Garden Studios

We’re used to seeing TV adventurer Liz Bonnin travelling to far-fung destinations – Primorye, within the far south-eastern corner of Russia for BBC2’s Operation Snow Tiger, and countries resembling Botswana, Mexico and South Africa for Super Smart Animals on BBC1.

But the 36 year old is staying towards home for her new venture, as she and action man Ben Fogle join mainstay Paul Heiney on ITV’s rural affairs series Countrywise.

Te series, which started last week, takes viewers on a whistle-stop tour of Britain’s coast and countryside to observe the secret issues surrounding conservation and farming.

“I spend a variety of time travelling abroad and studying global issues in terms of nature,” says Liz, who has a Masters in wild animal biology. “So it’s interesting to spend a bit of more time working in Britain and seeing how science is handling challenges at home.

“The repercussions of contemporary living have never been more apparent, and there is only most we will be able to inflict upon our planet before it just cannot get better . There are lots of of items lets be doing better.”

Liz, who has previously guested on Springwatch and Autumnwatch, admits she learned lots filming Countrywise.

“It really has opened my eyes,” she says. “i hope that is what viewers eliminate – that curiosity, that must discover more. In doing so, we’ll hopefully get more people concerned with the security and conservation of our rural landscape.”

Tis week, Liz heads to the breathtaking Jurassic coastline within the South West, where centuries of coastal erosion has shaped the cliffs. But, for the various communities who live there, that erosion is threatening their homes.

She’ll be investigating how much of here’s all the way down to natural causes, and what sort of is because of global warming – in addition to preventative measures which might be installed place.

Ben, meanwhile, is rolling up his sleeves in Dorset to aim his hand at thatching roofs.

“I’ve filmed more than a few adventure series abroad lately, but was hankering to go back to the British Isles,” says Ben, 39, who has two children – Ludo, three, and two-year old Iona – with wife Marina. “i wished to reacquaint myself with our landscape in order that i will teach them about their homeland.”

Earlier this year, he whet his appetite for home-grown TV with Harbour Lives, exploring Dorset’s dramatic coastline.

“After the series, tourism in Dorset surged,” he says. “Countrywise is analogous in that it’s aspirational. It’s beautifully shot and hopefully it’ll make people holiday more in Britain.”

As to the spot Ben would select for his own staycation, he admits he would return to the Western Isles of Scotland in a heartbeat. Thirteen years ago, he spent a year on Taransay for Castaway 2000 – a BBC series that saw 36 volunteers trying to build a sustainable community from scratch. It was the show that launched his television career, which included a stint on BBC1’s Countryfile. At the present time, he desires to stay almost his family and has delayed plans to swim the Atlantic next year.

“I spend a lot on my TV projects, that devoting additional time to training, after which spending 120 days at sea… it’s an excessive amount of,” he says. “My wife and youngsters need me around.”

Liz agrees that her job could make it difficult to retain any sense of normality.

“I’ve spent three quarters of my year, for the past 5 – 6 years, travelling,” she says. “I do miss routine sometimes.

“Nonetheless, i would not give this job up for the realm. I’m incredibly lucky – we both are – to be doing what we do.”

The floral extravaganza on the Surrey gardens just minutes from the M25 also includes the National Dahlia Society Show and displays from the local branch of the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies.

The Surrey flower arrangers are showing around 90 floral art creations under the theme Eastern Promise in Wisley’s wonderful Glasshouse.

The National Dahlia Society Show is a brand new addition to the Wisley Flower Show, and greater than 100 exhibitors competed for high prizes in all classes.

Visitors can see stunning displays from the National Dahlia Collection on Saturday and Sunday, and members of the NDS and the RHS Dahlia Trials Forum should be available for questions and advice.

A member of the Dahlia Trials Forum may also be at the Trials Field to reply any questions from 2 to 3pm on both days, and visitors can vote for his or her favourite Dahlia currently in trial.

And this weekend you could enter the free My Best Garden Dahlia competition, that may run on Saturday and Sunday.

Just take one stem (with a number of flowers on it) of any form of dahlia to the National Dahlia Society Show marquee (stand 25) between 10am-12pm, fill in a registration card and place your stem within the vase provided.

Judging by the NDS will commence at 2pm and 1st, 2nd and 3rd places allocated. Announcement of winners may be made at 3pm and certificates and prizes awarded.

The competition is open to all, so please do come along and perform this fun new event!

There is usually a photographic display and Surrey Sculpture Society Trail of 60 pieces of art round the garden, which has fabulous late summer borders and lovely grasses.

For additional information visit www.rhs.org.uk.

But dahlias are far too useful to be relegated to the allotment because in their brilliance and strong habit of growth: they deserve an area in every garden.

This is their prime season of glory. It all started in July and may continue until the frosts which, in lots of years, don’t arrive until November. Any plant which can contribute to the garden for 5 months of the year should be very talked-about, and i have been a fan all my life.

The time to plant them as dormant tubers is in April. Growing plants may be put outdoors in late May when danger of frost is past. Stake them on the time of planting with stout canes to which the plants’ stems may be tied as they extend. Except this, they demand little or no within the way of cultivation. Cutting the flowers regularly for the home will keep them coming and, if you need really large flowers, Left: dahlia ‘B-Man’ nip out the side buds to let just the central one grow to maturity.

Provided they’re never allowed to dry out on the roots the plants would be perfectly happy, though an occasional liquid feed will do nothing but good. Bright light is what they want, so don’t plant them within the shade.

At this time of year, weekly feeding with dilute liquid tomato feed is worth it, in addition to tying in any new stems that look as if they want supporting.

Of course, you might imagine that each one this seems like lots of work, however the rewards for these little tricks of cultivation are tremendous and may yield flowers which might be the form of tiny pom-poms, spikey “cactus” dahlias, large round “decoratives” and a bunch of alternative attractive formations. Working among them is a pleasure and gardening, in fact, is ready tending to plants, not only them and allowing them to get on with it.

The only thing which will blight your blooms immediately of year is excessive rainfall, which might cause the buds to rot before they open properly (snip them of in the event that they are affected) or earwigs which nibble the flowers (trap them in small flowerpots full of straw and inverted on top of bamboo canes pushed among the many plants). As opposed to that, admire them and order new ones for planting next year.

But with the light beginning to fade now it is very important help your plants reach their full potential – otherwise you may be left with masses of green tomatoes.

Remove any yellowing leaves just in case they become diseased, and ensure you add tomato feed if you water your plants.

You also needs to pick the fruit once it’s ripe, or it could become soft and split, and ensure your tomatoes are watered each day so that they don’t go black from blossom end rot.

Towards the top of September regulate the elements forecast just in case there’s a sudden dip in temperatures, as unusually cold nights can turn unripened tomatoes brown and tough.

There shouldn’t be any frosts until October – or later within the south – but when it does turn cold protect the plants by throwing a length of horticultural fleece over them for the night.

You should pick any unripened tomatoes by the center of October (or before within the north) to save lots of them from frost damage.

The best strategy to ripen them indoors is to position them in a paper bag somewhere warm.

The ethylene gas they provide off will ripen them quicker than leaving them on a windowsill – sunny or not.

But spinach doesn’t do well in dry soil so, after digging to take away weeds and stones, mix lots of garden compost or well-rotted manure into the earth to feed the growing plants and help the soil to retain moisture.

Next, rake over the seed bed so the soil has a smooth surface, then make a shallow drill half an inch deep (1cm) with a hoe to plant the seeds in.

You can use string stretched between two canes, or a plank, to create a straight line, then water the soil whether it is dry before sowing the seeds.

Use a watering can with a rose head, and after getting sown the seeds gently cover them with soil using your rake.

If you simply want small leaves for salads, or to steam quickly, you could sow your seeds evenly along the drill and the seedlings won’t have to be thinned out since you can be picking the leaves before they want much space.

But so that you can grow larger spinach leaves you’ll have to sow three seeds together, about six inches apart (15cm), then thin out the weaker seedlings in order that only the strongest plant is left from all the three sown together.

The growing plants will need watering as often as possible if it doesn’t rain, that’s because if the soil dries out spinach plants begin to set seed – or bolt – as quickly as possible. Once spinach has bolted it should taste bitter, so it’s best simply to dig it out.

To help avoid this you may put more compost across the plants after they are growing, to behave as a mulch, so the soil retains more moisture.

You also will wish to protect your spinach from slugs and snails – use organic pellets or collect them at night – and canopy the young plants with netting to forestall pigeons from eating them.