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00:03I've had enough of this no cars please phone Amanda
00:12people just keep parking in our garden and using it as a drive I know in England we don't do
00:17that
00:18but this is my lorry oh is it your lorry oh okay you I'll let you park you can park
00:26here I'll give
00:27you a permit in the traditional village of Kokini on the Greek island of Corfu we're renovating
00:42Ionian style oh my god with the help of our expert builders it does look like hummus
00:50we're turning this roadside ruin into a family holiday home
00:59perfect so far we've completed the living room children's bedroom kitchen and the master bedroom
01:08now we're transforming the unloved patch of land at the front of the house into a garden so the garden
01:15I think out of everything so far that we've done is going to end up being the best garden ever
01:20and
01:21best of all I'm thinking chandeliers in the trees this is Alan and Stamatis has called in
01:27horticultural expert Spiros to help us this is going to be a massive challenge I feel I hate this
01:34garden well I mean we've got two good things shall we start with that we've got an orange tree and
01:40an
01:40olive tree I'd love some wild flowers because of like pollination who are you I'm not green-fingered
01:49but how hard can it be to put a plant in a soil the gardens I plant always have a
01:57Mediterranean plants
01:59or bees and lion flies it's we want no mosquitoes but no not mosquitoes on this olive tree we were
02:08saying we want like round seating like all the way around stone round yes yes yes that'd be pretty
02:14a 4,000 year old olive tree I want to show that up 4,000 no the band told me
02:20it's 4,000 how really how
02:22many years is it took out there or 200 200 how do you know how do you know from the
02:27size I'm this is
02:29my job I'm getting a lot of mixed messages about the olive tree so until I get it carbon dated
02:34I'm not
02:35going to comment any further it's well old and it's wrinkly and then I've got this idea to put a
02:41shanda an outdoor chandelier what is this in the tree can you please a big light this is a very
02:47good
02:55idea yes I'm telling you people always start like this with my ideas and then by the end they go
03:01oh
03:01I see your vision this glamorous makeover doesn't stop in the garden the exterior of the house needs a
03:10facelift too so while the builders make a start re-rendering the house we need to get the low
03:18down on what plants can survive a coffee at summer we've come back to Sara and Kenny's place to meet
03:28their gardener Yanis you have an amazing tan Yanis you have nice color too thanks
03:37Yanis transformed an abandoned hillside into a thriving Mediterranean garden just stunning oh my
03:45gosh you see look at this I love this garden Alan because it looks very wild and like it's sort
03:52of part
03:53of the environment already yeah we try to blend the garden with the horizon ah fantastic it's all
04:02about the senses isn't it it's everywhere you go there's a smell or there's a gorgeous sight line
04:07or something yeah always is something yes the blue ones yes and the gauras the white and the pink rosemary
04:18is here is it true that this rosemary is good for mosquitoes keeping them away yes they're keeping
04:24our way we have a lot of lavender here oh good yes it's very nice a strong plan Yanis I'm
04:30gonna tell
04:30you something you know the human eye yeah it can differentiate more shades of the color green than
04:37any other color did you know that fact already yes I knew oh okay why are we here then come
04:42on let's
04:42go on with the car as well as low maintenance plants and herbs here is oregano and the most easier
04:50is
04:51this one the wild geranium oh that go nice in the bath oh yeah we'd like to encourage biodiversity we
05:02used to hate bees but now we love bees because they are declining you know exactly and now you know
05:09do you remember the day you used to go happy now you're like please come on in and you're welcome
05:13bees what are the flies called that just have those silly legs that just do that I don't know how
05:18to say
05:18it in English yes I understand I understand they're just like there they're like they can't be bothered
05:23they just go around they just annoy you and look scary we're just I've just seen a glimpse of the
05:28future
05:39there's rosemary everywhere a lot of rosemary and a lot of lavender lavender it's perfect for our garden
05:46I think that's all we need to be honest I think yeah and maybe some agar panthers
06:08it's an early start and while the builders are busy plastering the house I need my caffeine fix
06:14hello hello good morning how are you I need a coffee yes a very strong coffee very I've got a
06:20big
06:21day oh my god my first coffee of the day I get like butterflies in my stomach for how sad
06:28is that
06:28luckily for me the Greeks like it strong too making it with finely ground beans and served unfiltered for
06:36a big caffeine kick thank you very much enjoy thank you wow it's definitely an acquired coffee yes it's
06:59lovely that typical British thing it's definitely not my cup of tea oh it you know what I mean
07:12whilst Amanda is riding high on her morning coffee I'm all abuzz as I'm finally putting an end to our
07:18garden being a lay-by I have a very British sensibility I've always wanted to know what's my land what's
07:27the
07:27road what's the neighbors get off my land so I've roped in Stamatis and Harris to work out the precise
07:35coordinates of our boundary line so what are we doing here when you buy something here you buy the
07:41coordinates given the numbers of we can write it down yes I need it's 44 44 0 8 1 6
07:491 6 8 is that your phone
07:52number no okay no it's just a bit of building site banter so this is the road this is my
08:02land correct
08:02can we push it a little bit more get a bit more back no why not because we're not allowed
08:08in the UK
08:09fences are a big deal we love for fence now the coordinates have been confirmed we can mark out the
08:16boundary line you hold my pad yeah thank you yeah put this old notes on there no no no go
08:23low low no no
08:26low low low low low how's your back okay yeah yeah between you and me I stole a bit of
08:35the road so I
08:36feel like I have like got a bit extra for me money whilst I'm still caffeine-fueled
08:47i've joined alan at the house to build a stone seat around our ancient olive tree
08:56it'll be made using a traditional technique that we've seen all around the island
09:01so we've got the whole team in including expert stonemasons one of the most difficult things is
09:08to do this i mean build breaks is not so difficult especially when you because they're square and
09:13they're a regular shade yeah and when you cover them with plaster you know yeah then you don't
09:17mind if they're not perfect straight so this has to be sort of perfectly imperfect yes that's amazing
09:23that is the title of your next book that is amazing i love perfect can i sit down because that's
09:29that
09:29that was deep so follow this line around to ensure the seating is a perfect circle we've marked a ring
09:37around the tree where the wall will go i'm taking one side and alan will take the other it's a
09:43special way shall that way the trick is to get the stones to slot together just right this is good
09:49somatis yeah yeah but a little bit more this is like nature's jigsaw good do you see oh
10:02now where's the stone
10:06how neat mine is it's actually quite satisfying
10:14trying to find the perfect stone
10:18amanda's definitely winning this race you know well it's clear isn't it there's one woman here
10:23and there's four men over there i think that says everything see that's nice but would you say
10:30that's too big that's the thing with alan i know he does need the support especially with big things
10:36like this um he's contributing he thinks he's doing a lot so you just say well done alan well done
10:45alan what love do you want a little tea break no wow i will not relax until this is complete
10:55that's a good one okay i now pronounce this olive tree seating open
11:14after an exhausting day we're unwinding in kalami bay on the northeast of the island
11:20island and i've got a little surprise for alan
11:25how much do you like to engage in water sports i thought we should try a sofa
11:31a sofa a sofa has it got a bag that i can put my back on it's got a like
11:35a plasma screen everything's
11:38on it and you just got one of those things lady boys yeah not lady boy
11:53things are looking up okay let's go oh thank you hopefully thank you go thank you
12:07okay okay are you ready yes yes okay let's go
12:18okay i leave you in good hands okay okay thank you hold on tight let's go
12:26oh
12:38why did you say that
12:48Oh my God!
12:50Oh my God!
12:51You're true of me!
12:54Just...
12:59Just...
13:00Just...
13:00Oh my God!
13:01Oh my God!
13:02Slow down, slow down, slow down!
13:05I think I'm dead once more!
13:08Oh my God!
13:13Oh my God!
13:18Thank you!
13:19Very elegant!
13:21I think more boats should be sofa shaped because you just relax more!
13:26Just more, really?
13:27If I could give them some feedback...
13:29A little...
13:30Cup holders!
13:31Cup holders on the side!
13:47Today I'm going solo and I'm on a little research mission.
13:51Bees fascinate me.
13:53It's like they've had some good PR.
13:55They used to ruin a picnic, didn't they?
13:57I've come to the Vasilakis estate and I'm getting ready for a close encounter with these master pollinators.
14:04I'm worried about being stung by a bee and I've even put these on.
14:13Martina's family have been making honey here for 20 years and George is the beekeeper at the helm.
14:19Where have you been stung?
14:21Here, here, here, here, here.
14:24Is he lying?
14:25No!
14:26Not every day!
14:28Another day here, another day here.
14:31You've been stung everywhere.
14:32Yes, no problem.
14:35They're ahead of us, you can say that.
14:38Bees play a vital role in our ecosystems, pollinating plants so they reproduce.
14:43The nectar they gather while they do it gets turned into honey and every hive can make around 11 kilograms
14:50every summer.
14:52You see the beehives, they're home!
14:54Oh, lovely!
14:55Lovely!
14:57So this is where I'm going to die?
14:58No!
14:59I want positivity.
15:02This fetching get-up should help make sure I don't get stung.
15:06I want some gloves.
15:08Oh, stupid thing.
15:10Oh, it's OK.
15:11Thank you, George.
15:12OK, we're ready?
15:13We're ready.
15:14I don't know how a goldfish feels when it's been caught.
15:18Oh my goodness, this is so funny, this is so funny.
15:22Now I'm all covered up, George lights the smoker, which should help keep the bees nice and calm.
15:31Try not to be scared.
15:33It's OK, I'm here.
15:34Look how slowly he opens it.
15:35Look at them!
15:36So cute and small!
15:38All of them ladies.
15:39And is there honey in that honey?
15:41We are putting it out.
15:42Oh my God!
15:43It has honey.
15:44You see this?
15:45Yes.
15:45This is honey, basically.
15:47Look at those beauties.
15:48Yes.
15:49It's not ready yet.
15:50It's not ready yet.
15:52Look, they like you.
15:53They like you.
15:54They really like you.
15:55I'm not very relaxed.
15:57The eggs and gones are made by the bees.
16:00This is like, for me, like a horror film.
16:02To me, it's like the most beautiful thing ever.
16:05Look at that!
16:06Oh!
16:06Look at how much honey they have.
16:08That's so much honey.
16:09Oh!
16:10Get away from me!
16:11One nearly went up my marigolds.
16:14Don't move!
16:14Don't move!
16:15Oh, that's good.
16:16Look at how many bees!
16:21At the house, the wall for the olive tree seating is coming along nicely.
16:28And we're getting some deliveries.
16:30What?
16:31That is not a good place to put this gravel.
16:34Stop!
16:35Stop!
16:36It's too close to the wall.
16:38Up, up, up.
16:39Gato, gato.
16:40At the minute, it looks like a building site.
16:42There's so many things unfinished.
16:45It's hard to see it as a garden.
16:47It just looks like a car park.
16:49We need to do stone, stone to make a path.
16:52To try and make it resemble any form of garden,
16:55we need to mark out where the flower beds and pathways go.
16:59The idea I've got in my head is some sort of triangular flower bed
17:02and I'm sort of winding footpath to the house.
17:05And I've roped in Stamatis, Yanis and Nikos to help.
17:08So, I think we'll make the first stone here.
17:12Good.
17:16So, should we just put a bit of gravel down here so we can see?
17:19Yeah, yeah, I think that's, yeah.
17:23I mean, this is super cheap, easy way of making a path.
17:29It's going to look dead posh.
17:42Oh, my God.
17:44Oh, get away from that!
17:47Shoot, shoot, shoot!
17:47Ow! You're pinching me!
17:49This is the queen with the green.
17:51Why has she got the green on her?
17:53This is hell.
17:54We are putting her a collar so we can find her easy.
17:57You put a collar on a bee?
17:58Yeah, don't worry.
17:59Ah!
18:00Oh, it's your hand.
18:01Don't move!
18:01Sorry.
18:04Look at how many!
18:05Oh, wow, there's so many bees!
18:09Oh!
18:10Do you want to hold it?
18:11No!
18:12No, no, no, no, no.
18:13Stop telling, can you tell George to stop that?
18:15That is terrifying.
18:17Oh, and that goes back on there.
18:20They like when it's dark inside.
18:22Oh, yeah.
18:23Oh, I'll put the top on.
18:25You survived!
18:26I survived, you know, I haven't been stung.
18:29They liked you a lot.
18:30I've realised with bees, there's nothing really that much to be scared about.
18:35So, I'm going to go and plant some bee-friendly plants in my garden with my friend Amanda.
18:40That's wonderful.
18:46It's going to stop people parking here.
18:48Yeah.
18:48And actually, this is a Wongus flower bed.
18:52I didn't expect it to be this big.
18:55Once planted, this bed will be a real haven for bees and other insects, just like Alan wants.
19:01Shall we go and have a bird's-eye view up there?
19:04Come up here, Stamatti.
19:07Ah, yeah, see, look!
19:09What do you think Alan's going to see?
19:10Alan is going to love it, mainly because he wasn't involved in it and didn't have to do any of
19:14the hard work.
19:16OK.
19:17Now we've just got to go and buy loads of blinking plants.
19:28As Amanda's worked so hard, I have a little treat for her.
19:33I know she loves animals, so we are heading to the beach for a swimming lesson with some local rescue
19:39horses.
19:40You know we're going to the beach and not Goodwood.
19:46Hello.
19:46This is amazing.
19:48I want to look sexy on the horse.
19:51OK, I'll give you the blue one then.
19:53Oh, OK.
19:55Do they like a swim at the end of the day because it's so hot or they...?
19:58Yes, yes.
19:59They love it.
19:59Especially him.
20:00He can take you to Albania.
20:03Alan, you want...
20:04He needs to find a lover.
20:05Do you have a passport with you?
20:07Yeah, yes.
20:08Can I go to Albania?
20:09All the way.
20:10Alan, just take that off.
20:13Oh!
20:13Oh, no!
20:14Oh, my God!
20:15That's a nice threat.
20:19One, two, three.
20:21Oh, my God.
20:22That was nice, like a pro.
20:24Well done, Alan.
20:25Lovely.
20:27Which way is Albania?
20:28That way.
20:29See you in a bit.
20:30Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
20:33Katarina started looking after rescue horses in 2014
20:36and funds their care by offering amazing riding experiences.
20:41Oh!
20:43Oh, wow.
20:46Right.
20:47Come on then.
20:48They feel so safe, don't they, Alan?
20:50Yeah.
20:52I literally feel like I'm in my own movie here.
21:01Do you want to ride with the dog?
21:04Yes.
21:04Here we go.
21:07She's playing with the water.
21:09Why is my horse river dancing?
21:12Do you want to go a little bit deeper?
21:14Oh, yes.
21:18Go away, Muzzy.
21:21We're getting bitten to ****.
21:26Oh, my God.
21:29I'm getting bitten.
21:30We need to go.
21:32Let's say thank you.
21:32Thank you so much.
21:34That was absolutely magical.
21:35Oh, my gosh.
21:36We're going to run because of the Muzzy.
21:38We've got to go.
21:38Oh, my God.
21:39I've never seen them.
21:40That was literally traumatic.
21:40They are literally everywhere.
21:43They're buzzing around me.
21:45Is that a car?
21:47Whose car is that?
21:47I don't care.
21:48Let's just get in it.
21:50Move over.
21:52Drive.
21:53Drive.
21:53Oh, my God.
21:54Kill them.
21:55Kill them.
21:56Kill them.
22:05Today is the day when we get to plant our garden with all of our bee-friendly plants.
22:14And our gardener, Spiros, is here to help.
22:18First planting the big ones.
22:20The big ones first.
22:21Big ones, please.
22:22Oh, look.
22:22There's a bee already come to see us.
22:25Do you know a bee has its sex organs on the end of its foot?
22:27Did you know that?
22:28No way.
22:30To attract our pollinators, we're planting agapanthus around our olive tree.
22:36What happened?
22:36Where's the hole gone?
22:38Said the actress to the bishop.
22:40Oh, please.
22:41And to give this bed some structure, larger Eliagnes ebengii are planted,
22:46with herbs all around that we can use in the kitchen.
22:50Do you ever talk to the plants, Spiros?
22:53Yes.
22:54Do you sing to it?
22:54Yes?
22:55What do you say?
22:56Do you sing?
22:57I do understand you.
22:58I love them.
23:00You say, I love them.
23:01Yes.
23:02Yes.
23:02Oh, that's so sweet.
23:04I cultivate plants for 35 years, 40 years now.
23:10Oh.
23:12I love you.
23:14I hope you enjoy going in the hole.
23:19Could we get a job with you, Spiros?
23:21What do you think?
23:22Yes.
23:23I feel like you've said yes, but your heart's not in it.
23:26I thought that was the same thing, Alex.
23:31That's it.
23:33I love you too.
23:35I love you.
23:38It looks completely different now.
23:40Good job.
23:41Did you say good job?
23:42Good job, yes.
23:43Oh, thank you.
23:54One of the best things about this house is how close we are to the sea.
23:59So we're heading five minutes down the road to San Stephanos for a cuppa on the beach.
24:06Oh, that's really nice of you. Thank you.
24:10Super star.
24:11Do you know, it feels more exotic when it's in a clear glass.
24:16Yes.
24:16Doesn't it?
24:18No milk.
24:18You don't really have much dairy.
24:19I don't like dairy.
24:21So do you think you're more like your mum or your dad?
24:23I feel like I'm getting older.
24:25My dad was a bit of an enigma growing up.
24:28On a Friday night, our house used to be like a monastery.
24:32Can you believe that?
24:33Because my dad was grumpy.
24:36Shut up.
24:37Don't slam that door.
24:38We'd sit there and have the telly turned down.
24:41But, of course, I realise now because he had a big match.
24:44Match on the Saturday.
24:45On the Saturday.
24:46And, you know, I'm like that before a big show.
24:51Yeah.
24:51You know, my friends say, are you coming out?
24:52It's a Friday night.
24:53And I'm like, no, no, no.
24:54Because if I do go out, I'm thinking and I'm irritable and I'm trying to think.
24:59And I thought, oh, I get it now, Dad.
25:01Because when they were doing great, my dad would get massive cheers.
25:05But if they lost, everyone's booing your dad.
25:09Being a manager of a football club and being a stand-up comedian,
25:11you are on your own.
25:13And also, what's the difference between going up the football tunnel
25:16and walking onto a stage?
25:18Exactly.
25:18Everyone's judging you.
25:20Everyone wants to be entertained.
25:21If you don't deliver it, you get boos.
25:24It's exactly the same.
25:25It's exactly the same.
25:26But I get it now.
25:27And I said, I mean, I don't totally get my dad, but I get that side of it.
25:33Is there a trait in your mum that you feel like, oh, I've got that from her or...?
25:38I call my children the wrong names.
25:40Oh, yeah.
25:41Every day.
25:42Oh, my mum does that.
25:42I call Lexi, Holly, Holly, Lexi.
25:44But it's just started happening.
25:45No, but it's never gone to pets.
25:46Oh, I've done pets.
25:47I've been called Big Puss.
25:48I've been called Big Puss by my mum.
25:50Big Puss.
25:51Big Puss.
25:52I know.
25:52I mean, I get it.
25:53A man's name, but Big Puss, a cat that has been dead for over 25 years.
25:57I know.
26:04Back at the house, it's the final push to get the front garden finished.
26:08The fence has gone up.
26:10And more shrubs have been planted to give some privacy.
26:14Now it's down to us to add some final details.
26:17You grab the cushions, love.
26:19Please use the stepping stones.
26:20Please use the stepping stones.
26:22But this is a cute idea.
26:25You can always tell a top quality chandelier by its weight.
26:30Where do you...
26:32Wait!
26:32But there's no electricity, so how are they going to shine?
26:35Look inside there.
26:36They are solar panelled, state of the art.
26:40See how far you can get it up.
26:42What about this bit there?
26:43Yes, Alan, that's perfect.
26:44Is that nice?
27:02Oh, I actually can't quite believe that this car park is now a Mediterranean garden.
27:11And it's so Mediterranean with all the plants and the herbs.
27:14Also, it's got the social side.
27:16You can sit almost anywhere.
27:17Anywhere for gin and tonic.
27:18Gin and tonic, cup of tea, whatever.
27:20And I've seen loads of little butterflies and bees.
27:23They've already...
27:24Oh, that's good to know.
27:26That's good to know.
27:27Yeah.
27:28And we've got a little bit of England in the garden, haven't we?
27:30What?
27:31We've got the boundary.
27:32Oh!
27:33We have.
27:34I like a picket fence.
27:36This is mine.
27:38It feels like a film set to me.
27:40I know.
27:40And the centrepiece being that gorgeous tree.
27:43The tree with the chandeliers.
27:45Yeah.
27:46Which look nicer than you thought.
27:49Do you know what?
27:49I will give you that.
27:50Okay, go.
27:50They look nicer than I thought they would.
27:53Yes.
27:54It's so lovely.
27:55It's just unbelievable.
28:00Next time...
28:01I'm having a round bath.
28:03It's AI.
28:04That is not AI.
28:06I embrace new technology to design my bathroom.
28:09Can't wait to see it.
28:10It's got a lovely bottom.
28:12We try to tackle ancient mythology.
28:14Let's hope the gods are smiling down on some of your design choices.
28:19And Alan has another shot at the Corfu dating game.
28:23Good job we're not playing strip pool, are we?
28:25Well...
28:27That's a good job.
28:29Oh...
28:42That's a good job.