Episode 7 The Instant Gardener


Episode 7

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Transcript


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Beautiful gardens are one of Britain's most glorious sights,

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but if your green space is more mess than majestic,

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making it over can be a daunting prospect,

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especially if you are short on time and money.

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Well, the Instant Gardener is here.

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Ta-da.

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Danny Clarke is an expert at transforming gardens.

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These are really bringing a smile to my face.

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Each time, our gardening guru will be showing you how to create

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gorgeous garden makeovers.

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Doesn't that look great?

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Each transformation will be packed with brilliant ideas

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to help you get to grips with your own outdoor space.

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Just continually deadhead

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and you will keep getting that plant to flower.

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'He'll be turning garden junk...'

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Oh, look at that.

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'..into garden jewels...'

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It's going to be used as a planter

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and I think this is going to look absolutely terrific.

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'..and showing you how to spend a small budget wisely...'

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-That's why Danny makes me bring a list.

-OK.

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'..be it on shrubs or salvage.'

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Would you like that in your garden?

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'And because Danny is the Instant Gardner,

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'everything you see will happen in a single day.'

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Oh, thank you so much.

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Oh, wow.

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That's unbelievable.

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Today, we are in Barry, a seaside resort on the Glamorgan coast

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and one of the largest towns in Wales.

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As well as being home to some glorious beaches,

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it also boasts more than 220 acres of green countryside and woodland.

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This is absolutely stunning.

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If you've got something like this on your doorstep,

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you are very, very lucky.

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But what if your back garden is more postage stamp than picture postcard?

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Well, we are here to meet a lady whose garden is tiny,

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but who is planning a big surprise.

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This is my favourite kind of instant garden.

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We are here to makeover the garden that belongs to this house.

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The lady of the house knows we are coming.

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The man of the house has no idea.

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He thinks he's going to work as normal.

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-Hello.

-Hi.

-Come on out.

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-Is it Sam?

-Yes.

-Nice to meet you.

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We are here with a bit of a surprise.

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I've got some friends with me. Do you mind if we come in?

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-No, of course not.

-Sorry.

-She knows.

-I know. Sorry. I'm sorry, love.

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Fiances Sam and Samantha moved to Barry last year,

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shortly after finding out they were expecting their first child together.

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Sam's parents helped with the move.

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Using their combined stonemasonry skills,

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Sam and his dad had planned

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to renovate the garden together this summer.

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However, this plan was shattered

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by Mick's sudden death from cancer in November.

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Samantha and Sam would love a safe and playful space

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for their daughters to enjoy,

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but also a garden where they can reflect

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and remember Sam's late father.

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As a surprise for her husband-to-be,

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Samantha has called in the services of the Instant Gardner.

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There will be no surprises for Danny, though, because he popped

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over to Barry a few weeks ago for a sneaky preview of the garden.

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Oh. Ooh.

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I like this. Very nice.

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Quite typical of a lot of mid-terraced properties is this garden.

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Very much a blank canvas.

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We've got this concrete patio

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and we've got these horrible, boring slabs in the middle.

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We've got these skinny beds round here.

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I'm not a great fan of skinny beds.

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I like nice, wide beds

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because as far as I'm concerned,

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your garden is all about your plants.

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Maybe we can add colour, some interest into the garden

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and also the walls.

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Now, looking at this wall, it's kind of a mixture of bricks and boulders.

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And look at this.

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It just shows you, where there is a way, a plant will find a way.

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It's growing out of this wall and, do you know what?

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I think this has given me a little bit of inspiration.

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This is all hodgepodgey and I think it could all do with being unified.

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We need to bring it all together.

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I think Sam and Sam deserve something better.

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I think we can try and make that happen for them.

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A few weeks later, and with a plan in mind,

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Danny is back to meet the garden's owners.

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OK, Sam and Sam.

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-This is obviously your garden as you know it.

-Yeah, yeah.

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Come on out here and meet Danny.

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-Hi, nice to meet you.

-Sam, all right?

-Yeah, well.

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-This is Sam and Sam.

-Hi.

-All right?

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We are going to makeover your garden today.

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-Is that something you are all right with?

-Yeah, definitely.

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Sorry, this is all mental.

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-You had no idea we were coming.

-Absolutely no idea.

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How do you feel about us being here, descending on your house?

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It's fine. It's brilliant.

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Talk to me about your garden as it is.

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It's something that I came into this house and immediately thought

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we need to change, really, just for the kids and stuff.

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-It's not really safe for the children, is it?

-It's not safe.

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It too grey. It's horrible.

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So you've got two small children.

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-Erin is...

-Erin is six.

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-And Matilda is...

-Six, nearly seven months.

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So how important is having a bit of outdoor space to you as a family?

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Oh, it is massively important.

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You know, the nice weather and stuff,

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you spend half the year outside, you know,

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and you don't really want to do it in this.

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So what would you like to see out here?

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To be honest, I was going to straight copy two doors down

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because I love it. It's decking.

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It's really nice and friendly and inviting.

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So you see other gardens and you think, "Oh, do you know what?

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-"I'd like to do something with mine."

-Steal little bits.

-Yeah.

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What would you like to see out here, Sam?

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If something could be done that just makes it a nicer space

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for us as a family.

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Somewhere where we can come and relax and sort of reflect.

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You know, there's been things going on that we'd just like

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to have a nice place that we can actually enjoy really.

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You know, I come out here and I just think...

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You've had a bit of a difficult time as a family.

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-Not that long ago, you lost your dad.

-Yeah.

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-Is that why you decided to nominate Sam for this?

-Yeah.

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One of the things that they were going to do was the garden together.

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That was one of the main reasons that I wanted Sam

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to have somewhere nice to come and for the girls as well,

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especially Matilda, who never sort of got to do much of this.

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-Sorry, I'm crying now.

-Sorry, love.

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No, that's family, isn't it?

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But, yeah, one of the main reasons was that

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that was the plan for this summer.

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That's what we were going to do together.

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-Well, the plan was to makeover this garden. That is going to happen.

-OK.

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Danny, what do you think about this space?

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It's a lovely little space.

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It gives me a nice feeling, you know?

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And one of the important things about gardens is not just designing,

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it's how you feel within that space and it does feel good.

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It ticks a lot of boxes, but what we'll do,

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-we'll just make the most of what you've got here.

-Fab.

-Yeah.

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-Bear in mind we've only got a day.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Yeah, we know.

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Thank you so much.

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Sam, we are going to get out of their hair and let them crack on.

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-So, we'll go off and get some ideas.

-Yeah, cool.

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-You two are going to do the hard graft.

-Thank you so much.

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-That's all right.

-Thank you.

-A pleasure.

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Anything you need us to get?

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Yes, if you can get what is in here for me, that would be brilliant.

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No problem.

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See, now you're going shopping and I've got to work.

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That's the modern world, Sam. It's the modern world.

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Right then, have a lovely day. Enjoy. Don't work too hard.

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-See you later.

-We'll get out of the way.

-Take care. Bye-bye.

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-See you soon.

-Bye, love.

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With Sam out of the way,

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Danny can at last reveal his plan for the garden.

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We are not far from the seaside here

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and this is going to be a family-friendly garden.

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So, I'm thinking to myself, this is going to be a beach garden.

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You may view this as an ugly wall, but I see this as a positive

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because I just see a cliff

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that's full of crooks and crannies and crevices,

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and what we're going to do is plant that up with some gorgeous plants.

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So, we're going to paint the smooth bit of the wall a lovely sky blue

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and down below, we're going to have a sandpit here.

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And this strip here is going to be decking

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and we're going to make that out of scaff planks.

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And to carry on that beach theme,

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I'm thinking of the sea, and we want to do a little nod to the sea.

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And I'm going to do a strip of blue here,

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and we're going to do that with blue paint.

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And to bring it all together, let's not forget these walls.

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So, I'm going to paint that wall white

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and I'm going to introduce some purple onto that wall

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and just paint part of this wall the same gorgeous purple

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as I am painting that wall over there.

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And over here, we're going to construct a corner seat.

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We can also recycle these pots,

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so we're definitely going to plant them up.

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So, I'm going to increase this planting area here,

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increase the planting area there

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and we're going to put some seaside plants in,

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for example, grasses and maybe even put some sea holly in.

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I think that will look absolutely great.

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So, Danny is planning to add splashes of colour to the walls

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and ground, and replace the old paving stones with decking.

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He'll turn the ramshackle wall into a planting opportunity,

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add seashore plants to the borders

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and finally add a bench for the family

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so they can sit and relax together.

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The idea here is to make a dual-purpose garden,

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a garden for the adults and their children to enjoy,

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and we're going to do just that with a quirky, beach-themed garden.

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It might be a small garden,

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but there is still a lot to do in just one day.

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Not to worry, though, as Samantha is here to help,

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as well as our gardening team, AJ,

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Amyrose and Luke.

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With the plan in place, it's time for Danny to dish out the first tasks.

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-So, what we're going to do first of all is lift these slabs...

-OK.

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-..and put some decking down.

-Oh, fantastic.

-All right?

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And we're going to paint the walls.

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-So that wall there, that wall there and that wall there.

-Oh, wow. OK.

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-And this wall here.

-OK.

-OK? So that's going to be sky-blue.

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-That's going to be purple.

-Wow.

-That's going to be white.

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-And that's going to be purple.

-Fan... Brilliant.

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So, Sam, if you could do the painting, or assist in the painting.

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OK, yeah.

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And, AJ, if you can concentrate on the decking, it'd be brilliant.

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OK, then.

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All right, so we'd better get moving

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-because before we know it, they'll all be back.

-OK.

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-So let's get cracking.

-Fabulous.

-OK, cheers.

-Thanks.

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But before they can do any of that,

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they need to tidy up.

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So, what's the news, then, AJ?

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Well, we've got a fair bit of this, like, a bit of hardcore underneath there

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and then it's been spotted with cement.

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-Well, that doesn't seem like terrible news to me.

-No, no.

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When some of these come up, we can just get some of this...

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-As you can see, it's moving already.

-Yeah.

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So we can chisel that out, can't we?

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So, there's that and then we've probably got a bit of a flat playing surface.

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OK, that's brilliant. That's good news.

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Yep, so just crack on with that, then, Sam.

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The thing is, you know, we haven't got X-ray eyes,

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so we don't know what's under here until we arrive

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and we start lifting things,

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-but we kind of suspected that it might be something we could work with...

-Good.

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..because of the way the slabs are lying.

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So, yeah, that's good news, so that will save us a lot of time.

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-Make the job a bit easier.

-Fantastic.

-Great.

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While AJ concentrates on the paving...

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..Samantha gives the tired back wall a lick of paint -

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a cheap and easy way to give your garden an instant face-lift.

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Meanwhile, I'm taking Sam on a hunt for some inspiration.

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A stone's throw from Sam's home

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is the beginning of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast,

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an area of dramatic landscapes and stunning natural beauty.

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It is home not only to many species of wildlife,

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but also an array of coast-dwelling plants.

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-Sam, here you have coast and you have woodland.

-Yeah.

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You don't have either, but there is plenty here

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that I think you could kind of copy and take into your garden.

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-Yeah, definitely.

-Be nice for the girls to have some flowers.

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That would be lovely.

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This is particularly special because it is a woodland on the coast.

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-The woodland can thrive because the elms are giving it a bit of protection.

-OK.

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But they're not that big, so everything behind it

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-can't grow that big.

-Right.

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-It's still quite impressive, though, eh?

-Ah, it's unbelievable.

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There's a lot going on here.

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Is there anything you see here that you like the look of?

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Yeah, I quite like these little guys here.

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Do you do much gardening at the minute?

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You know, when you've got two little kids, it's hard, isn't it?

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-I guess it's just about having a family space, isn't it?

-Yeah, it definitely is.

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Well, this is certainly not for toddlers, I would say,

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so let's make the most of it while the girls aren't with you

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-and meet a man who can tell us a bit more about it.

-Let's go, yeah.

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While we go in search of some local expertise,

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Danny is moving onto the next job.

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He is a firm believer in marking things out before committing

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to them and sometimes a second opinion is vital.

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Sam, I'm trying to put this... I'm too near to it to get it straight.

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Could you be a guide? If you stand there and just look,

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as you can be my eyes from there.

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-Is that part straight?

-No.

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-That needs to come up.

-That bit needs to come up now?

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Or can you just bring that one down a little bit?

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-This needs to come down?

-Yeah, it needs to come down. Yeah.

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-Right there?

-Yeah.

-You're happy with that?

-Yeah.

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You can also use a spirit level or tape measure

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to check if something is right.

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-It's out about half a centimetre.

-Still out.

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-I'm not offended by that.

-It could just go up a little bit, couldn't it?

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Just in the middle. Just a little bit.

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Worth remembering, Danny. The customer is always right.

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Right. Come down, what, about a centimetre?

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So if I come down slightly, like that, yeah?

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How about that? How does that look?

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-I think that...

-I think that's fine.

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-Let's go with that.

-No, I like that.

-Great. Yep.

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-Spot on. That's why it looks straight now.

-There we go.

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Masking off the area you want to paint with tape and then

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painting right up to it will give you a nice, sharp, straight line.

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When the paint is dry, carefully pull off the tape

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and your handiwork will have a professional edge.

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-Sam.

-Yeah?

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-What do you think of this colour?

-Erin will be thrilled with that.

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Her favourite colours are pink and purple, so she will love that.

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Danny is determined to make this garden a success for Sam and his family.

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Back at the Glamorgan Heritage Coastline Walk,

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we are keen to get inspiration for the planting element.

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To ensure the garden is packed with suitable plants,

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choosing the right species for a seaside spot is key,

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something site ranger Paul Locke knows all about.

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Tell us about this breathtaking bit of coastline.

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This is the Glamorgan Heritage Coast,

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14 miles of coastline stretching from an industrial

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area in the east to a tourism area in the west.

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Would it be fair to say this is a special part of the country

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that you are paying special interest and special attention to?

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That's right, yes.

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Well, it is certainly working because it looks pretty impressive,

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-doesn't it?

-Oh, it's beautiful.

-So what do you do to look after it?

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All sorts of conservation for lots of the species,

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whether it might be woodlands, grasslands or any of the protected

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species that live on the cliffs, like peregrine falcons.

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Tell me about what grows here because stunning as it is,

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-it is also quite harsh. Are you feeling the cold?

-Yes, a little bit.

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And it is quite windy. What goes well here?

0:15:470:15:50

Specific coastal varieties that really like to live here,

0:15:500:15:54

things like thrift, rock samphire will live out on the cliff tops.

0:15:540:15:57

And samphire is the stuff that you can eat, yeah?

0:15:570:16:00

-Yes, you get it in restaurants. I love that.

-Never had it.

0:16:000:16:02

Oh, it's great. So do you notice a difference even in this

0:16:020:16:05

-sort of 200m stretch of coastline?

-It is massive, yes.

0:16:050:16:08

There is very little on the front. The salt winds kill everything.

0:16:080:16:11

It trims down the grass and you have to have a real niche

0:16:110:16:14

species that wants to live there.

0:16:140:16:16

Can these coastal varieties work well in domestic

0:16:160:16:18

-gardens, like in Sam's?

-Yes, definitely.

0:16:180:16:21

Most things can be grown in gardens. Thrift is a particular favourite

0:16:210:16:24

because it is a nice pink colour and looks good in gardens.

0:16:240:16:27

Further in, it gets more herb rich.

0:16:270:16:30

There's some particular specialities like purple gromwell.

0:16:300:16:32

It is quite harsh and bare out there, yet there seems to be a lot

0:16:320:16:35

more going on up here. Shall we go and have a look over here

0:16:350:16:38

-for some inspiration?

-Yes.

0:16:380:16:40

While we explore more of this wild and wonderful trail,

0:16:400:16:43

back in Sam's garden, Danny is turning his attention

0:16:430:16:46

to his cliff-inspired wall.

0:16:460:16:48

I love walled gardens.

0:16:490:16:51

Walled gardens are great and the reason they're great, is

0:16:510:16:53

because the walls actually acts as storage heaters.

0:16:530:16:57

They draw in the heat during the day and emit the heat at night.

0:16:570:17:01

When we look at this wall, here, all right,

0:17:010:17:03

a lot of people might look at this wall and think, you know,

0:17:030:17:06

pull it down, but I'm going to turn this into a positive.

0:17:060:17:09

Within this wall, there are lots of little crevasses,

0:17:090:17:13

lots of nooks and crannies.

0:17:130:17:15

Now, that's great because you can get little microclimates.

0:17:150:17:19

It's going to be warmer in there than it's going to be out here,

0:17:190:17:23

which is great for the plants and that's why a lot of plants

0:17:230:17:26

can survive in these areas.

0:17:260:17:28

Danny is transforming this unloved wall into a miniature cliff.

0:17:310:17:34

He's enlarging the crevasses within the wall in order to create

0:17:370:17:41

planting pockets, taking special care not to weaken the load-bearing

0:17:410:17:45

rocks on the bottom.

0:17:450:17:46

If you're not confident about using a hammer drill,

0:17:480:17:51

get an expert to help.

0:17:510:17:52

Back on the Glamorgan coast,

0:17:560:17:58

Sam and I are on the hunt for more coastal flora. What is that, Paul?

0:17:580:18:03

-Sea buckthorn.

-Sea buckthorn. I like the colour.

0:18:030:18:06

-It gets really bright orange berries on it.

-Does it?

0:18:060:18:10

And here we have something rather special.

0:18:100:18:13

Yes, this pretty little one is called purple gromwell.

0:18:130:18:15

It's a bit of a garden favourite, to be honest, or a variation of this.

0:18:150:18:21

This is a wild protected version.

0:18:210:18:23

There's not much of it found in Wales.

0:18:230:18:25

We are in a little bit of a hot spot here and it likes to grow in amongst

0:18:250:18:29

other foliage, if it can, so that it's not in amongst the salt winds

0:18:290:18:33

and it's slightly protected in amongst bramble or any other scrub.

0:18:330:18:37

We work hard on trying to produce just the right

0:18:370:18:41

amount of shade for it to grow each spring, so we'll have a month or

0:18:410:18:44

so, three weeks of flowers now and then it'll die back,

0:18:440:18:47

and then we can start to manage the area ready for the next year.

0:18:470:18:50

So if Sam introduced something like this into his garden,

0:18:500:18:52

what would he need to do to make sure it thrives like this?

0:18:520:18:55

The cultivated version is very much easier to look after

0:18:550:18:58

and it doesn't need this intensive management.

0:18:580:19:00

So we could just get some from the garden centre?

0:19:000:19:02

Yes, and it will work well in the garden.

0:19:020:19:04

Is this the kind of thing you'd like to see in your garden?

0:19:040:19:06

Yes, it is really pretty.

0:19:060:19:08

-I can imagine Erin enjoying those flowers.

-Yes, definitely.

0:19:080:19:11

You don't have any flowers at the moment, do you?

0:19:110:19:13

Absolutely nothing at all. Anything like this would be lovely.

0:19:130:19:16

Paul, thank you very much for your help, advice and assistance.

0:19:160:19:19

-No problem.

-Lovely to meet you.

-Nice to meet you.

0:19:190:19:21

We might leave the brambles for today. They would take over.

0:19:210:19:24

-Definitely.

-You could make a lot of jam. Paul, thank you.

-Bye.

0:19:240:19:27

If you want to pick the best plants for a seaside spot, a good starting

0:19:270:19:31

point is to choose plants that gradually grow close to the sea.

0:19:310:19:36

To cope with coastal conditions,

0:19:360:19:37

many plants have crafty adaptations such as small, silvery

0:19:370:19:41

and succulent leaves built to withstand wind and salt spray.

0:19:410:19:45

When choosing plans for a coastal garden, the clue is in the name.

0:19:460:19:50

Anything with the Latin name, maritima, like this sea thrift,

0:19:500:19:54

is usually a good bet.

0:19:540:19:55

You don't have to have a seaside spot in order to create

0:19:550:19:58

a coastal style, but do bear in mind that many coastal plants

0:19:580:20:02

thrive in poor soil, so don't overfeed them.

0:20:020:20:05

-Back in Barry, Danny is rethinking that purple wall.

-Sam?

-Yep.

0:20:100:20:15

-I've had a change of plan but I want to run it by you.

-OK.

-OK?

-Yep.

0:20:150:20:19

-Don't look so worried.

-OK.

-Trust me, I'm a doctor.

0:20:190:20:23

I want to extend this purple up to this line here.

0:20:250:20:30

Because this line is not straight?

0:20:300:20:32

Well, it's not because the line's not straight,

0:20:320:20:34

I just think the whole thing would look better.

0:20:340:20:36

If you look at that wall there, there's quite a lot of paint there,

0:20:360:20:39

there's quite a lot of paint there, but there's not very much here.

0:20:390:20:41

-No, no, yes, I agree.

-I just feel this just needs...

0:20:410:20:44

I know we've done a lovely straight line

0:20:440:20:46

and it took a lot of debate to get it right.

0:20:460:20:48

What I want to do is just to extend it to up here

0:20:480:20:50

and just run it at an angle at about that height.

0:20:500:20:53

I think it would give the garden a better balance.

0:20:530:20:57

Never be afraid to change your mind.

0:20:570:20:59

It's OK to change your plan once it's starting to take shape

0:20:590:21:02

and you're beginning to see its effect.

0:21:020:21:05

As AJ sets to work on a sandpit for the girls,

0:21:050:21:08

Danny and the team vanquish the rest of those grey walls.

0:21:080:21:12

Meanwhile, Sam and I are taking a bit of a rest, which gives me

0:21:140:21:18

the chance to find out how much this garden makeover will mean to him.

0:21:180:21:23

Talk us through family life for you at the minute,

0:21:230:21:25

because you haven't lived in Barry for that long, have you?

0:21:250:21:28

No, last April, from Bristol, yeah.

0:21:280:21:30

Last October was amazing for you,

0:21:300:21:33

because your gorgeous daughter Matilda came along.

0:21:330:21:36

That was the best thing to ever happen. It was brilliant.

0:21:360:21:39

-But November was the opposite end of the spectrum.

-Yes, it was bad.

0:21:400:21:46

My parents came back from holiday and my dad had a big cough

0:21:460:21:49

and was feeling weak and just, you know, older people

0:21:490:21:52

don't go to the doctors and finally went and they had to take

0:21:520:21:56

bits out of his neck and stuff, and it came back that he had

0:21:560:21:59

terminal cancer and he was given six to 12 months to live

0:21:590:22:03

and he died nine days later.

0:22:030:22:05

You thought he was going to be around for a good few months,

0:22:060:22:09

-but in the end...

-Yeah, glad he met my daughter, so...

0:22:090:22:14

-How are you doing?

-All right. Up and down.

0:22:150:22:19

You know, my kids get me through, Sam gets me through and

0:22:190:22:22

my family, you know? But it's tough but, you know, we're getting there.

0:22:220:22:26

In terms of your dad, how much time did you get to spend together?

0:22:310:22:33

Were you quite close, father and son?

0:22:330:22:35

Yeah, I used to be a stonemason with him

0:22:350:22:37

and then I left, and then I came back to it,

0:22:370:22:41

so I was working with him

0:22:410:22:43

for eight years from early 20s and having that kind of rift,

0:22:430:22:47

father and son, and ending up being really, really close with him.

0:22:470:22:50

You two had big plans for the backyard, didn't you?

0:22:500:22:53

Yes, you know, we were going to strip it all back

0:22:530:22:55

and completely redo it together.

0:22:550:22:57

How difficult is that then, looking at that backyard thinking

0:22:570:23:00

you were going to do something really good with that,

0:23:000:23:03

with your dad?

0:23:030:23:04

It must be heart-breaking to kind of think it's not going to

0:23:040:23:07

achieve its full potential as you wanted it to, is it?

0:23:070:23:09

No, definitely not because my dad knew what he was doing and I don't.

0:23:090:23:13

If I tried to do it, it would be terrible.

0:23:130:23:16

-What would you like to see in your garden?

-You know what?

0:23:160:23:20

Anything is going to be a brilliant improvement,

0:23:200:23:22

so I'll be happy whatever happens to it, really.

0:23:220:23:26

You know, bit of decking would be nice but if not, it's fine.

0:23:260:23:29

So we're never going to get our job done in the garden today

0:23:290:23:32

-if we don't actually get to that garden centre.

-Yes, let's do it.

0:23:320:23:35

-Let's hit the road.

-All right.

0:23:350:23:36

While we had to do some shopping, back at the garden, the

0:23:360:23:38

walls are painted, AJ is busy prepping the decking and Danny

0:23:380:23:42

is turning his mind to planting his own miniature cliff face.

0:23:420:23:46

What we're doing today, we're treating this cliff face

0:23:460:23:49

-as a rockery.

-OK.

-It makes sense, doesn't it?

0:23:490:23:52

-It's a vertical rockery.

-Oh, fab.

0:23:520:23:54

For that reason, we've chosen alpine plants.

0:23:540:23:57

Now, these alpine plants, they will grow in these crevices.

0:23:570:24:00

They don't need much maintenance, which is good for you.

0:24:000:24:03

That is fantastic for me because maintenance isn't my biggest

0:24:030:24:06

thing in the garden, so that's fantastic, yeah.

0:24:060:24:08

OK, now there's one here. You see this in a lot of gardens.

0:24:080:24:11

-Do you recognise it?

-Yes, I do, I have definitely seen those before.

0:24:110:24:14

That is called Aubrieta and that's quite common.

0:24:140:24:16

You see this in a lot of rockery gardens,

0:24:160:24:18

so I thought that would be a good idea for this wall.

0:24:180:24:21

Planting up a wall like this couldn't be easier.

0:24:210:24:24

Simply press the plants into the nooks and crannies.

0:24:240:24:27

Just make sure you've given each plant a good soak in water first.

0:24:270:24:30

-There's some thyme here.

-Oh, I love thyme.

0:24:300:24:33

-Just smell that. All right?

-Will I be able to cook with this?

0:24:330:24:36

Yes, no reason why you can't. that will cascade down.

0:24:360:24:40

So, in time, this wall will be covered with lovely plants.

0:24:430:24:47

-Brilliant.

-There is a little tip here.

-OK.

0:24:470:24:49

To get these plants in, you're not going to get it out

0:24:490:24:51

because the roots have grown through these holes,

0:24:510:24:54

so what you do here is just tear these roots.

0:24:540:24:56

-So, that doesn't matter?

-Doesn't matter.

-Oh, OK.

0:24:560:24:59

That will just slide out.

0:24:590:25:00

Sometimes what happens is you still won't be able to get it out,

0:25:000:25:04

you know, so just squeeze the pot like that and it just

0:25:040:25:07

dislodges the soil and should just slip out.

0:25:070:25:10

We've got some sedums here.

0:25:130:25:15

These are truly well adapted to these conditions

0:25:150:25:18

because you can see these fleshy, glossy leaves.

0:25:180:25:21

These retain the water in their leaves.

0:25:210:25:24

Planting up this wall is a cheap

0:25:240:25:26

and easy way to turn a boring wall into a blaze of floral colour

0:25:260:25:30

and whilst Sam carries on with that, AJ has also come up with a cheap

0:25:300:25:34

way to make the decking using low-cost scaffolding boards.

0:25:340:25:39

We're going to put these wooden treated

0:25:390:25:41

posts down as sort of the framework.

0:25:410:25:44

They're on this surface here, which has got great drainage anyway

0:25:440:25:47

because it's that sub-base that's there.

0:25:470:25:50

We're going to put new scaffolding boards on top, which are like

0:25:500:25:54

really fresh and clean, to give that driftwood look

0:25:540:25:57

because we're doing a beach garden.

0:25:570:25:59

Scaffolding boards, here, they do make good decking

0:26:060:26:09

because of the thickness of them.

0:26:090:26:11

These are 38mm thick, so the thicker the wood, the less it's

0:26:120:26:18

going to bend, so in theory, the less of the framework you kind of need.

0:26:180:26:22

I like to have these smaller gaps anyway

0:26:220:26:25

because when you're standing on it, there's absolutely no

0:26:250:26:27

way, between these two posts here, is this bending.

0:26:270:26:32

I love fresh wood and as these scaffolding boards are brand-new,

0:26:320:26:35

it will look amazing.

0:26:350:26:39

Danny's seaside vision for the garden is coming together nicely.

0:26:390:26:42

Now it's my turn to contribute to the theme by finding

0:26:420:26:45

the plants on Danny's shopping list.

0:26:450:26:47

Sam, I have brought you here

0:26:470:26:49

because Danny would like some coastal plants, including sea thrift.

0:26:490:26:52

I know we can get that here.

0:26:520:26:54

Now, we've seen a few other things like the periwinkles and some of

0:26:540:26:57

those flowers, how do you feel about getting some of that for the garden?

0:26:570:27:00

-Yes, that's good.

-OK. Let's see what we can find.

0:27:000:27:04

If you have a particular theme in mind for your garden, it's a

0:27:040:27:07

good idea to research the right plants before you go shopping,

0:27:070:27:11

then make a list and stick to it.

0:27:110:27:14

If you can't find what you're looking for,

0:27:140:27:16

ask for help as an expert may be able to suggest alternatives.

0:27:160:27:20

-Steve, good to see you.

-You OK?

-This is Sam.

-Hi, how are you?

0:27:210:27:25

-We're in search of some coastal plants.

-OK.

0:27:250:27:28

Now, we've been sent for sea thrift in particular,

0:27:280:27:30

but to be honest, we'll have a look at anything else you've got.

0:27:300:27:33

-OK, I can do sea thrift right away. If you'd like to follow me.

-Cool.

0:27:330:27:37

I like those. So, what have we got here?

0:27:370:27:41

OK, so we've got two types of sea thrift in at the moment.

0:27:410:27:44

We've got the Armeria maritima Rubriofolia,

0:27:440:27:46

and then we've got the maritima Alba.

0:27:460:27:49

Alba means white, so this is the lovely white flower

0:27:490:27:52

and then you've got the pink flower here.

0:27:520:27:54

-What can you tell us about the sea thrift?

-It's a good coastal plant.

0:27:540:27:57

It gives you a nice sort of matted carpet of evergreen foliage

0:27:570:28:01

and you get these beautiful spikes of flowers on top.

0:28:010:28:03

And will this give you something all year round?

0:28:030:28:05

Yes, the foliage is actually evergreen,

0:28:050:28:07

so you've always got a bit of interest all year round.

0:28:070:28:09

-How easy are they to look after?

-Pretty easy.

0:28:090:28:11

Just nice drainage, even multipurpose compost,

0:28:110:28:15

-they'll be fine.

-Full sun. How sunny is your backyard?

0:28:150:28:18

It is like a little sun trap, really.

0:28:180:28:20

What do you think about the white version versus the pink version?

0:28:200:28:23

-I think the pink.

-Let's take these ones.

-Brilliant.

0:28:230:28:27

-What about periwinkle?

-OK, that's something else we can do.

0:28:270:28:29

-If you'd like to follow me.

-This way?

0:28:290:28:31

OK, these are periwinkles or Vinca, as you know them.

0:28:360:28:40

Again, lots of different varieties.

0:28:400:28:42

We've got the Ralph Schugart there.

0:28:420:28:43

Lovely variegated foliage. A mauve colour I guess.

0:28:430:28:47

Then there's the alba, which is the white again.

0:28:470:28:49

-What do you make of these, Sam?

-Yeah, they're nice.

0:28:490:28:52

-If you could pick any of those, which would you go for?

-That's hard.

0:28:520:28:56

-What would you say?

-What would you recommend, Steve?

0:28:560:29:00

OK, I'd probably like to choose something that is a bit

0:29:000:29:03

complimentary of the Armerias that you've already got,

0:29:030:29:06

so I would maybe go for the Vinca bowles variety.

0:29:060:29:08

Is that important, to think about what flowers are going to come

0:29:080:29:12

out, so that you can make sure your plants complement each other?

0:29:120:29:15

Yes, it is always important to think about what colours go together.

0:29:150:29:18

Sometimes, this would be what you'd consider, maybe a section of

0:29:180:29:21

the colour wheel which is all pinks and purples all together,

0:29:210:29:24

or you could go for something a bit contrasting as well.

0:29:240:29:26

There's no rule about it. It's up to you, essentially,

0:29:260:29:29

but I think it's a nice thing to do. All-round interest.

0:29:290:29:32

Aren't there some with more flowers in?

0:29:320:29:34

There will be much more flowers than that.

0:29:340:29:36

Nice flowers but actually that's quite big.

0:29:360:29:38

That's offering a lot, isn't it?

0:29:380:29:40

Yes, they're a nice sizeable plant and considered a sub shrub,

0:29:400:29:42

so they would be ground cover or low-growing plants.

0:29:420:29:44

-So that's going to grow out?

-That's going to spread, yes.

0:29:440:29:47

Can you have these plants if you live inland?

0:29:470:29:49

-As in coastal plants?

-Yes.

-OK, yeah, there's no problem with that.

0:29:490:29:52

It's more down to the tolerance of the salt air.

0:29:520:29:55

These plants are OK with the salt air.

0:29:550:29:57

Yes, there's no reason why you couldn't grow them.

0:29:570:30:00

OK, if you live on the coast and you want an interesting garden,

0:30:000:30:02

obviously plants are a key thing,

0:30:020:30:04

you need hardy plants that can cope with the conditions.

0:30:040:30:06

Is there anything else you can recommend?

0:30:060:30:09

You could think about maybe creating a windbreak.

0:30:090:30:11

If you plant a hedge line around where your garden is,

0:30:110:30:13

you can essentially create a windbreak and a microclimate

0:30:130:30:17

as well within your garden, so you can grow a wider variety of plants.

0:30:170:30:21

Brilliant. That's all good to bear in mind. Shall we grab another one of these?

0:30:210:30:24

-Yeah.

-I'll grab these. Sam, you grab the sea thrift.

0:30:240:30:26

-Steve, thank you for your advice.

-Pleasure. Enjoy.

-See you again.

0:30:260:30:31

The decking is now taking shape

0:30:310:30:32

and as AJ has kicked Danny out of the garden, he's found

0:30:320:30:35

a quiet spot in the lane to start planting up Sam's old pots.

0:30:350:30:39

The plants we're going to put in is some lovely plants here

0:30:400:30:43

-and these are called scabious.

-OK.

0:30:430:30:46

-They're really beautiful, and they will flower.

-Really pretty.

0:30:460:30:49

They're really pretty, aren't they?

0:30:490:30:51

Going with that mauve theme that we've got going in your garden,

0:30:510:30:54

which is brilliant, and what's great about these, they do

0:30:540:30:56

attract the bees and we do like bees, don't we?

0:30:560:30:59

-Definitely, yes, they're all for the bees.

-They're all for the bees.

0:30:590:31:02

I think if we put them in the centre of these pots and then

0:31:020:31:05

plant around them, these could be the good sort of feature plants.

0:31:050:31:09

So I think what we'll do is we'll dig away the top layer of soil

0:31:120:31:16

and we'll do a bit of arranging.

0:31:160:31:17

So, if we put the scabious in the middle,

0:31:180:31:21

that's going to be the centrepiece in there.

0:31:210:31:23

Rejuvenating old pots is a quick

0:31:230:31:25

and easy way of breathing new life into your garden.

0:31:250:31:28

So, these are now, we've done these, they're in good shape now.

0:31:280:31:31

-What do you reckon?

-Yeah, I think they're going to look fantastic.

0:31:310:31:34

-Shall we take them in?

-Yeah, definitely.

-OK, we'll do that.

-OK.

0:31:340:31:36

Another job completed and now Danny

0:31:360:31:38

is turning his attention to something

0:31:380:31:40

that will make Sam's surprise garden even more special for him.

0:31:400:31:44

It'd be nice to put a memorial in the garden, wouldn't it?

0:31:440:31:47

-Yes.

-For Sam's dad.

-Yeah, Mick.

-Mick. And have you any ideas?

0:31:470:31:52

Mick was really into sort of family tree and ancestry, so a tree.

0:31:520:31:58

Personally, I think that would work for us as a memorial

0:31:580:32:01

because it would mean something to everybody and it can grow with us.

0:32:010:32:04

If we did something like that, it just meant that there's something

0:32:040:32:07

in here that means something more than just having the garden done.

0:32:070:32:10

Do you know what? I love that idea, I think it's great.

0:32:100:32:13

-It might be an idea for me to give Helen a ring.

-OK.

0:32:130:32:15

-And see if she can bring one back.

-OK, brilliant.

-Great.

0:32:150:32:18

-Well, I think Danny will be happy with these.

-Yeah, definitely.

0:32:200:32:22

A nice little bit of colour. Oh, hang on, talking of Danny.

0:32:220:32:26

That'll be him.

0:32:260:32:28

-Hello!

-Hello, Helen.

0:32:280:32:29

-There's one thing I'd like you to get me, if it's possible.

-OK.

0:32:290:32:33

-A tree.

-A tree?

-Yes. Preferably an amelanchier.

0:32:330:32:38

OK, so if not an amelanchier, what else would do?

0:32:380:32:41

I'll just leave it to you.

0:32:410:32:42

I'm sure we will find an amelanchier, if not something similar.

0:32:420:32:46

Or something similar, that'd be fine. Don't bring an oak back.

0:32:460:32:49

You know me well. All right, then, some sort of tree. How big?

0:32:490:32:53

-I would say it's about two metres high.

-OK.

-Yeah? So that's the idea.

0:32:530:32:59

-OK, cool.

-OK, see you soon.

-All right. Bye.

0:32:590:33:02

-OK, you don't currently have many trees in your garden?

-No, I don't.

0:33:040:33:07

-How do you feel about having one?

-Let's do it.

0:33:070:33:09

When in a garden centre in South Wales, get a tree.

0:33:110:33:14

Danny has been keeping the reason he's chosen a tree secret,

0:33:150:33:18

until now, but he still needs to find a place to plant it.

0:33:180:33:22

Maybe AJ can help.

0:33:220:33:24

Oh, one that I follow everywhere, who's my hero.

0:33:240:33:27

I just need to ask a favour. It's a big favour.

0:33:270:33:30

I've just come up with this idea.

0:33:300:33:32

It's going to mean a little bit more work, but I want to run it by you.

0:33:320:33:36

Well, crack on.

0:33:360:33:37

OK. We've got this memorial tree coming

0:33:370:33:38

and I'm struggling as to where I'm going to put it.

0:33:380:33:41

-I think a great place to put it would be here.

-Oh.

-Yeah, I know.

0:33:410:33:45

How much of an issue would that be for you if we put it here?

0:33:450:33:48

I know you'd have to do some cutting.

0:33:480:33:50

-Do some cutting, that would be it.

-So I can do it?

-Yeah.

0:33:520:33:55

-Thanks, AJ.

-I'm here to help. I am here to help.

-Brilliant.

0:34:020:34:05

Nice one, AJ!

0:34:050:34:07

Now the memorial tree can take pride of place in the decking area.

0:34:070:34:11

Back at the garden centre, Sam and I are on the hunt

0:34:110:34:14

for the tree that Danny has added to our list.

0:34:140:34:16

Sam doesn't know what it's for it yet,

0:34:160:34:18

but let's hope he can find one he likes

0:34:180:34:21

and I know just the person to help.

0:34:210:34:23

-Steve!

-Oh, hello again.

-Sorry, we're back.

-Hi, how are you? OK?

-Yeah.

0:34:230:34:27

I know we said that we were done, but we actually want a tree.

0:34:270:34:30

OK, that's no problem.

0:34:300:34:31

-A small garden tree, ideally an amelanchier.

-OK.

0:34:310:34:34

But if not an amelanchier, something similar.

0:34:340:34:37

-Now, Sam's garden isn't huge, is it?

-No, it's pretty small.

0:34:370:34:41

OK, I can do one amelanchier for you.

0:34:410:34:43

There are some other options though,

0:34:430:34:45

if you're looking for a tree for a small garden. These, for example.

0:34:450:34:49

Oh, that's lovely, isn't it?

0:34:490:34:51

This is Syringa, or lilac, as it's commonly known.

0:34:510:34:53

That's lovely.

0:34:530:34:55

It's also grown as a shrub, it flowers between May and June.

0:34:550:34:58

It tends to have a nice perfume to it too.

0:34:580:35:01

The foliage is a nice shape as well,

0:35:010:35:03

a nice heart-shaped foliage to it, so that could be one option for you.

0:35:030:35:06

-It doesn't get too large at all.

-It smells nice and looks nice.

0:35:060:35:10

-Heart-shaped leaves.

-Mm-hm. Yeah.

-It's...

0:35:100:35:14

Another option could be your salix.

0:35:140:35:17

Let me just bring this over for you.

0:35:170:35:19

Because your backyard, it's not a massive, is it?

0:35:190:35:21

It's not massive at all, no.

0:35:210:35:22

I wouldn't have thought a tree

0:35:220:35:24

is something you could have back there.

0:35:240:35:26

Yeah, there's plenty of trees you can choose from,

0:35:260:35:28

or some shrubs that have been grown into standards

0:35:280:35:30

that would look like a tree.

0:35:300:35:32

This one, for example, this is Salix Kilmarnock.

0:35:320:35:35

-Is it a willow?

-It is a willow.

0:35:350:35:37

You get late winter, early spring some lovely, lovely catkins,

0:35:370:35:40

so that's one interesting point.

0:35:400:35:42

So this would be covered in all those nice little white fluffy bits?

0:35:420:35:45

-Nice little fluffy bits, yes.

-Interesting.

-Yeah.

-Or not!

0:35:450:35:48

It's not going to get too large.

0:35:480:35:50

You can see there's a graft union, so what they've essentially done is

0:35:500:35:53

they've taken the root stock from one Salix that's not too vigorous,

0:35:530:35:55

and put a different type of Salix on top. The top is going to fill out

0:35:550:35:59

and you've got a nice architectural shape there as well.

0:35:590:36:02

-Not feeling a lot of love for it.

-No, not really.

0:36:020:36:04

-OK, it's a no from Sam on this occasion.

-OK.

0:36:040:36:07

What about that amelanchier?

0:36:070:36:09

-If you're after an amelanchier, then we have one here.

-OK.

0:36:090:36:12

-OK, well, that looks lovely.

-It is lovely.

0:36:120:36:15

Springwise, you get these lovely white flowers

0:36:150:36:18

followed by this bronze foliage,

0:36:180:36:20

which emerges first of all.

0:36:200:36:21

The flowers obviously fade and then the foliage turns a darker green,

0:36:210:36:25

and then these lovely flowers will turn into blackish bluey berries.

0:36:250:36:29

-Nice.

-Which are also edible as well, so no problem there with anything.

0:36:290:36:32

Because you have small children, you don't want them

0:36:320:36:35

pulling things off the tree that are going to be poisonous.

0:36:350:36:38

I don't think they're necessary palatable, but they use it

0:36:380:36:41

-as an alternative for sloe gin, for example.

-OK.

0:36:410:36:44

Are the berries good for attracting wildlife?

0:36:440:36:47

Berries tend to be good for attracting wildlife all-round,

0:36:470:36:49

yes, so that's always a good option.

0:36:490:36:51

OK, so flowers, foliage, loose habit, I like that term.

0:36:510:36:55

And gin-making berries.

0:36:550:36:56

Is that easy to manage in a small garden?

0:36:560:36:59

Because what you don't want is something big and overbearing

0:36:590:37:01

and that'll cast a big shadow over the garden.

0:37:010:37:03

Yeah. It's not going to block out all your light.

0:37:030:37:06

-OK, we'll go with the amelanchier.

-OK. Lovely.

0:37:060:37:08

Thank you so much for your help.

0:37:080:37:10

-No problem.

-I'd like to say this is goodbye but we'll probably be back.

0:37:100:37:13

-I'll possibly see you again.

-Until next time, thanks, Steve.

0:37:130:37:16

-I think that's lovely.

-Are you all right with that?

-See you!

-See you!

0:37:160:37:20

I think Sam's happy with that.

0:37:200:37:23

Back in the garden with time running out,

0:37:230:37:25

AJ is constructing a corner bench using timber off cuts from the deck.

0:37:250:37:30

He's already got a pair of batons screwed to the wall,

0:37:300:37:32

but he's hit a problem.

0:37:320:37:34

This wall isn't solid, so I've I drilled a hole into it

0:37:340:37:39

and there's nothing for a plastic plug to actually grab onto

0:37:390:37:43

to make this solid, so what I'm doing is, because I know this one

0:37:430:37:46

is solid, I've put two screws in there which will hold this end

0:37:460:37:50

into that one there, then I've just put that there just to keep it in place.

0:37:500:37:54

I'm going to measure the distance there.

0:37:540:37:56

In this case, we'll just have a supporting beam on there,

0:37:560:37:58

which won't look out of place.

0:37:580:38:00

If you wanted to make it pretty, you could do it on the other side.

0:38:000:38:02

It just depends how much spare timber you've got.

0:38:020:38:05

While AJ sorts out the seat of his bench,

0:38:050:38:07

Danny is focusing on his plants.

0:38:070:38:09

These lovely plants are called eryngiums,

0:38:090:38:12

or the common name is sea holly.

0:38:120:38:14

The reason it's called a sea holly

0:38:140:38:16

is because it's got holly-like leaves.

0:38:160:38:18

Just look at these, nice and fleshy.

0:38:180:38:20

The thing about this plant is that

0:38:200:38:23

it's got a very long taproot in here.

0:38:230:38:26

You can't see it because this is an immature plant, but on more

0:38:260:38:29

mature plants, the taproot can be quite substantial.

0:38:290:38:33

The reason it's got a long taproot is that it's searching out water

0:38:330:38:36

and once it's searched out that water, it will hold on to it,

0:38:360:38:39

so that's its mode of survival.

0:38:390:38:42

It's a very clever plant, isn't it?

0:38:420:38:44

What you've got to make sure, because this has got a long taproot,

0:38:440:38:48

is to make sure that you know where you're going to put it

0:38:480:38:51

because once it's got that taproot established, it's not to be moved.

0:38:510:38:55

What you will find is that these do self seed.

0:38:570:39:00

Really, this garden is mimicking the seaside big-time.

0:39:010:39:05

Sea holly flourishes in sandy soil,

0:39:100:39:12

so it will be right at home in this garden.

0:39:120:39:16

There you go, a very simple corner bench...

0:39:210:39:25

for two.

0:39:250:39:27

Now AJ can move on to fitting a sandpit for the children,

0:39:300:39:33

leaving Danny to create their very own pool of water.

0:39:330:39:36

So, this blue strip is going to represent the sea.

0:39:370:39:40

And it's about time to add my contribution to the garden.

0:39:410:39:45

SHE SINGS

0:39:450:39:48

-Hi!

-Hello, Helen, watch that hole. Don't go falling in it.

-I love it.

0:39:480:39:54

-You like it, do you? Good.

-Do you know what?

0:39:540:39:56

When I left here this morning, I thought, "Wouldn't it be good if they had a sandpit,"

0:39:560:39:59

-but you've got one.

-We've got a sandpit, yeah.

-I love it! I really love it.

0:39:590:40:03

All day, Sam has kept saying, "Oh, I'd love some decking,

0:40:030:40:06

"but it doesn't matter if we don't get any."

0:40:060:40:08

I've got to be honest, I'm glad there is some decking.

0:40:080:40:10

And your sea thrift's there.

0:40:100:40:12

Aren't these beauties? Aren't these gorgeous? Do you like them?

0:40:120:40:15

I know. I do, I love them. Actually, Sam picked them,

0:40:150:40:18

he was quite happy with them.

0:40:180:40:19

And I've got a tree. You're going to love this. Danny.

0:40:190:40:22

-Look at that, that is a beauty.

-Thank you, what about the tree?

0:40:220:40:26

-And the tree!

-Chosen for its loose habit.

-Yes, I love it.

0:40:260:40:30

What's great about that, you know, it's not going to grow too tall.

0:40:300:40:33

It will be easy to maintain.

0:40:330:40:35

-Berries in the winter, flowers in the summer.

-Exactly.

0:40:350:40:38

What's not to love?

0:40:380:40:40

I think it's superb and it's a great choice.

0:40:400:40:43

As evening approaches, it's time for the all-important finishing touches.

0:40:430:40:47

I'm adding a few seaside knick-knacks

0:40:470:40:49

I slyly picked up on my shopping trip,

0:40:490:40:52

while Danny and AJ plant the memorial tree through the decking.

0:40:520:40:56

Absolutely perfect.

0:40:570:41:00

I can't wait for Sam to see what a difference we've made in a day.

0:41:030:41:07

-It looks so different.

-It really, really does.

0:41:070:41:10

Before, this tiny back garden was a boring

0:41:130:41:16

and neglected space with nothing but uneven paving,

0:41:160:41:19

sad and unloved plant pots and dull, grey walls.

0:41:190:41:24

But now Danny has transformed it into a bright,

0:41:280:41:31

fun beach garden that the whole family can enjoy.

0:41:310:41:35

With colourful walls, a safe decking area and seating options from

0:41:380:41:42

where Sam and Samantha can enjoy the garden and watch the girls playing.

0:41:420:41:47

But as always, the stars of the show are the plants.

0:41:470:41:50

The beach theme continues with Danny's choice of sea holly,

0:41:500:41:53

thrift and coastal grasses.

0:41:530:41:56

Plus, his ingenious creation of those planting pockets creates

0:41:560:42:00

bursts of colour which in time will spread over the whole wall.

0:42:000:42:04

What's more, this thoughtful, family-friendly garden was done on a shoestring,

0:42:050:42:09

in just one day.

0:42:090:42:11

Well done, Danny!

0:42:110:42:14

It's high time to get the family in

0:42:140:42:15

to see what they make of this amazing transformation.

0:42:150:42:18

OK, team, we have a very excited Erin

0:42:190:42:25

and a slightly nervous Sam and Sam.

0:42:250:42:29

Come right out here. Come on out.

0:42:290:42:32

-Come on out.

-Ah!

0:42:320:42:35

-What do you reckon?

-That is wicked, man. This is ridiculously good.

0:42:350:42:39

-What do you think?

-Yes. That is amazing, yeah.

0:42:410:42:46

-Cast your mind back to this morning. Your backyard was...

-Horrendous.

0:42:460:42:51

Just ridiculous, yeah. And now it's brilliant.

0:42:510:42:55

We'll get to spend time here now. That's great.

0:42:550:42:59

Talk us through what you've done, Danny.

0:42:590:43:01

Yeah, so we just concentrated on the sea really

0:43:010:43:03

-because we know you like the sea.

-Yeah.

0:43:030:43:05

We thought we'd bring a bit of the Barry seaside into your garden.

0:43:050:43:09

-You've probably noticed there's a cliff over there.

-OK. Yeah.

0:43:090:43:13

Then the sandpit is also the beach.

0:43:130:43:15

And then obviously, most beaches have a bit of decking somewhere,

0:43:150:43:19

so that's your decking.

0:43:190:43:20

This is your sea here and you've got plants in here that represent

0:43:200:43:25

-the sort of plants you might find at the seaside. OK?

-And the tree?

0:43:250:43:31

Oh, and not forgetting the tree, yeah.

0:43:310:43:33

-That's a little memorial to your father.

-Yeah.

0:43:330:43:38

-What do you think, Erin?

-It's lovely.

0:43:400:43:42

-Do you want to come out here now?

-Yeah!

0:43:420:43:45

Sam, the team said you have worked so hard.

0:43:450:43:48

I was so pleased with it, absolutely just over the moon with it.

0:43:480:43:51

It wasn't what I was expecting, so much in one day.

0:43:510:43:54

Has this been better than the normal Tuesday?

0:43:540:43:57

Yes, the average Tuesday isn't like this at all.

0:43:570:44:01

-Good, well, thank you for your company today.

-Thank you so much.

0:44:010:44:04

Thank you for letting us take over your garden. Good job, Danny.

0:44:040:44:08

-Yes, thank you.

-You're most welcome.

-Have a seat in the deckchairs.

0:44:080:44:12

Erin, go and make the most of that sandpit.

0:44:120:44:14

-Your new garden!

-See all the plants?

0:44:140:44:16

This morning, this yard was unusable, it was dangerous,

0:44:180:44:22

they didn't do anything out here.

0:44:220:44:24

They now have a space that they can enjoy as a family for years to come.

0:44:240:44:29

Good job.

0:44:290:44:30

Join us next time for another instant garden.

0:44:300:44:34

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