Real Gardens Episode 13

Real Gardens Episode 13

In this weeks Real Gardens episode 13, Monty Don welcomes us to RHS Hampton Court Flower Show.

Monty Don is in Huddersfield, for a visit to Adam & Katie & family.

We return to Adam Waterman garden in Huddersfield which we visited for the first time in Episode 11.

Adam & Katie & family.

Adam lives with his wife Katie and their 4 young children in a cottage right next to Adam 3 allotments.

Katie is busy with the children and Adam with his allotments so the garden of the cottage has been neglected and they now want it to be a jungle playground for the children to enjoy.

Monty Don Adam & Katie & family.

Adam allotments produce all the organic fruit and vegetables for the vegetarian family using his own style of raised beds.

Monty Don Adam & Katie & family.

Since Monty Don first visit. Adam and Katie have dug some flower beds and have bought some exotic plants. They have extended the trellis to be 6ft in height. 

Adam has some bark chippings ready to be the base of a willow cave he wants to create. He has the live willow ready to weave. But first they need to move some plants. 

They save the plants to move elsewhere.

They draw a circle and push the live willows 10 inches into the ground and tie the willow together. Using a diagonal pattern they form the walls of the cave framework. 

Once they have grown they will form the cave roof.

Monty Don Adam

A paint splattered Katie, who has been painting the new extension and the children arrive home, Monty leaves them to enjoy the new cave.


Ann-Marie Powell is in Islington North London, to visit Pat & Sandy, in their Jungle garden

London Cabbie Pat Wallace in Episode 11 really was putting his feet up to enjoy his garden as he had a broken leg! 

His wife Sandy was left to do all the hard work of creating a curved bed in their jungle garden in Islington.

Ann-Marie Powell Pat & Sandy

Returning to see how things are in the garden Ann-Marie Powell, arrives to see the changes to the end of the garden that Pat has been supervising. 

With the help of their friends the shed has been cut in half and they have added some bamboo screening.

Shed

Today's job is to plant some of wife Sandy beloved house leeks on the roof of the shed. Houseleek Sempervivum Tectorum have the superstitious reputation of warding off lightening and would plug the hole to stop the leak!

Sempervivum Tectorum

Sandy has some popsocks and compost to plant them in the willow fencing on top of the shed roof . 

The compost is a mixture of multipurpose compost, silver perlite and sharp sand for drainage as they don't like to be wet.

Pat

Pat cannot climb the ladder so sandy cuts holes in the willow screening to place the popsocks, compost and houseleeks in, they will then spread over the roof.

They add some grey sedums to the edges so they will cascade over.

Using a paintbrush they brush compost through the willow so the plants will spread easier.


Ann-Marie then trims a tree fern to get a better view and adds a antelope horn to the apex of the shed roof to give the jungle look.

shed roof

Next job is to add some underplanting so Pat will come to RHS Hampton Court Flower Show for some inspiration and plant buying! If he can get around!


Carol Klein is in Chulmleigh Devon, to visit Chris & Bill, in their Country garden

Chris and Bill Skeels moved to Devon from Essex to live the country life on their smallholding. 

Chris & Bill garden

We first met the couple in Episode 11 who have lived in their home for 7 years but have yet to complete the house conversion they dreamed of, but have started work on the garden.

They have a decked area and a huge formal area and had started the task of propagating plants in the greenhouse to fill the new area. 


Returning to the Devon garden Carol Klein now needs to fill the ugly bare patch next to the house with some of Chris's propagated plants. 

Carol Klein Chris

The 'naked' shingle bed is the main walkway into the garden, so the placing of the plants needs careful consideration. To emphasise the curve, 

Carol suggests a circular bed which she marks out in the shingle. She then marks out a crescent shaped bed opposite. 

Carol Klein Chris

It currently has scalping stones on it but will be covered in cream stone. they start by digging out the beds after removing the scalping and membrane. 

They dig in gravel and compost to improve the soil.

They are going to plant it with drought tolerant plants, they start by placing out some upright evergreen Sisyrinchium Striatum and a mound of Lotus Hirstutus. They then add a Salvia Argentea and when happy with the design they plant them up. 

planted in gravel

Next they cover the whole area with a thin layer of gravel which they do by hand around the plants. 

Carol Klein Chris and Bill

They sit back to admire the maintenance weed free area.


Now we are off the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show

Monty Don has given each gardener £75 to spend on something for their garden.


Monty Don


Ann-Marie Powell is with Pat & Sandy Wallis.

The show garden they have come to look at is Don Quixote's Backyard The Garden Gang.

Pat first notices the palms but Ann-Marie points out the annuals they have used for the underplanting. 

The marigolds look very vibrant and Pat wants to buy the whole garden complete with folly.

Don Quixote's Backyard The Garden Gang

Now for some shopping. Pat spots a Canna 'Durban' he likes the look of, for ground cover Calathea Crocata and Ann-Marie leaves them to carry on buying.

Flower show


Monty Don is with Adam & Katie Waterman & family.

Adam wants to see You Magazine Go Organic Garden and is impressed with the solid oak surrounds to the raised beds. It would be too expensive for Adam Allotment and when

Monty points out the slate paths again they would be to much for his allotment but last longer than his woodchip.



Adam likes the mix of veg and flowers and spots some purple podded peas that are only available from the Organic Association Seed Library. 

purple podded peas

Adam will take back the idea of using more companion planting.

Wasp/fly trap

Whilst shopping Adam spots a Wasp/fly trap as his child is allergic to wasp stings. The liquid is not approved by the Organic Soil Society but Monty uses Jam and water at home with grease proof paper so Adam will think about this.


Carol Klein is with Chris & Bill Skeels

Chris and Bill have a pond to plant up and are taken by Carol to see Still Waters by World of Water and are impressed by how natural it looks.


Still Waters by World of Water

Most of the planting is natural and Chris likes the Pendulous Sedge Carex Pendula. Bill likes the natural bridge. Chris spots a Flowering Rush Butomus Umbellatus which is now on her shopping list.

Talking of shopping they look at Pickerel Weed Pontedaria Cordata which they buy a bucket size plant for effect. Next is Corkscrew Rush Juncus Effusus F. Spiralis along with the Flowering Rush.

Carol Klein

All the amateur gardeners have taken home loads of ideas for their own gardens.


All photographs are copyright of Channel 4

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