0:00:11 > 0:00:15- Brilliant day.- But still a bit cold, I think - that wind, Jim.
0:00:15 > 0:00:16- We used to call it a lazy wind. - Why's that?
0:00:16 > 0:00:19It hasn't time to go round you, it goes straight through you!
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Hello, there! Welcome to Beechgrove and I tell you,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24it's quite good to just step inside to see my Sweetheart.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28And that's not me! This is this lovely cherry called Sweetheart.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30- Absolutely stunning, isn't it? - It's laden in blossom.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33- You can't see the foliage for the flowers!- No, and I can't wait for the cherries!
0:00:33 > 0:00:35There are a few of them behind the camera as well,
0:00:35 > 0:00:38counting the days till they see these beautiful cherries.
0:00:38 > 0:00:39Looking good.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42The pollinating insects have been in about, the bumblebees
0:00:42 > 0:00:43and butterflies as well.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46You could use a brush if you wanted. It's self-pollinating, anyway.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50- You can't say the same for this vine.- Very slow, isn't it?
0:00:50 > 0:00:52I mean, it's just starting to sprout.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54I'll come back to that later.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57- OK.- In the meantime, in the rest of the programme...
0:01:00 > 0:01:02I'm foraging in a fungal valley,
0:01:02 > 0:01:04turning this
0:01:04 > 0:01:06into this.
0:01:06 > 0:01:07A shiitake mushroom.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12And a chill wind, barren coast -
0:01:12 > 0:01:14what do you think could possibly grow here?
0:01:14 > 0:01:15Just wait and see!
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Over the next three weeks, I'm going
0:01:22 > 0:01:26to have a mini-series on growing a productive garden on the windowsill,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29so hopefully I can inspire you, whether you've got a garden or not,
0:01:29 > 0:01:34and starting off with something really simple - sprouting seeds.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37And what an array of seeds you can grow,
0:01:37 > 0:01:38so a mixture of grains,
0:01:38 > 0:01:40you can have nuts, pulses.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42For example, red clover,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45alfalfa and I think this one,
0:01:45 > 0:01:47lots of people will be familiar
0:01:47 > 0:01:48with - mung beans - because
0:01:48 > 0:01:51we very often use those in stir-fries.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Now, the thing you've got to remember is you need to soak
0:01:54 > 0:01:57these seeds before you start them off and normally
0:01:57 > 0:01:59for about eight hours,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01but some as long as 24 hours.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04So here we've got some examples again that have been soaked.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08The black ones there are the sunflowers, those are chickpeas.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10You don't really need fancy equipment,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13so the beauty is you could just make something yourself,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16because as long as you've got a jam jar, an elastic band
0:02:16 > 0:02:20and some tights, this is all you need to use.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25So you take that off and then you would put the seeds into there
0:02:25 > 0:02:27and I would say smaller rather
0:02:27 > 0:02:29than too many, because
0:02:29 > 0:02:32if you overdo it, then they're going
0:02:32 > 0:02:34to actually get a little bit mouldy.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Put the seed in after they've been soaked, put the lid back on and
0:02:38 > 0:02:43you drain them, or put moisture into them and drain them twice a day.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46That's really important, so you've got that fresh water.
0:02:46 > 0:02:47If you don't want to use the jam jar,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50then you can buy this, this is very similar as well
0:02:50 > 0:02:53and it's got the sieve on the top, so once you've put
0:02:53 > 0:02:56the seeds in there, you can pour the water in and drain it away.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59But I particularly like these ones - these are tiered,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02and it means you can grow three or four different types,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05doesn't take up a lot of room and this is the result.
0:03:05 > 0:03:06Just have a look at this.
0:03:06 > 0:03:07Absolute magic.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09You've got the chickpeas starting...
0:03:09 > 0:03:12Just in a few days. I really like these,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15these look quite dramatic - these are sunflower seeds.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17The thing to remember is they are SO nutritious,
0:03:17 > 0:03:19really healthy for you,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21full of vitamins, full of protein
0:03:21 > 0:03:26and what I particularly like is you don't necessarily have to cook them,
0:03:26 > 0:03:30you can eat them fresh, put them in salads, put them in a sandwich.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Apart from growing your sprouting seeds on a windowsill,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35how about mushrooms as well?
0:03:35 > 0:03:37You get these little kits that you can buy,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41I've got the white mushroom and the chestnut mushroom
0:03:41 > 0:03:44and it's the same conditions for both of these.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47So you get a little trough, a lid,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50we've got a bag of compost
0:03:50 > 0:03:52and then underneath here...
0:03:52 > 0:03:55is the straw and THIS is the mycelium.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59This is where the mushrooms will grow from.
0:03:59 > 0:04:04To start off with, when you buy this, sometimes it isn't white.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07What you have to do is put this in a really warm place,
0:04:07 > 0:04:12around about 20 to 25 degrees Centigrade, maybe for about a week.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15The compost goes somewhere a little bit cooler
0:04:15 > 0:04:18and once you see all this mycelium,
0:04:18 > 0:04:20the compost bag then has to
0:04:20 > 0:04:22be soaked, so you pierce the bag
0:04:22 > 0:04:25and half a litre of water...
0:04:25 > 0:04:26Leave that for half an hour.
0:04:26 > 0:04:27And then finally...
0:04:27 > 0:04:29This is what you end up with.
0:04:29 > 0:04:34You put the compost on top, put the lid on top and you start,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38after a few days, to see the mycelium spreading into the compost.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Eventually, I think within a few weeks,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44we'll start to see the little button mushrooms appearing
0:04:44 > 0:04:47and the beauty is, you should be
0:04:47 > 0:04:49able to crop this three times.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53This is fairly simple, growing mushrooms, but Chris has got a much
0:04:53 > 0:04:56bigger idea - he wants to grow them in the garden.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05Three springs ago, this part of the garden was an abandoned,
0:05:05 > 0:05:07somewhat neglected corner.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10It was tucked away, not much happening really.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14So, we decided to utilise some old tree stumps which were
0:05:14 > 0:05:17actually the remnants of when this entire garden was
0:05:17 > 0:05:19part of a much larger tree nursery.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23And there's some wonderful results alongside this little sinuous path.
0:05:23 > 0:05:24The pulmonaria, for instance.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28There's little scillas peeping through and about to give us
0:05:28 > 0:05:32that wonderful burst of azure blue that only those bulbs can.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35It's wonderful to see how this has all settled in
0:05:35 > 0:05:38and it's given us an idea for what happens next,
0:05:38 > 0:05:41because immediately adjacent is another area which is much
0:05:41 > 0:05:45more problematic, cos you can see under the shade of this
0:05:45 > 0:05:49cypress here, what do you plant in here?
0:05:49 > 0:05:53Well, taking the idea of the genteel decay of the timbers,
0:05:53 > 0:05:55what I'd really like to do is to try
0:05:55 > 0:05:58and utilise this not only as an ornamental area, but...
0:06:00 > 0:06:02..as a productive area. How about that?
0:06:02 > 0:06:06The thought of harvesting your own edible mushrooms from within
0:06:06 > 0:06:07the stumpery.
0:06:07 > 0:06:12So, the idea is to create, sweeping into the depths here,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15a kind of sinuous, fungal valley.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Now, before we throw up our hands in horror about the idea
0:06:18 > 0:06:23of fungi in the garden, many of them are considered problematic,
0:06:23 > 0:06:25take a look to see how they react in the wild.
0:06:32 > 0:06:38In a more wild and natural environment, the 15,000 species
0:06:38 > 0:06:42or so of fungi which are resident in the UK can be easily spotted.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44So, this is leaf litter.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48In this particular case, it's acers and sycamore from last autumn.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50And it's about an inch or so thick.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54But if you delve just a little bit deeper in here,
0:06:54 > 0:06:55what reveals itself, there we go,
0:06:55 > 0:07:00what reveals itself is not only digested leaf litter, much smaller,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04that's largely the result of the fungi, but also the fungi itself.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08These very thin white strands are called mycelium.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Now, in the world of fungi, the mycelium, I suppose,
0:07:11 > 0:07:15is the equivalent of a plant's stems and boughs.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19It's the active growing part of the fungi itself.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23Each one of those mycelium strands is able to connect in
0:07:23 > 0:07:25to the roots of our plants.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29And the mycelium stretches right out across the forest floor,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31harvesting the cellulose and nutrient
0:07:31 > 0:07:35from the detritus from the tree canopy above.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39And feeding all of that nutrient back into the roots of our plants.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44So, essentially, it multiplies hugely the capacity of roots
0:07:44 > 0:07:46to gain moisture and nutrients.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50So, fungi, the vast majority of them, are hugely beneficial.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53But this white is only just one part,
0:07:53 > 0:07:58because the supermarket fungi that we buy, this is the fruiting
0:07:58 > 0:08:02body, it's the equivalent of, let's say, an apple from an apple tree.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06So, what we're trying to do back in the garden is to replicate,
0:08:06 > 0:08:08in a small way, exactly what's happening here.
0:08:14 > 0:08:20This area in many ways replicates the wilder woodland environment.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23So, it's quite sheltered inevitably by these trees.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27There's plenty of humidity, plenty of moisture, leaf litter.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29And it's got a certain amount of light coming in,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31but never drying out completely.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34All of that's essential to keep the mycelium alive.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36It likes those moist conditions.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39And when you start to think about how you can
0:08:39 > 0:08:43construct your fungal valley, there are two essential components.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48The first is the understory leaf litter in which the mycelium is able
0:08:48 > 0:08:52to exist, and some fungi will thrive in that environment.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Others need the timbers.
0:08:54 > 0:08:59So, able to rot down four more pieces of wood that have been cut like this.
0:08:59 > 0:09:03And if you're thinking of creating a fungal valley like this or
0:09:03 > 0:09:07even just a single log which has fungi growing out of it, the choice
0:09:07 > 0:09:11of timber is pretty important, especially with the edible fungi.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14You need something that's about 15 to 20 centimetres in diameter.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18That means that the timber is never going to fully dry out.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22And then, species-wise, well, hardwoods are by far the best.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26So, like this, birch, poplar, older.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30Now, what we're going to do is to start at the back of this space.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35And this is going to be, in a way, the head of the valley.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39We are going to start with some tall timbers standing on end,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42and the fact that they are standing up means that constant
0:09:42 > 0:09:43contact with the ground.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47Moisture's able to keep being supplied up to the mycelium
0:09:47 > 0:09:49within the timbers.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52And the valley is going to open out and arch round.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55So, Callum here is digging the trench to start to receive the trunks.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58We'll eventually, if I just drop one in there.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02We'll drop those in like that, backfill,
0:10:02 > 0:10:04probably on a slight angle, like that,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07and that will give us a good wash of water when it rains,
0:10:07 > 0:10:10coming down here, and a good open splay.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14That will give us plenty of material for our fungi,
0:10:14 > 0:10:16which goes into the logs,
0:10:16 > 0:10:20and then we can backfill the valley with the leaf litter.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22So, I had better start digging.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Once the trenches are dug,
0:10:35 > 0:10:37the logs can be arranged pretty much as you see fit.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40Just bear in mind that if you want to stand them vertically
0:10:40 > 0:10:43or just off of vertical, you need to bury about a quarter
0:10:43 > 0:10:46of the total length, and then firm it in really heavily.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49That just simply means that the moisture from the ground will
0:10:49 > 0:10:53migrate up through the log, and the mycelium will be permanently wet.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56And then you can shape as you see fit, in this case,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Callum with his artistic chainsaw.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05The logs create one habitat for the edible mushrooms,
0:11:05 > 0:11:10but the second habitat is in the understorey and, for that,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12there's a recipe of growing medium.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16The first is ground and, importantly, composted bark mulch.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19That's the first layer. Then a layer of leaf mould.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22And finally a layer of hardwood garden chippings,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24straight out of your garden shredder.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28The whole thing should be a minimum of 15cm deep,
0:11:28 > 0:11:32and well wetted, to allow the mycelium to really take hold.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35Once you've got the bed prepared,
0:11:35 > 0:11:39you can start to deal with the logs, and what you have to do is to use
0:11:39 > 0:11:42a special dowel, which is a piece of hardwood timber.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45In fact, it's from the furniture manufacturing business,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48and this has been sterilised and impregnated with the mycelium.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51You can just see the white dusty mycelium on the dowel there.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54These are available from both mushroom kit suppliers and also
0:11:54 > 0:11:57some garden centres and nurseries too, and available online.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00And the idea is that you keep these in the fridge
0:12:00 > 0:12:03until you're ready to put them in. So, you drill a hole
0:12:03 > 0:12:06which is one-and-a-half times the depth of your dowel.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12And then simply insert...
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Sometimes you just have to give it a bit of a nudge with another one,
0:12:15 > 0:12:17just to make sure it's deep enough,
0:12:17 > 0:12:21and then what you can do is to seal with wax, if you wish, just
0:12:21 > 0:12:25to keep the moisture in that hole and help the mycelium take hold.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28However, if the logs are sufficiently wet
0:12:28 > 0:12:31and if the weather is really damp, you may not need to do that.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34We're using three different types of mushroom,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37two in the logs and one in this wonderful compost here.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41The two in the logs are oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44To all intents and purposes, at this stage of life,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47they look exactly the same. The key is that
0:12:47 > 0:12:50whatever comes sprouting out of the logs eventually,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54if you have planted shiitake, and it comes out looking
0:12:54 > 0:12:57something like that, then harvest them and enjoy.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01If anything else comes out that doesn't look like a shiitake,
0:13:01 > 0:13:02best not to eat it.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05So, we've got shiitake, oysters
0:13:05 > 0:13:08and we've also got wine caps.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Now, these are a slightly longer dowel, and the idea with these
0:13:11 > 0:13:12is that this is a fungi
0:13:12 > 0:13:16which enjoys foraging amongst the leaf litter,
0:13:16 > 0:13:17so a jammy bar...
0:13:17 > 0:13:20just inserted,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23and what we are trying to do is to go through this layer of fresh
0:13:23 > 0:13:26chipped cellulose here, insert the dowel,
0:13:26 > 0:13:29again about one-and-a-half times the depth, firm it in.
0:13:29 > 0:13:35It can take 12 to 18 months for the mycelium to really take hold,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38depending on temperature and moisture levels,
0:13:38 > 0:13:43and after that, you'll start to get the young mushrooms appearing,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46and then, once you start harvesting,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50something like this will keep harvesting for five to seven years,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53so all of this investment in time is well worth it
0:13:53 > 0:13:57because you'll have almost half a decade of glorious mushrooms.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Well, enough of fungal forays for the moment.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15We're back to the mundane.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18It is tattie-planting time, and I can tell you,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21that soil thermometer is reading about 10.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25By the time I've got them planted, they'll be ready for mashing!
0:14:25 > 0:14:28That's tremendous. We just removed the tarpaulin this morning,
0:14:28 > 0:14:30and look at the weed growth -
0:14:30 > 0:14:32another indicator that the soil is warming up and, in fact,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35with potatoes, we're putting them well down.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38I have just finished off forking and levelling,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41and the next thing is to put the fertiliser on.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Now, at one time, when you were putting in early potatoes,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48you would use a fertiliser that was high in nitrogen.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51I notice this one is higher in potash than it is in nitrogen,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54and that's all about quality. How much to put on?
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Well, it is called fertiliser placement,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00you know, over the row where the potatoes are going to be planted.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04About a handful to a yard is quite sufficient.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08Whether it'll improve the flavour of the tatties,
0:15:08 > 0:15:09I really don't know.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13And of course the variety being planted today is my new favourite.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15It's Casablanca,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17which took over in my native Ayrshire
0:15:17 > 0:15:20from the old Epicures that we used to grow.
0:15:20 > 0:15:21How far apart?
0:15:21 > 0:15:24Well, about a foot apart.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28And you notice how nicely they've been sprouting away - slowly.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30They're nice and stubby sprouts.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33They're not going to fall off when I plant. So, there we go.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38That's reasonable.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41When you plant later-maturing, longer-season,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44you can afford to give them a bit more space.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47And how deep? About the depth of the blade.
0:15:47 > 0:15:48Here we go.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55In it goes. Pop it down in there.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57Squeeze.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59And we're on our way.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Well, just like Jim in the vegetable plot,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05we're well on our way in the decking,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07and it has had a bit of a spring clean, or a winter clean,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10because the gardeners have been out with the power-washer,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13they've really cleaned it up and, at the same time,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16because we've been using this area for 20 years,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19we've got some new planters.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21The whole idea with the decking is
0:16:21 > 0:16:25it's growing things in containers, it's small-space gardening.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27I'll just show you one or two plants,
0:16:27 > 0:16:29but these have come out of the greenhouse
0:16:29 > 0:16:32and they will be going back because they're not hardened off yet.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34So, we've got the climbing courgette here.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38It is the first yellow climbing courgette, called Shooting Stars,
0:16:38 > 0:16:40and that's going to go up the trellis.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42So I'm going to be putting three plans in.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44It is better if you do plant two or three
0:16:44 > 0:16:46so you get that cross-pollination.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48And we've got a couple of lettuce here.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50This one, Warpath, is a new variety to me,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54and it's meant to be really resistant to bolting.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57We've got lots of other seeds that we can start to sow now,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00because as Jim was saying about the temperatures, it's ideal.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Things like spring onions, we've got radish, carrots, you name it.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05They're all going to go in the containers.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09But, like Jim, I'm going to start off with the tatties.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12I tend to use the traditional plastic pot,
0:17:12 > 0:17:16but also, this year, I've got a couple of new ones,
0:17:16 > 0:17:20and these bags are very similar to the things that we have been
0:17:20 > 0:17:23using in the Keder for year after year, so value for money.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26And also, a very new container,
0:17:26 > 0:17:32which is like a pot within a pot, so the whole idea is, if you're not
0:17:32 > 0:17:35quite sure if your tatties are ready for cropping, you should be able
0:17:35 > 0:17:39to pull this out and be able to see whether the tubers are big enough.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43I always like to go for early potatoes,
0:17:43 > 0:17:47and the two varieties I'm growing this year are Pentland Javelin
0:17:47 > 0:17:49and a new one called Divaa,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52which is meant to taste like Pentland Javelins,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55so at the time when we come to harvest, we'll have to do
0:17:55 > 0:17:57a taste test and see and compare them,
0:17:57 > 0:17:59see which ones we maybe prefer.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03So what you have to do is put a bit of compost in the bottom.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05The fertiliser has been mixed through that,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08and it is exactly the same fertiliser as Jim is using,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11so that's that one that's interestingly high in potassium.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15And then three tubers. Don't be greedy. Don't put too many in,
0:18:15 > 0:18:18because there's probably too much competition,
0:18:18 > 0:18:24and after that we just cover the tubers with a bit of compost,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28and we wait for the shaws to start growing up
0:18:28 > 0:18:32and when they come through, you then put more and more compost in,
0:18:32 > 0:18:36until you get to nearly the top of the pot.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38And just remember, with earlies,
0:18:38 > 0:18:42it takes about 12, 13 weeks before we can harvest.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53Well, isn't that just some view?
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Imagine wakening up to that every morning.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59I've come down today to Dumfries and Galloway.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02I'm near Kirkcudbright, and I've come to visit a garden
0:19:02 > 0:19:04which was established by Alan Shamash.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08It's on a very steep slope, running right down to the Dee Estuary,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11which is behind me, and it has within it one of the
0:19:11 > 0:19:14most amazing arrays of plants which I think I have ever seen.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16It's just superb.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29So, Alan, when did you start gardening? What's the history?
0:19:29 > 0:19:32Well, we've been here about 35 years.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36I wasn't very interested in gardening at first.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39My mum insisted that I should plant stuff.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42She planted them for me and when they started to die,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44she got very cross with me,
0:19:44 > 0:19:46and I think I started more earnestly after that.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49So, what was the soil like here, for planting?
0:19:49 > 0:19:53- It's pretty acid. Very thin and very patchy.- Right.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Especially as you go down towards the sea, it's just rock.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00I didn't use a spade for a long time. I used a pick.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Now, what did you start planting first?
0:20:03 > 0:20:05I planted rhododendrons first.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07All species at first.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10I've got a few hybrids, but it was mainly species,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13and I particularly like the large-leaved rhododendrons.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16The site suited rhododendrons, didn't it?
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Yes. It's pretty mild and we don't get real excesses of temperature,
0:20:20 > 0:20:22and it's certainly not too dry.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24You've got all the things that matter.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27We couldn't grow big-leaved rhododendrons up at Beechgrove,
0:20:27 > 0:20:28so you are lucky here.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33- Let's go and have a look at some of the earlier ones you planted.- OK.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40This is Rhododendron macabeanum.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43I planted it about 13 years ago to celebrate
0:20:43 > 0:20:44the birth of my grandniece.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46You look at the shading on the top
0:20:46 > 0:20:48and the colour of these pistols there.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50- These are just superb.- Yeah.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53Well, this is its first flower in 13 years so...
0:20:53 > 0:20:55- It's done well.- Maybe.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57THEY CHUCKLE
0:21:01 > 0:21:03That's Rhododendron calophytum.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Fabulous foliage, the way it fans out,
0:21:06 > 0:21:08and then these great trusses of flower on the top.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11- So, what age?- About 24.- Oh!
0:21:12 > 0:21:14Normally, when we talk about rhodies,
0:21:14 > 0:21:16we're looking at the flowers,
0:21:16 > 0:21:18and if you look at the flowers on that beanianum there,
0:21:18 > 0:21:21these are just wonderful, this waxy red.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24But, you know, the undersides of the leaves, Alan, you'll have seen this,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26they are just as magnificent.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28That's indumentum on the back. It almost scrapes off.
0:21:28 > 0:21:29What's that for?
0:21:29 > 0:21:32There are theories about it, but they reckon it's something
0:21:32 > 0:21:35which is there just to protect the plants from loss of moisture.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37It helps to conserve the moisture on them.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39It's the same on that one, isn't it?
0:21:39 > 0:21:41And then, on this one here, look, there we have it as well,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44but that's a silver indumentum which is on the back there.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Beautiful shiny silver.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49So, we should look up underneath the plants as well.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51But this one's good here, isn't it?
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Yes. See the top of the plant there?
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Even the midrib is bright yellow colour.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58- We're just about rhododendron'd out, aren't we?- Yes.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02- Let's go and have a look at some exotics.- I'd like to show you this.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07So, when you got fed up planting rhododendrons,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09what was the idea, then?
0:22:09 > 0:22:12Well, because it's a seaside place, it's nice in the summer
0:22:12 > 0:22:15and I had nothing flowering in the summer, so I went for more
0:22:15 > 0:22:19exotic plants, like some of the southern hemisphere plants.
0:22:19 > 0:22:20For example,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24- this prostanthera here, which is an Australian plant.- Yeah.
0:22:24 > 0:22:29And then this monster here is a puya from Chile.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Now, that's good, Alan. That is something else.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36Yes, it's really nice. That's Illicium simonsii.
0:22:36 > 0:22:41That's from Korea, South China and Japan as well.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43It's just absolutely magnificent.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45So, do you think it's hardy enough?
0:22:45 > 0:22:47I'll tell you in about ten years' time.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50- Because it is a bit of an experiment, isn't it?- Yes.
0:22:50 > 0:22:51Yes, it is.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55I've got other illiciums that are hardy just further along.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57- You want to see them?- Right.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04So, this is where we've got the Illicium anisatum,
0:23:04 > 0:23:08and it has also got these yellow star-shaped flowers.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13This is very like star anise, and the correct name for that one
0:23:13 > 0:23:16is Illicium verum, but this is definitely not that.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19It is called "false anise" because, actually,
0:23:19 > 0:23:20this one is very poisonous,
0:23:20 > 0:23:23whereas star anise obviously isn't!
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Right, so we can't use this one in cooking.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29But, poisonous or not, that is still a fabulous plant.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32It's beautiful, and it's hardy. That's definitely hardy.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36- But you don't do all this gardening by yourself, do you?- No.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38THEY CHUCKLE
0:23:38 > 0:23:40You have a wee help from who? Magnus?
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Magnus Ramsay and Rob Asbridge.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45I think I knew Magnus from Threave,
0:23:45 > 0:23:48so I think I'll go and have a little word with him.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51- I'll catch up with you later on. See you later, Alan.- See you.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02- Hi, Magnus. How are you? - Oh, hello.- I thought you'd retired.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05- Aye, a long time ago.- You've been helping Alan out, though?
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Yes, for about ten years now I've been coming down here.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- So, what's the game here?- Just tidying up this Wollemi pine,
0:24:11 > 0:24:15the famous endangered plant that came out Australia a few years ago.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Aye, cos this is, what, Blue Mountains west of Sydney?
0:24:17 > 0:24:20- Mm-hm.- Highly endangered. Really valuable.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24It was only very recently found, and only two or three small colonies
0:24:24 > 0:24:27of it, so there are only a handful of trees in the world, really.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29It was very badly damaged in the severe winters
0:24:29 > 0:24:31we had about five, six years ago.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36You can see, by looking in at the bottom here, the original stem.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39- Yes, yes.- Which is just used as a wee stake
0:24:39 > 0:24:41to hold the young shoot up.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44There were two or three shoots came. You see them?
0:24:44 > 0:24:47It's funny, it has come from below where it was frosted
0:24:47 > 0:24:50- and growing away. That's good growth, though, isn't it?- Mm-hm.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52There's not many conifers that do that.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54- It seems to be back in good condition.- Yeah.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58I mean, that is just gorgeous. But so is that.
0:24:58 > 0:24:59Show me what this is.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02This is the finest plant in the garden at the moment.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06A spectacular thing - Magnolia campbellii, Charles Raffill.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09What's awkward about this is it always flowers away at the top,
0:25:09 > 0:25:11so it's awkward to look at.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13It's difficult to see them properly, isn't it?
0:25:13 > 0:25:15It's the nature of the beast, unfortunately,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17with these tree magnolias. It is just what they do.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Well, you can gaze on at that. I'm going back to see Alan.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22- Catch you later. Cheers.- Aye. Bye.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Well, Alan, that some view, isn't it?
0:25:29 > 0:25:31It's magic.
0:25:31 > 0:25:32Absolutely brilliant.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35It goes with the garden, of course.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38- What a fabulous day we have had. - It's been a bit cold, though.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Come back in the summer.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Now, are you open at all under the Gardens Scheme?
0:25:43 > 0:25:46Yes, we're open in April and September.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48It has just been exceptional.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50It's been really great, so thanks very much.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54- It's very nice of you to come. - It's good to share it with us.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Well, we mentioned the vine earlier, and it's very late in breaking.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06I think it's a combination of a very mild winter
0:26:06 > 0:26:10and not a warm enough spring, but it will come away fine.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14In the meantime, however, we can still see a problem, and that is the
0:26:14 > 0:26:17scale insect, which inhabits these plants, and there's one in there.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20You can just see it nestling in there.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22A little orange... It's a scale
0:26:22 > 0:26:26and it actually attaches itself to the wood and sucks the sap,
0:26:26 > 0:26:28and if you get enough of them
0:26:28 > 0:26:31it will seriously affect the vigour of the plant.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34We can look for an insecticide that will do it,
0:26:34 > 0:26:36and I'm going to use a brush.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40The insecticide has been diluted and I am just going to pop him,
0:26:40 > 0:26:42and at least I know that it's been covered.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46It's not a situation for spraying. A spray here,
0:26:46 > 0:26:4999% of the spray will finish up on the cherry or on the glass.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51And there's another one over here.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55So, just every now and again, go in and catch them, like that.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58The nymphs will soon start to move about
0:26:58 > 0:27:00and if there's still a major population,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03that will mean that we have to spray.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07It was just three weeks ago that we planted some new
0:27:07 > 0:27:10crowns of asparagus, and the variety is Mondeo.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Now, I am delighted - every single crown,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15that's ten crowns, has started to sprout.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17You can just see them coming through.
0:27:17 > 0:27:18That's the good news,
0:27:18 > 0:27:21but I'm afraid the bad news is, we mustn't crop it at all this year.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24All we do is we let it grow, it builds up the crown
0:27:24 > 0:27:27and then we should have a good crop for next year.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31Well, that's been a productive day.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33It has, and the sun's still shining, Jim.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35It's nice here, just to stand and relax,
0:27:35 > 0:27:39- and look at them tadpoles boiling that water.- Thousands of them.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42I'm not sure that I like this. It's another job in prospect.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44- Another job to be done. - Another revamp.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47- But we're here to look at the skunk cabbage.- Lysichiton.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50We planted that there but we didn't plant that one over there.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53- And that's the problem, isn't it?- Mm-hm.
0:27:53 > 0:27:54- Quite invasive.- Yes, indeed.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57It has just been added to the alien plant list.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00And it can't be planted out. You can have it in your own garden.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02Yes, you can cultivate it in your garden.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04The answer really is, enjoy that lovely yellow spathe,
0:28:04 > 0:28:06you get the white form as well,
0:28:06 > 0:28:08but the bit in the centre, the spadix,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10cut that out as soon as you can.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14- So, yes, plant it in your own garden but look after it.- Definitely.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17If you'd like any more information about this week's programme,
0:28:17 > 0:28:19of course it's all in the fact sheet,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22and the easiest way to access that is online.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24Next week, Chris is going to be back in the garden with us.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26- Yes, Scottish gardening.- Yep.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29And myself, more windowsill gardening - herbs and salads.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32- What about you? - Maybe planting a few veg(!)
0:28:32 > 0:28:36- Never(!) You'll love that. - Until next week, bye-bye.- Goodbye.