Gardeners’ World 2023 – Compilations episode 1: The team celebrates the joy that gardens and gardening can bring by looking back at some of their seasonal highlights. Monty Don harvests tomatoes from the greenhouse and plants out some of his favourite flowers for long-lasting summer colour, heleniums.
Carol Klein pays an inspirational trip to an early summer garden in Wiltshire, Toby Buckland meets a passionate gardener in Devon who has created and nurtured her garden over the last 60 years, and Rachel de Thame visits the garden of hairstylist Sam McKnight. There’s also a young gardener in Cumbria with a passion for dahlias and a dedicated grower whose allotment is towering with structural plants, as well as another look at films from viewers’ own gardens.
Gardeners’ World is a long-running British gardening programme that started on 5 January 1968. It was described as “a weekly series for gardeners, advanced and beginners, throughout the British Isles”. It picked up where its forerunner – Gardening Club – left off, and also featured that programme’s much loved presenter, the knowledgeable and down-to-earth Percy Thrower. The programme covers various aspects of gardening, such as plants, wildlife, design, techniques, tips and advice. It also features visits to gardens around the country and interviews with experts and enthusiasts.
The current main presenter is Monty Don, who hosts the show from his own garden in Herefordshire. He is joined by other regular presenters such as Carol Klein, Adam Frost, Arit Anderson, Frances Tophill and Nick Bailey. Gardeners’ World is a popular and influential programme that celebrates the joy of gardening and inspires people to create beautiful and productive gardens of their own
Gardeners’ World 2023 – Compilations episode 1
How to grow dahlias
Dahlias are beautiful flowers that come in a range of colours, sizes and shapes. They can brighten up any garden with their showy blooms from summer to late autumn. With showy blooms in a range of colours, sizes and shapes, dahlias light up sunny borders through summer and into late autumn. They suit most garden styles, from tropical to cottage borders, and smaller types can be grown in containers. As dahlia aren’t hardy, they need protection over winter. Here are some tips on how to grow dahlias:
- Dahlias need plenty of sun, at least 6 hours a day, but prefer some afternoon shade in hot climates. They also need protection from strong winds that can damage their stems and flowers.
- Dahlias grow best in moist, well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter such as compost, leaf mould and manure. You can improve the soil by digging in these materials before planting.
- Dahlias are grown from tubers, which are swollen underground stems that store food for the plant. You can buy tubers from nurseries or online suppliers, or divide existing plants in spring. Choose healthy tubers that have at least one eye or bud on them.
- Plant the tubers about 4 inches deep and 18 inches apart in holes that have some compost, bone meal and dry fertilizer added to them. Stake tall varieties at planting time so you don’t damage the tuber later. Water well after planting and keep the soil moist but not soggy throughout the growing season.
- Pinch out the growing tips of young plants when they reach about 12 inches tall to encourage bushy growth and more flowers. Remove any side shoots that appear below the first pair of leaves to prevent weak stems.
- Feed your dahlias every two weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the flowering season. Deadhead faded flowers regularly to prolong blooming and prevent seed formation. Cut back any diseased or damaged foliage as soon as you notice it.
- Dahlias are not hardy and will not survive frost or freezing temperatures. In fall, after the first frost has blackened the foliage, cut back the stems to about 6 inches above ground level and carefully lift the tubers with a fork or spade. Shake off any excess soil and let them dry for a few days in a cool, airy place.
- Store your tubers over winter in boxes or crates filled with slightly moist peat moss, vermiculite or sand. Keep them in a dark, cool (40°F to 50°F) and frost-free place until spring, when you can replant them or divide them if needed.
How to prune rambling roses
Rambling roses are vigorous climbers that produce masses of fragrant flowers in summer. They need regular pruning to keep them healthy, tidy and under control. Rose pruning ensures that plants grow vigorously and flower well each year. If left, rambling roses can become a tangled mess of branches with very few flowers. Although often considered complicated, rose pruning is not difficult if you follow this guide. Here are some tips on how to prune rambling roses:
- The best time to prune rambling roses is in late summer or early autumn, right after they have finished flowering. This way, you can see which stems have flowered and which ones are new growth.
- Use sharp secateurs or loppers to cut back any dead, diseased or damaged stems, as well as any that cross over each other or grow in unwanted directions. Remove them at the base or where they join a main stem.
- Prune back all the side shoots that have flowered by about two thirds, or to three or four buds from the main stem. This will encourage new growth and more flowers next year.
- If your rambling rose has become too big or overgrown, you can also remove some of the oldest stems completely at ground level. This will make room for new stems that will flower better and be easier to train.
- Tie in any new stems that you want to keep to a support such as a trellis, pergola or fence. You can bend them horizontally or diagonally to create more flowering points along their length. Secure them with soft twine or ties that won’t damage the stems.
- Don’t deadhead your rambling roses, as they produce attractive hips (fruits) that add colour and interest in autumn and winter, and provide food for birds.
How to prune climbing roses
Climbing roses are beautiful and fragrant plants that can cover walls, fences, pergolas and arches with their blooms. They need regular pruning to keep them healthy, tidy and under control. Rose pruning ensures that plants grow vigorously and flower well each year. If left, climbing roses can become a tangled mess of branches with very few flowers. Although often considered complicated, rose pruning is not difficult if you follow this guide. Here are some tips on how to prune climbing roses:
- The best time to prune climbing roses is in late winter or early spring, before they start growing new shoots. This way, you can see the structure of the plant and avoid cutting off any buds.
- Use sharp secateurs or loppers to remove any dead, diseased, damaged or spindly branches at the base or where they join a main stem. These will not produce good flowers and may affect the health of the plant.
- Identify the main stems of your rose that provide the support and shape for the plant. These are usually long, thick and woody stems that grow from the base or along a horizontal wire or trellis. Do not cut these stems unless they are too old or crowded.
- Tie in any new shoots that you want to keep to fill in any gaps or extend the coverage of your rose. You can bend them horizontally or diagonally to create more flowering points along their length. Secure them with soft twine or ties that won’t damage the stems.
- Prune back any side shoots that have flowered by about two thirds of their length, or to three or four buds from the main stem. This will encourage new growth and more flowers next year.
- Don’t deadhead your climbing roses during the flowering season, as some varieties produce attractive hips (fruits) that add colour and interest in autumn and winter.