0:00:04 > 0:00:07Hello and welcome to the Beechgrove Garden.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09But patently we've left it behind today.
0:00:09 > 0:00:10We're on our summer hols.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13We've moved up to the Moray Coast to the town of Nairn,
0:00:13 > 0:00:15and getting our share of the ozone.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18It's a wonderful spot - right behind me here is the Moray Firth
0:00:18 > 0:00:21and the Sutors of Cromarty, the Black Isle,
0:00:21 > 0:00:25and right away in the far distance there, the hills of Sutherland.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Back in the 19th century this town was a bit of a spa town,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31and not in your Bath-type spa. No, no - it was the sea.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35The temperature was just a little warmer here than elsewhere.
0:00:35 > 0:00:36THEY LAUGH
0:00:36 > 0:00:39And I think what's rather interesting is even though
0:00:39 > 0:00:42we are 90 miles north-west of Beechgrove, it is
0:00:42 > 0:00:45one of the sunniest places in Scotland,
0:00:45 > 0:00:48and used to be called the Brighton of the North.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52- It's incredible, isn't it?- It has switched on.- There you go, you see?
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Just when you need it. As well as being the sunniest,
0:00:54 > 0:00:58it's also apparently one of the driest areas in Scotland.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00I don't want to tempt fate given the colour of the clouds
0:01:00 > 0:01:03in that direction, but it is dry here.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Which is even more remarkable when you consider the latitude.
0:01:05 > 0:01:10Cos if you head due west, Hudson Bay. Due east, Moscow.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13And of course, the question for us is what actually grows here?
0:01:35 > 0:01:39If you want to know anything about the local growing conditions,
0:01:39 > 0:01:42there's no better place to start than an allotment.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46And here there's a whole host of Mediterranean herbs -
0:01:46 > 0:01:51raspberries, strawberries, courgettes, artichokes, apples, cherries.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54You name it, it's all plentiful.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56And it shouldn't come really is a surprise,
0:01:56 > 0:01:59because this site, Mill Road allotments,
0:01:59 > 0:02:04was many years ago the local pasture for the draft horses that
0:02:04 > 0:02:07were tethered here when they weren't working.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11After bringing, well, the harbour produce from
0:02:11 > 0:02:15that end of town to the railway line at this end of town.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Today, you can grow a whole host of produce on what is reputed
0:02:19 > 0:02:25to be three metres deep of fertile alluvial soil.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Perfect for the small-scale gardener.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Now then, Chris was showing there the small-scale production
0:02:38 > 0:02:42of vegetables in this part of the world, but Steve,
0:02:42 > 0:02:47out here in the field, this is part of the speciality of the Moray coast, isn't it?
0:02:47 > 0:02:49Growing commercial crops. The reason being...?
0:02:49 > 0:02:53Morayshire's got a perfect climate for root vegetables,
0:02:53 > 0:02:58combined with very light, free draining soils. As we can see today,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00the combination of the two give us
0:03:00 > 0:03:03ideal growing conditions for this crop.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Indeed, not just carrots, but potatoes and beetroot also.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10- That's right.- Wonderful depth of soil and drainage, too.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14I mean, we've had an enormous amount of rain over the last 24 hours,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17and yet that soil is hardly sticking to the boots.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19The free draining characteristics of the soil,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22they're so important to root veg growers.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Cos not only are we looking for a good growing climate,
0:03:25 > 0:03:30we also store the carrots on the land right throughout the winter.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33- Yes.- And it's essential that we are able to select land
0:03:33 > 0:03:34that is not going to waterlog.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37And it will still be able to be harvested during these periods.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Tell me about the varieties.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42I mean, they all look the same here, but we've got red ones
0:03:42 > 0:03:44and yellow ones and so on.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Is that a new fad that you're responding to?
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Colours have been around for many years,
0:03:50 > 0:03:54but in the high street we haven't seen them very often
0:03:54 > 0:03:56until recently.
0:03:56 > 0:04:01And there's definitely an appetite out there for more exciting colours.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Yes. I've kept 64,000 question to the last.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06How you deal with carrot fly?
0:04:06 > 0:04:10There's a couple of cultural things that we do commercially.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Firstly, we try and delay the sowing of the crop
0:04:13 > 0:04:16So that we actually miss the first cycle of egg laying.
0:04:16 > 0:04:21- Which is when in this part of the world?- It would be early May.
0:04:21 > 0:04:26- Yeah.- So we'll delay the drilling until after that first phase.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31- Subsequent to that, we apply garlic granules.- Really?
0:04:31 > 0:04:39And the smell of the garlic is enough to prevent the egg laying.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Well, you couldn't get a better endorsement than that, folks.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43How often do you have to put it on?
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Ideally every 10-14 days right throughout the growing season.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50So then there's a break because then we get the second generation,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53August time, perhaps, in this part of the world. Do you start the treatment again then?
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Yes, we do, and continue it right into the autumn.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06Jim, Chris and I are in and around Nairn, finding out what grows,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09and possibly what doesn't, here on the Moray coast.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19We've been invited by the Nairn And District Gardening club to host a question session later,
0:05:19 > 0:05:23and hopefully between us we might even have some answers.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26That's not going to help! LAUGHTER But I just thought I'd ask.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29I'm hoping Jim will fill in for a bit longer
0:05:29 > 0:05:31- so that I can rack my brains. - LAUGHTER
0:05:33 > 0:05:37To find out a little more about the growing conditions in Nairn,
0:05:37 > 0:05:40Jim is visiting a small garden in the centre of Nairn.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42It is a plant-packed, tiny,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44seaside-themed garden
0:05:44 > 0:05:46owned by Donald Cheyne.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48Hello there, Donald.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50I can tell already that we're going to have an interesting visit.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Lead on, Macduff, as they say.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03What have we got here, Donald?
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Well! Heavens above! What a display, eh?!
0:06:09 > 0:06:13And of course the thing that takes the eye straightaway is that birch tree.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16That's incredible. JIM CHUCKLES
0:06:16 > 0:06:21And although this tree predominates, you know,
0:06:21 > 0:06:24you've got so much colour, so much of everything in the garden.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27- How old is the tree? - It's about 16 years now.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Do you ever have to wash the bark? Some people get moss.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34It naturally keeps itself clean, the bark peels off.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36Despite the fact that it's a mature tree,
0:06:36 > 0:06:40it doesn't cast a lot of shade, and you've got this wonderful feel,
0:06:40 > 0:06:42a kind of seaside feel, as one would expect.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44But if we start round this corner here,
0:06:44 > 0:06:47I'm interested in this weigela, the golden one here.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51That's able to grow twice the size. What do you do?
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Well, we just take out the point.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Let me see how much you're taking out.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00Oh, aye, right, uh-huh. And it doesn't affect the flowering?
0:07:00 > 0:07:02- Oh, no. You can see. - Well, you wouldn't want to.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06- Otherwise it would be way out here, you know.- Exactly.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10And talking seaside...
0:07:10 > 0:07:13We've got this lovely barrow
0:07:13 > 0:07:16- converted into a boat.- Pirate boat.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20- I like this.- Yes. Solar powered.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Oh! I was going to say it's a wee bit garish,
0:07:23 > 0:07:25but tell me about solar power.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28It comes on as soon as it gets dark.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30and it carries on all night long,
0:07:30 > 0:07:34and then it switches itself off when the light is in the morning.
0:07:34 > 0:07:35Why have you got it there?
0:07:35 > 0:07:38There's the dual purpose of keeping out the cats from the garden,
0:07:38 > 0:07:42- you know, it digs up the borders. - It doesn't need any other purpose!
0:07:42 > 0:07:46I'm going to sign up for one of them. Are they expensive?
0:07:46 > 0:07:47No, they're just about £10.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Donald, where are you leading me now? What's the next surprise?
0:07:55 > 0:08:00- This is the fruit section. - The fruit section! It's...
0:08:00 > 0:08:04In the name of patience! What have we got here?
0:08:04 > 0:08:07- Redcurrant or white currant? - White currant.- Wow!
0:08:07 > 0:08:11- Just trailing up the side of the shed.- And facing North?
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Facing North.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17Eh?! That's a fantastic lesson to learn - how to use a bit of space.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21There they go. Absolutely stunning. You'll get some crop off that.
0:08:21 > 0:08:22That's three.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25It's been a short visit, dear boy, but that's three cracking tips.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28How to keep a shrub smallish,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31how to keep the cats oot the garden,
0:08:31 > 0:08:33and this use of space.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35- Thanks, Donald.- OK.- It's been brilliant.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44This is the community and arts centre where we're hosting
0:08:44 > 0:08:47our Q and A session, and we've been invited by the
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Nairn And District Gardening Club.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52And they've invited many of their gardening friends,
0:08:52 > 0:08:54so I think it's going to be really interesting to see what
0:08:54 > 0:08:57challenging gardening questions they have for us.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00The MC is our friend and broadcaster Mark Stephen.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04And I think I'd better go and join them and stay out of the rain.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome here to Nairn.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12We're absolutely delighted to be here, not least of which
0:09:12 > 0:09:16because, as we know, Nairn has its own microclimate.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19It actually only rains once a year in Nairn.
0:09:19 > 0:09:20LAUGHTER
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Sadly, that day is today, and it's all arriving at once.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Ladies and gentlemen, you've come here with your gardening questions.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31Can I ask you to welcome to the stage Jim McColl.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Miss Carol Baxter.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Chris Beardshaw.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44Ladies and gentlemen, your Beechgrove gardening question team.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50Right, we've asked for questions already.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53You take that microphone and ask your question. Can you remember it?
0:09:53 > 0:09:57I have red cabbages planted for the first time in my allotment.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01They have beautiful, beautiful long leaves on them,
0:10:01 > 0:10:05but there's not one sign of a nice, neat compact heart.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Carol has got heartless red cabbages, Jim.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Patience is what you need, madam. Patience.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14It will arrive in due time.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17The red cabbage is probably autumn to winter, meant to be,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20and it needs a long growing season before it starts to heart up.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Just have patience. LAUGHTER
0:10:24 > 0:10:29It also needs sunlight as well. Which I...
0:10:29 > 0:10:31I know may sound a little bit far-fetched today,
0:10:31 > 0:10:37but you do find that if the plants are overshadowed by perhaps
0:10:37 > 0:10:40overenthusiastic planting of other crops close by,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43that they will struggle to form a heart.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46So make sure you give them sufficient space.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49And the other thing I would add is maybe plenty of fertiliser,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52cos they are a very leafy crop, and you have beautiful,
0:10:52 > 0:10:57very sort of sandy soil, and because we are getting a bit of rain
0:10:57 > 0:11:01as well, a lot of the fertiliser actually just goes through the soil.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06So something high in nitrogen may also help to produce that heart.
0:11:06 > 0:11:07Next question, please.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11Sitting right beside Chris Beardshaw is an orchid.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14I think it's outgrown its pot.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19Can you give me some idea of how to either split it up...
0:11:19 > 0:11:22I really don't want to repot it cos it's too heavy as it is.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25- MARK:- Chris, I don't know if you can see it from there,
0:11:25 > 0:11:26it is a monster cymbidium.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29It's a bit of a giant. What do you reckon?
0:11:29 > 0:11:32I think it looks great! I really do.
0:11:32 > 0:11:37IF you felt like potting it on, I would certainly suggest using
0:11:37 > 0:11:40a specialist orchid compost, because that tends to be relatively
0:11:40 > 0:11:44low in nutrition, it is quite a fibrous organic matter-based compost,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47and it isn't going to overfeed the plant.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49That said, if you pot it on,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53by definition you are adding extra room for the roots to move into.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57And as a consequence of that, the plant will then start to
0:11:57 > 0:11:59absorb nutrients out of that compost,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02and it will utilise those nutrients
0:12:02 > 0:12:05to primarily focus on producing foliage.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Because what you have to remember is that all plants,
0:12:08 > 0:12:12no matter how small or insignificant or where they're from in the world,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15all plants have the attitude that they want to rule the world.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19Therefore, their primary response to a little bit more soil
0:12:19 > 0:12:21is to grow a bit bigger.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24And then a bit more soil, and a bit more, and grow a bit bigger.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Until you get to the point where
0:12:26 > 0:12:30they feel slightly compromised by their position,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32and then they will think about flowering.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Because flowering produces seeds,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38seeds will then allow the plant to migrate from its current
0:12:38 > 0:12:41restrictive point into a new area
0:12:41 > 0:12:44and continue this "I want to conquer the world" scenario.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47So, if you pot your cymbidium on,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50you will find that you'll get lots of fresh foliage but you may
0:12:50 > 0:12:54reduce the flowering enthusiasm of it for a couple of seasons.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57Much better, actually, to try a liquid fertiliser,
0:12:57 > 0:13:01a specialist liquid fertiliser for a cymbidium and orchids,
0:13:01 > 0:13:05and that will be balanced to the point of producing flower
0:13:05 > 0:13:08and not too much in the way of extra foliage.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12- MARK:- Can I just check, Helen, I'm not sure he's getting the point here.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14You think it's too big. You want something smaller.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Not necessarily smaller,
0:13:16 > 0:13:20but really it's almost too big for a normal bungalow.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24- And I did wonder about splitting it. - It's too big for a stately home!
0:13:24 > 0:13:25I'm going to go down another route.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29I look at the plant and think, wow, you can propagate from that,
0:13:29 > 0:13:34and you can split it up. So, no good having a small knife like this.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38- What you need to get is probably a bread knife.- An axe.- An axe, yes.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42Something really sharp. You could get loads of plants from that.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46But I would say at least you could get a good four plants from that.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49I have a tale I could tell you that would take rather long
0:13:49 > 0:13:51because it was one of the Alexander brothers.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55It was Tom's wife who had a problem with a similar plant.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57And I said, "a plastic sheet on the kitchen floor,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00"knock it over on its side and roll it back and forward until it's loose."
0:14:00 > 0:14:02Out it comes, and then...
0:14:02 > 0:14:04"Have you got a hatchet in the cupboard?"
0:14:04 > 0:14:08And we split it into four, put it back into a suitable sized pot.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12I never was asked back. LAUGHTER
0:14:14 > 0:14:17If you have no polytunnel,
0:14:17 > 0:14:21what vegetable is the best for growing in Scotland?
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Well, this part of the world, of course,
0:14:24 > 0:14:26is very famous for its vegetable growing.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Especially root crops because of the climate and because of the soil.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32You know, you don't need a polytunnel.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35A polytunnel is great for maybe extending our season
0:14:35 > 0:14:39cos it's a very short season. Go for your peas, go for salad crops.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42I mean, salad crops are great because they're very quick,
0:14:42 > 0:14:46so if you want to sow some radish, you'll see them germinating
0:14:46 > 0:14:51at this time of year within about seven days, so just experiment.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54The sky's the limit. Have a go. That's the important thing.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57And I would go back to what is it you enjoy eating,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00so for instance, if you like quite spicy foods,
0:15:00 > 0:15:03if you like quite oriental food, for instance,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06then one of the plants I think is fabulous
0:15:06 > 0:15:09is to go for a beet relative, go for something like a chard,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12and whilst you're growing your chard,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15get some little chillies growing on your kitchen windowsill and then
0:15:15 > 0:15:20you can dice up the chillies, you can make a really good chilli sauce.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23Steam your chard so it just starts to wilt
0:15:23 > 0:15:26and then you put your chilli sauce over your chard
0:15:26 > 0:15:30and serve it with some fresh rice or an egg fried rice,
0:15:30 > 0:15:32that sort of thing, and it's absolutely delicious,
0:15:32 > 0:15:36so start from the eating end and work backwards.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38He's beginning to sound like Mary Berry.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40LAUGHTER
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Have I told you the recipe for my sponge cake?
0:15:43 > 0:15:45I'll share it with you later.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49I've been growing courgette successfully in the open
0:15:49 > 0:15:53for many years, except for this year, it's been a disaster.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Three of my five plants are already dead,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57the other two are looking as if they might be dying.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59The answer lies in the soil.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Who was it who said that about 150 years ago?
0:16:01 > 0:16:04What sort of conditions have you?
0:16:04 > 0:16:06- Plenty organic matter?- Yes.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08Plenty fertiliser?
0:16:08 > 0:16:11I think the death of the plants is probably due to,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13as you may well... maybe the weather.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16That looks like a deficiency symptom,
0:16:16 > 0:16:17if I was taking a stab at it,
0:16:17 > 0:16:20it looks a bit like magnesium deficiency,
0:16:20 > 0:16:22so maybe you need to give them a dose of salts.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25But my colleagues may have another idea.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27It has been a difficult season.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30My courgettes outdoors are in a big pot
0:16:30 > 0:16:33and all I could say is they're awful slow.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Well, I wondered to start off with, I wondered if it was aphids
0:16:36 > 0:16:38and a virus, but can I ask how...
0:16:38 > 0:16:40I mean, are all the leaves like this
0:16:40 > 0:16:44- or are some of the new leaves coming in good?- Just some of them.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48Well, then, I would just pick off the leaves that have gone like this
0:16:48 > 0:16:51and I think if the fresh leaves come in and they come in well,
0:16:51 > 0:16:53then they should be OK.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57The manure that you put in, what is that? What are you using?
0:16:57 > 0:16:58- It's horse manure.- Horse manure.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02- How well rotted is that horse manure?- It's pretty well rotted.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Described to me how it smells.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07LAUGHTER
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- It doesn't really smell much at all. - It doesn't smell?- No.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14OK, and there's no evidence of any straw or any fragrance or
0:17:14 > 0:17:16- any warmth in it?- It's very clean.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Very clean, and you've used it from the same source across the garden?
0:17:19 > 0:17:22- I've used it many years previously. - In that case I have nothing to say.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Are you...
0:17:24 > 0:17:26OK, I maybe have something to ask you.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30- Are you growing them in the same place every year?- No.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34So you're practising rotation? I've got nothing to say either, then.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37MARK: Next question - Katrina West, please.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41This is spreading through our lawn and I just wondered
0:17:41 > 0:17:44if you could tell me what it was and how to get rid of it.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48And how tall do you allow it to grow before you whack the tops of?
0:17:48 > 0:17:50It gets cut by the lawnmower.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53The interesting thing is, whilst I try to keep you preoccupied
0:17:53 > 0:17:58with answering my questions, these two are paddling like blazes under the table to get the right answer.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01- We think we've got it sussed. - We think it's prunus, don't we?
0:18:01 > 0:18:03We think it's prunus, yeah.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06We've got a prunus nigra growing in the centre of the lawn
0:18:06 > 0:18:09and there is some beside that as well.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11See, you never told us that!
0:18:11 > 0:18:14- And it can be a huge problem, can't it, the prunus?- Suckers.
0:18:14 > 0:18:15- Suckers.- Yeah, it can,
0:18:15 > 0:18:21and one of the worst types of plants to put into a lawn is a cherry.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25Prunus are terrible as lawn specimens,
0:18:25 > 0:18:29even if you've got a bed around the base of the tree,
0:18:29 > 0:18:34you will find that cherry trees as a general rule are very shallow rooted
0:18:34 > 0:18:37and they will scavenge around in the top few centimetres,
0:18:37 > 0:18:42which means that those roots are then getting constantly scalped
0:18:42 > 0:18:44or bruised by the lawnmower
0:18:44 > 0:18:46and the more you cut them with the lawnmower,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49the more you're encouraging buds to form,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52because you're not taking them back down to the root. What you're doing
0:18:52 > 0:18:55is just carrying out a light bit of pruning on the top.
0:18:55 > 0:19:00Now, what also worth pointing out is that if you've got prunus nigra...
0:19:00 > 0:19:02- Yeah.- ..in the lawn, then the top of it is...
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- Presumably it's a dark purple colour, dark purple foliage.- Yeah.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08And this shows no sign of purple,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10which means that this is the rootstock,
0:19:10 > 0:19:12so what you've got here is
0:19:12 > 0:19:16the most vigorous, invasive, aggressive form of prunus
0:19:16 > 0:19:20- and it's going to be difficult to get rid of, to be honest.- So...
0:19:23 > 0:19:25What if we cut the tree down?
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- Good idea. - They'll be even more vigorous.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Yeah, they will be, Jim's right, they will be more vigorous.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34It's a despairing scenario, really,
0:19:34 > 0:19:38but I would be thinking it's worth your while
0:19:38 > 0:19:43at least 60cm or 90cm out from the bowl of the tree,
0:19:43 > 0:19:48you dig a trench, about two feet deep, all the way round.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52And chop everything that's in there,
0:19:52 > 0:19:55and then starve the other ones and put some herbicide on,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58lawn herbicide to kill these guys as they're coming up,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01and if you cannae do that, as Mr George Anderson might have told you
0:20:01 > 0:20:05- if he was here... He's in Japan, isn't he?- He is.- Yeah.
0:20:05 > 0:20:11He said, "Well, get the directory out and go to P for Pickfords."
0:20:11 > 0:20:13LAUGHTER
0:20:15 > 0:20:18- MARK:- Final question, from Donna Cameron.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Many plant names make me smile
0:20:21 > 0:20:25and I wondered which plant names the panel enjoys.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27THEY LAUGH
0:20:27 > 0:20:29- Oh, gosh! - Which plant names make you smile?
0:20:29 > 0:20:33Chris Beardshaw, because there's no point looking at the table and pretending you're not there.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37I think it depends whether you like the plant or not, to be honest.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41I really do. I think there are some plants that
0:20:41 > 0:20:45when you hear the name, it brings a certain amount of joy
0:20:45 > 0:20:48because of your association with that particular plant,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52so for instance, one of the things which I really enjoy,
0:20:52 > 0:20:57not just growing but talking about, is Cercidiphyllum japonicum.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02Because Cercidiphyllum, it does what Latin,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04the plant nomenclature, should do,
0:21:04 > 0:21:09it describes and paints the perfect picture of that particular plant,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12so cercis, "round",
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Cercidiphyllum, phyllum is "leaf", "round leaf".
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Cercidiphyllum japonicum, "from Japan",
0:21:18 > 0:21:21"the round-leaved tree from Japan".
0:21:21 > 0:21:23The only thing that's missing is
0:21:23 > 0:21:27Cercidiphyllum japonicum candiflossiensis on the end
0:21:27 > 0:21:30because of the way it has that delightful habit of just
0:21:30 > 0:21:33wafting across the arboretum late in the autumn
0:21:33 > 0:21:35as its foliage turns a golden colour,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38so I think, you know, you fall in love with plants and you get really
0:21:38 > 0:21:41excited about plants and those are the names that you remember.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43What plants make you smile, Carole?
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Well, I was going to maybe recite the fact that
0:21:45 > 0:21:49I very often go to garden centres and help people choose their plants
0:21:49 > 0:21:52and I think it makes me smile sometimes, the pronounciation
0:21:52 > 0:21:54- and the Latin... - Or pronunciation.- Yeah.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56LAUGHTER
0:21:56 > 0:21:59I can remember this gentleman coming up to me and he says,
0:21:59 > 0:22:03"Carole, I've got this Leyland Two. I've got this Leyland Two."
0:22:03 > 0:22:07And I'm thinking, "Leyland Two"?
0:22:07 > 0:22:09And of course, he means Leylandii,
0:22:09 > 0:22:13because there's two Is on it and he thought that was "II".
0:22:13 > 0:22:15Jim, the final word.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22Taxonomic botanists should have been drooned when they were pups!
0:22:22 > 0:22:26Because they keep changing familiar Latin names to...
0:22:26 > 0:22:29I mean, what was that one we passed? Brachyglottis.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33- Yes, which used to be Senecio. - "Seneckio".
0:22:33 > 0:22:35There you go - Senessio, Seneckio.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38It's a strange thing, I was taught Latin
0:22:38 > 0:22:41till year three at secondary school,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44year four I packed it in because we had an option to pack it in,
0:22:44 > 0:22:46and then I became a horticulturalist
0:22:46 > 0:22:48and I've been using Latin ever since.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51At least it helps to be able to pronounce.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Can I tell you a story? This is a story about the late Queen Mum.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58She was wont to take a wander around Balmoral
0:22:58 > 0:23:02and every now and again she would stop at the head keeper's house
0:23:02 > 0:23:05and she might be invited in for a bowl of soap.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08"Now then, this is a lovely bowl of soup", she would say.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10"Tell me, what are the ingredients?"
0:23:10 > 0:23:13"Well", the wifey would say, "well, there's barley intil't
0:23:13 > 0:23:20"and there's peas and there's a bit of ham shank intil't..."
0:23:20 > 0:23:23And the Queen Mum said, "And what is intilt?"
0:23:23 > 0:23:25LAUGHTER
0:23:25 > 0:23:28And she says, "Well, there's barley intil't and there's peas intil't..."
0:23:30 > 0:23:34- And so it went round and round and round.- Yes, it did indeed.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36Listen, folks, thank you very much for your questions.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38I hope you found the answers to be useful.
0:23:38 > 0:23:43Can I ask you to thank our three guest experts one more time, please?
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Jim McColl, Carole Baxter and Chris Beardshaw.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52'After a lively panel discussion,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55'we took some more informal questions.'
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Do you remember you helping me to grow tomatoes on top of the piggery?
0:23:58 > 0:24:03- On the piggery. I quote you regularly.- I quote you as well!
0:24:03 > 0:24:06- It just didnae work!- It didn't work.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10As we said, we've been invited
0:24:10 > 0:24:13by the Nairn and District Gardening Club
0:24:13 > 0:24:15and I'm going just a few miles out of Nairn
0:24:15 > 0:24:18to visit a much more rural garden near Cawdor.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23Jane McKenzie has always lived in this area and this garden is
0:24:23 > 0:24:27a product of Jane and her parents' love of gardening over many years.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34We live about six and a half miles out of Nairn,
0:24:34 > 0:24:38about 150 metres above sea level,
0:24:38 > 0:24:43so the snow lies here where in Nairn there might not any snow at all.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45It's incredible, just that few miles,
0:24:45 > 0:24:47how different the climate can be.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50You're very rural, so quite exposed here.
0:24:50 > 0:24:55It is. From the South, the south wind tends to cause more damage
0:24:55 > 0:24:57because we don't have any shelter.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59But the herbaceous are looking good, Jane.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02Do you lift and split that quite often?
0:25:02 > 0:25:06I split the geraniums every maybe three to five years
0:25:06 > 0:25:08and replace it with autumn-flowering plants.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Really good practice, but the other thing that struck me
0:25:11 > 0:25:14is your collection of acers. How many do you have?
0:25:14 > 0:25:19About 20 altogether, different ages and sizes.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22I presume that one with the size of the trunk must be quite an age.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Yeah, that one's about 35 years old.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Mum bought that with money she got from an uncle in Canada.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31He wanted her to buy a box of chocolates,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33so she bought that instead.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37Absolutely beautiful, but I think we should maybe find one or two more.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49This is one of my favourite acers.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52It's Acer griseum, the paper bark acer.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56It's absolutely stunning, isn't it, Jane, for the bark,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59but also the foliage is so healthy.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Yeah, it's one of the latest ones to come into leaf
0:26:03 > 0:26:07and I leave the trees and shrubs at the back
0:26:07 > 0:26:10because it's exposed from the north.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12You obviously like using your secateurs as well.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Tell us a wee bit about the cloud pruning.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18The conifer, the base was covering quite an area
0:26:18 > 0:26:22so I was going to take the bottom branches off
0:26:22 > 0:26:28and then I decided to give the cloud prune a go to see how I got on.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31- And that's the result. I love things like that.- Yes.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33But what about the beech?
0:26:33 > 0:26:37- That's massive and you obviously trim that.- Yes.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41About October, I go round it with the electric hedge trimmer
0:26:41 > 0:26:46from the ground, and then I go around next stage up with the steps
0:26:46 > 0:26:49and then I have an extension for the hedge trimmer
0:26:49 > 0:26:53and then I climb inside and Mum directs me if...
0:26:53 > 0:26:56- What, left or right? - Yes, any branches sticking out.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59It's absolutely amazing. There'll come a point, will there,
0:26:59 > 0:27:01where you'll go no, it's going to get too high.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03It's getting to the point now.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05Do you have a favourite part of the garden?
0:27:05 > 0:27:07I like the north side of the house.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Let's have a look at that, then.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22Well, Jane, I can see why you love this area.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25- I mean, this is packed full of choice plants.- Yeah.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29I enjoy collecting hostas and acers.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31And what about this, the Montana?
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Yeah, that's a Clematis Marjorie.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36She's a real showstopper at the moment, isn't she?
0:27:36 > 0:27:39It's lovely at this time of year.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41And to me I feel like this is a full-time job for you,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44looking after this garden, but you are a professional gardener.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46A full-time gardener, yes.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- And you obviously love it. - I do, yes. I love gardening.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52And for me, this has been a real joy to look round your garden.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55- Thank you very much. - That's OK, thank you for coming.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03Well, that's our lovely trip to Nairn finished.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05We started on the beach in the rain...
0:28:05 > 0:28:08- and we're back on the beach in the rain.- It's starting to rain.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10But in between times it's been fantastic.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13- We've had a lovely time, we've seen some beautiful gardens.- Yeah.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16And some cracking questions at the question session.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18Absolutely, and I was fascinated about those carrots.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20Beechgrove is back in two weeks' time.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23Carole and I will actually be at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary,
0:28:23 > 0:28:26helping with a garden in the children's section.
0:28:26 > 0:28:27It's fabulous, it really is.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31That means that Mr B will be in Beechgrove on his own.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34- Now, he could get up to a bit of mischief.- That could be interesting.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38- Time alone will tell. Till we see you next time...- Goodbye.- Bye-bye.