How to Be a Gardener episode 7: Growing flowers is wonderfully fulfilling. Growing fruit and vegetables is wonderfully filling. To pick and eat your own crops is a great thrill. You know they have been well grown; you know they are fresh and you know that, just like your own baby, they are the best in the world! Here you can discover just…
How to Be a Gardener episode 6: However good a gardener you are, there are always outside agencies that do their best to prevent you succeeding. That’s life. Weeds will invade your beds and borders, pests will fly in to nibble leaves and suck sap, and diseases will spread death and destruction in their wake. But grow your plants well, and know what steps to take…
How to Be a Gardener episode 5: Once your plants are growing you will need to keep them happy. How do you do this, and what sort of tools will you need? Plants need water and food, but when and in what sort of quantities? This module explains the cultivation techniques necessary to keep your plants in fine fettle. Don’t worry; you won’t have to be…
How to Be a Gardener episode 4: When you know what plants you want, and which of them will be happy growing together, it’s tempting to rush off to the garden centre, go mad with the plastic, then come back and chuck them all in. Not a good idea, is it? You’ve done it before and half of them have died. So before you take the…
How to Be a Gardener episode 3: Once you’ve understood the different types of plant and what they can do, you can tackle the job of putting them all together in a garden - working out which ones will look best where, and how they will complement each other. There are lots of different planting styles, from cottage gardens to prairie gardens, tropical borders to bog…
How to Be a Gardener episode 2: Think of your garden as a theatrical production. It's all right - you don't need any artistic training. You are aiming for a variety show that lasts a long time, offers year-round interest and alleviates boredom. The way to achieve this is to use a wide range of plants: from trees and shrubs to climbers, perennials, annuals and bulbs.…
How to Be a Gardener episode 1: You'll need to know what sort of soil you have, how much light there is and the prevailing weather conditions. You wouldn’t dream of moving into a house without taking a look at the area. It’s the same in a garden. Before you can grow anything, you need to know what sort of conditions you have. Then you can…
The Great Northern Garden Build episode 4: A look at the team responsible for growing over 20,000 plants every year, which are planted out into RHS Bridgewater. There's a look at how wildlife is being encouraged into the space with the installation of specialist bird boxes for a range of species, as well as a peek into the progress of the horticultural apprentices as they take…