0:00:12 > 0:00:15A rather nice specimen of Pieris Little Heath.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19Hello. Welcome to Beechgrove Garden on a lovely summer's day.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Mild with a bit of cloud cover.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24Back in the garden, of course, after our sortie at Gardening Scotland,
0:00:24 > 0:00:26which always is a bit hectic.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30And, Carole, we've got rather a nice day. What are you doing?
0:00:30 > 0:00:33What I'm doing is this beautiful spirea here. It's a golden form.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36But, look, we've got one or two green shoots, a bit of reversion,
0:00:36 > 0:00:38and now's the time to take that out.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40You need to try and get it right back
0:00:40 > 0:00:42with the heel on the end there.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44- Rip it off, yes. It's prone to that, isn't it?- It is.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47- Almost everywhere it's grown. - Very much so.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49- But look at this lovely little tree. - The pea tree.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53And I love it because it is a small, standard weeping tree,
0:00:53 > 0:00:55so it suits small gardens.
0:00:55 > 0:01:00And it's very hardy, cos the common name is the Siberian pea tree.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04- A caragana.- Arborescens, yes.- Lovely little yellow flowers.- It is good.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09- But let's see what his nibs is up to.- Spot of weeding, isn't it?
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Mr Anderson, what's gone on here?
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Well, this was the area underneath the conifer,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17which hadn't seen the light of day for a long time.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20We mulched this with our own compost and a mixture of leaf mould,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23and it's absolutely fascinating what's coming up.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27Look at this. There's some and you think, "What's that?"
0:01:27 > 0:01:29I think that that is osteospermum seedlings.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Funny, cos I wondered if it might be candytuft.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Well, we'll wait and see. It could be.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36And then we've got this one. That's a hellebore.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38We've got lots of things coming up here.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41I'm just going to have to pull out the weeds I recognise!
0:01:41 > 0:01:43Anyway, there's a lot in this programme,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45so let's see what it's all about.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52I'm visiting a gorgeous garden on a family farm in Fife,
0:01:52 > 0:01:55surrounded by this wonderful landscape.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02And what a sight, these wonderful Ochil Hills,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05and we're right at the bottom, in an allotment setting.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14This is the first time we've had a chance to have a look in our Keder,
0:02:14 > 0:02:18and it's all planted up now, so I thought we'd just have a look
0:02:18 > 0:02:20and see what we're going to grow this year.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23And, well, most years I tend to grow cucumbers.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25I've got three different varieties.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28This one here, I think the name gives away about the variety.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30It's called Baby, and those cucumbers,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33then you crop them when they're really quite small,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35between three to six inches.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38As for the system, we like to use these strings,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41and what happens is that goes right underneath the plant,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43and that's the end of the string.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46So as the roots start to grow, that holds that string in.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49It means then you can twine the plant around,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52and if it gets too tight, you can loosen it off at the top.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Also, I love the fact that we use these pots for watering,
0:02:55 > 0:03:00because cucumbers don't like wet necks - they very often rot.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03If you water through the pot, it's getting down to the root system
0:03:03 > 0:03:07and it's avoiding splashing onto the plant itself.
0:03:07 > 0:03:08So that one's called Baby.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11This one's called Anbar. Never grown it before.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15And what's interesting about this variety is it is self-pollinating.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17It doesn't need the bees, any of the insects.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22It will be assured that we will get fruit from it - larger fruits.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24And that's the same for Greenfit.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Larger fruits, but this time,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29it's really quite happy in a cold greenhouse.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31And that one's quite good for exhibition.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Very long, straight fruits.
0:03:33 > 0:03:34On the other side,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37I've got three different types of winter squashes.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40Little Gem, so like the baby cucumber,
0:03:40 > 0:03:42that is a small winter squash.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46We then move on to Honey Boat, a heritage variety.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Goes way back into the late 1800s.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50And then finally, Festival.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Also, the growing system for them,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55we decided that these can either trail
0:03:55 > 0:03:56or they can actually scramble up.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00We're going to try the pea netting and have it scrambling up there,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02and it'll give it plenty of room to grow.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Of course, I like to grow tomatoes as well.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08This is a small one, a variety called Cherry Falls.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Ideal for a hanging basket.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15And then, again, small tomato fruits with these two here.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17They're cherry-sized tomatoes.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19We've got Sungold,
0:04:19 > 0:04:22and most people think this is one of the sweetest cherry tomatoes
0:04:22 > 0:04:24that you can grow.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Having looked in the catalogues,
0:04:26 > 0:04:28we found a red one called Sweet Aperitif,
0:04:28 > 0:04:31which is also meant to be very sweet.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34So what we're going to do is, the crew and the presenters,
0:04:34 > 0:04:37we're going to do a bit of a taste test at the end of the season
0:04:37 > 0:04:39and we'll come back with the results.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48Well, hello there,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50and look at these magnificent Ochil Hills behind us.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53I'm in the Hillfoots town of Tillicoultry,
0:04:53 > 0:04:54and look at the garden here.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Golden hop and aquilegias and hedges and magnolias.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00It's an allotment site, would you believe?
0:05:00 > 0:05:02Absolutely stunning. I've never seen anything like it.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05It gives it the feel of being a whole series of back gardens.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Stay with us to learn a little bit more.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Now, then, Bill McMurray,
0:05:22 > 0:05:25how long have you been involved in the Tillicoultry allotments?
0:05:25 > 0:05:27- I've been down here about 24 years, Jim.- Yes.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31- And when did they start? - They started in 1978.- Uh-huh.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34- They kept on quite well for a good few years.- Yes.
0:05:34 > 0:05:35A thriving community.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39And then in the late '80s, people moved on, moved away,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41and the site became run-down.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43You could hardly call it run-down.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46It's moved on millions of miles since then.
0:05:46 > 0:05:47But I have to say to you,
0:05:47 > 0:05:50it is the most amazing allotment I've ever been in,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52because it doesn't look like an allotment site.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54It looks like a whole series of back gardens.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57And that's due to the nice paths and the wonderful hedges.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00There's quite a few buildings - sheds, greenhouses.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Some allotment places don't allow them.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Anybody who wants to put a structure up on their plot,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06it has to be passed by the committee.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- We don't want to get too many commercial buildings up.- Yes, quite.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12- Or a building sited where it's maybe annoying your neighbour.- Yes.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15Where are you going to site it, what size is it going to be,
0:06:15 > 0:06:18and what colour it's going to be, so it blends in.
0:06:18 > 0:06:19If a newcomer comes along,
0:06:19 > 0:06:21how do they approach you and what do you say?
0:06:21 > 0:06:25- We've got a system where we've got three small starter plots.- Yeah.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27We can put them onto a starter plot
0:06:27 > 0:06:30and we weigh them up to see if they like doing allotment gardening,
0:06:30 > 0:06:32and we weigh them up to see if they're able to do it.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34And if they show promise,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37presumably they've got to go on a waiting list to get a bigger one.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39- That's right.- And I suppose the system works the other way round.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42As you get a bit older and bent, like me,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44- I might want a smaller size. - That's right, Jim.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47We can see some progression, some movement in the site.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49A lot of common sense in that.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51- I'm off to meet some of them. See you later.- OK.
0:06:59 > 0:07:00Well, hello, then, Jim Graham.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03- You're putting up the flycatchers, are you?- Yes, yes.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06This is a bit of a home from home for me.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Describe these two systems of growing these tomatoes.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12I've been using the green pots for four years.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Your plants are looking well. How long have they been in?
0:07:14 > 0:07:18These ones have been in two weeks. In the grow bag, two weeks.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21I don't know what you're feeding them, but they're doing awful well.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Now, then...!
0:07:23 > 0:07:28- You're treating the peppers in the same sort of way.- Yeah.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31- But with a different... - It's the same idea.- Yes.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35You fill the reservoir and it seeps through into the grow bag.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37There's holes in it, isn't there?
0:07:37 > 0:07:41Now, on the other side of this particular part of the greenhouse,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45a nifty way of watering the plants when you're not here.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47A piece of pipe, fill it with water.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50- Off the builders' merchants, nae bother.- Yeah, yeah.
0:07:50 > 0:07:51Capillary matting.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54- It sits in the water, draws it up. - Yeah, yeah.- Covers the whole tray.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57You put a lot of effort in, and it shows, James.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59- It's a credit to you.- Thank you.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Amazing, the things you see just en passant, as it were.
0:08:08 > 0:08:13This is a cloche. Each of these panes of glass is tapered.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15They've been in a door or something.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17So I would say...posh cloche.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36- Hello there.- Hello.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Ah! Now I realise why it's Pauline's Garden.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43- We're old pals, aren't we?- Yes, yes.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46- You're usually in fiddling gear. - That's right, yes.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48A bit of an expert at that.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50This is not a true allotment.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54- But it's what you want it to be. - It's my garden.- Yeah, yeah.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58- Cos we've always lived in flats.- OK. Quite close by?- One of these flats.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00- This, in fact, is your back garden? - Mm-hm.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05- And how long have you been gardening here?- Since 1978.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07- That's the year it started.- Yes.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11I see a little sort of bird feeder-type thing here.
0:09:11 > 0:09:12- Do you get plenty of birds?- Oh, yes.
0:09:12 > 0:09:17- Sparrows and blackbirds.- Aye. - They eat the snails.- Of course!
0:09:17 > 0:09:20- And you've still got your enthusiasm for gardening?- Oh, yes.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23And you get as much enjoyment out of it as you do your music?
0:09:23 > 0:09:25- Oh, yes. - Because you make brilliant music.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28- Thank you very much.- Keeping going. Nice to see you again.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34Seeing schoolchildren on this site
0:09:34 > 0:09:37is further proof it's gone from strength to strength.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Two local schools come out here to get their hands dirty
0:09:40 > 0:09:42and learn a thing or two about gardening.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Turn it upside down.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Now, can you balance...? Whoop! Can you balance it?
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Well, see, hit the side of the pot. The bottom.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01That's it. You beauty!
0:10:01 > 0:10:03Now, then. Pop it in.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Perfect. You're a champ!
0:10:14 > 0:10:17- Balance it, now. Don't let it drop. - I know.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Don't worry. I've done this before.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24OK, I stand corrected! Don't mess about!
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Now, then...
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Now, then, Judy, can I interrupt your labours?
0:10:34 > 0:10:37- How are you doing? - If you wish. Fine, thanks.
0:10:37 > 0:10:38When I was talking to Bill,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40we talked about people who start with a small plot,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42get to a big plot, and then go to a small plot,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46and you are one of the said people - you used to have a big plot.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49I used to have a big plot, and then I downsized to a medium.
0:10:49 > 0:10:54- And now I'm down to raised beds. - And you can manage that?- Two.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57- Well, this is my first year, so I'm hoping.- OK.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59But I'm only growing, you know, wee things,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01cos I've got to eat it, you see.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03What do you choose to grow? I mean...
0:11:03 > 0:11:07- Well...- This is a new fad, this business of buying little seedlings.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11Yes. I've never been able to grow carrots cos of the carrot fly thing.
0:11:11 > 0:11:17- So I saw those and I thought I'll try sticking them in...- Yeah.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21- These are little pots. You might want to split them.- Yes.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23- And try separating out and replanting.- Yeah.
0:11:23 > 0:11:28Of the theory is, of course, if you try to split carrot seedlings,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30you may break the taproot.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32- Yes.- And if that happens, it'll just bolt.- Yes.
0:11:32 > 0:11:33- But you try it.- Yeah.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36- Why not do the same with the parsnips?- Yeah.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- Well, thank you, Judy. - Thank you very much.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41- I must move on.- I'd shake your hand, but it's a bit mucky.- Oh...
0:11:41 > 0:11:42Goodbye.
0:11:47 > 0:11:48I suppose, Billy,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51you have actually accounted for every square inch in the place.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54- Every square inch apart from this area we're in just now.- Ah!
0:11:54 > 0:11:56I wondered about that.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59You can see, apart from the lovely comfrey plants,
0:11:59 > 0:12:01it's covered in the weeds.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04It's been, historically, a problem area for us.
0:12:04 > 0:12:09We managed to win a competition from Kew Gardens and Grow Wild.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13- We've got 100 packets of seeds of Scottish wild flowers.- So...
0:12:13 > 0:12:16We want to get this place dug up and sown.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19We'll be coming back to see you in August, September,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21see how everything is progressing.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23This place will change in character completely.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25It'll be plumptiousness.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28In the meantime, today, we've had an absolutely brilliant time.
0:12:28 > 0:12:29Thank you so much.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37George, what a place that was, the allotments.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40- Fabulous allotments. So neat and tidy.- I know.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43- Looking forward to the next part, when Jim goes back.- Absolutely.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Doing a little bit of summer bedding here.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47I love this time of year, quite honestly.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51- Was this a gap?- Yes. I want to show you this.- Uh-huh.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Which might remind us of the fact
0:12:54 > 0:12:59that we had hippophae in here, the Sea Buckthorn.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Went everywhere, and digging over, we're still finding roots.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05So I think we're better to keep this as a temporary area
0:13:05 > 0:13:07and maybe revamp the site next year.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09You've themed this with blue and yellow.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13- Blue, yellows and whites are my theme in the seaside garden.- Right.
0:13:13 > 0:13:14And what have we got?
0:13:14 > 0:13:18We've got the lupin, which is called Sunrise, which is blue and yellow.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21- The little linum at the front, Blue Dress.- Uh-huh.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23And this cosmos. What's that one?
0:13:23 > 0:13:25That's Xanthos, and it's the first yellow cosmos.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28- That's this really new one.- Yeah. This is going to look really bonny.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31But we're going to have to give it a good water-in, aren't we?
0:13:31 > 0:13:34- It's still quite dry, so it should be watered in.- Yeah.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37So, now we can have a look at some of our containers,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41and the hanging baskets, of course, we did those several weeks ago.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44- Yeah. Do you like that? - Not particularly.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47It's a new strain of petunia, Night Sky.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Almost as though somebody's taken a white paint brush...!
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- Exactly.- It's blotchy, isn't it?
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- What about the bidens, though? - I don't mind that.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57- That's our new colour break, isn't it?- It is, yes.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Usually yellow. But that...
0:13:59 > 0:14:01If I had that and then hung it against a red brick wall,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03- you'd never see it. - You've got to have a contrast.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05It's not going to stay in the seaside garden -
0:14:05 > 0:14:06it's the wrong colour.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09- But this one... Is that staying here?- I think so.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12- That's Cloud Nine.- Oh! - Rather nice, I think.- Yeah.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14And it just shows you, if you plant them earlier,
0:14:14 > 0:14:16you've got that colour at this time of year.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Bring them on a little bit inside, get them ready, established,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21then get them out once the weather perks up.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24You can't always do that, so we're planting up the containers.
0:14:24 > 0:14:25These are quite small containers.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29- The feeding will last for the whole season?- Should do.
0:14:29 > 0:14:30And water granules in here?
0:14:30 > 0:14:33There are some moisture-retention granules as well.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36- I'm going to put in some of these osteospermums.- Right.
0:14:36 > 0:14:37We're keeping to the same...
0:14:37 > 0:14:40You know, the blues and the whites and the yellows
0:14:40 > 0:14:41for the seaside garden.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45- And what are you putting in? - I've got an ageratum here.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50It's called Golden Sun, so I can't think it will be a blue one.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54- It'll be a nice yellow one.- I'm going to put that round the outside.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56And then what I'm going to put in the inside
0:14:56 > 0:14:59is this salvia, which is here.
0:14:59 > 0:15:00That'll go into the centre.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02There'll be the yellow fringe
0:15:02 > 0:15:06and this wonderful blue dome on the outside.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09Back in May, Carole went off to see a garden in Fife.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12And I have to tell you, it's an absolute cracker.
0:15:12 > 0:15:13Just wait till you see.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25Many people nowadays have full-time jobs,
0:15:25 > 0:15:29which often means finding time to do a bit of gardening
0:15:29 > 0:15:31isn't necessarily a priority.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Well, it's the complete opposite for Barbara Pickard.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37She works on the family farm here in Fife,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40and in her spare time, she just loves to garden.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55Barbara, I bet this is a busy time of year for you on the farm.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57It's incredibly busy in March, April and May.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00I'm very much involved with calving the cows,
0:16:00 > 0:16:02but then also, we've got a lot of sheep to lamb,
0:16:02 > 0:16:06and there are all the crops to go in and carrots to sow,
0:16:06 > 0:16:08and so we're just beginning to ease off now.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11Does that mean, because you're slightly easing off,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13we can get a chance to have a look at your garden?
0:16:13 > 0:16:15- Yes, that'd be lovely. - OK, come on. Let's go.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27So this is where I can come at the end of the day,
0:16:27 > 0:16:29or when I get a break,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31and this is where I can get my sanity back.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34This is where you want to relax? You absolutely enjoy it as therapy?
0:16:34 > 0:16:38Yes, yes. There's still quite a lot of hard work, but I really love it.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41And what was it like, then, Barbara, when you first came?
0:16:41 > 0:16:43This garden was sloping from that bed there,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45right down to the greenhouse.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49My husband liked croquet then, so we decided to make a croquet lawn,
0:16:49 > 0:16:51and we cut the soil from this side
0:16:51 > 0:16:53and put it over there to make it flat.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55It's now got a nice border around it
0:16:55 > 0:16:57that took a while to gradually develop.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59It's a lovely border. Full of plants.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Libertia in flower. I mean, that is gorgeous, Barbara.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05I've got one in my own garden. It's still in bud.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08So I'm assuming with the walled garden here, you get the heat.
0:17:08 > 0:17:09Yes. Yes, you do.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12And often, it's quite dry, but they do seem to manage.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14And what about the alliums?
0:17:14 > 0:17:15I just planted those recently,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18but some other guests came along which I didn't know about.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21The bluebells have obviously come from a wood somewhere here.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24The combination works fine. I think you just leave it alone.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Choisya ternata, this is the cut-leaf one called Aztec Pearl.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30- Full of blossom.- Yes. Yes, it really likes it here.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33And the rhododendron was a gift in a small pot,
0:17:33 > 0:17:34and obviously likes it here.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37I didn't think I could grow rhododendrons, but it's glamorous.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39And I put a small cistus in next to it
0:17:39 > 0:17:43and was advised that, probably, the cistus would only last a few years,
0:17:43 > 0:17:45cos they're not very long-lived,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47but it's still here and it's quite big.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49- And in the corner...- The tree peony.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52It was probably by accident that I planted it up there,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56and I didn't realise that its flowers hang down so much
0:17:56 > 0:17:59that if you're up level with it, you actually don't see them,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01but when you're down here, you do get to appreciate them,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03cos they're very, very dark.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Aren't they? Extremely dark. Let's see what else we can find.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07More gems, I'm sure.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Here we've got another tree peony, the lutea,
0:18:15 > 0:18:19with lovely yellow flowers, and it's quite prolific.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21- It tends to seed all over the place. - And the magnolia.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Yes, the Magnolia stellata is lovely,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28because it always flowers on my birthday, on 20th April.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30Because we're so busy then, there isn't time to do anything else,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33but I can always come out here and appreciate that.
0:18:33 > 0:18:35- And it flowers for weeks, doesn't it?- It does.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Barbara, this is quite a contrast to the formal walled garden.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45A rather informal setting.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Yes, this was intended to be part wild garden.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50There's quite a few trees that were here,
0:18:50 > 0:18:52and some of the shrubs were here when we came.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54But, obviously, it's a big area to look after,
0:18:54 > 0:18:58and so I've inter-planted with things that come back or reseed,
0:18:58 > 0:19:00and so I get maybe splashes of colour.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02To keep down the maintenance with the weeds,
0:19:02 > 0:19:04you've used a lot of bark.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Yes, and the bark came from what was the leylandii hedge across there,
0:19:07 > 0:19:09which we took down in 2012.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11The one thing about taking the hedge down
0:19:11 > 0:19:14was that the grandchildren were in tears
0:19:14 > 0:19:15when they came home from school
0:19:15 > 0:19:17because they'd had a den underneath it.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20And so we decided to retain the big yellow conifer
0:19:20 > 0:19:21at the bottom of the garden,
0:19:21 > 0:19:25and Jen's made her wee wildlife project round the back of it.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Hopefully I can find Jen and find out about her project.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36So, Jen, tell me a bit about your garden.
0:19:36 > 0:19:37What's the inspiration behind it?
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Well, it was a school project,
0:19:39 > 0:19:43and we had to try and create as many homes for wildlife as we could.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47So I decided to put a pond, some wild flowers in,
0:19:47 > 0:19:51and create a little bird hotel, and some sticks and leaves.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54And I presume there's some wild flowers in here,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57and I think that's something coming through already.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59Have you seen any wildlife coming into the garden?
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Yeah, I've seen several bumblebees, butterflies,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05and I had a regular robin visit.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07That's brilliant. Robins are really friendly.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09I'm going to leave you to it, though,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11and I'd better find your grandma again. Thanks.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21Barbara, your roses, they are so healthy.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24They look really lush. It must be the farmyard manure.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27Yes, we had to put a lot in when we planted them.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Decided, because I couldn't go on a certain holiday,
0:20:29 > 0:20:33because I'd had a hip replacement, I decided I'd have a new project
0:20:33 > 0:20:35and spend the holiday money on roses.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- We're speaking about, what, quite a few varieties here?- Yes.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40There's 27 varieties of fragrant shrub roses.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42About 96 plants in all.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45- I like the way you've inter-planted it with other plants as well.- Yes.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48And some things, like the crinodendron, was already there,
0:20:48 > 0:20:50and we were able to keep that.
0:20:50 > 0:20:51Then I've put other things in
0:20:51 > 0:20:54to try and give a bit of interest before the roses get going.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56This is definitely my kind of rose garden.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Shrub roses and so much perfume.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08I've had a fantastic day going round your garden,
0:21:08 > 0:21:09but we've kept it very quiet
0:21:09 > 0:21:11the fact that you are opening for the first time
0:21:11 > 0:21:13under Scotland's Gardens.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Yes, on 19th June and 2nd July,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19and I was encouraged to do so through the Scotland Gardens scheme,
0:21:19 > 0:21:22and Terrill kindly invited me to participate.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25- Terrill, you're the national organiser.- That's right.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27- A very special year? - It's a very special year for us.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30We're celebrating our 85th birthday.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33So 85 years of helping gardens like Barbara's open
0:21:33 > 0:21:35and raise money for charity.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38And how much money have you raised over that time?
0:21:38 > 0:21:41We have raised just under £9 million.
0:21:41 > 0:21:42The whole thing is wonderful
0:21:42 > 0:21:45and, presumably, you're always looking for more gardens to open?
0:21:45 > 0:21:47We are always looking for more gardens,
0:21:47 > 0:21:51but we're also looking for new visitors to come and find us,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54and even volunteers to come and help us with the charity.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57It is a great scheme. It's done so much good.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00And I wish you a really fantastic day,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02and let's hope the sunshine's like today.
0:22:02 > 0:22:03- Yes, hope so.- Thank you so much.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Now, then, George, there's something to see.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17I think we've got to explain again the no-dig, dig plots.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20So, what we have on this side, this is the no-dig plot.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23What we've done here is, the compost has been spread on the top,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25the whole thing has not been dug at all,
0:22:25 > 0:22:27and then we sow directly into the compost.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30- And on that one...- Yes. - ..we bury the compost...
0:22:30 > 0:22:32- Just traditional digging, really, Jim.- Yes.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33Bury the compost underneath
0:22:33 > 0:22:37and then we work the soil on the top just in the traditional way.
0:22:37 > 0:22:38Exactly. Interestingly enough...
0:22:38 > 0:22:41I mean, there's a distinct difference in colour.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43That's the basic soil, and this is, in fact, the compost...
0:22:43 > 0:22:46This might heat up quicker, because it's black soil,
0:22:46 > 0:22:47it absorbs the heat better.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Don't try and make too strong a case about it!
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Once that's been cleared of the crop at the end of the growing season...
0:22:54 > 0:22:57What we do then is, we just take off the detritus from the crop,
0:22:57 > 0:22:58put that on the compost heap,
0:22:58 > 0:23:01and then we put new compost over the top of that.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03- But we dig it into that one. - Yes, yes.- So, that's it.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06- That's the hard work. - That's the hard work.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08There's a couple of seasonal jobs needing done now.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12- What we've sown and planted has really come through.- Yes.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14I actually still remain sceptical,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17because I do think it depends on the soil type.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19If you're on a light sandy loam,
0:23:19 > 0:23:22you can grow anything with very little cultivation.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26- Absolutely.- But if you're on a heavy clay, which needs area aerating,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29- I feel that this is... - Much better to be stirring the soil.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32The only real saving, as far as I can see, is the physical work.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35- Your back'll be better, because you've got the no-dig one.- Right.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39- We're about to thin some veggies, aren't we?- What are you up to there?
0:23:39 > 0:23:42You've got the ones that are actually space sown.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Two rows of beetroot. There's one row there and one row there.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47And they've been space sown.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49But because the beetroot comes up
0:23:49 > 0:23:52several seedlings from this little seed packet,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54we want to take them out and make them singles.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56- Yeah.- And you're actually on... - I'm on turnips here.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58What I'm going to do here is...
0:23:58 > 0:24:00I'm going to give this a wee bit of a hoe
0:24:00 > 0:24:03either side of the row before I start thinning.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06- You'll want to hoe that again, won't you?- Well...
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Yes. You know, hoeing is such a wonderful wee job.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13- It's not difficult, and it kills an awful lot of weeds.- Yes.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16- When you can't see them. - And that is a traditional Dutch hoe.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19- That's it. - I've got a modern equivalent of...
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Well, we used to have one with a swan's neck called an onion hoe.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24That's right.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27And that's quite nifty for, you know, just scraping off
0:24:27 > 0:24:31and getting rid of the weeds in the middle of the row.
0:24:31 > 0:24:32And in this kind of weather...
0:24:32 > 0:24:35- I mean, they burn up in no time at all.- Yeah.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40And then when we start to single, the one I want to keep,
0:24:40 > 0:24:43I just protect it with one finger and pull the other two out.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45Should add, George,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48that each of the two plots has the crops in the same order.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50So you've got potatoes,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53carrots under here, protected for carrot fly,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56brassicas under here, protected from the pigeons.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58And then you've got the legumes.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Turnips, broad beans, peas, and onions at the end.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04- Yes, yes, just the same.- Yeah. - So, keep on going by.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Something else for my 8x6 greenhouse -
0:25:11 > 0:25:14or why not try and grow these on the windowsill? -
0:25:14 > 0:25:17is a tomato variety called Sweet 'n' Neat.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19So, very compact.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21And at the moment, just look at these roots.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24That is a perfect time to pot them on.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Regular viewers will remember that last autumn...
0:25:29 > 0:25:32September, in fact, we planted a range of brassicas
0:25:32 > 0:25:36and other vegetables like pak choi and rocket and so on
0:25:36 > 0:25:38in the tunnels and out of doors.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41Included in that list were some onions.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42They were young plants, not seed,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45but it was young plants that were planted out
0:25:45 > 0:25:47both in the tunnel and here.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50I'm always sceptical about overwintering onions,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53because they are so prone to damage from the winter weather.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57What's happened here is our crop has started to run to seed.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59It's bolted, as we would say.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01And once they start making seed,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04forget about putting on a bit of weight at the other end,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06which is what we're looking for.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09So it has probably stopped swelling, the base.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11And I would have said, in normal conditions,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14that that was caused by cold weather in the winter
0:26:14 > 0:26:15that's triggered the bolting.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18But there might be another reason,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21because the brown tips there could be caused by drought.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25And we've had quite long periods of dry weather earlier in the spring,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27and that may be a combination of the two.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31In any case, you've got a decent bit of onion there. Just use it.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35I will continue to make a better job of my own big onions
0:26:35 > 0:26:38in the main veg plot, because they can be kept right through
0:26:38 > 0:26:40to this time of the year anyway.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44Isn't that marvellous? Meconopsis. This is a white one.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47We've got blue ones, we've got pink ones, just as I promised you.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49And they're starting to flower.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52In order to keep them flowering for next year and the year after,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55what we got to do is remove the seedhead.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57If you let them seed, they have a tendency to die out.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59Don't let them seed.
0:27:01 > 0:27:02It's been a funny old day.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05We started in cloud, although it was quite warm.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Then we had some brilliant sunshine. Everybody was peeling off layers.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11- Now we're back to the cloud again. But it's quite pleasant.- Isn't it?
0:27:11 > 0:27:13- And I think it shows off the lovely tree.- Yes.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16I think that's one of the original trees
0:27:16 > 0:27:18from the nursery that was here before us.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21- My goodness.- One or two mature ones. We just picked them and left them.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23So, more than 20 years old.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26- That'll be about 25, 30 years old. - Oh, easy.- Easy, George.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28This time of year, it's absolutely brilliant, that white foliage.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31And this centaurea, with the white on that, that's good as well.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33- Really nice. - What about our friend here?
0:27:33 > 0:27:35- Ravenswings. Mm...- Do you like it?
0:27:35 > 0:27:38I like it, but you've got to be a little bit careful.
0:27:38 > 0:27:39It self-seeds everywhere.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- It's across the other side...- Mm! - It's walking out!
0:27:42 > 0:27:45- What about the produce? - Well, this is your onions.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48I think we could have a few stir-fries out of that.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50- Yeah, sure.- We'll get one or two. Might need a few, though.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52I think you might. What have you been up to?
0:27:52 > 0:27:55This is the start of my little mushroom kits on the windowsill.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58- Oh, yes. - I know there's not much there yet.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00That's taken a couple of months.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03- There's something... - That's an oyster mushroom there.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07In theory, we should be able to get three crops. So we'll wait and see.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09- How long has it taken to get to this stage?- Two months.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12- Roughly two months, Jim.- And you reckon you'll get three crops?
0:28:12 > 0:28:15- Yeah.- You think it's worthwhile? - Absolutely!
0:28:15 > 0:28:17So speaks a cynic.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20If you'd like any more information about this week's programme,
0:28:20 > 0:28:22especially all about the open garden,
0:28:22 > 0:28:24it's all in the fact sheet,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26and the easiest way to access that is online.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29- What are you doing next week, George?- I'm in the fruit house.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32- And Carole?- Saving money again, gardening on a budget.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34And I'm in the fruit cage!
0:28:34 > 0:28:36- Until then, bye-bye.- Bye.- Goodbye.