Walsall Garden Rescue


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With her can-do attitude, love of simple gardens

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-and decades of experience...

-Hello!

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..Charlie Dimmock is one of Britain's best-loved gardeners.

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Looking good, boys!

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But the new kids on the gardening block are the Rich brothers.

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We want to be the brothers

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that change people's perceptions of gardens.

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Winners of multiple medals at the Chelsea Flower Show...

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-Oh, get in.

-Wow, amazing, isn't it?

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..the boys have become known for their dramatic outdoor spaces.

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Now, these two different generations of gardening are going head-to-head.

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I know they've got a gold medal but I can come up with a few ideas.

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They're meeting frustrated garden owners across the country...

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The photos made it look tiny. It IS, isn't it?

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-I'm sure you've seen larger.

-I don't know what to do with it.

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-..and will each pitch them a design based on their needs...

-Wow!

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..and budget.

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-That looks really exciting.

-Doesn't look like it could be our garden.

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-The winner...

-Ta-da!

-ALL:

-Whoo!

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-..brings their design to life.

-Hold on, hold on!

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-Sweet as a nut.

-And the loser has to help them build it.

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I'm getting irritated now with faffing around.

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-This is what happens...

-Does he ever get irritating?

-All the time.

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-..when different styles collide...

-Who chose these?

-One, two, three.

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-This looks like your design!

-Yeah!

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..to turn garden dreams into reality.

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-Wow!

-Open your eyes.

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-Wow!

-Whoa!

-It's amazing!

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-Oh!

-It's beautiful!

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So, whose garden will Charlie and the Rich brothers

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be battling over today?

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We've heard from three generations of women from the West Midlands.

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-We've got gran Lillian, mum Carrie and daughter Morgan.

-OK.

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These three ladies all live in the same house,

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which they moved into just six months ago.

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And they couldn't be closer.

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We decided Carrie's partner works away such a lot

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that it was company for all of us to be together.

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I've got independent living within the house, which is ideal,

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because we're not living in each other's pockets.

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-Morgan loves having Nan about, doesn't she?

-Yeah. Morgan loves it.

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Whatever Mum doesn't do, Nan does.

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Lillian, Carrie and Morgan all share the main house,

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whilst Lillian has her own living space downstairs.

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And now, all three of them would like a new garden

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because the current one isn't really a garden at all.

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-And it looks a little bit like a car park.

-A little bit?! A lot like!

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I can't believe it. There's not even weeds growing there.

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It's devoid of a plant. There's nothing in there.

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-The previous owners used it as a driveway.

-It's very bland.

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There's just nothing, it's slabs and gravel. There is nothing else.

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The plot is also completely exposed on one side,

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so the ladies have made privacy

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one of the key requirements in the new garden.

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It's vastly overlooked, isn't it?

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I know. That's one thing. The other side looks fine

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but this side looks like there's a bit of a privacy issue.

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My initial thoughts are it needs a bit of height.

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-It is pretty flat. And maybe green!

-Do you think?!

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When she moved in with her daughter,

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Lillian left behind a garden she had worked in for years.

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I had a fish pond, lots of shrubs and bushes and flowers,

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lots of tubs with plants and a lawn.

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But it's not just the three ladies that could do with a new garden.

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Their tortoise, Tilly, would like somewhere green too.

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Hello, Tilly!

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Hello, my darling. Come on. Come on. We have to have a bit of tissue

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when we pick you up cos you can be naughty, can't you, eh?

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This family are fed up with staring at concrete and slate chippings

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and would like somewhere to relax in the summer months.

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We constantly say, "It's a sunny day today

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"and we can't sit outside cos everybody else can see us."

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We don't want a car park, do we?

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No, we want a nice garden that we can sit in

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and be able to sit out at night with a glass of wine.

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You know, just what families do.

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And the ladies are prepared to dig into their savings

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to get the garden they want.

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-What is the budget?

-The budget's £2,000, which isn't bad, is it?

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Not too bad because it doesn't look huge, does it?

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But there's quite a lot of existing materials,

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so it is all hard landscaping,

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but they look in pretty decent condition,

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-so we could probably reuse them.

-Yeah.

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All in all, it's a blank canvas, which I know you love.

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I hate blank canvases. I never know where to start.

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Well, it's time for our designers to get their thinking caps on,

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as Charlie and the boys will now compete for the chance

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to make over this family garden.

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And with three generations of women to answer to,

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they'll need to come up with something special.

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So, their next stop is the West Midlands.

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They want to see the garden itself

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and find out from Lillian and Carrie

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how it could make a difference to their lives.

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And it's not long before they realise just how exposed it is.

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-Pretty bare, isn't it?

-Bare?!

-THEY LAUGH

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-Goodness gracious, is all I can say.

-Age before beauty.

-Ah, thank you.

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-Wow!

-Wow! Where do you start?

-Get a bit of green in here.

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It's not going to be hard to change it up, is it?

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No, I don't think I've ever seen a garden

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-with this much hard landscaping.

-If you define it as a garden!

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It could be nice cos you could really create a space for them.

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-IN WELSH ACCENTS:

-Harry, some daffodils!

-Oh, beautiful!

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-All we need now is a bumblebee.

-THEY LAUGH

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Well, I think I've surveyed the garden enough.

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I'm going to check out inside.

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-You're not putting the kettle on, are you?

-No.

-No?

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-No.

-It's one day's job.

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-Two sugars.

-In your dreams!

-DAVID LAUGHS

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Traditionally, the boys like to look inside the house

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for clues on their clients' taste.

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But today, they decided to swap with Charlie,

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so she's having a snoop around.

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Strong colours. Lots of flowers.

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Way more than the garden, I have to say. Some real, some not so real.

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And the boys are getting to know Carrie and Lillian a little better.

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-Wow, yes, this is definitely a very interesting garden.

-Very minimal.

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I think it's awesome having three generations.

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It's great, us all being together. It's fantastic.

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-We live together, being brothers.

-We know all about that.

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Mum's got her own back door, so if she wants to come out on her own

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and chill out with a glass of wine, she can.

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We'll focus on that area then, shall we?

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-Shall we fence it off, in half?

-Yes.

-THEY LAUGH

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All very matching and sleek.

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More flowers up there.

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-And what about you, Carrie?

-I'd like somewhere to sit.

-OK.

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To be able to bring my friends round, have a barbecue,

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-invite the family.

-Yeah.

-And Morgan?

-Morgan's list is endless.

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So, just somewhere to sit and socialise

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and it's maybe screened off a bit and a bit more concealed.

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And this must be Lillian's lounge. Very nice.

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Loads of flowers everywhere.

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Inside, Charlie's discovered that with so little life in the garden,

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Lillian's filled her living room with colour.

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So, what will it mean to you to have this space

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-transformed into a beautiful garden?

-It'll mean the world!

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-Somewhere to sit.

-Yeah, somewhere to sit, without prying eyes.

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Oh, yes, definitely.

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You'd definitely get to know the neighbours

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if you sat in this garden wouldn't you?

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It's nice to be able to sit in your garden

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and not have people glaring at you.

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I'm going to sit here and think about the budget.

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I think I'm going to blow it all on the garden and the plants.

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Blow the fence!

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This is a tricky one for our designers.

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They may have two grand to spend,

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but fixing the privacy issue could potentially swallow up half of that,

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leaving very little for the garden.

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INAUDIBLE

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So, it's time for Charlie and the boys to get to work.

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They each have to come up with a winning design

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that will fulfil all the family's garden needs

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and then present it to Lillian and Carrie,

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who will choose which one gets built.

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But it isn't over for the loser,

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as they have to help the winner build their garden.

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So, who will they plump for?

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The boys' modern designs will appeal to Carrie and Morgan

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but can they win over Lillian, who loves her traditional daffs?

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Charlie may have spotted Lillian's love of flowers

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but has she underestimated the privacy issue?

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It's time for the pitch.

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We wanted to create a kind of haven for you -

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somewhere that feels very private, very green,

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very luscious and very colourful.

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We've done this by splitting the garden

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with these four planting beds.

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That really then isolates this kind of little social area

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in the middle, which means you are literally surrounded with greenery.

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And within these four individual flowerbeds,

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we want to make sure we have a lot of year-round interest.

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I know you like daffodils,

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so there, you could plant your spring bulbs.

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And then, with the trees and shrubs,

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maybe some interest then throughout the winter.

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-Wow!

-Why wow?

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-Oh, Morgan's name on it.

-Oh, lots of colour!

-Lots of colour.

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-I'm glad you said that, Lillian.

-Lots of colour.

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Having listened to what you want,

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I have gone very much for a garden garden, to get rid of the car park.

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This area here is raised beds made of timber and in that area,

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there's going to be much more of the pottering plants,

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so cottagey - things like dianthus and Cupid's dart, aquilegias.

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-So, I have spent all of the budget on the garden.

-Right.

-Not the fence.

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-OK.

-Mainly because I think the fence could be easily fixable afterwards.

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-OK.

-Get the garden done first.

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Charlie's hoping to win the ladies over with a blaze of colour

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so the boundary doesn't become such an issue.

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But the boys are playing it safe.

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-I know one of the main things with this garden is privacy.

-It is.

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That's something we need to address,

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so we've given you brand-new fencing all the way along,

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solid wooden fencing, so people will have to really try

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if they want to look in - which they will want to look in, I'm sure.

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They'll be really interested.

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Not to be outdone, Charlie has an alternative to the fence.

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We've got topiary balls that are going to be descending in height,

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-so it gives a false perspective, make the garden look longer.

-Lovely.

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Lillian doesn't look entirely convinced,

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so Charlie has something special, just for her.

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-And this area here is your area, Lillian.

-Yes.

-Seating area there.

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Now, it's quite a dark area, so to brighten it up,

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-I've put a mirror on the wall here.

-Oh, right.

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If you put plants round it, you really don't see that it's a mirror.

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Sounds lovely.

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The pitch is over.

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It's now all down to Lillian and Carrie.

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-Wow, what a decision!

-It is. It's a big decision, isn't it?

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They're both lovely designs, they really are.

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-To me, that's more modern.

-Yeah.

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We've got this big area here where we can have the barbecue

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-and have people round.

-I like the deign.

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I like the way Charlie's used the trees going down.

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-But her flowers are so colourful as well, aren't they?

-Yeah.

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And there's such a walkway there with people

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-that you really do need that fence.

-Yeah.

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You need a nice, good, high fence for the privacy.

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-I like that idea for me.

-So you've got your own space.

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Yeah, so I've got my own space.

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This is not an easy decision. They both want a pretty garden

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but can't ignore the practical problems with the existing one.

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The question is, will the heart rule the head?

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Will they go for Charlie's bounty of colourful plants

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and Lillian's secret garden

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or the boys' large entertaining area,

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raised planters and solid fencing for privacy?

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-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hello.

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-It's been a very hard decision but we have made a decision.

-Good.

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-Ah!

-Whoo!

-Yeah! It's the boundary that finished it!

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Oh, amazing! So, what made you go for our design?

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-The fence.

-Ah, there we are.

-We were subtle.

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NARRATOR: So, the Rich brothers have won, but Lillian has one condition.

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What I would like to do, if it's all right with Charlie,

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I'd like to pinch some of her design for that corner,

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-if it's all right with you two as well.

-Yeah.

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-No.

-Of course it's fine.

-I'd like the mirror...

-Uh-huh.

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..area, with the flowers round it and the little seating area,

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so that I've got it private for my friends when they come round.

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-That's the wine corner.

-That's the wine corner.

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NARRATOR: So, the boys may have taken this one,

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but they won't be able to boss Charlie around too much,

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because to give this family what they want,

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both designs have to somehow work together.

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It's an early start in the West Midlands.

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Right, skip man's here. Things are on track.

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The Rich brothers are off site, finishing their planting plans.

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Post in the hole!

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So, they've asked project manager Paul

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and landscapers Andy, Lee and Falkland,

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to start ripping into the concrete wasteland

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that is Lillian and Carrie's garden.

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With hard landscaping to remove,

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the boys have allocated £170 of the budget for hiring a skip

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to get rid of it all.

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That's it. Bash that end off.

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Timber!

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The first challenge is to put in the new fence,

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which the family so badly need.

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There 25 metres of it to go in,

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but first, the old low-lying fence has to come out.

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And then we can remove the post, get rid of it,

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make it neat at the bottom,

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and we're ready to put the new fence line in.

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It's a painful task.

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Every concrete post has steel wires running through it.

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That's the first panel going in now. One of many.

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But there's a problem.

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Lillian and Carrie have asked for a new garden gate

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to be part of the fence.

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-Cos your post's going to go in there, which is the problem.

-Yeah.

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So it's going to have to be that side.

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But as long as there's enough room for it to come round here.

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The boys have realised that the new posts

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are going to be sunk in exactly the spot

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where the footings of the old concrete posts are.

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It's almost impossible to get them out,

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so a bit of rethinking is needed.

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Right, the gate, originally, was going to go here,

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and what's happened is...

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What we've realised is if the gate goes there,

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it means that the wooden posts that we're putting in

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go in exactly where the old concrete posts went in,

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so the solution is rejig where the gate's going.

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Problem averted.

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By moving the gate, it shifts the end of each panel along,

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avoiding hitting the old concrete posts with the new wooden ones.

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A bit of quick-drying cement and job done.

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-Speed-fencing.

-Is that right?

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The Rich brothers have arrived

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and are pleased with Paul and the boys' efforts.

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Loving the new fence. It's smartened up this space quite a lot.

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Makes a dramatic difference, doesn't it,

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-with the privacy for the garden?

-Yeah.

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But this is no time for standing around.

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Transforming this grey space into something living

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is going to need some serious muscle and now Charlie's here,

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they're gearing themselves up for the task ahead.

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It will be interesting how this one plans out.

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Any plant is just going to make a total difference, really.

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Hard landscaping's already here, isn't it? We're reusing the slate.

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-You said it!

-So, it's just bringing in plants, isn't it?

-Yeah.

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-Yeah.

-Easy.

-It's going to feel quite kind of cosy, I think.

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-It's going to really change it.

-Massively.

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It will seem longer and longer.

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Because you can't really see out, it's going to draw your eye in.

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-To the garage at the end!

-Yeah, we'll have to do something.

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We have picked out some interesting stuff.

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We've had a little idea about sectioning off, screening.

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With £1,100 already spent on the fence and the skip,

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the boys are planning some cost-effective features

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to make Lillian and Carrie's budget go further.

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So, have you got something up your sleeve, have you?

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-We don't know where it's going yet.

-Within the budget?

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-Everything's in budget.

-It's pretty much upcycling.

-OK.

0:18:120:18:15

-Pick it up from anywhere. Cheap as...

-Chips.

-Chips.

0:18:150:18:17

-Who's rocking this seat?

-I'm rocking the boat.

-Are you rocking it?

0:18:170:18:21

-Right then.

-Yeah.

-Back on.

-Oh!

0:18:210:18:25

The mass of hard landscaping covering the plot

0:18:250:18:29

is actually in good condition,

0:18:290:18:31

so the boys are planning to recycle as much of it as they can.

0:18:310:18:36

At the heart of the boys' design, are four beautiful flowerbeds.

0:18:360:18:40

And right now, where they need to go is covered in slate.

0:18:420:18:45

But there's a nice surprise lying underneath.

0:18:470:18:50

-Oh!

-Look at that.

-Soil! Whoo-hoo!

0:18:500:18:54

-That's not bad!

-Look at that!

0:18:550:18:57

Look at that! How about you mark it out before you dig up all the soil?

0:18:570:19:01

-Yeah.

-And make it muddy.

-I'm going back in the sun.

0:19:010:19:05

-It's cold here, isn't it?

-Oh!

0:19:050:19:08

This will make prepping the new flowerbeds a lot easier.

0:19:080:19:11

-It's quite nice watching your brother work, isn't it?

-Yeah.

0:19:120:19:15

THEY LAUGH

0:19:150:19:17

Nice one, young one.

0:19:170:19:19

HARRY LAUGHS

0:19:190:19:21

But the good news is short-lived.

0:19:210:19:24

Designing on paper or on the computer beforehand

0:19:250:19:28

tends to be easier because you can treat it as quite a blank canvas.

0:19:280:19:32

Designing's easy but as soon as you encounter troubles

0:19:320:19:34

when you get onsite...

0:19:340:19:36

THEY LAUGH

0:19:360:19:38

The boys designed the beds

0:19:430:19:44

to match the rectangular shape of the plot, only there's a snag.

0:19:440:19:48

It isn't as rectangular as they thought.

0:19:490:19:52

-Bit of an irregular garden, isn't it?

-Yeah.

0:19:520:19:54

So we're going to have to pick one line to go off

0:19:540:19:58

-and then work from that.

-Yeah. It narrows a bit.

0:19:580:20:01

We'll work with this boundary line

0:20:010:20:03

-and then all the lines then work off that.

-Yeah.

-Let's look at your plan.

0:20:030:20:08

Now, you're going off that

0:20:080:20:09

-because that's giving you straight lines.

-Yeah.

0:20:090:20:12

-So you're ignoring the patios on the...?

-No, going with it.

0:20:120:20:14

-You're going with it.

-Going to work with that.

0:20:140:20:16

-So, we're not going to end up with rectangular beds.

-No.

0:20:160:20:19

We're going to end up with diamond-shaped beds.

0:20:190:20:21

-But they'll look square, won't they?

-Parallelogram?

-Squishy square.

0:20:210:20:24

-Rhombus.

-Squishy square.

-Rhombus?

-Squishy square.

0:20:240:20:27

-Look. That looks serious, doesn't it?

-He's here.

0:20:270:20:30

-The man and his tape.

-The tape measure.

0:20:300:20:32

To get the proportions right,

0:20:320:20:35

each bed now has to work with all the different angles of the plot.

0:20:350:20:39

There usually will be the odd thing that means it has to alter.

0:20:390:20:42

But that's not a problem. Don't need to worry about that.

0:20:420:20:45

You can adjust it. That's why using string lines

0:20:450:20:47

makes it really easy cos you can just move it about.

0:20:470:20:49

Meanwhile, Charlie's off to start working

0:20:490:20:52

on her special project for Lillian at the side of the house.

0:20:520:20:56

She's creating a private haven, with flower pots and a mirror,

0:20:560:21:00

surrounded by colourful planting.

0:21:000:21:02

-Lee.

-Yep.

-Would you come and do a bit of chopping of wood for me?

0:21:050:21:09

-I'm sure I can manage that.

-Yeah?

0:21:090:21:11

The boys have already allocated all the budget to THEIR design,

0:21:110:21:15

so anything extra has to be made virtually for free.

0:21:150:21:19

I basically want to put it on the wall...

0:21:190:21:23

and, like, hide that behind it.

0:21:230:21:26

-Right, no problem.

-So we need to get that... This bit's rotten, isn't it?

0:21:260:21:30

Yeah, I'll get the best bit out of it.

0:21:300:21:32

So, my idea is this is going to be on the wall,

0:21:320:21:37

hidden by the fence, which I'll paint.

0:21:370:21:40

Plant it up and the plants will all fluff over the top

0:21:400:21:44

and then I'm going to attach some terracotta pots here as well

0:21:440:21:49

and I think that will look quite pretty

0:21:490:21:52

and I'm going to zhoosh them up with a bit of emulsion paint

0:21:520:21:56

and I might put a mirror behind to reflect some light

0:21:560:21:59

and reflect the plants as well.

0:21:590:22:01

-Very good. We can sort that no problem.

-Chop it then.

0:22:010:22:04

-Cheers, me dear.

-Thank you.

-I'll let you go back to proper work now.

0:22:210:22:25

-Yeah.

-None of this faffing around with plants and planters!

0:22:260:22:31

Having moved the slate,

0:22:330:22:34

the boys now need to create the two beds near to the garage.

0:22:340:22:38

But there's a whopping great patio there, some of which has to go.

0:22:380:22:42

Any hardcore left underneath is being used

0:22:430:22:46

to help make a new path down the garden.

0:22:460:22:48

We're just removing the hardcore and the concrete

0:22:480:22:51

that was beneath the slabs

0:22:510:22:52

and then we'll turn that into nice soil for the plants.

0:22:520:22:55

But David seems to be getting carried away.

0:22:550:22:58

That one isn't coming up today though. We are cutting that one.

0:22:580:23:01

-What one? Why?

-Well, look at the string line, people.

0:23:010:23:04

But I thought that was the flower bed here.

0:23:040:23:06

-You're so right.

-Yeah. Strewth! Oh, my goodness me!

0:23:070:23:13

Good job Charlie's here!

0:23:130:23:15

-I'll carry that.

-Go on then. They're quite chunky.

0:23:170:23:20

-Saying that...

-You HAVE said it! It's a long walk to the skip.

0:23:220:23:28

-I'll just put them back here for now then.

-Yeah!

0:23:280:23:31

Would you like a wheelbarrow, Harry?

0:23:310:23:33

The old patio slabs were tightly laid,

0:23:350:23:38

so smashing one allows access to the others.

0:23:380:23:41

Right. Lovely jubbly.

0:23:430:23:45

Harry was being all big and manly.

0:23:450:23:47

He didn't realise quite how far away the skip is.

0:23:470:23:50

The new beds actually cut into the existing patio.

0:23:520:23:55

The slabs are in good condition, so rather than pay for new ones,

0:23:550:23:59

the boys are counting on the landscapers' cutting skills.

0:23:590:24:02

So, we're just going to cut this bit off here,

0:24:040:24:07

that little guy, and then leave the rest of them.

0:24:070:24:11

-Leave him, get rid of him and then get rid of that one there.

-Great.

0:24:110:24:15

-So that keeps those lines nice and parallel, doesn't it?

-Love it!

0:24:150:24:19

And the circular saw helps to make light work of it.

0:24:230:24:27

-You're cutting the wrong ones!

-No! No, I haven't.

0:24:290:24:33

Are these the wrong ones? No, I've moved the line out the way.

0:24:340:24:37

-No, I'm joking!

-Argh!

0:24:370:24:39

Yeah, we want to break the right ones. There you go. Lovely jubbly.

0:24:460:24:52

Meanwhile, the shale is being moved into the middle of the garden

0:24:570:25:01

to create the new seating area between the beds.

0:25:010:25:04

So, we're reusing the MOT, which is this gravelly stuff,

0:25:040:25:08

to fill in the pathway and then put the shale on top,

0:25:080:25:13

so we'll only need a thinner layer.

0:25:130:25:15

Saves money. Saves money, saves skip space as well.

0:25:150:25:19

Hard landscaping is not cheap, so recycling existing materials

0:25:190:25:24

is an excellent way to make your garden budget go further.

0:25:240:25:28

Which is good news, in this case, as it's gone on the boys' plants,

0:25:290:25:33

and they've just arrived.

0:25:330:25:35

Beautiful, aren't they, these?

0:25:350:25:37

The bad news is that the landscaping goes on.

0:25:370:25:40

At least the boys are finally satisfied

0:25:400:25:43

with the placing of the new beds. Now, they need to be properly edged.

0:25:430:25:47

So, the bones of the design are down

0:25:470:25:49

and you can see the beds here, around me.

0:25:490:25:51

Now, all that we need to do is bring in the shuttering

0:25:510:25:54

that will define the beds and keep the shale out from the soil.

0:25:540:25:58

Simple timber edging or shuttering creates a nice finish

0:25:580:26:02

and keeps the soil of the beds from spreading.

0:26:020:26:04

Meanwhile, Lillian and Carrie have baked some fuel

0:26:070:26:11

for the hard-working troops.

0:26:110:26:13

-Hello!

-Hello.

-I'm out with the paintbrush.

-Out with the paintbrush.

0:26:140:26:18

-I am. Oh!

-Would you like a cake?

-Look at those! Wowee!

0:26:180:26:24

And gardening-related. That's got to be Harry, hasn't it, really?

0:26:240:26:27

-Are you going to be a flowerpot?

-I'll be a flowerpot.

-OK.

-Boys!

0:26:270:26:32

Come and look at your designated cakes.

0:26:340:26:37

-HARRY:

-Amazing - thank you very much! Look at these.

0:26:370:26:39

I haven't tried it yet though.

0:26:390:26:41

So, do you recognise that little bit of fence?

0:26:410:26:44

I do recognise that little bit of fence.

0:26:440:26:47

-I'm giving it a lick of paint...

-Right.

0:26:470:26:49

..and then I'm doing a bit of zhooshing

0:26:490:26:51

with some plant pots for your bit here.

0:26:510:26:53

-Oh, you're doing zhooshing?

-Zhooshing. I can zhoosh.

0:26:530:26:56

-It's an important part of gardening, isn't it?

-Zhooshing?

-Zhooshing.

0:26:560:27:00

-We're going to leave you with the cakes.

-Oh, crikey.

0:27:000:27:03

-And you're off to the pub.

-We're off to the pub.

0:27:030:27:05

Please, please, can I go with them, sir?

0:27:050:27:08

-HARRY:

-Please, please. On your way!

0:27:080:27:10

-Oi, cheeky! Cheeky boy!

-LILLIAN:

-Naughty, naughty!

0:27:100:27:14

Tea break over,

0:27:140:27:15

it's time for the boys to reveal their next low-cost feature.

0:27:150:27:19

In the old garden, the garage was a real eyesore,

0:27:210:27:24

so the boys have come up with something to help screen it.

0:27:240:27:27

So, these are reinforced steel mesh sheets.

0:27:270:27:30

You can pick it up from any builders' merchants

0:27:300:27:32

and we managed to salvage this one.

0:27:320:27:34

But this will be a really nice frame for climbers to grow up

0:27:340:27:37

and just add that extra bit of greenery.

0:27:370:27:39

50mm holes are drilled into timber posts so that the mesh can slot in.

0:27:430:27:48

Fingers crossed.

0:27:480:27:49

-Start at your end and work your way up.

-He's in.

0:27:500:27:54

-Oh.

-Yeah, it's coming.

0:27:550:27:57

Perfect!

0:27:570:27:59

So, this will stand up and there'll be another post on this end.

0:27:590:28:03

-Beautiful.

-Yeah.

-Really nice.

-Spot on.

0:28:030:28:06

But not to be outdone,

0:28:060:28:08

Charlie's own upcycling project for Lillian is coming along.

0:28:080:28:11

We haven't really spent much on this little project at all,

0:28:130:28:16

cos the picket fence was free,

0:28:160:28:18

we got little pots of paint, which are £1, £1.50,

0:28:180:28:23

and the mirror is from a charity shop and it was £3.99.

0:28:230:28:28

That was probably the most expensive bit - the plastic trough.

0:28:280:28:32

And then a few bedding plants, which is really what Lillian wants.

0:28:320:28:37

She wants to be able to potter and do her own bedding,

0:28:370:28:40

so she can change it spring, autumn and summertime.

0:28:400:28:45

David's wire mesh screen is ready to go in

0:28:490:28:52

at the end of the border, nearest the garage.

0:28:520:28:54

Bit of a long leg there, guys, but otherwise...

0:28:540:28:57

really nice. That's going to look awesome, look.

0:28:570:29:00

Your side up a bit.

0:29:000:29:02

With the amelanchier shrub -

0:29:020:29:03

look at the rusty colours of the leaves and the rust.

0:29:030:29:07

It's going to look really nice.

0:29:070:29:09

Slot it into place, a bit of concrete

0:29:090:29:11

and it will be set for life.

0:29:110:29:13

Meanwhile, Charlie's little garden has turned into an art project.

0:29:140:29:18

I've changed ends of the skip. It's much warmer down this end.

0:29:180:29:22

I was sat in the shade. It was very chilly.

0:29:220:29:24

I'm not sure about this mirror. It may or may not make it.

0:29:240:29:28

In the back, it's all hands to the pumps

0:29:340:29:36

to get the garden ready for planting.

0:29:360:29:39

We'll have to maybe trim off the edge.

0:29:430:29:45

Get rid of that, trim off that edge.

0:29:450:29:47

And Harry is taking his time over finishing the shuttering.

0:29:470:29:52

So, landscaper Lee's got a present for him.

0:29:540:29:56

-Need a pencil?

-Yeah.

-Built one specially, mate.

-Oh!

0:29:570:30:02

Try putting that one behind your ear.

0:30:020:30:04

Doesn't really go behind the ear, does it?

0:30:050:30:08

Where am I supposed to put it?

0:30:080:30:09

It looks like it needs to go down three inches, two inches.

0:30:160:30:19

Blimey, this is looking a bit like a garden now, isn't it?

0:30:190:30:23

And not a trip hazard with lots of strings everywhere.

0:30:230:30:26

Safety first, safety first.

0:30:260:30:28

Charlie's keen to get the bosses' approval

0:30:280:30:30

for her project round the corner.

0:30:300:30:32

-I love the colour.

-Yeah, it's nice.

-Lime green.

0:30:320:30:35

-You love your green, don't you?

-With fuchsia pink.

-Oh!

-Oh, God.

0:30:350:30:39

-No, sky blue, actually. That colour.

-I know.

0:30:400:30:44

For once, we've got a bit of sky blue. It's not cloud grey.

0:30:440:30:47

It's a bit chilly though. That wind! Glad I've still got my thermals on.

0:30:470:30:53

Brrr!

0:30:530:30:55

The final task before planting is to break up the soil

0:30:560:31:00

that had been compacted by the paving slabs.

0:31:000:31:03

I've also got some mushroom compost,

0:31:060:31:08

which is going to add nutrients to the soil

0:31:080:31:13

and, again, really help aerate it.

0:31:130:31:16

Mushroom compost also retains water,

0:31:160:31:20

so it's good for establishing new plants.

0:31:200:31:22

The soil is the most important thing when you're planting.

0:31:240:31:27

If you prep the soil well, then the plants are going to do beautifully.

0:31:270:31:30

-Charlie, you've got one job.

-What's that?

-Bubble watching.

0:31:320:31:35

-Bubble watching? I can bubble watch.

-OK.

0:31:350:31:37

Charlie's improvised wall garden is almost finished.

0:31:370:31:41

Slightly over to me. Just recess the other end slightly.

0:31:410:31:45

I have to say, even if she doesn't use it for plants,

0:31:450:31:49

it would be really handy just to put your tea there

0:31:490:31:52

or your, you know...bottle of wine, champagne.

0:31:520:31:57

-That looks all right!

-Try your...

-My pot.

0:31:580:32:01

-..your planter in it now, see whether that fits.

-Yeah.

0:32:010:32:03

-If it doesn't, I'm going home!

-THEY LAUGH

0:32:030:32:07

-Look at that! Oh, hello!

-Like a glove and a chicken's lip.

0:32:070:32:10

And she'll have a beautiful view of the garden.

0:32:100:32:13

And her view is improving by the minute.

0:32:130:32:17

Key to the boys' design are three trees

0:32:180:32:20

that provide height in the last third of the garden.

0:32:200:32:23

First in are the two amelanchiers.

0:32:230:32:26

-What do you think of this guy?

-They are really pretty.

0:32:260:32:30

When you see these out in the spring, you think,

0:32:300:32:33

"Yes, we're going in the right direction. Summer is coming."

0:32:330:32:37

It's the perfect tree. It's more like a shrub, isn't it?

0:32:370:32:39

-For a small garden like this, it doesn't overpower you.

-Yeah.

0:32:390:32:42

Not mad on the size of the pot it's in though.

0:32:420:32:45

It's all worth is in the end, isn't it?

0:32:460:32:48

These mature trees may be a little more expensive

0:32:500:32:53

but they give that instant wow factor.

0:32:530:32:57

-A little bit more.

-Whoo, whoo! There you go.

-Great.

0:32:590:33:04

-I reckon that's the face here, so...

-Do you?

-Yeah.

0:33:040:33:07

-Oh, God!

-It's quite heavy, isn't it?

-Oh, that is perfect, mate!

-Yeah.

0:33:100:33:14

That's perfect.

0:33:140:33:16

But a small tree like this does need careful planting.

0:33:160:33:20

What you can do is just tease the roots.

0:33:200:33:24

They've been a bit pot-bound, so give them a little start.

0:33:240:33:27

And what's nice is they're not going to keep going round and round

0:33:270:33:30

in a circle in the hole you've dug.

0:33:300:33:32

They have the chance to penetrate out into the outer soil.

0:33:320:33:35

-That looks pretty good from here.

-Yeah, it's perfect.

-Yeah, lovely.

0:33:380:33:42

As well as their aesthetic value,

0:33:420:33:44

these trees also help provide privacy,

0:33:440:33:46

particularly when they're in full bloom.

0:33:460:33:48

Trees are just one way to help a garden that is overlooked.

0:33:490:33:53

Landscape designer Daniel Shea often deals with clients

0:34:000:34:04

with privacy high on their wish list.

0:34:040:34:07

It's all about raising boundaries,

0:34:070:34:09

bringing in trees to screen off windows.

0:34:090:34:11

Getting that feeling of intimacy straightaway

0:34:110:34:13

is something you want to achieve.

0:34:130:34:15

Planning restrictions mean you can generally raise your boundary

0:34:150:34:19

to a maximum height of two metres.

0:34:190:34:21

This property was overlooked by several houses,

0:34:220:34:25

so to ensure privacy, the garden was sunk and trees planted.

0:34:250:34:29

We brought in three silver birch.

0:34:300:34:32

They're nice trees, they don't cast too much shade

0:34:320:34:34

and they've got a nice, contemporary, clean, fresh feel.

0:34:340:34:38

But be careful you don't build up too far.

0:34:380:34:41

If you go too much, you can feel like you've enclosed yourself in

0:34:410:34:45

but you've also blocked out light

0:34:450:34:48

and it can be quite an intimidating space.

0:34:480:34:51

You don't want to make them too brutal.

0:34:510:34:53

To increase the height of your boundary, trellis is another option.

0:34:530:34:57

The long linear lines -

0:34:590:35:00

they let lots of light in but you can't see beyond them.

0:35:000:35:03

All you can see is shadows. The light pours and flows in

0:35:030:35:06

and it really creates this feeling of warmth.

0:35:060:35:09

It's all about getting the balance right

0:35:090:35:12

and making it work with the space you have.

0:35:120:35:14

Really think about your boundaries first, I'd say.

0:35:170:35:20

Once they're established, you've kind of built your walls,

0:35:200:35:23

you've built your room, and then it's just about how you dress it.

0:35:230:35:26

Back in Walsall, the planting is in full swing.

0:35:300:35:34

The boys are filling the beds

0:35:360:35:38

with a combination of flowering perennials and grasses.

0:35:380:35:41

The plants I'm using now is actaea,

0:35:410:35:43

and that has a lovely white brushstroke flower, and sanguisorba,

0:35:430:35:47

which has this lovely dark tonal red wine flower colour

0:35:470:35:51

and, again, these two are great for wildlife.

0:35:510:35:53

And whilst they're preoccupied with placing,

0:35:540:35:57

Charlie's taking full advantage.

0:35:570:36:00

And don't tell the boys,

0:36:000:36:02

but I'm going to steal two of their plants for round my bit.

0:36:020:36:06

I'm going to steal the jasmine polyanthum

0:36:060:36:10

and I'm also going to steal one of their grasses.

0:36:100:36:13

This is Deschampsia flexuosa, or wavy hair grass,

0:36:180:36:22

and you can see why.

0:36:220:36:24

Just really gorgeous, really natural,

0:36:240:36:25

and I think it's going to fit well with this planting scheme

0:36:250:36:28

and give them a patch of the wild.

0:36:280:36:30

This planting scheme is quite bold.

0:36:330:36:35

There's lots of colours here that are going to stand out.

0:36:350:36:37

You've got the sanguisorba with this deep red,

0:36:370:36:39

anemones, which will be lovely and white later on in the season,

0:36:390:36:43

catmints, which will give a flood of blues and purples in the summer.

0:36:430:36:46

Meanwhile, round the corner, in Lillian's private garden,

0:36:460:36:51

landscaper Lee's work is still not done.

0:36:510:36:54

I think I want the mirror up. I'm not 100% sure, but...

0:36:540:36:59

See, I'm thinking...

0:37:000:37:02

Something like that, yeah?

0:37:060:37:08

Watch my plants, watch my plants, you!

0:37:120:37:14

THEY LAUGH

0:37:140:37:17

-That's it.

-Oops.

-Hang on.

-That's it.

-Centralise it.

0:37:170:37:22

-Yeah. And then that jasmine. The boys haven't noticed.

-Ssh!

0:37:220:37:28

And I'm going to pop it in here and train it round

0:37:280:37:31

and the wall will give it the protection it needs.

0:37:310:37:35

And then it's a case of getting those pots on there.

0:37:350:37:38

Yeah, I don't think that looks half bad. It's all right.

0:37:380:37:41

This mushroom compost is doing a hell of a job, isn't it?

0:37:440:37:48

-It's amazing. You put a load in there, didn't you?

-Yeah.

0:37:480:37:51

The last of the trees, the cherry, is going in

0:37:510:37:53

and the boys have asked Charlie to plant the mesh screen behind it.

0:37:530:37:57

So, the boys have got this cherry here. Lovely pink flowers on it.

0:37:590:38:02

It's going to add some height to the garden.

0:38:020:38:05

And they want this Clematis montana "Pink Perfection"

0:38:050:38:08

to pick up the cherry flower colours.

0:38:080:38:11

So far, despite the cold, we've been lucky with the weather.

0:38:110:38:15

But that's about to change.

0:38:160:38:18

-Oh, this is not nice, is it? Snow!

-I know.

0:38:200:38:24

It's actually snowing!

0:38:240:38:25

Bit blowy out here, isn't it?

0:38:270:38:29

They're all getting broken by this wind!

0:38:290:38:33

-Well, that looks like it's bashed to bits, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

0:38:330:38:36

Right, thank you very much.

0:38:360:38:38

-Looks beautiful, doesn't it, in the snow?

-Yeah.

0:38:400:38:43

At least there's a new fence to hide behind.

0:38:460:38:49

If this weather keeps on as it is,

0:38:490:38:50

we're not going to have anything to see. It's covered in snow.

0:38:500:38:53

-I don't think we'll be able to see YOU!

-I'm not doing very well.

0:38:530:38:56

-I'm taking it in the face.

-You're getting the brunt of it.

0:38:560:38:59

Fortunately, it's just a passing flurry,

0:38:590:39:02

so the team can push on to finish the garden.

0:39:020:39:05

It's taken some serious labour to break through the concrete

0:39:060:39:10

and replace it with a garden.

0:39:100:39:12

And as the much-loved barbecue returns,

0:39:140:39:17

Lillian and Carrie's new garden is finished.

0:39:170:39:20

Before, this garden was more like a car park,

0:39:310:39:34

covered in wall-to-wall concrete and shale and devoid of life.

0:39:340:39:38

Now the boys have transformed it into a garden

0:39:400:39:44

for all three ladies to enjoy.

0:39:440:39:46

A new fence was a must and now it's in,

0:39:490:39:51

the noisy, exposed road is a thing of the past.

0:39:510:39:54

But it ate up almost half the budget,

0:39:550:39:58

so the boys have had to beg, borrow and steal

0:39:580:40:00

to transform the space within.

0:40:000:40:02

The existing landscaping was repositioned,

0:40:060:40:09

opening up the space for four flower beds

0:40:090:40:11

that surround a social area, perfect for family barbecues.

0:40:110:40:15

The boys focussed the rest of the budget

0:40:200:40:22

on bringing colour and texture to the garden.

0:40:220:40:25

The beds are filled with grasses and herbaceous perennials

0:40:250:40:29

for year-round colour.

0:40:290:40:30

Adding to the wow factor are the stunning amelanchier

0:40:340:40:37

and cherry trees, costing £120 each.

0:40:370:40:40

They give instant height to the area.

0:40:400:40:43

To screen off the ugly garage door, David created an improvised trellis.

0:40:450:40:49

It didn't cost a penny and, once the clematis has clambered over it,

0:40:500:40:54

it will be enveloped in pink flowers.

0:40:540:40:56

And, as promised,

0:41:000:41:02

Charlie has given Lillian her own little area to potter around -

0:41:020:41:06

a walled garden, made from anything she could find in the skip.

0:41:060:41:11

This was designed to be a garden

0:41:160:41:17

that helped this family spend quality time together.

0:41:170:41:21

It's time to see if the boys have delivered.

0:41:210:41:24

Right, keep walking.

0:41:240:41:26

I think the garden looks really fabulous.

0:41:260:41:29

It's one of my favourites that they've done.

0:41:290:41:32

-Open your eyes.

-Have a look at it.

-Oh!

-Wow!

-Oh, it's lovely!

0:41:330:41:39

You love it, great.

0:41:390:41:40

-So, this is where you sit down, have your morning coffee.

-Yeah. Oh!

0:41:400:41:44

-It's a garden!

-Oh, it's beautiful!

-Oh, wow.

0:41:440:41:48

-Oh, it's gorgeous!

-What do you think of the fence?

0:41:480:41:52

-That was the main thing.

-I love the fence! I absolutely adore the fence.

0:41:520:41:57

-It's fantastic.

-It's just amazing.

0:41:570:41:59

-It's making me cry.

-Oh!

-I just don't know where to look first.

0:41:590:42:04

So we've got all the different plants here,

0:42:040:42:06

-like the grasses, which give lovely interest and movement.

-Gorgeous.

0:42:060:42:09

We've got two amelanchier, kind of shrubs,

0:42:090:42:12

so they won't grow too large. But you can see this lovely blossom.

0:42:120:42:15

-Get lots of little birdies.

-Yes!

-They'll love it.

0:42:150:42:17

Lots of birdies in the garden.

0:42:170:42:19

And this area here, you can have your table and chairs

0:42:190:42:22

and just enough room for the whole family,

0:42:220:42:25

all three of you, to sit around here and enjoy it.

0:42:250:42:27

That's right, yeah. It's what we need. And a lovely fence.

0:42:270:42:31

-It's a good-looking fence, isn't it?

-It is!

0:42:310:42:33

I'm going to put my hands up and say it.

0:42:330:42:35

Paul did a great job of that, yeah. He did a good job.

0:42:350:42:37

I got quite emotional when I walked out.

0:42:420:42:44

I didn't know what to expect, to be honest. Amazing.

0:42:440:42:48

Fantastic. I love the fence.

0:42:480:42:50

Do Lillian and Carrie think their cash has been well spent?

0:42:530:42:56

I think it's been good value for money.

0:42:560:42:58

We've definitely got everything that we wanted.

0:42:580:43:01

It has exceeded our expectations,

0:43:010:43:04

with the plants, the design, the fence.

0:43:040:43:07

It's just everything.

0:43:070:43:08

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