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Garden Rescue - Season 11 - Episode 03: Croydon
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00:00The Garden Rescue Team are back.
00:02Hallelujah!
00:04This time Lee...
00:06He and Eve, Heaven!
00:08Charlie...
00:09Busy, busy little bee.
00:10Chris...
00:11Sometimes you need to go old-school.
00:13...and Flo...
00:14Hello!
00:15...will be joined by four familiar faces from the gardening world.
00:19OK, let's gallop on, then.
00:21Go on, then.
00:21Yee-haw!
00:22Jo...
00:23Team Garden Rescue.
00:25Sue...
00:25You've got a little vignette of pops.
00:28Dermot...
00:28I think I've been accepted into the game.
00:31...and Francis...
00:32You just can't beat a cherry tree.
00:34...in each garden, two of our designers will go head-to-head.
00:37We've decided to go for...
00:40...Blo's Design!
00:41Yes!
00:42Come on!
00:44...and the winning designer...
00:45Does that make me the boss?
00:47...gets a helping hand from the runner-up.
00:50Stop pulling!
00:51It's garden war!
00:52That is fantastic!
00:54...turning garden dreams...
00:56...into reality.
00:58Open your eyes.
00:59Oh!
00:59Oh, my God!
01:00That is incredible!
01:02Oh, my God!
01:04This is gorgeous!
01:06This is our garden!
01:08This is our garden!
01:12Today, the team are taking on an inner-city garden in the London borough of Croydon.
01:18I'm Natalie.
01:19And I'm Lynette.
01:20And I'm Lynette.
01:21Because you can't tell, she's my big sister.
01:23There's eight years between us.
01:25She looks good on it.
01:28After living separately for most of their adult lives, during Covid, Natalie moved into Lynette's house.
01:35I worked as an administrator in the NHS.
01:39Lynette invited me to work from home, from her place, and I ended up staying.
01:45The timing was quite right, sort of like, two old ladies.
01:48Oh, okay.
01:48One old lady.
01:49Not so much as the old.
01:51Okay.
01:53Two mature women coming to a point in our lives, so we just shared.
01:57It was a good time to share, really.
02:00After retiring from a high-pressure career in civil engineering, Lynette found a new purpose in a local community garden.
02:07And now, Natalie's joined her too.
02:09We're complementary, but different.
02:11So, that's the lady.
02:13She likes to potter around the garden, and it's all nice, and manicured.
02:17Right out of mind the rough stuff, in terms of the vegetable beds and all the rest of it.
02:21She gardens with gloves on, and I garden with them on.
02:25At home, though, their huge sun-baked garden is proving tough to tame.
02:30I don't like the fact I can see all the way to the end of the garden, and you could
02:35be seen into the garden as well.
02:37So, in terms of privacy...
02:40There's little.
02:41There's little.
02:42We do love sitting in the garden and catching up.
02:46We have a terrible sense of humour, a very wicked sense of humour.
02:49So, you will hear us laughing a lot, and there isn't many places to sit.
02:54We've improvised on the tree stumps and trunks, and we've got some seating there.
03:00There's no one nice space just to relax for the views and meditate and be calm.
03:06Lynette used to love growing her own produce, but these days, the garden's working against her.
03:13As you can see, I haven't been able to do much with the beds.
03:16It's very difficult at the moment with my back pain.
03:20Aside from a single raised planter that's seen better days, everything else is at ground level.
03:26I've got a vertebrae misaligned.
03:28I can't pick things up, and I can't bend over, because a lot of things are at ground level.
03:33It would be, you know, really good to have something that makes it more accessible.
03:37And working with our grandchildren, they love planting, they love that, so I'd love to be able to get back
03:44to that.
03:46Believe it or not, this used to be my little retreat area.
03:50So after sort of digging around in the beds, I used to actually sit here and contemplate life.
03:58But as you can see, it's gone to pot, literally, because it's just been too difficult for me to actually
04:05manage.
04:06The garden, it's beating us. It entices us in, but it has a laugh at us because we're sitting there
04:11trying to do things that we can't.
04:16Hoping to transform Lynette and Natalie's backyard...
04:19I think we've got nice weather today.
04:21It's brilliant, isn't it?
04:23..is resident garden rescue designer, Lee Burkill, along with garden design royalty, Dermot Gavin.
04:31Right, here we have Lynette and Natalie in Croydon, and they're both retired and they want somewhere where they can
04:37just relax.
04:38OK, a haven.
04:39A haven, but let's take a look at what we're dealing with.
04:43OK.
04:44I mean, as you can see, there's a lot going on.
04:48Yeah, look at the polytunnel.
04:49Yeah.
04:50Sheds.
04:51That polytunnel is huge, but clearly they love to grow stuff.
04:54Yeah.
04:55It's very imposing, isn't it?
04:56It is.
04:57So, a long, narrow garden in a built-up kind of community.
05:01Yeah.
05:02Mmm.
05:02My favourite type, eh?
05:05Great.
05:06A wonderland within that.
05:07Mmm.
05:08Where to start?
05:09Shall we take a look at what they want?
05:11Great.
05:11I'd love to see that.
05:12We are looking for an area that we could...
05:15Relax.
05:17..and recuperate.
05:18We also want a place that's private.
05:20So, we're not overlooked and we can do what we need to do.
05:24OK.
05:24It's going to be hard to do that within this.
05:28And all these windows.
05:29Being overlooked.
05:30Growing our own is an absolute must.
05:33Before I became ill, the grandkids were able to come and grow.
05:37So, growing my own is an essential.
05:39How can I forget?
05:40I've always wanted chickens.
05:42So, we want somewhere where we can relax.
05:45And we want raised beds so that we can actually access.
05:48It's great that they want to grow their own.
05:50Yeah.
05:51And it's certainly got the polytonal to bring things on as well.
05:53How are you going to disguise that?
05:55I know.
05:56But at least I haven't.
05:57Yeah.
05:57I mean, it shows what they're about.
05:59Growing and peace and nature.
06:02We don't want to be overwhelmed.
06:04Every time we step out.
06:05We want to feel loved.
06:07And that we're having fun in the garden.
06:09A place that we can spend any time of day, any time of year.
06:13I think connecting these two sisters with the grandchildren and Mother Nature is a really lovely theme.
06:19But I guess you want to know how much we've got to play with.
06:22Oh, how much do we have to play with?
06:24Well...
06:25Whether you like it or not, we've got ÂŁ5,500 for this one.
06:28OK.
06:29It's not too bad.
06:31Yeah.
06:31I think it's about boxing clever.
06:32Which parts do you tackle?
06:34Which bits do you hide?
06:35I think I might have to commune with the polytonal gods to work out this one.
06:38It's a real puzzle, but you know, I like a challenge.
06:43Lee and Dermot will create designs that'll meet Lynette and Natalie's ÂŁ5,500 budget.
06:50Once the favourite has been chosen, the losing designer will help with the build.
06:54A trusted team of landscapers will provide their labour for free, so the full budget can be spent on materials
07:01and plants.
07:05Back in Croydon, it's time for Lynette and Natalie to see the final designs.
07:11Lynette and Natalie, look, it's as simple as this.
07:16If I get to do your garden, the following day I retire.
07:19Because I'll have done everything I've ever wanted to do.
07:23I don't want to work again.
07:25This is what we're going to do.
07:27I'm going to build an oval, walled room.
07:31And the reason that it's oval is if I use this shape,
07:34I can really use the length of your garden to create this floral garden room.
07:39I've never seen that shape before.
07:42I love it.
07:43I'm going to build walls that are there, but they're not really there because they're posts.
07:48And around that post, we're going to stretch this amazing rope trellis.
07:53On that rope trellis, I'm going to plant every climber you've ever dreamed of.
07:58Wonderful old roses, sweet peas, honeysuckle, clematis.
08:03Oh, I think he's named every single one that we like.
08:06And beyond, I want that place of the raised beds of the no-dig gardening.
08:11And I want to give you airy efforts on chickens.
08:14I did that too. I got some rescue chickens.
08:16Best thing I ever did.
08:17Put the chickens bit more.
08:18Yeah.
08:20Like Dermot, Lee is also taking advantage of the space by splitting the garden in two.
08:25And as we journey through, we're firstly going to be met by three big raised steel beds.
08:31And they're going to reflect light and be a bit of a beacon in the garden.
08:34Steel.
08:36No, that's a bit of a curve ball. Steel beds. I wasn't expecting that.
08:39I'm going to plant three very special yet very different trees in these raised beds.
08:44The first one is going to be a beautiful apple tree.
08:47Oh.
08:49The middle tree is actually going to be a winter flowering cherry.
08:52So you're not going to get any fruit off this, but in the middle of January,
08:55it's going to be covered in beautiful pink and white blossom.
08:59Cherry blossom. That's pretty. I've always liked cherry blossom.
09:02Yeah.
09:03Now the last tree is going to be a beautiful pear.
09:05These three trees are going to draw your focus into the central part of the garden,
09:09which is this, my gossip hut.
09:12Okay.
09:14I've created you this beautiful custom seating area, again with a tin roof to link in with the raised beds.
09:20This is the spot where you can sit and just have a good old chat.
09:24Not to be outdone, Dermot's got his own plans to create a cosy corner for a cuppa and a chat.
09:30In the centre there'll be this beautiful reflecting pool.
09:33You'll have a little bench looking over that scene.
09:36That's interesting.
09:37I like that.
09:38So could you imagine coming out of the back door, then you have this main vista going all the way
09:44through here.
09:45Year after year, season after season, that's going to get better.
09:49But you can't see in, from outside in, you're completely screened.
09:53Yeah.
09:54Which I like that.
09:55Yeah.
09:55And then, when you come out the other end of that vista, you have the productive garden and you have
10:01the polytunnel,
10:03because I know you want to practise the craft of gardening.
10:06That's spot on.
10:08While Dermot is keen to have the whole garden on show, Lee wants to keep things separate.
10:13Because I know you grow a lot and you've got your polytunnel, but I also know it can be a
10:18bit of an eyesore.
10:19So what I've done is designed you this custom trellis screen that's going to sit just in front of the
10:24polytunnel,
10:25but it means that when you're in the lower gossip part of the garden, you're not just looking at a
10:30polytunnel.
10:31Perfect.
10:32I can't wait to see that.
10:33I can't wait to see that.
10:33Green that off, yeah.
10:34By raising up the bed to 40 centimetres, it means no more sore backs, Lynette.
10:39I like that.
10:40So he's recognised the beds are high.
10:43I'm not just going to give you one compost bed.
10:45Oh no.
10:45I'm going to give you three.
10:47Fantastic.
10:48I get three compost beds.
10:50So Lynette and Natalie, if you want a garden that's more girl talk than endless hard work,
10:55then this is the one for you.
10:57Lee's definitely captured.
10:59Yeah.
10:59The brief, yeah.
11:01Lynette and Natalie, it's my dream to create this garden, which I hope would be the garden of your dreams.
11:09I do like that shape.
11:11Door, isn't it?
11:12Yeah.
11:13I've never seen that before.
11:15Yeah.
11:16Lynette and Natalie must now decide which garden they can picture themselves in.
11:21So we've got the designs now.
11:23Yeah, and we get to take a look at them.
11:24Yeah.
11:25With them.
11:26It's a big oval.
11:27Yeah.
11:28So that'll start from here.
11:30Starts from here, yeah.
11:32Starts from here.
11:33And then where does it, if I walk, tell me where that oval stops.
11:37So stop.
11:37So about here, if you stop there.
11:39Yeah.
11:40That's the start of the...
11:41That's the start of it.
11:42Okay.
11:43And this extends all the way out.
11:45Okay.
11:45So it's quite a large oval.
11:48It's massive space, isn't it?
11:49Yeah.
11:50From within, you definitely won't have to worry about privacy.
11:53So walking it through, this bit is a bed.
11:56Yeah.
11:57That bit's a bed.
11:57This bit's a bed.
11:59And then beyond that is the chicken coop.
12:01And the chicken coop.
12:02This is Lee's design.
12:04Yeah.
12:04So the galvanized bed is in the middle here.
12:08Yeah.
12:09Let's pretend.
12:10Or sat here.
12:11Oh, he says.
12:12Yeah.
12:12Okay.
12:12So there'll be seating there.
12:15Okay, along.
12:16And in front of that seating, there'll be another tree.
12:18And then beyond that, on the left, you've got...
12:22Got to walk around.
12:23...one long raised bed.
12:26Interesting.
12:26Interesting.
12:27It's an interesting one.
12:29With so much to love about both designs, choosing between them won't be easy.
12:39So we've heard back from Lynette and Natalie and their super long garden.
12:44Thank you so much for both your designs, Darren.
12:47The shape of your garden was amazing.
12:50That oval shape.
12:51Oh, you've gone for an oval.
12:52Source is the shape of the plot, yeah.
12:55I loved the planting, I loved the walls.
12:59And, of course, you included my chickens.
13:01Ah, you put in a chicken cube.
13:02Love chickens.
13:03What we loved most is the privacy offered by the walled garden.
13:09It was almost like a green-scented hug.
13:11Well, this is going to be a close one.
13:12Lee's design had us nodding all the way through.
13:16Oh, I think this is the Lee show.
13:18I'm not sure yet.
13:20The trees.
13:21The raised beds.
13:23And the compost heaps.
13:24A design that covered virtually everything.
13:27You can't do better than that.
13:29After much back and forth.
13:31Arguing.
13:32Deliberation.
13:33Not talking.
13:34Excitement.
13:35Sulking.
13:35On her part.
13:37Crying.
13:38In the corner.
13:39We have decided.
13:45Lee's.
13:47Oh, well done.
13:48That's great.
13:49Do you know, I'm so surprised.
13:50Honestly, I couldn't have called that.
13:51She gave them everything they wanted and they loved their gardening.
13:55It's a perfect garden for them.
13:56Yeah.
13:56But you gave them chickens.
13:57That's where I thought I'd lost it.
13:59Do you know what?
13:59I think we're going to have a really good time with this because it's a garden of two halves
14:02and I've introduced some really lovely plants which I know you're going to love.
14:06It'll be great to plant up, great to clear it out.
14:08Yeah.
14:09Lots to do but it'll be a haven.
14:11Yeah.
14:11If you put your cards right, I'll buy you a chicken.
14:18Lee and Dermot will be supported by an expert group of landscapers led by project manager Danny.
14:25Morning team.
14:26Morning.
14:26Are we all okay?
14:27Yeah.
14:28Welcome to the beautiful sunny Croydon.
14:30Lovely.
14:30This is Lee's design, Lynette and Natalie's garden.
14:33Lots to get on with.
14:35Initially, we've got like a lovely stepping stone path which weaves our way down through the garden,
14:39takes you on a bit of a journey.
14:41Three raised galvanised planters which are going to have trees in.
14:44Also, we've got this shelter here, Gossip Hut, Lee's calling it.
14:48So that's somewhere for them to sit and have a chat.
14:50Polytunnel there which we're going to keep because they're keen growers.
14:53We're going to sort of disguise that with a custom made trellis panel.
14:56So lots to do.
14:57Shall we get on with it?
14:58Let's go.
15:00Together, they'll have just two days to rescue Lynette and Natalie's garden.
15:04With the ground being so hard because the weather's been so hot recently,
15:08it just makes it that little bit more difficult.
15:10The old concrete paths are coming up, the overgrown raised planter is being cleared out
15:15and all the unwanted rubbish is going into the skip.
15:22So a lot of these branches, Colwyn, that we're pulling out of the borders,
15:26if we keep these, these can go into the compost bins that we're making
15:28so they'll just break down over time and help create some really good compost.
15:33So let's not chuck them in the skip.
15:37With the garden cleared out, it's time to start bringing Lee's design to life,
15:42starting with a gently winding stepping stone path.
15:46I'm going to spread out a line.
15:47Yep.
15:48To sort of like take this on the journey, the flow of the line.
15:51Yep.
15:51Perfect.
15:52All the way through.
15:53And then we can use that line as a guide as to where we're going to put the stepping stones.
15:57Yep.
16:00The line's not straight.
16:01It's not supposed to be.
16:03There's always one.
16:05I'm going to sweep it a bit more.
16:07The path's natural curves will encourage Lynette and Natalie to slow down so they can pause
16:12and enjoy the new garden.
16:14That looks good from there.
16:16While Susie and Danny map out the pathway, Sam is making a start on Lee's one-of-a-kind
16:21girl talk hut.
16:23We need to post creep these in so that the concrete is in the ground so they don't move
16:26and then we'll build a frame on the outside of it and then we can finish the shelter.
16:31With four posts to erect for the hut and another three for the screen to hide the polytunnel,
16:36it's shaping up to be a post digging marathon.
16:38All level.
16:39Perfect.
16:41Meanwhile, Lee's stepping stone path is making the team work up a sweat.
16:45Right now, we are all hands on deck.
16:49We've got to get each one of these stepping stones stud in and we've got to dig them all
16:55individually.
16:56Each of the 50 slabs is a unique shape and at upwards of 10 kilos a piece, it's back-breaking
17:03work.
17:05Feels great.
17:07It's taking the time just because we've had to dig everyone out individually.
17:10But no, last one, so it feels so good this does.
17:15A little tap, get them level with the grass.
17:21The path will wind its way around three raised planters which Danny has to assemble by hand.
17:27This is one of the three galvanised raised planters that are dotted across, in between
17:35the stepping stones.
17:37By raising the planters up, they'll be easier for Lynette and Natalie to maintain and because
17:43they're galvanised steel, they'll stay rust free and weatherproof for years to come.
17:48The roof of the gossip shelter is going to be galvanised as well, so it kind of ties in
17:53together.
17:54It almost illuminates the garden in the daylight as well as at night time if the light catches
17:58it.
17:59As the end of the day approaches, with the last posts going in the ground, Tori's making
18:04sure nothing goes to waste.
18:07We've got a bit of leftover muck here, leftover from all the stepping stones that we dug in.
18:12And rather than waste it, what I'm going to do is chuck it in here with the post.
18:16First, this is the start of our screen that's going to come across here and hide the back
18:20of the garden.
18:21And rather than waste the muck, we'll get it in the hole and use it as post-crete.
18:25The concrete sets quickly, but it'll need to cure overnight before the screen can be completed
18:31tomorrow.
18:32Waste not want not.
18:33The team have grafted hard all day in the heat.
18:36The stepping stone paths down, the old raised beds had a makeover, the galvanised planters
18:41are up and the frames for the hut and privacy screen are in place.
18:46It's been an uphill struggle, but we've got there.
18:48It's looking so much better already.
18:50We've still got a lot to do tomorrow, but I think we're in a good place and hopefully
18:54Lee's going to be happy when he sees what we've managed to achieve on day one.
18:57After a good night's sleep, bring on day two.
19:06So we're in leafy Croydon today, Dermon.
19:09Leafy Croydon.
19:10Now this is a garden of two very distinct parts.
19:12Is there digging involved?
19:14There's lots of digging and lots of amazing plants.
19:16Oh, a dream.
19:18Can't wait.
19:24Welcome to the never-ending garden.
19:27Look how big this is.
19:28It's long, isn't it?
19:28Yeah.
19:30Now I said this was a garden of two halves and it really is, as you can see.
19:34So that's the productive area.
19:36This is the productive area and then we're going to go into a much more laid back, relaxed area.
19:40I think there's the potential for a very exciting plot.
19:43Yeah, well it's a very big space and what I'd love you to do today is to use your design
19:47prowess to make this grow your own area beautiful and super functional.
19:52So I'll be working here to get them get growing.
19:56Yeah.
19:56And I've got a bit of a trick to maybe screen off said polytunnel.
19:59Okay.
20:00And me.
20:02Now this really is a garden of two halves because Natalie and Lynette love to grow stuff.
20:07But at the moment everything's super low down, it hurts the backs, it makes it really unusable.
20:12So part of the design in the back part of the garden, where Dermond is, is to lift up all
20:16of the planters using raised beds.
20:18It'll make growing really easy.
20:20But the polytunnel is a bit of an eyesore and I've got a trick to use.
20:24A simple screen to distract the eye.
20:27The front of the garden will be all about relaxation and beauty, with colourful plants, fruit trees and the all
20:33-important Girl Talk hut, which the landscape team are already cracking on with.
20:39So Tory.
20:41Hey up Lee.
20:41How is my little Girl Talk hut going on?
20:43It's getting there.
20:44I'm getting the roof on now, getting the galvanized on.
20:46Yeah.
20:46We're just trying to get it covered before the rain comes down.
20:48And the reason why I didn't put it up at 2.4 metres is we've got all these neighbours and
20:53I really don't want to annoy them,
20:54but it makes it feel as if when you sit in there, you duck down into the hut.
20:57Nice and cosy.
20:58Oh yeah.
20:59To keep the two areas of the garden separate, Lee's design includes a large screen right down the middle.
21:06Now Natalie in Lynette's garden is huge, it's really long, which is why in my design I'm using a screen
21:12to help separate it off.
21:13Now Danny, you have made a great start in putting together the frame.
21:17We've got posts in, yeah.
21:18And I'm guessing you could do the pair of hands.
21:20Yes please, this definitely needs more than one pair of hands, I'm juggling here.
21:22Right, so we're using these wooden battens, aren't we?
21:25A 50mm batten and then a 50mm gap, which is all the way down.
21:29Super even, super neat.
21:30And this is a really cost effective way of creating screens, isn't it?
21:32Totally, so much cheaper than actually buying a pre-made piece of trellis.
21:36This was literally about ÂŁ100 for this sort of material, but you'd be paying ÂŁ150 per panel if you bought
21:42them ready-made.
21:43Using our heads, eh? Right, let's get going.
21:46Evenly spaced wooden battens won't just add privacy, they'll also create the perfect framework for climbing plants to soften the
21:54structure with greenery.
21:56Now we've got a clever trick, haven't we Danny, with these wooden spaces?
22:00Well to keep the gaps consistent, we'll just use a piece of batten so we know we've got a completely
22:04equal gap between each strip.
22:06As Lee continues with the screen, Dermot's ready to create the perfect patch for green-fingered Lynette to grow her
22:13own.
22:14We want to create a raised bed for her that's much easier for her to use, and to do that
22:20we're using this treated wood.
22:22That's very important, so once we put it in, once we screw it together, it won't rot.
22:27It's an easy way to grow vegetables, and it's in this open, sunny position.
22:33And that is the main thing to look out for if you're doing productive gardening.
22:38You want as much sunshine as you can get.
22:43So, Susie, what would you like me to do?
22:46Are you good with the drill?
22:47You know the drill.
22:50I'm excellent.
22:52Treated timber's ideal for this job, but if you're after a cheaper or more eco-friendly option, reclaimed wood like
22:58old pallets or sleepers can work too.
23:01Everybody can do this. It's easy, it's cheap, it's achievable, and working with soil is always wonderful.
23:09Did you just say soil or Susie?
23:10Definitely soil.
23:12As the raised beds grow higher, in the front half of the garden, Lee is also thinking vertically.
23:19These galvanised steel raised beds are a really good idea if you're on a budget and you want to create
23:24a garden quickly.
23:25Because what they do is they allow you to plant directly on top of the turf, which may sound a
23:30bit bonkers, but trust me.
23:32The unusual galvanised steel planters were the only part of Lee's design that Lynette and Natalie were a little unsure
23:38of.
23:39I wonder if it's going to be that orange.
23:42I don't know.
23:43I'm a bit worried about that because Lee did say it was going to be bling, but what does that
23:47look like?
23:49Yeah.
23:50Not sure.
23:51Now these metal raised bed planters are anywhere between ÂŁ40 and ÂŁ60 each.
23:56Super cost effective.
23:57So whilst Dermon's building these beautiful rectangular raised beds for veg, these circular ones just loosen up this part of
24:04the garden.
24:04And it means that you can walk all the way around them to see every plant, every specimen, and it
24:10makes it feel really immersive.
24:11But now all I'm going to do is fill them full of soil, easy peasy.
24:17Dermot, you are looking incredibly busy with these raised beds.
24:21It's going very well and it's really a joy to make because I know the difference that this is going
24:25to make to Lynette and the family.
24:27So to be setting something up with Susie, that will be productive.
24:32Well, do you know what, I don't want to stop the joy, so carry on.
24:36Thanks to a team effort, the raised beds are taking shape, standing proud and ready for planting prep.
24:44So we're ready now for the exciting bit with this raised bed.
24:49The next project is to put a layer of cardboard, so we're recycling this cardboard and using it in the
24:56garden.
24:58Really simple, just covering as much as possible.
25:04The cardboard helps block weeds growing from below while naturally breaking down to enrich the soil above.
25:10Often if people are doing a no-dig bed instead of a raised bed, all you do there is find
25:18a piece of ground like this, get your cardboard, lay it down, put water on it with a hose, make
25:24sure it's nice and damp, and then spread a layer of compost.
25:28And you plant directly into that compost.
25:30But this time, it's a little bit different. We want everything to be raised slightly high so that nobody hurts
25:36their back as they're bending over to do gardening.
25:39With the team making good progress, Lee and Dermott can start to think about planting.
25:44So, Dermott, it's not all hard graft. We've got some beautiful plants.
25:50Wow! Look at that!
25:52It's a garden, isn't it? In the van.
25:54We've got vines, we've got some beautiful daylilies here, but they smell gorgeous.
25:58Lovely, a cherry, a wisteria. Oh, fantastic. And then a little Tradescantius.
26:03We've got little pops of colour for the relaxation zone. We've got some beautiful edibles for your part of the
26:08garden as well.
26:09Fantastic. The colours are just great, Lee. We have soft ferns. I think they're going to love this.
26:16Maybe some of these could go near that back shed, so there's a little snug near your part where they
26:20can sit.
26:21Yes. And the tree is just nothing too big, so they'll just create kind of junctions to look around.
26:27Right, shall we get some off? Yeah.
26:30You take two at a time, do you, Lee?
26:32For height, privacy and a splash of seasonal colour, Lee's planting three fruit trees that the ladies can admire from
26:40the comfort of their cosy hut.
26:42Here we have one of the statement trees in this garden, and it's Prunus autumnalis, otherwise known as the winter
26:49flowering cherry.
26:50Now this cherry tree flowers anywhere between December and the end of January, and it will be covered in these
26:56tiny white flowers with little pink centres.
26:59So when everything else is asleep, this is going to be doing something wonderful around Christmas time.
27:04Because I'm putting it into these raised beds, it's actually incredibly easy to plant because it will accommodate pretty much
27:09any soil that you've got in your garden.
27:12Leave it be and just enjoy it. So a lazy tree for two gardeners that need a bit of lazy
27:17time themselves after they've finished growing the back parts of the garden.
27:22The cherry tree might cope in most conditions, but Dermot's keen to ensure the veg beds get the best start
27:28possible.
27:29The fun part, just making it nice and moist.
27:34And as that begins to get soaked, it'll relax all up along these sides, but we don't have to wait
27:41for that, we can immediately start putting on the soil.
27:45Soil costs can add up fast, but keep an eye on local selling sites and social media pages where people
27:52often sell leftover bags for a fraction of the price.
27:55So look at that, there's the start of the growing medium for all the delicious vegetables that are going to
28:03come out of this plot.
28:05And that is a really great organic mix. Absolutely beautiful, can't wait to fill it up.
28:12Are you ready? Are you sure? Are you ready? No, you have to be ready.
28:19Right, let's just dip this. It's getting heavy now.
28:26Out front, the Girl Talk hut is shaping up.
28:30This is the seating area ready for the little gossip hut here.
28:36I'm looking forward to having a sit in that later on.
28:40With the bench in place, Lee turns his attention to the view.
28:43I'm going to start placing some of these beautiful specimens, but I'm going to do it slightly differently to how
28:48I usually plant place.
28:49And that's because I'm going to plant all of the purple mid layer plants first to give me that mid
28:55height from when I'm sat on that bench.
28:56And then I'm going to work my way around these raised beds and then introduce things like grasses, some edibles
29:01and some ground cover.
29:03So by popping all the purple in, it means I can balance the planting.
29:06And it should look soft, but organised. It should.
29:14With purple blooms in place, Lee is adding pops of yellow for contrast and finishing with tall grasses for movement
29:21and height.
29:23I'm actually going to break one of my rules. We talked about rhythm and repeating things.
29:28And the way I'm going to break it is rather than using three of the same grass, I'm going to
29:31use two of the same and then one different species.
29:34And it's just going to add a bit of a what's going on there.
29:36And I'm going to put this one over here and these two look similar.
29:40So same, same, slightly same, but not quite. And it's going to then start to bring you into Dermot's area
29:45and it'll pick up on the reds of the tomatoes and the produce.
29:49As the front of the garden begins to take shape, out back, Danny and his team are gearing up for
29:54one final build.
29:56This is like the working area of the garden, the veg beds there, the tunnel, everything that's generated from there,
30:03all of the debris and stuff, it's all in this general area.
30:06So we're basically just building a big compost bin with slatted sides so that all of the stuff that's generated
30:11from the gardening and all the veg growing and all of the bits and pieces that are left over can
30:16all be...
30:16Danny, I've just been thinking which a nice summer house down here would end the garden really beautifully.
30:22If there was about eight posts, something facing that way, a nice pitched roof.
30:28We have time. We're done.
30:30That's a no then, Dermot.
30:33With just a few hours remaining to finish the garden, Mother Nature has decided to intervene.
30:42We're testing out Leigh's arbour.
30:45It's working all right, isn't it?
30:46It's perfect.
30:48I mean, the poor landscapers, they're all getting soaked.
30:50They're having a union meeting. They're about to write to somebody who's in charge of the rain.
30:55They're texting them now.
30:57Oh, and I think it's working.
30:59It must have been a harsh text.
31:01Do you think we should get on and do some work?
31:03No.
31:07With the soil nicely damp, planting can continue.
31:12And Leigh's filling the raised beds with low maintenance perennials that'll come back year after year.
31:19This Tradescantia is a brilliant plant choice if you're short on time but want something that is a real wow
31:25plant.
31:25Now, Tradescantia originates from America and they're these amazingly bullet-proof plants.
31:31And they grow from these fleshy rhizomes, which is like another fancy word for roots.
31:36You'll see them all there.
31:37But the beauty of them is you can grow them in pretty much full shade or full sun once they're
31:42established.
31:42But what you get are these gorgeous purple flowers.
31:46Now, if you recognise the leaves, it's probably because you've seen it as a houseplant as well.
31:51They'll immediately recognise it but not really know why.
31:53And I quite like surprising people with plants that way.
31:59In our half of the garden we're doing very well. I think Leigh's half is a little behind but that's
32:04only to be expected.
32:06I don't think I'm behind. Look how many plants I've got in versus him. Breaking away with this soil.
32:12It's the problem with young people today. They don't know how to work. They don't know what hard work is.
32:17You know, pensioners, they just mow non-stop.
32:20While Leigh's dishing out cheek, Dermot's dishing out compost. His planters are ready for action.
32:27The first plants that I'm putting in are these broad beans. It's a variety called Sutton.
32:32They're low growing. So, in general, if you were sowing them from seed, you can put them directly into the
32:37ground late in the autumn or early in the spring.
32:40I always get a little bit excited at this stage because you can see the bean that the plant is
32:47shooting from.
32:48I'm going to plant this directly in this super fertile soil. And remember, it's about 15 centimetres apart.
32:57The really wonderful thing about planting beans in a situation like this, especially with children, is the produce comes very,
33:04very fast.
33:05So, nine weeks after planting, they'll be full of beans. It makes people feel good. And, of course, every morning
33:12you wander out and you see what's happening in the veg beds.
33:15And soon, you'll never be looking, but you'll be tasting.
33:19Another key plant is this Imperata, the Red Baron. And it's a real bulletproof deciduous grass that's going to run
33:27throughout the entire garden.
33:28It's pretty much impervious to slugs. It doesn't really have any pests.
33:33Now, when you mix it with things like Hakona Cloa, the Japanese forest grass and some of the other grasses,
33:38you start to link the plant groups together so that the same style links one after the other.
33:43So, this means that Lynette and Natalie can spend more time sat in that Girl Talk gossip hut having a
33:50relax rather than working super hard.
33:52Because, after all, if they want to work super hard, they can get into the productive zone and start sowing
33:57seeds instead.
34:01At the rear of the garden, the compost bins are nearly finished.
34:06You know, you can grow tomatoes outside if you pick a very sunny, very sheltered spot.
34:11The big tip that I would give you is not to put them out too early. Make sure that feral
34:16frost is completely gone.
34:18I would choose a bushy variety like Thumb Thumb. And remember, once the fruit is really beginning to set, feed
34:28every week with a rich tomato food and water very regularly.
34:36To keep those tomatoes happy all summer, Leigh's giving Lynette three water butts, saving her countless trips back and forth
34:44to the tap.
34:45And to top off the rear of the garden, Leigh has one final flourish for the ladies.
34:51I know that Lynette and Natalie really love to sit here, but they were sitting on these old, wet, damp
34:56logs.
34:56So, I want to give them a surprise, which is one final seating area.
35:00I've got these beautiful, shade-loving plants and currents.
35:03What we're going to do is gravel it and then put a little bistro set here.
35:06So, if they want to get really private, they can sit here and feel totally secluded.
35:10In this shady corner, the plants are going straight into the ground, low maintenance and happy to thrive with little
35:17care required.
35:20The finish is almost in sight.
35:23Time. It's pushing on, but we're nearly at the finishing line.
35:26Just on the last push now.
35:28All that's left to do is gravel the back end of the garden and the Girl Talk hut, fill the
35:34final pots and beds, and give everything a well-earned drink.
35:39Time to put the finishing touches to the second secret seating area that I think Natalie and Lynette are going
35:47to love this little seating area.
35:49It's been a while since I've seen Dermot, so let's go find him.
35:53So, there you are. Taking a moment.
35:56I found the sunspot.
35:58Really lovely.
35:59But do you know what? What a transformation today.
36:01Almost total.
36:02A long garden divided into two, both areas with their own distinctive nature.
36:07I love the fact you've given them really deep raised beds and the fact that you've planted it with all
36:12sorts of beautiful veg that they can really get growing with.
36:15It's kind of the essence of the family here, isn't it?
36:18I think what's lovely is, if you don't want to look at all that, you can still experience this part
36:22of the garden.
36:22Yes, exactly.
36:23So go on, what's your favourite part of the garden?
36:25My favourite part of the garden is just behind the polytunnel, that little nook.
36:30Yeah, that little secret seating area.
36:32Yeah.
36:33Do you know what? I'd love to sit here until the early hours, but I think we should get them
36:36out.
36:36I know, but we can't.
36:37Yeah, it's time.
36:37Come on then.
36:41Lynette and Natalie's garden was big, but it came with problems.
36:45Overgrown beds, no privacy and a polytunnel which dominated the view.
36:51The low veg beds were hard to manage and seating was in a short supply.
36:56But, with their ÂŁ5,500 budget, it's been transformed into a garden of two halves.
37:03Before, the rear of the garden was overgrown and inaccessible.
37:08Now it's a productive grow-your-own zone with raised beds and compost bins.
37:13The polytunnel used to dominate the view from the house, but now it's neatly screened behind an elegant wooden frame,
37:20softened with climbing plants.
37:23And at the front, the once bland and overgrown space has been brought to life as a colourful haven, complete
37:30with fruit trees and Lee's very own Girl Talk hut.
37:34Just keep walking forward.
37:35But will the design meet Lynette and Natalie's expectations?
37:40Natalie and Lynette, you wanted a garden where you could finally grow all of those beautiful plants.
37:45You also wanted a space where you could relax and feel private in the garden, have a good old natter.
37:49So, without further ado, open your eyes.
37:54Ooh!
37:56What does ooh mean?
37:58Oh, yes, this is lovely.
38:00You can see immediately that this garden suits them, and they're going to use it.
38:05This is gorgeous!
38:08Love it!
38:09Should we go on a journey round the garden?
38:11Yes, please.
38:12Follow me.
38:13Before, the garden felt bare and exposed.
38:16With a patchy lawn, overgrown beds, and no real sense of style.
38:22Now a winding stepping stone path leads through raised beds, colourful planting and fruit trees, bringing style, privacy and a
38:31sense of calm.
38:33We've got these galvanised raised beds making all of the planting much easier.
38:37Yeah, yeah.
38:38It's fantastic.
38:39It's beautiful.
38:40Oh, they like it.
38:42They really like those galvanised planters.
38:44And I know that you have the two fruit trees here, but you've now got the winter cherry.
38:49This is perfect.
38:50Amazing.
38:51And we've got jasmine.
38:52Yes.
38:52Evergreen jasmine, wisteria, climbing plants everywhere.
38:56And that's going to just climb over, isn't it?
38:58Yeah, it will.
38:59Perfect.
38:59And the galvanised roof is going to remind me of childhood.
39:02It's almost like that was planned, isn't it?
39:05Yes.
39:08The girl talk hot is where you can just sit, relax, have a gab and a natter.
39:13Before, the ladies had little choice but to perch on old logs, overlooked on all sides when
39:19they wanted a chat.
39:21Now, they've got a private spot to relax with a gravel floor, cosy seating and a sturdy steel
39:27roof.
39:28Perfect for a cuppa and a good chin work.
39:31I love this space.
39:34Oh.
39:35It looks completely different, doesn't it?
39:37You've hit the spot.
39:39100%.
39:39So this bit of the garden's mine.
39:43Oh, lines are being drawn.
39:46Lee did a great job with that girl talk area.
39:49They're sitting there for hours, chatting away.
39:52Now, that polytunnel is super functional, but it can be just a little bit of an iso.
39:57So that's why we've got the screen here, just to break it up for you.
40:00Yeah, it's perfect, cos you can see through it and, you know, light and everything, but
40:04it's not a block.
40:05Yeah.
40:06So I love that.
40:07And there's more to this garden just in good looks.
40:10Well, we're in here now, so...
40:11Oh, there we go.
40:12This is beauty.
40:13Should we go and have a look at where you're going to be growing your fans?
40:16Come on.
40:17Lynette's veg patch had seen better days.
40:19Low beds and heavy maintenance made it hard to keep going.
40:24Now, Dermot's raised planters, along with three compost bins and water butts, will make
40:30growing her own food a whole lot easier.
40:33This is lovely.
40:34Dermot's been so busy.
40:36He's given you this whole plethora of growing your own goodies from peas, beans, tomatoes,
40:41herbs.
40:42I'm really pleased.
40:44I love the fresh beds.
40:45You're going to be busy, ladies.
40:46This is just how I envisaged the whole thing.
40:49Can you see yourself using this part of the garden?
40:51Absolutely.
40:52All the time.
40:52Absolutely.
40:53I'll come down here now.
40:54Yeah, I'll be down here tonight.
40:55I haven't went any further than this area.
40:57Yeah, yeah.
40:58No, that was your part.
40:59It was mine.
41:00You can see they've adopted this garden instantly already.
41:04It's beautiful.
41:05It isn't ours.
41:06It's theirs.
41:07Now, there's one final surprise at the far end of the garden.
41:11Lynette longed for a peaceful spot to sit and enjoy the fruits of her labour.
41:16Now, thanks to Lee, she's got her own little hideaway with calming foliage, plenty of shade,
41:23and chairs to sit back and savour her garden.
41:27Oh!
41:29Oh!
41:31Thank you so much.
41:33Come on, take a seat.
41:34Oh!
41:35Where's that wine?
41:36This is lovely.
41:38Oh, this is fantastic.
41:40Now, I know you also like to recycle and repurpose stuff, so we've got your three huge new compost bins
41:45as well.
41:45Oh, really?
41:46Yeah.
41:47But they'll be...
41:48I'll use them, no doubt.
41:50Yeah.
41:50And the big million-dollar question was, has it been worth it?
41:53Oh, absolutely.
41:54More than...
41:55More than what I expected.
41:57Yeah.
41:57We had these lovely ideas, but never imagined it could be like this.
42:02You've made it, Lee.
42:03You've made it more than what we expected, so thank you so much.
42:07Oh, you're welcome.
42:08Lee has really nailed it.
42:11It's a great garden.
42:12Now, I'd love to say that I've done all this on my own, but I've not.
42:16I've had the help of Dermot today.
42:19Hi.
42:19Thank you, Dermot.
42:20Thank you so much.
42:22Thank you so much.
42:23Thank you so much.
42:24Thank you so much.
42:25Do you like it?
42:27Love it.
42:27He did a good job, didn't he?
42:29No, we did a good job.
42:30We did a good job.
42:31Isn't this area just beautiful?
42:33Yeah.
42:33We're blown away.
42:35We're absolutely blown away.
42:36I think we've got two pro-gardener's in our midst, so I reckon if we came back in a year's
42:39time, they're like...
42:40Yeah.
42:41Yeah.
42:42Then, in that case, I'm glad they weren't here to watch some of the planting.
42:47Oh, no, it's brilliant.
42:49It's brilliant.
42:50It's fantastic.
42:52Well, do you know what?
42:52I'm going to get out your hair and just, like, you relax.
42:55Enjoy your garden.
42:57Thank you so much.
42:58Bye.
43:01It's quite stylish, isn't it?
43:02Very stylish.
43:03They look good.
43:06Before, we loved the garden, but it wasn't accessible.
43:10Now, we could do everything we planned to do.
43:12It's accessible.
43:13We can reach it.
43:14We're not going to be in pain.
43:16Well, and also, we can actually relax.
43:18Yeah.
43:19So, in terms of wellness...
43:20Yeah, perfect.
43:21This fits the building perfectly.
43:25We really do...
43:26Mm-hmm.
43:45We'll see you again next week.
43:45Bye!
43:46Bye!
43:46Bye!
43:49Bye!
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