0:00:12 > 0:00:15Hello and welcome to Beechgrove.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18The starter on the menu today, it's cut flowers again.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20It is cut flowers again. We started cutting these back in July.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23We're still cutting them, which is brilliant.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26I did look at the Ageratum before,
0:00:26 > 0:00:28I thought it was superb,
0:00:28 > 0:00:30and lasts a couple of weeks as a cut flower.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32They're quite long stems!
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Surprisingly long, actually. I'm surprised how well that performs
0:00:35 > 0:00:37as a cut flower, but it's so versatile, isn't it?
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Stick it in anywhere and great in a vase.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42Some of the things we haven't looked at,
0:00:42 > 0:00:45the Scabious here, "Summer Fruits". Look at the different colours there.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48- Really nice combination of those. - Well named, I would have thought.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50It is nice. You like the Cosmos, too?
0:00:50 > 0:00:53I do, it is a favourite of mine and, being a single flower,
0:00:53 > 0:00:56it's not so prone to weather damage because it dries out quickly.
0:00:56 > 0:00:57Cut them and they just keep coming.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00- And you like the name, "Sweet Kisses"?- Oh, yes!
0:01:00 > 0:01:01SHE LAUGHS
0:01:01 > 0:01:04But the winner is this one,
0:01:04 > 0:01:05Daucus.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07I think that's nice,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10I think that does really well with Scabious, too, don't you?
0:01:10 > 0:01:12And that lasts for over three weeks.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14- Carrot.- Carrot family.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16- Ornamental carrot.- Amazing! - I wonder if it's edible.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18SHE LAUGHS
0:01:18 > 0:01:22The other thing is, we did a test with having them in water.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25The proprietary sachet and then our own home-made recipe.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28- I have to say the home-made recipe was the tops.- Can you tell us?
0:01:28 > 0:01:30OK, a few drops of bleach,
0:01:30 > 0:01:32a teaspoon of sugar,
0:01:32 > 0:01:34teaspoon of vinegar,
0:01:34 > 0:01:37- and a litre of water. - That's the business.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Meantime, in the rest of the programme,
0:01:39 > 0:01:43I've been back to Aden Country Park, had a lovely day there.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48This is the third time.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51It's getting more like the Garden of Eden.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53I am going down the right trail.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Cold, windy Highland glens.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03What do you think can grow in this garden, Lachie?
0:02:03 > 0:02:04Find out later.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12Here we are right in the middle of the bulb-planting season.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15We're about to plant a whole range of dwarf bulbs.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Chopnodoxa, Scilla, Crocus,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20the little Narcissus, and so on.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22It often says on the packet
0:02:22 > 0:02:25that this one should be planted in full sun,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27and this one should be planted in the shade.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29What happens if you reverse them round?
0:02:29 > 0:02:32This Iris, for example, here, should be planted in the open,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34so it will definitely be in the open.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Here is a south-facing wall.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38Nice holes in the top of the old blocks there,
0:02:38 > 0:02:40so we'll plant them in there.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43But right next to it is Anemone nemorosa,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46and, in fact, the advice there is they should be planted in the shade.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49So we have a sort of mirror image.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53We have this lot quite obviously grown in the sun,
0:02:53 > 0:02:54and they'll get it all day.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58These little squares have all been jazzed up
0:02:58 > 0:03:01with some old compost out of grow bags and so on.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Never throw things away, make use of them.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06That's what's happened there. Over on the other side,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09we're ready to plant here. Let me go straight to the iris,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12again, and it's in the shade.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14I'm sure it will work.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16But what sort of difference will it make?
0:03:16 > 0:03:18When you're planting bulbs, as you well know,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21plant them the depth of about 2½ times
0:03:21 > 0:03:24the depth of the bulb itself.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27But Anemone nemorosa there is a rhizome,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30you don't bury that at all, you just cover it and no more,
0:03:30 > 0:03:32right on the surface.
0:03:32 > 0:03:33So here we go.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36And, as they say, time alone will tell.
0:03:36 > 0:03:37What difference will there be, if any?
0:03:40 > 0:03:43This is our asparagus tunnel,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45and if you remember, we have a range of varieties here
0:03:45 > 0:03:48so we have early-season, mid-season and late-season.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51But the actual season for cropping is quite short.
0:03:51 > 0:03:52You only crop them for eight weeks.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Then what happens is, you let the foliage grow up
0:03:55 > 0:03:58and the plants look really healthy at the moment.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00But they are herbaceous perennials,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02so what we have to do is, in a few weeks' time,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05this foliage will start to go yellow,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08and it's that time that you can cut them back.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11You basically cut it right down to ground level.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Then we wait again until next year to get another crop.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Next door, we have another polytunnel,
0:04:17 > 0:04:18and in that polytunnel,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20we actually have pumpkins.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23I have one or two that are outside,
0:04:23 > 0:04:27but quite honestly, they are better to be grown under cover.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30This year, I have gone for a range that are small pumpkins.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33So, starting off, we have lovely Baby Bear here,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36starting to get the hints of the orange on it.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Jack Be Little,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41doesn't that look good? Absolutely wonderful,
0:04:41 > 0:04:42and just a nice size.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Then we have Small Sugar,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48I'd hardly call that "small", cos really that is quite large.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50But I think this is my favourite.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54Wee Be Little, absolutely beautiful.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57What we have done is put them onto straw.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00You could use slates or a bit of wood,
0:05:00 > 0:05:01and the reason for that is
0:05:01 > 0:05:04it lifts it off the soil which is a bit damp,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07and it prevents it from things like slugs eating them.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10This is the time that we could actually harvest.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12You take off a little bit of a stem,
0:05:12 > 0:05:14and then if you want to store it,
0:05:14 > 0:05:16put it somewhere cool, frost-free,
0:05:16 > 0:05:20you could probably keep this right until Christmas time.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24Of course, what you might want to do is use this for a lantern,
0:05:24 > 0:05:26for Halloween,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28and also at the seed. They're really nutritious,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30you can roast the seeds,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32and the actual flesh is great for soups
0:05:32 > 0:05:33and for pies.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36So a nice crop. If you want to grow it maybe for next year,
0:05:36 > 0:05:38what you need to do is start
0:05:38 > 0:05:41the seed off in April, plant it out in June,
0:05:41 > 0:05:43and by this time you'll get these lovely pumpkins.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Welcome to the allotments in Aden Country Park,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54outside Mintlaw in north Aberdeenshire.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56We've been here three times. We came in the spring to see
0:05:56 > 0:05:59the new allotmenteers get started,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02we came back in the summer to just check them out,
0:06:02 > 0:06:03now it is harvest time.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Exhibited here is a wonderful array
0:06:05 > 0:06:07of fantastic crops
0:06:07 > 0:06:09and a few failures.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12But, all-in-all, I think they've done a fantastic job.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14Let's go and have a look round.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22I have to say that one of the main successes of the season
0:06:22 > 0:06:23has been the growth of weeds.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25It's been that sort of year.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28But some people have managed to get the crops
0:06:28 > 0:06:30through and going, just look at this one here,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33a really good range of plants,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35although there are quite a few weeds about.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39I'm turning a blind eye to that, because my garden is just the same.
0:06:39 > 0:06:40It's been one of these years.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Hot, sunny weather, and then great downfalls of rain,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46just to keep everything going, you know what I mean?
0:06:46 > 0:06:48It's lush, but that's brilliant.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53The next message that's getting through,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56don't leave great expanses of ground
0:06:56 > 0:06:58uncovered because it just grows the weeds.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00Get the fabric on top and blanket them out.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03If they don't get light, they won't grow.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08Some nice peas still being harvested there. That's not bad.
0:07:08 > 0:07:09That's very nice.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Of course, they have had a lot of water,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14rain, and did you know the fact that
0:07:14 > 0:07:17if they get plenty water when these flowers are just setting,
0:07:17 > 0:07:18you get extra peas in the pod?
0:07:18 > 0:07:20This is true.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25So many are organised,
0:07:25 > 0:07:27with a nice bit of edging, delineating,
0:07:27 > 0:07:30nice, clean paths to get about.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32It does make a difference.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Fortunately, this is a big agricultural area.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Of course, plenty of real good muck.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Being an open piece of agricultural land here,
0:07:43 > 0:07:45surrounded by trees,
0:07:45 > 0:07:47we always flag up the fact that pigeons
0:07:47 > 0:07:50can be a problem and the folks have got the message.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54A bit of netting over the broccoli and other brassicas there.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57I'm not quite sure what is being grown under there.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00I don't want to pry.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02But there again, look at the display so far.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Nice beetroot.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06That's not bad at all.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14I think this guy is actually a professional gardener.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16But, from the very start,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19he realised the importance of windbreak,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21so he has it all the way round.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23He realised the need for cover
0:08:23 > 0:08:26and he has arranged himself into slightly raised beds,
0:08:26 > 0:08:29nicely sorted out and manageable, that is the whole point.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32How much time can you afford? You have to make it manageable.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40- Hello, there!- Aye-aye, Jim!
0:08:40 > 0:08:42- How are you doing?- Nae bad. I have a question for you.- OK.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44- Anne-Marie, isn't it?- It is, yes.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46- Nice to see you.- Nice to meet you.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48Now, then, what's the question?
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Right, fertiliser.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53I want to use fertiliser,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55but don't want to put chemicals into the ground.
0:08:55 > 0:08:56What do I use?
0:08:56 > 0:08:58Well, to keep the ground in good heart,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00first and foremost you need organic material,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03so that means if you are composting all the weeds
0:09:03 > 0:09:05in the compost bin,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08when it is ready in the wintertime and you do get into the ground,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10bury it. Or you might have a source of farmyard manure.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14That bulky organic material
0:09:14 > 0:09:17will all wither away, die away,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20in the soil, and it helps the conditions of the soil.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22In a sandy soil, it will help to hold moisture,
0:09:22 > 0:09:26in a clay soil it helps to open it out and acts like a sponge.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28It takes in the rain and then gives it off.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30There is feeding in that as well.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32It is quite a low level, so if you are going to crop
0:09:32 > 0:09:35at quite an intensity, and the plants are quite close together,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38you have to add some fertiliser.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40But you don't need to use man-made fertilisers.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43You can use bone meal, hoof-and-horn meal,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45or indeed pelleted chicken manure.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48You would add that into the surface, work it into the top
0:09:48 > 0:09:50before you are sowing and planting.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52So be good to the soil and it will be good to you.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55- Will that do?- Perfect. Thank you very much for your help.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Gordon, you're a man, I think, who's cracked it
0:10:06 > 0:10:09cos you have a good plot and some nice stuff here.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Aye, I've been very happy
0:10:11 > 0:10:13how things have went.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Kind of pest-free.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17- We have blightened tatties... - I think everybody has.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19- Everybody.- Round the countryside,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22the crop harvesters have been in,
0:10:22 > 0:10:24chopping the tops off.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26That's something you can do.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28All is never absolutely perfect, is it?
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Or you wouldn't be keeping trying.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32No, no, but the mistake I made here was,
0:10:32 > 0:10:34with putting in so much tatties,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36- I tended to...- Cram things up.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39..cram things together and it doesn't really work.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42It brings us back to one of the basic things.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44If you are going to grow the same range of crops,
0:10:44 > 0:10:46you have to be able to fit them in
0:10:46 > 0:10:48in order that you can move them around.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50So that you rotate,
0:10:50 > 0:10:52so you don't do the ground to death with just
0:10:52 > 0:10:54tatties, tatties, tatties.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56- It's definitely a learning curve. - It's good.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59I actually have cause to say that just about
0:10:59 > 0:11:00every day of my life.
0:11:00 > 0:11:01HE LAUGHS
0:11:01 > 0:11:04- We're never too old to learn, are we?- Every day is a school day.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06I resent that remark.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Later in the day,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16the allotmenteers came together
0:11:16 > 0:11:20to celebrate their first-ever harvest season.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23It's hard to believe that at the end of August,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25we have all these crops,
0:11:25 > 0:11:27so without further ado,
0:11:27 > 0:11:29we'll start giving out the prizes.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Georgia, you must be absolutely chuffed with the outcome of this
0:11:36 > 0:11:37day and the whole season.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40It has been a busy year but I'm absolutely delighted.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42What we've seen here today
0:11:42 > 0:11:45is just a tiny, tiny amount of the produce
0:11:45 > 0:11:47that has been produced here.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50And the different range of vegetables.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52For me, as well, it's the social side.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54It's the community spirit that's here.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56It's all these laughing faces
0:11:56 > 0:11:58and people that are enjoying themselves.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- They're supposed to be working! - And they used to be strangers.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03Yes, exactly, exactly.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Up until about a year ago, I didn't know any of these people.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08But now I would class them as friends.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15As I said at the beginning, this is my third visit
0:12:15 > 0:12:17and I have already made pals.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20And I look forward to seeing them each time I have been back,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22and that's over such a short space of time.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25That's one of the magic things about these allotments,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27there's lots of lovely stuff being grown,
0:12:27 > 0:12:29there are guys talking to one another
0:12:29 > 0:12:32that stayed a few streets apart and have never spoken before.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34And this common denominator is gardening.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38And that makes me happy, it really does.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43We are going to have some new additions in the seaside garden.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46It's African lily, or Agapanthus.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49I love these plants because they are a beautiful bit of colour at this time of year.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51It's unsurpassable, isn't it?
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Very, vey intense blues,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56and an increasing number of whites that are hardy, as well,
0:12:56 > 0:12:58and even a variegated form.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00That's an interesting point, Chris,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03because we have chosen three varieties that are meant to be hardy.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05We have a dark blue one, Northern Star,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Arctic Star, which is obviously white,
0:13:08 > 0:13:09then a variegated one, as well.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11Silver Moon, and I would be very sceptical
0:13:11 > 0:13:14about Silver Moon being hardy under normal circumstances,
0:13:14 > 0:13:16but these are all supposed to be seedling forms
0:13:16 > 0:13:18from very hardy forms.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20So hopefully they will do fine.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23I have added to the soil a load of grit in here,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26it is on a south-facing slope, it should be free-draining.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29It's getting lots of sunshine peeping through the wall here,
0:13:29 > 0:13:31so we're giving them the best shot to see how they perform.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34We our hedging our bets, cos as well as putting them in the border,
0:13:34 > 0:13:38we have the same varieties and putting them in containers.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41So over the wintertime, we can put these in the greenhouse.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44As you say, drainage is important,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46and if you've got a really cold spot,
0:13:46 > 0:13:48you can mulch them as well, can't you?
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Yeah, and if you plant them in the garden,
0:13:51 > 0:13:53keep the crowns quite high, out of any winter wet.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56That also allows the sunlight to get them
0:13:56 > 0:13:58and ripen the bulbs, so you should get more flowers,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02but I think these will be slightly slower into flower because there is a greater root run.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05They like the constraints of the container. It forces them into flower.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07You can tell already because they've been in the pots
0:14:07 > 0:14:09and have flowered their heads off.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13I'll cut those back, because we want the goodness to go back into the root system.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16These should behave quite well, hopefully,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19whereas we have a huge problem with our sea buckthorn.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- Two plants.- There's a pair of them.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24There's a male here, just flowers, no berries.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27And then the berries on the female at the back.
0:14:27 > 0:14:28These are absolute thugs,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31and they are great at tying a bank together,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33on really poor soils.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36They are also very good at sending up suckers, look at that.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39This would be ideal for your thug border. Or maybe too thuggish.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41I think it is too thuggish, even for my thug border
0:14:41 > 0:14:43but I lifted this a while ago.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46It's been lifting up
0:14:46 > 0:14:47on the slab.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49That slab's gone.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Crazy paving next time, I think.
0:14:51 > 0:14:52That's the result, look at that.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55It's incredibly invasive
0:14:55 > 0:14:57and we put in a barrier here
0:14:57 > 0:14:59and it has gone right the way through.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01So, you know, I think the answer probably is
0:15:01 > 0:15:04that we need to take these plants out but before we do that,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07I just remember one of your first programmes, that was last year,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10and you took out a little piece of wood, didn't you?
0:15:10 > 0:15:12And it was hoping that it would sprout from the base.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15It's good horticultural practice to encourage it to coppice
0:15:15 > 0:15:19but I think because it was a cold winter, we were worried about
0:15:19 > 0:15:21the crown dying out and nothing coming from the base,
0:15:21 > 0:15:22we were trying to encourage it.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25But actually nothing was going to knock it,
0:15:25 > 0:15:28even the worst of the winter weather and it's just sprouted out,
0:15:28 > 0:15:32ignored and calloused over the horticultural slice I'd taken out
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and in fact just laughed and threw up a few more suckers.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37Yeah, I think I would've taken the chain saw or a saw to it
0:15:37 > 0:15:40but we're going to do that anyway now so an opportunity
0:15:40 > 0:15:42- to put something else in its place.- Definitely,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44leave it for the birds to take the berries over winter
0:15:44 > 0:15:48and on a cold frosty morning sneak up on them, get your chain saw ready.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56I'm just north of Blairgowrie, at the gateway to Glenshee
0:15:56 > 0:15:58and I'm meeting up again with Callum Pirnie
0:15:58 > 0:16:01who used to be the hard gardener of Crathes Castle Garden,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Beechgrove's near neighbour in Aberdeenshire.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06Now earlier on in the series,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09I was at a beautiful garden with him in the Trossachs.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11This time I'm heading for the hills.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23Well, here we are at the garden I've been developing in my spare time
0:16:23 > 0:16:25up here at Middle Park.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27I can't believe, Callum, that you have any spare time.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31Well, you know, it's weekends I'm afraid, and holidays but no,
0:16:31 > 0:16:33I've got the chance to develop the garden and here,
0:16:33 > 0:16:35this part, we're in the orchard
0:16:35 > 0:16:37which is actually on the site of an old farmyard
0:16:37 > 0:16:40so basically I was able to lay out a good site for the orchard,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44good fertile soil and obviously we're at 750ft.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47So that must be a huge challenge, choosing the right varieties.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49Yes, that was the trick and again,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52it being the eastern Highlands with the later seasons,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55especially the spring so I went for, well,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57a good dessert apple was the Discovery
0:16:57 > 0:16:59which, as you can see, cropping well this year
0:16:59 > 0:17:01but it's a reliable cropper
0:17:01 > 0:17:04and then here we have, of course, Bramley Seedling
0:17:04 > 0:17:07- which is another good doer. Reliable fruit every year.- Yeah.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09So it's a case of getting the right varieties
0:17:09 > 0:17:11and it's amazing what does do well up here.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15I mean, this year they are cropping particularly well, aren't they?
0:17:24 > 0:17:28So here we are coming into the secret garden which was a garden
0:17:28 > 0:17:32I created over the last ten years from what was basically
0:17:32 > 0:17:35a bare space and the critical thing here is the shelter.
0:17:35 > 0:17:40As you can see, I've put in a dense planting of trees and shrubs
0:17:40 > 0:17:42and with pruning, my aim is to break this chill wind
0:17:42 > 0:17:44that comes down Glenshee in the spring.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47But you're still getting the flowers on the Philadelphus,
0:17:47 > 0:17:49you're doing the pruning at the right time of year.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52That's right, the trick here is that it's densely planted with shrubs
0:17:52 > 0:17:54and to get the enhanced flower
0:17:54 > 0:17:56the trick is to keep pruning them and that gives you more space
0:17:56 > 0:18:00so you can end up getting more into the garden.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03So by creating that shelter belt, you're managing to grow,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06well, things that are quite exotic like the Embothrium.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08Touch wood. Now it's starting to get some shelter
0:18:08 > 0:18:10and it's starting to come on quite nicely so the Embothrium
0:18:10 > 0:18:13and here we have a Eucalyptus that's doing quite well.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16Then I'm using the walls of the stead and south-facing, of course,
0:18:16 > 0:18:17for things like the gage,
0:18:17 > 0:18:19actually got some fruit in the gage this year.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Quite exciting and just obviously a nice place to sit
0:18:21 > 0:18:25- and enjoy the view.- But I mean, it is a huge collection you've got here.
0:18:25 > 0:18:27Quite a diversity in this bit of the garden,
0:18:27 > 0:18:32I themed it with the Crocosmias and the Hostas so just all adding these,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35they're just little themes, little incidents in the garden.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Well, the garden really opens up here.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Yes, this is coming into what was the old vegetable garden and then the
0:18:46 > 0:18:51previous owner had some lovely flowerbeds in here but then I decided
0:18:51 > 0:18:54to unify the whole lot together into the garden you're seeing now.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56This is the Crathes topiary,
0:18:56 > 0:18:58I had to have one but this is actually
0:18:58 > 0:19:01the Portugal laurel myrtifolia variety
0:19:01 > 0:19:03which of course has this finer foliage which means
0:19:03 > 0:19:05when I trim it, I can get a much tighter...
0:19:05 > 0:19:07It makes just a really good cloud topiary.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Yes, so better for making the clouds, basically.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13You can shape it tighter and it gets that lovely feel to it.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15I remember the last time we were speaking about your Acers
0:19:15 > 0:19:18because you love Acers and look at the collection here.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Well, that was again, I had the opportunity
0:19:20 > 0:19:24and I thought let's see how we get on so with again developing shelter
0:19:24 > 0:19:27as the maples are growing now and these varieties are selected
0:19:27 > 0:19:31that were ones that seemed to be hardier again in this upland climate.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Now, you were head gardener at Crathes for a long time
0:19:34 > 0:19:36and I just think you've got a colour thing going on here with
0:19:36 > 0:19:41- the golden plants?- Well, I had to have the hot border, didn't I?
0:19:41 > 0:19:46Given Lady Burnetts' amazing themes at Crathes and here was a chance.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49It's a sheltered site, it gets lots of sun,
0:19:49 > 0:19:54a hot border so basically using Inulas, Rudbeckias, Solidago
0:19:54 > 0:19:57and the Buddlejas and just creating this really nice autumn theme
0:19:57 > 0:20:00- and here it is. Good stuff. - It worked really well.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02The Cercidiphyllum, weeping form,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05does that give you that lovely sort of burnt sugar smell?
0:20:05 > 0:20:09It does indeed but this is a really special tree, this one,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12and as you can see now it's starting to get its proper shape now,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14become a proper specimen so really doing the job.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Yeah, and as we look around, I mean, you talk about all these specimens.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19I mean, how many different species have you got?
0:20:19 > 0:20:24I reckon there's certainly about 700 - 800 plants on the database
0:20:24 > 0:20:29and along with that obviously I label what I can because
0:20:29 > 0:20:31- it's just to keep track of it all so quite a nice wee collection.- Yeah.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34A lovely collection here cos look at the colour.
0:20:34 > 0:20:35I mean, for September,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38a lot of interest and still more Acers in pots.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41That's right and then this time of year you get these
0:20:41 > 0:20:44kind of combinations and I love using plants in combination
0:20:44 > 0:20:48so here you have the Buddleja "Pink Delight"
0:20:48 > 0:20:50and then against that the Eucryphia.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53And the Persicaria, I mean, that's a great ground cover plant
0:20:53 > 0:20:55and you seemed to have used that right across the border.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Yeah, it's a brilliant thing.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59It comes out on the gravel, it repeat flowers
0:20:59 > 0:21:02and just does its stuff and by planting it in blocks along here,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05it links it all together on the top of the terrace.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07But you know over there, Callum, I think
0:21:07 > 0:21:09you're really pushing out the boundaries.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Is it a bit of a micro-climate?
0:21:11 > 0:21:14That's right, that's the most sheltered spot in the garden
0:21:14 > 0:21:17so that's where to put, what I call the real choice plants
0:21:17 > 0:21:20and of course the centrepiece is the Trachycarpus
0:21:20 > 0:21:22and amazingly I don't protect it in the winter
0:21:22 > 0:21:24apart from if there's a heavy, heavy fall of snow,
0:21:24 > 0:21:27I'll maybe throw some snow into the crown of it just to protect it
0:21:27 > 0:21:30from the searing winds when there's a lot of snow and frost.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32Yeah, and that choice little Acer.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34And the little Acer, yeah, that's a good specimen.
0:21:34 > 0:21:39One of the dwarf Japanese maples and it's now just about reaching
0:21:39 > 0:21:42its maturity and against the rock it's just bang on and loves the heat.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44- Just thrives...- And no doubt good autumn colour as well?
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Great autumn colour on that one as well. It does fine there.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51And the thing is, you probably get frost here for as much as what?
0:21:51 > 0:21:52Ten months of the year, you could do?
0:21:52 > 0:21:55You certainly can get frosts, yeah, certainly eight months anyway
0:21:55 > 0:21:58and occasionally maybe it touches outwith that.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01But you've proved what you can grow here
0:22:01 > 0:22:04and also the fact that really you're just doing this over weekends.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07It's my weekend and holiday garden this one so, och aye,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10a lot of it's in terms of trying to keep it low-maintenance
0:22:10 > 0:22:13- and let the plants fill the space. - You obviously love it.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15It's a wonderful place to be.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22As summer slips into autumn,
0:22:22 > 0:22:27gardens and landscapes take on a new lease of life.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30Really emblazoned by flame tints and tones.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34It's just not plants like this wonderful viburnum here
0:22:34 > 0:22:35that go claret coloured,
0:22:35 > 0:22:40what about Fothergilla major that almost becomes ignited
0:22:40 > 0:22:43in really rich shades of reds and oranges?
0:22:43 > 0:22:47And even the ubiquitous Hydrangea petiolaris
0:22:47 > 0:22:50manages the most fabulous golden displays.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52And I suppose the puzzling aspect is,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55well, why do plants change colour in autumn?
0:22:55 > 0:23:01And also why is that colour variation so distinct from one year to another?
0:23:01 > 0:23:05Well, the story really starts in spring with the formation of leaves.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17But the story of great autumn colour starts with
0:23:17 > 0:23:19the production of leaves in spring.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23The leaf, of course, is a green factory,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26it's filled full of chlorophyll.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30It harvest the sun's energy and transports that into sugars
0:23:30 > 0:23:33which are then pushed down into the plant and enlivens the plant.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35It's what the plant needs in order to be able to grow.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37And when the plant produces a leaf,
0:23:37 > 0:23:42on the end of the leaf's stalk is a very fine corky layer.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44It's called the abscission layer
0:23:44 > 0:23:47and it's a little bit like a tap that gradually gets turned off
0:23:47 > 0:23:51as the season progresses, more and more corky cells start to grow,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53restricting the amount of moisture and sugars
0:23:53 > 0:23:55that can flow out of the leaf.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57And that has an important effect in autumn
0:23:57 > 0:24:00because after Midsummer's Day when the days shorten
0:24:00 > 0:24:03and the intensity of the light is reduced,
0:24:03 > 0:24:07the plant, predicting autumn, starts to dismantle the chlorophyll,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10the green substance in the leaf, and pull it out
0:24:10 > 0:24:11and as a consequence,
0:24:11 > 0:24:13what we're left with are the shades that are always present
0:24:13 > 0:24:17like the wonderful yellows of the Hamamelis here.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20So if you want really reliable colours then go with yellows
0:24:20 > 0:24:24because every season that plant will pull the chlorophyll out
0:24:24 > 0:24:26and you're bound to get a great yellow display.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30But, if you want the most flamboyant reds
0:24:30 > 0:24:33and really vivid pinks
0:24:33 > 0:24:36then you have to rely not just on the plant
0:24:36 > 0:24:39pulling itself to pieces literally during autumn,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42but also dry conditions at the root,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44a drought in summer is perfect,
0:24:44 > 0:24:48and really bright days followed by cold nights
0:24:48 > 0:24:50because what then happens is that,
0:24:50 > 0:24:52you can see on this Parrotia,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55the leaves go bright colours.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58The sugars are still manufactured in the leaf
0:24:58 > 0:24:59but that tap has now been turned off.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03The sugars can't get out and so another substance is manufactured.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06It's called anthocyanins, it's the red pigment in all plants.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10It's why, for instance, apples go red as they ripen.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12It's exactly the same process, anthocyanin is produced,
0:25:12 > 0:25:16the sugars are trapped in the leaf or in the apple
0:25:16 > 0:25:19and we get the most fantastic autumn colours.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22So plants like Parrotia and Fothergilla are the ones to go for,
0:25:22 > 0:25:26just remember they may not always give you their very best displays
0:25:26 > 0:25:28but it's worth the wait.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Well, it seemed a good idea at the time.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33We're going to have a redundant cold frame all summer
0:25:33 > 0:25:37and taking an idea from my old dad, he used to fill his cold frames
0:25:37 > 0:25:41with melons for the summer and the staff all just loved that.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44Well, I can't say that it's been the best use of space this time.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48We've three varieties and the best one, 5 Desserts,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51so your share is going to be really quite limited.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Then we've got Sweet Granite
0:25:53 > 0:25:56which was looking as if it could double in size
0:25:56 > 0:25:58in a very short space of time
0:25:58 > 0:26:01but the fact of the matter is they've stopped growing now
0:26:01 > 0:26:03and then finally there's Minnesota Midget up there,
0:26:03 > 0:26:05it's been the most prolific by far.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09I wonder what Mr B has to say for his efforts,
0:26:09 > 0:26:13he was certainly growing wonderful silage the last time I looked.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17The cheek of it, silage!
0:26:17 > 0:26:18Although in truth,
0:26:18 > 0:26:22I think Mr B's melon enterprise isn't going to be hugely profitable
0:26:22 > 0:26:24if it's size you're after.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28If it's quantity then we could be quids in because quick head count
0:26:28 > 0:26:33in here and just look, everywhere you look, there's melons.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35They're small but there are melons there.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37In fact, there's about 45 in here.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39From one plant, this is Minnesota Midget
0:26:39 > 0:26:42so where Jim was producing one or two melons per plant,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45this is, well, a wealth of melons.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Well, I think the melons were a bit of fun. However, our round courgettes
0:26:52 > 0:26:55have been really productive and we've used a lot of them.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Now you can see there's one or two still left here
0:26:57 > 0:26:59and as long as we don't have any frost,
0:26:59 > 0:27:03I'm hoping they will mature and just to help them I want to
0:27:03 > 0:27:06take off some of the foliage and let in as much light as possible.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13Well, do you agree to an honourable draw in the melon stakes?
0:27:13 > 0:27:15I think just about. Just about.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18- Yours were slightly further ahead than mine.- They were more plentiful.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20But what about the heat which was used for them?
0:27:20 > 0:27:23- Very juicy, actually.- Yeah, they were very juicy.- Good flavour.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Anyway, explain yourself, dear boy. This is an invention of yours.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Yeah, well, this was just a patch of land which was
0:27:29 > 0:27:32very, very poor soil, it's part of the old wind breaker of trees
0:27:32 > 0:27:35so it's tree stumps and unimproved,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38popped in a load of 9cm herbaceous containers.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41They've been in just over a year and really the idea was to use
0:27:41 > 0:27:44exotic plants and try and assemble them like a meadow
0:27:44 > 0:27:46so it should be maintenance free
0:27:46 > 0:27:49and we have been taking out weeds in the spaces but actually,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52it's giving you the display at the end of the season.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54It's filled the gap. And that Monarda I think's rather nice,
0:27:54 > 0:27:56- little bit of mildew but not bad. - It's a good one,
0:27:56 > 0:27:59that's violent queen which is known to be relatively good
0:27:59 > 0:28:01at resisting mildew but look at the size.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Everything is about half the size you'd expect in a conventional
0:28:04 > 0:28:07- herbaceous border with lots of fertiliser underneath it.- No staking.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09- Yeah, I like that too. - That's a winner.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12- But a good spread of colour for this time of year.- Yeah, it's great.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15If you'd like any more information about this week's programme,
0:28:15 > 0:28:17it's all in the factsheet
0:28:17 > 0:28:19and the easiest way to access that is online.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22- Now next week, Chris, what are you doing?- Next week I'm back roaming.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25I'm going back to my new builds, end of the first growing season
0:28:25 > 0:28:27for them so I'm really keen to see how they're getting on.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30- What about you? What are you doing? - Spring bedding, I think, Jim.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33- And you too.- Yes, well, in a different bed, I'd expect.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36- Until we see you next time. Bye!- Goodbye.