The Winter Flying Gardener

The British garden need not be dead, dull and depressing in winter. Giving motivation for viewers to bring greenery and colour into their own gardens, Chris Beardshaw gets into his helicopter and heads for the Lake District in search of inspiration.

Chris shows how stems, barks, and stalks can be sculptural ingredients to adorn a naked winter garden. He takes his helicopter to Hampshire, discovering that the season is the ideal time for seeing the "bare bones" of the British landscape.

Chris Beardshaw takes to the air in a flurry of snow, heading for Edinburgh and the Scottish mountains beyond. Visiting Mar Lodge and Crathes Castle, he hunts for plants capable of surviving harsh conditions.

Chris Beardshaw travels to East Anglia to see what traditional Christmas plants can do for the gardener. He visits a holly farm, takes a walk in the Christmas Garden, and explores myths and sacred meanings attached to some plants.

Chris Beardshaw travels to Cornwall for the glass pineapple houses of Heligan. He then visits the Eden Project to see how some of the most impressive winter gardens have flourished in conservatories and glass houses.

Visiting the gardens of Forde Abbey and the spectacular bulbs of Broadleigh Gardens, Chris discovers why spring plant life plays such an important part in West Country folklore.