0:00:11 > 0:00:15- Have you got the factor on? - I have a little bit, yes.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18It's quite hot, isn't it? Hello and welcome to Beechgrove.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20I should say welcome to the fruit cage!
0:00:20 > 0:00:22My colleagues are here to help me solve a wee problem.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26First of all, George, an old problem in these rasps.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28We were worried about the growth that was in this,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31we thought it was drainage, so we lifted a clump either end
0:00:31 > 0:00:33and put it in a big bottomless pot
0:00:33 > 0:00:36to see if that was going to help the things to grow.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39- So slightly higher than the ground? - Yes, better drainage we thought.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42- Conclusive result?- Didnae work!
0:00:42 > 0:00:45They've all decided to grow well now, so...
0:00:45 > 0:00:48That wasn't the problem at the time, but they're coming away now.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52Here we've got the conventional summer-fruiting raspberry.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56This is Glen Fyne - a new variety. Ticks all the boxes.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58And the bonus is that the stems are thornless.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01I think that's brilliant, Jim. You're holding on to the cane.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05That was the cane from last year, producing the fruit for this year.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08- Correct.- While on the autumn-flowering ones,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11we have the flowers right on the end of the new cane
0:01:11 > 0:01:13which has grown right from ground level.
0:01:13 > 0:01:18And the question is, are there too many canes?
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Should we thin them out?
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Because we're not going to be picking fruit until September,
0:01:23 > 0:01:26October. Days are shortening, the light is poor.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30I find so many of the fruits get affected by botrytis...
0:01:30 > 0:01:33- So you need good ventilation, don't you?- Exactly. And more light.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36- So how many will you take out? - About a third.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39- Sounds good to me.- Fine.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42I shall take the blame if it all goes wrong!
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Meanwhile, in the rest of the programme...
0:01:46 > 0:01:49It's my second visit to the kitchen garden at Scone Palace
0:01:49 > 0:01:52and, you know, it's not just about the vegetables.
0:01:52 > 0:01:53And I'm also in a garden
0:01:53 > 0:01:55where the bees are in charge.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Well, this is going to prove to be a fruity programme
0:02:02 > 0:02:04because I've moved over from the rasps
0:02:04 > 0:02:05where there's a job to be done there
0:02:05 > 0:02:08to these gooseberries and redcurrants
0:02:08 > 0:02:10where there's a job to be done as well.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14Interestingly, we had a letter from someone on the Moray Coast,
0:02:14 > 0:02:17well north of here, saying how big the gooseberries were
0:02:17 > 0:02:20at this time of the year. I'd say they're just about normal,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23ours are looking pretty good. Ripening nicely.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26What I'm concerned about is the summer pruning.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Normally we would suggest to people
0:02:28 > 0:02:31that you don't start to summer prune these little shoots
0:02:31 > 0:02:35until they start to ripen a little bit at the base, and become woody.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39I'm more concerned with the fact that the energy being expended
0:02:39 > 0:02:42by all this growth is going to be wasted
0:02:42 > 0:02:44because we're going to cut it off.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47I want the energy to go into developing the actual fruits,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50so I'm going to start summer pruning now.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53I'm not just taking the tip off, I'm coming out about a hand-span
0:02:53 > 0:02:57from the wood and I'll go over the whole bush.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00That energy goes into better fruit
0:03:00 > 0:03:03and the bonus is it lets the light in
0:03:03 > 0:03:05and so helps the ripening process.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08The same thing goes with redcurrants.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Look at the growth on these guys!
0:03:10 > 0:03:12They're enormous - look at that!
0:03:12 > 0:03:14And a wonderful crop coming along,
0:03:14 > 0:03:16so I'm going to start with this
0:03:16 > 0:03:19and it's going to get a real haircut.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24At the moment, I want to expose that fruit and make it really good stuff.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28Just over there we've got some blueberries doing the same thing.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32With us, they tend to do better outdoors than they do indoors.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Talking of indoors, Mr A has gone down to the fruit house.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38He'll be ogling the cherries down there.
0:03:39 > 0:03:44Look at these - are these not just splendid? Absolutely super crop.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47The bees have been in here, done their business pretty well.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49However, if you shake it, what will happen is
0:03:49 > 0:03:52you get one or two red cherries
0:03:52 > 0:03:56coming off and you think, "What's happened here?"
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Well, I'll show you what's happened.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01This cherry here...
0:04:01 > 0:04:04When we split it open, the kernel inside the stone
0:04:04 > 0:04:06is a little bit wizened
0:04:06 > 0:04:10and the reason is that it's not been fertilised.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14So the plant has no reason to grow that on to maturity
0:04:14 > 0:04:17because nothing will happen - it will never make a new plant,
0:04:17 > 0:04:19so the plant discards it.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22We get what's called June drop in many plants -
0:04:22 > 0:04:26apples, plums, cherries, pears.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30However, here at Beechgrove, the June drop outside normally occurs
0:04:30 > 0:04:35somewhere in July, so we're a wee bit later up here.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39The vine is doing marvellously well at the moment.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43This is the main plant in the fruit house and if you look,
0:04:43 > 0:04:47we've got this wonderful little bunch of fruit there.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52I've got to get as much energy into that as I possibly can.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56So I'll prune this right up there
0:04:56 > 0:05:00to make sure that there is one leaf past the bunch
0:05:00 > 0:05:02and that allows me
0:05:02 > 0:05:04to get the sun into the bunch, gets the energy in.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09What will happen now is when I've pruned that back, the side shoots,
0:05:09 > 0:05:15which will inevitably develop between the leaf stalk and stem,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18these will grow furiously and take the feeding away from the fruit.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21So I've got to come back later
0:05:21 > 0:05:25and make sure that I pinch the tops out of those to one leaf as well.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29So one leaf past and then the side shoots, one leaf only.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33That way, we'll get a good crop, we put the energy into the fruit,
0:05:33 > 0:05:34get the sunshine into the fruit.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37We've got enough leaves to make the sugar to put into the fruit...
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Gosh, it should be good!
0:05:39 > 0:05:42What we've got to do is make sure we come out every day,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45because if you don't - look! They'll be out the ventilator!
0:05:45 > 0:05:46It's nearly happened already.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50Don't go on holiday when you've got a vine in the glasshouse.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Round this side,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55we have a fig which I gave...
0:05:56 > 0:05:59Well, I gave it a terrible haircut about two years ago,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02but look what's happened! Look at the growth on that.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05That, now, the young shoots which were produced
0:06:05 > 0:06:07produced the figs last year.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11These figs came through the winter and they are now starting to grow.
0:06:11 > 0:06:16What I've got to do with this is make sure I tie back these shoots,
0:06:16 > 0:06:17make sure they're in the right place
0:06:17 > 0:06:20so the sunshine can get into the fruits themselves.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23This breastwood - which is this stuff
0:06:23 > 0:06:26coming straight out from the main plant -
0:06:26 > 0:06:29what I do is just spur that back to about two leaves.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33Again, the energy goes into the fruit. There's a cracker, look.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36I wouldn't want to cut that off - I'll tie that one in.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38There's another one there.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40It's going to look a bit messy to begin with,
0:06:40 > 0:06:41but I'll make sure it's tidied up
0:06:41 > 0:06:45because everything we grow should look smart.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48However, it's not all well.
0:06:48 > 0:06:49See that there?
0:06:49 > 0:06:52These fruits here are a pale yellow.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54They should be this dark, lustrous green.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59These ones, like the cherries, have not been properly fertilised,
0:06:59 > 0:07:02so the pollination has gone wrong somewhere.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06These we will just take off, let the energy go into the proper fruits.
0:07:06 > 0:07:07Then we'll be OK.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10About a month ago, back in May,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Carole was on her second visit to the walled garden at Scone.
0:07:14 > 0:07:19CLASSICAL MUSIC
0:07:20 > 0:07:23I'm back in Perthshire for my second visit to the kitchen garden
0:07:23 > 0:07:25at Scone Palace.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Brian Cunningham, the head gardener, is in charge of supplying
0:07:29 > 0:07:33a range of vegetables, fruit and ornamentals for the palace.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Brian, the cut flowers are looking great
0:07:41 > 0:07:43and you use those in the palace.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Are there any you'd say, "I'm not going to grow this again?"
0:07:45 > 0:07:47I wouldn't grow Orange Favourite again -
0:07:47 > 0:07:52it didn't really keep its shape very well, they'd all fall open and loose.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Whereas Mickey Mouse has just been wonderful.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57That's a stunning one with the yellow and red.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00I notice with the daffodils you've got a white theme.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03I've always had a thing for the white daffodils and in particular
0:08:03 > 0:08:04Sir Winston Churchill.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07Multi-headed, and cracking scent, as well.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09I think value for money with that one.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14We never had a chance the last time to speak about the deep beds.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Yeah - I love them.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19They're nice, they're clean, they're practical,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21you can have one person working either side
0:08:21 > 0:08:23and easily reach into the middle of the bed.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26So you don't stand on the soil, you've mulched it to keep down
0:08:26 > 0:08:29the weeds and this will be good for the children for planting.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31Just perfect.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38This year, local schoolchildren are visiting Scone through
0:08:38 > 0:08:42the whole season, learning how to grow crops from seed to plate.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Can the spring onion planters head over to this bed over here?
0:08:46 > 0:08:49The beetroot planters, you're staying here.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53OK, the first job we're going to do is take out any of these big lumps
0:08:53 > 0:08:57with your hands and make it nice and soft and level.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02We'll use these sticks as the space in between each plant.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06Get a wee hole with our finger, about 2 or 3cm deep...
0:09:06 > 0:09:09Get a plug, pop it in the hole,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11some soil around it
0:09:11 > 0:09:13and a gentle firm, and there we go.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Over to you, Connor.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22- Do you like beetroot?- Mm-hm. I like planting it!
0:09:22 > 0:09:24I'll hold this up again.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27- Hold the leaves.- Pop!
0:09:27 > 0:09:30And you've got a perfect hole there, haven't you?
0:09:30 > 0:09:32- That's brilliant.- There you go.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39- Hey, look at these potatoes, aren't they brilliant?- Yeah!
0:09:40 > 0:09:44- Who was planting that side?- Me. - It was you?
0:09:44 > 0:09:46- Look, that looks the furthest on, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49They're looking very healthy, aren't they?
0:09:49 > 0:09:52- Yeah.- Have you planted potatoes in pots?
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Yes, we tried to show the kids two different methods of doing them,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58so we have this method, under plastic -
0:09:58 > 0:10:00and this is as much to keep the maintenance down for us
0:10:00 > 0:10:03as anything else - and we've also got them in pots,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06so in a few weeks' time when they come back, I'm sure the potatoes
0:10:06 > 0:10:09will have grown and we'll put some more compost in
0:10:09 > 0:10:10and keep building them up.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13- Hopefully, they'll have a pot full of potatoes to take home.- Yay!
0:10:13 > 0:10:17Which will be brilliant. I've noticed the hawk over there.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20Why do you think that's in the garden?
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Oh, everybody wants to answer!
0:10:22 > 0:10:23Cara?
0:10:23 > 0:10:26- It's so the birds don't eat all the plants.- What birds?
0:10:26 > 0:10:27The crows and stuff.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31- What else you think maybe would come into the garden?- Pigeons.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33Pigeons! That's the one.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Keep the pigeons off.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42I think we were here, weren't we, last time?
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Girls, you were planting these lettuce, weren't you?
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Boys, you were doing these.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Lindsay, what's happened in the corner there?
0:10:50 > 0:10:52These little six lettuce, they got munched by mice,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54so they're still struggling to grow back.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57That's why they're smaller than the rest.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Brian, it looks like you've been doing a bit of harvesting.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04Basically, all the hard work from the children has been harvested
0:11:04 > 0:11:07and taken down to the palace kitchens and all the visitors we've had over
0:11:07 > 0:11:09the Easter holidays have been enjoying your hard work.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11That's brilliant, isn't it?
0:11:12 > 0:11:15I think there's a bit of planting and a bit of sowing,
0:11:15 > 0:11:18so we'll pick up some trowels.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20Obviously, a herb garden.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Who recognises some of these plants?
0:11:22 > 0:11:24That's rosemary.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28- With the lovely light blue flowers? - Yes.- What else do you recognise?
0:11:28 > 0:11:32- Lavender.- Mm! And what about this one here?- Parsley.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Mm! Really nice, but I think
0:11:34 > 0:11:36we should get cracking and do some work,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39so the three of us, we'll do some planting
0:11:39 > 0:11:41and you're going to do some sowing.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Put it in your left hand, like that...
0:11:48 > 0:11:51That's it, you're doing fine.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Right, I think you're experts at planting now, aren't you?
0:11:54 > 0:11:56You know what to do.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58That's where the plant's got to go,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01so that's where you've got to dig your hole. Yeah?
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Cor, you're quicker than me!
0:12:05 > 0:12:07I'm doing too much chatting here!
0:12:08 > 0:12:11So we'll go and water these in and give them a wee drink,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14then when you come back in a month, we'll see how they're doing.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22It's not just the schoolchildren that are helping out today.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25There are a group of volunteers that have been coming here - I think
0:12:25 > 0:12:30- I'm right in saying this is your second season, Mary?- Yes, it is.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34- What do you get out of this? - Oh, lots of fun and energy.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39It's lovely - you plant the bulb and see it sprouting up and flourishing.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Look at the display we've got.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45And Alison, not only do you come here, you also bring the Brownies.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Yes, Brian very kindly let us bring them round last year
0:12:49 > 0:12:53and we planted some bulbs, some grape hyacinths, in little pots.
0:12:53 > 0:12:54Wonderful.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57It's great to see so many people involved. And Lindsay,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00- this is your first season in the garden.- That's right.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02It's my first job out of training,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05so really delighted to have a job here.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08I'm loving it too and the great thing is I'm going to be
0:13:08 > 0:13:11coming back in a couple of months' time and I hope then that we'll
0:13:11 > 0:13:14be having a bit of a harvest and tasting some of the crops.
0:13:14 > 0:13:15Lovely, look forward to that!
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Right then, Georgie boy.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32This used to be the dry riverbed - how's your gentian river doing?
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Looks super, doesn't it? They're starting to grow.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Believe it or not, they look small now, but they're actually
0:13:37 > 0:13:41possibly twice the size they were when we planted them.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45- They're obviously loving it.- I would say so. Where do you want this lot?
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Well, up the top. Follow me?
0:13:47 > 0:13:51I shall follow, yes. I'm not that decrepit yet!
0:13:51 > 0:13:53- Is it part of a bigger project? - Yes.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55We brought the river valley up to here
0:13:55 > 0:13:59and that's going to be a big rock - that's a pretend big rock.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02We'll take out that grass eventually
0:14:02 > 0:14:04and maybe put a wee path through here.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07If you come round here with the mower, you get trapped,
0:14:07 > 0:14:08so you've got to come out somewhere.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11And this will be the top... (PANTS) of the hill!
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Almost the top of the mountain.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16Well, now. Top of the mountain, says you.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19- Yes.- Ice plants!
0:14:19 > 0:14:21Ice plants! Glacier, got it in one.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23What a man.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26But as you go, dear boy, Celmisia,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29from New Zealand - does that live on the top of the mountain?
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Yes, just below the glaciers you get the ice melt...
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Believe me!
0:14:34 > 0:14:37- A wee bit of poetic licence... - Salesman!
0:14:37 > 0:14:41But you told me a story about the flower...
0:14:41 > 0:14:43Let's have it again.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Normally when we get daisies opening,
0:14:45 > 0:14:51the petals are completely formed and closed over the top then open out.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53With Celmisia, it's different.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56What we get with Celmisia is that, that, and...
0:14:56 > 0:14:58Where's a good one?
0:14:58 > 0:15:02There's a bud, there's the flower half open,
0:15:02 > 0:15:05petals are still quite small, and then when it gets to be
0:15:05 > 0:15:08the full, open flower, the petals just expand out like that.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10And will it finish off like this one, then?
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Absolutely. Look at that.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14So they're always growing.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17That will be a plant of interest for about three or four weeks.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21We saw it a fortnight ago at Gardening Scotland.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Anyway, these are the sedums that you had,
0:15:23 > 0:15:26testing out the different varieties.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28And I've brought up some there. Or you have.
0:15:28 > 0:15:34These are things which I think are the best of the ones that were there.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36Are you going...?
0:15:36 > 0:15:38- You hang onto it?- I will indeed.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40They are a bit of a mix and match there, George.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Well, they are. I don't think it really matters, Jim.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46I just want to have a pile of sedums
0:15:46 > 0:15:48up here which will represent
0:15:48 > 0:15:50this glacier effect.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52- OK.- I don't really like variegated plants,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56but this Frosty Morn is a reasonable one.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58- Yes.- Yes. I was almost throwing it out.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02When you're planting at this time of year,
0:16:02 > 0:16:07it's going to be obvious that these root systems are quite dry.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10So this will need a real soaking.
0:16:10 > 0:16:11Can I drop that in?
0:16:11 > 0:16:15Straight in, go on. See the dust coming off? Made to measure.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Other thing which was interesting about these was
0:16:18 > 0:16:22- when I lifted them... You've got a root ball in there?- Yes.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24Let me see, just a second.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27When I lifted these, all the fibrous root... See that?
0:16:27 > 0:16:30- All the fibrous root is up near the top.- Yes.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34Just the top inch and a half, two inches.
0:16:34 > 0:16:35But they're away!
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Yes, there's a bit of depth underneath which
0:16:38 > 0:16:43- we need to keep moist. I wonder if it was not getting enough water.- OK.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46It is after all, a raised bed.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48- Yes.- Where they've been.- Aye.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51But...
0:16:51 > 0:16:53I'll try to keep them separate.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55That's fine, I'll put this one back in.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57Make it look as if it's all one plant.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01I bet you haven't costed this per square metre, boy!
0:17:01 > 0:17:03It's as well...
0:17:03 > 0:17:06- There's two more to come.- That's fine, I've got space for them.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10- A biggie in the middle?- Yes. - In you go.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12What did you put in this preparation?
0:17:12 > 0:17:16This was some old compost and some leaf mould.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19These things like a lot of moisture.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21They really like to be wet.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25What about getting frozen at the top of the mountain?!
0:17:25 > 0:17:26Will they be all right with that?!
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Don't you worry!
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Well, this is all about new plantings going on
0:17:32 > 0:17:35in this poly tunnel, and I'm growing a range of pumpkins.
0:17:35 > 0:17:40I've got four varieties and each of them bears quite small fruits.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42They weigh between 2-4lbs.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45I know that sounds quite a bit, but for pumpkins,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48actually that is quite a low weight.
0:17:48 > 0:17:53We've got things like Baby Bear and Jack Be Little.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56They are growth feeders, so lots of organic matter
0:17:56 > 0:17:58has gone into the bottom of the planting hole.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01They like to be well-watered as well.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03And because they're small fruits,
0:18:03 > 0:18:05we'll leave quite a few flowers on the plants,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08but if you want to grow gigantic pumpkins,
0:18:08 > 0:18:12you only really need to leave one or two flowers on the plant.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15This is the asparagus tunnel and this is the third year.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19We've finally done a bit of cropping and I'm really quite impressed.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21We only let these crop for eight weeks
0:18:21 > 0:18:24and then you have to let the asparagus grow,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28so this turns into a beautiful frond about three or four feet in height.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32The whole idea is that will then put the goodness back into the crown
0:18:32 > 0:18:36and hopefully next year, we'll have an even better crop.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40Outside here, this is something I was encouraging you to have a go at.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44It's all about growing baby salad leaves and on the packet
0:18:44 > 0:18:49it was saying you'd get baby leaves within 21 days.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51Well, this is 21 days to the day,
0:18:51 > 0:18:55and well, the lettuce I'd say is more like micro leaves,
0:18:55 > 0:18:59but one or two things, like this spicy mix here...
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Well, I think that's a baby leaf.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Even the mustard up the top there.
0:19:03 > 0:19:0621 days, we've just about made it.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12KID BLEATS
0:19:16 > 0:19:20I've come north from Inverness to the beautiful Black Isle.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23I'm just near Munlochy and I'm going to be meeting up with
0:19:23 > 0:19:28JJ Gladwin who has spent the last 18 years creating a haven for wildlife.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38When we came here 18 years ago, there was nothing here at all.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42There was, there were three old apple trees and some lawn.
0:19:42 > 0:19:43And, er...
0:19:43 > 0:19:47it needed something a little formal because the house is quite formal.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51It had saltires on the doors,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54so I just dropped them into the garden
0:19:54 > 0:19:58and split them again and this is the structure.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02What I like about it is the fact you've got very formal structure
0:20:02 > 0:20:06- and then the planting itself is very informal.- Yes.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09A lot of it is haphazard, it's happened itself.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12If things want to be here, it's nice that they're here.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15The Honesty I was given by a great old friend
0:20:15 > 0:20:19and it didn't take immediately, but now it's almost a weed.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22It's wonderful at the beginning of the year for the bees.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25I let it stay and about now, I start hoiking it out.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29- Myosotis, another good one. - Forget-me-nots, they absolutely love.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32There's lots of alliums coming through, which they love.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34- The bistort, they like. - Also, looking back to the structure,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37I really like the way you've shaped the weeping pears.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40Well, when they first went in,
0:20:40 > 0:20:41I didn't shape them.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44And they looked straggly and awful.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46So I clipped them like that
0:20:46 > 0:20:51and they now need three or four clips a year because it gives enough
0:20:51 > 0:20:55of a clipping to allow me to get away
0:20:55 > 0:20:57with the not-so-good planting!
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Oh, I think it's lovely planting, it's really natural.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04But I'd also like to mention that we're fairly north,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08but the Black Isle has a bit of its own microclimate.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10You've got a grape growing outside,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12the wisteria, a fig...
0:21:12 > 0:21:15- Yes.- So you get away with quite a few plants that might be
0:21:15 > 0:21:17- on the tender side. - We're very lucky.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21We are 60 feet above sea level only and we're a mile or so
0:21:21 > 0:21:25from the coast, and I suppose the Black Isle itself
0:21:25 > 0:21:30is in the middle of the Moray Firth so it really is quite mild here -
0:21:30 > 0:21:32but windy.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35We're very lucky today, there's not a breath of wind.
0:21:35 > 0:21:36Absolutely superb.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46JJ, this is really amazing.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48Such mass planting!
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Well, the mass planting did itself,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53because all this was here.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56All we've done is help it along by splitting it.
0:21:56 > 0:21:57On the alkanet...
0:21:57 > 0:22:00What's amazing are the bees on it.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Then the bronze fennel...
0:22:02 > 0:22:04I think that's a gorgeous plant.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06It's very pretty, isn't it?
0:22:06 > 0:22:09The idea was to have this diaphanous mist
0:22:09 > 0:22:13moving against the rigidity of the yew hedge.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16It is a very soft foliage, I think it's gorgeous.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20Then you have the thistle-like flowers, the cirsium.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24Yes, there were just five plants that I got
0:22:24 > 0:22:26and they were just taking over
0:22:26 > 0:22:28in the front, so I put them here.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30I'm letting them take over.
0:22:30 > 0:22:31Well, you've got so much land,
0:22:31 > 0:22:33so it's good to have plants that naturally spread.
0:22:33 > 0:22:34Yes.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45There was a survey done here when we first moved on yew trees
0:22:45 > 0:22:48and the age of these yew trees are between 600 and 2,000 years old.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53These yew trees are very important for the birds and bees,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56but a full-grown sycamore
0:22:56 > 0:22:59is the equivalent in flower of about six acres of wildflower meadow.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08What's your philosophy with the vegetable growing?
0:23:08 > 0:23:10We grow everything organically.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13We grow as much for ourselves as we do for the bees.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17- And it's not just yourself, JJ, that helps in the garden.- No, it's not.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20We have the help of people like Nicole here who is
0:23:20 > 0:23:24a WWOOFer - that stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27- They come and help.- So you provide the accommodation and food?
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Absolutely. They spend a lot of time rootling in the garden.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34I really like the way you've got the slates here
0:23:34 > 0:23:35with lots of information.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Yes, it looks nice,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39but also it does give information.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43So the people who have planted the seed might not necessarily be
0:23:43 > 0:23:45coming along to weed it.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47It gives them some chronological history.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- A bit of education. - And education, yes!
0:23:57 > 0:24:02So the mound is the third part of a three-part story.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05There's a cobble circle as you come in the gate
0:24:05 > 0:24:11and a holly hedge which is in a circle which is two-dimensional
0:24:11 > 0:24:14and the mound itself which is three-dimensional.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16It's meant to represent the Holy Trinity,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19so there's a prayer constantly in the garden.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27- So you've even got an orchard!- Yes!
0:24:27 > 0:24:29The hives are next to the orchard
0:24:29 > 0:24:34because their presence increases pollination by 75%.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37The flowers replenish their nectar at different rates
0:24:37 > 0:24:41and so you have for example birdsfoot trefoil, where each floret
0:24:41 > 0:24:43replenishes itself after 24 hours,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46and borage, after every two minutes.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48That's incredible!
0:24:48 > 0:24:52What I've noticed is you've got such variety from the formal planting,
0:24:52 > 0:24:54informal planting, edible,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57ornamental and all that wildlife -
0:24:57 > 0:24:59and just listen to the birds!
0:24:59 > 0:25:01- Thank you so much.- Thank you.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Four weeks ago, we sowed poppies in pots
0:25:09 > 0:25:14and also on a piece of land which we'd roughly cultivated and raked.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15They had to take their chance.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19What's happened is that there's plenty of things taking their chance!
0:25:19 > 0:25:21There's weeds growing all over the place.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Normally, when we sow hardy annuals, we would sow them in rows
0:25:25 > 0:25:28so we can see where they are. Here, it's pot luck.
0:25:28 > 0:25:33They've got to take that chance. But poppies are hardy, they're survivors.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35We'll see them later on.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38When we normally think about a bedding display,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42it's usually the ornamentals or flowers, but how about this?
0:25:42 > 0:25:45This is our lettuce lattice. I'm so pleased with it.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48I'm going to pick out one variety - this one here -
0:25:48 > 0:25:50a looseleaf called Bijou.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Look at the colour of that!
0:25:52 > 0:25:54It reminds me of beetroot.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57We'll take a closer look in a couple of weeks' time.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01Well, it's laburnum time in this part of the world.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04I thought you'd like to see this Laburnum vossii
0:26:04 > 0:26:05I trained as an espalier -
0:26:05 > 0:26:07it might give some of you an idea.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09Alchemilla mollis underneath is quite nice, isn't it?
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Here's a wee colour combination for the corner of your garden.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16This is in the Silver Garden here at Beechgrove.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19Starting with the silver willow in the foreground,
0:26:19 > 0:26:23these wonderful balls of the allium flowers through onto a slight
0:26:23 > 0:26:27smokiness which you get in this very dark purple Sambucus.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31And it's all set off just on a simple green background. Easy.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36Some other flowers that are looking really good at the moment
0:26:36 > 0:26:38are these chives in the herb garden.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40I have three different types of chives.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44We've got the straightforward species with the mauve flowers,
0:26:44 > 0:26:48then right in front is a variety called Pink Perfection,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50and behind me - I think this one is really unusual -
0:26:50 > 0:26:53it's called Black Isle Blush.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Now, we know we can eat the stems, but you can also eat the flowers.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59You can put them into salads and make it really decorative,
0:26:59 > 0:27:01but also it's a really great bee plant.
0:27:04 > 0:27:05Now then, troops.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09This side of the steps we planted a number of herbaceous plants
0:27:09 > 0:27:12and the idea was to see how quickly they would cover a square metre,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16from the point of view of weed control and all the rest.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19I think the geranium macrorrhizum is the winner, this side.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22It's a fantastic plant - I've got it at home in the shade
0:27:22 > 0:27:24and it spreads and spreads.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26The scent when you cut it is just magical.
0:27:26 > 0:27:31- That was only put in last year? - Yes, indeed.- Ingwersen's variety.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33And the lamium comes second - it's a wee bit spotty,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36- but by jingo, it's covering the ground, isn't it?- Lovely.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39- Beacon Silver, that one. - The other side, some shrubs
0:27:39 > 0:27:42across there and I reckon the vinca
0:27:42 > 0:27:45and the little thyme at the far end...
0:27:45 > 0:27:47are the two best.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49Called Red Carpet - quite appropriate, isn't it?
0:27:49 > 0:27:50It's done a lovely carpet there.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Very dense - nothing going to grow through that, is there?
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Isn't it strange - we would have had preconceived ideas
0:27:55 > 0:27:58before we planted them of what was going to be the winner.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01- You can't tell.- Are we leaving them in for a little while longer?
0:28:01 > 0:28:02I think the end of season
0:28:02 > 0:28:05because there are other things we want to do and we're short of space.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07There's always something we want to do,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10but if you'd like any information about this week's programme
0:28:10 > 0:28:11it's all in the fact sheet.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14The easiest way to access that is on the website.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16Do you wish to add anything, Mr Anderson?
0:28:16 > 0:28:19- No, it's a very interesting week next week, as you know.- It is indeed.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23The programme is sometimes called A Gardener's Question Time.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27Believe it or not, next week we're delighted to be playing host
0:28:27 > 0:28:29to the real Gardeners' Question Time.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31The whole team from Radio 4 are coming up here
0:28:31 > 0:28:34and we're going to have a jamboree of questions.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37- Right?- We are.- Mm!- Until then, Bye.- Bye!- Bye.