing
0:03:47 > 0:03:50and I'm also going to be sowing some seed.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54So we were saying, initially, you know, when you lift your turf,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57try and get it as even as possible, but that's not always possible.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01And I find that a little piece of angled aluminium is the answer,
0:04:01 > 0:04:03it's a bit like a knife.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06So, basically, you can go along like this,
0:04:06 > 0:04:10turn it round...and scrape a little bit more off.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16And that makes it much easier to lay down
0:04:16 > 0:04:21and we just butt it against the one there - bit of soil around it.
0:04:21 > 0:04:26Now you might wonder why on earth am I putting turf here on the edge?
0:04:26 > 0:04:29Well, basically, this has got to be a little bit proud of the path,
0:04:29 > 0:04:33so that when you're cutting it, you're not ruining the mower blades.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Or, if that was against a border, it really is quite a good idea,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40if you're doing a repair, that you have turf on the edge
0:04:40 > 0:04:43and then you can sow the other side.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45So, what we have done is we've put the soil down
0:04:45 > 0:04:48and you do this little sort of shuffle walk -
0:04:48 > 0:04:52you use your heels and then you firm it down, give it a good rake.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56The next stage is that you've got it nice and level with the turf,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59we've put on some general purpose fertiliser
0:04:59 > 0:05:01and then it comes to the sowing.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06And I think the easiest way to do this is to try out one area,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09so what I've done is I've actually measured out the amount
0:05:09 > 0:05:13of grass seed you need for a square metre, it's about 25 grams,
0:05:13 > 0:05:17and you just, basically, sprinkle this on and it gives you
0:05:17 > 0:05:23an idea of how it looks like when you've actually finished it off.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27And I've measured this out, it's actually about eight square metres
0:05:27 > 0:05:31that we need, and so I've actually split the seed into two.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33The reason for that is what I would do is
0:05:33 > 0:05:37I would sow one one way and then I would go across the other way
0:05:37 > 0:05:41with the other sowing and it just makes sure that you get even distribution.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44The other thing I should mention is the grass seed that
0:05:44 > 0:05:47I've used has actually got a little bit of Perennial Ryegrass
0:05:47 > 0:05:49in it, so it's nice and hard-wearing.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52We're not going for the bowling-green type of grass here.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Finally, you can see how dry the soil is,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58so once I finish this, we're going to have to get the sprinkler on.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09Our garden visit this week brings me
0:06:09 > 0:06:14to Argyll in search of colour and, by Jingo, I think we've succeeded.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17We've come to the National Trust for Scotland garden at Crarae
0:06:17 > 0:06:21which is on the shores of Loch Fyne over there.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23It's an east-facing garden, it is
0:06:23 > 0:06:27renowned for its plant collections, in particular Rhododendrons,
0:06:27 > 0:06:29and I'm off to meet the head gardener, Nigel Price.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42- Hello, Nigel. How are you? - Jim, welcome to Crarae.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45- Nice to see you, dear boy. - Thank you for bringing the sun.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48- It's about, what, five, six years since I was here last?- Six years.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52- Carole Baxter sends her best wishes to you. She hasn't seen you for a while.- Yes.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54But here we are in this fabulous garden.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57Can you remind us a wee bit about the history of it?
0:06:57 > 0:06:59It's about 100 years old.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03So it was started Grace Lady Campbell, that's the big house here.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06She was responsible for planting around the house, a little bit
0:07:06 > 0:07:09on the side of the burn, and then her son,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Sir George, took over and planted what you'll see later.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14And when did the National Trust take ownership?
0:07:14 > 0:07:18- We took ownership 11 years ago. - And how many of you are there?
0:07:18 > 0:07:21There's two-and-a-half of us - I'm the half.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25- Looking after this whole area on behalf of the nation.- Exactly.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29- 100 acres.- How do you measure a steep gorge like that?
0:07:29 > 0:07:32I mean, this is the nearest you'll see to a Nepalese gorge, isn't it?
0:07:32 > 0:07:35It really is. It just looks like somewhere in the Himalayas.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39- Fantastic. You've got much the same aspect as Brodick Castle.- Yes.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44- Doesn't it? You're, kind of, east-facing, so you're open to some of these horrendous winds?- Yes.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46And, unfortunately, we are losing bits of windbreak,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48so it is tending to get...
0:07:48 > 0:07:52- So vital.- But in the gorge, we've got perfect shelter.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Now, just slow down, young fella, me lad. I'll be out of breath.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Well, just have a rest here for a moment.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12I'll tell you what occurs to me when I come to Crarae and other gardens of this ilk.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14There's a collection of plants here from all over the place
0:08:14 > 0:08:17and they're so happy in each other's company.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21- Especially the Rhododendrons. - Yes, they're at home here.- Yes.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Very often you will see young seedlings coming up,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25self-sown seedlings.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28So, in fact, it's the right place for them to bring up their children.
0:08:28 > 0:08:29It certainly is.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Now, earlier on, you said, Nigel, that this
0:08:38 > 0:08:42whole place was something like 100 acres.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Are the whole hundred acres available to be seen?
0:08:45 > 0:08:48No, only 50 acres are open at the moment.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50We'd love to get the other 50 open, as well.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52The other 50 was actually a forestry experiment
0:08:52 > 0:08:55created by Sir George from the 1930s on.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57And are we looking at part of that here?
0:08:57 > 0:09:02- In the background, you can see these huge trees are some of the plots that he planted.- Plots?
0:09:02 > 0:09:04There's about 100 different plots...
0:09:04 > 0:09:07- Oh, really?- ..of some really quite unusual species.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10So, these have never been seen in this country before
0:09:10 > 0:09:13- when they arrived?- That's correct, yes.- And he got to find out...
0:09:13 > 0:09:17- He was seeing if they were actually suitable.- What a vision.- Absolutely.
0:09:17 > 0:09:18What a vision, eh?
0:09:18 > 0:09:20Like the rest of the woodland garden, great visionary.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Which way now?
0:09:28 > 0:09:30What's this one, Nigel?
0:09:30 > 0:09:34This is Rhododendron Calophytum from Sichuan province in China.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38OK. Even the sort of shape of the leaf and the seed head
0:09:38 > 0:09:40and everything - stunning.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44You know, Nigel, that last Rhododendron that we
0:09:44 > 0:09:47talked about there, it's the first one you've actually named.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49Yes.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53Let's just pause a moment and catch what we can see from here.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Now, that fantastic scarlet one, down there. Is it deep crimson?
0:09:57 > 0:10:00That's one called John Holmes,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03named after one of the founders of The Rhododendron Society.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05The lovely lavender colour there which is showing up.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09- That's a Chinese species called Rubiginosum.- Yes, yes.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11And the big pink one across there?
0:10:11 > 0:10:14That amazing pink, that's an Arborium from Nepal.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17But, listen, it strikes me that this
0:10:17 > 0:10:20must have been some place to plant up, because of the typography.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Yes, we are told that Sir George would fill his pockets with
0:10:24 > 0:10:27seeds and seedlings and just abseil down and fill in
0:10:27 > 0:10:29the little nooks and crannies in the rocks.
0:10:29 > 0:10:34So not only had he great vision, but great determination to succeed.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36We hear a lot from people about gardens and they say,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39"Wait a minute, it's just a Rhododendron garden.
0:10:39 > 0:10:45"It's just summer, spring and early summer." But this place
0:10:45 > 0:10:48is an absolute delight in the autumn for autumn colour.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Our autumn colour is stunning.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54And, in fact, in front of us here, we've got two star plants of autumn,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58we've got Disanthus and we've got
0:10:58 > 0:11:01- the Cornus controversa, this lovely tiered plant here.- Yes.
0:11:10 > 0:11:16- Well now, that is what I would call a stoater of a tree. - Isn't it fantastic?
0:11:16 > 0:11:20There's a few boxes of matches to be got out of that! Is there a story?
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Sir George planted that when he was 14, apparently.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24It came from Inveraray Castle.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28- Inveraray Castle, not Inverurie Castle!- Inveraray Castle.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31We don't have a castle. My part of the world.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34This has just been stunning, absolutely stunning.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37- And the weather has been good today, hasn't it?- Yes.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39- We're heading for the pond. - Yes, we are.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44- Is the old what you call it in flower?- There it is, the skunk cabbage.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Wow, yes! The American skunk cabbage.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50- Do you know that's on the alien list?- I'm not surprised.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53There is a good way of getting rid of it, though.
0:11:53 > 0:11:59- Apparently bears love to eat it. - So we need to reintroduce bears.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02It's a stunning plant, absolutely stunning.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Nigel, unfortunately, we have run out of time, dear boy.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07- Thank you for your time. - You're very welcome.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10- Have a super summer. - And you. Thank you.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23What a wonderful garden, Jim, and those rhododendrons are stunning.
0:12:23 > 0:12:24It was nice to be back.
0:12:24 > 0:12:31Things have changed, but it was just lovely to see a bit of colour for a change!
0:12:31 > 0:12:32Yes, and look at this!
0:12:32 > 0:12:35My old man would turn in his grave if he knew I had anything to do with this.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38He used to do the council bedding, didn't he?
0:12:38 > 0:12:42Absolutely, it was one of his specialities. This is a disaster!
0:12:42 > 0:12:44We should say that we have three sections here, of course.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47There are meant to be yellow wallflower and a nice red tulip,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50a single early and double early with two different bases here
0:12:50 > 0:12:52and it's all just fallen apart.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55The tulips will look stunning in about a week's time.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57But the wallflowers are so disappointing.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00They were very tiny when they went in.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02They were cell grown, they weren't grown in the ground.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04I don't believe in this cell grown stuff
0:13:04 > 0:13:07because you just can't get the bulk into the plant before winter arrives.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12You've got to almost put the plant out big to stand the weather.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15So you're a believer that you sow them by the end of June and into July
0:13:15 > 0:13:17and you get nice big plants?
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Yes, plant them and that breaks the root
0:13:20 > 0:13:21and you get a nice bushy plant,
0:13:21 > 0:13:24and by the time you come to bed them out in October,
0:13:24 > 0:13:30- we used to use a spade!- I know, it is such a shame, but also, November, December was very wet.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Not necessarily deep cold but they weren't happy.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Absolutely disastrous there.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37At least we have got an absolutely stunning little myosotis.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39This is beautiful.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42Very often the myosotis shows a little bit of mildew on it.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45It's clean, compact.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47If it just stays there a wee bit longer,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50that tulip should look quite good over the top.
0:13:55 > 0:14:01- They're slow, aren't they? But the pansy is quite nice.- That is denim.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03- That is a cracker. - It is, it is lovely.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06OK, we like the myosotis, we like the pansies.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10Let's take another look at the hyacinths because they are fantastic.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12They've done well.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14Even the Gypsy Queen now looks quite nice
0:14:14 > 0:14:17and there's a yellow one, City of Haarlem, so that's a good news story.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20As they say, all things in paradise are not always perfect,
0:14:20 > 0:14:25- so we come to this little terrace border here.- It is a disaster, Jim.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27The lavender is in its second year
0:14:27 > 0:14:30because it did come through that first winter.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33I never thought French lavender would come through anyway.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38A waste of money. Here, it just doesn't do well.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42We should maybe recap for our viewers on what we've got here
0:14:42 > 0:14:44because this is a terraced area here behind us.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48Down here, we have the silver garden so this border here,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50on that side is a raised bed but on this side, it's not.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52So it warms up one side.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55We thought it was good drainage but it's not enough.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59- Definitely for the French. - It hasn't worked, has it?
0:14:59 > 0:15:03Some of the angustifolia forms are doing OK, that's the English Lavender.
0:15:03 > 0:15:08It's time to say, look, let's start again, what else can we choose?
0:15:08 > 0:15:11That is fair enough, and we are standing here with a few examples.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14This leads into our silver garden.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16That is where we had our 25th anniversary.
0:15:16 > 0:15:21Gosh, we're onto our 35th now, aren't we?
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Catmint.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27Purple and silver, obviously there's a nice association
0:15:27 > 0:15:29and I think that's a good idea.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31It is quite often used in place of lavender.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34I can always remember the double borders at Kellie Castle
0:15:34 > 0:15:37where there should have been a lavender hedge either side,
0:15:37 > 0:15:38it just didn't work.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41Heavy soil, wet soil. Catmint worked up a treat.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44- Dare I say it, that should be hardy.- Yes, yes!
0:15:44 > 0:15:51Artemisia, again, it is lovely. Do you want a bit of height?
0:15:51 > 0:15:56I want something with a more permanent structure, to be honest.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Again, I have my doubts about the heartiness.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01We had it in the seaside garden
0:16:01 > 0:16:03and when we had the really hard winter, it got hammered.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05Holly?
0:16:05 > 0:16:07A bit expensive.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Obviously, if you're going to do a hedge type thing,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12but since these obelisks fall to bits...
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Well, they've only lasted one or two seasons.
0:16:15 > 0:16:21Why not make obelisks of the likes of the Silver Holly and then in between...
0:16:21 > 0:16:26A bit of catmint, or how about that lovely little Lonicera Nitida?
0:16:26 > 0:16:29- There is a variegated form. - I think that's right.
0:16:29 > 0:16:34I'm looking for a formal treatment in this border so it will be clipped.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36So catmint and then go on to a bit of height.
0:16:36 > 0:16:41- And obelisks of the Silver Hollies.- I like the sound of that.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45If you were watching three weeks ago, you would have seen young Christopher
0:16:45 > 0:16:48creating a stumpery, and already the plants in here look superb.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51This one down here, that is really looking much at home.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55So too are the cowslips. We have some ferns and ivy.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58The whole thing looking as though it has always been here.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02That is what you want, but this is quite labour-intensive.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04The boy was quite tired by the time he'd finished.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06So what do you do with stumps?
0:17:08 > 0:17:12That's a really good question and we often get enquiries from our viewers
0:17:12 > 0:17:14about what to do with tree stumps.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Effectively, this is our problem corner,
0:17:17 > 0:17:21because these were conifers that were taken down quite a few years ago,
0:17:21 > 0:17:25and while we've left them in the ground, the good news is they are not resprouting.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28However, if you have things like sycamore or poplar,
0:17:28 > 0:17:32the chances are they will be resprout and what you need to do then
0:17:32 > 0:17:36is use something like a stump killer or even bring in a stump grinder.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40For us, we're just going to leave these in situ
0:17:40 > 0:17:44and create a gravel garden. It's the perfect situation.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46It's open, it's even sunny,
0:17:46 > 0:17:50and what we need to do now is take off the weeds and actually grade the slope.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06We found a couple of problem weeds.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09This is couch grass, and you have to get all these little bits out.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14It spreads. Every little piece produces another plant.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16That is the creeping buttercup.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19That grows from these little thorn-like roots, as well,
0:18:19 > 0:18:21so make sure you get all of that out.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24They're both perennial, so perennial weeds, we don't want them in here.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27There's two schools of thought -
0:18:27 > 0:18:30do we put landscape fabric down or do we not for the gravel garden?
0:18:30 > 0:18:33It is difficult, but this is on a slope and I think,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36if we put fabric down and then put gravel on top of this,
0:18:36 > 0:18:37it's all going to shift.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39I totally agree with you.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43But if you want low maintenance and you don't have a slope,
0:18:43 > 0:18:48- then the answer is to put the fabric down and gravel on top.- Yes.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52But if you don't do that, it means you can actually have self-sown seedlings.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Which have a free rooting zone right down into the soil below.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57So we're going for the naturalistic approach,
0:18:57 > 0:19:00but we will perhaps have to do a little bit of weeding, as well.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03We will have to do some weeding and that will be easy enough
0:19:03 > 0:19:05because of the depth of the gravel, two inches.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07- It's coming on. - What are you doing now?
0:19:07 > 0:19:09Once we've got it completely graded,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12we're going to put a windy path in.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14That's going to be a bark path,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17so that will give differentiation from the top to the bottom.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21- Right, get on with it then! - Oh, you slave driver!
0:19:25 > 0:19:31In order to plant up the grass garden, we're going to beg, borrow and steal from elsewhere.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34I've come to what is the comparative trial we did with grasses.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36These have been planted for a year,
0:19:36 > 0:19:40and what we are going to do here is lift one or two.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44This is a thing called Deschampsia Tatra Gold.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46It is just coming into growth, that is a fantastic plant.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50What we will do with this, we will clean it up a little bit,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54take one or two of the weeds out.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57We will put that in a barrow and divide it up a bit later on.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00One or two of those. There's a thing here called Elijah's Blue.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06I will lift that, as well, that's got a little bit more debris round about it.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09That will divide up and make two or three plants
0:20:09 > 0:20:12and that will look good down by that gold one, as well.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Then we will collect some from elsewhere in the garden.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39Ready, steady, tramp! Don't forget to use your heels.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46So, what we're doing is a final firming.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48How far is it to the South Pole?!
0:20:48 > 0:20:52Then we'll do the final rake, then we're going to mark in a path.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Yes, that's the idea, a little winding path.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58Do you think this is going to start the rain?
0:20:58 > 0:21:01As you can see, we've gathered quite a few plants together,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03many of them have come from the garden.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06You've already seen George lifting those grasses
0:21:06 > 0:21:09and I think they're going to look absolutely magnificent.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12A nice contrast with those grasses are the cocosnias.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16That was a trial that Jim looked at in the last couple of years
0:21:16 > 0:21:19and just imagine, later on in the season,
0:21:19 > 0:21:23you are going to have those lovely vivid colours of the oranges
0:21:23 > 0:21:26and one or two also have yellow flowers, they'll look brilliant.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29I think it's also important to have a little bit of evergreen interest
0:21:29 > 0:21:31and because it is a gravel garden,
0:21:31 > 0:21:35I've chosen one or two that are prostrate conifers.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40This one, this is the Siberian or Russian Carpet Cyprus.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44In ten years, that will spread by about four feet, or 1.2 metres,
0:21:44 > 0:21:48and what's interesting, it's like the cryptomenia japonica.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51In the winter time, it puts on a beautiful bronze foliage.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54It is not dying, that is the interest over the wintertime.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59Added to that, we also have some wonderful euphorbias,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02and now we just need to place the plants.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17When it comes to the planting, we've got to bear in mind
0:22:17 > 0:22:19that we are going to be putting on two inches of gravel
0:22:19 > 0:22:22and the last thing we want to do is swamp the plants,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26so I'm just taking out a very small planting hole,
0:22:26 > 0:22:32I want to tease out the roots of this Euphorbia and we're leaving it proud.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Then, it's basically like mound planting, I'm going to put
0:22:35 > 0:22:41a little bit of soil around the edge and after that, we can add the gravel.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07George, thank goodness we had lots of hands to help us.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Gardeners and even the crew at one point, I think!
0:23:09 > 0:23:13Absolutely, because we have moved so much soil and we have done so much here today
0:23:13 > 0:23:16in making the path and getting all this gravel up, that was hard work.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21I think it's quite nice having a bark path because you have that contrast
0:23:21 > 0:23:25of colours, and with the gravel, we've got two sizes, so a fairly fine gravel.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Then there's this large stuff here
0:23:27 > 0:23:30which we have made into a long swathe here.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35Then we have these punctuation marks with the cobbles, and that is going to be a tall plant.
0:23:35 > 0:23:36These large cobbles around it,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39the big leaves of that will just look splendid.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41That is the Globe Artichoke, isn't it?
0:23:41 > 0:23:43Then they have these punctuation marks which the stumps.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48- I like these.- Some are buried. - We will have to know what was here.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Then we will see them.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54I am pleasantly surprised - already, it looks quite nice, doesn't it?
0:23:54 > 0:23:57You shouldn't be surprised, it was all a vision that you had.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01- We need a seat now, don't we?! - Yes, we do.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14It is brassica planting time.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Four-course rotation brassica plot,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20and that helps to keep at bay the old problem of club root.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23We don't have club root in this garden largely because
0:24:23 > 0:24:27we actually raise our own plants, we take these precautions.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30We try new varieties from time to time.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Right behind me here is one that only has a number.
0:24:33 > 0:24:38Red cabbage, but we try it against Greyhound, which is one of our standard varieties,
0:24:38 > 0:24:40something we do all the time.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Never, ever do a new variety on its own,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44we always have something to refer back to.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46That has worked over the years.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49We also, a few years ago, did a little test to show
0:24:49 > 0:24:52the wider you space these brassicas,
0:24:52 > 0:24:56the longer they will take to mature and the bigger they get.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58So we tend to keep them quite close.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01These ones here are being planted at 40 centimetres apart.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03This is Greyhound Cabbage.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07You will notice them down at the bottom of a V-shaped drill.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10I always seem to garden in windy gardens
0:25:10 > 0:25:12and that gives them a bit of protection.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Then, as you are doing your cultivations, you earth them up,
0:25:15 > 0:25:19so they are really well rooted and they grow perfectly well.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24The two scourges which affect our brassica crops are wood pigeons
0:25:24 > 0:25:28and caterpillars from the cabbage white butterfly.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31So from an early stage, as soon as this row is planted,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33it will be covered up with fleece.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Then as the whole area is planted up,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39we can put our big net frame on it which gives them plenty of space
0:25:39 > 0:25:41but protects them, that's the important thing.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44We'll look forward to some decent crops.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50This is stage two of my standard fuchsia.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52If you remember, we have been removing all the side shoots.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Now what I want to do is make a quarter standard with this one.
0:25:55 > 0:26:00That means you got to have a clear stem of between 30 and 45 centimetres,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02so we've reached that,
0:26:02 > 0:26:05and the next stage is keeping three of these,
0:26:05 > 0:26:07you don't nip out the side shoots,
0:26:07 > 0:26:13and what I've got to do is pinch out the top, and as those grow,
0:26:13 > 0:26:16we keep nipping them out and you'll have a nice, bushy top.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22It only takes a few days of warmth and sunshine like this
0:26:22 > 0:26:26for our greenhouse gradually to become like the desert, it becomes very arid.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28One of the things we have to guard against is that pest,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30the red spider mite.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32The peach has got it, strawberries would have it,
0:26:32 > 0:26:36this cherry would have it, and if you keep the atmosphere fairly moist and damp,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40by constantly spraying water around, it helps a great deal.
0:26:40 > 0:26:45Of course, the problem is that many of you will be out at work all day and can't do that sort of thing.
0:26:45 > 0:26:50At least you can raise the humidity by having a few trays filled with water.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52There they are, evaporating.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54If I go back to the old days
0:26:54 > 0:26:56when we were told to damp down our greenhouse,
0:26:56 > 0:27:00it was, get the hosepipe out, get the water going
0:27:00 > 0:27:04and then stick your hand over the end and give it a bit of a lashing.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08You can almost feel the plants sighing with relief.
0:27:09 > 0:27:14This is a lovely job at the moment, planting up the hanging baskets.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16Yes, this is a new begonia.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20This is a new begonia called Crackling Fire, it's one that we haven't tried before.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23We have different colours so I've got rose, what have you got?
0:27:23 > 0:27:25This is orange yellow.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29We're getting ahead of time because although we are planting these outside,
0:27:29 > 0:27:33they're going to go back in the greenhouse and they won't come out for a couple of weeks.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36They'll have filled out a bit so you're buying time, in a sense.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38They should fill this basket and spill right over.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42- A nice spot to be sat sitting in the sun.- Isn't it gorgeous?
0:27:42 > 0:27:44- Look at the flower colour. - What's your favourite? - I love the sweet pea.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47It is one of the herbaceous perennials sweet peas.
0:27:47 > 0:27:52I like the Drumstick Primulas, the wine red one, white and blue.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54Maybe next week, we should show how to split them up
0:27:54 > 0:27:55and increase the stock.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57We should. What about the radish?
0:27:57 > 0:28:03Yes, hotbed news, hot off the press - that's the hotbed production of radish
0:28:03 > 0:28:08and the ones from the honorary soil, both given the same treatment.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10In four weeks? That's brilliant news.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13It could have been better, I think.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16If you'd like more information about this week's programme,
0:28:16 > 0:28:18especially all these plant names, it's all in the fact sheet.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22The easiest way to access that is online.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24Don't forget you can find us on Twitter and Facebook, as well.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27Next week, I'm amongst the cucumbers, what about you?
0:28:27 > 0:28:32I'm back to the West Coast to another stunning garden.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38- See you next week.- Bye!
0:28:42 > 0:28:46Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd