Variety of Gardens (00:52)

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We see glimpses and hear brief descriptions of many of the gardens that will be highlighted in this program.

Multi-Billion Dollar Industry (01:33)

Sheridan Nurseries in Ontario is one of biggest suppliers. For six weeks in spring, pent up demand for gardening opens the floodgates. It's the biggest leisure industry in America. Canadians are passionate about horticulture.

Royal Horticulture Society Flower Show (02:33)

This prestigious event at Tatton Park in England draws 100,000 attendees. The main attraction is the garden design competition. Winning here means an invite to Chelsea. The Wellie rain boot is an essential British gardening item.

Marton Gooseberry Society (01:49)

There were once hundreds in the U.K., but now only nine societies are left. Members compete to grow the heaviest gooseberry, which they weigh using Troy weights--pennyweights and grains. The world record is almost 40 pennyweights.

A Little Bit of Italy in Manchester (02:39)

Italian immigrant Emilio Degisi's house had no space to grow anything. So he rented an allotment garden. He grows huge onions, organic tomatoes, giant carrots, beautiful flowers, grapes, olive trees, coffee, and even citrus fruit.

Tales From the Tool Shed--A Collection (01:10)

Mark Morrison is passionate about his collection of 5000 garden tools, each with its own story. He shows off some of his tools and talks about his collection.

Keeping Nature Under Control (02:41)

The biggest crop in the U.S. is lawn grass. A company called Robolawn makes a robotic lawn mower. We see a demonstration of the setup and operation of the LawnBott. Gardening brings order to chaos.

New York Botanical Garden (01:57)

This living catalog of horticulture is in the heart of New York City, on 250 acres in the Bronx. Curator Sarah Carter calls horticulture a blend of art and science. The garden was founded so people could see extraordinary plants.

Plant Research and Discovery (01:19)

The New York Botanical Garden is a major research center. Here horticulturalists analyze plants' DNA to see how they're related. They discover 30-50 new species a year, mostly from South America, and many endangered.

Boxwood's Long Journey (02:09)

Boxwood is the most common hedging plant, the epitome of neatness and order. We learn how boxwood is propagated. It is grown from cuttings and takes eight years of constant care to reach marketable size.

Tales From the Tool Shed--Shears (00:31)

Mark Morrison shows off a four-bladed shear from his garden tool collection that reminds him of the movie "Edward Scissorhands."

Neatness and Order Taken to an Art Form (02:47)

England's most famous topiary garden is Levens Hall in Cumbria. Head gardener Chris Crowder demonstrates clipping a shrub while discussing the art of topiary. Gardeners have been shaping this garden for over 300 years.

Virtual Gardening (03:15)

A Paris garden redesign contest was posted on Second Life, an Internet virtual world. The contest winners were experienced virtual designers but not gardeners. One advantage of virtual design--no maintenance is required.

Oasis in the Wilderness (02:42)

Peter Nelson moved to the inhospitable Outer Hebrides to start a garden. He drained the marshy land and planted trees and built trellises as windbreaks. His hard work, perseverance, and faith are essential gardening ingredients.

Empowerment Through Knowledge (03:13)

The Green Team director at Rikers Island, New York's notorious prison, explains that the goal of the program is to break the chain of recidivism. Participants leave with gardening knowledge which can lead to jobs in horticulture.

Breaking the Cycle of Recidivism (01:19)

A woman spent one year on Rikers Island where the Green Team experience changed her life. Gardening is now her career. She works for a horticulture design and maintenance company. People notice and appreciate her work.

A Garden That Doesn't Belong (03:11)

Douglas Counter says his garden in Toronto expresses his soul. He started the garden as a memorial to his mother, using easy-care native plants. After a three year legal battle with the city, he won the right to keep his garden intact.

Monet's Garden at Giverny (02:32)

Artist Gale Bennett teaches students here in the wild garden Monet created and spent 40 years painting. Here Bennett learned to respect impressionism. Monet was a great horticulturalist who used his garden to study nature.

Tales From the Tool Shed--Pest Control (01:02)

Garden tool collector Mark Morrison shows some pest control tools, including a moler fork and a pair of hedgehog tongs.

Garden Parties (00:51)

The Victorian Society of Falls Church, Virginia, carries on a tradition begun by Queen Victoria. Their parties start with a garden, light refreshments, fun and games, a little Dickens, and party-goers who dress the part.

Rooftop Gardens (01:49)

Garden designer Marie Viljoen creates private sanctuaries on New York high-rise rooftops. The climate and logistics of gardening at that height are challenging, but the views of the Manhattan skyline are worth it for those who can afford it.

Supplying a Busy Hotel Kitchen (01:52)

At the 1929 Fairmont Royal York hotel in Toronto, executive chef David Garcelon relies on his rooftop garden for fresh produce. He uses the garden to educate his apprentices about food. There is even a tiny vineyard on the roof.

Space Gardening (02:37)

Space garden researcher Mike Dixon says we won't leave earth without green plants. He is testing plants under Martian conditions. Astronauts confined to a sterile metal environment enjoy watching their gardens grow.

Credits: Gardening: Confidential (01:09)

Credits: Gardening: Confidential