0:00:11 > 0:00:13One, two... HE HUMS HAPPILY
0:00:15 > 0:00:17This is a good dance.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21It's lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely, lovely...
0:00:21 > 0:00:26And once again! Are you turning already? I'm behind you.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28Oh!
0:00:28 > 0:00:32One... One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four.
0:00:33 > 0:00:38Hey, I say, this is the way to get the work done! Isn't it just?
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Isn't it? On a lovely, sunny day.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42Absolutely fantastic day, it is, I tell you.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45It's 11 o'clock in the morning, the temperature's up to 23
0:00:45 > 0:00:48centigrade, and I'm not going near a greenhouse today, that's for sure!
0:00:48 > 0:00:50But we're getting on with an essential job.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52We're thinking about autumn, aren't we? Yes, indeed.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Crazy, isn't it, in weather like this?
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Low-nitrogen fertiliser, high in potash,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01give the grass a little bit of hardiness into winter.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03And we've got to bear in mind, if we have weather like
0:01:03 > 0:01:06this, we might have to water it in, because it might burn. Very true.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10And of course, traditionally, half of it goes on in one direction
0:01:10 > 0:01:13and half of it goes on in the other. Hence the dance. Hence the dance.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16We're being very traditional, putting it on by hand.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18He's mechanised. He's modern. Let's get on with it.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Shall we keep going? Yes, go, go, go, go.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Which way are you going, George? I'll go up the hill, yeah.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25I need to get in line, though. Oh, absolutely.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32You could say that this week, I'm in the Borders looking at herbaceous
0:01:32 > 0:01:36borders, and I'm delighted to meet somebody who believes in tradition.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43And this week, I'm back to the pond.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Not in it, but looking at the planting adjacent to it,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49because it's decision time for our old friend the cryptomeria.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55I just want to take a quick look at our asparagus,
0:01:55 > 0:02:00which we planted at the beginning of spring. The variety is Mondeo.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Because it's a new crop, we didn't crop any of the spears at all.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05We've just got to build up the plant.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07So you treat it like a herbaceous plant.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09In other words, you let these grow.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11At the moment, they look nice and healthy.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15When they start to go yellow, cut it back right down to the ground.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Fingers crossed for next year, we will be able to crop some of the
0:02:18 > 0:02:22asparagus just for eight weeks, and then you do exactly the same again.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Now, next door, I want to have a look at some of the sweetcorn.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29I'm growing two varieties, under cover, because it's a bit dicey,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32I'm afraid, growing sweetcorn here.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35One variety's called Lark, which we grew last year.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37George and myself really like the flavour of that one.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41And we're trying it against another one. This time it's called Honeydew.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44We have had a slight problem with black aphid.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46You can maybe see one or two of the aphids there.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49But what we've been doing is treating it.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52We've been wiping the leaves. We've been using an inhibitor.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Now, when it comes to planting sweetcorn, it has to be
0:02:55 > 0:02:58planted in a block, because it's all about the pollination.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02This is the male part that produces the pollen, called the tassels,
0:03:02 > 0:03:08and it falls onto the female silks, which then go into the cobs itself.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Now, these are definitely not ready yet.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14What you've got to do is wait for those silks to go brown and
0:03:14 > 0:03:16then do a little bit of investigation.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20Peel it back and use the thumbnail test or a pin.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23And if you get a clear liquid, they're not ready,
0:03:23 > 0:03:26but if you get a nice, milky liquid, it's definitely ready.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29You want to crop them straight away, put them on the barbecue or
0:03:29 > 0:03:33straight into boiling water, and they're absolutely delicious.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44There's very definitely a warm glow of satisfaction to be gained
0:03:44 > 0:03:47by refurbishing and replanting any part of a garden,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49no matter how large or small -
0:03:49 > 0:03:51the bog garden a few months ago, for instance,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54taking out the pond and refilling it, replanting it.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56But, of course,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59the flipside of all of those pluses is that as soon as you improve
0:03:59 > 0:04:04one area of the garden, other areas suddenly don't look quite so good.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07This, for instance, Cryptomeria japonica.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Now, it's clearly not a happy cookie.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14We thought it was because of the pond leaking into it,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16but all that's been remedied.
0:04:16 > 0:04:17In fact, it was done last winter
0:04:17 > 0:04:19and the tree is, in fact, still going backwards -
0:04:19 > 0:04:23plenty of dieback, all the young growth is looking very sorrowful,
0:04:23 > 0:04:25and it's trying its best to succour from the base,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27all classic signs that this tree,
0:04:27 > 0:04:32which should be in its first flush of youth, is really going backwards.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35So a hard decision has been made.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38It's got to come out.
0:04:40 > 0:04:46They make housing planks out of the timbers in Japan.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50'When dealing with a big specimen like this,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53'it's easier to take all of the side branches off first, which is what
0:04:53 > 0:04:57'Callum and Marie are doing, before you can start tackling the trunk.'
0:04:59 > 0:05:02It's surprising how dry the wood is, isn't it? Yes.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08'The easiest way of taking a trunk down is to cut a notch,
0:05:08 > 0:05:12'first a horizontal cut then a 45-degree cut.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15'Knock the notch out and then hopefully the tree comes down
0:05:15 > 0:05:17'in the right direction.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21'Well, there's no going back now.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27'Just to make sure the surface of the soil is clean, it's easy,
0:05:27 > 0:05:30'when you've got a mini digger, to just skim off any of that
0:05:30 > 0:05:34'green matter, compost it, and then we can start tackling the soil.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38'Just before the final part of the cryptomeria is taken away, I want to
0:05:38 > 0:05:43'explore more thoroughly the ground conditions it's been growing in.'
0:05:43 > 0:05:45The reason it's worth going to the trouble of digging
0:05:45 > 0:05:49a trial hole like this before we've even taken the tree out is
0:05:49 > 0:05:51to try and establish what it was that killed the tree.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Trees don't just die. Something has had an effect
0:05:54 > 0:05:57which has caused the tree to start to wither.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59So, by excavating down,
0:05:59 > 0:06:01what we're trying to expose is the different layers of soil to
0:06:01 > 0:06:03see what the soil condition is like,
0:06:03 > 0:06:05because the tree is reliant on the soil.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09And what we've been able to determine is that from about that
0:06:09 > 0:06:13level down to my hand at the bottom there is topsoil, so it's less than
0:06:13 > 0:06:1730 centimetres of topsoil that this tree has been allowed to grow in.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21And beneath that, you get these rusty layers.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24The rust is caused by the iron content of the soil literally
0:06:24 > 0:06:28oxidising, and that indicates that the ground is completely - or
0:06:28 > 0:06:31has been - waterlogged.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34And then beneath that layer, we're into solid grey.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37It's a sort of clay base with fragments of stone.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40And as soon as you get down into that dark clay and grey colour,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43well, that indicates there's no oxygen at all.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46No root is ever going to be able to penetrate and certainly make
0:06:46 > 0:06:48life down there.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51And what's probably happened is that a fungal complaint, something like
0:06:51 > 0:06:54a phytophthora, has started to get into the tree, and once that's in,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57in wet conditions there's no going back.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10'To try and alleviate the compact conditions and give our new
0:07:10 > 0:07:13'plants the best possible chance of succeeding,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15'it's important to break open the compaction,
0:07:15 > 0:07:19'first with the mini digger and then forking it over,
0:07:19 > 0:07:20'digging in lots of organic matter,
0:07:20 > 0:07:25'which will aid drainage and also increase the roots' ability
0:07:25 > 0:07:28'to penetrate into those lower-soil horizons.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34'The trees I've selected for this part of the garden are Pinus nigra,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36'that's the Austrian pine,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40'well known not only for its ability to cope with very cold
0:07:40 > 0:07:44'conditions but also tolerant of quite poor conditions,
0:07:44 > 0:07:48'where soils are perhaps compacted and/or impoverished.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52'And what I'm going to do is to put them in really quite densely,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55'far too densely if you wanted a single, grand tree,
0:07:55 > 0:07:59'but that's not the plan here. I want more of a pine copse.'
0:08:00 > 0:08:04For the trees on this side, the soil doesn't need to be overly dug.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07You don't need too large a hole. We know it's been well loosened
0:08:07 > 0:08:10and plenty of organic matter incorporated,
0:08:10 > 0:08:14so as long as we're deep enough - that's always the key...
0:08:14 > 0:08:16But not too deep, of course,
0:08:16 > 0:08:22so we want to be just below where the tree was growing in the nursery.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24That's perfect, a couple of inches below.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26Pop them into the middle of the hole.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30And before it gets seated in and backfilled, what I want to do...
0:08:32 > 0:08:35..is to use mycorrhizal fungi.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39It's a powder which uses a combination of two different
0:08:39 > 0:08:41fungal organisms.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44A couple of handfuls per tree.
0:08:44 > 0:08:49And the point of putting this in is that the fungi will form
0:08:49 > 0:08:53a symbiotic relationship with the roots of the pine tree,
0:08:53 > 0:08:58so it's like doubling or trebling the size of your root plate.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02All of that means you get a much more healthy plant.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05So, once that's in, you want to backfill.
0:09:05 > 0:09:12They should be perfectly happy here without the need for a stake...
0:09:13 > 0:09:18..because the effect that I'm trying to create is one of a...
0:09:18 > 0:09:21I suppose a windswept copse of pines.
0:09:21 > 0:09:27I deliberately want them to be fairly ravaged by the environment...
0:09:27 > 0:09:30characterful in their sculptural form.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33And as young trees like this,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36I'm not going to carry out too much pruning at this time of the year.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40I want them to use this canopy to generate the energy,
0:09:40 > 0:09:42send down good, healthy roots and spread out,
0:09:42 > 0:09:46and then I'll start carrying out the pruning process
0:09:46 > 0:09:49to create my somewhat sculpted copse.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51The only pruning I'm going to do
0:09:51 > 0:09:53is just to take off some of these lower...
0:09:55 > 0:09:57..boughs...
0:09:57 > 0:10:03to expose the trunks a little bit and allow underplanting to sweep in.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31The understorey planting in here is predominantly plants like the
0:10:31 > 0:10:36candelabra primulas, pulmonarias and metusias, all plants which
0:10:36 > 0:10:40provide a visual link with the bog garden on that side of the bridge.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42But the real prima donnas,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46the plants that will attract your attention come May and June, when
0:10:46 > 0:10:51they come into flower, are these, the Japanese evergreen azaleas.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53These you might be more familiar with from Christmas-time,
0:10:53 > 0:10:59when they're sold in their thousands as pot plants,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02primarily because they have the most glamorous,
0:11:02 > 0:11:09tissue-paper-like flowers in shades of pinks, purples and scarlet reds.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12And don't be worried about their hardiness,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14because they are at home.
0:11:14 > 0:11:19The species versions originate on the lower slopes of the
0:11:19 > 0:11:22Japanese Alps, in fact, right at the tree line,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24covered in snow during the winter,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28so they're plenty tough enough to grow in our gardens.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33And they will provide mats about 60 to 80 centimetres high,
0:11:33 > 0:11:37which are dotted around underneath the canopy of these pines
0:11:37 > 0:11:41so that come next summer, we can start to prune the pines,
0:11:41 > 0:11:45clean off the underside of the needles, selectively reduce
0:11:45 > 0:11:51the boughs, and then we'll start to get our wonderful cloud-like pines,
0:11:51 > 0:11:56which will just waft and hover over the planting bed underneath.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07The bulb season is upon us. So much choice to look at.
0:12:07 > 0:12:08And what I want to do is extend
0:12:08 > 0:12:12our area for naturalising bulbs in the grass.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15It was actually three years ago that we put in the narcissus.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18We had five different varieties there, that have done really well,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21and now I'm going to extend that selection.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24And the whole idea of naturalising means that you plant them in
0:12:24 > 0:12:26the grass, they come up every year.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30They may even set seed, which is absolutely wonderful.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34So, crocus. I've got two varieties. I've got purple and white.
0:12:34 > 0:12:35That's why I was trying to mix them through,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38because we want them sort of haphazard.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Scilla siberica, beautiful blue,
0:12:40 > 0:12:44kind of fairly related to Glory Of The Snow.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47We've got erythroniums. These I absolutely adore.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50They've got these lovely reflexed petals.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53And then we've got Fritillaria meliagris, which is the
0:12:53 > 0:12:57Snake's Head fritillaria, and that's another one of my favourites.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Now, this one in particular needs it fairly sort of shaded and
0:13:01 > 0:13:04fairly moist, and that's why I'm going to go for that area
0:13:04 > 0:13:06behind me, because the hedge is giving a bit of
0:13:06 > 0:13:10a shade, and also we're on a slope, so if we get any water,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13it tends to run down to this area.
0:13:13 > 0:13:14So, weapons of choice.
0:13:14 > 0:13:19Erm...could use a bulb planter, which is fine for the narcissus,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22but, quite honestly, these are fairly small, so I think I'm better
0:13:22 > 0:13:25just taking out a small core with a pointed trowel.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27I've also got three canes,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30and the reason for that is you've got to think about the mower.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33So, the mower, I want to make sure we can take
0:13:33 > 0:13:37a strip around the edge so that you can see that lovely sort of natural
0:13:37 > 0:13:40area when the Snake's Head starts to flower.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44So one round the edge there, another one here...
0:13:44 > 0:13:49And then I will just spread this. It's a bit like, you know,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52spreading the fertiliser that we were earlier.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54So, you know, some will be closer than others.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56I won't necessarily put all of these out,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59but I'll just show you how I'm going to plant.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01So, basically,
0:14:01 > 0:14:08in here. The rule of thumb is about two to three times the depth.
0:14:09 > 0:14:14It's going to be a bit fiddly, it's going to be rather time-consuming,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18but well worth it, so in the ground, push in the plug,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21maybe even use the heel.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Gosh, this is going to take me a few hours!
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Two sets of bulbs here getting entirely different treatment
0:14:27 > 0:14:30from those you've just seen going into the ground.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32First and foremost, paper-white daffodils,
0:14:32 > 0:14:34beginning to sprout already!
0:14:34 > 0:14:39Two layers of them in this pot using a compost three parts
0:14:39 > 0:14:41multipurpose and one part John Innes No 1.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44And they will be put outside in the shade somewhere until they
0:14:44 > 0:14:46get started to grow,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48and then you time it as to when you want to get them in.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50We should be able to get them flowering for Christmas.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Same kind of pot
0:14:52 > 0:14:55with the same compost in it. It's got drainage, obviously.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59And we have hyacinths here, what we call prepared hyacinths.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01They, too, can be made to flower at Christmas,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03and the procedure here is into the pot,
0:15:03 > 0:15:05in this case with drainage.
0:15:05 > 0:15:10In THIS case, this vessel here has no drainage whatsoever,
0:15:10 > 0:15:15so we use bulb fibre. And it is yucky stuff, I can tell you.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17And it's not like the bulb fibre of old.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19The important thing is to make sure that it's wet,
0:15:19 > 0:15:23to that sort of state, before you put it in the pot
0:15:23 > 0:15:27instead of watering afterwards, because think about it - when
0:15:27 > 0:15:30you water afterwards and there is no drainage, when do you stop?
0:15:30 > 0:15:33When do you know you've got enough? So it's better to do it right there.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35I've managed to get five in.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39These will go into a cold frame, covered up with some sand.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43And then the deadline for putting in prepared bulbs for Christmas
0:15:43 > 0:15:46is to get them planted before the end of September.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49And then, by the end of November, beginning of December,
0:15:49 > 0:15:51you're looking to see if the flower has come through the neck of
0:15:51 > 0:15:54the bulb, which you can do by just squeezing it gently.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57There'll be a little shoot. Squeeze it very gently and you'll know.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01If you take it out too early, you're too anxious, quite often the
0:16:01 > 0:16:05leaves will come and leave the flower behind in the bulb itself.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07That's when it goes wrong. HE CHUCKLES
0:16:09 > 0:16:13This is a good time of year just to take one or two ivy cuttings.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16They're things which will root pretty easily,
0:16:16 > 0:16:18and all you need to do is go round the garden.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20Go round in the morning and select your cutting material then,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23because at that stage it's really turgid.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25It's full of moisture, and that's what you want.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27You want a cutting which is full of moisture,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31and then it's going to root much more easily.
0:16:31 > 0:16:32Cutting selected just like that.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36We've got, what, about four leaves or four nodes on it, and then
0:16:36 > 0:16:41we just remove the bottom leaf like that, dip it in some hormone powder,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44shake off the excess, and then that will be put into
0:16:44 > 0:16:49a mixture of 50-50, peat sand, something like that.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53I've got a layer of sand on the top, because what I want is for that sand
0:16:53 > 0:16:55to fall into the hole when I've made
0:16:55 > 0:16:57the dibble hole and put the cutting in.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00That aerates the base of the cutting and it will root much more readily.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04Now, just think of it. You've taken a piece off a plant like that,
0:17:04 > 0:17:08you've taken off some leaves, separated it from the parent plant,
0:17:08 > 0:17:12and this thing now, it's a race between life and death.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15And death is going to occur if this becomes dried out,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17so we've got to make sure that this is kept moist.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21We're going to put it into a frame, we're going to keep it well watered,
0:17:21 > 0:17:25we're going to cover it with some horticultural fleece over winter,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27and then eventually, in the spring, they root.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29And what am I going to do with them, then?
0:17:29 > 0:17:31I'm going to put them in a banking down there, in the winter stem
0:17:31 > 0:17:35banking, because there's no ground cover there at the moment.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45This is the winter stem border, which we planted earlier in
0:17:45 > 0:17:47the year, and look at the growth on that.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51This is Salix matsudana Tortuosa, the wavy willow.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Absolutely fantastic foliage, and great growth on that, as well.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58So there is also on Salix alba Sericea, and we'll be able to
0:17:58 > 0:18:01look right into the banking at those and get this wonderful light
0:18:01 > 0:18:04over the winter period.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Now, there's nothing underneath, of course, and that's where
0:18:06 > 0:18:09we're going to put the ivies that we've just been propagating.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12They'll provide our ground cover over the whole of the surface
0:18:12 > 0:18:15here, and the snowdrops will come up through it.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18This betula, of course, is doing well.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20I'm surprised how well it's done.
0:18:20 > 0:18:22But it's going to put all its growth at the top,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25and that's what I don't want. So I'm going to teach it a lesson.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28I'm going to take it down. I'm going to take it right down to there,
0:18:28 > 0:18:30I'm going to cut it off, and then that will mean that the
0:18:30 > 0:18:34growth that we get on that fella will all be down at ground level.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37The branches will extend out,
0:18:37 > 0:18:41and they will be wonderfully white, and that's how we want to see them.
0:18:47 > 0:18:52My garden visit today is to Portmore House, Eddleston,
0:18:52 > 0:18:56nestling in the Peeblesshire hills at about 1,000 feet.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59I'm going to see a garden that has been restored over
0:18:59 > 0:19:02a period of 30 years by the owner, Chrissie Reid,
0:19:02 > 0:19:06and her head gardener, Ken Kennedy, and I can tell you, it's a cracker.
0:19:11 > 0:19:16'Chrissie and her husband, David, bought Portmore House in 1979,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19'when it was nothing more than a neglected ruin.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22'After restoring the house, Chrissie's attention turned
0:19:22 > 0:19:26'to the garden, which had virtually disappeared.'
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Well, Chrissie, I think you must have brought me to the corner
0:19:29 > 0:19:31of the walled garden because this is where your restoration started.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33It did, Jim, because when we started,
0:19:33 > 0:19:38it was in a terrible state, and the only piece standing was this wall,
0:19:38 > 0:19:40and then it crumbled away down the garden.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42The railings weren't there.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44So we thought, "Well, let's start where there IS something."
0:19:44 > 0:19:48Yes. Aye. What about the glasshouses? Shocking! Terrible.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52All in pieces. And what was a sort of starting point...
0:19:52 > 0:19:53Because I'd never gardened, Jim,
0:19:53 > 0:19:55let alone in a climate like Peeblesshire.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58So, what principles did you employ?
0:19:58 > 0:20:01Well, I read a lot, which isn't always the right way.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04I had a lot of enthusiasm. Yes.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07But I thought we ought to use those two holly trees,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10because they were here and part of the original thing,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12and then turn to a traditional plan. Yes.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Double herbaceous border. Mmm.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Grass cross paths. Mm-hm. You know that sort of thing. Tell me...
0:20:18 > 0:20:20CHUCKLES ..if this is not a cheeky question to ask,
0:20:20 > 0:20:23are you quite happy with how you've progressed so far?
0:20:23 > 0:20:26I should hope so, because it's been 30 years and I should think
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Ken the gardener would like to think I was.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31JIM CHUCKLES
0:20:37 > 0:20:40So, having admitted that you're a traditionalist... Yes.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43I take it that you have rooms. I do.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46You shouldn't be able to see all of the garden in one fell swoop.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48That was exactly the idea of the plan.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Hence the yew hedges and so on and so forth. Yes.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Which are finally coming into their own.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56And each room has a different theme. Very definitely so.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Some are very quiet, like this area here,
0:20:58 > 0:21:00which just has the Alchemilla mollis. Mm-hm.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04And then others are much more punchy colouring. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Again, quite controlled. You've got quite a thing about colour.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11I have got quite a thing about colour. These borders here...
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Mirror image? Definitely.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Repeat planting using shape.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19I like repeat planting. So do I. I'm all for it.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23And something like that is repeated throughout the whole walled garden.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Yeah. To try and make it more one,
0:21:25 > 0:21:27although you've got the different rooms.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31And the border is very, very full. I mean, do you change it very often?
0:21:31 > 0:21:34No, but we take it out, divide it and then put it back.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Swapping places, one plant from another. Yeah, yeah.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40So that they die and get hidden.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43An interval of what, four or five years? Yes.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45Something like that. Your lieutenant must be some guy. He is!
0:21:45 > 0:21:48I should go and meet him, shouldn't I? He's some guy. I think you better.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01Well, hello there. You must be Ken, the man responsible for all this?
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Eh? Yes. This takes me back. Oh, wonderful.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Tell me, it's the first time I've seen half a glasshouse being used.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08What's the story?
0:22:08 > 0:22:11The reason for that is this is the last addition to the
0:22:11 > 0:22:13whole of the glasshouses when we restored them
0:22:13 > 0:22:17and we needed somewhere for the lilies, because they were
0:22:17 > 0:22:20getting spotted by the rain. And it works wonderful as you can see.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23There's no end. There's no end,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25there's no front and there's also no vents.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Basically it's an umbrella. Absolutely, it works perfect.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31I suppose you can actually use it for over-wintering stuff... Yes.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34..that doesn't want to get too wet. Always use, that's a great thing.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Aye, aye. We've got figs, Brown Turkey... Yeah.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40..and you can just see this one here ready. Aye.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43We do get two crops, but only the first crop ripens. Yes.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48A short season. More traditional with the grapes there. Absolutely.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49Oh, it's magic.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Come here, Jim, and meet Kathy, my lovely wife.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55She's doing a wee bit of dead-heading. Hello there.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57Jim, how are you? Nice to see you. Nice to see you.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Now you're doing a wee bit of dead-heading and cleaning up
0:22:59 > 0:23:01here but I do believe you've got a bit of
0:23:01 > 0:23:04a skill as far as colour combinations. Yes. Explain yourself.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09We want to keep the colours flowing into the greenhouse from outside.
0:23:09 > 0:23:10From the borders, yeah.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Mrs Reid has had a specific design in mind with her colour scheme and I
0:23:14 > 0:23:19like to bring it into the greenhouse and create a symphony of colour. Oh!
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Oh! Can I use that phrase again? You certainly may.
0:23:21 > 0:23:22That's very kind of you.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25I'm going to turn the spotlight on this fella because these
0:23:25 > 0:23:28plants are looking stunning. How often do you feed them?
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Jim, believe it or not, they're never fed. Go away.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33I rely entirely on potting the plants on.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35How many times?
0:23:35 > 0:23:38They're started in January, that would be the first potting, and,
0:23:38 > 0:23:40throughout the summer, three times, usually.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Have you not anything else to do but pot plants?!
0:23:42 > 0:23:44I cannot criticise.
0:23:44 > 0:23:45The system works. Thank you.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47Every day's a school day but, listen,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51we can let this lady off the hook, because I hear water tinkling.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Can you explain yourself? Let's have a look.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Ah-ha! The source of the water. Aye.
0:23:59 > 0:24:00JIM CHUCKLES
0:24:00 > 0:24:04This was put in by the last owners. OK. Mrs Morton Robertson.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08She came across from Italy in the early 1900s to get married
0:24:08 > 0:24:10when she was only 16. Oh.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13And the story goes she was that depressed with the Scottish
0:24:13 > 0:24:16summers, that she imported this volcanic rock from Italy,
0:24:16 > 0:24:21got the local tradesmen to build it and she sat in here and cried
0:24:21 > 0:24:25most of the time. That's the tears of a 16-year-old Italian lassie.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Absolutely, still going. Well, well, well.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29And normally when you look at these grottos,
0:24:29 > 0:24:33you think in terms of ferns and more ferns and more ferns.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37What surprised me is how well these begonias are performing. Yeah.
0:24:37 > 0:24:38They just seem to love it in here.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42It's nice and dark, quite subdued lighting because we're north-facing
0:24:42 > 0:24:47here but at the same time we've also got south-facing at the same time.
0:24:47 > 0:24:48So it works so well.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51Is this the best water feature you've got in the place?
0:24:51 > 0:24:53It's one of them, but we've got
0:24:53 > 0:24:54a bigger one if you want to come and see that.
0:25:03 > 0:25:04Will this do you, Jim?
0:25:04 > 0:25:06That's more like the thing. Good.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Any self-respecting garden should have a real cracker of
0:25:09 > 0:25:10a pond, and this is.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13But the important thing is the change in atmosphere.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Yeah, well, it does, and it's always lovely to see people's faces
0:25:16 > 0:25:19when I bring them through the walled garden. Yes, yes.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Which is very formal. Aye. You know.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25We come in here and the rule book's almost thrown away.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28So you've got lovely mixed planting all the way around.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31That was exactly the idea that Mrs Reid had. Yes, aye.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Planting's very relaxed. Even the colour scheme's very relaxed.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36And your number one lieutenant is beavering away there.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40She's working away hard behind us there. Well done.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44Anything goes, almost, you've got a great background, but down by
0:25:44 > 0:25:46the pond you've got the usual suspects, haven't you?
0:25:46 > 0:25:49The astilbes always come into their own and then the big gunnera,
0:25:49 > 0:25:52the rodgersias - there's a lovely mix.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56There's a lovely mix, Jim, and the light's always changing in here
0:25:56 > 0:25:58but we're soon coming into autumn... Yes.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00And again, the plants will be changing.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02Quite a different character this place. Wonderfully different.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04And I'm sure you must be pleased with it
0:26:04 > 0:26:08Very pleased, it's taken 14 years. 14 years.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10And you can see, even as the sun's setting,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12how the character changes in here.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14We've had a splendid day, I have to say. Thank you so much to you.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16Thank you very much. It's been brilliant.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19Nice to meet you and great to be chatting gardening with you.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22And pass on our thanks... I certainly will. ..to Mrs Reid.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24Thank you. She's been brilliant.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Back in the winter stem border here's
0:26:33 > 0:26:36a handy hint for increasing the intensity and amount of
0:26:36 > 0:26:38colour which you're going to get from shrubs over the winter.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41We've got long stems like this, which are branching further down.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44Just take your secateurs and snip the tops off.
0:26:47 > 0:26:48One of the shrub families that give us
0:26:48 > 0:26:51a lot of colour at this time of the year are the buddleias.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53We've got two new ones to the garden here.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55There's fallowiana behind me and there's
0:26:55 > 0:26:56weyeriana Sungold here.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58But lo and behold,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00on weyeriana Sungold, we've got a shoot there
0:27:00 > 0:27:03that's come up variegated.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05So the top of that shoot was removed.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10We've got a cutting, it is well rooted, ready for potting on.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12This may be the very first weyeriana Beechgrove.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18We've spent quite a bit of time on the programme planting bulbs
0:27:18 > 0:27:19that will flower in the spring.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Jim also talked about the hyacinths, which will flower for
0:27:22 > 0:27:26Christmas, but also then our bulbs that flower at this time of year.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29Take a look at this, this tree lily, quite magnificent.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33It's a variety called Robina, about seven feet in height.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36And then this one here, in the Calendar border.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38I think this is a real beauty.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41It's called the summer hyacinth, or Galtonia,
0:27:41 > 0:27:42with lovely, white bells.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49Well, what a blistering day we've had, eh? Fantastic.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51And we finish up with a lot of late summer colour.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55It's gorgeous, the hydrangea. Which one? Vanille Fraise. Lovely.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58Doing tremendously well. Look at this, eh, poking its head up,
0:27:58 > 0:28:00clematis. Yeah. I didn't know it was there.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02And phlox, which is flowering its head off.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04This colour is just...
0:28:04 > 0:28:06To save you both embarrassment, I'm saying that is anemone.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08THEY CHUCKLE
0:28:08 > 0:28:11It's stunning, isn't it? It's really stunning.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14But, you know, if you'd like any more information about this week's programme,
0:28:14 > 0:28:17it's all in the fact sheet and the easiest way to access that
0:28:17 > 0:28:18is online.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22Next week, as part of the 50th anniversary
0:28:22 > 0:28:27for Keep Scotland Beautiful, I'm going to be visiting colourful Carnoustie and also the near
0:28:27 > 0:28:30neighbour East Haven where the two of you have been.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33And I shall be planting vegetables in the polytunnel to keep us
0:28:33 > 0:28:35going over the winter and early spring.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38Until then... Bye-bye. Goodbye.
0:29:23 > 0:29:23We're in it to win it.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25SOUNDS TO THE TUNE OF: In The Hall Of The Mountain King by Grieg
0:29:25 > 0:29:26FEED RATTLES
0:29:26 > 0:29:28BABY GURGLES
0:29:28 > 0:29:28MOTOR WHIRS
0:29:28 > 0:29:30CHAMOIS SQUEAKS
0:29:30 > 0:29:32MUSIC BUILDS
0:29:32 > 0:29:34They do it for love.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37We follow five amateur orchestras from all across the country,
0:29:37 > 0:29:39on a musical journey to find one winner
0:29:39 > 0:29:43to perform alongside the pros at Proms In the Park.
0:29:43 > 0:29:44We're in it to win it.