0:00:15 > 0:00:18Well, I think it's rather remarkable summer weather, John.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20- Isn't it splendid? - Changeable, would you say?
0:00:20 > 0:00:22- It's broken.- Yes! THEY CHUCKLE
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Hello and welcome to Beechgrove.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28The weather speaks for itself, but nonetheless there's still time,
0:00:28 > 0:00:30- as well as for the ducks, for ourselves.- Look at that.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33- Isn't that just fabulous?- Part of Chris' new planting scheme here.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36- And this is...a horse chestnut. - That's right.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38Aye. And it's a thing called autumn fire,
0:00:38 > 0:00:40but, yes, look at the flower now.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42- Gorgeous.- Tremendous. - Absolutely gorgeous.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45- The wisteria's taken away.- Yeah, it is. Need to watch that, need
0:00:45 > 0:00:48- to train it in along the wires, Jim. - JIM CHUCKLES
0:00:48 > 0:00:49And so too with this one.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52- Yeah.- This...- What's that? That's James Roof, is it?
0:00:52 > 0:00:55It is, in fact, it's an interest in February-March
0:00:55 > 0:00:58- when it has these lovely tassels. - Yeah.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00But it could get away from us if we don't tie it back.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Aye, it'll get too woody.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Now, sarracenias. I love those. I think these are brilliant.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07- You're not so keen on them. - HE CHUCKLES
0:01:07 > 0:01:10- I like the musk.- The musk is good. Yeah. And that flat-leaved one.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13- Look at that.- What about here?- It's making a noise like a brolly today.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17- That's an Astilbe tabularis. - Is it really?- Aye. Yeah.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19Interesting stuff. Interesting.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22- Now, what's madam up to? SHE LAUGHS - Oh, dear knows!
0:01:22 > 0:01:23Trying to get a bit wetter!
0:01:23 > 0:01:24What are you doing?
0:01:24 > 0:01:26Well, I mean, we've got an awful problem here
0:01:26 > 0:01:28- in the pond with the blanket weed.- Indeed.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31- It always comes at this time of year.- Yup. Yup.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34And we thought maybe in two stages because we've got so many tadpoles.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37So I'm just pulling it to the edge of the pond,
0:01:37 > 0:01:39get them to escape and then you can pull it out onto the edge.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Well, it's the message you've always said, isn't it?
0:01:42 > 0:01:45That... You know, leave all the greenery stuff around the edges
0:01:45 > 0:01:48- and let the beasties, not just the tadpoles...- Absolutely.
0:01:48 > 0:01:49..and anything else move on.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Anyway, in the rest of the programme,
0:01:51 > 0:01:53unless we get washed away, of course,
0:01:53 > 0:01:54one or two nice things to be done.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Yeah, which one's going - that one or that one? Find out later.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13And this week I'm boxing clever in a 17th-century formal wall
0:02:13 > 0:02:15garden in Aberdeenshire.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Well, some of the plants look bright and cheerful in the rain,
0:02:20 > 0:02:24things like the Oriental poppies - and what a size on those heads.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28But I want to take a closer look at the red campion here.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32Chris and myself collected some seed together and that was sown
0:02:32 > 0:02:35back in September 2015.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38We had half a dozen different varieties but the one that is
0:02:38 > 0:02:42successful is the red campion and that was seed that came from
0:02:42 > 0:02:43my own garden.
0:02:43 > 0:02:49There are also the odd aquilegia I can see and also some polemonium.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51But there you go - something for nothing.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Something else that's absolutely thriving are our hanging
0:03:01 > 0:03:05baskets here and you might remember these two baskets are exactly
0:03:05 > 0:03:09the same, with the same plants, but they are different in the
0:03:09 > 0:03:12sense that this one just had three plug plants within
0:03:12 > 0:03:15a plug plant with three plants,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17whereas this one had nine plug plants.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19And you can see this one is well ahead.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22We've got the beautiful bidens in flower,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25the white verbena and the lobelia.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27But, I mean, both of them are pretty healthy.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29Now, you might also remember about the hebes.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33We had a bit of a problem because those were planted...well, back last
0:03:33 > 0:03:36year in September. They didn't come through the winter,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39so we have really basically replaced most of them,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41and at the moment you can see
0:03:41 > 0:03:45that they have some fantastic foliage colour.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47Anyway, moving on into our decking area.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51This is all about growing plants in containers
0:03:51 > 0:03:54and, well, all of this at the moment is pretty edible.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56So I'm going to do a little bit of cropping for George,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00starting off with radish. I know we've tried white icicle.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02This one here is giro.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05That is quite a size.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07It'll be interesting to see whether that is woody inside,
0:04:07 > 0:04:12whereas we've got a succession of sowing. So there's giro there.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14Maybe I'll pick one of those as well.
0:04:14 > 0:04:20And we have purple plum, and I think this one, look at the colour.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25That is fabulous, isn't it? I hope it tastes as good as it looks.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Those were sown about five weeks ago,
0:04:28 > 0:04:31so it just shows you how quickly you can get a crop.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35Moving on, nasturtiums, so we're going to get flowers,
0:04:35 > 0:04:37but not only can you eat the flowers,
0:04:37 > 0:04:38you can also eat the foliage.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42I'm going to pick one or two of those, cos get a nice peppery taste.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45And we've got a bit of variegation.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49Moving on, we've got some lettuce there, nice range of colours,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51but I'm going to go right over to this side
0:04:51 > 0:04:56and we have got, first of all some nice rocket,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59which is called fireworks, there's a red vein through it,
0:04:59 > 0:05:01so that's quite attractive.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Going to take some of the younger leaves as well.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06And, also, this is a kale salad.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10Now, I've got in my pocket, if I can get it, cos I'm pretty wet...
0:05:10 > 0:05:16Within there, there is just a little sort of seed cluster,
0:05:16 > 0:05:20and you sow that direct into the ground and you will have
0:05:20 > 0:05:23maybe six or seven different varieties of kale plant.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Very, very simple.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27And that is the result.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29We have also...
0:05:29 > 0:05:32can take a look at our fruit here.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34And they're thriving.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36This one is cherry belle.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39And at the moment it's putting on one or two runners,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41so I'm going to pick these off
0:05:41 > 0:05:43because really all we want to do at the moment
0:05:43 > 0:05:45is encourage the flowers and the fruit.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48It's the same with the framberry.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51The framberry promises it's going to look like a strawberry,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54but maybe taste like a raspberry, so I'm going to do exactly the same.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57You want all that energy basically
0:05:57 > 0:05:59going into the main plant
0:05:59 > 0:06:02and hopefully that will also produce some flowers.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Our tatties.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05Looking nice and healthy.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Every year, we grow them in containers.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12The only thing I would say is the variety jazzy seems to be
0:06:12 > 0:06:13a little bit behind the others.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16But fingers crossed we will get a good crop.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19And last of all, looking at this container here,
0:06:19 > 0:06:20I think this is a great idea,
0:06:20 > 0:06:22putting the carrots in the top,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25because carrots can suffer from carrot root fly
0:06:25 > 0:06:28and they're meant to sort of fly up to about two feet in height,
0:06:28 > 0:06:30so hopefully that prevents that.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Coriander. Yes, I must pick the odd leaf off that
0:06:33 > 0:06:35cos that has a nice citrus taste.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39And look at the colour again of the Chinese cabbage there, Scarlette.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Some of you may remember that our Woodland Garden started
0:06:47 > 0:06:50life 21 years ago as the Crooked Garden.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Designed and built by the Hit Squad,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57it was inspired by the nursery rhyme The Crooked Man
0:06:57 > 0:06:59and was filled with all manner of things crooked,
0:06:59 > 0:07:00contorted and twisted.
0:07:06 > 0:07:07Over the years, it has grown
0:07:07 > 0:07:10into what we now call our Woodland Garden,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13but it really is needing a bit of attention now to enhance its
0:07:13 > 0:07:17potential as a new haven for spring and summer flowering plants.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24And this is our Woodland Garden as you see it today.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Now, it is pretty overgrown and there's one or two little problems,
0:07:27 > 0:07:31- even though it looks rather lush and quite pretty.- It's mature.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33So there's one or two plants which maybe have outlived their
0:07:33 > 0:07:35purpose and we need to take them out.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39Others we'll lift to canopy to let some light come flooding in
0:07:39 > 0:07:43underneath and then we'll thin one or two branches out as well
0:07:43 > 0:07:45and that will let the light in and then we'll have space to plant.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48And that's a golden opportunity, to put in some real woodland
0:07:48 > 0:07:50gems and things that like the sunshine as well.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Yeah. So, lots to do. Let's get on.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00This is a fabulous conifer, Carole.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02This is, what, Brewer's weeping spruce?
0:08:02 > 0:08:04And it's a brilliant thing,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07this wonderful dangly foliage which you've got here.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09But I'm going to take one or two branches off.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11I want to lift the canopy so that I can see what you're doing at
0:08:11 > 0:08:14the back. And what have you got there?
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Oh, complete decimation here because this is the Euonymus,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19the winged spindle bush,
0:08:19 > 0:08:20and you can see it's totally dead,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24we hadn't realised actually, so this has got to totally come out.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27And then we'll have more room for some other plants.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32This one's easy, George.
0:08:32 > 0:08:33Trust you to get that job!
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Now, that's made a difference, Carole.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42- That's let the light in, hasn't it? - That's much better, George.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45I hope we've got enough plants to fill the space.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55- George, I cannot believe... - THEY LAUGH
0:08:55 > 0:08:58- ..how big this garden is now. - Isn't it amazing?
0:08:58 > 0:09:00We lift some branches, we open it out,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03take out the surplus plants... What a space.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06I think it's fantastic and, as we say, you know,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09that is now going to mean that we can do a lot of replanting,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12- but we do have a bit of a dilemma, don't we?- There is,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15yes, a choice to be made, Carole. Come on.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17- Big choice.- Let's see what we've to do with this.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20These are the beautiful contorted hazels,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23or the Harry Lauder walking sticks.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25And you think one has to go.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Oh, I think so. We've got three in the garden.
0:09:27 > 0:09:28- Mmm.- We don't need three.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31They're a bit overpowering to have three, so...which one?
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Well, I would go for this one because this one in
0:09:33 > 0:09:36particular suckers at the base, so it's quite a nuisance,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39and I think this side, then, it'll open it out but you've still
0:09:39 > 0:09:41got the shade of the woodland on the other side.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43See when we take that out?
0:09:43 > 0:09:45What a difference there will be of the view right in here.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48- There's only one Brewer spruce left! - THEY CHUCKLE
0:09:48 > 0:09:51- Right. What do we need? - Saws, my dear. Saws.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Oh, my goodness, George, this is fun.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Oh, look, I found the crooked man.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05- Am I safe standing here? - Mind yourself!
0:10:05 > 0:10:06- Timber!- Timber!
0:10:06 > 0:10:08- Is that one coming?- Yeah.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09- You got it?- Yup.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13There's a wall in here.
0:10:13 > 0:10:14There's the suckers.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17You were right.
0:10:17 > 0:10:18Careful.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21There we are.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Well, that's all I can do with this bushman.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25The rest will have to come out with the chainsaw.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35And George, what a difference at the front.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37This is meant to be the sunny border. Honestly!
0:10:37 > 0:10:40- Even though it's raining. - Right, so this is the sunny border.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42We've got partial shade in there, then we've got to deeper shade
0:10:42 > 0:10:44at the back, so these are the three areas.
0:10:44 > 0:10:45- We'll take out this Carex.- Yup.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49And I think this, what, Lathyrus vernus, the early spring pea.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Well, we've lots of that on the other side and...
0:10:52 > 0:10:53- It's spreading everywhere.- Yeah.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55Anyway, we've lots of lovely plants to have a look at.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Yeah, some little jewels to put in there.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05Well, this is our collection of plants for the Woodland Garden
0:11:05 > 0:11:07and we've got three sections.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10So first of all, the ones that really love the shade.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Yes, this is deep shade for the Woodland Garden
0:11:12 > 0:11:14and I've got a thing called Vancouveria
0:11:14 > 0:11:16and this is one which is like the Epimedium
0:11:16 > 0:11:17but it has flat,
0:11:17 > 0:11:18upward-facing flowers.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20I don't know it, George. Unusual.
0:11:20 > 0:11:21This is the Turk's cap lily.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23And this is one which you can grow
0:11:23 > 0:11:25- in quite dense shade.- And that is a beautiful lily, isn't it?
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Cos you get the reflex petals.
0:11:27 > 0:11:28That's right.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30OK, semi-shade in this section.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32And I think it's quite important that you have white,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35whether it's in the flowers or in the foliage. So we've got
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Dicentra pearl drops
0:11:37 > 0:11:39and the Polemonium there, or Jacob's ladder,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42stairway to heaven. I like that.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45And the white bounces back any sunlight that comes through
0:11:45 > 0:11:48the canopy and it really livens the whole thing up.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50- So what's all this lot? - Right, the nice sunny border,
0:11:50 > 0:11:51and I think you can see here, cos
0:11:51 > 0:11:54we've got lots of blooms there,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57that we're extending the season of flower, because many of the woodland
0:11:57 > 0:12:00plants are spring or early summer.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02So we've got aquilegias
0:12:02 > 0:12:06and a bit of perfume with the perennial wallflower.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Now, this is on the woodland edge
0:12:08 > 0:12:11and one of the other classic woodland edge plants is that, Geum.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Yeah, beautiful. Let's get planting.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21There we go. On you go.
0:12:21 > 0:12:22You go backwards.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25- Here we go.- That's it. - HE CHUCKLES
0:12:25 > 0:12:26Poor old soul!
0:12:40 > 0:12:45So, continuing the planting, we come from the partial shade out here,
0:12:45 > 0:12:48through some of the white corydalis and the polemonium,
0:12:48 > 0:12:51the variegated one, right into the plants which are evergreen
0:12:51 > 0:12:54and are going to be taking us right to the back there.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58Now, in order to give us something to draw our eye into the corner,
0:12:58 > 0:13:03we've got a small plant of Euonymus alatus Compactus.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06That will go bright pillar-box red in the back end,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10draw your eye in there. In the spring, to give us an accent plant
0:13:10 > 0:13:12for then and make you stop in your
0:13:12 > 0:13:15tracks, we've got Magnolia stellata, which is that fellow there.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18That'll be really brilliant first thing in the spring.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30George, what do you think? I think it's quite a transformation
0:13:30 > 0:13:33and it's so nice to have a bit of colour, I think,
0:13:33 > 0:13:34in the sunny border.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Ray of sunshine at the front, through to white, wonderful orange
0:13:37 > 0:13:39at the back and then the whole of the white
0:13:39 > 0:13:42- will just sparkle right through... - Into the semi-shade and into the
0:13:42 > 0:13:43- deep shade.- Dense shade at the back.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46It has. We haven't tackled behind us, but that's for another day,
0:13:46 > 0:13:48- isn't it?- Another job, another day.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50And do you know what? I don't even know if we have to water them in
0:13:50 > 0:13:53cos we've got a little bit of rain coming down.
0:13:53 > 0:13:54Yes.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57I've got rising damp!
0:13:57 > 0:13:58Anyway, it's great.
0:14:12 > 0:14:13Well, regardless of the weather,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16we're going to check out on the crops and how they're doing.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18And these onions and onion sets had
0:14:18 > 0:14:21a hard time when we put them out because it was the middle of
0:14:21 > 0:14:24that very dry spell, very hot weather,
0:14:24 > 0:14:26and the tips all got burned. A classic example.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30There's a variety over there that's shot, it's gone to seed already.
0:14:30 > 0:14:31Remember, these are biennials,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33they shouldn't produce a flower until next year.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36And that's the effect of drought and being dried out.
0:14:36 > 0:14:37But otherwise, they're looking good.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42Not time yet to start tasting, but the little turnips,
0:14:42 > 0:14:44we missed them last year. We went on holiday for about five weeks
0:14:44 > 0:14:46or something like that, missed them altogether,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48so we've done it again
0:14:48 > 0:14:50and they're beginning to mature.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52They're beginning to look good.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56Look at that. Isn't that a little cracker? And that's sweetbell.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59And then George has got some of this one here.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01This was tiny pal.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03Looking very nice.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05I think he's going to be grabbing them
0:15:05 > 0:15:06towards the end of the programme.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09But the daddy of them all... You remember me thinning them
0:15:09 > 0:15:13about three weeks ago? And just look at that, this is salad delight.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18Stunning. Absolutely super. And about the right time to pick them.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20Three weeks and there they are after thinning.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22HE SNIFFS I'm salivating already.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Well, I've come down to the Small Space Garden,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28we're we've been growing veg since the beginning of the season.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31We sowed a lot of these things out at the end of March.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33They've been cropping for a while,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36we've taken some crops out and we've put other crops in.
0:15:36 > 0:15:37I want to show you this one.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39This is a lettuce.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Looks like a lettuce, behaves like a lettuce,
0:15:41 > 0:15:42that will eat like a lettuce.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45And it's a thing called celtuce.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50And if we grow this on and just let it grow into a tall plant,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52it will produce this thick stem in the middle,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56and what we do with that later is that we then peel the stem
0:15:56 > 0:15:59and eat the very tender portion that's in the inside.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02So remember, if you're growing that, don't throw it out when it looks
0:16:02 > 0:16:05as though it's shot, because it's just about coming to its best bit,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07so keep that. That will go in the salad.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11It's not really a very good day for salad with all this wet about.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Now, down here, we've got some of this mizuna,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16which we've... We've cropped it already.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19It's now starting to grow away again a bit, but I want to just
0:16:19 > 0:16:22trim that back, tidy it up, get all that stuff out of there.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26And then what I'll do with this bit is I'll actually put some
0:16:26 > 0:16:28sulphate of ammonia on here.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Remember, these leafy vegetables like a lot of nitrogen,
0:16:32 > 0:16:36and because they've been growing very rapidly already, we need
0:16:36 > 0:16:39to replace that nitrogen and the best source is sulphate of ammonia.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42So we'll put a scattering of sulphate of ammonia over the soil,
0:16:42 > 0:16:46just tickle it in and then that will get them growing again.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49So even although these have been cropped once, they'll crop again.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52They'll have the energy to grow again and we'll get
0:16:52 > 0:16:53a second crop out of them.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Now, these lettuce which are here were sown as a row of lettuce
0:16:57 > 0:17:00earlier in the season. They're very dense, very tight together.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03So what I want to do with this lot is just to go through and crop
0:17:03 > 0:17:06out one or two of them so that you end up with a gap, then the ones
0:17:06 > 0:17:10that are left will get bigger and be croppable as normal lettuce.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13These ones, they can go into the salad for later.
0:17:13 > 0:17:19Now, this side here was a whole set of seeds which were sown,
0:17:19 > 0:17:24this is some of the stir-fry mixes and the Oriental mixes that we get.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Fabulous crop. This is something which will go right on
0:17:27 > 0:17:28until September.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32So if I again just take the knife and just above the growing
0:17:32 > 0:17:36points, just take the knife like that, shave them off,
0:17:36 > 0:17:39I'll have enough salad as feed Jim McColl for a fortnight.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42We've got some peas, which are still producing, and the more
0:17:42 > 0:17:46we nibble those back and pinch the tops out, the more shoots we'll get.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49So we'll get lots and lots of green salad vegetables.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Don't worry if these things get too big,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53if you've been away for a fortnight,
0:17:53 > 0:17:55you can still crop them and they'll still regrow,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57especially if you feed them.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Now, the turnips are mature and these we'll just have to take
0:18:01 > 0:18:04out and we'll plant something else in their place.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07But what I did earlier was I got some turnips from my own,
0:18:07 > 0:18:11Jim handed me some of his turnips, and there we have
0:18:11 > 0:18:13a bowl of turnips, which are just looking splendid.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18What I've done with these is I've trimmed them off, you know,
0:18:18 > 0:18:20just go round them with your knife and trim them off like that,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22take some of the extraneous leaves off,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26cut them into quarters, and rather than eating a salad
0:18:26 > 0:18:29on a cold day like this, steam them over your potatoes.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32They will melt like butter. Seven minutes is all they need.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48Working at Scone Palace in Perthshire
0:18:48 > 0:18:52I'm surrounded by centuries of Scottish history and heritage.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55But I do like to get out and about and visit some of our country's
0:18:55 > 0:18:57other great gardens.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01And today I'm at the truly magnificent 17th-century
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Pitmedden Garden in Aberdeenshire.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13It was Sir Alexander Seton, a successful advocate,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17who first created the garden here in 1675.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21The crisp, tight shapes of the extensive box hedge in here
0:19:21 > 0:19:23are integral to the garden's structure,
0:19:23 > 0:19:27especially in the Elizabethan knot designs within the four parterres
0:19:27 > 0:19:28on the lower level.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36The upkeep of all this box is down to Pitmedden's property manager
0:19:36 > 0:19:39and head gardener Susan Burgess.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41So, Susan, this is beautiful,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44miles and miles of box hedge, and how do you cope?
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Well, you need to like box-hedging,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48I think, to work at Pitmedden. HE LAUGHS
0:19:48 > 0:19:51But we cope by having a very strict routine, really,
0:19:51 > 0:19:56and we start usually in April and we cut the hedges using electric
0:19:56 > 0:20:00hedge-trimmers and I think you can see here from the difference
0:20:00 > 0:20:03in the colour, it's a good example whereby the section here that
0:20:03 > 0:20:06hasn't been cut is quite irregular and it shows the different
0:20:06 > 0:20:10colours of the box hedging that's come through the winter,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13and that's really what we want to cut off to give that crispness, that
0:20:13 > 0:20:16crisp profile. So where it's gone a nice sort of emerald green
0:20:16 > 0:20:19colour, that's where it's just recently been cut, yesterday
0:20:19 > 0:20:22- in fact. Unfortunately, it doesn't hold that colour, though.- Aw.
0:20:22 > 0:20:27What we find happens is the leaves tend to scorch on the top.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30I think that's probably the effect of these little leathery evergreen
0:20:30 > 0:20:35leaves being chopped and you get a little bit of dieback and scorch
0:20:35 > 0:20:36with the effect from the blades.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39And do you use a petrol hedge-trimmer?
0:20:39 > 0:20:41- Yes.- Or is it hand shears?- Well...
0:20:41 > 0:20:44We use two-stroke hedge-trimmers
0:20:44 > 0:20:46and also we use electric hedge-trimmers.
0:20:46 > 0:20:47Cos I was always taught, you know,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50the hand shears, but looking around at the amount of box hedge you've
0:20:50 > 0:20:52- got, that's a big job. - That would take a bit too long.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55I think originally when the National Trust for Scotland laid out
0:20:55 > 0:20:58- Pitmedden Garden in the '50s, they were using hand shears.- Yeah.
0:20:58 > 0:20:59But we have moved on from that.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03- I think you get a better finish, actually, with a machine cut.- Yeah.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05And of course it's much quicker.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19This is Tempus Fugit Parterre
0:21:19 > 0:21:22and it fits in nicely with the sundial that we've got as the
0:21:22 > 0:21:26central feature here, which was carved in the 17th century.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- Yeah.- ..and original to Pitmedden.- Ah.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32But here you can see the plants that have been planted today,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35these are actually perennial plants and these plants will
0:21:35 > 0:21:37hopefully stay in for three years.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41This is Sedum spurium Coccineum,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44which is a very low-growing, like a rock plant really,
0:21:44 > 0:21:48and it spreads nicely to create a mat and it's got really
0:21:48 > 0:21:51lovely striking red flowers in the summer
0:21:51 > 0:21:52and it keeps low, which is fine
0:21:52 > 0:21:55because then it doesn't obstruct or flop over the hedges.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59Ah, perfect. Now, I've heard a lot about box blight and this looks kind
0:21:59 > 0:22:01of similar to the effects I've been reading about.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- Is this what we've got here?- Well, we haven't got box blight here.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06- This is actually that scorching of the leaves.- Oh, yeah.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10So they'll all come off and then it reveals the green colour underneath.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Sadly, the Daisy Parterre tells a different story and that is
0:22:13 > 0:22:16where we have got box blight, so shall I show you that?
0:22:16 > 0:22:17Yes, please.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30Box blight, that notorious fungal disease that spread
0:22:30 > 0:22:32aggressively up and down the country over recent years,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35has resulted in some gardeners ripping out
0:22:35 > 0:22:38their box-hedging entirely.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41At Pitmedden, spraying with conventional, commercially
0:22:41 > 0:22:44available fungicide has kept the box healthy,
0:22:44 > 0:22:48but Susan's been keen to explore new and more organic alternatives.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54This is the Daisy Parterre, which is presenting us with the
0:22:54 > 0:22:59- biggest challenge at Pitmedden at the moment.- It certainly looks it.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01Yes. Sadly, you can see the dieback.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03Of course, it's not really helped, if I'm perfectly honest,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05by our resident oystercatchers,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07who for the last few years
0:23:07 > 0:23:09have chosen to nest in the Daisy Parterre.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12And, of course, we want nature to take its course
0:23:12 > 0:23:13and it is so appealing
0:23:13 > 0:23:17for the visitors to see the three eggs first of all and then each one
0:23:17 > 0:23:21hatch, but what that has prevented us doing is coming in to spray.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23Because you've been working on a regime,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25- a new regime that you've been reading about.- Well, yes.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29We're using an experimental solution to treat the box blight.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33And what it does, it's a systemic solution which we spray on,
0:23:33 > 0:23:38it's taken up by the plant and it actually is a plant stimulant,
0:23:38 > 0:23:43so it helps the plants to strengthen their cell walls,
0:23:43 > 0:23:47which reduces any pores that they have, reduces the size of them,
0:23:47 > 0:23:51literally, so that the box blight spores can't penetrate the plant.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53So it's acting as a barrier.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57Well, it acts as a barrier and as a plant stimulant at the same time.
0:23:57 > 0:23:58So it's not all bad news, Susan,
0:23:58 > 0:24:00- there is light at the end of the tunnel.- Oh, yeah, definitely.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02There's every reason to be optimistic because,
0:24:02 > 0:24:06to be honest, Brian, the thought of taking up all our five miles
0:24:06 > 0:24:08of boxwood hedging, which is effectively the backbone
0:24:08 > 0:24:10of Pitmedden Garden, is not an option,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14so we do have to find a solution that will solve this problem for us.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17Susan, this has been an absolutely fascinating visit to your
0:24:17 > 0:24:20garden, I feel like I've learnt so much and I am looking forward
0:24:20 > 0:24:23to coming back again just to see how your regime is getting on.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24Well, it's been a pleasure
0:24:24 > 0:24:26and you'd be very welcome to come back any time.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35I'm back in the Woodland Garden
0:24:35 > 0:24:37because I want to take the opportunity to have a look
0:24:37 > 0:24:39at our hazel tree stump here
0:24:39 > 0:24:42because the last thing we want is for this to start sprouting
0:24:42 > 0:24:46again, especially, as we said, we had a problem with the suckers.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47So we've taken the drill,
0:24:47 > 0:24:51made out several holes and hopefully it's going to stop raining
0:24:51 > 0:24:56tomorrow and that is when I will apply the tree-stump weedkiller.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00Cover it up afterwards, put a couple of bricks on the top and that's it.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05I've just come into the Fruit House, where I'm wee bit worried
0:25:05 > 0:25:09about the growth on this pot-grown peach that we have.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11And I've found out why.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13If you look at the stem there,
0:25:13 > 0:25:17you can see what look like a lot of little tortoises hanging on.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19That's brown scale.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20What do we do?
0:25:20 > 0:25:22Well, we're going to brush these off,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24take a stiff brush and brush them off, then I'm going to treat
0:25:24 > 0:25:27it with a nematode and that should sort out the problem.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Well, you could argue this is
0:25:31 > 0:25:32pest of the week two,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34George has just dealt with that
0:25:34 > 0:25:35awful problem on the peach.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Here we have a little primula
0:25:37 > 0:25:39that's been lifted from the garden.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41The first signs of a problem
0:25:41 > 0:25:43when they start to wilt and there
0:25:43 > 0:25:46ain't any reason why they should be wilting other than the fact that...
0:25:48 > 0:25:50..vine weevil larvae underneath.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Very easy to spot. There they are.
0:25:52 > 0:25:53Picked up from underneath this.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56And once again, the sure treatment
0:25:56 > 0:25:57is to use a nematode
0:25:57 > 0:26:00and there's a specific one for vine weevil.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03Follow the instructions carefully to get the best results.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07Aren't these iris beautiful?
0:26:07 > 0:26:10They're bearded iris and the variety is Kent pride.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14Rather unusual colour, a combination of copper and yellow.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16Beautiful markings
0:26:16 > 0:26:18and they are grown from rhizome,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21so the thing that you have to remember is you need to expose the
0:26:21 > 0:26:25rhizome and plant them in an area where they get baked by the sun.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27This position is perfect for them.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31Normally when I come down to this corner of the garden
0:26:31 > 0:26:35I've come to look at the alliums, but not this time.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37This is the plant I want to look at. Look at that.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41This is Sedum spathulifolium Purpureum.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44There's its flower, nice and yellow, but that's what I like,
0:26:44 > 0:26:48this texture and colour in the foliage,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50the grey and the purple.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54And that grey links into this fellow, this is Salix Boydii
0:26:54 > 0:26:57and it's an absolute stunner of a plant.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00It looks so old, and yet only 20 years.
0:27:04 > 0:27:05Well, Jim and George,
0:27:05 > 0:27:07what do you think about the lovely display of broom?
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Stunning. Absolutely stunning. Now, tell us the history of that.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14OK, sown from seed, it was a mixed packet called prairie flame.
0:27:14 > 0:27:15When were they sown?
0:27:15 > 0:27:18- About four years ago. Amazing.- Gosh.
0:27:18 > 0:27:19But you'd do something to them,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21- wouldn't you, George?- Oh, well... - HE LAUGHS
0:27:21 > 0:27:23In time-honoured fashion, I'd be in about them with secateurs.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26When they're finished flowering, cut them back and you'll get lots
0:27:26 > 0:27:29- and lots of new growth and they'll be just as good next year.- Mm-hm.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31Could I just take that a little shade further?
0:27:31 > 0:27:32- See when you cut them back?- Yeah.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35You know, for example that there, look at the amount of propagating
0:27:35 > 0:27:37material. These are seedlings.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41They're new individuals. We could start a little Beechgrove pink.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43- Oh, yes!- We could be in the money.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49Talking of pink. Can we try some of these turnips?
0:27:49 > 0:27:53- I'm tempted to go for that little guy there.- Ah, that's the radish.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55- I'll go for the turnip.- Yeah.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58- Ooh, sweet as a bell.- Mmm!
0:27:58 > 0:27:59Mmm. Ooh, lovely.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02That is absolutely delicious.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Well, from a very wet Beechgrove Garden,
0:28:04 > 0:28:07if you want any more information about this week's programme,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10it's all in the fact sheet and the easiest way to access
0:28:10 > 0:28:12that is online. George?
0:28:12 > 0:28:17Now, this week, earlier, you saw Brian at Pitmedden Garden
0:28:17 > 0:28:20and he was looking at the problem with box blight.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Well, next week he's going to be back here and he's going to be
0:28:22 > 0:28:26trying out some alternatives to box, some evergreen
0:28:26 > 0:28:28little shrubs with small leaves.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30- See how he gets on.- Mm.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Anyway, saturated Beechgrove, let's hope it's going to be better
0:28:33 > 0:28:36- next week. Until then, bye-bye. - Goodbye.