0:00:11 > 0:00:15Well, hello, and welcome to Beechgrove, 2017,
0:00:15 > 0:00:19and the team are all here, ready, waiting to deliver the goods.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22But what a winter we've had! It varies all across the country.
0:00:22 > 0:00:23George, do you want to start?
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Well, yes, Edinburgh, it started off quite mild.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29It was very cold in November and into early December.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Frost three or four nights, you know, scraping the windscreen.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35- Brian?- Scone, well, the winds have been cold,
0:00:35 > 0:00:39but luckily for me, there's been no damaging winds, no trees down.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41- Touch wood.- Touch wood, aye. Like that.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43What about you, Carole?
0:00:43 > 0:00:45Well, here in the garden, the coldest temperature -6,
0:00:45 > 0:00:47which I think is quite interesting.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49So not particularly cold.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52And across the UK, we've got this concertina effect
0:00:52 > 0:00:54of the snowdrops and the crocus and the daffodils
0:00:54 > 0:00:55all flowering together.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Yeah, yeah. And what's it been like in Gloucestershire?
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Well, Gloucestershire, you see, we had a very mild autumn.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04So November was just unbelievably mild.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08And then come January, boy, did it get cold! I mean, it really dropped.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10-5, -6, virtually every night.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14But that cold period just seems to have really cranked those plants.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16I mean, they are full of enthusiasm for growing.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18They think winter has finished. They're in action.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20- There's nothing stopping them. - You were talking...
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Who was talking about the magnolias in Cornwall?
0:01:22 > 0:01:23That's right, well,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25they started flowering on the 28th February
0:01:25 > 0:01:28and the idea there is that when you have 50 flowers out
0:01:28 > 0:01:30on Magnolia campbellii, I think it is,
0:01:30 > 0:01:31that's a sign of spring.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33And then, you know,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36they test it and see how far up the country it's going, and how quickly.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Now, spring is supposed to come at walking pace, isn't it?
0:01:39 > 0:01:41But the fact of the matter is that there are those,
0:01:41 > 0:01:42the statisticians would say,
0:01:42 > 0:01:44"We've got 10 more days of a growing season."
0:01:44 > 0:01:48It depends where you live. I mean, I have had the snow shovel out once.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50-4 has been its cold.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54But I see cold winds are very telling on plants.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57And the point that you make, Chris, that they're all raring to go,
0:01:57 > 0:01:58we've had a mild time.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00What's going to happen when we get the spring frosts?
0:02:00 > 0:02:02And, Jim, you might need the snow shovel again,
0:02:02 > 0:02:04cos it's snowing in Glasgow at the moment.
0:02:04 > 0:02:05THEY LAUGH
0:02:05 > 0:02:07This is true. I won't put it in the loft, then.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09I'll keep it by the garage door. But there you are.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12There's a lot of things to do. There's a lot of things happening.
0:02:12 > 0:02:13And it's time we got on with it.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17With my secateurs and shears,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20it's all about pruning and cutting back this week.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25And aren't these snowdrops lovely?
0:02:25 > 0:02:28It's maybe a little bit chilly to do a spot of gardening,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30but doesn't it encourage you to get outside
0:02:30 > 0:02:32and appreciate these little gems?
0:02:32 > 0:02:34And that's exactly what I'm going to do this week.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Continuing the sort of climate thing, George,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42we started the programme talking about
0:02:42 > 0:02:44the differences all over the place.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47And it's not so very long ago that the headlines in the paper
0:02:47 > 0:02:51were that we were running out of vegetables, because sadly,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54the Mediterranean countries were having a real bad do, weren't they?
0:02:54 > 0:02:58Well, they had heavy rainfall, they had snow, they had frost.
0:02:58 > 0:03:02What? The courgettes were wiped out, the calibraise.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07Imagine being rationed to only three iceberg lettuce!
0:03:07 > 0:03:10- How old are these?- 22 weeks.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14These were planted at the end of the last series. Under cover all winter.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17- Look.- So we finished the outdoor veg and these are already in.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19We've got some magic stuff here.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Now, that's that Cavalo Nero,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24which we can eat as the dark green leaves
0:03:24 > 0:03:26or you can have these wee short shoots.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30- We've got this.- The magic kale. They've just discovered it.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34We've been eating it all our days sort of thing. Nice bit of broccoli.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35One or two wee shoots here.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37I think the daddy of them all is the pak choi.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- It loves it!- It loves this cold weather, the cooler weather.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43So the continuity from last autumn's veg,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46- and then we've got this lot.- And once we've eaten this...
0:03:46 > 0:03:49- We're not finished yet.- We're not finished, it's outside.
0:03:49 > 0:03:50THEY LAUGH
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Planted at the same time, so the same age, but outside.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Less protection, not so far forward,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58and that's just exactly what we want, isn't it?
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Yes, because then we finish those, we go on to these,
0:04:00 > 0:04:04but look at the pak choi! Look at that. Isn't that good?
0:04:04 > 0:04:08I mean, so, the staples for winter used to be tatties, leeks,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11- onions, carrots, you know... - Boring.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14But now we're used to all these fancy veg.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15And we think,
0:04:15 > 0:04:17"Oh, my goodness me, what are we going to do
0:04:17 > 0:04:18"when they have troubles?"
0:04:18 > 0:04:21- There we are.- You can grow them here.- Grow them yourself.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24And so the continuity must be continued
0:04:24 > 0:04:25because the main veg plots,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28the two of them have been covered already,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30that's to prevent them being wetted and rewetted
0:04:30 > 0:04:33so that the temperature comes up because planting potatoes,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35and getting in some of the root crops.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Now, these are Maris Bard.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40This is one of the early potatoes, and we've had these chitting
0:04:40 > 0:04:42somewhere nice and warm and airy, and look.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Lovely little sprouts on those already. Look at that.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48- You said sitting.- No, chitting. Sitting chitting.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50THEY LAUGH
0:04:50 > 0:04:53- Our message is, grow your own! - Do it yourself!- Yes.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Don't wait for the supermarket.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05It's the middle of March, and don't these catkins
0:05:05 > 0:05:08on the Contorta hazel look absolutely beautiful?
0:05:08 > 0:05:09But also at this time of year,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11it's very busy in the garden,
0:05:11 > 0:05:12and lots of jobs to do.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15And high on my list is some pruning and cutting back
0:05:15 > 0:05:17of a variety of plants
0:05:17 > 0:05:20that can be done over the next two or three weeks.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Well, another plant that is looking absolutely gorgeous
0:05:28 > 0:05:30at the moment are the hellebores.
0:05:30 > 0:05:31Just look at those flowers.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Value for money plants at this time of year because these flowers
0:05:34 > 0:05:37can last for one or two months.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41But the job in hand is all about cutting back this old foliage,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44evergreen foliage, so this is the foliage from last year.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48But you can see how now they are starting to look a bit diseased,
0:05:48 > 0:05:49dying back.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53And if you want your plant to stay healthy and happy,
0:05:53 > 0:05:54we need to cut these back.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58Right back, all the way round.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02And it's the kind of job that you can do with other plants
0:06:02 > 0:06:08as well, so, for example, the evergreen ferns, like Aspleniums.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Cut those back, and then you'll see the new fronds coming through.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16And you can see, once I tidy up the plant,
0:06:16 > 0:06:21you can fully appreciate that it makes a much better job.
0:06:21 > 0:06:26But we also picked up a really nice tip from Ann Fraser
0:06:26 > 0:06:28at Shepherd House.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32Because if you want to fully appreciate these nodding flowers,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35if you put a little mirror underneath, just look at that,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37and you can walk past and you can see the flower
0:06:37 > 0:06:38without holding it up.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47From cutting back the old foliage from last year,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49on this particular plant,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53it's all about cutting back the woody stems from last year.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55This is a Hypericum.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58And I'm going to go right down to the base.
0:06:58 > 0:07:04The variety is called Elstead, and the whole idea is,
0:07:04 > 0:07:06by cutting these back,
0:07:06 > 0:07:09what we want to do is encourage lovely, new growth
0:07:09 > 0:07:12that's going to be nice and healthy and have a beautiful display
0:07:12 > 0:07:15because this plant, as far as I'm concerned,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17is, again, value for money
0:07:17 > 0:07:22because you have yellow flowers followed by tiny little berries.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24They are a sort of a salmony-red colour.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28And so you've got interest for most of the year.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Now we're moving on to some more woody stem pruning
0:07:38 > 0:07:41of a completely different nature
0:07:41 > 0:07:43because this is our willow fedge.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45I suppose, basically, it's a hybrid
0:07:45 > 0:07:47between a hedge and a fence.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49And this is what I'm aiming for, in other words,
0:07:49 > 0:07:51this has already been pruned back,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54but here you can see what it was like.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56This is the growth that was put on last year,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59so I'm wanting to reduce the height.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01And you do, you go right back...
0:08:02 > 0:08:04..maybe just leaving a couple of buds...
0:08:05 > 0:08:08..so that it can sprout again.
0:08:08 > 0:08:09The same with the sides.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13So, I mean, the whole aim is to have this sort of very narrow form,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16and very sort of vertical fedge effect.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21Now, don't throw these away, because they have lots of wonderful uses.
0:08:21 > 0:08:26For example, if you've got any gaps, you could use the rods
0:08:26 > 0:08:29and put them in there, and, hopefully, they should root.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Having said that as well, you can take hardwood cuttings
0:08:32 > 0:08:36so you could use them as other plants around the garden.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40You can also use them for willow reeds and finally,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42something that we've tried in the garden at the moment,
0:08:42 > 0:08:46is we've used them for plant supports around hyacinths.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47And it looks really attractive.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54I'm now going to be doing some lighter pruning.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58And it's all about the heathers. This is a Calluna vulgaris.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00This flowers in the autumn time.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03Now, I don't want to confuse you, but as a general rule,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06heathers get pruned immediately after flowering.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10But in the case with autumn flowering ones,
0:09:10 > 0:09:14you can enjoy those old flowering spikes over the winter time
0:09:14 > 0:09:16because they won't put on any growth,
0:09:16 > 0:09:20but NOW is the time to prune BEFORE they start to grow again.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23And it's very light pruning, because what you do is
0:09:23 > 0:09:27pick a flower spike like that, and you are pruning just below.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31But it would take me absolutely ages with my secateurs.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35And the best thing is to get yourself some hedging shears,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37and just go across like this.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40Now, this is quite an old plant here.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44But because we've been doing this pruning every year,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47it keeps the plant nice and fairly compact,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50and stops it going too woody.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54And just to show you that heathers do flower at all times of year,
0:09:54 > 0:09:58I've got this lovely example here of Erica carnea,
0:09:58 > 0:10:02so winter flowering-cum-early spring flowering.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04So as soon as that one finishes,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07we'll do exactly the same as we did with the Calluna.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16It's not just about cutting back foliage and flowers,
0:10:16 > 0:10:18we can also have a look at some fruit.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21And these are our autumn fruiting raspberries.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Now, to me, this is a similar pruning job
0:10:24 > 0:10:26as we just did with the Hypericum.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31In other words, these are the fruiting canes from last year.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34And we cut them hard back. Every single cane...
0:10:36 > 0:10:38..gets cut back.
0:10:38 > 0:10:43And then what happens is that they put on new growth from the base
0:10:43 > 0:10:45and those will be the canes
0:10:45 > 0:10:49that will produce the raspberries for this year.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52But I also want to show you our summer fruiting raspberries,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55because it is a different pruning technique.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57They were pruned in the autumn time,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00so these are the canes that were cut hard back,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02those were the ones that had the fruit on.
0:11:02 > 0:11:08And these canes that grew last year will bear the fruit this year.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12So DO know which type of raspberry you have,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14because if I cut those back,
0:11:14 > 0:11:18I'm not going to get any fruit in the summertime with this variety.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22So, Carol, you've been awfully busy,
0:11:22 > 0:11:24but there are still plenty of jobs to do in the Alpine Garden.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27And, you know, the Alpine Garden, Brian, is looking fantastic
0:11:27 > 0:11:32because you only started to revamp this about this time last year.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34And the daffodils are gorgeous, aren't they?
0:11:34 > 0:11:36They've come on really well, and they are, hopefully,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39looking how they should look in the wild where they're up the top
0:11:39 > 0:11:42and they're just self-seeding their way down the scree there.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45I'm really liking how the purple of the Saxifrage
0:11:45 > 0:11:47is going with the daffodil there.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Real ground-hugging plant, and a rather specialist Primula.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53The lilac with the silvery foliage.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55- Really nice.- It's a winner, definitely.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58OK, you said we've got jobs to do, so what's first?
0:11:58 > 0:11:59So at this time of year,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02just before the alpine plants are kicking into growth,
0:12:02 > 0:12:03this is when we want to get out with
0:12:03 > 0:12:06a bit of fertiliser and give the ground a wee feed.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09And it's a well-balanced fertiliser.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Yes, it's one that's definitely not high in nitrogen.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13If we get high in nitrogen,
0:12:13 > 0:12:15it's going to produce soft, lush growth
0:12:15 > 0:12:17and as Jim says, if we get a hard frost,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19it's just going to kill these plants.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21I think we still will get frost, Brian.
0:12:21 > 0:12:22And when you sprinkle it on,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25being a little bit careful to avoid the foliage.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Yeah, you just want to sprinkle it around them,
0:12:27 > 0:12:29and just onto the gravel.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31And what I would personally do,
0:12:31 > 0:12:33is I am just going to water this in straightaway.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36I mean, obviously, if you know it's going to rain, but that way,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39- it's getting direct, isn't it, to the plant?- Exactly.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42It's going to get washed through the gravel right into the roots.
0:12:42 > 0:12:43And the worms.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46I think they've been a little bit active because we are seeing,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48I mean, for example, by the Saxifrage,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50you can see a bit of soil there.
0:12:50 > 0:12:51There's a little bit of soil here.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53Once you've fed, then it's a great time
0:12:53 > 0:12:55to just look for these little patches
0:12:55 > 0:12:57and give it a wee top dress.
0:12:57 > 0:12:58And that's a good tip, I think,
0:12:58 > 0:13:00because that's going to keep the weeds down.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03And, you know, people can mulchen their borders as well.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05What about the seed-sowing, though?
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Yes, at this time of year,
0:13:07 > 0:13:11it's still a great time to do a last-minute Alpine seed-sowing.
0:13:11 > 0:13:12So there is two ways we can do it.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14We can either do it in a pot,
0:13:14 > 0:13:16put them into a cold frame and grow them on,
0:13:16 > 0:13:18or we just go straight to source,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20and we sow them direct into these crevices.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Which is perfect, cos, I mean, it's just tiny little nooks
0:13:23 > 0:13:26and crannies that you're sowing this in. A little Aquilegia?
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Aquilegias are great at self-seeding as well, so, hopefully,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31that will self-seed itself as well, all around there.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33And, Brian, you've got quite a few specialist seeds here.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Where did you get them from?
0:13:35 > 0:13:37So these seeds are from the Scottish Rock Garden Club.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40I'm a member, and when you are a member,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42you have access to the seed exchange,
0:13:42 > 0:13:44and you can get hundreds and hundreds
0:13:44 > 0:13:47of different Alpine plants for you to grow on yourself.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50This time of the year is a point when you really get to see
0:13:50 > 0:13:55a garden's structure, the way it's divided and compartmentalised.
0:13:55 > 0:13:56And you know what they say.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58A garden with good bones is bound to produce
0:13:58 > 0:14:00a good garden during the summer months.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04So now is a good time to think about how you create divisions
0:14:04 > 0:14:06within the garden's space.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08There are lots of ways of doing it, fences, walls,
0:14:08 > 0:14:10but think a bit laterally.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Hedges and even trees all come into the equation.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16And this is a prime candidate.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18This is a lime, Tilia Pallida.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21One of the exciting things about the way this grows is
0:14:21 > 0:14:22that if I turn it that way,
0:14:22 > 0:14:26you can see it's got an incredibly flat profile,
0:14:26 > 0:14:31whereas on that axes, it's got all of these nicely layered branches.
0:14:31 > 0:14:36And that means it's perfect for training and pruning into,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39well, a hedge in the sky, really.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42A screen which hovers above all your other planting,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45and, perhaps, above other fences like this one we've got here.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47How do you go about pruning it?
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Well, you employ a principle called pleaching,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53or some people call it plashing
0:14:53 > 0:14:58which was first described by Julius Caesar in 60 BC,
0:14:58 > 0:15:01so it's not exactly a modern event.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05Now, what you have to do is think of the frame
0:15:05 > 0:15:08on which you want the tree to exist.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11And I've created, just out of six-foot-high bamboo canes,
0:15:11 > 0:15:16a simple six-foot square, then a series of laterals,
0:15:16 > 0:15:20each one of those laterals will be a layer of branches.
0:15:20 > 0:15:25And you need the cane representing your trunk as well.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28So, I'll put another layer in there, so we've got one, two, three,
0:15:28 > 0:15:32four, five laterals and then the trunk coming through,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34all of that's zip-tied together...
0:15:36 > 0:15:40..which is a good way of making a good, strong connection.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Zip-tied all together, and then,
0:15:43 > 0:15:47to create a bit of structural rigidity in the diagonal,
0:15:47 > 0:15:49you can lay...
0:15:49 > 0:15:51some diagonal canes in as well.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54So that will give you your basic support
0:15:54 > 0:15:56to which you train and prune your plant.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00And in order to fasten the plant to it, I've got one at this end.
0:16:00 > 0:16:01Here's my basic tree.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05Exactly the same, this is Tilia Pallida.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07On the framework...
0:16:08 > 0:16:09..there...
0:16:10 > 0:16:12..is the frame.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14It's a good, strong structure.
0:16:14 > 0:16:19And that will provide me with the basis for the tree.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Lay the tree down and then using some of the flexy coil,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28this is good because it doesn't stress the bark of the tree
0:16:28 > 0:16:31when you fasten the cane to it,
0:16:31 > 0:16:32you first of all start off by...
0:16:34 > 0:16:36..tying in all of those verticals.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41So the trunk in to the vertical canes, all the way up.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45And then you gradually work your way up the tree,
0:16:45 > 0:16:49looking for branches to tie in to the horizontals.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51So, for instance, this one here...
0:16:51 > 0:16:53They are quite flexible at this time of the year.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56You could easily tie down into that structure there.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Similarly, it's a bit of a weaker branch, but, you know,
0:16:59 > 0:17:01early in the season this will produce lots of growth.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03Tie in there, and come up to the next layer.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07And tie that one in. And so you work your way up the tree,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09because, essentially, what you are looking for
0:17:09 > 0:17:13is the vertical and then five sets of horizontals.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16When you get to the top, you will find that your young tree
0:17:16 > 0:17:19will probably massively overshoot, and that's fine,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22because you can just prune it off at the nearest bud.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24Now, in order to see what it looks like when it's finished,
0:17:24 > 0:17:26here's my first year pleach.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Put in the ground, short stake,
0:17:28 > 0:17:32couple of ties, and you can see the bamboo cane structure,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36and then I've got these branches tied in all the way to the end.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Once they reach the end,
0:17:38 > 0:17:41it's been pruned off at a bud because then all of these buds
0:17:41 > 0:17:43will produce side shoots
0:17:43 > 0:17:46and it's on those that you'll get your massive greening.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50And you'll be surprised just how verdant this hedge becomes,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52even in one season.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55And this process of pleaching
0:17:55 > 0:17:58is one of these ideas that were seen
0:17:58 > 0:18:00all the way through medieval gardens,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03a way of dividing the space up
0:18:03 > 0:18:06and creating a wonderful green division,
0:18:06 > 0:18:11a sense of lushness against the hedges and fences.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13And, of course, if you want to do this,
0:18:13 > 0:18:15you have to do it in the spring
0:18:15 > 0:18:19when the buds are forming and when the branches are nice and pliable.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Something else you have to do in the spring, of course,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23is to get out and enjoy snowdrops,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26which is exactly what Carole's been up to.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38One of my favourite plants is the common snowdrop,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40Galanthus nivalis.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43And it always appears in late winter.
0:18:43 > 0:18:44Now these drifts here
0:18:44 > 0:18:47at Fyvie Castle in Aberdeenshire
0:18:47 > 0:18:49create a wonderful display.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51The little flowers maybe appear rather delicate,
0:18:51 > 0:18:53but they're incredibly hardy.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56And, when they're in full bloom like this,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59it's a cheerful reminder that spring is on its way.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10But it's not the snowdrops at Fyvie Castle
0:19:10 > 0:19:12I've come to see today.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Instead, I'm making a short journey to Rothienorman
0:19:15 > 0:19:17to meet Helen Rushton.
0:19:17 > 0:19:18She's a snowdrop collector,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21otherwise known as a galanthophile.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24And her garden has hundreds of different varieties.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32Helen, when did you become a galanthophile?
0:19:32 > 0:19:35I think I must have started about 15 years ago,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38with the first couple, and then I've just kept adding to them.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41- And now I've ended up with quite a few.- You say quite a few.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45- How many do you think you have? - Somewhere around about 350, I think.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Oh, my goodness, that's an awful lot.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49And why the fascination, then, with snowdrops?
0:19:49 > 0:19:52I think because they are the first flower to come up in the spring.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54Everywhere's brown, and then, all of a sudden,
0:19:54 > 0:19:56they come through, and you know spring's on the way.
0:19:56 > 0:19:57I totally agree with you.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59I think, as gardeners, we appreciate that, don't we?
0:19:59 > 0:20:01So this one, for example. What have we got here?
0:20:01 > 0:20:04This is Robin Hood, and this is one of my favourites, actually.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06And I particularly like this one
0:20:06 > 0:20:08because of the markings on the inner petals.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10It looks like a little face to me.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12- Yes, it does, doesn't it? - Absolutely gorgeous.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15And, actually, it's all about attention to detail, isn't it?
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Because there's such variety between them.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Yes, there is, there's quite a lot of variety.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23- So I think we should have a look at some of those varieties now.- OK.
0:20:29 > 0:20:30So I've gathered here a selection
0:20:30 > 0:20:32of different snowdrops from the garden
0:20:32 > 0:20:34so that you can see the different leaf shapes
0:20:34 > 0:20:36and the flower shapes as well.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38So this is the widest one that we've got in the garden,
0:20:38 > 0:20:39this is krasnovii.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42- And it's a lovely bright green, isn't it?- Yes, it is.- Very shiny.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45And the next one along is a plicatus leaf,
0:20:45 > 0:20:47and you can just about see the little pleating along the edge.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49Oh, yes, very different.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52And, finally, this very narrow, again, back to the glaucous form.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56Yes, this is almost like a blade of grass. This is gracilis.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58- It's got a nice little twist, hasn't it?- Yeah.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00So what about the flowers?
0:21:00 > 0:21:02- I mean, what a variety you have here.- Hm.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Well, everyone expects them to be three white outer petals
0:21:05 > 0:21:08with three inner petals, perhaps with some markings.
0:21:08 > 0:21:09But they do vary a lot.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14So this one generally points upwards. Her name's Funny Justine.
0:21:14 > 0:21:15Nice name.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Going quite green?
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Yes, more of a pagoda shape, I think, and that's South Hayes.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22Really pretty. And greener still.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Yeah, that's Green Tea, it lives up to its name.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Not so sure, Helen, about that one.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31Well, that's a love-it-or-hate-it snowdrop, I think. That's Narwhal.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Some people do like it and some don't.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35And, again, with the twisted spade at the top.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37I'm sure lots of people have asked you this,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40but of your 350 varieties that you have,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42or cultivars, do you have a favourite?
0:21:42 > 0:21:43Well, at the moment,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46the snowdrop that's out that's my favourite is Diggory,
0:21:46 > 0:21:48and I like that one because of the big petals,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51- and they're almost like seersucker fabric.- Oh, sounds lovely.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53Now, you're open, aren't you?
0:21:53 > 0:21:55You have visitors coming round to the garden
0:21:55 > 0:21:57- and looking at your snowdrops. - That's right.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59So what we've actually done now
0:21:59 > 0:22:02is we've built a stepped raised bed and in there,
0:22:02 > 0:22:04we've collected together a variety of different forms
0:22:04 > 0:22:05so people can compare them.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- And they are all beautifully labelled.- Yes, that's right.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11So we finally go on to the yellows, very different.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13Well, yes, this is Lady Elphinstone,
0:22:13 > 0:22:16and she is a lovely little yellow double snowdrop.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Sometimes she comes up green if you disturb her,
0:22:18 > 0:22:21but she's quite reliably yellow here.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23- And to me, it looks like a bit of a petticoat.- That's right, yes.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26And the last one, really yellow at the top.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29That's Primrose Warburg, and she's another one of my favourites.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33And I'm sure you have quite a collection of yellows, don't you?
0:22:33 > 0:22:37Well, I've actually gathered 16 of my yellows together in one border.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41- Shall we go and have a look at them because the sun's shining?- Yes.
0:22:50 > 0:22:51Gosh, with the sunlight,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54I can actually see quite a bit of yellow here.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Another one yellow at the top?
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Yes, this is Spindlestone Surprise
0:22:58 > 0:23:00and it's also yellow inside.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02Oh, it's gorgeous, isn't it?
0:23:02 > 0:23:06Now, all of these seem to be growing in pots. Why do you do that?
0:23:06 > 0:23:08Well, they are actually aquatic pond baskets,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10and we do it for two reasons.
0:23:10 > 0:23:11We have a lot of bank voles and moles
0:23:11 > 0:23:13that burrow through the borders
0:23:13 > 0:23:15and so they lift the bulbs and scatter them.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18And also, in the summer, when we want to lift and divide
0:23:18 > 0:23:20some of the pots, they're easy to come out.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22So you lift and divide in the summer, rather than...
0:23:22 > 0:23:25- We very often say lift them in the green.- That's right.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Well, we lift them in the summer because they're dormant
0:23:27 > 0:23:29so there's no foliage to attract pests.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32And also, you are less likely to damage the bulbs.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34OK, now, also because these are hybrid,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37- they're not good to come through from seed, are they?- That's right.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Actually, when they finish flowering,
0:23:39 > 0:23:41we go along afterwards and pull off the seed pods
0:23:41 > 0:23:44so that they don't self-seed amongst the original bulbs.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47And with 350 varieties, you've got a lot of work there.
0:23:47 > 0:23:48That's right.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01In the greenhouse here, we've got a range of snowdrops
0:24:01 > 0:24:03that like it a bit drier through the winter.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06They can stand any amount of temperature, they are fully hardy.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08But they don't like sitting in the wet.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Something like this reginae-olgae hybrid
0:24:11 > 0:24:13would originally have come from Greece,
0:24:13 > 0:24:15and so they like it drier.
0:24:15 > 0:24:16But, as you say, perfectly hardy,
0:24:16 > 0:24:19so if you had the right conditions, you could still grow them outside.
0:24:19 > 0:24:20That's right, yes.
0:24:20 > 0:24:25Now, I've heard some ridiculous prices for some of these bulbs,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28you know, some of the specialist varieties.
0:24:28 > 0:24:29We like to bide our time, I'm afraid,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32and wait for them to come down in price considerably.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36But a recent one, a Golden Fleece, that went for over £1,000.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38A lot of money, a lot of money.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41But, you know, if somebody wanted to start off a wee collection,
0:24:41 > 0:24:43what would you recommend?
0:24:43 > 0:24:46I'd go for one of the hybrids again, something like Magnet or Sam Arnott
0:24:46 > 0:24:50or Viridapice because they bulk up quickly,
0:24:50 > 0:24:52and they are different to the common snowdrop,
0:24:52 > 0:24:54so you can see that they are different.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Well, Helen, I've really enjoyed my day,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59and you have shown me such a range of snowdrops.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02- They really are beautiful. - Oh, thanks for coming.- Thank you.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13I guess many of you will have had bubble polythene on your glasshouse
0:25:13 > 0:25:15to insulate it over the winter months
0:25:15 > 0:25:18so that you're not spending too much on heating
0:25:18 > 0:25:19if you are growing stuff in there.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20This is the time of year now
0:25:20 > 0:25:22when you've got to decide when to take it off
0:25:22 > 0:25:24because the plants really desperately need
0:25:24 > 0:25:25all the light they can get.
0:25:25 > 0:25:26The choice is yours.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30I'm thinking that we should be starting to take this off now.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Well, isn't this a pretty sight? The crocus in flower.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38Now, we planted these back in September,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40naturalising them in the grass, it was a bit fiddly,
0:25:40 > 0:25:44there were 150 of these to plant, but well worth the effort.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47And these now should come up year after year.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Well, they've set me a challenge this year, and that is to
0:25:51 > 0:25:54grow a salad for every week of the session that we are here.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57So we'll have to be a wee bit imaginative this week.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00However, we are going to do that in the Small Space Garden
0:26:00 > 0:26:02and this is the area that we are using.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05And we're just going to feed that with some fertiliser
0:26:05 > 0:26:07because we want to get as much growth
0:26:07 > 0:26:10on to the plants as we possibly can.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12Cos the idea is that I want this fertiliser
0:26:12 > 0:26:14to be as near the top as we can
0:26:14 > 0:26:16so that the seedling roots get into it
0:26:16 > 0:26:18as quickly as they possibly can, grow really big,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21and we can harvest salads for every week of the session.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26So these dead flowers of the astilbe,
0:26:26 > 0:26:28they've looked good over the winter, and provided some interest,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31but we're needing to cut back the foliage now,
0:26:31 > 0:26:34and we better do it quick before we damage any of the new shoots.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41Slugs and snails are active surprisingly early in the season,
0:26:41 > 0:26:43especially given the mild winter we've had in some parts.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46So take action now.
0:26:46 > 0:26:47In this particular case,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49I'm using ground and composted sheep's wool,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52and that's because it's not toxic,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55but it does have a rather sort of irritating follicle on it.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Scratch it round the plant, water it on,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01and that's the job done for the season.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Right, you know you've set me a challenge
0:27:06 > 0:27:08of producing a salad every week?
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Well, I have just sown them this week,
0:27:10 > 0:27:12so there's no way we are going to eat them,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16but I went round the garden, and I have selected some weeds
0:27:16 > 0:27:20and plants to eat, all edible, so this week, it's eat your weeds.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22- Me?- Oh, yeah, yeah.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26- So what's in here is, that's a bit of cleavers.- OK.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28- What have we got for you, Jim? - Bishop's weed, maybe?
0:27:28 > 0:27:30Bishop's weed is there, maybe. That's it.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33- There's some bishop's weed there. - Bishop's weed, good lad.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35- What have you got for me, George? - Anything at all.
0:27:35 > 0:27:36Hairy bitter cress or chickweed.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40- Hairy bitter cress?- Let's see if I can find some.- Take that.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43As you'll notice, I've not had anything, which I think is fair.
0:27:43 > 0:27:44What's it like?
0:27:44 > 0:27:46I tell you what, this will also help to bridge the gap
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- if there is a shortage, won't it? - I could market this.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51- But as usual...- That is bitter!
0:27:51 > 0:27:52THEY LAUGH
0:27:52 > 0:27:54As the name suggests.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Well, I think it's the dressing that's very important.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00- But the bishop's weed's fine.- It's not... It's not good.- Is it not?
0:28:00 > 0:28:03- It's not good.- Well, I'll try growing them, then.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05If you've got nothing else, you'd be thankful.
0:28:05 > 0:28:06If you would like any more information
0:28:06 > 0:28:08on this week's programme,
0:28:08 > 0:28:09then it's all on the factsheet,
0:28:09 > 0:28:12and you can get that on our website.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15- You've stolen my lines, Brian. - Oh, Carole, sorry.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Actually, next week, I'm going to a very interesting garden,
0:28:18 > 0:28:22it's a topiary garden in Aberdeenshire, Monymusk.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25And I'm playing with a few plants in a slightly alternative way.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Well, I shudder to think what that's going to be like. Oh, blimey!
0:28:28 > 0:28:31- And I suppose it will be more salad from you?- Yeah.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Well, I'm back in the glasshouse,
0:28:33 > 0:28:35just in case the weather is not so good.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38- Until we see you next time, bye-bye.- Bye.- Bye.