- 5/21/2025
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 episode 6
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00Thanks to flower power.
00:31Hello and welcome back to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
00:36We are now halfway through the week.
00:38Hopefully we've inspired you above all to get growing in the garden at home.
00:43I think that's the key thing. You want people to come here,
00:46see the garden, see the plants, see the exhibits and say,
00:49I can do that, I want that plant, I love this.
00:51Oh, that's how you do it.
00:53Oh yeah, without a doubt.
00:54And what's gone behind that before is a massive team of people
00:59putting this show together.
01:01We've got the crew here, obviously.
01:03We've got all the landscapers, the plants people, the designers.
01:06I love Chelsea for that community feeling of putting on this show.
01:10What you know, because you've done a garden,
01:12is that you build up to it and there are a lot of people involved
01:16and then they all go.
01:18And it's just you and I standing here,
01:20whereas this has been a collective effort.
01:22The other thing I really like, and which is more subtle,
01:25is the interaction between the visitors and the gardens.
01:29Because the visitor is seeing, as we do everything,
01:32but also it's feeding in.
01:34Oh, it is.
01:35Oh, they like that. Let's do a bit more of that.
01:37We sit here waiting, really.
01:39When it's delivered, we're like, OK, come on, what do they think?
01:42And hopefully they've all been inspired.
01:44Well, we've got a whole team standing by tonight
01:47to help you get ready to enjoy your garden at home this summer
01:51with your friends and family.
01:53This is what we've got in store for you
01:55from the Royal Horticultural Society's Chelsea Flower Show 2025,
01:59an event supported by the Newt in Summer Summer.
02:02Coming up, Rachel and I will be exploring how to create the perfect garden
02:07to socialise with your loved ones, no matter the size of your space.
02:11All week, Adam is showing us how to plant the Chelsea way.
02:16And today he has design tips based around creating a woodland scheme,
02:20which is always a favourite here at Chelsea.
02:22Ross Carroll is in the Great Pavilion
02:24to reveal the winner of this year's coveted RHS Plant of the Year,
02:29which is set to become a firm favourite in Borders for years to come.
02:33And I will be chatting with the designer and garden lover, Kevin MacLeod.
02:39Although 145,000 people will come here this week
02:44focused on the show, revelling in all that it has to offer,
02:48actually, this is the home of the Royal Hospital
02:51and the pensioners in it.
02:53And this year, for the first time,
02:55the pensioners themselves have been involved in designing a show garden,
03:00and this is it.
03:02This is the London Square Garden, designed by Dave Green,
03:05and it's going to be relocated just metres behind us
03:08into the grounds of the hospital.
03:10And it's the first time the Chelsea pensioners
03:12will actually have a garden of their own.
03:15A garden which won a gold medal, it's worth pointing out.
03:17Yes, it did.
03:19The shape is interesting, this circular shape.
03:21Well, this shape is actually based, Monty, on a handshake.
03:24So this elliptical kind of coming together,
03:26which I think is a nice starting point from a design perspective
03:29to kind of get you into the gist of the garden.
03:32The planting, I love.
03:34Woodland, soft planting, very natural and wild.
03:37Not necessarily what you would think of
03:40as a sort of an urban military garden, is it?
03:43Well, it's got that softness to it, though.
03:45I think that the Chelsea pensioners,
03:47with their families and friends, where they can relax.
03:49So that relaxed planting immediately is going to invoke that.
03:52I love these arches, which replicate
03:55or pick up the arches in the stables, I believe.
03:58Beautiful wooden arches.
04:00Well, all made out of oak.
04:02Again, another reference, because the acorn is the symbol
04:04for the Chelsea pensioners.
04:06If you are a Second World War film buff, you will recognise...
04:09Which I'm not!
04:11..these, you see, of course.
04:13The girls would move troops around.
04:15I'm not a soldier at all, which is good.
04:17No, but what is very moving about this,
04:20these are old men and women who fought in wars,
04:24coming together, sharing memories.
04:26And I know, I mean, my father was an old soldier.
04:29Sharing memories that they can't talk about to anyone else.
04:32Well, in this sort of setting, it enables that, doesn't it?
04:35Yeah, it brings them together, gives them freedom
04:38to share things that matter to them in a garden setting.
04:41And actually, I have to say, a very beautiful setting.
04:43Absolutely lovely.
04:44I mean, this planting, which we're seeing more and more at Chelsea,
04:47which looks natural, but you know and I know.
04:51Naturalistic is the term, Monty.
04:55And I think also as well, which I'm not sure if you're aware,
04:58so the Chelsea pensioners can only wear their red coats outside
05:02and inside they have to wear their blue outfits.
05:05So that planting colour palette, it's got a little nod to that as well.
05:09So, you know, so, again, this sort of, these little references,
05:12you know, when you're doing a garden, you know, it's very difficult.
05:15You can almost want to be literal, literal, literal about everything
05:17and it can sometimes overwhelm a design,
05:19but I don't think Dave's done that here.
05:21I think what's lovely about this, and I always like it,
05:23you don't need to know any of this to enjoy it.
05:26It's just lovely.
05:28And that is enough.
05:30You know, the fact that you're sharing that loveliness with,
05:33and they are sharing it themselves and you're sharing it from outside,
05:37the little references they know about it, which adds meaning.
05:41But on its own, it's just beautiful.
05:43Oh, it is. I think it's fantastic. It is. Absolutely fantastic.
05:46It's all about socialising, though, bringing people together.
05:49I mean, you know, I love to get into the garden when I can.
05:52You know, my partner, he likes a bit of a barbecue on the go.
05:55Are you a barbecuer?
05:57No, I can't bear socialising at home. I never invite people.
06:00Oh, come on.
06:02Really seriously, I don't, because it's for family.
06:05Right, OK. Family.
06:07The last time we had any kind of friends in the garden
06:11was probably 10, 20 years ago.
06:13So there's no chance I can come down?
06:15Absolutely not. No way at all.
06:17That's so mean, so mean.
06:20Well, Rachel and I have been looking at the inspiration at Chelsea
06:23to help you create your perfect garden to socialise in.
06:27Meanie.
06:38This has to be the most perfect space to just sit with a friend,
06:42have an intimate chat, a tête-à-tête.
06:46And it's really beautiful.
06:48I love the way that the designer, Hamza,
06:50has put the seating right in the heart of the planting
06:53so that you can see all around you all of these wonderful plants.
06:57So on this side, it's a little bit more shady,
06:59these lovely epimediums,
07:01and in through these little windows,
07:03On this side, it's a little bit more shady,
07:05these lovely epimediums,
07:07and in through these lovely soft ferns
07:09and the foxgloves behind me.
07:11And then coming through, the colours just heat up a little bit.
07:14So in the middle, you've got mauves and blues,
07:17this lovely erythema.
07:19And then if you look through these lovely salvias,
07:21you get a view of the hot colours beyond.
07:24So things like the Geum totally tangerine,
07:26the yellow aqua legia.
07:28It's a really lovely kind of layered effect.
07:30The whole thing just feels really pleasing to be in.
07:33And even if you're sitting here on your own,
07:35you've got the bees for company.
08:01Well, this medium-sized garden
08:05would just be the perfect spot
08:07for a slightly larger gathering of friends.
08:09Very sociable space,
08:11because at the very heart of it,
08:13you've got this bowl filled with water,
08:15and it's reflective.
08:17You see the sky, you see the plants around.
08:19It's a very calming effect.
08:21And the planting as well,
08:23lots of interesting plants.
08:25So we've got the hydrangea petiolaris
08:27trained here against the fence,
08:29and you see there's one here which is sort of freestanding.
08:31I've not seen that before.
08:33Lovely sambucas here
08:35with the flowers just beginning to pop.
08:37And a host of perennials around us.
08:39Beautiful things like the little geums,
08:41foxgloves again,
08:43which we've seen quite a lot at Chelsea this year.
08:45It would just be a lovely place to sit.
08:47Look at this aeonium for company
08:49just on the edge of the bench.
08:51What a wonderful place
08:53to share.
08:55And if you have a larger space
08:57where you can host
08:59those big summer gatherings,
09:01there's a lot of inspiration you can take
09:03from the Tackle HIV garden
09:05designed by Menoj Malde.
09:07It has been created as a space
09:09for members of the charity
09:11to come together.
09:13And what a fabulous space it is.
09:15Immediately, I feel like I'm in the entrance.
09:17I'm in where the gathering zone starts.
09:19And it's because it's flanked
09:21by these two borders
09:23that give this kind of lovely
09:25balanced feel as I come into the garden.
09:27Now there are three clear distinct zones.
09:29Here, I love the fact that I can come in,
09:31sit down,
09:33kind of get myself settled,
09:35have this lovely seating area
09:37and be able to look back out onto the space.
09:39But of course you want your guests
09:41to have a talking point
09:43and no better than this wonderful water feature.
09:45Love this water wall
09:47because you've got the sound of the water
09:49splashing in, adding to the bubble
09:51and babble of the chat that's going on.
09:53But also as well,
09:55something like a sculpture,
09:57something that somebody can really talk about
09:59after that party, after that gathering.
10:01Now, when you have water in a garden,
10:03that's really great and I think it's
10:05very clever that the designer
10:07has changed the material so that I know
10:09that I've got something to traverse across
10:11and come into this second zone.
10:13And that's absolutely gorgeous
10:15having a pergola
10:17which is very structural, very upright
10:19but frames this lovely
10:21communal space.
10:23Really lovely.
10:25But sometimes you want to take a bit of time out,
10:27you've got to gather your thoughts,
10:29maybe sit and chat with somebody about some quiet time
10:31and that's when I would sit down
10:33here and look across this
10:35border, planting in your
10:37garden and making sure that if it's
10:39a summer time you've really got some zesty
10:41colours coming through and by using
10:43colours like the yellow and the blue
10:45they really pop off each other.
10:47But the other thing about this zone
10:49is that I can look back
10:51and I can be quiet myself but look back
10:53and see what's happening in the party.
10:55So creating zones within your garden,
10:57making sure that there's some
10:59focal features will really help
11:01to get the party started.
11:03And on that note, I'm going to go and join the team.
11:17I'm not sure
11:19there is anything
11:21more beautiful than a
11:23spring woodland but
11:25how do we take a little
11:27of that magic and
11:29put it in our own garden?
11:37For me, the inspiration
11:39for a woodland garden comes
11:41from a natural woodland
11:43setting and what is the make up?
11:45Think about it, upper canopy,
11:47big trees, admittedly a lot of us
11:49can't grow those in our back garden
11:51but they set that height,
11:53that tone and start
11:55dictating the light. Then we come down a layer,
11:57you've got the saplings starting to push
11:59up through, that's the sort of mid
12:01and maybe in places the lower canopy.
12:03Then you come down another level, around me
12:05you've got the brambles, other people
12:07they're rhododendrons growing
12:09through the woodlands, that's your shrub layer.
12:11But then we go down again
12:13and you've got the brackens
12:15and the ferns, that's your herbaceous perennial
12:17layer. Bulbs, things like
12:19bluebells and snowdrops,
12:21that's your bulb and corn layer.
12:23And this little spot here
12:25is a great way
12:27to visually understand it.
12:33I suppose the first thing we need to talk
12:35about is trees. This is a great example,
12:37you've got a pine which gives you that sort of
12:39evergreen and also the river
12:41birch over the back there.
12:43And then if you come down a layer, look at
12:45the hydrangeas. If the hydrangea,
12:47which is the oak leaf, comes away
12:49we've got a big gap between
12:51the lower canopy and the floor.
12:53So that's how you
12:55bring the trees down into the space.
12:57Alright?
13:01What you can see straight away is texture,
13:03finish, shape.
13:05It's about going, finding plants
13:07that work in your condition and more
13:09or less building a tapestry.
13:11Normally softer, lighter
13:13colours, you know, that lift the light
13:15so you've got the whites, the creams.
13:17But I don't even think you need
13:19that much space.
13:25We're going to talk
13:27soil. So if you want to create
13:29an area like this, give the soil
13:31some love. Organic matter,
13:33you know, compost, manure,
13:35or even leaf mold. And
13:37have a look. Now this is a Chinese
13:39fringe tree so it will get big.
13:41But the principle is fantastic because it's
13:43a multi-stem. The branches are lower
13:45to the ground so you can take out
13:47that sort of shrub layer. And then it's back to
13:49that woodland floor. And here,
13:51they've used some epimedium and some
13:53ferns. It's that simple.
13:59You can still create
14:01that wonderful woodland magic.
14:03You don't need a lot of space
14:05just to create a cool,
14:07calm place in the garden.
14:15The designers, Alan Hoskin and
14:17Robert Bodner, have
14:19created this pathway garden
14:21with a fundamental woodland scheme.
14:23But the whole point of this is that
14:25this is designed to be a space
14:27that is restorative.
14:29And above all, highlights
14:31the importance of the connections
14:33between all our communities,
14:35particularly to support people
14:37experiencing homelessness.
14:39And very often homeless people, one of the features
14:41is they feel disconnected.
14:43And the garden does this very
14:45powerfully in all kinds of ways. So let's start
14:47with the path itself. Immediately you
14:49see that they're different shapes
14:51but they're all beautifully
14:53fitted together. And that's a
14:55very simple metaphor. We're all different shapes,
14:57we're all odd, but we have to fit.
14:59And that works as the garden
15:01comes through. And as you come through the planting,
15:03through the woodland, you have the alders
15:05there, lovely woodland
15:07under planting. I love that gallium and the geranium.
15:09And then these stark, strong
15:11white pillars.
15:13Now these are made from mycelium.
15:15These are the threads of fungus
15:17that run underground.
15:19We see the mushrooms and the toadstool, but there is this
15:21vast interconnection
15:23underground. And of course
15:25it symbolises the connection that we need
15:27in our lives. Even if we are
15:29not homeless or we don't know anyone homeless,
15:31they are part of our lives
15:33and that's important. The path curves
15:35on round, it's circular,
15:37no dead ends.
15:39This is, again, representing
15:41the need for inclusivity,
15:43nothing shut off.
15:45Very simple planting,
15:47lots of green, but that's
15:49calm and soft. And one of
15:51the things that stroke me is that
15:53the connection,
15:55you need so many plants
15:57to make this work, although there aren't
15:59that many here, you need over 300
16:01ferns I'm told, 360.
16:03There are thousands of coppice
16:05hazel
16:07making the fence. This is a
16:09recycled tree.
16:11Everything connecting, recycling,
16:13bringing back, keeping the theme
16:15and yet creating a space
16:17that actually is quite simple,
16:19very calm, beautiful water feature
16:21simply there.
16:23And it comes together
16:25and it has the great skill
16:27and power of not trying to do
16:29too much horticulturally
16:31and yet with a very powerful
16:33message. And as
16:35such, I think it works
16:37superbly.
16:41RHS Chelsea really
16:43shows us the power gardens can
16:45not only have on our own health,
16:47but also for wildlife if we all work
16:49together. Take the Somburg
16:51Survival Garden, it's one of the all
16:53plant gardens hoping to encourage
16:55families to make small changes
16:57at home to help reverse the decline
16:59in songbirds as Jamie has
17:01been to discover.
17:07This beautiful garden
17:09by Nicola Oakley is highlighting
17:11the fact that we've lost
17:13a staggering 50%
17:15of our songbird population
17:17since just 1995.
17:19As a plantsman
17:21I was genuinely shocked
17:23to hear this.
17:25This garden gives me so much encouragement.
17:27Nicola has created a space
17:29that showcases you can have a
17:31garden that is not only beautiful
17:33but also brilliant for our songbirds.
17:35Fusing the two
17:37together and creating space
17:39in which we can exist together
17:41and garden together.
17:47One of the ways Nicola has achieved this
17:49is through her clever use
17:51of tree species.
17:53This is a hawthorn, but it's not just
17:55any hawthorn. This is Crataegus
17:57prunifolia. These
17:59fawns help to create a really safe
18:01space that will prevent cats or anything
18:03else from getting up there while the birds
18:05are nesting. It provides somewhere
18:07for the birds to be able to look down
18:09on the garden making sure there are no predators.
18:11And in the autumn
18:13has the most fantastic huge
18:15fruits.
18:17And then running all the way through
18:19the middle of the garden is this
18:21shaggy yew hedging.
18:23From a design perspective
18:25it's really important for shaping
18:27and forming the garden providing structure.
18:29But from a songbird perspective
18:31it's a critical place to hide.
18:33Next to the hedge over here
18:35is somewhere for the birds to
18:37bath and that's when they're most
18:39vulnerable. So by having that quite close
18:41to the hedge, if they did have a predator
18:43they can quickly escape
18:45into the safety of this beautiful
18:47Texas hedge.
18:53Being in the all about plants
18:55category, it's naturally
18:57the planting that brings this garden
18:59to life. Every single one of these
19:01plants has a different benefit
19:03to the songbirds.
19:05But my favourite plant is actually
19:07a weed. It's this teasel.
19:09Their seed heads are a fantastic
19:11food source for goldfinches.
19:13Water puddles in between
19:15the leaves creating a mini bath
19:17for them to drink from.
19:19And I think my favourite bit is actually
19:21this plant has aphids.
19:23Something designers would normally get really
19:25upset about. But it's a
19:27fantastic food source.
19:33This is a
19:35truly stunning garden.
19:37And I've learnt so much just going around
19:39looking at all the attention to detail.
19:41Why are songbirds so important?
19:43I think for gardeners, songbirds are just
19:45an integral part of being in the garden.
19:47You know, whether that's hearing their
19:49song or having them with us
19:51seeing robins or blackbirds as
19:53we're working. And I think as well
19:55birds are so important because
19:57they really garden together with us.
19:59So we rely on them and
20:01then they give us so much as well.
20:03Huge congratulations. Thank you.
20:09Now, it's time for today's
20:11pick of the pavilion where we celebrate
20:13the displays created by the
20:15exhibitors here at RHS Chelsea.
20:17And tonight, Francis
20:19is shining a spotlight
20:21on the displays created by
20:23this year's florists.
20:27Floristry is such an important part
20:29of the Chelsea Flower Show and every year
20:31the best of the best come here to display.
20:33So whether you're a seasoned professional
20:35or a newbie cutting your teeth,
20:37this is the place to be.
20:41These are the creative
20:43spaces and they give florists
20:45complete artistic freedom. And I love
20:47how, although we're all used to seeing branches
20:49now in flower arrangements, these are pretty much
20:51whole trees. And there are even
20:53plantains featured instead of flowers.
20:55So I think scale and thinking
20:57big seems to be a theme
20:59in this area.
21:03These are the floral creations and they're
21:05a series of stands that are judged
21:07based on theme. Now this year's theme
21:09is texture and it gives florists
21:11a chance to really create something
21:13expressive and intricate
21:15in the hope of winning the very
21:17prestigious RHS Chelsea
21:19Florist of the Year Award.
21:23This really beautiful display by
21:25Leila Robinson encapsulates that
21:27theme of texture so well and it's made
21:29entirely using dried flowers.
21:31It's really beautiful but
21:33if you were not an experienced florist,
21:35creating something like this might seem
21:37like a really daunting thing to do.
21:43For anyone who wants to have a go at
21:45creating a floral display but doesn't necessarily
21:47know how to, Poppy Sturley has
21:49created this lovely installation that breaks
21:51down the process. So you have
21:53the pot at the beginning and then starting with
21:55the flowers you have structure being created.
21:57The next stage is giving some depth
21:59and volume so there's peonies and anemones
22:01that have been added to bring colour
22:03and bigger blooms. Highlights
22:05with some slightly paler flowers
22:07and then finally movement
22:09and that's been created by adding these
22:11lupine flowers with lovely
22:13curves in them and that is your
22:15finished display so it really makes it
22:17easy for new florists
22:19to have a go.
22:25For the florists who display
22:27their work here, these competitions
22:29are not just a great showcase.
22:31They can be career defining
22:33moments and earlier
22:35we caught the moment when this year's winner
22:37Dekki Yin was awarded
22:39RHS Chelsea Florist of the Year.
22:41Congratulations you have
22:43Florist of the Year!
22:45That's so crazy!
22:47He looks so
22:49happy and deservedly so
22:51and this is the winning display.
22:53Firstly you have the woollen structure
22:55which is a seed opening up
22:57to unleash the power of life.
22:59There's lots of wildflowers in here
23:01we have alpha miller mollus,
23:03there's umbels and there's nigellas.
23:05Against them these flame lilies
23:07really contrast so beautifully
23:09but the whole floral area
23:11shows us that when we're doing floral
23:13displays we can be as creative as we like
23:15and the only thing really that we're limited
23:17by is our own imagination.
23:19There are so many creative ideas
23:21for floristry this year
23:23and you might also brighten up your home
23:25with plants like orchids
23:27known for their elegant and exotic flowers.
23:29For one grower in the Great Pavilion
23:31his love for the plant
23:33has helped him connect with fellow
23:35enthusiasts at his local plant fair.
23:37Now, with a little help
23:39from his new friends
23:41he's making his debut at RHS Chelsea.
23:43He's making his debut at RHS Chelsea.
23:45He's making his debut at RHS Chelsea.
23:47Come on Ralph!
23:49At this time of the year
23:51we often see tulips,
23:53hyacinths, daffodils
23:55and other spring treasures commonly
23:57in people's gardens
23:59but I like something a little bit different.
24:01I like any unusual plants
24:03but particularly orchids.
24:05Orchids are my big love in life.
24:07My name is Dino Zelenica
24:09I'm an orchid specialist of 20 years.
24:11This is my tropical greenhouse
24:13where I grow mostly orchids
24:15more than 200 of them.
24:19Orchids are the most diverse
24:21family of flowering plants on the planet.
24:23They grow on every continent
24:25except Antarctica.
24:27Their colours come in every colour of the rainbow.
24:29They also come in every shape and size
24:31you can imagine.
24:35This is Renanthara imchutiana
24:37I grew this orchid
24:39down on the shelf for three years
24:41it never flowered.
24:43I then hung it up
24:45in the sunniest possible position
24:47in the greenhouse
24:49and it flowered straight away.
24:51Ever since I was very small
24:53flowers and plants were always my big passion.
24:55When I would be out and about
24:57walking with my family
24:59if I would see a flower I would pick it immediately.
25:07When I was six years old
25:09I went to a flower shop with my mother
25:11and I remember there were
25:13white Phalaenopsis corsages
25:15packed individually in clear boxes.
25:17I said, oh mum can you buy it for me?
25:19She said, no forget about it, it's an orchid
25:21that's too hard to grow, it'll die straight away.
25:23And I remember saying to myself then
25:25one day I'm going to grow these plants
25:27I'm going to grow them well.
25:31Here we have two Wanda orchids
25:33both of them are indigenous to Indonesia.
25:35They tend to grow what we call aerial roots
25:37all along the stem and around
25:39and you want to actually just leave those alone
25:41it means the plant is happy
25:43particularly if the roots have these beautiful
25:45jade green tips.
25:47So it has been a very warm spring
25:49which means flower spikes have developed
25:51faster than usual this year.
25:53I would have hoped it was at this stage in early May
25:55but I am confident we're keeping them
25:57a bit cooler here on the floor
25:59they will be nice and fresh for Chelsea Flower Show.
26:03I was born in Mostar in today's
26:05Bosnian Herzegovina but at that time
26:07I was in Yugoslavia.
26:09When war broke out in April of 1992
26:11I was ten months old.
26:13So the lowest point probably came
26:15when my mother and I were expelled
26:17at gunpoint from our home
26:19at around four o'clock in the morning.
26:21I spent my first birthday in a hotel
26:23which turned into a refugee camp.
26:25After the war Bosnian Herzegovina
26:27was in a place of very deep post-war poverty.
26:29My mother worked in the UN
26:31where she met my English stepfather
26:33and she decided to go with him to England
26:35so we could all have a better future.
26:37I never ever imagined
26:39I'd one day be participating
26:41in the most famous flower show on the planet.
26:43I mean, to me it's just mad to think
26:45I've come all the way.
26:47I've never worked full-time in orchids
26:49or never worked full-time in horticulture at all
26:51and it's just, you know, I'm an individual
26:53going to Chelsea Flower Show
26:55and it just makes it all feel even more surreal.
26:59So these need to be kept moist
27:01more or less all year round
27:03make sure it's really thoroughly soaked.
27:05I always use rainwater when I can.
27:07It contains less chlorine
27:09and other elements
27:11which can be detrimental to orchids
27:13but tap water use sometimes
27:15is not a problem at all.
27:19I have a misting system in here
27:21and it leaves a white residue
27:23and I'm going to clean it off with some olive oil
27:25and this will not harm the plant at all.
27:27Olive oil is a natural product
27:29but the leaves will look beautiful and shiny.
27:31So for Chelsea, all my orchids
27:33will be cleaned in the same way
27:35with olive oil so they'll be nice
27:37clean and glossy, ready for the show.
27:41The number one challenge
27:43when you're a small grower is always
27:45not having enough plants
27:47and that's also true for me because
27:49although I've got some nice plants here
27:51and I'm happy with the way they're going
27:53I will be needing more plants
27:55and for that I'm going to draw on the community
27:57the plant community to help me.
28:00I've come to the Bristol Rare Plants and Orchid Fair.
28:03I organised the first one last year
28:05and this year, as I still need more things
28:07for my Chelsea display, I've come to see
28:09what I can find.
28:11It's my first time here
28:13and it's been amazing.
28:15It's a lot bigger than I expected.
28:17I've never seen this many orchids
28:19in one space before.
28:23This Sologyne chinensis
28:25I've actually seen in the wild
28:27myself in Burma
28:29and then this fantastic Miltonia cuneata
28:31comes from the cloud forests of Brazil.
28:33I adore the contrast
28:35between the white lip
28:37and the brown sepals.
28:39These indigenous Japanese orchids
28:41are absolutely exquisite.
28:43There are two varieties of Neophenetia falcata here
28:45They're two species among
28:47some 300 which Japan has.
28:4930 of those are epiphytic which means
28:51they're growing trees. In ancient times
28:53these were grown by samurai warriors in Japan.
28:57There's two very special orchids
28:59which I need for my display
29:01and I think I know a grower
29:03who can help me out.
29:05My good friend Zsuzsa from Spazotic Plants.
29:07This is the first one we've grown for you
29:09which is a vanilla plant.
29:11That's amazing. This looks even better
29:13than what I thought it would.
29:15People don't realise that vanilla is an orchid.
29:17Yes, because it's a climber
29:19so you would think it's just a trading plant
29:21but actually this is an orchid.
29:23There's another brilliant specimen
29:25and I love how architectural the leaves are.
29:31It's been an incredible day here in Bristol.
29:33I'm obviously brimming with ideas
29:35and I've got two fantastic specimens here
29:37which I'm going to use.
29:41This is the very first time
29:43I'm an exhibitor at Chelsea Flowers Show.
29:45I have been a visitor. I visited for the first time
29:47when I was 15 years old.
29:4920 years later I'm now an exhibitor
29:51and I'm very excited at this opportunity.
29:53Of course I'm aiming for a gold medal
29:55but I'll be happy for any sort of medal
29:57because I think just to be at Chelsea
29:59just to win anything is a huge, huge privilege.
30:09One of the ways that people come together
30:13in the world of horticulture
30:15is to form groups and societies
30:17some of which are very general
30:19like the Hardy Plant Society here
30:21some of which are particularly niche.
30:23They may have not many people
30:25that are interested in them
30:27but those that are
30:29are absolutely fascinated
30:31and they can share their knowledge.
30:33It doesn't matter what plants we're talking about
30:35but what does matter
30:37is that by coming together
30:39and sharing the knowledge of the plants
30:41the experience of growing them
30:43ways and means of adapting and changing
30:45that becomes a communal knowledge
30:47which is then disseminated
30:49out into the world of gardening.
30:57The plant heritage selection
30:59here in the pavilion
31:01is a range of stands
31:03showing different plants
31:05and all of them share the common interest
31:07to conserve and create a living library
31:09of as many different kinds of plants as possible
31:11because they do disappear
31:13and we're not just talking about
31:15the very rare or the very difficult to grow.
31:17We're sitting here surrounded by gorgeous foxgloves.
31:19We all grow foxgloves.
31:21You'd think they're easy
31:23but there are varieties and species
31:25that are disappearing
31:27and you need people to take ownership of that
31:29and preserve them
31:31and that's where the national collections come in.
31:33If you have a national collection of foxgloves
31:35it means it's registered
31:37you grow as many as you can
31:39and you share that knowledge.
31:41Now one of the things about national collections
31:43that surprises people
31:45is that it's not a collection of anything.
31:47The more the better.
31:49With hostas, apparently,
31:51there are as many as 11 national collections
31:53and the point of that is
31:55it increases the library to draw upon
31:57and one of the things that surprises me
31:59is that there are still quite a few plants
32:01awaiting individuals
32:03to come forward
32:05and create collections of them.
32:07Think plants like
32:09companulas, tree pins
32:11all waiting for somebody, maybe you,
32:13to take that mantle on
32:15and conserve them
32:17for posterity.
32:19However, not all groups
32:21that come together
32:23to grow plants
32:25do so across the broad spectrum
32:27like Plant Heritage.
32:29Some of them
32:31are what one really has to call
32:33very niche indeed.
32:39There is, as far as I know,
32:41no group of plants
32:43however unusual
32:45or limited that doesn't
32:47attract its devoted followers.
32:49For instance, bonsai, which is
32:51absolutely lovely,
32:53has the Federation of British
32:55Bonsai Societies.
32:57Groups that come together,
32:59sharing their knowledge,
33:01enlarging all our knowledge
33:03that we can then tap into.
33:05And one of the things I love about this
33:07is that it is open to everybody.
33:09You don't need to be
33:11a botanic garden
33:13or an enormous great garden
33:15in order to have a really important
33:17national collection.
33:19If you've got any kind of growing space
33:21and the knowledge and the love
33:23of a particular group of plants
33:25and you want to do it or feel that you should
33:27or could do it, you can.
33:29It's up to you.
33:35The Alpine Garden Society
33:37is one of the world's
33:39largest specialist plant associations
33:41and has been around for over
33:4395 years.
33:45But that hasn't stopped them innovating.
33:47They're on a drive to convert a whole
33:49new audience to the wonders of alpines.
33:51We joined them on their
33:53mission as they prepared for Chelsea.
34:07Straight down the barrel.
34:09Okay.
34:11My goodness me, it's a real close-up.
34:19We've got a lot of octogenarians
34:21and utmost, but it's got to be
34:23an average age of 70s, I would think.
34:25Unfortunately, it's about
34:2765.
34:29I'm one of the youngest.
34:31We used to be classed as
34:33the young ones.
34:35We do have a bit of
34:37an ageing population
34:39and we need to make it a bit more exciting.
34:41And that needs
34:43a lot of younger inspiration.
34:49I'm Rob Amos.
34:51I am president of the Alpine Garden Society.
34:53Traditionally,
34:55alpines are defined as
34:57plants that will grow above the tree line
34:59in mountains and certainly the society
35:01is interested in those
35:03plants. But you know, as far as
35:05we're concerned, an alpine is any
35:07sort of small, hardy plant
35:09that will happily survive in a British
35:11winter. Yeah, we're not fussy
35:13when it comes to alpines in the society.
35:15Whether it's big and blousy
35:17or small and sophisticated.
35:19You can use them for structure.
35:21You can use them to create habitat.
35:23You can use them for ground cover.
35:25You can use them as a centrepiece.
35:27Alpines are just the perfect garden plant.
35:33At this time of year, you can
35:35see the pulsatillas, which are a particular
35:37favourite of mine, either in flower
35:39or just with those really nice
35:41seed heads. There's still a few narcissus
35:43dotted around. There's also some
35:45saxes, still in flower.
35:47And then in the alpine house, of course, we've got our
35:49loessias now really coming to the fore as well.
35:53With the two-for-bed,
35:55with the crevice beds, they're well established
35:57and certainly excellent habitats
35:59for alpines.
36:01But they're sort of
36:03last century's alpine
36:05garden. And what
36:07I want to achieve is
36:09a more contemporary focus on
36:11things like gardening for wildlife,
36:13providing habitats for pollinators,
36:15that sort of thing. And again, alpines
36:17are excellent for that because you can
36:19have alpines in flower all year
36:21round. So yes, I'd like to see
36:23the AGS really making
36:25the case for alpines
36:27in the modern garden.
36:29We're very
36:31lucky at the Society to have a group
36:33of volunteers who will come in regularly
36:35to keep on top of the garden.
36:37This
36:39garden was
36:41possibly in danger of being lost.
36:43It was fairly run down
36:45so I thought, if we
36:47could get a group of volunteers together
36:49we could perhaps
36:51at least keep the tide back, if nothing
36:53else. And
36:55to my surprise,
36:57when I asked everybody, we had about
36:5912 people come forward to
37:01come and help as volunteers.
37:03They just keep on coming back, it's
37:05lovely. We're thinking now very much
37:07well, you know, how do
37:09alpines fit in the 21st
37:11century? And it's also about
37:13how we can use alpines
37:15to engage
37:17different audiences. If we
37:19aren't able to recruit
37:21new younger members, then like
37:23a lot of clubs and groups, things
37:25are going to fold. So I think
37:27we've got to adapt really.
37:29Obviously having a new younger president
37:31like Rob is fantastic for the Society.
37:33He's keen, he knows
37:35his stuff, he's had a love of
37:37alpines for many, many years
37:39and I think
37:41he's going to be a breath of fresh air.
37:43I'm not sure
37:45my views
37:47differ significantly
37:49from sort of the more traditional alpine
37:51garden. I suppose
37:53I'm more about taking alpines
37:55beyond the garden, really showing
37:57people this is such a fascinating group
37:59of plants, it's something you should be really
38:01interested in. Even if you haven't got a huge
38:03garden, there's going to be something
38:05you can grow.
38:07So our display at
38:09Chelsea this year is going to be centred
38:11around a collection of
38:13troughs and containers.
38:17So what Anne's doing
38:19I think is offering an opportunity
38:21for the general public to see
38:23the fun in growing alpines
38:25and how anyone could
38:27create a little garden.
38:29People just think they're hard to do
38:31until they actually
38:33see something like this put together
38:35and then they think, oh I can do
38:37that. Now for the fun bit.
38:41A little bench.
38:43There, sorted.
38:45We've done
38:47larger display gardens
38:49in the past, but as I say, we're really
38:51about now showing people how to do something
38:53different. No matter what
38:55sort of space they've got, we want to be able to show
38:57them we're the society for them,
38:59these are the plants for you.
39:05I'm here with Rob
39:07now. Rob, you must
39:09be delighted with your medal, Silver
39:11Gill, it's amazing.
39:13Thank you, we are delighted.
39:15The team that put this together has never
39:17exhibited at Chelsea before, so for them
39:19as well, it's amazing.
39:21I think they should be incredibly
39:23proud of themselves. Now I've been looking already
39:25trying to think, what have we got here?
39:27These plants all look so amazing, I'd love
39:29to tell them what we've got.
39:31In this crevice garden,
39:33the Campanula that's just come out
39:35today, the Saxes on the display
39:37have been particularly attracting a lot
39:39of attention. My favourite
39:41though is the Riulia, the cushion
39:43plant, something that really shows you don't need
39:45to be in flower to be spectacular.
39:47No, you don't, but of course
39:49these are brilliant for small spaces
39:51and so looking around all of the display,
39:53of course this is about trying to get
39:55people to be more involved in
39:57alpine plants. Yeah, that's exactly right.
39:59What I'm really trying to
40:01achieve in my role with the
40:03AGS is get the point across, you don't need
40:05a huge garden to grow alpines,
40:07just a small container, a small balcony,
40:09you can have something like this
40:11and it will look fantastic all year round.
40:13So if I'm starting
40:15up with alpines, give me some
40:17of the tips and tricks that I need to do,
40:19because sometimes they look so delicate
40:21and what would I need to do?
40:23So everything on our display
40:25will happily survive outside all year round.
40:27The key thing is well-drained
40:29soil. Think
40:312 to 1 ratio, grit to compost.
40:33If you've got that, alpines
40:35will be happy. Do I have to have a
40:37different orientation? Do they have sunny?
40:39Do they want to have shade? No, I mean, different plants
40:41prefer different things, but
40:43all of these things, as long as
40:45there's not indirect sunlight, a little
40:47bit of shade, they're going to be happy.
40:49I mean, this does look like a
40:51mini landscape shrunk into
40:53one. So what have we got here?
40:55So this one that's been particularly popular
40:57today is a Calisgalaria.
40:59It's a really popular alpine.
41:01Next to it is a Sedum.
41:03And Sedums, they're bomb-proof.
41:05Anyone could grow a Sedum.
41:07So if you're looking to start out with alpines,
41:09that's a really good place to start.
41:11Well, that's really good to know because I think sometimes
41:13people kind of get started with plants and get
41:15really worried. That looks so
41:17complicated. I mean, on some of these ones
41:19here, you've got sort of just simpler,
41:21smaller displays as well.
41:23I mean, do they feel more accessible?
41:25I think so, yeah. And also, you know,
41:27Anne Vail, who's put the sort of
41:29miniature gardens together, really tries to bring out
41:31the fun of alpines with the gnomes, with the
41:33railway figures, just to really show
41:35people, you know, this is what you can do with alpines.
41:37Well, I think you've done an incredible
41:39display, so well done you. Thank you very much.
41:41Whilst plant
41:43societies are a great way
41:45to bring people together, the horticultural
41:47world can also be a fiercely
41:49competitive one, and no battle
41:51is more heated than the coveted
41:53RHS Plant of the Year competition.
41:55Ready to step into
41:57the breach once more is
41:59our Carol.
42:01The Plant of the
42:03Year competition
42:05is an incredibly prestigious event.
42:07For plant breeders
42:09and growers, whether
42:11they're shortlisted or the winner,
42:13it can really boost
42:15a plant's profile.
42:19In third
42:21place is this striking
42:23agapanthus. It's called
42:25Zambezi. It's got
42:27quite broad leaves, and
42:29the green bit in the middle is just
42:31striped gently with gold,
42:33but then it's got these bold yellow
42:35margins to its leaves.
42:37It really is a gorgeous plant.
42:41Now in joint second place,
42:43the judges couldn't choose between
42:45two of the entrants, is this
42:47absolutely majestic
42:49salvia. It's called
42:51Tropicolor Sunrise,
42:53and it really suits the plant.
42:55It's a big leaf salvia,
42:57and it eventually reaches
42:59about three feet in old
43:01money. It's got these glorious
43:03big leaves, and if
43:05you turn them over, this is
43:07one of its innovative qualities,
43:09and that's what they're looking for in this
43:11competition. The back of the leaves
43:13is dark red, but on
43:15top of that are flowers.
43:17Just look at them. Here you can see
43:19the true colour of the flower.
43:21Absolutely brilliant,
43:23vermilion red. It's lovely.
43:28Sharing second
43:30place is this
43:32extraordinary hosta.
43:34It's called Silly String,
43:36and it's quite unlike
43:38the usual hosta with beautiful
43:40heart-shaped leaves.
43:42I love it. I absolutely
43:44love it. It's got this kind of
43:46fountainous habit. It makes
43:48this delightful mound,
43:50and these very, very
43:52glorious, almost blue leaves
43:54have wavy edges to them
43:56as well. Very often when we're
43:58growing hostas, it's just for their
44:00foliage that we grow them, but in
44:02this case, the added attraction
44:04is that it flowers
44:06prolifically.
44:10Drum roll. The winner
44:12of Plant of the Year
44:142025 is this
44:16beautiful Philadelphus.
44:18Petite Perfume
44:20Pink. It's utterly
44:22gorgeous, and it's being
44:24exhibited down here by
44:26Sparsholt College, and it's
44:28the very first pink
44:30flowered Philadelphus,
44:32and I'm lucky enough to have Lucy with me
44:34from Sparsholt College, who
44:36created this glorious display.
44:38We are so proud to have this
44:40plant here. Not only is it really beautiful,
44:42it was bred by a close personal
44:44friend and someone that taught me,
44:46called Alan Postel. He's been breeding plants
44:48for 65 years. He's retired
44:50now, but that didn't stop him tinkering
44:52in his garden on this Philadelphus for the last
44:5410 years. He was determined he wanted
44:56a pink dwarf Philadelphus
44:58with a beautiful scent, and I think he's
45:00pulled it off. It's amazing. He's huge and
45:02definitely achieved it. Well, it
45:04got 43% of the vote,
45:06and it'll certainly
45:08get mine. I totally agree.
45:14Well, here it is, Philadelphus
45:16Petite Perfume Pink.
45:18Well, it's a Philadelphus.
45:20It's got a touch of pink in it.
45:22It's distinctly petite, but I'm not getting the
45:24perfume, but then I am terrible on scent.
45:26It's absolute weak point. Well, it is
45:28great. It does smell. I've had a little whiff
45:30later. I've had a smell of it. I mean, what's interesting
45:32is if this is full
45:34grown, it's a very, very small
45:36plant, but apparently the trend is very
45:38much for smaller, more compact
45:40plants. Well, it's important because, you know,
45:42I've got a small garden, as you know, and I need
45:44patio plants. I want a Philadelphus. I can't
45:46go for a three metre. I want something
45:48like this, and it's really delicate. I think
45:50it's got a lovely, lovely form to it. It's very pretty.
45:52I'm sure it'll do very well. Now,
45:54we've still got plenty to come this
45:56evening from the RHS Chelsea Flowers
45:58Show 2025,
46:00which is an event supported by the
46:02Newt in Somerset. I shall be
46:04talking to Kevin MacLeod
46:06of Grand Designs. And we'll
46:08be taking a look at the large show
46:10gardens in contention for this
46:12year's BBC RHS
46:14People's Choice Award before sharing
46:16how you can vote. And it is
46:18worth stressing, it really
46:20is the people's vote. We don't have
46:22an input. The RHS doesn't have an
46:24input. Nothing to do with the judges.
46:26Nope. It's just whichever way it goes.
46:32Dino, you must be so
46:34excited. You made it. You are here in the
46:36pavilion. Yes, it's so absolutely
46:38fantastic to be here because never in a million
46:40years could I dream that one day I'd
46:42be exhibiting at the most prestigious flower show
46:44in the world. Well, you are.
46:46And I have to say,
46:48coming to see these orchids, they look
46:50absolutely exquisite. I don't really
46:52know where we should start. Do you
46:54have a favourite? My personal
46:56favourite is this one here.
46:58It's got these amazing
47:00scarlet-coloured flowers. This is actually
47:02my own personal plant. And the
47:04flowers have been fresh already for two months. It's amazing.
47:06Very eye-catching. Well, they're absolutely
47:08amazing. So tell me, this one
47:10for example, how easy
47:12or not is it to grow?
47:14It is relatively easy to
47:16grow, but it's difficult to flower. It requires
47:18lots of light. Much more
47:20light than an average house can provide. So I
47:22grow this in my greenhouse. It's hung up very high
47:24against the south-facing wall.
47:26Right. So it flowers nicely, but in a
47:28house it would be difficult. Okay, so let's
47:30pretend then, let's think about something.
47:32In my house, is there any of these orchids
47:34here that I could grow a bit more easily?
47:36Tell me about how I'd do that. Something a little bit more
47:38easy. I love these Mazdavalias.
47:40So this
47:42likes quite cool conditions. So like
47:44a cool bathroom or a cool kitchen.
47:46And it likes to be kept moist all year round.
47:48But what I love the most, again, these very
47:50striking red-coloured flowers
47:52that you can even see from a distance.
47:54Well, it is absolutely stunning. So, I mean, what I
47:56really enjoyed watching
47:58your whole journey to get here,
48:00you involved so many of your orchid growers.
48:02I mean, tell me, how do they
48:04feel about the fact you're here?
48:06They're very excited for me.
48:08So yes, and they've all been sending very positive
48:10messages and they're delighted to see their plants being used
48:12as a display. You know, it's all a joint effort.
48:14Lots of people helped me come here.
48:16It certainly wasn't just me on my own.
48:18Well, I mean, it was a joint effort
48:20and being part of that plant community is great.
48:22But what has it been like being with all these other
48:24growers at the show? Oh, it's been
48:26absolutely amazing and we've had some time to
48:28talk to each other and get to know each other.
48:30It's been really fun meeting people from all around the
48:32world and we all share the same passion for plants.
48:34Well, you are clearly passionate.
48:36I mean, I can't believe you've been growing orchids
48:38for 20 years. This display, I think,
48:40looks incredible. So tell me,
48:42what was your medal? What did you get?
48:44So I got a silver gilt. Wow.
48:46Wow. And you just wanted, you were happy
48:48with any medal. You got silver gilt.
48:50Yes. Well, you know, I am hoping
48:52that we're going to see you again.
48:54Me too. I'd love to come back here.
48:56It's been absolutely amazing. Brilliant.
48:582026 then. Yes. It's the date.
49:00I really hope so, yes. Well done.
49:02Thank you very much.
49:06Now,
49:08today I'm delighted
49:10to be joined by a man well
49:12known for his knowledge of design
49:14and craftsmanship.
49:16And I don't think there's anybody out
49:18there who knows the challenges of a
49:20big build better
49:22than Kevin MacLeod.
49:24I mean, Kevin, we have to talk
49:26about grand designs because
49:28how many years is it now?
49:3026 this year. I think 25 last year.
49:32I mean, not as long as gardeners
49:34world, it has to be said. We can bandy
49:36that around. But
49:38you must have seen, we've all seen
49:40through the shows, but
49:42people, quite frankly,
49:44making a real pig's ear of the whole business
49:46of incorporating a garden, being
49:48obsessed by the building. Well, yes.
49:50I mean, and of course, occasionally
49:52getting it right. And I sort of think that
49:54you know, we have to get the series
49:56out, which means getting a finished building. And that's
49:58when the excavators are still
50:00working outside and trampling
50:02and compressing the ground.
50:04And so people go to work on their garden sometimes
50:06years later. And it's glorious to be able to go
50:08back. And I sort of feel that in a
50:10way we can measure time in buildings
50:12with children because you
50:14go back and people have got a few more grey hairs
50:16but actually the children have all grown into adults
50:18in 10 years. And the other
50:20metric is trees.
50:22And we went back to the very first episode
50:24we ever filmed for our anniversary.
50:26And the house is identical.
50:28It's exactly the same inside and out. Same sofas.
50:30Everything. But the trees,
50:32which was, it was just an empty field.
50:34The house is now surrounded by a forest.
50:36And that is, for me, the most
50:38magical, the
50:40great privilege of seeing
50:42this happen over time, is seeing the way that
50:44nature kind of
50:46grows and springs to make it complementary.
50:48But actually, the great magic of gardens
50:50I think, is that
50:52first 20 years. Yeah.
50:54Seeing the growth through. Yeah.
50:56And the excitement of planting and then, you know,
50:58nurturing and, at the moment, watering
51:00in order to bring something
51:02on that you
51:04hope in 20 years' time will
51:06bring utter
51:08joy and transform the landscape.
51:10And the funny thing about walking around here
51:12meeting all these standholders, you know,
51:14the guys who've built the gardens.
51:16All they want to talk about is the difficulties of making
51:18a Chelsea garden. And all I want to do is just
51:20admire and drink the
51:22spirit of what they've achieved, of course.
51:24Which is, you know, is magical.
51:26I mean, this is glorious.
51:28So, tell me, are you a gardener?
51:30Oh, yeah. No, very much. I'm a gardener
51:32and a garden builder and maker
51:34and I wouldn't say I'm brilliant
51:36at all. I'm not. And I probably
51:38need a bit more help than I get.
51:40Luckily, I have
51:42a wife who is a brilliant plant sweeper
51:44and I am able
51:46to then kind of just potter around and do the
51:48maintenance and grow fruit. And having
51:50seen people
51:52over such a long time
51:54with their dreams and their plans and making
51:56out, what have you learnt in terms
51:58of a garden? If anyone is setting out to make
52:00a garden, what's the advice that will come from you?
52:02Well, I suppose it's sort of, as
52:04is the case with buildings, is that too often a building's
52:06design is determined by the location,
52:08by the aspect, by the context, by the
52:10site, by the climate, by the
52:12latitude.
52:14And gardens, of course, even more
52:16sensitively respond
52:18to those things. And so, I don't
52:20see... I think, I
52:22suppose, as with interiors,
52:24it always disappoints me when somebody
52:26simply produces something that they
52:28think their neighbours are going to like.
52:30And it's the idea of architecture and
52:32gardens, which are sort of personal
52:34edens, representing
52:36human beings, us. And so
52:38for a garden not
52:40to respond to its context,
52:42not to respond to the building
52:44or other buildings, not to respond to the people
52:46who own it, that to me seems to be...
52:48Make it personal and put it into context.
52:50It's a perfect place to finish.
52:52Thank you very much for talking
52:54to us. Enjoy the rest of the show
52:56and keep on with Grand Design
52:58for another 26 years. Monty, I'll
53:00match you. Thank you.
53:06Earlier this afternoon on BBC One
53:08we gave you a guide to all of
53:10the large show gardens in the
53:12running for this year's BBC
53:14RHS People's Choice Award.
53:16If you missed them, here's a quick reminder
53:18of the six gardens you can
53:20choose from.
53:22The Glasshouse
53:24Garden, designed by Joe
53:26Thompson.
53:32Hospice UK
53:34Garden of Compassion, designed
53:36by Tom Hoblin.
53:42The King's Trust
53:44Garden Seeding Success,
53:46designed by
53:48Joe Perkins.
53:52The
53:54Hospital Field Arts Garden, designed
53:56by Nigel Dunnett.
54:02The
54:04Avonade Intelligent Garden,
54:06designed by Tom Massey
54:08and Jaya.
54:11The
54:13Chino Niwa
54:15Japanese Tea Garden, designed
54:17by Kazuyuki Ishihara.
54:21To vote, go to
54:23bbc.co.uk
54:25forward slash Chelsea. This is where
54:27you can find more information on the
54:29six gardens in contention, the
54:31terms and conditions are there, and the
54:33privacy notice. And you have until
54:35eight o'clock tomorrow evening, Thursday
54:37the 22nd of May, to vote
54:39with the winner being announced on
54:41Friday evening on BBC One. Now that's
54:43not long. And remember,
54:45please don't try and vote if you're
54:47watching on demand after the vote
54:49has closed. But now
54:51we still have got time for some
54:53of your questions. Go on, I'm far away.
54:55Hit me with some questions. I'm going to hit you with some
54:57questions. So, on the socials, we've got
54:59wildflowersgrows79.
55:01What are the best
55:03long-lasting flowers
55:05for pots on a patio?
55:07Well, everybody thinks
55:09of pots on a patio
55:11as being sunny, whereas
55:13actually, I've got lots of pots in shade
55:15and not all patios are in sun.
55:17I'm a great fan of
55:19ferns for pots,
55:21fosters for pots,
55:23that will thrive in deep shade
55:25or dappled shade,
55:27look good for a long time,
55:29and some of them
55:31throughout winter. So don't just
55:33think about sunshine. Which is good,
55:35which you're absolutely right, I think.
55:37Obviously, people want a bit of a sunny
55:39patio spot. I would say
55:41think Mediterranean, because containers
55:43dry out, so your lavenders,
55:45your salvias,
55:47they last well. So yeah,
55:49shade or sun.
55:51That's good. So we've got
55:53Heather on socials. What is
55:55the best way to deadhead geums?
55:57Do they re-bloom
55:59throughout the summer?
56:01Depends on the geum, I'd say.
56:03Yes, and also, if you're deadheading
56:05anything, always remember
56:07the rule of go back to
56:09something. Don't just pull off the
56:11petals or the flower head. Go
56:13right back, and sometimes it's a whole stem.
56:15With geums, the stem can be really quite long,
56:17to another bud or
56:19a leaf. That's number one.
56:21Different geums, they won't flower as well.
56:23They won't flower, but if you've got
56:25something like Totally Tangerine,
56:27Mai Tai, they're a little bit more reliable.
56:29But like you say, this is their
56:31prime now, really. This is the geum season, yeah.
56:33Enjoy it. Yeah, definitely.
56:35Okay, see if we can get to Kat.
56:37She's also got a question.
56:39What kind of evergreen, small tree or
56:41large shrub, if you're like this,
56:43will do well in heavy clay and
56:45part shade? Heavy clay, that's me.
56:47Yeah, that's you. Well, not you.
56:49Avoid that evergreen,
56:51because it likes drainage above all else.
56:53Something like Sarkococca? Sarkococca
56:55could do, although
56:57I've got some that grow a bit
56:59Portuguese Laurel.
57:01I actually, you know, it's much
57:03reliable. It will clip well, it's good shade,
57:05take any amount of shade.
57:07And it's pretty hard core, isn't it?
57:09Can't go wrong with that. If we've got time,
57:11one more question, see if we can get it in.
57:13I've recently planted a huge azalea
57:15in a pot. What's the best way
57:17to deadhead and treat it? Well, deadhead
57:19it will do nicely. That, you just can take the
57:21petals off, but above all, keep the air
57:23moist. So spray it down.
57:25Keep it moist. Not soaking wet,
57:27just moist. And maybe a little feed.
57:29Okay, that's it. Okay.
57:31That's all we've got time for tonight, I'm afraid.
57:33So Nicky and Angelica will be
57:35on BBC One tomorrow at 2pm,
57:37where they'll be helping you make the
57:39most of nature in your garden.
57:41And I will be back
57:43with Rachel tomorrow evening
57:45at 8 o'clock. So until then,
57:47bye-bye. Good night.
57:57Music
58:27Oh dear.
58:29Calum is...
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