Pennod 2 Gardd Pont y Twr

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-I'm Sioned Edwards.

-Six months ago,

-I moved to Plas Pont Y Twr...

-..with my husband Iwan

-and daughters Nanw and Malan.

-It's my grandparents' old farm, at

-the foot of Moel Famau near Ruthin.

-The house is run-down.

-Our home for the next year

-is a rather cramped caravan.

-It's quite a challenge

-with two young children.

-We must go in five minutes.

-This year's main project is

-to turn the field by the caravan...

-..into a vegetable, fruit and flower

-garden, with a play area, of course.

-Hooray!

-My dream is to grow my own flowers

-for my work as a floral designer.

-With luck, next year

-they'll come from the garden.

-Iwan is passionate

-about green and organic methods.

-I could go to the toilet

-in the compost heap...

-..but Sioned vetoed that.

-After months

-of discussing and arguing...

-..we've finally agreed on a plan.

-This is a story

-about sweat, frustration...

-Hang on!

-..arguing and celebrating,

-as we try to realize the dream.

-This is going to take time,

-I can tell.

-Not to mention headstrong chickens,

-greedy pigs and a cheeky cat.

-It's a big challenge

-and we may not succeed.

-A lot is going on

-in the garden today.

-Last week, I complained

-that not enough was happening.

-Richard has turned up

-to work on the wall.

-Saturday, we were building

-a wall with railway sleepers.

-I found a hole

-in the waste water pipe.

-The trench we dug

-was full of dirty water.

-It wasn't very nice here

-Saturday night.

-You'll have to straighten up.

-I've been building

-a wall with sleepers.

-It's nice that the oak

-came from Bodnant Garden.

-The wood has a history.

-Now, it's in our garden.

-The wall will continue

-round the corner.

-We're going to level this area.

-It's going to be

-planted like a prairie.

-The trampoline should have been

-in a hole, level with the ground.

-But the hole filled with rainwater.

-The water was dirty

-and full of mosquito larvae.

-Eilir filled it

-with soil and stones.

-We've raised the ground.

-A few things are going against us.

-But we hope to finish

-the foundations, put the shed up...

-..and most importantly

-for the children...

-..put in the trampoline

-before Nanw is back from school.

-This should all happen today.

-But first of all,

-we must carry on planting...

-..or it'll be too late

-in the season.

-We're making a fruit area

-in the vegetable garden.

-Despite my protests,

-Iwan has put a membrane down...

-..to try to stop

-couch grass from spreading.

-It's always a problem

-on land like this.

-Should we collect all this?

-We could spend all day here,

-weeding the couch grass.

-It's a nuisance.

-If you cut off a small piece...

-..it will grow into another plant.

-By digging here...

-..we encourage it.

-But we're changing

-a farm field into a garden.

-It's everywhere.

-The only way to get rid of it

-without using chemicals...

-..which we don't...

-No!

-..is to cover it

-for 18 to 24 months.

-Then it'll die.

-I'm starting to listen to you.

-You're starting

-to befriend the membrane.

-No, I'm not.

-It's a pity they don't make

-a membrane that looks like grass.

-We add a mixture

-of compost and manure.

-I have something else

-to add to the soil too.

-When planting raspberries...

-..a lot of people add

-wood fire ashes to the soil.

-I have some ashes.

-Eilir is digging a trench

-round the vegetable garden.

-We need a stronger fence to keep out

-some small, fluffy rascals.

-Loads of rabbits come in the garden.

-We're putting a fence deep

-in the ground to deter them.

-We don't want more to come in...

-..especially now

-we're planting raspberries.

-It's rather late,

-so we want them planted today.

-It's quite busy here.

-Does that go straight on top?

-I'll just mix it in.

-It's potash.

-You can buy sulphate

-of potash in the shops.

-But this does the same job.

-Wood fire ashes

-are full of potassium.

-It's very scarce

-in sandy soil, as we have here.

-It helps create strong roots...

-..and deters snails and slugs.

-Now, digging and planting.

-Here?

-Here?

-

-Yes.

-Are they far enough apart?

-Are they far enough apart?

-

-Yes.

-We're putting down

-fruit plants, not seeds.

-So we should get

-a good crop this autumn.

-Raspberries and Strawberries

-There's plenty to do in the garden,

-but I have to do my day job...

-..as a flower designer and arranger,

-for weddings, mainly.

-It's the busiest time...

-..with at least one wedding

-every weekend in spring and summer.

-Each one has to be special.

-Today, I'm in Plas Isaf near Corwen.

-The bride chose these flowers

-because they're all in season.

-We have peony and mint,

-which smell marvellous.

-It will be nice for the people

-sitting at the tables.

-There are purple clematis

-and blue scabious.

-Hopefully next year, all the flowers

-will come from the garden.

-I'm decorating a heart

-I made with twigs...

-..held in place with wire.

-I put water in these

-small plastic tubes.

-Then I put flowers in them.

-I wrap wire round the tube.

-Then I put them on the heart frame.

-It's easier to do this here.

-If I did it at home,

-the water would spill in the van.

-So I do it here

-and put it up in the marquee.

-The trampoline is the most

-important thing in the garden...

-..for the children.

-We must get it right.

-Bring it this way.

-We hoped to make a deep hole,

-so the soil would reach the edge.

-But because of the water problem,

-we had to raise the ground level.

-It's not really what I had in mind.

-I don't think Sioned

-will be too happy. We'll see.

-Sions!

-Will you come and have

-a look at the trampoline?

-It's in place.

-I want you to have an idea of what

-I plan to do with these sheets.

-OK.

-So this is the level now.

-So this is the level now.

-

-I know.

-Gosh, it's high.

-Gosh, it's high.

-

-It's much higher than I expected.

-We won't have the sunken effect.

-We will, in the back.

-But not the front.

-The idea was to go

-for the industrial look.

-I thought we were trying

-to make this area more girly.

-Girly.

-Since we have two girls.

-Yes.

-The original plan

-was to complete the S shape...

-..and plant more apple trees

-in a semicircle here.

-But I'm not sure now.

-You know this corner?

-You thought of having a semicircle.

-I really don't want...

-I really don't want...

-

-Hang on, let me sit.

-This is going

-to take time, I can tell.

-This tree has been here

-for more than 60 years.

-It's the only thing

-that's still here...

-..after my grandparents.

-If we create a semicircle...

-..it'll take all

-the focus away from it.

-The other trees will be perfect.

-This tree will be natural.

-You don't want me to prune

-that tree like an espalier.

-No!

-IWAN SIGHS

-I don't want the tree

-to be a problem.

-We want to plan round it.

-We're not cutting it down.

-We're not cutting it down.

-

-No!

-It has to stay there.

-It has to stay there.

-

-Yes.

-So it would be better if we planted

-one fruit tree there and two here.

-Then we could leave

-that apple tree alone.

-OK?

-Later, the endless work and the long

-hours start to take their toll.

-There are hundreds of things to do.

-There are hundreds of things to do.

-

-Yes, but...

-It's impossible

-to keep on top of it.

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-It's nice when everything works.

-It's quite simple, really.

-Throw them in.

-Eilir knocks them in.

-Fill it with soil. Job done.

-It would be nice

-if every job were this quick.

-I thought you'd cut them

-before putting them in.

-Is it easier this way?

-We're finishing

-the sides of the trampoline...

-..laying down the shed

-foundations, the shed arrives...

-..and the potato leaves appear.

-These have been in

-for about 15 days.

-The heads have appeared.

-I'll get out of the way.

-And hopefully in a month's time...

-..we'll have

-a veg patch full of potatoes.

-We've planted the rest of

-the raspberries. We bought these.

-They look great.

-We've covered it with mulch...

-..to help the soil retain

-nutrients and moisture...

-..and prevent weeds

-from coming through.

-We've planted raspberries here, too.

-They're cuttings

-from Sioned's parents' garden.

-We had them for free.

-Once planted, we have

-to prune them back to nine inches.

-They won't bear fruit this year.

-But we'll get fruit next year,

-hopefully.

-They need plenty of water.

-They need a good soaking

-once a week.

-Fantastic.

-I've got a shed, at last.

-Sioned won't have a clue where I am.

-I wonder if Iwan knows where I am?

-I'm visiting second-hand shops

-in Denbigh and Ruthin...

-..to find old things for the garden.

-They are full of treasures.

-I love finding objects to recycle.

-The owner says

-they're all from one garden.

-It's unbelievable,

-but to each his own.

-These look interesting. What's this?

-That would be a great plant pot.

-It already has holes in the bottom.

-Always barter for the best price.

-A tenner for three items

-was a bargain.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-But some are more of a challenge.

-It's cheap, too. I want 20 for it.

-Only 20, remember.

-Only 20, remember.

-

-Only 20?!

-There's history to it.

-There's history to it.

-

-What's the history?

-I won't tell you now.

-I'll keep that back.

-Well, let's start with 10.

-Ten pounds?! Have you no shame?

-10 for something like this?

-I'll have to paint it.

-I'll have to paint it.

-

-We all have to live.

-Me, too!

-I need 20. I'll give you

-a staff discount, and call it 15.

-Thirteen. I've 13 in my pocket.

-Go on, then.

-If it makes you happy.

-It will. I'll bring it back

-once I've painted it to show you.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-I hope it's a success.

-It's ready for a coat of paint.

-I've chosen a bright red colour.

-The children like red.

-It can be applied directly on rust.

-I don't need a primer.

-It dries quickly, too.

-I've bought this for you

-to paint the wheel.

-What colour do you want it to be?

-What colour do you want it to be?

-

-Blue.

-You like blue.

-Whey-hey! Do you like that?

-Whey-hey! Do you like that?

-

-Yes.

-You can transform

-all sorts of things...

-..into flower, vegetable

-and fruit pots.

-Make sure there are holes

-in the bottom for drainage.

-What do you want to plant in that?

-What do you want to plant in that?

-

-Strawberries.

-We all like strawberries.

-I'll give you and Malan

-a wheel each.

-We'll see who grows

-the best strawberries.

-I'm mucking about at the moment.

-We've removed the old trampoline.

-We have a new one over there.

-I hope I haven't lost

-any of the springs.

-We found a new trampoline cover

-on the Freecycle website.

-You can exchange and recycle all

-sorts of things locally for free.

-That isn't a good sign.

-Hang on. That isn't right.

-Oh, no.

-Sioned, come here.

-Oh, no. It doesn't fit.

-It's too big.

-It said it was ten feet

-on Freecycle.

-It is ten feet.

-We've used the old springs.

-We should have used smaller springs.

-We'll leave the trampoline

-for today.

-But there's plenty to do.

-We want to plant apple trees

-and Buxus by the old tree.

-The Buxus can continue

-the shape in this area.

-Buxus gives us the freedom

-to create different shapes.

-This eye shape...

-..goes alongside the oak wall.

-We want to carry it on

-as far as the tree.

-We'll create a half-circle

-so that it flows.

-The Buxus will grow gradually.

-We can shape it to rise,

-go back down and rise again.

-We can play around with it.

-I'll plant these a foot apart.

-We'll see how the shape comes along.

-If you want a curved fence...

-..or a curved hedge

-with a natural line...

-..it's a good idea

-to use a hosepipe.

-You can see the line and the curve

-before planting anything.

-Iwan mixed compost in the trench

-ready to plant.

-But the couch grass

-makes it far more difficult.

-And the unfinished trampoline

-adds insult to injury.

-It should be a five minute job.

-Make a hole, put the trampoline in.

-That's it.

-It's turned

-into a major undertaking.

-There are hundreds of things to do.

-Yes, but...

-It's impossible

-to keep on top of it.

-What do you want me to do?

-What do you want me to do?

-

-Um...

-..you can get a piece of membrane,

-that wide.

-Can't we use a black one

-instead of the white?

-The black one is impossible

-to cut unless you've got scissors.

-Do you know the feeling

-when you're trying to help...

-..but end up making things worse?

-That's why you need scissors.

-I found your scissors.

-Oh!

-In a few hours, once these have

-been planted, you'll feel better.

-I hope so.

-Somehow or other, we planted

-the apple trees and Buxus.

-We'll prune the hedges regularly

-so they keep their shape.

-By next spring, they'll

-take their place and thicken.

-You design something in your head

-and it takes two minutes.

-Then you realize

-how much work is involved.

-We said from the start that

-if someone had designed it for us...

-..it wouldn't be our garden.

-Well, yes.

-We'd have argued less

-if a designer had been involved.

-We'd have someone else to blame.

-"That landscape gardener

-was clueless!"

-Oh, Malan! What have you got?

-What are they?

-Oh! Are they a present for Mam?

-Aren't they pretty?

-They're so nice.

-They're so nice.

-

-Lovely!

-Next time...

-things begin to take shape.

-The garden fills with colour.

-Work calls Iwan to the graveyard.

-They have been busy. Very busy.

-Subtitles by Gwead

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