Cut Flowers and Trees

Episode 4 of 10
Great British Garden Revival continues as Britain's top television gardening talent inspire us to the save the nation's rich gardening heritage.

In this show, Rachel de Thame investigates the decline of Britain's cut flower industry. At New Covent Garden, she discovers that 90% of cut flowers sold in the UK are imported. She meets a man who has dedicated his life to growing sweet peas, and joins a florist who uses some surprising flowers in the wedding bouquets she creates. From her base at the cutting garden of Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire, Rachel gives us her tips on how to grow, cut and arrange flowers.

Also in the show, Joe Swift wants us all to plant trees in our gardens. He visits the magnificent elm trees of Brighton, which didn't fall victim to the devastating Dutch elm disease as it ravaged Britain in the 1970s, and he marvels at the national collection of birch trees in Devon, the lifelong work of one man. Based at Cambridge University Botanic Garden, Joe shows us some of his favourite trees for small gardens and also gives us his top tips on how to plant and prune trees.