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Garden Rescue episode 28 2024
Transcript
00:00The Garden Rescue Team are on a mission.
00:04What's not to like?
00:05To make garden dreams come true.
00:08Oh my God!
00:09Charlie Dimmock.
00:10Plants there, plants there, plants there, plants everywhere!
00:13Lee Burkill.
00:14Take me to my people boys!
00:17Flo Hedlum.
00:18I've gone for the big bad boy.
00:20And Chris Hull.
00:21A couple of inches made all the difference.
00:23Tell me about it.
00:25Are here to answer your gardening emergencies.
00:28It's just a wild jungle.
00:30Okay, that's a challenge.
00:32Each week, two of our designers will go head to head.
00:35Now I really hope you like this garden.
00:37The design we have gone for is...
00:40Drum roll please.
00:43Lee!
00:44Yes!
00:45Flo!
00:46Ah!
00:47And whichever designer loses...
00:49It's all about my water feature.
00:51My water feature.
00:53Helps the winner build the garden.
00:56Turning garden dreams...
00:58Please open your eyes.
00:59Into reality.
01:01Oh wow!
01:03That is absolutely stunning!
01:09Today the team are coming to the rescue of a young couple
01:12tackling their first garden in Wales.
01:15I'm Francesca.
01:16I'm Sean.
01:17And we're junior doctors living in Cowbridge in South Wales.
01:21With our jobs as junior doctors, time's quite limited at the moment.
01:25Our day is spent sort of stuck in a hospital.
01:28Often we'll go spending a full day without seeing natural light.
01:31So it'd be lovely to have a space out here
01:34that we could really enjoy and sort of switch off in.
01:37Yeah.
01:38Eighteen months ago, the couple bought their first home,
01:41which came with a rather challenging outdoor space.
01:45This is completely our garden.
01:48This is completely out of our skill set, isn't it?
01:51Yeah.
01:52We don't even know where to start, really.
01:54So I think the first thing that we see when we walk into our garden
01:58is just a sort of layer of grey slates
02:01that we're really not that keen on, actually.
02:03No, it doesn't make you want to come out from the house at all, does it?
02:06No, they're pretty drab and in the wintertime it can feel very, very grey here.
02:10The plot was originally a compact five by eight metres.
02:15But just before moving in,
02:17the couple carried out some much-needed building work,
02:21which has left them with twice the garden
02:25and twice the number of problems.
02:28So, actually, there are two levels in this garden.
02:32It's this area. It used to be a garage.
02:34We had to get it taken down when we first moved in,
02:37pretty much before it fell down itself,
02:39but it's almost left something even worse.
02:42We don't use any of this space cos it's just a bit unpleasant.
02:46You just want to avoid it more than anything.
02:48It all just feels quite disjointed at the moment, doesn't it?
02:51Especially with the L shape, it comes around the house a little bit.
02:54You've got separate areas on the top and at the bottom.
02:57Yeah, we've got this sort of tarmac here, then rubble there,
03:00then pavers there, and you can't really flow in between them at all.
03:04What saddens the couple more is that this was once
03:07certainly someone's pride and joy.
03:09So we have obviously got some really nice shrubs
03:11at this part of the garden, haven't we? Yes.
03:13It's clearly somewhere that the previous owner really loved and cared for.
03:17Yeah. I don't think we're quite as green-fingered as maybe they were.
03:20Yeah, we hope to be, but at the moment it's a bit beyond us.
03:24Now the couple are hoping for a garden that they can escape to and grow with.
03:29You know, when we get home, we just want to relax,
03:32we want somewhere where we can sit, enjoy the garden,
03:35enjoy having a few drinks, have some friends over,
03:37and it's not really an option at the moment. Yeah.
03:44It would actually be really lovely to use this space
03:46to have a few planters, don't you think?
03:48Definitely. We've never really had the chance, have we,
03:50to try our hand at growing our own stuff.
03:53In the student houses, there's not really much space for that.
03:56We were hoping in the future to maybe get a dog,
03:59so it would be lovely to get some sort of green lawn in there for that.
04:02Yeah.
04:04One of the other things we're really keen on is a cherry blossom tree.
04:07Oh, definitely.
04:08The cherry blossom trees are actually quite important to me
04:11because when I was little, I used to have picnics underneath
04:14a whole load of cherry blossom trees with my mum and my sister,
04:17so it's a really sort of precious childhood memory that I have,
04:20and to have one in the garden and sort of remember that would be really special.
04:25So, yeah, we can really deal with some help for this.
04:27Oh, yeah.
04:28Garden Rescue, we need your help!
04:31Competing to inject new life into Sean and Francesca's garden
04:36are Lee and Flo.
04:39Will Lee's flair for the flamboyant be the miracle medicine
04:42these doctors are after?
04:44I've got so many ideas for this garden,
04:46but it's about sieving them through that filter to refine them.
04:49Or will Flo's colourful creations be the remedy to this rubble-filled garden?
04:54It's a garden of two halves.
04:56It's a garden of two halves.
04:58It needs unifying, and that's where I'm going to bring the Flo magic.
05:03What I love about these guys is their story.
05:06You know, they work hard, they're doctors, you know, putting in heavy shifts.
05:10I mean, can you imagine how busy they are?
05:12When I look at the garden, I think they want a space where they can relax,
05:15enjoy themselves and take some of that effort from inside the house outside.
05:19You know, this is like the last piece in the puzzle, isn't it?
05:22This garden looks like a bomb site,
05:25but all I see is rubble, problems,
05:27and they've inherited all these awkward bits and bobs in the garden.
05:30Yeah, no, I hear you, I hear you,
05:32but I also see this beautiful wall and the potential of it, actually.
05:36You know, tidied up, planted, you know, taken into consideration also the shrubs.
05:40You know, it's... I ain't seen the potential.
05:43Yeah, you'll see the potential. All I'm seeing is all of that rubble
05:46and where the budget could quickly get eaten away. Yeah.
05:48What else do they want? Well, have a look at this.
05:52There. Looking younger.
05:55We went to New Zealand in 2020, just before the pandemic.
05:58We worked out there and then we did a little bit of travelling
06:01before everything shut down, and we got to see quite a few amazing things, really.
06:05Yeah, there were so many gorgeous gardens out there,
06:08lots of wildlife parks we walked through as well.
06:11Looking at all the rolling hills, the luscious greens, lots of ferns everywhere.
06:15Yeah. Just every day you'd see something completely different,
06:18and we just loved it.
06:20We had such a fantastic time out there and adored the sort of nature that we saw,
06:24and we'd love to bring a touch of that to our garden here.
06:27New Zealand, eh? Wow, OK.
06:29I mean, I was going to give them a rubble garden,
06:31but now I'm going to have to put the thinking cap on.
06:34Yeah, I mean, that's really exciting, because New Zealand,
06:37I mean, it's a whole spectrum, isn't it? It is.
06:39You know, we can go from, like, the shires to subtropical.
06:43So what's the budget with this one, Flo?
06:45Well, we've got a healthy 6K for this one.
06:47OK. I mean, it's only around 80 square metres, isn't it?
06:51But then I look at all this concrete, and it's given me the worries, to be honest.
06:55I know, I know. So, you know, this is the challenge.
06:57How do we treat this area?
06:59I think I'm just going to go for one big hit.
07:01I'm going to condense New Zealand and give them a sucker punch with it.
07:04Wow. OK, well, let the games begin.
07:07With £6,000 available to bring a flavour of the Antipodes to Cowbridge,
07:13Lee and Flo get straight to work on a design that makes the most of the budget.
07:18Sean and Francesca then have to choose their favourite,
07:21and whichever designer loses must help the other build it.
07:25Our designers and their trusty team of landscapers provide the labour for free,
07:30leaving every penny of the budget for materials.
07:34Back in Cowbridge, the junior doctors have received the designers' pitches.
07:39Hi, Sean and Francesca.
07:41This is my design, which gives you a taste of New Zealand.
07:45That looks amazing there, doesn't it?
07:47Straight away, it looks very green, very lush.
07:50Hi, Sean and Francesca.
07:52This is my New Zealand-inspired, Shire-style garden design for you.
07:56I know you both wanted a garden that would remind you of that fantastic holiday in New Zealand.
08:02Now, the star of the show in this part of the garden is going to be these two big tree ferns,
08:07and they just scream New Zealand.
08:09We saw some amazing ferns when we were in New Zealand, some huge ones.
08:13It looks like he's got some of them here. Yeah.
08:15Remember, you used to have patio for most of this part of the garden.
08:19We've lifted most of that, and I've retained a strip of paving just outside the house,
08:25and then we have this wrap of gravel that takes you around the garden.
08:30I love the two different materials, the pavers and the gravel.
08:34Now, you wanted a lawn. I know you've got a future dog in mind.
08:38I put a lawn in, but I've given you a cherry tree that actually has a lot of character.
08:44It's called kojo no mai.
08:46It sounds lovely.
08:48Both designers are using the existing two levels of the garden as the basis for their design,
08:54but Lee has a plan to create something special just outside the back door.
09:00The first space is going to be the really chilled out and muted fernery at the top part of the garden.
09:07I'm going to replace your existing patio with a beautiful set of sandstone pavers.
09:12I've also not forgotten about your future dog.
09:15I've given you this really neat lawn at the top part of the garden.
09:19I'm going to be using this mirroring effect.
09:21I'm going to be taking some of the same paving slabs that we use here
09:25and dotting them through the lawn so that you can travel through.
09:30Lee has given them a trip down memory lane with the fernery
09:34and both designers have provided lawn space for their future dog.
09:38But what about the lower section of the garden?
09:41And now, moving on to the second part of the garden.
09:45I didn't just want to give you those skinny steps that you've got at the moment, Sean and Francesca.
09:49Oh no, I wanted to give you a real wow entrance.
09:53And I've designed you this custom metal moongate that's going to act as a transitional point
09:58from this top New Zealand fernery down to the more tropical grow-your-own area.
10:03It'll really make you want to move between the zones.
10:06Yes, absolutely. And it's such a statement.
10:08Lee's moongate has opened another dimension for the couple.
10:13But Flo has an equally clever plan for the lower section.
10:17This space here is about socialising.
10:20This seating arrangement is inspired by a Maori symbol called triple koru,
10:26which actually is quite circular and wavy.
10:30So what I've done is I've just worked it into a shape that would fit within this space.
10:35That's a fantastic space, isn't it?
10:37So we've got generous seating here, really good options for seating,
10:41and you're nestled in between all this really bold planting.
10:45The corner raised beds are in a triangle
10:48and I'm going to put in something like formiums, which are really bold and dramatic
10:52and will really feel like you're nestled in this kind of subtropical little space here.
10:57And then the rectangular beds are for your produce growing,
11:01because I know you want to try your hand at it.
11:03It'd be such a good place to have people over.
11:06So this lower part of the garden has this really beautiful decorative corner sofa
11:12where you can sit, bring your friends out and relax.
11:15That'd be peaceful, wouldn't it?
11:17We've got these raised beds and I'm going to fill them full of fruit bushes.
11:22And I've given you three fruit trees, a crabapple and a pear tree,
11:26and they're much sought after cherry blossom tree, Francesca.
11:30He's got my cherry blossom.
11:32I've designed you these raised, circular, weathered steel planters that mirror the moon gate.
11:38I think we'll have to start getting our green fingers.
11:40I think so.
11:41So Sean and Francesca, you wanted to be transported to New Zealand
11:44and by giving you the two halves of New Zealand garden design, I think I've given you that.
11:48I really hope you enjoy the design and that you pick me because I would love to make it for you.
11:53It's going to be a tough one.
11:54It really is.
11:58Each design offers a unique take on the brief.
12:02Will Sean and Francesca opt for Flo's giant wraparound seating area and dog-friendly lawn?
12:08I love the fact that she's made this amazing seat and brought plants into the seating.
12:14I can really see us down in that area, relaxing and everything.
12:18Or will they pick Lee's dramatic tree ferns, elegant pavers and weathered steel planters?
12:24Straight off the bat, the moon gate in the middle really stands out, doesn't it?
12:28Yeah, that's amazing.
12:29It's going to be a very tricky decision, I think.
12:32Definitely.
12:34Well, we've heard back from Sean and Francesca.
12:36Oh, exciting.
12:37Are you ready?
12:38I think so.
12:39All right, let's go.
12:40Hi, Lee and Flo.
12:42Thank you so much for sending across your design.
12:44It's been a really difficult decision to make because we've worked on both so much.
12:47Yeah, really tricky.
12:49We've had a lot of hard thoughts and discussions about it, so we've decided to go with Lee's.
12:56Yay!
12:58Well done, mate.
12:59Thanks.
13:00You know, I'm so chuffed.
13:01You really took that circle and went with it.
13:04I did.
13:05I was literally going around in circles trying to come up with this design.
13:07And because this is a garden of two halves, I'm going to need all of your assistance and help in bringing them together.
13:12Absolutely, absolutely.
13:13Should we go off to New Zealand?
13:14Yeah.
13:17It's the day of the build in South Wales, and the landscaping team, led by project manager Ben...
13:23Here we go.
13:24...has a lot to do to unite this garden.
13:27OK, team.
13:28As you can see, levels are changing quite a bit.
13:31Drops down here.
13:33We're going to be taking up the existing patio, so we could fill in some of these voids,
13:38smash some of it up and get some sculptings in, compact the area so it's nice and safe.
13:42Yeah, recycle it.
13:43Recycle, recycle.
13:44Loving it.
13:45Andy, we need you to widen the step area.
13:49Yeah.
13:50Ready for the moon gate.
13:51I didn't even realise there was a set of steps there, mate.
13:53Yeah.
13:55Top tier.
13:56You can see straight away, just solid concrete paving.
14:00This all has to come up.
14:02This is our first job, I believe, getting all this up and then see what's underneath.
14:06Yeah?
14:07Yeah.
14:08Shall we crack on?
14:09Let's go.
14:10Come to me, Ben.
14:12Before Andy can widen the existing step, he needs to be able to get to it first.
14:18Oh, is that the tree you were in for?
14:27Through the moon gate.
14:31OK, Andy.
14:32We're going to need a bit more work.
14:34Yeah.
14:35We're going to need a bit more work.
14:38Through the moon gate.
14:54What a mess.
14:57Solid these are, mate.
14:58Wow.
14:59Slabs with steel in.
15:00That's why.
15:01You need to be careful with those.
15:03To make this garden into the New Zealand-inspired oasis,
15:07the paving on the top level has to come out.
15:13On the other side of the garden, with the lower area cleared,
15:16Ben and Lee can now see what issues they have to deal with.
15:20Look at the level change there.
15:22Well, so we're going to be raising this area here.
15:26Raise this up to the top of the wall, really.
15:28Yeah.
15:33Yeah.
15:39The garden looks so much bigger already.
15:41They've smashed out this area.
15:43You can see that Lee has reused the slabs that we've taken from the top area.
15:48They're becoming the base here.
15:50It's helping us with the height to bring it up to the level that we need.
15:53The raised bed's going to go all through here.
15:56Now Andy's taken out the wall in,
15:58and then he's dug in to the border that's there.
16:01That's going to be the level for his first step,
16:03and we're coming down the level here.
16:05I think we're going to have to encroach into the lawn a bit,
16:08just so the steps are all perfect for Sean and Francesca coming through the moon gate.
16:21Lee wanted to give Sean and Francesca a lawn for their future dog,
16:25which means even more concrete has to be dug up.
16:30And on the lower level, the team is already getting to work on the raised beds
16:34that'll house the couple's fruit trees.
16:41I really like these slabs.
16:43Sawn sandstone. Beautiful.
16:45Little riven detail edge on the edge.
16:48So nice. It's going to look beautiful.
16:51And then we're going to do some little cheek end walls to there.
17:00Oh, yeah. Look at the moisture going.
17:04The boys are doing an awesome job. Beds are in.
17:07This is all level. Lee and Jamie's starting to bring the chippings in.
17:11Andy is smashing down the patio up there.
17:14Step, three-quarters built, moon gate, ready to go in.
17:17Just got to dig some holes, bringing in such a good place.
17:20Just need some designers. Where's Lee and Flo?
17:23Let's hope Lee and Flo show up.
17:27Let's hope Lee and Flo share Ben's optimism.
17:30Nice, easy soil. Yeah. Oh, easy soil, Lee.
17:41So, Flo, welcome to New Zealand.
17:44We're in Wales. What did you put you on set now?
17:47I've never been good at directions,
17:49but the point is, by the end of today, we're going to be in New Zealand.
17:52OK, all right. Now, this is a garden of two halves.
17:55We've got the upper half, which is going to be pure New Zealand,
17:58those vast landscapes, but condensed on a smaller scale.
18:01Obviously. And then down here in the sunny parts,
18:04we're going to have grow-your-own vegetables, a big herbaceous bed
18:07full of all sorts of plants that you might find in New Zealand.
18:10OK. So it's going to be an action-packed day. Good plan.
18:13I'll show you what you're going to be up to. Yes, yeah. Where am I going to be?
18:16Well, I thought I'd treat you today, Flo.
18:18I'm going to put you in the sun, so you're nice and warm. Brilliant.
18:21We've got these huge raised beds here. Lovely.
18:24And then we've got the metal moon gate in the centre,
18:26which is how we're going to join the two halves of this garden together.
18:29Oh, beautiful. I can't wait to feel like I'm down under.
18:32Let's get down under. Yeah. Cool.
18:38Now, there is a lot to fit into this garden, and we've made great progress.
18:41We've got the raised beds in, the gravel's down, which is nice,
18:44because before, we had that ugly base of all that broken-up MOT
18:48from where that old building used to be.
18:50So this is already a big transformation.
18:52But we need a lot more plants.
18:54We need the seating area, the raised beds to go in
18:57before this feels anything like organic New Zealand.
19:00As we move further around, though, into the next level, the garden changes.
19:04We've got this new, wider step with this beautiful sandstone.
19:08Far nicer, far safer.
19:10This is going to be sort of the New Zealand wilderness.
19:13The planting palette here is very different to Flo's, though.
19:16It's going to be calm, white, simple,
19:19whereas down there, it's going to get a little bit more riotous.
19:22To make the budget go as far as possible,
19:25the plan is to hang on to anything in the garden that can be recycled.
19:30So while Andy carefully cuts into the patio to create space for the new plants...
19:35Just get those out, and then I can get my plants in there.
19:40..Lee's figuring out what to do with the old ones.
19:43Sean and Francesca have inherited some lovely plants, lovely shrubs,
19:47but they're all kind of in the wrong place.
19:49And I want this to look like we're in New Zealand, so I'm going to lift these.
19:53Now, with this oriental poppy, it's actually finished flowering,
19:56so it's the perfect time to move it because it's already used all of its energy.
20:00Rather than just getting rid of them and binning them,
20:03I'm going to dig them up lovingly, put them into pots and containers
20:07so that they can use them either in the front of their garden
20:10or they could gift them away to neighbours or get on social media,
20:13see if anyone wants them.
20:15Right. Come on, geranium, out you go.
20:19One of the features that Francesca and Sean loved in Lee's design
20:23was the magical moon gate.
20:25Come on, boys, bring it in.
20:27Look at this.
20:29Wow, that is super impressive.
20:34Is it really easy to move?
20:36Is it really easy to move?
20:38It's pretty light, to be fair, but it's only a half moon at the minute,
20:41so it needs finishing.
20:42This dramatic Lord of the Rings-inspired feature
20:45stands 2.5 metres tall.
20:47Wow, so that's pretty imposing, isn't it?
20:49Yeah.
20:50And will create a magical entrance to the lower part of the garden.
20:54Now, Flo, a few of these rungs missing.
20:57I'd love you to finish off.
20:59Yeah. Good job I got a head for heights.
21:07Can we get a level on that? Lovely.
21:09Here's a level. Oh, yeah, that's all right.
21:12Beautiful.
21:14I'm just putting in the final two bars on this moon gate,
21:17which is a real statement in the garden, a real focal point.
21:21And, you know, when everything is all done and tidied up,
21:24I'm going to plant some climbers over it,
21:26and it will be that portal,
21:28that transition between the two areas of the garden.
21:37Somewhat less dramatic, but no less important,
21:41is the new path on the upper level.
21:44Now, Andy and Ben... Hello.
21:46..it's time to get the pavers down that are going to mirror
21:51between the patio and the lawn, so it looks like one space.
21:55So should we have a bit of a go at laying them out
21:57and then we can see if it works? Yeah, yeah.
21:59Do you want one big one at the top of the steps to step on?
22:02Exactly. Common sense, that's good stuff.
22:04Ben, maybe if yours can plinky-plonk somewhere here.
22:08Yeah. Horizontally, yeah.
22:10We've got five planting pockets, we need five flags.
22:13So we've got one, two, three.
22:15And then I'm thinking if we cut this one down the middle,
22:18if that's possible. Yeah, that's fine.
22:20And then take the cut to line up with that.
22:23And then the final half, take a third off
22:26and plop the third here, please.
22:28Have you got that? Yeah.
22:30Halves, thirds, fives, flags.
22:33You can cut it in three halves if you want.
22:46I'm into the heavy lifting now,
22:48so fill in this raised bed with lots of topsoil.
22:53Growing produce was high on the couple's list for the new garden
22:57and to make it easier, Lee has the perfect solution.
23:01Woo! Look at this baby.
23:04Look at this. Do you need me to drill or score it or laser cut it?
23:08Better. Plant it with vegetables.
23:10And that's because these raised beds are going to get super warm
23:13early doors in spring, so the veggies will start earlier
23:16and they'll also stay warmer longer,
23:18so the season's going to be a little bit longer
23:20than if we just plonked them in the ground.
23:22Fantastic. And this is that weathered steel, isn't it?
23:24It is. So at the moment it's silver, but as soon as it rains,
23:27it's going to start to go a rusty orange colour
23:29and it'll get really tactile and look like it's been there forever.
23:32Fantastic. Great.
23:39With the mirrored paving near completion on the upper level,
23:43it's time to turf.
23:45And outside the garden, there's more greenery to be found.
23:50We've got some absolutely gorgeous plants for this garden
23:53and I can see the tree ferns all poking through.
23:55Yes, that is New Zealand in a pot, isn't it?
23:58Look at that.
23:59If that doesn't say New Zealand, I don't know what will.
24:04There we go.
24:09We've got some really prehistoric-looking things.
24:12Look at that. Giant rhubarb.
24:16Little tetraponics there, very New Zealand.
24:20Sean and Francesca wanted luscious greens
24:23and Lee has delivered by the truckload.
24:26I don't know how we're going to fit all of these plants into that garden,
24:29but we will.
24:35A key area for planting is the border next to the back door.
24:39It'll be the first thing the couple see when they enter the garden.
24:44When Francesca and Sean leave the house,
24:46I want them to have a real wow point.
24:49I want them to stop and go,
24:51oh, I feel like I'm in New Zealand.
24:53I'm going to be using this, which is a calicanthus.
24:56Calicanthus aphrodite.
24:58It's a super hardy, tropical-looking deciduous shrub.
25:02A bit of a mouthful.
25:03But originally it's from China and it will happily bulk out in this area
25:07and give them that immediate feel that, bang, we're in the garden,
25:11it's mature, we're in New Zealand.
25:13I don't want to mess around with lots of little plinky-plonky plants here.
25:16It's about impact.
25:17The reason why I picked it is that these flowers
25:20look a little bit like a magnolia.
25:22They're really arresting.
25:23This aphrodite species has these bright red,
25:26almost like magenta flowers.
25:28They're really easy to look after.
25:30All you need to do is to prune it back once it's finished flowering.
25:34If you prune it before it flowers,
25:36you won't get any flowers that year.
25:38Think of that.
25:41With the sweet shrub in perfect position...
25:44There we go.
25:45..and the lawn being laid to perfection,
25:48the upper level is taking shape.
25:51Time for the lower level to level up.
25:56So where do you get these from, then?
25:58Well, I've had these prefabricated, actually,
26:00but you can pretty much get them anywhere online
26:02at different sizes, diameters.
26:04But for this size, they're about 120 quid each.
26:07We've got three of them and already we've got a mini garden.
26:15Once positioned, the planters are lined with fleece
26:18and a layer of sand to help drainage
26:20before being topped off with soil.
26:26Now, whilst Flo is filling these raised beds,
26:28I've spotted a clever hack
26:30if you gardeners out there want to save money and recycle.
26:33So we've got some of these turf rolls left over.
26:36Now, usually, people tend to put them in the bin
26:38thinking that they are a waste product, but they're not.
26:41If you put them in the bottom of a raised bed
26:44or unroll them and put them grass-side down
26:47behind some borders or under trees,
26:49they will rot down in about six months
26:51and produce the most beautiful loam,
26:53which is almost like perfect soil.
26:55So take this tip and have an easier gardening life.
27:06This top layer of the garden is nearly looking complete.
27:10However, it still needs an extra touch of New Zealand
27:13to finish it off.
27:15So I've picked a beautiful collection of shade-loving plants
27:18that have both texture and form.
27:21We've got things like the ferns, the gillennia, the thalictrum.
27:25So you've got the odd pop of white
27:27out against predominantly green foliage.
27:30Super soft, super relaxing.
27:32It's going to be in complete harmony with everything,
27:35just like those wild woods in New Zealand.
27:40Surrounding the three circular planters is the giant raised bed
27:44where Flo is adding a riot of sensory planting.
27:49One of the stars of this herbaceous border is this daylily.
27:54Now, daylilies are gorgeous plants that trumpet the way it opens.
27:58Perfect for pollinators.
28:00Another reason why it's so good to have it in the garden.
28:03Now, look at the leaves.
28:05They resemble all the other grasses that are going on in the garden,
28:08so there's a theme going on here.
28:10And this particular variety is scented, highly scented.
28:13So I'm placing it around here, in this corner,
28:16where the sofa is going to be,
28:18so Sean and Francesca are going to have another reason
28:21to enjoy sitting in this space.
28:23Francesca and Sean were wowed by the trees in Lee's design,
28:27especially the dramatic tree ferns.
28:30Woo!
28:32Native to New Zealand's cousin, Australia,
28:35the Dixonia antartica species is the hardiest,
28:39making it the most suited to our British climate.
28:44Now, me and Ben are hidden away in the back of the garden, aren't we?
28:47And we've dug the most shallowest of holes...
28:49You ready? ..yet to pop in this tree fern.
28:53Now, these are absolutely prehistoric.
28:55So unlike other plants that you water the roots at the base,
28:58this whole cigar-like trunk is the root, and this is the growth.
29:02So you wash it from the top, and then it percolates down,
29:05giving enough hydration for this height.
29:08Now, this bit down here, the base of the cigar,
29:12only needs to go in in between three and six inches,
29:15but we need to stake it to make sure that it doesn't fall over
29:18before it's established.
29:20So we're going to put a pin into the side through the stake,
29:22which will keep it in place.
29:24There we go. Yeah.
29:26Lovely.
29:32So we've talked about mirroring,
29:34and I'm not just doing it with the pavers or the lawn,
29:37we're going to do it with the plants.
29:39This tree fern is going to mirror the one over there.
29:41So they feel like they're in a wood
29:43because they're immediately hugged by the first tree fern,
29:46which then gives them an eye hook to the second tree fern.
29:49And that repetition and mirroring
29:51is going to bring this garden together.
29:57Another plant that'll need to be fixed in place in Lee's design
30:00is the tracheospernum, also known as star jasmine,
30:04that'll cover the feature moon gate.
30:07Now, it's a great plant.
30:09It's evergreen, so a plant that will give you presence all year round.
30:14It's scented.
30:16Flowers are from late spring right through the summer,
30:20so it releases this beautiful fragrance in the evening.
30:23Another reason why it's such a great plant
30:25to have somewhere where you're going to pass it frequently
30:28or where you're sitting in the evening.
30:31Climbers like star jasmine
30:33need plenty of watering to get established
30:36and in a sunny spot will grow up to two feet a year.
30:41OK, she's in.
30:43Yeah, it's looking nice.
30:45Instant impact. Yeah, exactly.
30:47Right, so let's get cracking, shall we?
30:49Let's get it untied. Yeah.
30:53Now, when it comes to mature climbers,
30:56I always tend to untie them first
30:58and then very loosely weave them through whatever structure.
31:01So here we've got a moon gate.
31:03It could be a trellis, it could be a metal grid.
31:05But I just want to give them a little tease into the structure.
31:08What I don't want to do is to start tying every stem in really tightly,
31:12trying to bind it to the structure,
31:14because it's going to look awkward and it's going to be really constrained.
31:17Slowly, slowly does it.
31:20We got this. OK.
31:22Ta-da!
31:23Well done! Thank you.
31:25Pull it over to that side and we'll tie that up there.
31:28Leave one in the middle and one on the right.
31:30So just like that.
31:32And I quite like the fact it's a bit loose.
31:34It's a bit like the circle. It's not too constrained.
31:36It's just kind of going to dangle down and find its own way.
31:39A bit like finding your own way in the New Zealand wilderness.
31:48In the shadow of the elegant moon gate,
31:50Flo is giving Sean and Francesca all the tools they need to grow their own.
31:56I'll put the celery right in the middle
31:58because it's just a nice tall structure in the middle.
32:00We've got some runner beans.
32:02We've got peppers, wild strawberries, courgettes.
32:07There's a lot going on here.
32:09One of the main things to remember is watering and feeding throughout the season.
32:14And the full sun as much as possible.
32:16That's really going to help.
32:17That's why we put them in these containers that really heat up.
32:20They need the heat to grow.
32:23We've just uncovered the gorgeous sandstone patio.
32:26And the guys here have kept it covered all day
32:28to stop me and others walking on it in muddy boots.
32:31And it's absolutely gorgeous.
32:37Whilst both junior doctors are keen to grow fruit and veg,
32:40Leigh has a treat that Francesca specifically asked for
32:43as it reminds her of her childhood.
32:45We have a rather special tree in this part of the garden on the lower deck,
32:48which is this prunus morello, otherwise known as the morello cherry.
32:53And what's beautiful about this tree is that it's going to have late spring blossom.
32:58And the beauty of that is that it avoids the frosts.
33:00So usually, with the prunus or plum family or cherries,
33:03early frosts can damage the flowers and that means no fruit.
33:06So it's a great way to protect the flowers from the frost.
33:09Usually, with the prunus or plum family or cherries,
33:12early frosts can damage the flowers and that means no fruit.
33:15So it's going to have late spring blossom,
33:17which is in direct contrast to that New Zealand garden
33:20where there's hardly any flowers at all.
33:22Now, the morello cherry is one of the only cherry trees
33:25that produces sour cherries, which are fantastic for cooking, jams,
33:29and believe it or not, cherry curds.
33:32Make sure you check that out. It's absolutely delicious.
33:35It's going to require pretty much zero care
33:37other than a good splash of water every week whilst it establishes.
33:41It won't grow too tall because it's on a dwarf rootstock.
33:44And last but not least, it's self-fertile.
33:47So you don't need other cherry trees to cross-pollinate it.
33:50Fantastic.
33:55After a long day on the wards,
33:57Sean and Francesca are desperate to be able to kick back
34:00and relax in their new garden.
34:02Unfortunately for Flo, the solution lies in a large box.
34:07I've got a bit of a flat-pack challenge going on.
34:10So this is a sofa that I'm going to build
34:12and it's going to sit in the lower half of the garden.
34:14So, yeah, it's going to crack on
34:16because, you know, it's a big baby to put together.
34:23So big, in fact, kind Tory has offered to help.
34:26Nice job, isn't it? You get to sit down.
34:29It's like yesterday with the Moongate.
34:33Right, that's it. Final screw tightened.
34:36It's ready to go in the garden. Can't wait to see it in there.
34:50Oh, here's me lovely sofa coming in.
34:53Ooh! Right in this corner here.
34:56Tell you what, you did a good job on that flat-pack, Flo.
34:59Yeah, you know... Did you string all that together as well by hand?
35:02I did, yeah. I mean, it said 45 minutes on the packet
35:05and it's been 15.
35:09Oh! How you doing out there?
35:11I smell a fib.
35:15Oh, look at that.
35:17With the sofa in, the remaining plants and some final touches,
35:22this little slice of New Zealand in South Wales is complete.
35:29Oh, do you know what? It's just nice to take the weight off.
35:32That feels good, doesn't it? Yeah.
35:34What a transformation.
35:36Yeah, completely 360.
35:39This place before, well, this was just like a rubble yard.
35:43Yeah. You've definitely pulled it off.
35:45And it is a garden of two halves, but there's definitely a unity.
35:50Yeah. Yeah.
35:51I like to think that this part that you've worked really hard on
35:54might be that urban dweller in New Zealand that wants to start growing.
35:57We've got the fruit trees, a bit of shade.
35:59When you look through, you can escape to the country
36:02and leave everything else behind.
36:04Well, I must say, for me, the showstopper is the Moongate.
36:08Yeah. I mean, it's big as well.
36:10When I scaled it up, I was like, it's going to be big,
36:13but then I knew I had those shrubs, the size of the house,
36:16and actually, I think it is in balance.
36:18Yeah, I mean, I love it. We could sit here and wax all day, couldn't we?
36:21We could do, just staring at the lovely raised beds,
36:23but I think maybe we should get Francesca and Sean out and see
36:26if they think they're in New Zealand. Yeah.
36:28Come on, then. Yeah, let's do that.
36:32But a few days ago, Sean and Francesca's garden
36:35wasn't really a garden at all.
36:38The top level was a shadow of a pretty garden that once was,
36:42and below, where the garage used to be,
36:44looked more like a rubble-strewn quarry.
36:48For two hard-working junior doctors,
36:51there was nowhere to relax after a long shift,
36:54let alone entertain friends.
36:57But working with a £6,000 budget,
37:01their garden has been transformed...
37:06..into a mini New Zealand-inspired oasis.
37:13Green, luscious foliage and towering tree ferns
37:17beckon them to explore.
37:21And a brand-new sandstone patio leads them
37:24through a brand-new lawn
37:26to borders filled with elegant planting.
37:32A dramatic moongate, festooned with star jasmine,
37:36provides a portal to a whole new second garden,
37:40filled with tasty treats in weathered steel planters...
37:45..where the couple can relax,
37:47surrounded by giant raised beds that pop with colour...
37:51..and the all-important cherry tree.
37:57Shaun and Francesca wanted a space
37:59to remind them of their travels to New Zealand
38:02and where they could switch off from work
38:05and be at one with nature.
38:08Has Lee given these doctors just what they ordered?
38:12Down we go, and then, Shaun, I'm going to take you out of the hand.
38:17So, Shaun and Francesca,
38:19you wanted a garden that would remind you
38:22of those lazy, hazy days in New Zealand.
38:25So, when you're ready, open your eyes.
38:28OK, three, two, one.
38:30Oh, wow! Oh, my God!
38:33That's incredible. That's so different!
38:36Lee, that's amazing. Oh, wow!
38:38Oh, wow. It doesn't even look like our garden.
38:41Oh, it's so beautiful.
38:43I'm so glad they love it.
38:45So, you've got the brand-new patio here
38:47that you can spill out onto.
38:49That's so much smarter, isn't it?
38:51And we've mirrored it in the lawn as well
38:53to make this whole area feel like it's one unit
38:55rather than two separate halves.
38:57That's so clever. And these little gaps here as well.
38:59Yeah. It's just like being back, isn't it?
39:01So many ferns I can see dotted in. Yeah.
39:03Got loads of ferns, including the two big tree ferns.
39:06They're pure New Zealand, those plants.
39:08Yeah. They're up as it ends.
39:10Yeah, they take me back, they do.
39:12It's just breathtaking.
39:14Tree ferns, yes, of course.
39:16Quintessential New Zealand, yeah.
39:18So, should we go and look at some other treasures?
39:20Yes. Come on.
39:25So, this whole planting bed
39:27takes its inspiration from New Zealand.
39:29We've got the ferns, the pittosporum,
39:31it's got tetrapanics down there.
39:33Brilliant. Isn't it?
39:35And over time, they're just all going to mesh together
39:37and you'll just end up with a big green border
39:39as if you're in the woodland somewhere.
39:41That sounds a lot. It does, it does.
39:43It's amazing.
39:45And it's so good to have some grass.
39:47It is. Yeah.
39:49Especially if we're thinking of maybe getting a dog
39:51at some point, that would be perfect.
39:53They'll like that. Yeah.
39:55Should we go and take a look at the moon gate?
39:57Absolutely. Come on.
39:59So, here we have the portal
40:01into the next part of the garden, the moon gate.
40:03It's fantastic. It's beyond anything I would have thought.
40:05It's so big as well, isn't it?
40:07It really captures the whole of the next level down.
40:09Yeah. And is this going to climb up over it?
40:11You've got it.
40:13You've got an evergreen jasmine, so over time
40:15that's going to colonise the moon gate
40:17and when you're sat here, the whole area
40:19of New Zealand is going to be full of greenery
40:21just like that holiday you were on.
40:23You think of everything.
40:25The landscapers have worked really hard
40:27to give you two really sizeable steps
40:29just to make that journey a little bit
40:31softer on the old knees compared to
40:33the old jump you had to do.
40:35Absolutely. I'm a bit speechless.
40:37So, should we go down and take a peek?
40:39Yes, please.
40:43So, here we are
40:45in your little grow-your-own paradise
40:47as if you're in some organic allotment
40:49in New Zealand.
40:51Fantastic. There's so much to see.
40:53It's hard to believe that the space
40:55that was here before...
40:57Yeah, it was just the rubble, wasn't it?
40:59Completely different.
41:01Now this area has purpose and actually
41:03it's a really large entertaining space.
41:05Oh, I love it. It's brilliant.
41:07Yeah, I can really imagine having
41:09loads of people down here.
41:11I love the colour of the gravel actually.
41:13It's really warm.
41:15Lovely warm buff colour that marries up with the sandstone.
41:17We've got these circular steel planters
41:19there and they're going to weather up
41:21when it rains and turn a rusty colour.
41:23Now, Flo's been working really hard
41:25in planting you up your new raised beds
41:27full of bulletproof
41:29vegetables for beginners.
41:31Oh, great. That's just what we need.
41:33That's what we got.
41:35So, you've got a mix. You've got some tomatoes,
41:37you've got spring onions, strawberries, beans.
41:39It's a whole mix.
41:41And I love the way they're a circle as well.
41:43Like I said, matching that.
41:45You're going to be a designer soon, aren't you?
41:47I'm glad they're excited
41:49about growing their own because it is
41:51a new journey for them. Good luck!
41:53Now, Francesca, I know that
41:55you really wanted a cherry tree.
41:57Well, I've picked you a bulletproof cherry.
41:59It's a Morello cherry.
42:01You can see now you've already got a few cherries.
42:05Can you see yourself using this area?
42:07Absolutely. It's brilliant, isn't it?
42:09It could fit so many people in here.
42:11Do you want to have a try?
42:13Yeah, absolutely. After you.
42:15It's so comfortable.
42:17I can see us coming back here
42:19after work with a book.
42:21A bit of a sleep, I think.
42:23Having a nap.
42:25It's amazing. It's beautiful.
42:27And the view as well.
42:29Oh, you've spotted it. The view back to the house.
42:31It's as good this side as it is the other, I think.
42:33Absolutely.
42:35If you had a garden that would take you back to New Zealand
42:37and make you use the space, do you think we've delivered?
42:39Oh, 100%.
42:41More than 100%.
42:43It's amazing. It's exactly what we wanted and more.
42:45It's brilliant.
42:47Best thing we've ever done, I think.
42:49Can't thank you enough.
42:51Thank you. Thank you so much.
42:59It doesn't feel like our garden anymore.
43:01It's properly sort of taken us
43:03back to New Zealand, really.
43:05It's like being back there. Brilliant.
43:07Even speaking now, there's bits I didn't notice earlier.
43:09It's amazing.
43:11Can't wait to grow some vegetables.
43:13I think we can give it a good go. I'm keen.
43:33.
43:35.
43:37.
43:39.
43:41.
43:43.