Beechgrove Garden ep.18 2015

 Everything is blooming rosy in the Beechgrove Garden as Jim, Carole and Chris catch up with progress of Beechgrove's new/old rose garden.
And finding out a bit more about the science of plant genetics, Jim is at Dundee Botanic Garden taking a walk through plant history in their Evolutionary Garden.George is with Lee Street in Bonchester Bridge creating an edible, fruiting hedge as a windbreak to protect her existing productive raised beds.

 They admired one of the annuals, Calendula (Pot Marigold) ‘Indian Prince’ with its vivid orange flowers. Jim, Carole and Chris were taking a look at the new standard weeping roses, which Chris had planted here earlier in the series. They are beginning to flower and are looking good. Rosa ‘Super Fairy’ has delicate pink flowers and was under planted with herbaceous perennials in Programme 12 (18th June 2015). The roses although flowering are not quite taking on a weeping shape as yet, which is normal. Chris said that this would start to happen in their second year. Chris had also transplanted some old roses from the original Rose Garden. Some of these are now starting to recover despite being transplanted at the wrong time of year. In passing, they noted that the new standard weeping rose ‘Super Excelsa’ is also looking good. Less of a success is one of the other old transplanted roses which has lanky bare shoots. Chris suggested pruning this later in the year and giving it some TLC to help it recover. Weeping standard ‘Gardenia’ has beautiful white flowers and is complemented with an under planted of Hydrangea and Leucanthemum. This is an example of a combination you can grow in a small space.

 Cauliflower Comparison Jim was in the Main Vegetable Plot admiring the brassicas which have done well in the cool, wet conditions we’ve had this summer so far. In one part of the brassica beds, Jim has been growing two types of cauliflower – F1 hybrid vs open pollinated. ‘Clapton’, is an F1 hybrid which is described as club root resistant. The beautiful heads are all forming at the same time which is typical behaviour of an F1 hybrid. Whilst this produces good quality, uniform cauliflowers it means that you end up with a glut as they are all ready to harvest and eat at the same time. On the other hand, the open pollinated variety ‘Snowball’ are not all ready to harvest at the same time and can be picked and enjoyed over a 2-3 week period. Jim also explained that if you are not quite ready to pick the caulis you can protect the curds by bending over a leaf or two covering the head to prevent discolouring.

Beechgrove Garden ep.18 2015