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Garden Rescue episode 31 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 Hedlund.
00:18I've gone for the big bad boy.
00:20And Chris Hall.
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's garden emergency comes from a couple in Hertfordshire.
01:14Hi, I'm Claire.
01:15And I'm Jim.
01:16And we have a daughter called Rosie, who's 12.
01:19And we've lived in Harpenden for nearly three years.
01:23I run a preschool and nursery.
01:25But my main passion is textiles and surface decoration
01:28and recycling fabrics and things like that.
01:31The couple have been married for 25 years
01:34and dream of a more inviting garden that they,
01:37daughter Rosie, and cats Gizmo and Sooty can all enjoy.
01:42We have a little area of patio up the top here that's fine.
01:47But as you can see, I collect pots and plants and things like that.
01:51A lot of these pots are Jim's dad's.
01:54He passed away last year and we've sort of kept them,
01:57trying to keep them going.
01:59So we've been lucky enough to have a studio built for me
02:03and a shed for Jim.
02:05I've had it a year now and I've already started doing lots more projects
02:08and it is really lovely in there.
02:10But when I look out the door, it's a bit depressing.
02:13It's like a mud fest.
02:18Our path is just mud and the grass is incredibly bumpy.
02:23When it rains, it's very difficult to go into the studio area
02:27without taking mud with you.
02:29Yeah, it is a bit of a quagmire, isn't it?
02:31We don't use the space much because it is a bit depressing
02:34with plastic and mud everywhere.
02:36I think what we like in the garden is an area for inspiration for Claire
02:40when she's in her studio with colour
02:42and an interesting pathway to the studio.
02:47One of the things we really want in the garden is to encourage the wildlife.
02:51It would be really lovely if there were some things for the birds
02:54and for other animals to be able to come into the garden.
02:57We'd also like a small wildlife pond.
02:59We get frogs already but they've got nowhere to go.
03:01They just come through.
03:03The one particular plant we really want in the garden are roses.
03:07Yeah, my dad passed away last year and he loved roses
03:11so we'd love that sort of thing incorporated in the garden if possible.
03:15When we moved here, we did promise Rosie two things,
03:19which was a trampoline and a swing.
03:21We managed to get the trampoline in fairly quickly
03:23but the swing we haven't done yet.
03:25We failed on the swing.
03:27Yeah, so we're really hoping that Garden Rescue can help us with that one.
03:32Competing for the chance to add some intrigue to this uninspiring garden
03:36are Charlie, whose passion for ponds could seal the deal.
03:40This one's going to be a challenge.
03:42Big garden office.
03:45And Chris, whose contemporary style may put him on the path to victory.
03:50What this garden needs is an exciting journey from A to B
03:53and I know exactly how to do that.
03:58Claire and Jim have got a real mixed bag in this garden, haven't they?
04:01I know, although the studio, it's definitely there in your face.
04:06Yeah, I really like it but it looks like it's been dropped from space
04:10and plonked in the garden, doesn't it?
04:12It's the first thing you notice until you notice opposite the trampoline.
04:18Yeah, it's all going on down the bottom
04:20but there's no real nice way of getting there, is there?
04:22No.
04:23What else do they want?
04:24Well, let's find out.
04:28Well, we've always enjoyed going through reclamation yards
04:31and like to incorporate those sort of unusual structures in our garden.
04:36It makes a great tripod, doesn't it, like that?
04:39Yeah.
04:40We've got drain pipes, we've got bits of tile that we've got as candles.
04:45You know, we recycled a shed to be the woodshed.
04:48I like to use pots, like I've got an old bread bin that I've grown stuff in.
04:51My granddad was a carpenter and made ladders.
04:54I wouldn't actually climb on those now but they are fantastic structures.
04:59To have something in our garden that's recycled, reused,
05:03means it's not going to landfill and it's really important for us.
05:07Oh, I'm loving that, using lots of different materials.
05:11And if we can tie in that reusing, recycling, upcycling,
05:15we're going to win them over.
05:17And budget?
05:18£4,000 on this one.
05:19£4,000.
05:20Well, not too bad.
05:22Well, actually, it's quite healthy
05:24because we can reuse so many materials in the garden.
05:27Yeah, I'm really up for this one, though.
05:29I like having a scavenger round.
05:30It's my garden, this one.
05:32My garden.
05:37Inspired by Claire and Jim's brief, our designers get to work.
05:42The couple then has to choose one of their designs
05:45and whichever designer loses must help the other build it.
05:50The landscapers and designers provide their labour for free,
05:53leaving the £4,000 budget for materials.
06:01Back in Harpenden, it's time to see what the designers have come up with.
06:05OK, they're in. You ready?
06:07Very exciting. Yeah.
06:10Here we go. Claire, Jim, Rosie, here's my design.
06:13You wanted a design that used lots of recycled materials,
06:18was a little bit different, full of wildlife and lots of roses,
06:23and especially for you, Rosie, a swing.
06:27Really lovely.
06:29Claire, Jim and Rosie, this is your garden, reclamation and pollination.
06:34Now, you wanted a garden that was all about using reclaimed and salvaged materials.
06:39You wanted a garden that invited loads of pollinators in.
06:42I know you've got that beautiful textile studio at the bottom of the garden,
06:46so you wanted a unique and innovative pathway to get you there.
06:49That looks really interesting.
06:51So we come off the patio, down the steps,
06:53and we've got this beautiful path that sweeps round,
06:57and what I've used is lots of different recycled materials.
07:01So we've got lots of different textures there.
07:03Bricks and slates and tiles and slabs.
07:08So as you walk down the path,
07:10you're going to walk down through these two flowerbeds.
07:14The central flowerbed's full of roses, singles, doubles,
07:19really perfumed carpet roses,
07:22and then we've got this feature tree here.
07:25Small tree, a dogwood that's going to add a bit of height there.
07:30So as you wander down there to do your work,
07:33you're going to get all the lovely scents wafting up.
07:36The amount of colour and flowers and the scents that Charlie's got in there
07:40is really lovely, isn't it?
07:42It'll be a really lovely space to walk through.
07:44Now, obviously, you're a textile designer,
07:46and you wanted some reclaimed materials,
07:49so I've designed you what I'm calling the tapestry path.
07:52I wanted to use things like pebbles, bricks, sets,
07:56anything that we can find, and it will all be salvaged.
07:59I really like that.
08:01And because this patio's actually quite small,
08:03I've made this section a lot wider and bigger
08:06so you can also entertain down there,
08:08and it just makes it an extension of the house.
08:10Whilst Chris has extended the patio area,
08:13how else is Charlie hitting their brief?
08:16You can walk under this archway.
08:18Now, I've reinforced it so that we can get a swing on there,
08:22or maybe one of those trendy sort of hanging seats.
08:26Yeah, do you think, Rosie, you prefer swing, swing to...?
08:29Well, it's got to be a certain height.
08:31Just here, Rosie, this is going to be your fun part.
08:34I know that one of the conditions of moving to this house,
08:36you wanted your very own swing seat,
08:38so that's what we're going to give you, just a beautiful seat,
08:41and it's going to be made with reclaimed piece of oak,
08:44so it's going to have some character.
08:46Yeah, reclaimed oak, that's fantastic.
08:48Next on the wish list was a place for frogs.
08:51Given you quite a big wildlife pond,
08:55it'll be big enough so that the frogs can breed in there,
08:58and I've got this shallow beach that runs out into the shrubs here.
09:02It's got a little solar pump in there, so you've got a bubble of water,
09:06so you will get the sound, but it's planted up for wildlife.
09:10That's quite a large pond. It is quite large, but really nice.
09:14We've got these dry stone walls here,
09:16which are great for wildlife to hibernate in,
09:20whether it's the frogs or newts or beetles,
09:23and it just defines this seating area,
09:25and this space is big enough so that you can have a fire bowl in the centre
09:30and you can sit round it and you can move it.
09:32That's really good.
09:34Just to the left of the swing seat there,
09:36I also wanted to give you a wildlife pond,
09:38because I know getting water in the garden was really important.
09:41That's a good size. We don't want it too big.
09:43Something small.
09:44Here's where all the pollinators start to come into the garden,
09:47so we wanted to give you this big sweeping band of wildflower lawn
09:51that's going to be really rich in nectar for all those pollinators.
09:55Oh, so that's the wildflowers.
09:57Wildflowers would be really good. Yeah.
09:59Behind the wildflower lawn is going to be a really deep border,
10:03and just to give it a bit more height and interest,
10:05I wanted to add some silver birch in there.
10:07It makes all the planting underneath really come to life.
10:10That's silver birch.
10:12They are very pretty. How did he know? That's amazing.
10:16Chris may have just struck gold with his choice of tree,
10:20but Charlie has some treasure that may lure the couple back.
10:24And then I want to bring a little bit of art into this area.
10:28Maybe some rebar, rusty rebar, with a pebble balanced on the top.
10:33Yeah, I really love that. Yeah.
10:35Now you've got ladders, obelisks, bits of timber, driftwood.
10:39This is the spot where you can experiment with them,
10:41place them around, be a bit dynamic and move them through the seasons.
10:45And all under there, we're just going to plant a simple few grasses
10:47and keep it quite open.
10:49And that's going to be amazing, because that's like dairy jam that we love.
10:51Yeah.
10:52So that's my design, several bespoke items.
10:55It's all about watching the wildlife busy about its business.
10:59Yeah, it's brilliant.
11:00I'm really excited about this one.
11:02I think it ticks all of the boxes for you.
11:04It really is a unique garden, so I would love to see this one built.
11:10That's really lots to think about, isn't it? Yeah.
11:12Each design offers a unique take on the brief.
11:17So will Chris's wildflower lawn, extended patio
11:20and silver birch trees sway their vote?
11:23I love the patchwork patio that Chris has created.
11:27Or will Charlie's intriguing sculpture, large pond and drywall
11:32be more to their taste?
11:34And the colour that Charlie has is lovely.
11:37The carpet roses and those sort of things are really nice.
11:39Yeah, and for your dad, it's lovely.
11:41Only one design can win, so whose will it be?
11:45Oh, it's just going to be so hard to choose.
11:47It is very difficult. Yeah.
11:54Right, third back from Claire and Jim.
11:56Let's see what they've got to say.
11:58Hi, Chris. Hi, Charlie.
11:59Thank you so much for the incredible designs.
12:02We were blown away.
12:03We were.
12:04Really incredible.
12:05Fantastic designs.
12:06That's nice.
12:07It's very sweet.
12:08So much we loved about both of them, but it's been a really tough decision.
12:11It has.
12:12I think it's going to be touch and go, this one.
12:14But we have come to a decision.
12:16Yep.
12:17Are you ready?
12:18We picked...
12:20Chris!
12:22Darn it!
12:23I tell you what, I'm quite happy about that,
12:25because I was really excited to do this tapestry pathway.
12:28Yeah.
12:29You are at the moment until you're doing it.
12:33I think as long as I can get Andy to help me out with that one,
12:35we're going to be laughing.
12:36Yeah.
12:37All the bits of bric-a-brac that we can recycle, upcycle,
12:40all those plants to use.
12:41Going to be dreamy, this one.
12:45It's not raining yet.
12:46It's the day of the build in beautiful Bedfordshire.
12:50And the team, led by project manager Ben,
12:52are ready to roll up their sleeves.
12:54Come on then, team.
12:56And recycle.
12:57Come on, Lee.
12:59Come on then.
13:00Always last at party, but best dressed, eh?
13:02Well...
13:03Are you sure?
13:04Are you sure?
13:07Andy, there is a lot to do here for you.
13:10I'm looking.
13:11It looks a bit like a patchwork quilt of materials there.
13:13There you go.
13:14That's what we've got.
13:15We have to get this area just here as level as we can.
13:20Lee, to the side of that, we have a swing to build.
13:23Yep.
13:24Yep.
13:25Next challenge is where we are here,
13:27there's going to be a wildlife pond.
13:30Down the bottom area is a gravel garden.
13:34I suggest we bring that gravel in as quick as we can,
13:37but get the membrane down.
13:39We still have to level it up a bit down there as well.
13:41Let's get on with it.
13:42Let's do it.
13:43Let's do it.
13:44Go, go.
13:50Claire and Jim do not want to add to landfill,
13:53so although it's going in the skip...
13:56Lee, last wheelbarrow.
13:58..it's not going to waste.
14:01Thanking you.
14:02This skip will be collected, taken to a waste management company,
14:06and they're going to sieve all through this,
14:08so all of this will be recycled.
14:12With the turf off, the new path layout can go down.
14:18Yep.
14:19Look at that.
14:20I'm very, very happy.
14:21And at the front of the house...
14:23You're on fire, Dad.
14:25Quick, put it out.
14:27..Lee's already whipped up the framework for the swing.
14:32What was the top?
14:33Just where you like there, like that.
14:35Is that the top?
14:36Yes, like that.
14:37Whoa.
14:38So we position right here.
14:40So we position roughly there.
14:42In Chris's design, the swing is at an angle to the house and studio,
14:47giving it a sweeping view of the path.
14:56What else we got there?
14:58Look at this.
14:59What have you got?
15:00Claire is allowing us to use anything we find in the garden.
15:04Oh, look at that.
15:06Yes.
15:07What else we got?
15:08Numbers.
15:10We can do something with them, can't we?
15:12Beautiful.
15:13Little memories in their brand-new patio.
15:15And we'll get some in.
15:16Yeah.
15:18So, Andy, here's Rose.
15:21Yeah.
15:22And there's Jim.
15:23The squirrel.
15:24The squirrel.
15:25Have you got any room for them?
15:26Oh, there's plenty of room, mate.
15:27We've got a long way to go.
15:29It's slow going.
15:30Yeah.
15:31I'm hoping it's going to be worth it.
15:32Turn that frame upside down.
15:33Good lad.
15:34Jamie, how are you doing?
15:35I'm loving it, mate.
15:38The patchwork patio is going to take some practice.
15:44But Lee's frame is ready to swing into action.
15:49Hang on, you're about a foot taller than me.
15:56And brick by bric-a-brac, the path is coming together.
16:01Just in time to be admired by Chris and Charlie.
16:06Oh, my word.
16:08Look at that.
16:09Look at that.
16:10That's fantastic.
16:11I'm loving it.
16:12It's like everywhere you look, there's little bits of detail.
16:16So obviously, you know, we're getting there with this bit of a design.
16:19So I'm going to be working on finishing off the rest of that pathway and the swing area.
16:23But I'd like you to focus down here outside the studio because Claire and Jim love upcycling.
16:29They like gravel garden vibes.
16:31So have I got free reign?
16:33It pains me to say it, but you do, yeah.
16:35Well, I'm very excited.
16:37I am.
16:38Oh, yes, quick.
16:39Have fun.
16:40Spit spot.
16:42Now, the main themes for this garden are reclamation and pollination.
16:46Now, you can already see here, all of these materials, that's what's given us that reclamation title.
16:52And the pollination title, that comes from these big borders down the sides.
16:57We're going to absolutely pack these full of pollinator plants.
17:01Now, obviously, Rosie's swing is going to be in here.
17:03A really big, strong, sturdy framework.
17:05And then all around this is going to be wildflower meadow.
17:08And that will roll into this wildflower pond.
17:13Meanwhile, at the top end of the garden.
17:15Now, this is actually quite a big space outside the studio.
17:19But it's got to be a versatile space.
17:22Right.
17:23First things first.
17:25Find out what materials.
17:29Jim and Claire have got round the garden.
17:32I'm loving those.
17:33They're like downpipe hoppers from your guttering.
17:37Cast iron ones.
17:38They could be useful.
17:40Some ladders there.
17:42So, I'm thinking a focal point here.
17:45But I'm going to collect up all my bits and bobs first.
17:51God, look at these.
17:53Oh, I'm loving them.
17:57Look at that.
17:58I mean, that's almost a pre-made bug hotel.
18:05I presume they would have been air vents.
18:08Right.
18:13I'm starting to think art come bug hotel.
18:17And old wood is really good for bug hotels.
18:21Look.
18:22And I've also already got a snail.
18:25Whilst Charlie gathers garden treasure.
18:28It's like doing something like this and like that.
18:32But in that fence panel space.
18:36Chris is putting his mark on the path.
18:47Now, this tapestry path was the main feature of the whole design.
18:51And I absolutely love it.
18:52Because you get all these different unique features.
18:55If you want to do this at home, there is no right or wrong.
18:58You just try and get a bit of balance.
18:59So, if you've got, you know, a bit of red brick there.
19:02You want to maybe repeat it a bit further down the path.
19:04Just so your eye picks them up again.
19:06Now, cost wise, it's actually quite hard to quantify all this.
19:09Because it's come from so many different places.
19:11But it's roughly a quarter of the budget.
19:13Which is about a thousand pounds.
19:17Now then, Lee.
19:18Now when?
19:19Now then.
19:20Right.
19:21So, what I'm thinking is.
19:22I want to sort of put the ladders on the fence.
19:25Now, do I attach to the fence?
19:28Or?
19:30Personally, I wouldn't.
19:31We don't know whose fence it is.
19:32Right.
19:33Plus, it's on the concrete post.
19:35So, if they ever need to replace it, you can slide it out.
19:37I'm guessing that if we cross these over.
19:39It will make it even stronger.
19:41It will.
19:42Yeah.
19:43And also, it will give me that 3D effect.
19:45Yeah.
19:46Alright.
19:51Whee.
19:56Put your butt off.
19:58To future proof Charlie's creation.
20:00Lee wants to use the concrete posts as a support.
20:04So, the fence panels can be replaced without damaging her work.
20:11Right.
20:12First one on.
20:13So, that gives us our basic structure.
20:17So, we've got the old ladders.
20:19What I want is something a bit more modern.
20:21So, we're using these metal grids.
20:23And then we've got this metal stud stuff.
20:27Just to give it a bit of lift.
20:31Oh, yeah.
20:32Like that.
20:41Now, this is...
20:43It's a bit wacky.
20:44It's a bit weird.
20:45It's a bit art.
20:46But it will serve a purpose.
20:47Because we're going to also plant it up.
20:49Which will make the fence look more covered.
20:53And it will also encourage the wildlife.
20:55Because I'm going to put things on that the wildlife will come to.
21:01The wacky wall art in the top right corner
21:03isn't the only place that is designed to attract wildlife.
21:08On the left hand side, in the front of the studio,
21:10they're hoping to attract pond life.
21:15Now, I'm just doing a bit of prep.
21:16In this area.
21:17Because Lee kindly scooped out the wildlife pond for me.
21:21But I've got all of this spoil.
21:23So, I'm just going to grade it out across here.
21:26Building ponds is usually Charlie's foretake.
21:30But seeing as she has her hands full,
21:32it's down to Chris.
21:36That's the number one rule.
21:37Don't get stones on your fleece.
21:38Because then it will puncture the liner.
21:42Look at that.
21:44How's the pond going? You doing well?
21:46Well, I might need a hand actually.
21:48Just stretching out the liner.
21:50And getting all that in shape, if you don't mind.
21:52Right.
21:53Oh, nice expensive liner.
21:57Nice rubber.
21:58It's good, isn't it?
21:59It's really good.
22:00Keep going, keep going.
22:01Go back.
22:03There you go.
22:04Yep.
22:05So, what do you think?
22:06Is it up to your pond standards?
22:08I mean, it's great.
22:09Because it's good.
22:10Because you've got nice gentle sloping sides.
22:12The wildlife.
22:13And, you know, all you need to say to Jim and Claire is,
22:16you know, with wildlife ponds,
22:17everybody thinks you've got to introduce the wildlife.
22:20The best thing is just to wait for it to come.
22:23It'll come at the right time.
22:24That's it.
22:25Right, I'm going back to my art,
22:26because I'm having too much fun.
22:28Bye.
22:29Bye.
22:32I'm just going to trim off the big bit of excess here.
22:35But then I'm going to leave this all over the edges.
22:37And then once this gets filled up,
22:41all the tension will come out.
22:42And when it finally settles,
22:43that's when I'll cut around and really trim this off.
22:53There we go.
22:54Leave that running.
23:01Oh, do you like the tapestry puff?
23:03Is it really nice?
23:05Yeah?
23:07Look at that.
23:09See, look, we've got wildlife in the garden already.
23:28So this is the bug hotel part.
23:32So you can drill a post with lots of holes,
23:35and masonry bees will fill up the holes.
23:37But these are pre-made bug hotels.
23:40They're quite arty.
23:42So these are my sliced up bits of old wood.
23:46Again, great hibernation areas,
23:49but also you'll find insects will come and bore into the wood
23:53or use the wood to make nests with.
23:56Just another texture for the art wall.
24:00So moss is great because it soaks up so much moisture.
24:05Again, a good texture as well for birds to make nests with.
24:12So I'm going to just pop that in there.
24:14And finally, the bug hotel's guest of honour.
24:18So the snail will love the moss because it's full of moisture.
24:29Right, here you go, mate.
24:30Look at that.
24:31Yeah, Lee's done a great job with that, hasn't he?
24:33I love it.
24:34He always does something good on the router, doesn't he?
24:36A little R for Rosie, and a G for garden rescue.
24:40A swing can be tricky to make,
24:42so it's always best to seek professional advice before building one.
24:47All right, so at this end, we've got these two maons,
24:50which we can obviously just clip into here.
24:52And that's not going to go anywhere, then, is it?
24:54Oh my gosh, no.
24:55I mean, these are rated at 2,500 kilograms.
24:59It'd just take my weight there, wouldn't it?
25:00Yeah, just about.
25:04There you go.
25:05There's 2,000 kilograms on it.
25:08No, that's good, guys.
25:09That's perfect.
25:10Perfect, yeah, it is perfect.
25:13Love it.
25:15Playtime over.
25:16The plants are here.
25:18Oh, and look at this hibiscus.
25:22Don't get better flowers than that.
25:24The wildlife-friendly planting Jim and Claire have asked for
25:27can start to make an appearance.
25:34It's the birch for my little copse that I want to make.
25:48Right, there we go.
25:50So it's more or less finished.
25:52The bug side of it is finished, still looks arty,
25:55and I've just got a couple more plants to get in,
25:58but I think that's a bit of fun.
26:04So this area here is where Rosie's trampoline goes.
26:09So I've got to keep it clear of planting and ornaments.
26:13Now, gravel is a really quick surface to put down.
26:17Put membrane underneath it, but it's porous, the membrane,
26:21and with the weather changing and us getting much heavier downpours,
26:25it's actually better to have less hard material
26:29and with the weather changing and us getting much heavier downpours,
26:31it's actually better to have less hard surfaces in a garden.
26:35That way the water is more likely to soak into the ground.
26:52Now it's time to start putting some of the wildflower turf down
26:56around this area and then into the pond, which is finally filled up now.
27:01So with wildlife ponds, there's many different ways that you can go about them
27:05and how you dress them up, but this one I'm keeping it really simple.
27:09And what I want to do with the wildflower turf is roll it
27:12all the way from here straight down into the pond.
27:16And that way you get this really seamless look
27:18and actually the wildflowers in there are going to love it.
27:21Now it doesn't mind getting a bit wet
27:25because it really likes a good drink.
27:28And the thing of it, it's just going to be like woof in here.
27:31It's really going to have loads of growth.
27:33And what we're also going to do is plant a few marginals
27:36around the edge of this pond that are still going to wick up
27:38some of the moisture from the turf.
27:40Look at that. Species-rich wildflower turf.
27:43It really makes everything just go poom.
27:46Is that a new pond sort of technicality?
27:49That's it. You know it.
27:52Yeah, fabulous. All right.
28:04Right.
28:06Now I've got my perennials and grasses in
28:10and now I'm going to put some climbers that can go up the ladders
28:14but also along the fence.
28:16So this one here is potato vine.
28:19That's its common name, Solanum laxum album.
28:22And if you've ever grown potatoes,
28:25the flowers look just like that but they sort of hang down.
28:29Gets to about six metres high
28:31but I'm going to weave it up the ladder to start with.
28:35And the other great thing about it is fragrant
28:38and also it's semi-evergreen
28:42but also in the autumn you get little blackberries on them
28:48which the birds absolutely love.
28:55Now, ideally, make sure you plant it on a nice, warm, sunny wall
29:01but you may find if you're in a colder area
29:04it will drop its leaves during the wintertime
29:07but they reshoot in the spring.
29:19Now this is such an amazing-looking plant.
29:22This is a candelabra primula and I absolutely love them
29:26because you get the beautiful, tall flower spikes
29:29and they come out like a candelabra.
29:31Look at how bright and vibrant it is.
29:33And that's the thing with this area.
29:35We're keeping it quite simple
29:37but just to give it a bit more embellishment
29:39I'm going to plant some of these around the edges of the pond
29:42into the wildflower because they will actually naturalise in this.
29:46And these primulas, they like a moist soil
29:50so this wildflower will wick up some of the water from there
29:53it will keep this moist and it is going to be happy as Larry.
29:56The other thing that they really need is to not be sat in baking hot sun
30:01so it's going to get a bit of shade over here from the tree and the summerhouse
30:04so it is the perfect spot for it against the dark wood.
30:07Beautiful.
30:17And on this side of the frame I'm putting another big climber in.
30:23Colour-wise it's going to match the potato vine
30:26because this one is a Kibia quinata cream form.
30:31It's common name is chocolate vine
30:33and some people say it smells of a spicy sort of chocolate.
30:38I'm not totally convinced but I like the idea of it.
30:44But it will definitely soften the look of this fence.
30:51So I'm going to get that in there and then I'll untwine it
30:55and work it round a piece of art.
31:00As well as helping it look pretty,
31:03Chris has also chosen plants that will help the pond stay healthy.
31:07Now some of the finishing touches for the wildlife pond
31:11are these aquatic plants.
31:14Now I absolutely love this one.
31:17This is a water mint and you can tell that from so far away
31:21because the smell of it is so strong.
31:23If you give it a bit of movement it really, really becomes strong.
31:27Now it's quite a vigorous plant
31:30but it's really good for a wildlife pond
31:32because it gives you quite a bit of surface cover.
31:36And with a wildlife pond you don't want them to get loads and loads of sun.
31:39You need to have some coverage because that keeps the pond cool,
31:43stops it getting too hot for all the wildlife in it.
31:47Look at that.
31:49Now to keep everything in it healthy and full of oxygen
31:52you need an oxygenating plant.
31:55Every good, happy pond has it.
31:59And it really does grow well.
32:02It will spread around and multiply
32:04but it just fixes oxygen in the pond and helps everything to breathe.
32:09Bog bean is another really good plant
32:11and I like this one because as it grows up
32:14you do get quite a good sized plant
32:17and then you get the beautiful white flowers on it
32:19and the wildlife is going to absolutely love it.
32:23Chris has deliberately designed a wide border on the right-hand side
32:27to achieve the soft, wildlife-friendly look he's after.
32:53Lots of wafty perennials.
32:55That's what you need in a naturalistic garden
32:57especially when you've got really nice grasses for them to intermingle with.
33:09Hello!
33:11What do you think? Good plant?
33:13Yeah.
33:15I'm loving the roses and the rudbeckias.
33:18I love rudbeckias.
33:21While the rudbeckias certainly bring a pop of colour
33:24there's another plant that has a deeper meaning for the family.
33:29Roses were really important to Claire and Jim in this design
33:32because Jim's father, he absolutely loved them
33:36and they even named their daughter Rosie after them.
33:39And sadly, Jim's father passed away last year
33:41so it was crucial to get some roses in the design for him.
33:46Now, the roses in here, it kind of goes against the nature
33:50of this very wild, naturalistic garden
33:52but I kind of like it, it's a bit rebellious.
33:55And when I first started as a gardener
33:57I trained in a very traditional, formal garden
34:00and we had rose beds where each little rose was there
34:03and you'd fluffed up the soil all around it
34:05with no other plants, it was very manicured.
34:07Whereas this planting, having a rose in amongst much more naturalistic plants
34:12I quite like it, it's a bit different
34:14and if you pick the right plant, it will look natural anyway.
34:17Now this is a shrub rose, it's called Rosa Bonica
34:20and by putting it in here, because it's not with loads of other roses
34:24in a contained bed, it's actually going to be more resistant to disease as well
34:28and they're a bit less fussy.
34:31You know, it grows into a nice big shape
34:33as long as you give it a bit of deadheading
34:35you're going to get some repeat flowers on it
34:37and it even has a really nice fragrant scent.
34:41Look at that.
34:43Beautiful.
34:49Yeah, no more than that.
34:56One thing the couple loved about Chris's design
34:59was that he chose their favourite tree
35:01which has pride of place in the border.
35:04Now this end down here, I wanted a little copse of the silver birch
35:08to grow up and sort of screen the trampoline area.
35:11Not too much, because there's a really nice area down that Charlie's made
35:15but that's what's going to happen there
35:17and all under this I wanted some really soft, delicate planting.
35:20Now when you come to setting this out
35:22I tend to start with the structural things first
35:24like the trees and then the grasses, or any shrubs.
35:28But the grasses are what link this whole scheme together
35:31and give it that naturalistic feel.
35:33So we've got beautiful tall grasses like this Calamagrostis,
35:37Pennisetum, and then amongst that
35:40I then pick a real nice mix of different colours
35:43and perennials that intermingle really nicely.
35:46And that theme continues around the garden
35:48and makes one big continuous belt for pollinators to thrive in.
35:55As the early evening draws in, the team hit the home straight.
35:59This has been a garden that's tested their powers of creativity and ingenuity.
36:04But it's finally done.
36:08I have to say, Chris, I think Rosie is going to love this swing.
36:13I love it!
36:15I think the garden is absolutely phenomenal.
36:19So do I. I've got to say, this was a real masterpiece, innit?
36:23It is. I know it took a lot of time.
36:26But it works.
36:28Really natural, really soft.
36:30And they're going to get so much in the way of wildlife.
36:33I mean, the plants, just the plants coming in.
36:36Bees have been about and buzzing and hoverflies and everything.
36:40I know.
36:41And give it a year and there'll be a ribbit, ribbit, ribbit.
36:45I reckon sooner.
36:47They'll be coming in from next door.
36:49And also, I mean, look at all the things that we've managed to recycle and upcycle.
36:54You know, it's such a sustainable garden.
36:56I've had a great time. I've really enjoyed myself.
36:58I like that. No, I think that is really quirky.
37:00And that's the thing with this garden.
37:02It's all things that I can guarantee nobody else has.
37:05This is very true. I can't wait to see their faces, to be honest.
37:09Shall I go and get them? Yeah.
37:13When the team arrived, Claire and Jim's garden lacked imagination.
37:18There was no clear path to Claire's textile studio.
37:22No space for Jim to entertain friends and family.
37:26The swing that daughter Rosie was promised hadn't materialised.
37:30And their bounty of bric-a-brac was unused.
37:34But, thanks to a £4,000 budget, their boring backyard has been transformed...
37:43...into an upcycled and uplifting space for the whole family to enjoy.
37:49The curved tapestry path is a stunning feature...
37:53...made up of unique salvaged bricks, stones and tiles...
37:57...and is surrounded by wildlife-friendly flowers.
38:02Claire and Jim's favourite tree, the silver birch, is nestled amongst perennials.
38:08And a rose, a nod to Jim's late father.
38:13In front of the studio, Rosie can swing to her heart's content...
38:17...on her personalised reclaimed oak seat.
38:21And maybe in a year's time, hear the gentle splash of frogs in the new pond.
38:29The path continues to the back of the garden...
38:31...where the gravelled entertainment space awaits.
38:35And the insects have a posh place to hibernate...
38:38...thanks to Charlie's use of materials and Jim's grandfather's ladders.
38:44Chris has worked hard to conjure up this creative garden.
38:50But, will the family like it?
38:52I'm really excited about this one, seeing what they're going to think.
38:57Keep those eyes closed.
38:59Claire, Jim, Rosie, you wanted a garden that celebrated...
39:03...all things recycling, upcycling and sustainability.
39:07You wanted a garden that was surrounded by heaps of wildlife...
39:10...with beautiful naturalistic planting.
39:15Now please, open your eyes.
39:19Oh my God!
39:23That is amazing.
39:26Wow.
39:29That's incredible.
39:31It's like a different... sure it's our garden?
39:35It looks so different.
39:37That is incredible. That is absolutely incredible.
39:40Look at all the plants.
39:41I can't take it all in.
39:43There's things everywhere. This garden is one of a kind, isn't it?
39:47It is amazing.
39:49It's mind-blowing. I'm looking down the end as well.
39:52That's just incredible what's going on down there.
39:56This is amazing.
39:58There's all these little details everywhere and that's why I love it.
40:01Obviously you've got your pebbles.
40:03I've been painting, yeah.
40:05There's a few of those and then it's a mix of so many materials.
40:08We have porcelain, sandstone, limestone, mill wheel, little grates.
40:13This is everything.
40:15So this is rose.
40:17Just amazing.
40:19Off the chart of what we were expecting, it's just incredible.
40:22And obviously it ties in perfectly with what you're doing, doesn't it?
40:24Exactly, yeah.
40:25That paving and patio, I mean, there's just so much to look at.
40:30And, Rosie, your very own swing.
40:33Amazing.
40:34It's cool, isn't it?
40:35Yeah.
40:36And if at some time you want to, you can take the swing off
40:38and put a bench under there or grow things over it.
40:41It's beautiful.
40:42Incredible.
40:43That's lovely.
40:44It's just so much colour.
40:46I can see that it's all going to fill out.
40:47It's going to be absolutely stunning.
40:49And some scent will be there as well.
40:51Oh, there's loads.
40:52The roses are just gorgeous.
40:54They are.
40:55So you've got some scent from the roses.
40:56Whenever you brush past something, you get a lovely scent.
40:59It's just gorgeous.
41:01I can't say thank you enough.
41:02It's just lovely.
41:08I get all upset now.
41:09It's all right.
41:10It's okay.
41:13It is just so lovely.
41:15You see it on the paper and it's just amazing when it comes to life.
41:19Yeah.
41:20Well, it's yours now.
41:21You can touch it and feel it and get in it.
41:23It's yours.
41:25Thank you so much.
41:26Now, obviously, this garden is about getting loads of wildlife into it.
41:29So you've got the wildlife pond there, but we've kept it quite simple.
41:32The wildflower itself just rolls in and that will grow out
41:35and sort of support the edges of that.
41:37We've got frogs living both sides.
41:39They'll be real loving being in this garden.
41:41There's so many places to hide as well.
41:43It's lovely.
41:44Pond, right on it.
41:47Now, why don't we take a stroll through the meadow
41:49towards Charlie's end of the garden.
41:51Here we come.
41:54That bit is amazing.
41:56Isn't it?
41:57Really amazing.
41:58Well, you know, they're quite quirky and that's what I thought.
42:01This whole thing is pretty quirky, so I thought it fit in really well there.
42:04Where did that kind of things come from?
42:06That's just like...
42:07That's a secret, isn't it?
42:09Well, the thing is, every single little item in here
42:13has come from somewhere different.
42:15Some of it is your own anyway.
42:16Yeah.
42:17So I think it's totally unique.
42:20So I think it's totally unique.
42:22And Charlie has been working extremely hard today
42:26on this masterpiece.
42:28It's cool, isn't it?
42:29It's an amazing use of all the items we collected.
42:32It's incredible.
42:33The ladders from your granddad.
42:34My granddad's ladders.
42:35Yeah, it's amazing.
42:36It's just stunning.
42:37I love the little bricks.
42:38They're like little houses.
42:39All the little bees can get in there.
42:41That's what Charlie wanted it to look like.
42:43But they're basically artistic bug hotels, you know,
42:46and that's what all these little bits are for.
42:48It's really cool.
42:49It's just absolutely fantastic.
42:50Oh, brilliant.
42:51Just can't wait to see all the insects buzzing around.
42:53Exactly, they will be.
42:55Oh, beyond what we could have ever imagined.
42:57Thank you so much.
42:58I can't thank you enough.
43:00Thank you, everybody.
43:01Yeah.
43:02Just amazing.
43:06Chris has absolutely nailed the brief.
43:08It's just incredible.
43:09And Charlie, the additions that Charlie's done
43:11are just gorgeous.
43:12Absolutely blown away.
43:14We don't go in the garden much like before,
43:17and so now I think we will go in the garden a lot more.
43:19Do you think you'll be out here all the time when you're swinging?
43:21My friends as well.
43:47Yeah.
43:48Yeah.
43:49Yeah.
43:50Yeah.