0:00:11 > 0:00:14- Not a bad morning.- It's fine, and I can smell the hyacinths.- Yes, yes.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Hello, there. Welcome to Beechgrove.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18I'm just saying, it's not a bad morning but there's still
0:00:18 > 0:00:20a little bite in that wind, you know.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22It's dropping at night-time.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24I think we've got to still be a little bit careful, haven't we?
0:00:24 > 0:00:27- Oh, we do indeed. Now, you've taken me to the flower garden.- I have.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30I think there's some striking displays here and let's start
0:00:30 > 0:00:32- down at the bottom corner.- Yes, yes.
0:00:32 > 0:00:36To explain that last year with the spring bedding,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39we had the same idea with the violas, but we planted
0:00:39 > 0:00:43bulbs right through the scheme and you couldn't see those violas.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45- Right, yeah.- So we've gone for the
0:00:45 > 0:00:47bulbs in the centre and the violas around.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51- That's a nice combination.- What's that variety? Cos it's rather nice.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53That is Rapture.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Cyclamineus type narcissus. Lovely reflex petals.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58- How do they get these names? - Goodness knows.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01That one took my eye earlier on, that little multi-headed one.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05Well, you need to smell that one as well, Jim. Silver Chimes.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Lovely fragrance. Almost sort of jasmine. Again, a bit like hyacinth,
0:01:08 > 0:01:10- I suppose.- Yes, yes.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Then we've got the polyanthus.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15I'm never too sure about mixing the colours.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18I quite like sort of single colours.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20- But the tulip's quite nice.- Yes.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23It doesn't do it for me, for some reason or other.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27That might be why. I prefer just the contrast, one colour with the other.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30- So the white one there with the yellow centre, that's Concerto.- OK.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Now, we've come here and we've got obviously good polyanthus but
0:01:33 > 0:01:35the tulips are still to come.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38But they will work because they're going to be ...
0:01:38 > 0:01:41- That's going to be in flower. - I think that's quite striking.
0:01:41 > 0:01:46That tulip is Foxtrot, and in that little tub over there,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48it's starting to flower,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50so it's going to be a pink.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53- Apple blossom type pink.- Yeah. - But this is the guy.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56This is the daddy of them all, isn't it? Isn't it a belter?
0:01:56 > 0:01:57Well, he is amazing, that tulip.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59But it is a mistake,
0:01:59 > 0:02:03because again what's happening is that we can't see the polyanthus
0:02:03 > 0:02:08and it should have been a compact dwarf variety of tulip, Shakespeare,
0:02:08 > 0:02:10which I know that one quite well because it
0:02:10 > 0:02:13has stripy foliage and it's orange and yellow.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15So I don't know what we've got, but you like that one.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Well, I certainly do and I would certainly plant it again,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21but I might report it back and hope to get my money back.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Or get some replacements.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Great. It's great to see all that colour, to be honest.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29It's just wonderful. Meanwhile, in the rest of the programme...
0:02:33 > 0:02:36I'm in a city centre park which is just about to undergo
0:02:36 > 0:02:39a fabulous face-lift.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45And this is Caragana arborescens Pendula,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47a big long name for quite a small tree.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51It's known as the pea tree and it's a relative of the Laburnum.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54My specialist subject this week is picking out a few trees
0:02:54 > 0:02:56for the smaller garden.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04Well, it's time to get the early potatoes planted.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07You can see what the ground was like before we started here this morning.
0:03:07 > 0:03:08Quite rough.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11The weeds are beginning to grow, so it's the ideal time to do it.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13And the first thing that Mhari did,
0:03:13 > 0:03:18not me, was to fork the ground into sort of smaller bits.
0:03:18 > 0:03:24Then we tramped it, just to firm it up, and now the fertiliser goes on
0:03:24 > 0:03:29for the first row of potatoes. This is ounces to the square yard.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31There we go.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33And it's kind of placement either side of the row where the
0:03:33 > 0:03:36tatties are going. Right, Mhari, let me past and I'll get the line.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38On you go. You keep on going.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Don't want to stop folk working.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Next thing to do is to get the line set.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47And we'll be planting the early potatoes.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49And the first one is abbot.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Now, I've never grown abbot before,
0:03:52 > 0:03:56but Miss B grew abbot on the decking last year and she
0:03:56 > 0:04:00compared it with rocket and thought it was much better than rocket,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03so it's been promoted to the full vegetable plot.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05And we're going to plant them today.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08And you reckon from planting time sort of 12 weeks or
0:04:08 > 0:04:11so we should be harvesting some nice tatties.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Then we'll follow on, we'll have Maris Bard,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19which is another well-known early potato.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21It goes in next, in the next row,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25and then it will be second earlies and early main crop and so on.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29Now, then, Mhari. Is that straight?
0:04:30 > 0:04:32I'd say so. Perfect.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34We used to say... This is a Scottish phrase -
0:04:34 > 0:04:38a man wi' a corkie and a blunyon would never notice. Right.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43Then we plant them about... Are you going to do the planting, dear?
0:04:43 > 0:04:47- Yeah.- Good for you. I'll put them out about a foot apart.
0:04:47 > 0:04:5030 centimetres, if you're metricated.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54And we look forward to a handsome crop
0:04:54 > 0:04:56of Abbot.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01From planting, it takes about 12-14 weeks,
0:05:01 > 0:05:05depending on the weather, before you've got a crop worth harvesting.
0:05:05 > 0:05:06Next would be the second earlies,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09and they take a little bit longer,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12so you finish up with a continuous supply of new potatoes,
0:05:12 > 0:05:14which is the whole point. What's the soil like?
0:05:14 > 0:05:18Because it's been freshly done, you see, it's quite easy to handle.
0:05:18 > 0:05:19Very easy to handle, yes.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22And it's more tatties on the decking, but of course,
0:05:22 > 0:05:25here we'll be growing them in containers.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29And I always like to try something slightly different because I
0:05:29 > 0:05:31don't know how many years that I have grown tatties in
0:05:31 > 0:05:34containers, but it's well worth it.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38So this year I'm using this container, which we tried last year.
0:05:38 > 0:05:43Really successful. Very happy with it, and it's still looking good.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47The cost of that is around about £2.70.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50But if you're maybe trying for the first time and you don't want
0:05:50 > 0:05:54to spend too much money, we found these containers,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57and they only cost a pound. Perhaps a little more flimsy.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00I don't know how long they will last, but it's well worth a try.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Also, because it's slightly bigger,
0:06:02 > 0:06:06I reckon I can get four tubers into this one.
0:06:06 > 0:06:12And variety-wise... Now, Jim, he was planting earlies.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16These are second earlies. It's a variety called Jazzy.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19And they're going to take a couple of weeks longer, so instead
0:06:19 > 0:06:25of 12 weeks, maybe 14, perhaps 15 weeks before we can harvest them.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Compost is in the bottom, just a few inches,
0:06:28 > 0:06:30then you put the tubers in,
0:06:30 > 0:06:34then we put a little bit more compost to cover the tubers and then
0:06:34 > 0:06:38as they start to grow, you gradually fill up that container.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42So that's Jazzy, and in the catalogue, they actually say
0:06:42 > 0:06:45that's a salad potato and it might be as good as Jersey Royals,
0:06:45 > 0:06:48so we'll definitely have to have a taste test with that one.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52I've also got Elfe, another second early. Never tried it before.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55And Gemson, another second early.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Also that's meant to be a good salad potato.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00So we will have six containers.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Also I'm introducing a little bit more fruit.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Last year, Jim and myself, we introduced a lot into a small bed.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09It's amazing what you can fit into that,
0:07:09 > 0:07:11and all the fruit in there is quite small,
0:07:11 > 0:07:14and I thought this time we'll try some in containers.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17They're also recommended for hanging baskets,
0:07:17 > 0:07:20but a hanging basket is really open to the elements and it's
0:07:20 > 0:07:22quite difficult to get your watering right.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26So I thought instead, and it's a little bit of a tip,
0:07:26 > 0:07:31I've upturned one of the containers using exactly the same container,
0:07:31 > 0:07:36so that acts as a pedestal, and therefore the fruit can trail over.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41I've got a strawberry and the variety is called Cherry Belle,
0:07:41 > 0:07:44so that's slightly confusing, isn't it?
0:07:44 > 0:07:47But the fruits are meant to mature to
0:07:47 > 0:07:53a deep purple colour and also meant to be really sweet.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56I'm introducing as well another raspberry.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58This time it's called Ruby Fools.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00We've got Ruby Beauty in the bed there,
0:08:00 > 0:08:03and it's looking quite healthy.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07That's going to tumble down by about 12 inches, and then
0:08:07 > 0:08:09lastly, all these other containers,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13I'm going to be really busy with lots of crops,
0:08:13 > 0:08:17mainly salad crops, and we want to sow them little and often, so if
0:08:17 > 0:08:20I start sowing now, maybe in about three weeks' time,
0:08:20 > 0:08:22I'll sow some more.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26So we've got things like lettuce, coriander, rocket.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Also I'm trying a couple of varieties of beetroot.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33I've already sown the beetroot in here and they come in little
0:08:33 > 0:08:36seed clusters and the seed cluster,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40it means that it should contain lots of little seeds,
0:08:40 > 0:08:44but the two varieties I'm trying, I've got Moneta and Solo.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46They're both mono-germ varieties,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49so only one seedling within that cluster,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52and that helps reduce the thinning.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54And we'll compare those when they start to mature.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07I've long held the view that a garden is not really
0:09:07 > 0:09:09a garden without a tree.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Or three.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13And, of course, if you're going to plant a tree in your garden,
0:09:13 > 0:09:15you want to know what size it'll grow to,
0:09:15 > 0:09:17because it's an investment for a very long time,
0:09:17 > 0:09:19so you've got to do your homework.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Is it going to be big enough? What's the growth rate?
0:09:22 > 0:09:24How soon will you have to start pruning it? All of these things.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Well, I'm going to spend a little bit of time looking at some
0:09:27 > 0:09:30of the trees that we've planted in the garden here over the years,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33and one or two new ones to extend your knowledge.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36And here we are by this wonderful birch.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38These would be planted in the late 90's,
0:09:38 > 0:09:41when this garden was starting to grow, so to speak.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44Could you cope with one of these in your garden?
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Perhaps not. We'll find something smaller and a little bit more
0:09:47 > 0:09:49compact. That's the story today.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04In this little ploy,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07we invited all the presenters and the staff to pick
0:10:07 > 0:10:10a tree that they thought would be suitable for a small garden, taking
0:10:10 > 0:10:14into account the shape, the size, the rate of growth, whether it's
0:10:14 > 0:10:19got nice flowers, whether it's got fruit, autumn colour, etc, etc, etc.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23And we put them in a line so that we can compare these very things,
0:10:23 > 0:10:24one with the other.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27And this is my choice. Prunus Snow Showers,
0:10:27 > 0:10:29a lovely little weeping cherry.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Absolutely at its best at the moment, looking gorgeous.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Fine for a small garden. It won't take up a huge amount of space.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36It'll come out the way, of course.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38And you see cherries all over the country.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41As long as the drainage is good, it's going to work fine.
0:10:41 > 0:10:42So here it is. It's planted.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45It's ready for the last stage of filling in.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48And into the hole went some mycorrhiza,
0:10:48 > 0:10:52which you see there, a little cupful, spread around so that
0:10:52 > 0:10:55the roots aren't touched with it, and a bit of fertilizer as well.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59So it only remains for me to finish it off, fill the hole in,
0:10:59 > 0:11:01tramp it down.
0:11:23 > 0:11:29Well, this is Chris' choice. This is Cornus controversa Pagoda.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Chris has chosen this because of its wonderful flowering in the
0:11:32 > 0:11:34spring, and some berries in the autumn,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37but the real key to this plant is its autumn colour.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Dark red. Absolutely stunning.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43The only tree we could get a hold of had this enormous ball of
0:11:43 > 0:11:48soil around the roots, a really big ball of soil, and a very short stem,
0:11:48 > 0:11:51so staking it in the conventional way was not going to work.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56So what we've done is so-called invisible staking.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59Three pins put into the ground, either side of the ball,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02and then trapping it down, we've put these cross pieces.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06And that root ball won't budge. That's the motive for doing this.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10You've got to keep the root ball still, absolutely still so that
0:12:10 > 0:12:13it's not going to rock about and break new roots.
0:12:13 > 0:12:14And now, I suppose...
0:12:17 > 0:12:19..this is the time when you cut the strings.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22And you get the full benefit of this tree. It's really rather nice.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Gah! Ha-ha!
0:12:32 > 0:12:36So far, we've been dealing with newly-planted trees for the
0:12:36 > 0:12:39average garden, but there are some trees in the Beechgrove here
0:12:39 > 0:12:43which are good plants for any kind of garden.
0:12:43 > 0:12:48My first choice here is Prunus serrula with its wonderful bark,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50an absolute stunner of a cherry.
0:12:50 > 0:12:55The Tibetan cherry. Now, I'm 5"8 in old money.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57This has been here for 20 years,
0:12:57 > 0:13:01and I reckon it could be accommodated in a lot of gardens.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03It's an absolute cracker.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07This is Carole Baxter's choice.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10It is a Sorbus, a rowan tree,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13and any kind of rowan tree is suitable for a small garden.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15This is a particularly special one,
0:13:15 > 0:13:17and I would agree with her - it's one of the best.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19This is Sorbus vilmorinii.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22And all the good things about it are that it's got beautiful,
0:13:22 > 0:13:26lacy foliage, nice flowers in the spring, berries in the autumn,
0:13:26 > 0:13:30it doesn't get too big, it can be grown in most types of soil.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33So vilmorinii is one of the top of the list trees.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36It's the one by which I would probably judge others.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39We've chosen at the same time here to illustrate another way of
0:13:39 > 0:13:42staking. Here we've got a double stake this time,
0:13:42 > 0:13:44and I'll show you the reason why.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Mr Callum, sir. We're going to put a crossbar on here.
0:13:47 > 0:13:53Because in windy sites... Our prevailing wind is behind us here
0:13:53 > 0:13:56so it's going to blow this tree, and it could blow it over,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59but using this technique, there's no way it's going to blow it over.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Right.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Putting the crossbar in place.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08Why not that side?
0:14:08 > 0:14:12Because the wind blows against the crossbar and onto the main,
0:14:12 > 0:14:14so it's not going to shift it.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15And the tree is on the other side,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18so when the wind blows the tree, it's going to tug away.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21It's not going to get pushed up against the crossbar,
0:14:21 > 0:14:23so it's safe and there's no chafing.
0:14:23 > 0:14:28At all, so we're ready now to put the tie on here. Good, good.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Once round the tree, and once round the crossbar.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37And if you find that that is not enough,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40you can put another one on, and put it the other way around.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48This specimen has been chosen by the staff. It's a crab apple.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50It's called Royalty. It's very popular.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52It's been around for quite a wee while now,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55and its principal attributes are, of course, the copper foliage
0:14:55 > 0:14:59and the lovely deep pink flowers that come on it in the spring.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01You'll notice we've given it a sloping stake.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04That's another option that some people might prefer.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06So that one's done well, and we now go to...
0:15:08 > 0:15:11George's choice, which is an Amelanchier, Rainbow Pillar.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15This is new to me, not Amelanchier, but this particular variety,
0:15:15 > 0:15:16and George is very keen on it.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20Again, its shape, beautiful white flowers in the spring,
0:15:20 > 0:15:22great autumn colour,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25grows on most types of soil. This is another cracker.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27Get on with it, dear boy.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33We've just finished planting George's choice,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Amelanchier Rainbow Pillar, and that would indicate from the name
0:15:36 > 0:15:39that it's going to be a poplar shape, isn't it?
0:15:39 > 0:15:40Well, this is another Amelanchier.
0:15:40 > 0:15:46This one's 15 years old, and this is lamarckii, but once again, I'm 5"8.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48This is what it'll grow to in 15 years' time.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50But it's another topper.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Coppery-coloured early foliage. You can just see it coming through.
0:15:53 > 0:15:54Flowers and good autumn colour.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00Well, this is the last curtain, I suppose.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03This is Brian Cunningham's choice and it is a belter.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07Acer grosseri hersii. It's one of these wonderful maples
0:16:07 > 0:16:09with grey-green foliage.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12And then, when they've all dropped, you've got that wonderful,
0:16:12 > 0:16:14wonderful snake bark effect on the stems.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18Now, the whole lot will need looking at again fairly soon, because
0:16:18 > 0:16:20there's the small matter of pruning to be done,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23but we'll leave that for another day.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36This splendid plaque on a building in George Street in Edinburgh
0:16:36 > 0:16:38commemorates the birthplace
0:16:38 > 0:16:41of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society.
0:16:41 > 0:16:46The Cale, as its fondly known, first met here in 1809.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50Its purpose from the outset was to draw together people from the
0:16:50 > 0:16:54professional and amateur ranks to encourage and support
0:16:54 > 0:16:56horticulture and gardening across the whole of Scotland.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58And I'm happy to say,
0:16:58 > 0:17:02as honorary president of the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06a new chapter in the society's history is just starting.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Not here, but over at the other side of the city.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17Saughton Park and Gardens is one of Edinburgh's hidden jewels.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Located in the south west of the city,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24the eight-acre walled garden and surrounding parkland
0:17:24 > 0:17:27has a rich history in horticulture.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Laid out in the 17th century on Saughton Hall estate,
0:17:33 > 0:17:37the grounds were home to an old country residence,
0:17:37 > 0:17:38later converted to an asylum.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43Patients used the surrounding gardens as an early form of
0:17:43 > 0:17:44horticultural therapy.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50The grounds were eventually sold, and in 1908,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Saughton hosted the Scottish National Exhibition,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56which attracted more than three million visitors to the park
0:17:56 > 0:17:58and gardens over the six-month event.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Recently, Saughton, like many other parks and gardens across the
0:18:05 > 0:18:09country, have struggled because of lack of funding.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13So two years ago, the Cale and the City of Edinburgh put together
0:18:13 > 0:18:17a joint bid for heritage lottery funding.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21They've been successful, and they've won 3.8 million,
0:18:21 > 0:18:26and the city has added extra to that great tranche of money,
0:18:26 > 0:18:32so now they can revitalise this park, which is an absolute gem.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Peter McDougall is a project development officer with the
0:18:40 > 0:18:42City of Edinburgh Council.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44So what's the surrounding population like?
0:18:44 > 0:18:46What's the demographic that we've got here?
0:18:46 > 0:18:48It's amazing. It's a city centre park.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51We're right next to one of the busiest roads in Edinburgh.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53We have lots of ex-council houses round about, there's some
0:18:53 > 0:18:56quite affluent areas, there's some quite poor areas as well.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00We have a higher than average population of people with
0:19:00 > 0:19:03long-term health problems, so there's an interesting demographic.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06So how many locals actually use the park?
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Local people - strangely, 40%.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Astonishing - I met a chap who just lives across the road there
0:19:12 > 0:19:14last year who'd never been in the park.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17And he's lived here for 20 years, so it's a kind of hidden gem,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Saughton Park, so the idea is that we start to run events in the
0:19:20 > 0:19:24park, so we hope to try and take that up to maybe about 50%,
0:19:24 > 0:19:25I think, is the target of local people,
0:19:25 > 0:19:2750% of people from further afield.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36Plans for Saughton's horticultural face-lift include creating
0:19:36 > 0:19:39a 140-metre double herbaceous borders in the central path.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44To the garden's south, bedding will be removed and replaced with
0:19:44 > 0:19:48herbaceous planting in an informal prairie style,
0:19:48 > 0:19:52which will allow clear views of a newly-refurbished bandstand.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Old stables will be turned into a community meeting space,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00and outside will be the Cale's kitchen garden,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03where horticultural workshops will be run.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07A courtyard will accommodate plant fairs and farmers' markets
0:20:07 > 0:20:11while a new cafe will keep gardeners and the public fed and watered.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Jasmin Cann is a landscape designer and Caley vice president.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23So, what's happening to this bit?
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Well, as you can see, this is the old rose garden.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28A lot of these hybrid teas and floribundas
0:20:28 > 0:20:31are now looking a bit past their sell by date.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34We'll be replacing them with new fresh,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37healthy hybrid teas and floribundas.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40We've just come out of the old winter garden.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42Is it on the plans, are you improving that?
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Yes, we have great plans for the Winter Gardens.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48At the moment it consists of old polycarbonate panels
0:20:48 > 0:20:49that were put there in the '70s.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53We'll replace them with glass so that you can see in and out.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57Over that wall there is a physic garden. What's the plan for that?
0:20:57 > 0:21:00We'll be rebuilding the raised beds so that they're
0:21:00 > 0:21:03completely accessible by wheelchair users to come and garden.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06It's called the Physic Garden because we're obviously going
0:21:06 > 0:21:08to be planting lots of herbs.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10There'll be descriptions beside each plant,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13saying what you can use it for, what its medicinal purposes are,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16what its culinary purposes are, and that sort of thing.
0:21:16 > 0:21:21This is a huge project, so when is the finishing date?
0:21:21 > 0:21:23The end of the summer 2018.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26You have your work cut out, my dear. I wish you luck.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28Thank you, George, thank you.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35With that deadline looming,
0:21:35 > 0:21:39the Caley volunteers and local community are already hard at work.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Stage one of the restoration is to give the garden
0:21:42 > 0:21:46a tidy up ahead of building contractors arriving in June.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52We've got a plant here, Miscanthus zebrinus,
0:21:52 > 0:21:53which has done what it always does,
0:21:53 > 0:21:58grows outwards, and that means all the young bits are on the outside.
0:21:58 > 0:22:02So the middle sort of dies off naturally,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05it doesn't need itself, and you get a whole lot of dead wood,
0:22:05 > 0:22:10which just comes away in your hand, and really it can be discarded.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13And then, when we're dividing, we're cutting away the middle bit
0:22:13 > 0:22:18so you replant the small bits on the outside so that they then
0:22:18 > 0:22:21repeat what they've done before and start growing outwards again.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24When you're moving a shrub like this, which is well-established,
0:22:24 > 0:22:28it's always best to basically contain the branches because
0:22:28 > 0:22:33it limits the damage you'll do when you're actually digging it out.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37So that's the first task that we've got to do, gather it round,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39and we're going to...
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Hold like that.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47The mantra is, "dead, diseased and crossing".
0:22:47 > 0:22:51Start with the dead wood, take all that out because that can die back.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Then you find anything that looks diseased and nasty, throw that away.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58Then anything that's crossing the centre,
0:22:58 > 0:22:59so you leave the centre quite open.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03Then you go round the edge and try and cut it back to
0:23:03 > 0:23:07outward-facing buds so it makes a nice bowl-shaped rosebush.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16This is a miscanthus. Miscanthus zebrinus.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18It's a good idea to cut these back
0:23:18 > 0:23:21so that the new, fresh growth can come up cleanly.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25But if you don't cut them down low enough, and leave that sort of
0:23:25 > 0:23:29length up, then what it means is that when you're bending down
0:23:29 > 0:23:30to weed something else,
0:23:30 > 0:23:33you can really easily jab yourself in the eye with one of these.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35And it hurts.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Once complete in summer 2018,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Saughton Gardens will become a permanent home for the Caley.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50David Knott is the president.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54The plan very much is for our new headquarters to be here,
0:23:54 > 0:23:57and as we develop the garden, we'll develop the garden through time
0:23:57 > 0:24:00for the benefit of the local community as well.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04We have ambitious plans to develop our core educational programmes,
0:24:04 > 0:24:06our grow and learn programmes,
0:24:06 > 0:24:09our master gardener, and with other therapeutic gardening charities
0:24:09 > 0:24:13like Trellis, to really maximise the potential of this space.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16200 years since the first meeting of the Caley,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18and this is where we are now. Here for the next 200.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21The value now of health and wellbeing,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23200 years ago was only becoming apparent,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26that's why many of these parks and green spaces throughout Scotland
0:24:26 > 0:24:27were developed.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Now, hopefully as we develop this space, the value of health
0:24:30 > 0:24:34and wellbeing continues to be recognised very much for the future.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46This is the time of year when we're recommending that gardeners
0:24:46 > 0:24:50use a mulch on the garden, on the fruit crops,
0:24:50 > 0:24:51and in the shrub borders,
0:24:51 > 0:24:55to cut down weeding and so on, and to feed the plants.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57It has implications for cost, however,
0:24:57 > 0:24:59and I'm interested in that particular thing
0:24:59 > 0:25:03because I sometimes think people don't realise how much it costs.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06So we've set out a little observation here.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09This is Kolkwitzia, the beauty bush, the same one in each plot.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13There are four different mulches at two different depths.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15So, we start off with a material which I've not used.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19Seen it before - some enterprising farmer's found it. Straw.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23When composted, it makes a very fine mulch. So this is strulch.
0:25:23 > 0:25:28But, to cover one square metre, two inches deep,
0:25:28 > 0:25:31sorry about the mix-up there, five quid.
0:25:31 > 0:25:32Quite a lot.
0:25:32 > 0:25:37This is a commercial bark, which is £4.50.
0:25:37 > 0:25:42This is a finer commercial bark, but nonetheless it's only three quid,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45to cover that square metre to a two-inch depth.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47A square yard, if you like.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52And then, our own composted bark, zilch.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54It speaks for itself.
0:25:54 > 0:25:55The argument has been made.
0:25:55 > 0:26:00Nonetheless, we've dropped down from two inches deep to one inch deep.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02The question is, will that be enough?
0:26:02 > 0:26:05When will it need to be topped up?
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Only time will tell, but I reckon that if you can make your own,
0:26:08 > 0:26:10you'll not be out of pocket.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Well, you know, I'm not sure how many favourite flowers I have,
0:26:18 > 0:26:19but this is one.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21It's the Snakeshead Fritillaria,
0:26:21 > 0:26:24and when you look at the petals here, perhaps you can see why
0:26:24 > 0:26:28it's called the Snakeshead because of the patterning on them.
0:26:28 > 0:26:29They are gorgeous.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33These ones have been naturalised in the wild area, or the wild wood.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37I also planted them in the lawn in autumn time last year,
0:26:37 > 0:26:39and they're a little bit behind.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Just starting to see some of those flower buds form.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44And I think that's quite interesting because
0:26:44 > 0:26:47within a garden you can have these little microclimates,
0:26:47 > 0:26:50and here it must be just a little bit more sheltered and warmer.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57Earlier in the programme, I was planting trees.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01I wanted to come back to this one, and an especially important point.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03Here we've a little weeping cherry,
0:27:03 > 0:27:08the very first one that I planted with a single stake, and notice
0:27:08 > 0:27:12that this plant has been grafted right at the top of the stem.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14So we're used to seeing other fruit trees and things
0:27:14 > 0:27:16where the graft is just above ground.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20Here, the stem has been made of the root stock right up to here,
0:27:20 > 0:27:24grafted at the top, and vitally important that that's protected by
0:27:24 > 0:27:29staking at this point here so that there's no stress on the graft.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Well, I'm glad we've taken a little detour around this corner
0:27:36 > 0:27:39because isn't that looking splendiferous?
0:27:39 > 0:27:43It is absolutely gorgeous. I'd call it a large shrub really, would you?
0:27:43 > 0:27:45- Yes, large or small tree.- Yes.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Corylopsis pauciflora.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51- Absolutely stunning. Do you get any smell from there?- I can't get any...
0:27:51 > 0:27:55- I'm not good at it.- ..fragrance, but it is beautiful.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57You get good autumn colour as well, don't you?
0:27:57 > 0:28:01Well, indeed, and doesn't it go so well here with the Pulmonaria?
0:28:01 > 0:28:03It's a really nice combination, the blue and,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06- what would you call that, lemony lime, I suppose?- Lemon yellow, yes.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Anyway, if you'd like any more information
0:28:08 > 0:28:11about this week's programme, it's all in the fact sheet
0:28:11 > 0:28:14and the easiest way to access that is online.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Next week, Jim, it's all about saving money again.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21It's vegetable gardening on a budget.
0:28:21 > 0:28:22Yes, yes.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26And I shall be doing the old turnip job again,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28looking at some new varieties of summer turnips.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31No salad this week. I haven't recovered from last week's!
0:28:31 > 0:28:34- Until next time, bye-bye. - Goodbye!