Garden Rescue 2025 episode 4 - Southampton
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00The Garden Rescue Team are on a mission to make garden dreams come true.
00:11Charlie Dimmock, Lee Burkhill, Flo Hedlum and Chris Hull are here to answer your gardening emergencies.
00:29Each week, two of our designers will go head-to-head.
00:47And whichever designer loses, helps the winner build the garden.
00:52Good idea. Did you get that on camera? Lee said good idea, Charlie. Amazing.
00:57Turning garden dreams... Open your eyes. I'm so overwhelmed.
01:02...into reality. That is amazing.
01:13Today, the team are taking on a small garden in Southampton.
01:17I'm Claire, and I live in Southampton.
01:20Bought this house ten years ago and lived in it for about five years, I think,
01:27and then went off to China to teach, and then I returned in 2019 to have my daughter.
01:35Only girls allowed. Yeah. Yeah? No mummies. No mummies? Yeah.
01:42Nora is my daughter. She's going to be five next month. She's a little firecracker, really.
01:49Let's get a big, giant spider, and we can move it around.
01:55She loves being outside. She loves unicorns, rainbows, fairies, anything that's magic, that's got powers.
02:06But not even Nora can find anything magical about the garden.
02:12So this is my garden, or our garden. Tiny, full of concrete, it's cracked.
02:22There's nothing really I like about it.
02:26This is the elephant in the garden, the big lump of concrete that you just can't get away from.
02:36It's a World War II bunker that I believe all the houses along the road had in their gardens.
02:44Built around 1939, Claire's concrete air raid shelter offered peace of mind in the Second World War, but not anymore.
02:54It was always something that I was planning to get rid of, but it was extremely expensive to do.
03:02It's dirty. It's full of spiders. It's dusty. It's just horrible.
03:10It's not a child-friendly garden at all. It's concrete everywhere.
03:15This is the garden. There's not much more to it than this. It's just a few plants and a load of concrete.
03:26At six square metres in a 31 square metre garden, the bunker takes up much needed space,
03:33and a wide overgrown border to its side spoils the sunshine.
03:38This bed is lovely, don't get me wrong, it's really nice, but it's just so imposing in the garden.
03:45And this could be a really nice space here, because this is where the sun comes in the afternoon.
03:55Ooh, I don't think we can go down there, can we? Because it's just too cramped.
04:01I do feel really lucky that I live in an area which is full of all these beautiful green trees,
04:08and it would just be really nice to get some of that life and greenery into here.
04:13This is the sort of bit that nature forgot.
04:17Come on, Garden Rescue, come and save me and Nora from this concrete hell.
04:23Flo and Charlie are fighting for the chance to design Claire and Nora's new garden.
04:31So, come on, let's have a look at this garden.
04:33It's a bit of a shocker, I have to say. Look at that.
04:36Oh, my days. That is a huge bunker, right?
04:41It is. I don't think we've done a garden with a bunker.
04:45No, no, it's pretty ugly, and in your face.
04:49There's a lot of concrete in this garden.
04:51An awful lot of concrete.
04:52Yeah.
04:53And I have to say, I mean, this is looking back the other way.
04:57The garden doesn't look overly large.
05:00No, we're going to have to work some magic on this, I think.
05:07Garden Rescue is going to have to work on this.
05:11Garden Rescue, I would love for this garden to be turned into a lovely green space for me and Nora,
05:19where the bunker is embraced and turned into something that perhaps is a little bit magical.
05:26Nora's really into fairies and unicorns and things like that,
05:31and she would love to have a den that she could call her own.
05:35Well, it's a good thing that Claire wants to keep the bunker.
05:39Yes.
05:40But do we go full-on unicorn for Nora?
05:44Well, it'll surfer for now, but later on...
05:47Maybe make a garden so it works longer term as well.
05:51Yeah, yeah.
05:52And we'd love the garden just to be more green,
05:55so that we can bring more wildlife into the garden.
05:58Uh-huh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:59Getting away from the concrete feel,
06:02and just making it feel like a really lovely green space.
06:05Oh, I'd love to do that.
06:07It'd be really lovely just to come out and enjoy the sunshine as well.
06:11Oh.
06:12Have maybe a patio or, you know, nice table and chairs on the patio,
06:16so that just somewhere relaxing.
06:18But it's a small space and all that concrete.
06:21Yes, yes, and do you want to know the budget?
06:24Yeah.
06:25£3,300, which is not a lot.
06:28It's not a lot.
06:29It's a small garden, but...
06:31It could disappear quickly.
06:33Yes, they want a lot.
06:35Charlie and Flo must create a design to fit Claire's £3,300 budget.
06:41Claire must pick her favourite,
06:43and the losing designer will help the winner build it,
06:47along with an expert team of landscapers who provide their labour for free,
06:52which leaves the full budget for materials.
06:56In Southampton, Claire's friend Monita is on hand
06:59to help deliberate on the designers' pitches.
07:02Right. OK, shall we start?
07:04Yeah, let's go. Let's go.
07:06Claire, I've given you a lovely space to sit out, relax,
07:10enjoy the evening sunshine,
07:12but also have a big enough space to socialise.
07:16And then I want you to give Nora a space
07:19where she can use her imagination to create her own design.
07:24Use her imagination and turn the bunker
07:28into a special hidey hole for her.
07:31She's actually made that look like a proper little house in the garden.
07:35I really leaned into the idea of creating a beautiful space
07:40for you and Nora to enjoy for many years to come.
07:43That's nice.
07:44So, at the moment, to get out of the house into the garden,
07:48you've got quite a step down.
07:50This new patio, we're going to raise the level,
07:53but it's generous enough for you to be able to sit outside
07:57on your bistro table and chair,
07:59have a little coffee and just, like, take it all in.
08:02Ooh, patio. Patio, yeah.
08:04So we've got this modern new patio,
08:07but what I have done is put some detail in the middle,
08:11some different paving slabs.
08:14I love those tiles in the middle.
08:16Yeah, me too. That's great.
08:18So you step down onto this very practical space,
08:22big enough to socialise in.
08:24That's nice, yeah. That's like a real feature, isn't it?
08:27Yeah, nice colour, yeah.
08:29Flo and Charlie have both delivered extended patios
08:32for Claire to relax or entertain in.
08:35But when it comes to the bunker,
08:37daughter Nora is the design inspiration.
08:40And you come round to the front of the bunker.
08:44We're going to put a bespoke magical door on there.
08:47We're going to paint the ceiling black
08:49with maybe some solar fairy lights.
08:52Sky blue walls to brighten it up.
08:55And then on the floor we're going to put some soft tiles down
08:59so that Nora can kneel down and maybe do some artwork in there.
09:03Oh, that's good. That's a bit Alice in Wonderland.
09:06She probably doesn't want to be inside all the time
09:09because it's quite dark in there,
09:11but I thought this would be lovely in the summertime.
09:14So it's almost like a den or a tent.
09:16So it's her own little entrance.
09:18It's her own little entrance, yeah.
09:20It makes it all a bit more magical.
09:22When the door's shut, it'll look like
09:24a beautifully blue painted structure.
09:26Open the door, and what have I done?
09:28I've painted the whole thing yellow
09:30because it's got to be bright, it's got to shine.
09:33Yeah, yellow is nice.
09:35So what I'm going to do is create a proper living roof
09:40on top of the bunker.
09:42Oh, my days, I love that roof.
09:44We've got a cedum roof on the top,
09:47and we might enhance that cedum matting
09:50with one or two other sort of meadow plants.
09:53Well, that'll be nice because that'll get all the butterflies in,
09:56won't it, and the birds.
09:58Breathing magical new life into the bunker is a huge win for Claire,
10:03who's also keen to enhance the garden's sun trap area.
10:07Now, at the moment, you've got this border
10:10that runs down this side of the garden,
10:13which I'm taking up,
10:15and that allows me to give you this generous deck here
10:18that goes right across to the wall,
10:21curves a bit round the front of the bunker,
10:24but optimum space for being able to chill out,
10:27put your lounger on there,
10:29and be able to enjoy that sun trap to the max.
10:33And I've clad this side of the bunker.
10:36I thought, actually, we're going to have wood here,
10:39let's have wood here, but a different type of wood.
10:42So, again, I was thinking about a different texture.
10:45Cos you get some really nice sun in here.
10:47Yeah, that's a very sunny spot.
10:49This is going to be a dingly dell.
10:51We're using lots of ferns and lush planting,
10:55like hosta and things like that.
10:57So we'll go along to this log that's down there,
11:00which is a seat and then a wood pile.
11:03But sometimes, when it's really hot,
11:05it's really nice to go into a nice, quiet, green space
11:09that's nice and cool and quiet,
11:11so you can just watch the bees and the butterflies and the birds.
11:15It'll be good for the wildlife.
11:17Hope you like my design.
11:20Very simple, understated, great for the wildlife,
11:24but it's also a space that will grow with you and Nora.
11:28I would love to bring this for you.
11:31So, come on, let's get on board and let's do this.
11:34This is really hard.
11:36I think they're both really different, but really lovely.
11:40Rather you than me, mate.
11:45OK, so here they are.
11:48Claire and Monita must decide.
11:50Right, shall we start with...
11:52Charlie's. ..Charlie's one.
11:54OK, what was really nice was all the planting.
11:57And the roof. I really liked the roof and the patio.
12:02I love the tiles in the middle. They sold that one to me.
12:05Right, shall we have a look at... Shall we have a look at Flo's?
12:08Flo's, yeah. I like what she's done with the bunker.
12:11Yeah, and the bunker. The roof.
12:13The bunker looking completely different, wasn't it? Yeah.
12:17Have you got a favourite?
12:31So, Claire has come back with her decision.
12:34OK, you ready? Go on, then. OK.
12:37Do you want this one? You do, don't you? I can see it in your face.
12:40I want this one. Good. Bring it on.
12:43Flo, Charlie, thank you so much for your designs.
12:47We really, really loved them both.
12:49Oh, that's good.
12:51Charlie, what I loved about your design was the planting.
12:56I loved the pergola over the bunker as well, and the tiles.
13:01I thought there were some really, really lovely features that you'd put in.
13:05Oh, that's good.
13:07And, Flo, what I loved about yours was the fact that you had thought about the fun element for Nora.
13:14So, that was really lovely, and also the fact that it was a relaxing space for me as well.
13:21And we have decided to go for...
13:26..Flo! Yes!
13:30We loved it. Thank you, Flo.
13:33Thank you, thank you, thank you!
13:35Yeah, not that you were really gunning for that one, love!
13:39So well done! You wanted that one, didn't you? I really did.
13:44You know, it's the kind of garden where we're both going to have fun in it,
13:47because there's, you know, so much scope to be playful.
13:49We'll be tripping over each other. Yes, definitely.
13:52Definitely, but I'm very happy. Yeah! You're just, aren't you? Yes!
13:59Flo and Charlie will be supported by an expert team of landscapers,
14:03led by project manager Susie.
14:07Come on, guys. Let's go.
14:09They've two days to rescue Claire's 31-square-metre-back garden.
14:14We've got this lovely World War II bunker behind us.
14:17Is that coming down? No.
14:19Luckily, it's staying. We've had it tested. It's safe.
14:22So we're going to decorate it and make it into a fun playhouse.
14:27We've got decking to go in, brick walls are coming out
14:30and some raised sleeper beds are going to go back in.
14:33Got some paving to go down by the house.
14:36What's today? So, shall we get cracking? Let's do it.
14:42Claire's garden might be small,
14:44but Flo's design calls for many elements.
14:47And first, the landscapers need to get the garden cleared.
14:52Fake turf. Definitely not one of my favourites.
14:59Pulling out the old retaining brick of the border in the sunspots of the garden,
15:03the team are moving over-enthusiastic self-seeders from this space
15:08and bringing new life to established plants.
15:11So I'm just lifting the canopy on this camellia.
15:14So I'm just lifting the canopy on this camellia, which we are going to keep.
15:18So this will now be in a raised planter.
15:21Taking off these lower branches to expose the main stems
15:25just allows you to give you more planting space underneath
15:30and a seasonal colour.
15:34And Craig needs to prep the bunker for new life inside and out.
15:39Just clearing off the roof here, through the living roof.
15:43Great idea, great use of space.
15:56The brick retaining walls have totally disappeared.
15:59Danny's cleared out the back.
16:02Even the roof has been cleared ready for the wildflower,
16:05so at the moment, we're in a good place.
16:10It's time for Danny to bring his carpentry skills,
16:14building up a frame for wooden decking at the sun trap.
16:18We're trying to get the deck frame in now,
16:20which is going to be, we're kind of coming out at a right angle to the bunker,
16:24which isn't a right angle to anything else, but that doesn't matter.
16:27It all makes for the great shapes that Flo's got in her design.
16:31Flo has worked hard to design a layout
16:34that makes the best use of the compact, angular space.
16:39There's a lot of crazy angles with these beds,
16:42and they're not that easy to cut.
16:49Another raised bed will bring more colourful planting in front of the bunker.
16:54So whenever we build sleeper raised planters next to fence lines,
16:59we always like to make sure that our sleepers go all the way around,
17:02so that there's no soil touching the fence.
17:05If the soil touches the fence, it will rot really quickly.
17:12Once the beds are filled,
17:15Susie can focus on fitting an extended patio for Claire to relax or socialise in.
17:22I'm laying candela grey sandstone,
17:25a good budget sandstone to lay at, about 20lb a square metre.
17:29It's hard-wearing, so a lot of sandstones change colour,
17:33whereas this one is very grey, and it stays grey.
17:37Susie's even got a plan to make good the awkward levels of this space.
17:43Are you ready for them?
17:44Yep, definitely ready.
17:45Let's start.
17:46Let's get screeding.
17:47So you'll notice that this is actually quite a wet mix,
17:50but the reason for that is, one, it makes my life a lot easier levelling it out,
17:54and two, it should make it stick better to the existing concrete below.
18:03Is it like putting ganache on a chocolate cake?
18:06I could just go for some chocolate cake right now.
18:12The team deserve a treat.
18:14With the garden cleared, raised beds and patio in place,
18:17all is looking well for Charlie and Flo's inspection in the morning.
18:27Are you excited?
18:28I'm excited about this one.
18:31Small and bijou is the garden.
18:33Don't say it like that.
18:35Well, I don't want to jinx it, literally.
18:37In the pocket.
18:38In the pocket, in the bag.
18:39In the bag.
18:41Oh, look at this.
18:43The work has gone on.
18:45Loving it.
18:46It's great.
18:47I have to say, even walking in now, it looks so much more vibrant and uncluttered
18:52because it was all a bit mishmashy.
18:54So what am I up to?
18:55Right, so, yes, so the bunker is going to be a playhouse for Nora
18:59and there's going to be a mud kitchen over there
19:01and that's what I want you to work on today.
19:04I'm going to be working on the green roof.
19:06Right.
19:07There are two raised beds, so one each.
19:09OK.
19:10And because the garden is so small, we can literally reach across
19:12and touch our hands.
19:13We'll be hands across the garden and not the water.
19:15Yes.
19:16OK.
19:17Right, well, I'm going to get on and get some things sorted.
19:19Brilliant.
19:21Look at that view.
19:22That is gorgeous.
19:23That borrowed landscape, you almost feel like you're in the woods.
19:26Now, for Claire and Nora, looking out and seeing all of that is beautiful
19:31but their garden actually is a bit of a concrete wasteland.
19:35And the problem with small gardens is how you bring nature as close as possible
19:41into it when you've got limited planting options.
19:44So that's a big challenge for me today.
19:46But the first thing I need to get on with is the bunker.
19:50Flo has tasked the landscapers with bringing colour and light to the bunker.
19:55As part of Flo's design, she's asked us to make it feel a little bit more cosy
19:59in the bunker, so we're going to use a piece of acrylic
20:02and we've made a wooden frame.
20:04We're going to use the acrylic because obviously it's going to be played in there
20:08and things might get thrown around, so we don't want to use glass
20:11because that could obviously break and that might be a bit dangerous.
20:15Monty is brightening the bunker's interior...
20:20..while Flo gets started on the living roof in the alleyway.
20:25I'm using this compressed chipboard as the basis for the box for the living roof.
20:30You can use marine ply, which is more expensive,
20:33but this sheet here is about 20 quid, a lot cheaper.
20:38Flo cuts the plywood to size.
20:41And Danny attaches a membrane on top.
20:50Do you need a hand with that?
20:52Oh, I would love one. Thank you, Charlie.
20:54What do you want me to do?
20:56Right, so if you hold that and that, and then you make sure it's level.
21:00I see the level.
21:02And then you can just push it in.
21:04I see the level.
21:07Charlie and Monty are creating a new gate to secure the garden.
21:11Monty, you know there's no such thing as a free lunch, don't you?
21:15Cos after this goes in, I need a hand on my mud kitchen.
21:27Right. Now, Nora's five going on six.
21:31Right. Now, Nora's five going on six.
21:34That time when children are really exploring the garden and want to get involved,
21:40and the mud kitchen is fantastic for that.
21:45Charlie has designed a 1.4-metre-high mud kitchen
21:49with a shelf and table that she's building with decking boards and 2x4s made to measure.
21:56So this is the front bit of the mud kitchen,
21:59and now I'm going to make the back bit of the mud kitchen.
22:02Then I'm going to screw it together and hope it's vaguely level.
22:09Oh, Charlie, that's looking good.
22:11It's got legs. It's got legs.
22:13It's got legs.
22:14Is it leggy enough for a five-year-old?
22:17Hopefully it's not too tall for them.
22:19Yeah.
22:20But they shoot up at that age, don't they?
22:23You do.
22:24You look like you're going to get busy.
22:26I'm getting ready to put a new face on the bunker.
22:29Right. What colour are you going?
22:31Now, on my pitch, I did originally say that I was going to paint the front of the bunker blue,
22:36a deep blue that is similar to the colour inside the house.
22:40But now I've arrived on site, as any designer can do,
22:45you kind of look at stuff and sometimes you change your mind,
22:48and I'm thinking the blue is a little bit too overpowering.
22:51And so I've gone for a deeper green, like forest green.
22:54I think it will just mellow the front of the bunker,
22:58fit more with the wider landscape,
23:00and just be more sympathetic with the planting and the whole scheme.
23:05So that's my choice. That's what I'm doing.
23:08And, yeah, the bunker's going to be green.
23:11Right. Ready?
23:12Yeah. So ready.
23:14So ready.
23:16Oh, not there!
23:17LAUGHTER
23:21So can I make noise?
23:23No, I need quiet when I'm painting.
23:25Your artistic flair. Yes, darling.
23:35Oh, it's surprisingly satisfying, you know.
23:38MUSIC
23:47My God, slightly over the top is only to hold up
23:50two plastic spoons and a wooden one!
23:53Well, even if it falls over, those spoons aren't going anywhere.
24:00With the horizontal decking complete,
24:02Susie creates a frame for the cladding on the side of the bunker.
24:07And Flo is ready to position the green roof.
24:10Got it. Incoming!
24:12Where are we going?
24:14Are you showing off just because you built a bigger tray than me?
24:18Yes, and carried it from the front to the back, yes.
24:21LAUGHTER
24:23Let's swap sides, then.
24:25No, I'm just about to get to the fun bit.
24:27But you are as well. Yes, absolutely.
24:29So it's going up there. One, two, three!
24:32Up!
24:35Ah! Yes!
24:38Look at that!
24:40Looks like we know what we're doing.
24:43We do, we do.
24:49Once in place, Flo can create the ingredients
24:52for the green roof by hand.
24:55So, in order for the wall turf to have a good base,
25:00it needs a substrate.
25:02And basically, we're making up our own substrate,
25:04which is compost and grit.
25:06The compost is for the turf to knit into,
25:09and the grit provides drainage.
25:12We'll also put some drainage holes in the tray,
25:15so what the compost and the turf doesn't hold
25:18will drain out and fall away.
25:22So, this is just a little moment to...
25:24Almost like a little meditation, really.
25:26I'm just going to mix it all up,
25:28and then I've got to cover the whole tray with this stuff.
25:34Charlie! What?
25:36Look what I'm doing! What are you doing?
25:39Making mud pies!
25:41Making mud crumble! That's meant to be down here!
25:53Yeah.
25:55Yeah, got it, got it.
25:57When satisfied with the substrate, Flo can lay the turf.
26:03Let's favour this side, shall we?
26:06Now, wild meadow turfs come in lots of different varieties
26:09depending on the mix,
26:11but generally they are native wildflowers,
26:15so you get things like campion, poppies,
26:18that will come into flower in the late spring and summer
26:23and then ripen right through until the end of the flowering season.
26:28Claire, who's keeping out of the way until the big reveal,
26:32picked Flo's design because of her vision for the bunker.
26:36So, what are you most excited about seeing in the garden?
26:40Top of the list is the bunker, I would say,
26:43and then I'm really looking forward to seeing the flowers,
26:48the green, the raised beds.
26:51I would say nature, yeah.
26:53Nature and colour.
26:55Well, can't hang around, got to get back in the garden
26:58and get it all ready for a reveal.
27:00OK, can't wait. See you later.
27:02Bye. Bye.
27:06Charlie. I'm getting to the pretty stuff!
27:09Oh, you are!
27:11The birdies have landed! That is cute.
27:13Some fur cones as well.
27:15Lovely, yes, I love those.
27:17She's going to absolutely be besotted by this.
27:20Ooh! No, it's not for your roof, it's for my...
27:23It lights up at night.
27:25Oh, fantastic. How cool.
27:27Let me not get distracted. No, keep going.
27:29I am off to do something very exciting now, which is charring wood.
27:33What could go wrong? I know, right?
27:36So, with this cladded wall here, I'm going to char the wood,
27:40and it's a technique, it's an ancient Japanese technique
27:43called susugiban, and it's used to preserve the wood.
27:47It protects it against insects and fungi
27:50and also has a high aesthetic value.
27:53As everyone should, Flo is taking proper precautions
27:57and following safety guidelines,
27:59charring the wood cladding for the side of the bunker with a blowtorch.
28:07Woo!
28:09I think that looks amazing.
28:11Really beautiful.
28:13Now, it adds that extra dimension to the garden,
28:17and I've gone really quite light on it,
28:20but, you know, the real technique, the really ancient technique,
28:23goes much deeper, the wood is charred much more intensely,
28:28but I've gone for a light touch, just for a nice little aesthetic.
28:37With just three hours until the reveal,
28:40Charlie and Monty are creating a trellis for plants in front of the bunker,
28:45and Danny is crafting a special door.
28:49I'm just finishing the door to the bunker.
28:52We've just made a simple frame,
28:54and we're cladding it with the same wooden cladding
28:56that Flo's got scorched on the side of the bunker there,
28:59so it should all tie in together nicely.
29:01OK, and...
29:04Oh, look at that.
29:06What have we got here? It's in place.
29:09That looks perfect, Charlie.
29:11It doesn't wobble!
29:12It doesn't wobble!
29:14Woo!
29:15So when Nora's here, she's in the zone...
29:17Playing the piano.
29:18Playing by the looks of things.
29:20Doing her thing, da-da-da-da, and it's like mud kitchen time.
29:23Well, I'm on plants.
29:24All right, OK, just got to figure out how to...
29:27Planting will be key to softening the space.
29:30Oh, the plants have arrived.
29:32Lots of colour.
29:33Yes, lots of colour, leaf shape.
29:36Lollipops!
29:37Lollipops.
29:38But lollipops, they're gorgeous.
29:40I mean, so vibrant and really sparkle, don't they?
29:43Mm.
29:44This, for me, is a key plant, this fatsia.
29:47It's going to look stunning in that space.
29:50You know, small space, big plants for impact.
29:53That's what I'm thinking.
29:54Yeah.
29:56So I can see Flo's got a bit of a purple and green vibe going on here.
30:02So you said all these plants are for my bit in Nora's area?
30:06Mm?
30:07Nothing!
30:08HE GIGGLES
30:13So I would like to put the...
30:16You can have the fatsia.
30:18I want it there so they can see it from the heist.
30:21Oh, goodie.
30:22SHE LAUGHS
30:23Here? Mm-hm. Yeah?
30:25Mm-hm, yeah, yeah, yeah.
30:26And then you've got some plants that you want to put...
30:29Yeah, yeah, on the top. I've got some bits and bobs.
30:31On the top, OK.
30:32So let's get your plants in first.
30:34OK, all right.
30:35Flo is positioning plants
30:37to create a spacious feeling in this small garden.
30:41It's a bit lost down there.
30:43I know!
30:45What about in the...
30:47Oh, that looks nice.
30:49How's that, then, Flo?
30:51That's good. Can you get a few more plants in there?
30:54Oh, I can, yeah. Yeah.
30:56I'm with you. Cram it.
30:59So there's a real opportunity in this garden
31:02to plant vertically as much as possible,
31:05and this corner is the perfect spot for a nice climber.
31:10And I've chosen this crematis, avalanche it's called,
31:15and it's an early flowering one.
31:18So between March and May, it'll be in flower.
31:22It's beautiful, off-white flowers, lightly scented.
31:28The reason why I put it here
31:30is because it's going to look great against this wall,
31:33climb up the wall,
31:35and then can be trained along the trellis as well.
31:38It won't get too big, about 2m,
31:40so enough to kind of go up to the top a bit further
31:43and start to spread in both directions.
31:46It's quite a tidy plant, not too vigorous.
31:50So it can be controlled quite well in this corner.
31:53So...
31:56Oh!
32:06Nice.
32:12OK, so I've built this planting trough
32:15at the top of the mud table,
32:17and I want to fill it with fun plants that children love,
32:21whether they were nice and smelly like this.
32:24Oh, this lemon balm, yummy,
32:27just fantastic scent,
32:29or because they have bright, colourful flowers.
32:32As a child, you just love picking them.
32:34And this dianthus also has a scent of cloves.
32:38And another one which is great is this one,
32:41helichrysum, also known as straw flower.
32:44And if you touch it, you can hear it.
32:48It's hard, and it's the one that you dry
32:51and put them in vases.
32:53And this calendula, it goes on.
32:56Bright flowers, you can eat the petals,
32:59collect the seeds and sow it on the next year.
33:02So this should really get Nora into gardening.
33:05I know it did me.
33:07I used to love it.
33:09I still do.
33:12These helleniums, look at them, absolutely stunning.
33:16I love them for many reasons.
33:18That open flower there is just perfect
33:21for the bees to come and feed.
33:24I love them also for the height and that rich colour.
33:29Now, I like full sun, free-draining soil,
33:33and I love the fact that the bees
33:37Now, I like full sun, free-draining soil,
33:41perfect for this garden.
33:44It can take a bit of shade as well, actually,
33:47but yeah, nice open aspect.
33:49They'll be very happy.
33:51And don't be afraid in a small garden
33:55to give it bags of colour and to use height as well.
33:58Sometimes you think, oh, let me just get a compact.
34:00No, go big.
34:02You know, a hellenium is like 60, 80 centimetres tall,
34:05and it's got some really strong shapes, strong colours,
34:09and it just makes the garden look so vital and so dynamic.
34:21Where are you putting your fountain grasses, then?
34:24Um, stick one in yours and stick one over here.
34:28Stick one in mine? Are you having a tin bath?
34:31Maybe down there.
34:34Look how they work together.
34:37Look, it's like family.
34:39You'll give your family in a minute.
34:44Now, Flo was really keen to get lots of pollinators
34:49into the garden, lots of wildlife.
34:51So verbena benariensis, and this one is lollipop,
34:55is here for that purpose.
34:57It's close to the house so that Claire and Nora
35:00can see it from the house.
35:02It's absolutely gorgeous.
35:04Now, lollipop is a shorter version,
35:06so it doesn't get much taller than this.
35:09Flowers long-term through the summertime,
35:12likes to be in a nice sunny position, free-draining soil.
35:17And it contrasts really well with these gorgeous golden
35:21hemerocallis or daylilies.
35:23Daylilies because the flowers open up,
35:26and once they come fully open, they just last the day
35:29and then they go over.
35:31And as you can see from these ones,
35:33you've got lots of buds lined up to keep flowering,
35:36so you get a succession.
35:38And then you get another spike coming up.
35:40So this bed will be very full of colour and flowers.
35:44And I do love the colour combination Flo's gone for.
35:47You've got the purple, the orange gold,
35:50and then the hot red of the crocosmia.
36:02With finishing touches to Nora's door,
36:06the sun trap area,
36:09and patio,
36:11the team has even built a new side gate for garden access.
36:16They've worked hard these last two days.
36:21And exhale.
36:23Exhale!
36:25The artist has done it.
36:27Yes?
36:29We all did it.
36:31I mean, I am loving the end.
36:33It is so cute.
36:35It's fantastic.
36:37This garden had two audiences.
36:39It was Mum, Claire, obviously, but Nora, you know,
36:43making this space for her a place she wants to be.
36:47And I have to say, Claire is going to love it
36:49because she kept saying,
36:51that area there, the last of the sun,
36:54and we're getting the last of the sun,
36:56with all these festoon lights.
36:59I'm going to go and get Claire because I'm sure she's excited to see it
37:02and I want to see her reaction.
37:04Yeah, can't wait! Here we go. OK!
37:09Claire's garden was once a grey, inadequate space...
37:16..with nothing of interest apart from an overbearing, unused bunker.
37:21But with a £3,300 budget...
37:26..it's been transformed into a colourful, multi-purpose space
37:31perfect for relaxing, playing and enticing nature into it.
37:36Put you in position. Keep your eyes closed. Eyes closed.
37:38Will it be everything Claire had hoped for?
37:41Well, OK, on the count of three, I want you to open your eyes.
37:44One, two, three.
37:47GASPS
37:49Oh, my goodness!
37:52You like it?
37:55Oh, my gosh!
37:59What?! Is this my...?
38:01Seriously, is this my garden?
38:03It's your garden!
38:07It is beautiful.
38:10It's absolutely beautiful.
38:13Can I hug you? Yeah, yeah, come on, bring it in.
38:16It is...
38:22You've got me close to tears.
38:25I'm genuinely... I am genuinely stunned.
38:29Such a change to the garden.
38:32It's so vibrant now, so much to look at.
38:38Where uneven and cracked concrete once led to nothing but an awkward bench...
38:47..there is now contemporary paving for an extended patio area,
38:52leading to a colourful, playful spot surrounded by plants.
38:58So, yeah, this patio is just, like, you know, good size.
39:01If you come out in the morning, pop yourself there. Yeah.
39:04Coffee, just out of the range of it. Yeah.
39:06But just taking everything, you know.
39:08And that's what I wanted. I wanted a place for me and Nora
39:11to be able to sit outside and eat and, you know,
39:13the times that we'd done it, we were sitting on an old bench
39:16with it on our knees, you know, so that's just perfect, yeah.
39:20So let's have a look at Nora's play area. Yeah.
39:24The mud kitchen.
39:26I love the fact that it's not just a mud kitchen.
39:28It's got the plants as well.
39:30And Charlie chose these plants because they appeal to young children
39:34for the colours, the textures, some of them are edible,
39:38so it's a learning moment. Yeah, yeah.
39:41As well as, you know, the exploration.
39:43It's her little garden, isn't it, you know?
39:48An overgrown border with retaining brick walls
39:51took up too much space at the end of the garden.
40:00Now there's a softer wooden deck enveloped by an angled raised bed
40:05and flows charred cladding and green roof above.
40:10So this area I designed specifically to sit here and take in the sun.
40:15So go on, get in the deck chair. Come on, son.
40:21So how does that feel? Lovely. Really nice.
40:25I love this. It's beautiful.
40:28I mean, I was sort of envisaging, you know,
40:31oh, it would be nice to have a bit of wood
40:34and then I can knock things into it, you know,
40:36but actually it is a piece of art by itself, isn't it?
40:41Stunning. Yeah, I had fun doing that today.
40:43It's a gorgeous space and you wouldn't even know
40:46you were right next door to a World War II bunker.
40:49And we put a living roof on there.
40:52So that'll bring in the butterflies and the bees and...
40:55Exactly, yeah. Exactly what you want in the garden.
40:57Yeah, absolutely.
40:59I have to say, that bunker has become the main feature.
41:03I know it was before, but in a bad way.
41:07Now it's just the best.
41:15Claire was scared to enter the uninviting World War II bunker.
41:26Now it's inviting her and Nora in,
41:29with an overhauled interior, freshly painted and furnished.
41:34I'm going to open the door. You ready? Yep.
41:39Oh, wow.
41:41Oh, wow. Oh, my goodness.
41:44You know, it's a decent enough space for her
41:47to get a couple of friends in here, you know,
41:49and a chair, beanbags, things like that.
41:52Yeah. Lovely colour.
41:54Sure, but yellow. Yeah, it's great.
41:57I don't want a bunker like that in my garden.
42:00You smashed it, Flo. Thank you so much. Thank you.
42:03It's... I can't... I honestly can't thank you enough.
42:06I think it's beyond what I imagined.
42:10Well, obviously, I had some help.
42:12Charlie, you know, is my wingwoman.
42:14And, yeah, Charlie, let's get her out.
42:16I've got someone that's very excited to see the garden!
42:20Oh, yay! Dressed for the plant!
42:23I know, I know.
42:26Nora has the perfect garden to play, plant and grow in.
42:31Do you want to go in and see? Yeah?
42:33Da-da-da-da-da! Do you want to go in?
42:36Look, have you got lights?
42:40Look, a window. A proper window.
42:43Look at this one! Look at this one!
42:46Can you give me a high-five?
42:48I think she likes it. I think it's a hit.
42:51The faces, it all.
42:54The garden is amazing.
42:57Absolutely amazing.
42:59It was just a bunker and a load of concrete,
43:02and I don't see any of that any more.
43:05I see soft colours, I see green, I see nature, I see a garden.
43:11Honestly, I'm just blown away.