0:00:12 > 0:00:14Hello, and welcome to Beechgrove
0:00:14 > 0:00:18- and today we're seeing a deluge of dahlias, are we not?- We are!
0:00:18 > 0:00:19Rather than a deluge of rain,
0:00:19 > 0:00:21like it's been this last two or three days.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24- But they've come through the rain. - They have indeed. Explain yourself.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26OK, this is all about the range of dahlias,
0:00:26 > 0:00:30so in other words, ones you can grow for show from tubers,
0:00:30 > 0:00:32ones you can grow from seed and
0:00:32 > 0:00:35we've even brought in some from little plants.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37- Don't fancy these.- Do you not?
0:00:37 > 0:00:39- No, I never think of dahlias as basket plants.- But they...
0:00:39 > 0:00:41I can think of so many other things to put in baskets.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44They've flowered their heads off. I think they've done quite well.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47- It's fireworks. Then you move on... - Anything but!
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Fireworks(!) Let's move on...
0:00:51 > 0:00:55OK, these are the ones that some people would disbud these
0:00:55 > 0:00:58and get big flowers for showing.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00But if you don't, they're great as a cut flower.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04Yes, and you're going to give us a piece next about cut flowers.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07These must be one of the best ever because they keep on flowering.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09I love this one - Bishop of Dover, the dark foliage
0:01:09 > 0:01:12and then obviously the White Cliffs of Dover, the white flowers there.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16- That's nice. It must be a cousin of Llandaff, mustn't it?- It must be.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20But we move from these wonderful colours to another set
0:01:20 > 0:01:22all based on this dark foliage and
0:01:22 > 0:01:24I must admit I LOVE these things.
0:01:24 > 0:01:25They're so easy to look after.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28They are brilliant and that is covering the soil,
0:01:28 > 0:01:32so you haven't got to do any weeding and that variety is Redskin Mix.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35- I think that's a beauty. - Great colour mixes.- Mm!
0:01:35 > 0:01:37But what about this little lot here
0:01:37 > 0:01:39in the corner? Now, then...
0:01:39 > 0:01:41These were the ones that were
0:01:41 > 0:01:43- brought in as little plug plants.- OK.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45A new variety, the Dreamy series.
0:01:45 > 0:01:50Well, I think these are a dream, absolutely stunning.
0:01:50 > 0:01:51That is gorgeous, isn't it?
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Slightly disappointed with this one - the Starlight series.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57I picked them because they should be compact.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59That should only be 16 inches in height.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Well, apart from that one...!
0:02:01 > 0:02:05- They're a bit strange.- Don't believe all you read in the catalogue!
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Finally in the corner there, Reggae.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09- Do you like that?- It's not bad.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12- Doesn't strike, doesn't make me stop.- No, but...
0:02:12 > 0:02:13This makes me stop and think and look
0:02:13 > 0:02:15and the bees love it, look at that.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Don't they? Absolutely love it.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19Meanwhile, on the rest of the programme...
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Eupatorium purpureum, a fine plant for the back of the border.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27But that's not why it's here -
0:02:27 > 0:02:29it's in a border marked...
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Do you want to know more? Keep watching.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37And later in the programme, I'm returning to Speyside,
0:02:37 > 0:02:42this time to a garden that lies at 800 feet above sea level -
0:02:42 > 0:02:44just to see what can be done.
0:02:47 > 0:02:52Well, right next door to our dahlia bed, we have our cut flower plot.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Here I'm growing 12 different varieties that are meant to
0:02:55 > 0:02:57be fairly good for cutting.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59Some I'm slightly disappointed with,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01others I think are absolutely great.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04The orlaya, we've grown this one before - it has peaked
0:03:04 > 0:03:06and it did look really nice,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09but this is a compact variety called Snowballs
0:03:09 > 0:03:11and I think we're better off with the straight species
0:03:11 > 0:03:15which is a lot taller and therefore better as a cut flower.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18I think this is really nice, the cornflower.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Normally we think of the blue one, more traditional,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25but this one's called Black Ball. I think Nigella here, she's lovely.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28The white and black on the top, lovely contrast
0:03:28 > 0:03:30and that one's called African Bride.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34But I think my favourite corner is just round here.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38Starting off with this plant, which is related to the carrot,
0:03:38 > 0:03:40and I think that's absolutely gorgeous,
0:03:40 > 0:03:42the lovely flat head to it.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45That one is called daucas.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Next door reminds me a bit of dill.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Again, these lovely umbels of flowers.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Never grown this one before - ridolfia.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Then, finally, we move on to this ageratum.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Now, we tend to think of the bedding ageratums and the fairly
0:04:00 > 0:04:04compact ones, but this is a new variety called Blue Planet
0:04:04 > 0:04:08and it grows fairly tall and it's absolutely perfect for cutting.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11We're doing a bit of an experiment here
0:04:11 > 0:04:13and what we're doing is putting them
0:04:13 > 0:04:16straight in water. With the ageratum here,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18that's been in water and that's
0:04:18 > 0:04:20actually been there for 12 days.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22We're also using these sachets
0:04:22 > 0:04:24that you can buy and again,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26that's on 12 days.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28And then we've also got a recipe
0:04:28 > 0:04:29that we took off the website,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31an RHS one
0:04:31 > 0:04:33and it's really disappointing!
0:04:33 > 0:04:35That's on 12 days and it's gone over.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39Now, this recipe is made up of vinegar, sugar,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42some bleach and water.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45What we've done is separated them out and you can see
0:04:45 > 0:04:47this one is just water and vinegar
0:04:47 > 0:04:49and look how that's gone over.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51So we decided to reduce
0:04:51 > 0:04:54the amount of vinegar, so in a litre
0:04:54 > 0:04:57of water, instead of a tablespoon,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59we've just put a teaspoon,
0:04:59 > 0:05:00along with the other ingredients
0:05:00 > 0:05:03and that seems to be working really well.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07So I think from now on, we will try our own home-made recipe
0:05:07 > 0:05:12and we'll continue this trial, but at the moment, that ageratum
0:05:12 > 0:05:13is absolutely wonderful.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25About a year ago, we came here to the Old Woollen Mill at Knockando
0:05:25 > 0:05:30in Speyside to help the community restore the garden.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33So I'm having a wee sneaky, just to see how it's doing.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35I have to say, they've done well.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39But the real reason for the call is to pick up some woollen scraps
0:05:39 > 0:05:42to use as a mulch in the garden
0:05:42 > 0:05:45that we're going to sort out this morning.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57Joanne, Nathaniel and new arrival Martha Havinden have been
0:05:57 > 0:06:03renovating an old estate cottage high in the hills above Knockando.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Joanne has ambitions to make them as self-sufficient as possible,
0:06:07 > 0:06:11but on an exposed site and altitude of 800 feet, and with a garden
0:06:11 > 0:06:17she's been trying to create out of an old field, she's been struggling.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19I tell you what, as you get over this far,
0:06:19 > 0:06:23- the view just gets better and better, doesn't it?- It's glorious.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Absolutely wonderful. And behind this?
0:06:26 > 0:06:29- A great belt of trees giving you shelter - which you love.- Yes!
0:06:29 > 0:06:33- But it denudes the soil. - It does, very dry.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35The competition that these plants are getting is
0:06:35 > 0:06:38a bit of a problem, too. How long has this fellow been in?
0:06:38 > 0:06:42- Not more than five years. - It hasnae made much of it.- No.
0:06:42 > 0:06:43No, it's still quite wee!
0:06:43 > 0:06:46So you put the dryness from the trees,
0:06:46 > 0:06:48the altitude of 800 feet and
0:06:48 > 0:06:51the competition from these weeds all around,
0:06:51 > 0:06:52I think we've got to sort that.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54- Yes. Please!- Let's do it.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01So, I've cleared this one.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Just look at... What did you say
0:07:03 > 0:07:04the weather was like on Saturday?
0:07:04 > 0:07:06Absolutely torrential, it was.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Look at that soil, it's powder.
0:07:08 > 0:07:09Yes, very dry!
0:07:11 > 0:07:14So the rain is not getting through and neither of course is
0:07:14 > 0:07:17the nutrient working because it needs to be diluted, doesn't it?
0:07:17 > 0:07:19- Sure.- What we have to do now
0:07:19 > 0:07:23is to jazz this up by putting on some compost...
0:07:24 > 0:07:26You do that - that's the heavy one!
0:07:26 > 0:07:27SHE LAUGHS
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Put on the compost.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31A really good layer of it.
0:07:36 > 0:07:37You've got some Grow More there,
0:07:37 > 0:07:39how about just a sprinkle of that, as well.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42These trees will think it's Christmas!
0:07:42 > 0:07:43Just a nice sprinkling
0:07:43 > 0:07:46as if you were putting hundreds and thousands on top of your cake.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48- We're building up a fertile layer here.- I see.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52- We don't want the competition to come back, so we put on a mulch.- OK.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55That's why we went to the woollen mill.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56This is the recycling job.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04You could use leaf mould if you had it. Or other organic materials.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07But this is a nice idea, to make use of the waste stuff.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Be sure that you don't, when you're putting these mulches on,
0:08:10 > 0:08:13just leave the bare stem there, because that's meant to be
0:08:13 > 0:08:18above ground and not covered by wet soil or material or it will rot.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22This is landscape fabric - porous - lets the rain through.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25You might need a few stones if you can find them!
0:08:25 > 0:08:27I'm sure we can!
0:08:27 > 0:08:29And it will also keep the pheasants
0:08:29 > 0:08:32- and all the rest of it from scraping it out.- Which has been a problem.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36Now you can do the 150 that you've still got!
0:08:42 > 0:08:43I picked this one out because...
0:08:43 > 0:08:46Nothing to do with the fact that I don't like parsnips and you do...
0:08:46 > 0:08:48I love parsnips!
0:08:49 > 0:08:53That's the poorest growth and you've got to question why.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55If you don't know what the soil is,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58then you're starting with your hands tied behind your back.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02I have a suspicion that maybe this is needing nutrient
0:09:02 > 0:09:04and it may be too acid.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07- OK.- So, I have with me...
0:09:07 > 0:09:09- the little soil test.- Ah!
0:09:18 > 0:09:21- How long have I got to shake this blinking thing?- It doesn't say!
0:09:21 > 0:09:24If I put the chart in behind and see that that colour is
0:09:24 > 0:09:28- approximately pH 6...- OK.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32- Which is acid, but it's absolutely spot-on for vegetables.- Great.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37So we've taken one point of the mystery out of the equation.
0:09:37 > 0:09:38It's not pH.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42They're either starved or the condition of the soil is not
0:09:42 > 0:09:46conducive to good root, whilst these have done all right.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49So what we'll do is give it some nice compost.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53But for that, we've got to (lose your parsnips...)
0:09:53 > 0:09:55My poor parsnips!
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Oh, dear. Oh, no, that bit's going to be really fertile.
0:10:07 > 0:10:08That's it, ready to go.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Some late veg and you may have to cover them
0:10:11 > 0:10:12over the winter in this area.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15That takes me neatly to the next wee project.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20It's amazing what Callum gets up to when we're away,
0:10:20 > 0:10:23he's rearranged the border, put twice as many leaks into the
0:10:23 > 0:10:27space, shifted the cauliflowers to make room for some courgettes.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30Courgettes in particular need shelter
0:10:30 > 0:10:34and I think you will progress if we put a big cloche over this.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38What we'll do is put some hoops over
0:10:38 > 0:10:41and then Envirofleece which is probably the best material for them.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44But if you get to a stage where you don't need the Envirofleece
0:10:44 > 0:10:47you're into the middle of summer, they're growing like the clappers
0:10:47 > 0:10:50and all the rest of it, but there are pigeons around...
0:10:50 > 0:10:51So you take the Envirofleece off,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54and put a net on and leave the hoops there.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03- So this is the fruit garden. - Yes!- Wow!
0:11:03 > 0:11:07And I'm absolutely certain that what you want to know about is pruning.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11- It is.- Cos it's the thing that gets missed so often.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15So, right, madam - weapons.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18The blackcurrant is probably easiest to understand.
0:11:18 > 0:11:19Let's take this long shoot here.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22The colour of the wood, that's brand-new
0:11:22 > 0:11:25and that wood was made last year.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27- Right.- So where's all the fruit?
0:11:27 > 0:11:29- On last year's.- That's the story.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31So you want to encourage nice,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34long stems coming from low down in the bush.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37The blackcurrant bush in itself grows like a thicket,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40lots of branches coming out and can initiate buds on the roots
0:11:40 > 0:11:43and you finish up with a whole pile of them here.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45When you've cut them back,
0:11:45 > 0:11:49what it encourages is new shoots to come from the base.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52You don't tolerate any thin things.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Whack them out, because you want to encourage nice, strong growth.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00Gooseberries, entirely different.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02This one's got a nice crop on it
0:12:02 > 0:12:04and it's got the makings of a good shape.
0:12:04 > 0:12:09But you will notice where the fruit is here - it's got
0:12:09 > 0:12:12the fruit on the old wood - look, right down to the bottom.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16All the way up. Look what's happened with the weight of the fruit...
0:12:16 > 0:12:18- It's pulling it down.- You're never
0:12:18 > 0:12:20going to manage the bush at all.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23The bud at the end of the stem has apical dominance,
0:12:23 > 0:12:25in other words, everything comes up there first
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and if you let it go, it'll just keep on going
0:12:28 > 0:12:32and it has no incentive to send out side shoots.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36- It's side shoots you need to build the weight...- Like this one?
0:12:36 > 0:12:38Like that, there, absolutely spot-on.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Well, you know they say that time goes swiftly
0:12:48 > 0:12:51when you're enjoying yourself and today has just flown by.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53- We've really enjoyed ourselves. It's been great.- Good fun.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- And we've passed on a few tips. - Oh, yes, absolutely.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Hopefully gardening will be a little bit easier for you.
0:12:59 > 0:13:00Yes, fingers crossed!
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Thank you to you and Martha and Nathaniel for looking after us
0:13:04 > 0:13:05- so well.- Our pleasure.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17It is that time of year again - we start the round of hedge clipping.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19The girls are up there doing our suspended hedge
0:13:19 > 0:13:21which of course is the silver lime.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25In case you hadn't noticed, the silver bit comes from it waving
0:13:25 > 0:13:28in the breeze and you see that lovely silver reverse to the leaf.
0:13:28 > 0:13:29You don't have to use lime,
0:13:29 > 0:13:33you could be using crab apple or beech or hornbeam, whatever.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36The facility however I think could be used a great deal more.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40You haven't lost the ground underneath you can wander about either side of
0:13:40 > 0:13:43but, if you've got nosy neighbours upstairs next door,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46it hides you if you're doing a wee bit of sunbathing.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50Now then, to another hedge which I can handle.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53It marks the division between the silver garden
0:13:53 > 0:13:55and our little trials area.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58There's a change of level, we thought to mark it properly,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01we ought to have a little hedge in here.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03We've chosen this silver-leafed lonicera
0:14:03 > 0:14:07and I'm expecting the sides to be on a batter,
0:14:07 > 0:14:11a slight batter up to about this height, flat across the top
0:14:11 > 0:14:14and that's the reason for the batter,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17because if it's flat, snow lying on it tends to push the sides out.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20Always remember that. That's what that'll be.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Then we come to the hollies, the silver hollies.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26The idea is that we should grow them as pillars.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Absolutely parallel sided, so what we want to do at the present time
0:14:30 > 0:14:33is nip the tops out of the side shoots.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37That encourages them to fill in and thicken up.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40So we'll do that and once the hedge is in place
0:14:40 > 0:14:43and it's up to its right height, we can trim
0:14:43 > 0:14:47the branches of the holly away and it will appear above the hedge.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50But it's on to the actual job of clipping the hedge.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52I've got an absolute super marker in the wall,
0:14:52 > 0:14:54the little wooden wall here.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56And it's... It's a simple job.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01Take it easy, you cannae put it back once you've cut it!
0:15:01 > 0:15:02So don't go into the wood,
0:15:02 > 0:15:04into the bone too soon,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06until you've got it...
0:15:07 > 0:15:08..shaping up nicely.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12The one drawback there is with this lovely variegated hedge is
0:15:12 > 0:15:15that it tends to revert to type every now and again
0:15:15 > 0:15:18and here's a good example of it. Look at that.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22All the growth up to here, right past there, is retaining
0:15:22 > 0:15:23this lovely variegation.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Then it will throw out a shoot like that
0:15:26 > 0:15:28and because it's just a plain green
0:15:28 > 0:15:30and it's got all its chlorophyll,
0:15:30 > 0:15:32it will take over and it gets worse.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34So you've got to be very vigilant
0:15:34 > 0:15:35when you're getting this going
0:15:35 > 0:15:38and the idea is that you tear it out.
0:15:38 > 0:15:39Don't prune it.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42If you prune it, it will come up from buds below.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45So a bit of vandalism is not amiss.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46Tear it out.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50And be vigilant, as I say. Keep your hedge nice and clean.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52Well, it's more hedging for me as well,
0:15:52 > 0:15:54but I'm going to be looking at the conifers.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57And this one I think is absolutely superb.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00It's Thuja occidentalis "Holmstrup",
0:16:00 > 0:16:03and this was planted in 2009
0:16:03 > 0:16:06so that's really had five years to grow,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10and you can see now that it's kind of knitted together
0:16:10 > 0:16:13and you've got these lovely sort of contours.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16And I want to leave it like that so it is slow growing,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19at the moment we don't need to do anything,
0:16:19 > 0:16:21and if it starts to get too large
0:16:21 > 0:16:26then, as I say, a little bit of a trim, just to keep those contours.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28As for the height at the moment I still think
0:16:28 > 0:16:31we want it to grow a little bit more, and then
0:16:31 > 0:16:35when it gets to that height we'll do a little bit of trimming at the top.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38And then moving on,
0:16:38 > 0:16:42here we actually had another type of Lawson's cypress,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45it was Grayswood Feather, and it didn't do well at all,
0:16:45 > 0:16:49so we had to change the soil, and last year we put in this one
0:16:49 > 0:16:53called Stardust, and I think it's a lovely colour.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56And at the moment the only thing I want to do is you'll notice
0:16:56 > 0:16:58that this side shoot
0:16:58 > 0:17:00is really pointing out,
0:17:00 > 0:17:02so again you don't touch the top,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05but I'm just going to clip the side here
0:17:05 > 0:17:10because we want that to push out and I think that looks a lot better.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Then we've got yew - now, yew is a great conifer
0:17:13 > 0:17:17because actually you can prune it quite hard, it will regenerate.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19It's doing fine at the side.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22We've decided, because it's fairly slow-growing,
0:17:22 > 0:17:24this is the height that we want to stop it at.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26So the tops have grown above that,
0:17:26 > 0:17:30so now is the time that I can take off the top.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Just going along like this...
0:17:33 > 0:17:37and I just need to go right across.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40And then finally - now, I think this is the type of hedging
0:17:40 > 0:17:42that people could use a little bit more.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46Instead of leylandii, this is the Western hemlock.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48Beautiful conifer.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52Again, five years, and this has created a really good hedge.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54We've already topped it, and I need to top it again,
0:17:54 > 0:17:56I need to sort of take off the top
0:17:56 > 0:17:59if I can just about reach...
0:17:59 > 0:18:01And I think that's quite important as well, try and make a hedge
0:18:01 > 0:18:04that's easy to maintain, you don't have to go up the ladder.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08And Jim was talking about the shape, with the lonicera,
0:18:08 > 0:18:12and again, the bamboo canes here are shaped like an A
0:18:12 > 0:18:14so slightly going in,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17and so I've got my work cut out here
0:18:17 > 0:18:19because I'm going to now have to take the shears
0:18:19 > 0:18:21and start to shape this.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34It's on days like this I realise I'm a really lucky chap.
0:18:34 > 0:18:40Beautiful weather. A gorgeous garden situated just outside Kirriemuir.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42The plants are looking wonderful, the perfume's there,
0:18:42 > 0:18:44it's absolutely stunning.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46But we're going to take it a bit further this time.
0:18:46 > 0:18:52A fascinating visit ahead, because our host is a medical herbalist.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Terrill, we met last a couple of years ago, Dundee?
0:19:01 > 0:19:03- We did, at the Ninewells Garden.- Yes.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06And you were involved then with a little part of it, weren't you?
0:19:06 > 0:19:09- I helped design the physic garden. - Yeah.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13That's where we're heading, because we're going from sort of lovely
0:19:13 > 0:19:17herbaceous borders into an area where the beds are regulated.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20So we're entering my medicinal herb garden here
0:19:20 > 0:19:22and it's divided into eight rectangles,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24and they're organised by systems.
0:19:24 > 0:19:29So here for example are herbs for the heart, and here are herbs for women.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34Well, I just recognise plants, I mean... Cimicifuga.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35That's right, black cohosh.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39A lot of women use black cohosh for menopausal flushing.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42- HE CHUCKLES - Let's move on, swiftly.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45- It earns its corn in MY herbaceous border...- Yes.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47- ..and it's one of the key ones in your border.- It is mine,
0:19:47 > 0:19:49to help people learn what it looks like.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52And I recognise this fella.
0:19:52 > 0:19:53Does it deserve to be here?
0:19:53 > 0:19:55- Of course it does. This is Southernwood.- Yeah.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59Just smell that, it's wonderful, it's one of the artemisias...
0:19:59 > 0:20:02- That's as far as I take it, you see. - OK!
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Well, the artemisias traditionally have been used as insect repellents
0:20:05 > 0:20:07or for worms, with children.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09And when you say they use them,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12I mean, are they taking them - not as a pill...?
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Well, sometimes they take them as a pill,
0:20:15 > 0:20:18I tend to treat using something called a tincture, which is
0:20:18 > 0:20:24an alcohol-based liquid that has the important ingredients.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28- This I recognise, yarrow.- You see a lot of yarrow around in the garden.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32It helps relax the digestive tract, that's why it's here.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35It also helps lower blood pressure.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40But behind it, rosebay willowherb. Do you find a use for that as well?
0:20:40 > 0:20:43You probably find that a bit appalling to be in my garden.
0:20:43 > 0:20:44Well, it jars a bit.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48Yeah. Well, it's useful for things like diarrhoea.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Again, I don't tend to use that in my own practice, but
0:20:51 > 0:20:55I like people to understand there are good uses for some of our weeds.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58- And I recognise the echinacea. - Absolutely.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01We have marshmallow there.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05This is urinary-kidney-bladder area,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08- and if you... - I think we should move on.- OK!
0:21:08 > 0:21:09THEY LAUGH
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Well, we've come from very obvious display beds to
0:21:20 > 0:21:23much more of a sort of production unit -
0:21:23 > 0:21:24but there is still much of the same.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27This is my kitchen garden,
0:21:27 > 0:21:32and in the kitchen garden I do have a few raised beds also for the herbs,
0:21:32 > 0:21:36like here our camomile bed that I harvest from.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39- Yes.- Picking the camomile heads.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44So is there a specific time when things should be harvested,
0:21:44 > 0:21:46or can you actually just go there
0:21:46 > 0:21:48and find what you're looking for any old time?
0:21:48 > 0:21:50Well, the best time, and when the plants
0:21:50 > 0:21:53are really their strongest, is when they're just blooming.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55- Yes.- And that's why production beds,
0:21:55 > 0:21:57cos I don't want to cut my beautiful beds
0:21:57 > 0:21:58just when they're flowering.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01- No, because you want people to see them in their full...- I do.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Well, that's good thinking, Batman.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Here is our lovely Scotch marigold.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Beautiful calendula.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10What part does this play in the scheme of things?
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Well, we would be taking the petals here, the flowers,
0:22:12 > 0:22:16and we'd be making infused oils or calendula cream,
0:22:16 > 0:22:19a lot of people are familiar with calendula cream as something healing
0:22:19 > 0:22:21for sores... External cream.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24So, there is a little bit of a production unit going on behind us.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27- There is one going on. - These things are available.
0:22:27 > 0:22:28- Definitely.- That's brilliant news.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Now, the magic veg,
0:22:30 > 0:22:35which everybody has now discovered has got wonderful properties. Kale.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Exactly. It's one of my favourites.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Well, it's a staple diet of Scots, isn't it,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42and it's got significant properties we now discover.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Well, it's full of excellent vitamins and minerals.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Antioxidants?
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Full of antioxidants, for those free radicals.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52All of the stuff we have seen is looking in good heart, good nick,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55but it's all hardy.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57There are many herbs that are maybe marginal for hardiness.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Well, obviously there are some things I could never grow here
0:23:00 > 0:23:03but the things that are marginal I tend to grow in the greenhouse,
0:23:03 > 0:23:04so I do have a few things there.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Well! This is a first for me.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16I've never seen a set-up like this.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20- Explain yourself, madam.- Oh, my goodness. I guess I made this up.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- Well, these are the plants that need their feet wet.- OK.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26So I created this little space.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28It also brings a nice sound of water,
0:23:28 > 0:23:30and my clinic is next door so I can hear it.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34That's wonderful. But I take it they also need a bit of protection,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37- they're not entirely hardy. - Exactly.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40So here as an example is cardamon.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44- Cardamon is definitely a warm climate plant.- Yes.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47- So it's here in the greenhouse. - They are very happy. Aren't they?
0:23:47 > 0:23:49- Yeah. Yeah.- Looking good.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50Iris...
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Flags - as well, like their feet wet.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55- Gypsywort.- Gypsywort.- Now...
0:23:55 > 0:23:56It's calming, but sort of directed
0:23:56 > 0:23:59towards the heart, lungs and also the thyroid.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01OK.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04And that again would be a tincture, would it?
0:24:04 > 0:24:06It could be a tincture. Exactly.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08I recognise this fella.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Bogbean, that was one of the most used plants
0:24:11 > 0:24:13in the Highlands and Islands.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15- Really?- As a medicine.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17That was the number one used herb in the Highlands and Islands.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20- I'm frightened to ask(!) - SHE LAUGHS
0:24:20 > 0:24:22- It is a very, bitter herb.- Uh-huh.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25So it really gets that liver sort of moving and cleansing
0:24:25 > 0:24:27- and cleaning.- OK.
0:24:27 > 0:24:28Absolutely stunning.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30It's been a fascinating trip.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32I thought it was going to be a learning curve
0:24:32 > 0:24:36- and it's a steep learning curve. I must thank you so much.- Absolutely.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39- Never had a visit like this before. - Good.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Well, I found that piece absolutely fascinating,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53but you know, our herb garden is far more traditional.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56It's all about herbs that you can use in cooking.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59And this herb garden was just planted up last year,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02it looks really established, and I'm ever so pleased with it.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05But I think we have got one mistake, and it's this plant here,
0:25:05 > 0:25:09the Himalayan strawberry. It's been far too vigorous
0:25:09 > 0:25:11and it's tended to smother other plants.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14So what we're going to do, not throw it away
0:25:14 > 0:25:17but lift it, and we'll put one or two in nice containers.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20But of course that gives us a lovely opportunity to put something
0:25:20 > 0:25:23else in, and I'm going to put this allium in here,
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Allium "Quattro".
0:25:25 > 0:25:29So of course it is part of the onion family,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31and it has four attributes.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34So, what we have is it's evergreen,
0:25:34 > 0:25:40secondly the actual leaves have a lovely flavour of garlic.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44When you eat it it helps to reduce cholesterol,
0:25:44 > 0:25:49and then finally these wonderful flowers, they make good cut flowers.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Now, we also have a lovely collection of basils
0:25:52 > 0:25:54in the barrel greenhouse here.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Four different varieties, I can't mention them all.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00The small one there is Aristotle,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03the purple, which I think is amazing, Summer Surprise,
0:26:03 > 0:26:05and then this one here,
0:26:05 > 0:26:08this one is called British Basil,
0:26:08 > 0:26:11and it's been specially bred because it's meant to be
0:26:11 > 0:26:12a little bit hardier,
0:26:12 > 0:26:14and you should be able to grow it outdoors.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16Well, we've tried it here,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18and look, that's gone really woody.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22So I have to say we would be better off growing it under cover.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Looking at the dahlias with Carole, I noticed a couple of problems -
0:26:28 > 0:26:32on this plant here, could be slugs but it's more likely to be earwigs
0:26:32 > 0:26:33and the best way to trap them -
0:26:33 > 0:26:36pot on the top of the cane, on the top of the post there
0:26:36 > 0:26:38with some dry grass or straw inside -
0:26:38 > 0:26:39they crawl up there at night.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41Be sure to examine them in the morning
0:26:41 > 0:26:43and deal with them as you will.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Now, here's a plant we often associate with yew hedging.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54The common name is the Scottish flame flower, lovely red flowers.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57The Latin name is Tropaeolum speciosum,
0:26:57 > 0:27:00and it's actually related to the nasturtium.
0:27:00 > 0:27:05When I knock it out the pot, you can see these white fleshy roots.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09And I have to say it's one of these plants
0:27:09 > 0:27:11that it either takes off
0:27:11 > 0:27:13and becomes a bit of a weed,
0:27:13 > 0:27:15or you have a problem with it. We can't get it established.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18So we're going to just have to wait and see.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Jim, we've had a lot of flower colour on the programme, haven't we?
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Yes, indeed. So we're finishing as we started.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27Yes. This is another little trial,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31looking at hardy and half-hardy annuals that are new to us.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34- Yes, OK.- Starting off with the sunflower Chocolate.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38I'll tell you what I like about it, apart from the flower,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41- it's the stem.- Mm.- That marking on the stem's very attractive.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43It is, it's a nice, sturdy plant
0:27:43 > 0:27:46but I'm not so sure - I think I like the yellow ones.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- I mean, look at this chrysanthemum. - Stunning.- Eastern Star.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51It's a mix.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53What do you think of that one?
0:27:53 > 0:27:55- Oh, I prefer that one, funnily enough.- It's lovely.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59And I know it's not commonplace, but I love that combination.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01- Now then, where else are you going? - And then this here...
0:28:01 > 0:28:04- The lavatera. - Isn't it gorgeous?- Stunning.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06- Pink Blush.- It's enjoyed this weather up till now.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08And they've done well in the pots.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11And then finally we've got a larkspur.
0:28:11 > 0:28:12I was looking at cut flowers -
0:28:12 > 0:28:15that would make a wonderful cut flower, Cannes White,
0:28:15 > 0:28:17cos it's such a tall plant.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19Always has been a good cut flower.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22If you'd like any more information about these plants
0:28:22 > 0:28:23it's all in the factsheet,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25and the easiest way to access that is online.
0:28:25 > 0:28:26What are you doing next week?
0:28:26 > 0:28:27A bit of seasonal propagation,
0:28:27 > 0:28:29and I think it's about time
0:28:29 > 0:28:31we looked at the lawn and made it ready for the winter.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Oh, I don't want to think about the winter!
0:28:33 > 0:28:34Until next time...
0:28:34 > 0:28:36- Goodbye!- Goodbye.