0:00:11 > 0:00:13- Ready, Carole? - Watch the back now, George.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15- Heavy.- Can we do a swap?
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Hello, and welcome to Beechgrove.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21On a late spring morning I'd hoped it was beaming sunshine and all
0:00:21 > 0:00:24the rest of it, but the weather, I can tell you, is a bit iffy.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26There's some dirty big clouds up there.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Because we're changing the bedding plants and the baskets.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31We have a saying in this part of the world -
0:00:31 > 0:00:33ne'er cast a cloot till May is oot,
0:00:33 > 0:00:35which, translated, simply means,
0:00:35 > 0:00:39don't take any layers of clothing off from winter wear because...
0:00:39 > 0:00:42until the may-tree is in flower.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45That coincides, of course, with the month of May and that's about
0:00:45 > 0:00:48the time for us to get our half-hardy bedding plants out.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51- So we're getting rid of basically the spring ones...- Yes.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54- ..and we're putting in the summer ones for the new display.- Yes.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56And it's amazing, the fact that we planted these up
0:00:56 > 0:00:58a couple of weeks ago so they look quite well-established.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Now, what's this lot?
0:01:00 > 0:01:03This was the plug that had three plants in one,
0:01:03 > 0:01:05- so only three plugs per plant. - Three different plants.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Three different plants and then we've got the same plants,
0:01:08 > 0:01:09but that was nine plugs.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11- So this is lazy-man's gardening... - Definitely.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14..cos you don't need to think about it. It's a great idea, though.
0:01:14 > 0:01:15- And it's looking good, isn't it? - Love it.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18And so, I think, are the fertiliser troughs.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20This is my fertiliser observation.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22That's one with no fertiliser,
0:01:22 > 0:01:24these are the ones with the different brands.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27At the moment, nothing different, really.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30The last point I would make about this is course the baskets
0:01:30 > 0:01:33are up in the air and if it is a late frost, they will be missed.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35It's the ground layer that gets it
0:01:35 > 0:01:38- and some people got their tatties frosted.- Didn't they just?
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Meanwhile, in the rest of the programme...
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Lots of alpine gems in the garden I am visiting this week.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Not only outside, but also undercover.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56And I'm having fun at the BEECH - this beech.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58But it's not been a bundle of laughs for the gardener
0:01:58 > 0:02:00who's been trying to grow plants below it.
0:02:04 > 0:02:05It's quite interesting,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07I've just been talking about tatties getting frosted
0:02:07 > 0:02:11and my next job here is, of course, to cover up these young shaws
0:02:11 > 0:02:13in case they get frosted.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16But it's a part of the culture of potatoes to do this.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19The reason being, of course, if you've got the potatoes growing
0:02:19 > 0:02:21within a ridge, they're a lot easier to harvest.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25But also, you'll hear us talking to new gardeners especially that if
0:02:25 > 0:02:28they've got a spare bit of ground, they don't know what it's like,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31grow a crop of potatoes cos it's a cleaning crop.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Cos you see, this is the first cultivation and it coincides with
0:02:34 > 0:02:37the first germination of all these young seedlings.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40All the roots are all going to be in the top there and they're hopefully
0:02:40 > 0:02:44going to get burned off by the sun, which is refusing to appear!
0:02:44 > 0:02:47And then in about another three or four weeks,
0:02:47 > 0:02:49we will earth up the potatoes again.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52This to increase the size of the ridge and, in fact,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54to layer the stems, almost.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57But don't be worried about covering over these little docks there
0:02:57 > 0:02:58because they'll come through.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01And you've got a chance then to kill more weeds.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05And then by that time the shaws are actually met in the middle of
0:03:05 > 0:03:09the row and the weed germination has gone down significantly.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11So it is a cleaning crop.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16But it's only a cleaning crop if you work the soil regularly,
0:03:16 > 0:03:17like what I am doing.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20And my next job - cos I've had enough of this -
0:03:20 > 0:03:24my next job is a little bit of thinning neeps.
0:03:24 > 0:03:25There we go.
0:03:27 > 0:03:28Fairly straight.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Well, this is the first opportunity we've had to have a wee look
0:03:32 > 0:03:34at the turnips, salad turnips.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38The spring and summer turnips that we sowed in the middle of April.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40And purple top Milan, which is this one,
0:03:40 > 0:03:42is a variety I've known for long, long years.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45But then I looked at the catalogue, there's lots of different varieties.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47So we'll have a look at them, compare them,
0:03:47 > 0:03:48see what they're like for flavour.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Very good for salads and so on.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53I'm thinning them out and I'm expecting them to grow
0:03:53 > 0:03:55slightly bigger than golf ball size.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59So I need that kind of space between each plant, OK?
0:03:59 > 0:04:03So, I'm going to save that one and I'm going to pull that one out,
0:04:03 > 0:04:08but I don't want to move the root of this one so I protect it.
0:04:08 > 0:04:09And then pull that one out.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12That one's for Mr Anderson's salad, right.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14So then we measure about the same again.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18We can take that one out, we can take that one out and then...
0:04:18 > 0:04:21Look, oops, we've got two very close together.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24I'm going to get the better one and pull that one out.
0:04:24 > 0:04:25You see?
0:04:27 > 0:04:30And if they need a little bit of firming, by all means do so.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33But we're going to have a real feast one of these days,
0:04:33 > 0:04:35and for goodness' sake, Mr Anderson,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38we're going to have something a bit better in the salad this week.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Today I'm in Newton Mearns, south of Glasgow,
0:04:52 > 0:04:54and I'm off to meet Susan, who's got a wee problem
0:04:54 > 0:04:56in her back garden where she's struggling to grow
0:04:56 > 0:05:00the kind of plants that she'd like to, so I'm off to see what I can do.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10Wow, what a day! What a garden you've got, Susan. Very nice.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12- Thank you. - But not so rosy as it seems?- No.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14You've got a few problems.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17This area here in the garden is real...really difficult.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19It's mainly this beech tree.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21As soon as these leaves come out,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24it causes a lot of shade and it makes this area very dry.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28The plants grow for a while in the spring and then they tend to
0:05:28 > 0:05:31die back and I'm having a lot of problems getting anything
0:05:31 > 0:05:32that looks nice in the summer.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Now, we can't see it just now cos the tree isn't in full leaf yet,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38but beech trees have actually got such a dense canopy
0:05:38 > 0:05:40that they really do block out the light below.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42And they're such gross feeders,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44they suck out all the moisture.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46- We've really got a dry-shade problem, then.- Yes.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48Yes, I think that's probably it.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50But I notice you've got a few plants doing well here.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54Yeah, there are a few that do not too badly, but they don't tend
0:05:54 > 0:05:56to give a lot of variety over the summer.
0:05:56 > 0:05:57You've got woodlander plants.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Basically, they come out and perform before trees like this big
0:06:01 > 0:06:04beech tree put on their leaves and then shut out the light.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07So you've got a lovely little Kerria japonica and your hellebores.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10And I've noticed a wee lily of the valley down at
0:06:10 > 0:06:12- the bottom there as well. - That's finally coming.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15It's taken us about four years to get to that much, so...
0:06:15 > 0:06:16But it's finally coming.
0:06:16 > 0:06:17This has given us a big clue.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21- We'll maybe stick to that theme of woodlander plants.- That sounds nice.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23I was wondering what you were thinking if we bring in a wee curve
0:06:23 > 0:06:26round about here and then we tied it into the pond.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28That's going to link these two areas together.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31That'll increase our plant space, and we're actually coming out from
0:06:31 > 0:06:33the canopy of the tree a wee bitty, which hopefully will allow us
0:06:33 > 0:06:36to grow a few more plants at the front as well.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38If we incorporate some organic matter into the soil,
0:06:38 > 0:06:41that will improve the moisture-holding content,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44which will hopefully help the plants survive.
0:06:44 > 0:06:45That all sounds really good.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53Magic, perfect.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Right, so this is a handy wee trick.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00We can lay this out and mark the size of our bed.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03- You could use rope, string, whatever.- Right.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Then you can actually visually see what your bed's going to look like.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08- What a good idea.- Need a bit more.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10So we want a nice curved shape.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20- How's that? What you thinking? - Maybe a wee bit wide.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23- Perhaps if it could go in a little bit?- Yeah, no problem.
0:07:29 > 0:07:30- Oh, that looks good. - Oh, there we go.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Oh, where to start?
0:07:42 > 0:07:44- It's tough, isn't it?- Yeah, it is.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Whoa! Take your legs off.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49You can see there's roots there.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51Aye, there's heaps of them in here.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53We're being careful, but we don't want to damage them.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56That's where the feeding roots are, under here.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06What can we do with the turf?
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Well, it's good turf and we don't want to just throw it away.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14I'm thinking what we could do is, you've got this little spot
0:08:14 > 0:08:15that you're not needing for a...
0:08:15 > 0:08:18- No, I don't do anything in this patch.- Good.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20Well, if we stack this here...
0:08:21 > 0:08:23..in about 18 months' time,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26- this is going to turn into a nice little compost.- Oh, great.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29- Always looking for extra compost. - Yeah. Well, we all are.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33So the way to do it is grass-to-grass and soil-to-soil.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36- OK.- And that will help it decompose.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38And we're just going to stack it up like that.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00- What are you thinking so far? - I think it's looking good.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03- I like the shape.- It's a nice time for our organic compost.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05I've gone for this composted bark.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07The reason I've gone for this,
0:09:07 > 0:09:08it's particularly good for clay soils
0:09:08 > 0:09:11cos you can see it's got loads of little bits in it.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13What we're going to do is we'll spread this over the surface
0:09:13 > 0:09:15of the soil, we'll then fork it in
0:09:15 > 0:09:17and that's going to improve the structure.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20It's then going to leave some gaps in the soil and that's where
0:09:20 > 0:09:23the roots can then go searching for the oxygen.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Once we've got a happy, healthy plant with good roots,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30it can then start to draw up the nutrients and, more importantly,
0:09:30 > 0:09:32it's going to suck up any moisture that is in here.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34And it'll mean there's a lot more moisture actually stays in here
0:09:34 > 0:09:38as well cos we're adding some goodness into the soil.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41We're just going to give it a light spread over.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43We don't want too thick a layer, not in at this point, anyway.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45It looks so full of goodness.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55I've got Callum bringing me a selection of plants that are
0:09:55 > 0:09:58especially suitable for dry and shaded areas like this one.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01The first plant we've got is this mahonia.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04This is a very good architectural shrub. And can you feel the leaves?
0:10:04 > 0:10:05Yes, very spiky!
0:10:05 > 0:10:08I know you said you wanted that wee gap plugged in
0:10:08 > 0:10:10- because your dog keeps jumping over the fence...- Yes.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12Well, I'm quite sure she's not going to do it now.
0:10:12 > 0:10:13No, that'll keep her away.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15And the beauty about this thing is it flowers over winter
0:10:15 > 0:10:17and the flowers are fragrant.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20- So that's going to give you something to look forward to. - Very nice.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22I really like this. I think this is such a pretty leaf.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24- Gorgeous, isn't it?- Yeah. - This is a brunnera.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26This one's called Jack Frost.
0:10:26 > 0:10:27Blue forget-me-not flowers,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30and they go really well with that leaf, as you say.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32And then these two - we've got Aucuba japonica.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Well, this isn't everybody's favourite
0:10:34 > 0:10:38but it's as tough as old boots. It'll pretty much grow anywhere.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41It's got waxy leaves and along with the elephant ears,
0:10:41 > 0:10:43this bergenia, well, they don't dry out so much.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45The reason they've got waxy leaves -
0:10:45 > 0:10:47it prevents that water loss through the leaves.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50- So that should help them in these dry conditions.- Yeah.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52And these young leaves are a really pretty colour, anyway.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54- They're lovely.- They are, eh? They're gorgeous.- Yeah.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57- All right, then, Susan, let's get these planted.- OK.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18OK, then, Susan, what are you thinking now?
0:11:18 > 0:11:20I think it looks really good.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23- I'm very pleased with it. Thank you. - Good, good.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27So we're still going to have our early-season woodland flower.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30It's then going to go into a period where it's more about
0:11:30 > 0:11:32the foliage and the textures of the foliage as well.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34You're going to get some winter flower and the winter scent as well.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36That'll be lovely, yeah.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38And I love all the different shapes and textures of the leaves.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42- That adds a lot to it as well.- Good. It's something different, eh?- It is.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45So here's Callum with the final touch.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48We're going to introduce a wee pot into this display.
0:11:48 > 0:11:49And if it gets a wee bitty sad
0:11:49 > 0:11:51because it's not getting enough light,
0:11:51 > 0:11:53then all you can do is just move it around,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56put it in the sun for a bit of TLC, bring one of your other pots in.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59- Great, and change the plants around for the season, I suppose.- Exactly.
0:11:59 > 0:12:00It looks really good.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- It really finishes off the corner. - Good.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16Jim, we opened the programme and George and I were hanging up
0:12:16 > 0:12:19the summer bedding hanging baskets and taking away the spring ones.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21- Quite.- It's going to be the same here with the spring bedding
0:12:21 > 0:12:24- coming out the and summer bedding going in.- Exactly.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27And we have a situation where there are some of the plants here
0:12:27 > 0:12:29- that we can save...- M-hm. - ..notably the bulbs, of course.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32But one or two of the others we can save. Let's start with the bulbs.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35Yes, OK. Let's start with the tulips. What do you think of these?
0:12:35 > 0:12:37Well, I think they're a mess, to be honest with you.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40They're very funny. There's one or two decent bulbs amongst them.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43But if you had a mind to try and get more out of them,
0:12:43 > 0:12:46leave the leaves as they are, put them in a cold frame,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48- let them dry out and toast completely.- Yes.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Then clean them off and see if there's anything worth keeping.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Personally, the shape of those - I'd be saying "chuck them".
0:12:54 > 0:12:56- I think I might do so!- But we might find some with decent bulbs.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59On the other hand...
0:12:59 > 0:13:00daffies.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03- Absolutely superb. - They're so healthy.- In good nick.
0:13:03 > 0:13:04What would you do with these?
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Well, I think you've got a choice.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08- If you know somewhere in the garden...- Yep.
0:13:08 > 0:13:09- ..put them straight in.- Absolutely.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12- And you let the foliage die down naturally.- Yeah.- Or...
0:13:12 > 0:13:13I would be tempted to chuck them in,
0:13:13 > 0:13:15- or as we would say, heel them in in a corner...- Yes.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17..in a little trench and leave them till the autumn
0:13:17 > 0:13:20- until I find the right place for them.- Or you could use them again
0:13:20 > 0:13:22- as a spring bedding display later on.- Well, you could.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24They're very healthy.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27What about the violas, which are looking gorgeous at the moment?
0:13:27 > 0:13:28- Two minds, you see?- M-hm?
0:13:28 > 0:13:30They're due to come out and go in the compost heap.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32- What a shame!- It is sad. It is sad.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35I think you could actually take a few up,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38cut the flowers off and plant them in a corner and they may well
0:13:38 > 0:13:40give you another flowering later on.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42- Yes, they're a short-lived plant, though.- Yeah.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45- But polyanthus, we can't throw these away.- No, that's right.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48- And what we've done is... Because we had a mixed bed...- Yes, yes.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51- ..we labelled them up.- Really spoiled the schemes, didn't it?
0:13:51 > 0:13:53- Yes.- Yes, and so you want to make sure
0:13:53 > 0:13:55you've got the single colours through it.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58So it's a lot of... I think it's like the leeks, isn't it?
0:13:58 > 0:13:59- Topping and tailing. - Well, yes, it is.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01I mean, these things can be kept.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03- Look, I'm going to go straight in here.- Go on, then.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04And this is what you do with them.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06- I'm going to chop that right back. - Yeah.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08If you chop that all away, you get rid of it
0:14:08 > 0:14:10and you might get rid of a few greenfly, et cetera, as well.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Yes, and then what you've got to look at is to see if
0:14:14 > 0:14:16there's maybe one or two rosettes there.
0:14:16 > 0:14:17Have you got one already?
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Well, I'm just ahead of you, you see?
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- So you take...- Oh, look. I didn't get very much there.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25- Open it up, like so.- That's better. - Like so.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29- And you've got two for the price of one!- Yes.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Now, once again, you can plant them in a little border
0:14:32 > 0:14:36in a shady part of the garden and give them a real good soak
0:14:36 > 0:14:39and by September you'll have some cracking plants to plant out again.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42- And you can keep those for year after year.- Oh, yes.
0:14:42 > 0:14:43- Definitely.- Absolutely.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47- OK, then we've got the new schemes. - That's all to be cleaned up.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50A little cultivation done to the border,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52that will just lose moisture,
0:14:52 > 0:14:56in a bit of fertiliser and whack in all the new summer bedding.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59- Yes, OK. So in that one it's going to be cut flowers.- Oh, right.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02- And this one is... - Yes, all set.- ..new to us,
0:15:02 > 0:15:04either new in the catalogue or new to us.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07- Hardy annuals and half-hardy annuals.- Yeah, yeah.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10- So we've got a range of marigolds, for example.- Yeah.- Lovely colour.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13- That's going to be a cracker.- It is. - I know what you're going to do.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15- Well, I'm going to nip this off. - Yes.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17- You want it to build up, don't you, the plant?- Yes.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Good foliage, get it settled down.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23If it starts to flower, it's got time for nothing else but flowering.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25If you take the flowers away, it'll put on some
0:15:25 > 0:15:27and it'll come out here like that very quickly.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29I'm looking forward to that one.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Last spring, Jim and I gave this Viburnum rhytidophyllum
0:15:32 > 0:15:34a huge pruning.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36We took it right back into the bare bones.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38But look at the recovery. That's just in one year.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40And it's looking absolutely magnificent.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42Great flowers, great foliage.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45The thing is now almost back into a size that we can handle.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47But this shrub is getting out of hand.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50This is a thing called...
0:15:50 > 0:15:52It's from New Zealand
0:15:52 > 0:15:54and it's getting a bit big for the situation.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58So I'm going to take the opportunity now of propagating it.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00So the idea when you're propagating from a plant of this size
0:16:00 > 0:16:04is to just have a furtle about in the inside of the plant.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06And you're looking for shoots which are vegetative shoots -
0:16:06 > 0:16:08those which are not going to flower.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11The ones on the outside have all got it into their head that they're
0:16:11 > 0:16:14going to produce flower buds, and that stops them from rooting.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16So into the middle and then you'll just cut off a shoot in there.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19There we go. Lots of cuttings on that.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21And I'll take these to the conservatory
0:16:21 > 0:16:23and we'll propagate them there.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29So, we've brought our cutting material into the glasshouse.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32This is the ozothamnus which we took.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35And there... Look, there's the flower buds on the end,
0:16:35 > 0:16:36these wonderful purple flower buds,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39and that's the piece that we discard. We don't want that.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42What we're looking for are the vegetative side growths
0:16:42 > 0:16:43like we've got there.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45These, we're going to just rip off the stem
0:16:45 > 0:16:48and take the leaves off the base of the cutting.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51And what you get there is a little wispy bit like that at the base.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Now, what I'm going to do with that is just trim it back. OK?
0:16:54 > 0:16:56So that gets trimmed off.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00We then dip it into the rooting hormone
0:17:00 > 0:17:03and then into what is, as you will recognise...
0:17:03 > 0:17:04It's a drinks container.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07It's half of a plastic bottle.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11So we're going to fill this up round the edges with these cuttings,
0:17:11 > 0:17:16just like that, and then we would make sure this was well watered.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19What happens then is that we get the other half of the bottle
0:17:19 > 0:17:22and we just put that over the top like that.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24That's in its own little mini greenhouse.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27That is not going to die now if it's well watered.
0:17:27 > 0:17:28And that's what we've done to it.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31So that can be set aside and be left somewhere shady, perhaps,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34and it will grow away quite happily.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37I've also done a pot of purple sage.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39I picked some of these cuttings up when I was coming round.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42We can just use another drinks bottle
0:17:42 > 0:17:46over the top of those as well. So there we have that in there.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Now, what you will notice on both of those containers
0:17:50 > 0:17:55is that I have put some sand on the top of the pots.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57There's the sand there. Look at that.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Every time I make a hole with the dibber
0:17:59 > 0:18:02some of the sand goes into the bottom of the hole.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05And that's important because that adds oxygen to the base of
0:18:05 > 0:18:07the cuttings, helps them to root and the idea is
0:18:07 > 0:18:11that within, what, five to six weeks, these should all be rooting.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22The garden I'm visiting today was formerly part of
0:18:22 > 0:18:24the Dalcross Estate near Inverness.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27It belongs to Sue and Hamish Mackintosh,
0:18:27 > 0:18:31who've spent the last 20 years developing and cultivating
0:18:31 > 0:18:33this diverse one-acre site.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Sue, I'm sure you've seen a lot of changes over the years,
0:18:41 > 0:18:43but what was the site like when you came here?
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Well, the front garden came to about where we're standing.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49The rest of it was just part of the field
0:18:49 > 0:18:51and was full of bog willows, whins, broom,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54a lot of stones because that's where the farmer
0:18:54 > 0:18:56used to dump all his stones off his fields.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58So lots of clearing. How did you tackle that?
0:18:58 > 0:19:04We cut out all the whins and broom and willows and then brought in
0:19:04 > 0:19:07- about 700 tonnes of topsoil. - 700 tonnes?!- Yep.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10That is a lot of topsoil. A lot of work.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14Both of you are gardeners, so how do you divide up the roles?
0:19:14 > 0:19:17Well, I do most of the outside work, the planting and the weeding.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19- And, Hamish? - Apart from the construction,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21I spend a lot of time in the greenhouse
0:19:21 > 0:19:24and I probably will be spending a lot of time in the polytunnel now!
0:19:24 > 0:19:26So you don't get into the greenhouses, Sue?
0:19:26 > 0:19:29No, I used to have the greenhouses but since he's retired,
0:19:29 > 0:19:30I've just been banished!
0:19:30 > 0:19:33OK, well, I think we should start under cover,
0:19:33 > 0:19:35so let's go and have a look at one of them
0:19:35 > 0:19:36- and we'll see you later.- Yep.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47Wow, Hamish, this is so colourful - all these lewisias!
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Now, do you grow them from seed?
0:19:50 > 0:19:53We're growing them from seed now but most of these ones I bought.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55From seed you tend to get a lot of different colours.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58You know, I'm quite familiar with the fleshy one, the cotyledon.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00Yep, these were the ones we started with
0:20:00 > 0:20:03and then we got a bit more ambitious.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05We started collecting a few of these carousel once.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07I don't know these. So very, very narrow leaves.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Yep, narrow leaves, very compact.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12They keep on flowering for ages.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15The other thing I love is that you display everything in clay pots.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17- No plastic.- It's a bit more work.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20It's quite easy to clean a plastic pot but I think it's kinder.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22They breathe, don't they?
0:20:22 > 0:20:23They breathe and they can absorb moisture
0:20:23 > 0:20:25from the outside and the inside.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28So apart from the cleaning, they're a lot easier to look after.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32- They look nicer, don't they? - Yeah. I like these little ones,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35and some of these ones will actually die off in the winter time,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38and you think, "Oh, God, they're dead!"
0:20:38 > 0:20:40- And they come back. - And they come back in the spring.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42Absolutely brilliant.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Well, I have to say, Hamish, I'm very happy in here.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57What a beautiful garden room, and things like the bougainvillea
0:20:57 > 0:20:59and all pelargoniums.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03But I think the major display at the moment is the streptocarpus,
0:21:03 > 0:21:07- and I love them.- Yeah, I've got about 30 streptocarpus now.
0:21:07 > 0:21:12This one I got last year. It's got my wife's name - it's a Susan.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16The one here is called Ruth, which I bought because my daughter's Ruth.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19- Beautiful, isn't it? - Yeah, very delicate.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21So, tell me a little bit about how you propagate,
0:21:21 > 0:21:22because I think there's two ways.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25You can either take the midrib out or you can take
0:21:25 > 0:21:28- cross-sections of the leaf.- Yeah. - Which is your way?
0:21:28 > 0:21:34I'll take the leaf off and we cut it across just below the veins.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37I mainly only use the bottom half of the leaf because the top half
0:21:37 > 0:21:41- doesn't root so easily. - OK, so the bottom is better?
0:21:41 > 0:21:44The bottom's better. The nearer it is to the base where it came off
0:21:44 > 0:21:46the plant will root a lot quicker than the top.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49- And what size a section?- An inch and a half, it doesn't really matter.
0:21:49 > 0:21:50As long as you've got a vein.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52- OK, so, quicker from the bottom rather than the top.- Yeah.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55- Anyway, you'd get too many plants. - You'd get too many plants.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58- What would you do with them? - I've got too many!
0:21:58 > 0:22:01The other streptocarpus that perhaps people won't know about
0:22:01 > 0:22:04is the one there in the hanging basket with smaller leaves.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Yeah, that one's just dipped flowers throughout the year.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11I am frightened to re-pot it.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14- A really good doer, isn't it?- It is. - Saxorum?- Yeah.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Anyway, I feel very, very comfortable here.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20- I think I could sit here all day. - I do spend a lot of time here.
0:22:20 > 0:22:21It's beautiful.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31Now, Sue, this looks like a relatively new construction
0:22:31 > 0:22:33- in the garden. - Yes, this bit's about two years old.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Hamish made this a couple of years ago.
0:22:36 > 0:22:37And lots of lovely plants,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39and I want to start off with the trilliums,
0:22:39 > 0:22:42which I tend to associate more with a woodland situation.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Yeah, they do like the woodland, but they tend to get
0:22:45 > 0:22:47a bit lost down in my woods, so I've put them in the shade here
0:22:47 > 0:22:51and they seem to be quite happy. That's Trillium sulcatum.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54That's lovely, isn't it, with those three red petals?
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Yes, it's a very delicate little flower.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58- Gorgeous, and there's a white one there.- Yep.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02- Erythroniums again. - Yeah, I love erythroniums.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04There's loads of them around the garden
0:23:04 > 0:23:06but these pink ones are especially pretty.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08- Which variety is that? - Erythronium hendersonii.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12- And I think that looks so nice against the Alpine grit.- Yes.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15It makes it stand out, doesn't it?
0:23:15 > 0:23:17And you've got one or two yellow ones.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19But it isn't just Alpines, is it, that we can see here?
0:23:19 > 0:23:22- No, let's go off and have a look at the ponds.- OK.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38So, this is our latest project, the bog garden.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Hamish has been building this and we've just planted it up
0:23:41 > 0:23:44a week or two ago. There are lots of moisture-loving plants.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Yes, you're lucky to have this environment where the plants
0:23:48 > 0:23:49- that enjoy a lot of moisture...- Yes.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53- The roots are in the water, will be thriving.- Yes.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55- Things like the hostas. - The primulas.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57And then a series of little pools.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00Yes, Hamish has just built that to bring the moisture level up a bit.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02- Yes.- To keep the water in here.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06Just because of the tree roots - it needed that, really.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Yes, because it's amazing, isn't it? Just coming up a couple of feet...
0:24:09 > 0:24:12- Yes.- I mean, that's not a bog plant!
0:24:12 > 0:24:13No, it's not.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15A beautiful yellow tree peony. It's just gorgeous.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17- It just flowers every year. - Every year for you?
0:24:17 > 0:24:18Yeah, every year.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21And is that the same with the rhododendron, the pink rhododendron?
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Yes, that flowers every year without fail. It's always beautiful.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27So, again, you've found the right spot for that.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29- Yes, just under the tree canopy. - Yeah, a bit of shelter.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32You know, I think today we've caught those blooms
0:24:32 > 0:24:35- at their peak, haven't we? - Yes, they're just beautiful.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Well, this is quite a feature - the pond.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52But you've utilised the burn, Hamish.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Yeah, we've just widened it here and made it a bit deeper
0:24:55 > 0:24:56and I put in a bit of decking.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59I love this bit, like, "I just did this,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02"and I put in a bit of decking." I mean, it's a lot of work.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04- And there's no liner. - There's no liner, no.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06It's just a natural clay.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09- Clay pan.- Yeah. - And it keeps that level.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Something else that I've noticed, Sue,
0:25:12 > 0:25:15is a way to grow your Clematis montana.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19Not up a wall or a fence, but grow up a tree!
0:25:19 > 0:25:23I planted it about ten years ago and just forgot about it
0:25:23 > 0:25:25and all of a sudden I realised a year or two ago
0:25:25 > 0:25:28that it was halfway up the tree and now it's at the top.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31And hopefully it's going to be in full flower for our garden open day
0:25:31 > 0:25:32on Sunday 28th May.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35- And that is your first open day. - Yes.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37- And you're open from two till five? - Two till five.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40And not only can people enjoy all the plants but they can have
0:25:40 > 0:25:43- a cup of tea, a nice piece of cake. I highly recommend it.- Yes!
0:25:43 > 0:25:46- So I hope it goes well. Thank you very much.- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59Well, the last time I looked at the vine it was to reduce
0:25:59 > 0:26:02the number of shoots coming from each spur.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05Now it's time to look for the bunches.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07There is the potential bunch of grapes there and what
0:26:07 > 0:26:10I want to do is just to nick out the top.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14That leaf is left there to draw the sap
0:26:14 > 0:26:18and in the process the grape will start to swell.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20One per shoot is enough.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Following on from Brian's drought-tolerant plants,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29here's another one very happy in the garden.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32It's underneath the juniper, so it's kind of light shade,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34the soil is incredibly dry.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38This is a polygala called Purple Passion.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42It's creeping along, it flowers for absolutely months
0:26:42 > 0:26:44and the flowers really look like a pea plant.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Definitely a keeper.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53Isn't this exciting? Look at that. That's a fantastic flower.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55Meconopsis Mop-head.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Not a brilliant name but one of the earliest of the meconopsis
0:26:58 > 0:27:00and it has really got lots of promise.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Many more buds to come. It looks superb.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Well, that's us just about finished.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10We started off - it was almost raining.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Then we had brilliant sunshine, now it's coming on again soon,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16- so let's get on with it. George? - There's your salad.- Salad.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18- I'm not one for using forks.- OK.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22- I'm going to try some of this white radish.- Two different radish.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24There's some pea shoots, there's some of your turnip thinnings.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27- My turnip. - I mean, it's absolutely brilliant.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30And I will also follow your example and have a piece of the radish.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32- That's nice. Really, really sweet. - You're doing awfully well.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36Anyway, we're enjoying the Alpine Garden. Lovely gems here.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39I like that little yellow flower there, George, on your right.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- What do you call it? - This is one of the ranunculus.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44And that is Ranunculus gramineus.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47- Its long, narrow, grass-like... - It's related to the buttercup.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50- That's right.- So elegant. - It is really lovely.
0:27:50 > 0:27:55And then over there we've got this thing called Veronica gentianoides.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58- It looks a wee bit like a small gentian...- That pale blue?- Yeah.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01I quite like the white with the hint of, sort of, purple -
0:28:01 > 0:28:04the aubretia, against the slate. Rather nice. Anyway...
0:28:04 > 0:28:05You've done a good job.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07If you'd like any more information...
0:28:07 > 0:28:09Before we get hit by the willow!
0:28:09 > 0:28:11..all the information is in the fact sheet.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15And the easiest way to access that is online.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18- And next week?- Next week we're being allowed out the garden.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20We're going off to Gardening Scotland,
0:28:20 > 0:28:22the biggest gardening show in Scotland.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24And there's going be lots of plants there.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27Anything from one bonsai to begonias, clematis to cacti.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31So there you go, don't go spending your money at Chelsea,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34come to Gardening Scotland! We'll see you there.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36- Until then, bye-bye! - Bye-bye!- Goodbye!