0:00:02 > 0:00:04Do you dream of having your own special outdoor space?
0:00:04 > 0:00:09A small garden that you can admire, enjoy and call your own?
0:00:09 > 0:00:14And then you stop and think, "I have no idea how to make it."
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Well, you're not alone.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Over the past year, Monty Don has travelled up
0:00:19 > 0:00:22and down the country visiting amateur gardeners
0:00:22 > 0:00:26and working with them to make their dreams come true.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29He's cast a critical eye over their plans...
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Don't be too horrified, OK, Monty?
0:00:32 > 0:00:33Everything's possible.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36- I know it seems unusual. - It's just profoundly unusual!
0:00:36 > 0:00:37..and given advice.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40- Just pinch that off. - But they took so long to grow!
0:00:40 > 0:00:41He's got stuck in...
0:00:41 > 0:00:43- Monty Don in my garden! - Oh, my goodness!
0:00:45 > 0:00:49..and everybody has worked incredibly hard.
0:00:49 > 0:00:50Look at the size of that!
0:00:50 > 0:00:53The results are truly exciting.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54- It's really nice! - CORK POPS
0:00:54 > 0:00:55CHEERING
0:00:55 > 0:00:59I do believe that everybody, however small their garden,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02can cultivate a big dream.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11This time, Monty is meeting amateur gardeners with very different
0:01:11 > 0:01:14approaches to creating their dream gardens.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19From plans to design a historically inspired London back yard...
0:01:19 > 0:01:21The Victorians really loved plants, they loved nature -
0:01:21 > 0:01:23would love to get some of that into our garden.
0:01:23 > 0:01:24Well, it IS small.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27Exotic plant collection, what's that?
0:01:27 > 0:01:30It would be good to know whether we're being totally crazy or not.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32..to a chaotic cottage garden in Hereford.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34I want to look out of the front door and for it to
0:01:34 > 0:01:37look like a united garden
0:01:37 > 0:01:39rather than just bits everywhere.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42What you're looking at is one of the grandest, most expensive,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45extravagant structures in the history of gardening.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47And that's what you want.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50Will our gardeners be able to achieve their dreams?
0:01:50 > 0:01:52It's got to be perfect.
0:01:52 > 0:01:53Oh, so no pressure.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Frankie needs to be kept in check, otherwise...
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Who knows what will be in the garden?
0:01:59 > 0:02:00Oh, no!
0:02:00 > 0:02:03I think I might get the mother of all telling-offs, and...
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Yeah, I'm absolutely petrified!
0:02:11 > 0:02:15Our first garden belongs to Frankie, a fundraising manager
0:02:15 > 0:02:17and keen sailor from Hereford.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19She bought a house eight years ago,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22and has been trying to create a dream garden ever since,
0:02:22 > 0:02:26often under the watchful eye of her mum, Pat, a retired hairdresser.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Frankie's garden means a lot to her.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Even more so after her older sister, Jane,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37was killed in a tragic accident five years ago.
0:02:38 > 0:02:43I think having the garden got me through the time after the accident,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46because you can just go out there, weed, and when you're in the garden,
0:02:46 > 0:02:50when you're doing the actual act of gardening, you just forget.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54My saviour, in a way, and that's why it would be fantastic to have it
0:02:54 > 0:02:57looking gorgeous, you know, to put something back
0:02:57 > 0:03:00and thank the garden, as well, for looking after me.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05And at first glance, it doesn't look in bad shape for the time of year.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07It is an English cottage garden,
0:03:07 > 0:03:09and I want to keep an English cottage garden.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13I want to look out, come out of the front door and for it to look like
0:03:13 > 0:03:18a united garden, a cohesive whole, rather than just bits everywhere.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21- You want it to be quite magical. - I do, yeah.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Our second garden is in Clapham.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34It belongs to Jack, who works in new media,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37and his partner, Chris, a computer programmer.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40They recently bought their flat, and are keen to get cracking
0:03:40 > 0:03:44on transforming their tidy but bland back garden.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47The vision for our garden is to make it a plant lover's dream.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Always loved plants, I've loved collecting different things
0:03:50 > 0:03:53throughout my life, and I think this is our first opportunity, our first garden.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58Collectaholic Jack wants to draw on the past to create
0:03:58 > 0:04:01a garden that will showcase his love of plants.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04This was inspired by a holiday spent visiting Victorian
0:04:04 > 0:04:09gardens around the UK, such as Cragside and Biddulph Grange.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12The Victorians really loved plants, they loved nature, to the point
0:04:12 > 0:04:16where they loved collecting it and showing it off, it was really fashionable for them.
0:04:16 > 0:04:17I feel a little bit like that,
0:04:17 > 0:04:19and I'd love to try and get some of that into our garden.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22But Chris has his own ideas.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25The garden will bring about new opportunities for me
0:04:25 > 0:04:27to get lots of new gadgets,
0:04:27 > 0:04:29so we want to have things like rain gauges, which will be
0:04:29 > 0:04:32connected to the internet, and weather stations
0:04:32 > 0:04:34and pH monitors,
0:04:34 > 0:04:39so we'll be able to bring the garden into the modern time.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42It would be good to know whether we're being totally crazy or not!
0:04:51 > 0:04:54It's March, and in Hereford,
0:04:54 > 0:04:58a very excited Frankie is preparing to meet her idol, Monty.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01I'm absolutely terrified that Monty Don is going to be walking
0:05:01 > 0:05:06round my garden any minute now, and all the things I've
0:05:06 > 0:05:10planted from the Monty Don gardening book, he's going to be looking at!
0:05:10 > 0:05:14I bet he'll notice things that you didn't prune last autumn!
0:05:14 > 0:05:15SHE CHUCKLES
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Rebus is looking all alert.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22- Oh, my God, Monty Don!- Oh!
0:05:29 > 0:05:33- Hello.- I'm Frankie.- Hello, Frankie. - This is my mum, Pat.- Hi.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35- Very nice to meet you. - And you.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39This...
0:05:39 > 0:05:41..is your garden.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44So why do you want to change it?
0:05:44 > 0:05:45It's not...
0:05:45 > 0:05:47It's not complete and it's not whole.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50What I want to do is link.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Keep the nice bits, but take my grotty bits, which is...
0:05:53 > 0:05:57That's a long-awaited pond, have a pond...
0:05:57 > 0:05:58- So you want a pond in there?- Yes.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02With a sort of slight Roman ruin twist.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04- Right... - Which I hope you can help me with.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Rome in an English cottage garden setting.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Then leading through into an orchard area up there.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Lovely fruit trees with daffodils and irises underplanting them,
0:06:16 > 0:06:17and just have a lovely meadow area,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20and to try and make the whole thing...
0:06:20 > 0:06:21link up.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25- Possibly past a mud head...- No, no! - ..but that's slightly controversial.
0:06:25 > 0:06:26What is a mud head?
0:06:26 > 0:06:29Like they've got the giant's head in the Lost Gardens of Heligan.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31If it's in terrible taste...
0:06:31 > 0:06:34There are... It sounds appalling taste!
0:06:34 > 0:06:35There... There are...
0:06:35 > 0:06:37THEY LAUGH
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Not very keen on... But then, it's your garden.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Well, I thought it's like... It's an English cottagey garden...
0:06:43 > 0:06:45What's prompted you to do these changes - why now?
0:06:45 > 0:06:46Well, it's...
0:06:46 > 0:06:50It's a sad story, really, erm... cos my sister,
0:06:50 > 0:06:53she was killed about five years ago in a train crash.
0:06:53 > 0:06:58The garden's been kind of my saviour. It's got me through.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01And then last month, out of the blue, I got a cheque,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04a compensation cheque for £4,000,
0:07:04 > 0:07:08so I just think that that cheque from my sister is like a gift to me
0:07:08 > 0:07:13from my sister to do something that I love, that makes me feel good.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15- So that's your budget.- Yeah.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17It's a nice idea, that, isn't it?
0:07:17 > 0:07:21- I think Jane... I think Jane would love it.- Yeah.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Then there's no question, you have to do it,
0:07:23 > 0:07:27because it's the right, joyful, positive thing to do.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29What I would advise above all else
0:07:29 > 0:07:31is preparation, preparation, preparation.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35- Coupled with a nice cup of tea.- Yes!
0:07:35 > 0:07:37- In we go, come on, Rebus, you can put the kettle on. - DOG BARKS
0:07:37 > 0:07:39It's time for Monty to see
0:07:39 > 0:07:43whether Frankie's unusual ideas make any more sense on paper.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48But when Monty sees Frankie's plans, he spots a big problem.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53What's apparent is that it's random.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58Things are left out, things are put in, and it's floating.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02It's not accurate, and nothing is connected to anything else.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Frankie wants to use a derelict space to create a Roman-style
0:08:07 > 0:08:10wildlife pond, complete with wooden ruins,
0:08:10 > 0:08:13an orchard with a wild flower meadow underneath...
0:08:13 > 0:08:20Next to this, an enormous mud head completes her dream plans.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27Each item - pond, head, orchard -
0:08:27 > 0:08:29is seen as totally separate.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32- They have to be connected.- Yeah.
0:08:32 > 0:08:33And...
0:08:33 > 0:08:36the obvious and simplest way to do it is with a path.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40- You need to work out where your paths are going to be...- Yeah.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42..and they are as important as the beds.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Also, your face, your head...
0:08:45 > 0:08:47Tell me what you mean by a mud head.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50This is a photo that Mother took
0:08:50 > 0:08:52of the giant's head in the Lost Gardens of Heligan.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56You see this head literally coming out of the ground,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59with amazing planting on the top.
0:08:59 > 0:09:00Not easy.
0:09:00 > 0:09:01- No.- Really not easy,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03I mean, just the undercutting of the nose
0:09:03 > 0:09:05and how it's held, and...
0:09:05 > 0:09:07I can't believe that's mud.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09No, if it was simple, everybody would have one!
0:09:09 > 0:09:10I promise you, they wouldn't!
0:09:10 > 0:09:12Why not make a topiary head?
0:09:12 > 0:09:14- Oh, I'd love a topiary head. - Well, that can be done.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Monty thinks that the mud head should be scrapped,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20and replaced with topiary.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Frankie should add paths that will connect up
0:09:23 > 0:09:25different parts of the garden.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28He suggests covering the back wall in trellis
0:09:28 > 0:09:33and growing plants on it, and he wants her to rethink her dream pond.
0:09:33 > 0:09:34Now...
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Blimey, is what I say.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Here we have Hadrian's Villa,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41which I have been to a number of times.
0:09:42 > 0:09:43What...
0:09:43 > 0:09:46What you're looking at is one of the grandest, most expensive,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49extravagant structures in the history of gardening,
0:09:49 > 0:09:50and that's what you want.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53THEY LAUGH
0:09:53 > 0:09:54If you're going to dream, dream big.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56I don't quite want the Roman...
0:09:56 > 0:09:59I want the FEELING of Hadrian's Villa in the garden.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02Forget your Hadrian's villa and your pillars and the rest of it -
0:10:02 > 0:10:03- that can come later.- Yeah.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Monty wants Frankie to focus on the shape and size of her pond
0:10:08 > 0:10:11and he's determined to help her make these decisions
0:10:11 > 0:10:14while he's around to supervise.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18Luckily, some of Frankie's friends have also come along to lend a hand.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23- Hello!- Hi!- Hello, I'm Monty. - Catherine.- Catherine.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26- Nick.- Nick, nice to meet you. - Chris.- Chris, and you are...?
0:10:26 > 0:10:31- Mandy.- Right. We've got three things to get done this afternoon.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35The chicken fence needs to be completely removed
0:10:35 > 0:10:39and then all the scrubby undergrowth cut back, raked up,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41made into a heap for a bonfire,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45- and we've got to dig a pond. No pressure(!)- OK!
0:10:45 > 0:10:47- This afternoon? Right, no problem.- Good!
0:10:47 > 0:10:52Can I suggest you four start on the chicken surrounds,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54then we can tackle the undergrowth,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56while Frankie and I mark out the pond.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00And I'll make the coffees and teas, if anybody wants one.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Good. And beautifully said.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06While Pat puts the kettle on, the volunteers get to work.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11You have to be a very good friend to do this for someone.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13- They're a good, a good team.- Yeah.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17So keep our fingers crossed they'll all still come!
0:11:19 > 0:11:23It seems the volunteers might have their own reasons for helping.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26We're neighbours, so we've got to look at it every day
0:11:26 > 0:11:29and Frankie needs to be kept in check,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32otherwise who knows what will be in the garden?
0:11:33 > 0:11:37Maybe Monty thinks so too, as he helps Frankie mark out her pond.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41So if I stand marking some sticks out and you just say
0:11:41 > 0:11:43- if you're happy...- Yeah.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46He explains that marking out the pond before digging will
0:11:46 > 0:11:50give an idea of the size and shape and avoid expensive mistakes.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Is it the sort of size you want and the sort of shape?
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Yes, the size is perfect and the shape is lovely.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03It's just as well, because Monty isn't planning on wasting any time.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06We've hired a mini digger. It's waiting round the corner.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Time to get into action.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13ENGINE STARTS
0:12:16 > 0:12:20- It's Monty Don in my garden with a digger!- Oh, my goodness! Watch out!
0:12:24 > 0:12:28Monty in a digger, that's all a girl needs!
0:12:28 > 0:12:31I mean, it's exciting seeing Monty Don come down your garden path,
0:12:31 > 0:12:34but seeing Monty Don in a mini digger coming down your garden path
0:12:34 > 0:12:36is just like...
0:12:36 > 0:12:39You want to go and have a lie down and palpitations, basically!
0:12:41 > 0:12:44With the pond dug out and the plan agreed,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Monty leaves Frankie with some homework.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50I will come back in a few weeks' time to help with the planting,
0:12:50 > 0:12:55by which time I would expect that top area to be cleared,
0:12:55 > 0:12:59raked, prepared, and then we can think about planting.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02Frankie's plan is fascinating
0:13:02 > 0:13:06but totally ignores paths and entrances and steps and exits,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10the practical bits and pieces that if you don't get right
0:13:10 > 0:13:12don't hold the garden together.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14I now see that if I'd started on my own,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17it would have been horrendous.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20He's nailed it and we're going on the right track,
0:13:20 > 0:13:22so I feel confident that I can get on with it.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29Monty is in Clapham
0:13:29 > 0:13:32and he's on his way to meet Jack and Chris for the very first time.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Just keep it chilled because I know you're a big fan!
0:13:35 > 0:13:37- OK?- I'll be calm.
0:13:40 > 0:13:41DOORBELL RINGS
0:13:43 > 0:13:44Ah, there is someone there. Hello.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47- I'm Monty. Nice to meet you. - I'm Jack, nice to meet you.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51- Chris, nice to meet you, Monty. - Pleased to be here. Thanks.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54- Here we go. - The garden's down this way.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58But what will Monty make of their tiny 30-metre-square garden?
0:14:00 > 0:14:04- Well, it is small. - Yeah!- It is small.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07- But it's a nice space, isn't it? - Yeah.- It feels good.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09It is very nice. We do love it. It's a great space
0:14:09 > 0:14:12but it doesn't have that wow factor.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Jack hopes that his plans will add that wow factor.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19We're going to put in a living wall down the side, full of ferns.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22That's our modern take on a Victoria fernery,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25which is something we're really excited about,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27and then just otherwise it's lots and lots of colour.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31- So you're the gardener? And then what about you?- I'm the labourer.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33I like the sort of technical aspect of it,
0:14:33 > 0:14:37so we've got lots of gadgets around the garden that I was able to get.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39I mean, for someone of my generation
0:14:39 > 0:14:41it's an interesting angle to come at it.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44What in particular are you thinking of planting?
0:14:44 > 0:14:47You talk about wow plants, big impact - what have you got in mind?
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Definitely dahlias, so they need to feature heavily,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52so I think particularly, some of the really giant...
0:14:52 > 0:14:56- Why do they need to feature heavily? - Uh... I love them.- Right!
0:14:56 > 0:15:00Because they're so large and loud and colourful and bright.
0:15:00 > 0:15:01What's your budget?
0:15:01 > 0:15:04- £2,000 for everything.- OK.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08So that includes all of them, all plants and all the pots.
0:15:08 > 0:15:09Aside from the budget,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13there's something else that could really scupper their plans.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15We're going to be having some work done.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18We're going to be moving the bathroom and having some nice
0:15:18 > 0:15:21double doors at the back and another door out into the garden.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24So you're going to be reshaping your house at the same time as
0:15:24 > 0:15:26- you're making the garden.- We are.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Has it not crossed your mind that the builders will have mess
0:15:29 > 0:15:32and rubble and that it will spill out into the garden?
0:15:32 > 0:15:35It has, but we'll have to manage that.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37Let's hope those aren't famous last words.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42Jack and Chris want to make the most of their small space
0:15:42 > 0:15:44by cramming it with plants
0:15:44 > 0:15:47in both the existing beds and dozens of pots.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53At the back, they want to create a living wall packed with ferns.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59And in the centre, they want an area to entertain guests.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03As soon as Monty sees Jack's plans,
0:16:03 > 0:16:06he notices something unusual for an amateur gardener.
0:16:06 > 0:16:07Along the side here you've got
0:16:07 > 0:16:11"dahlia and exotic plant collection in large plots."
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Exotic plant collection? What's that?
0:16:13 > 0:16:16I am a bit of a collector, so once I start collecting things,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19I want more of them, and to get the full set
0:16:19 > 0:16:23but I think also it adds variety and interest to people.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25And when it comes to his collections,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Jack refuses to settle for anything but the best.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32- It's got to be perfect, so once you start...- Oh, well, so no pressure.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35- So you've got to go for it and it's got to be perfect.- Yes.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37Big challenge?
0:16:37 > 0:16:38THEY LAUGH
0:16:38 > 0:16:40First time for everything!
0:16:40 > 0:16:44So the big dream is to have the perfect garden,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46the perfect collection.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48One of the standard design tricks
0:16:48 > 0:16:51or rules, even - in small gardens,
0:16:51 > 0:16:55it works very well to have fewer things but bigger things.
0:16:55 > 0:17:00A few really big things give you more room and it ups the scale.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Lots of little things make it seem cluttered and crowded.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Monty understands Jack's vision
0:17:07 > 0:17:10but thinks that he needs to control his collecting habits.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14He suggests scaling back on the number of plants in the garden,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16which will open up the space.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19I think there's a few things that jump out
0:17:19 > 0:17:22- where I'd love to have your help. Dahlias is one of them.- Yeah.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25I would love advice on that because I love them,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27never grown them before, but also
0:17:27 > 0:17:33I think, for us, it's the living wall of ferns, making that work.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36We'll need to do our research and see what's best, you know,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38for the space we've got.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42I have to say, the combination of gardening and hi-tech
0:17:42 > 0:17:45is not one that I've ever really come across.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48It's much better having someone here than reading it
0:17:48 > 0:17:51in a book or online, I think you get a lot more
0:17:51 > 0:17:53and he's got so much experience,
0:17:53 > 0:17:57so we'll try and draw out as much as we can.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59This could be the beginning of something very special.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03I genuinely can't wait to see the end result.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11It's April, and Monty is back
0:18:11 > 0:18:15in Hereford to see what Frankie has been up to.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Hello.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19- Hello!- Hello.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22She's trying to create her dream cottage garden
0:18:22 > 0:18:25and Monty has suggested that she needs to focus on the basics
0:18:25 > 0:18:29like building paths and sorting out the ugly back wall.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32As ever, Frankie's trusty team are hard at work.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37- I like the green paint. - It makes a difference, doesn't it?
0:18:37 > 0:18:39It does, it gets rid of that horrible grey.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Are you going to put the trellis along or not?
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Yes, there's a place up the road that does lovely cleft chestnut.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49So tell me about these trees you've got, looking very new.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53I've got an apple, a pear and a quince.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Wonderful, now where do you want them to go?
0:18:56 > 0:18:59- Along the back ridge, I think. - Can you show me?- Yeah.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Put sticks where you think they ought to go.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05Frankie seems to like being instinctive with her planting ideas.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07I'd like the quince at the front
0:19:07 > 0:19:10- because I like the quince blossom the best.- Right.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13I'm not sure if the pear should go there
0:19:13 > 0:19:17because it's near to the other pear, and that might help it pollinate.
0:19:17 > 0:19:22- The proximity for pollination is utterly irrelevant.- OK.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26- As long as it's within the same garden, it's fine.- Oh, good.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31The other thing to bear in mind is that apples need best drainage...
0:19:31 > 0:19:38- Right.- Pears need good drainage and can cope with a little bit less sun.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42Quince prefer it to be slightly moist,
0:19:42 > 0:19:44so I would always plant my quince
0:19:44 > 0:19:46at the bottom of the slope, not the top.
0:19:46 > 0:19:51So if we put that there, like that,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54it means that the quince, which we want as low as possible,
0:19:54 > 0:19:56and could take a bit of shade,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59again as a bush, doesn't want to come much lower than that,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01- could come back a bit like that. - Yeah.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Say there.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06See, I would plant another one here.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12- Now, how's that looking?- That looks really orchard-like.- Good.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14So let's get planting.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16Monty explains that when planting a tree
0:20:16 > 0:20:20always dig a bigger hole than you think you need.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Stake trees into the prevailing wind.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Water well and apply mulch to the top,
0:20:26 > 0:20:28rather than in the planting hole.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33Keep well watered for the first year and remove stakes after three years.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38OK, watered, mulched, we just need to tie them. Have you got any ties?
0:20:38 > 0:20:40- I've got some string.- String...
0:20:40 > 0:20:44is better than nothing, but not very good, because string either
0:20:44 > 0:20:49holds it tight or else it chafes against the string.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51- You want the tree to move in the wind.- Yeah.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54And the more strength it has, the more wind resistant it is.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58- The stronger it is, yeah. - I would buy some rubber ties.- Right.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01- Not too big. And use them. - Specialist ties?
0:21:01 > 0:21:04- Yes, you buy tree ties. - Right, tree ties.
0:21:05 > 0:21:06Trees planted and staked,
0:21:06 > 0:21:10the next item on the to-do list is Frankie's meadow.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Monty recommends that when planting a meadow,
0:21:13 > 0:21:16it's important to get rid of all the weeds first.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19For poor soil, choose seed mixes with perennials,
0:21:19 > 0:21:24like bluebells, and for rich soil a mix of annuals, like poppies.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27The things to remember about sowing seed is don't be tempted to
0:21:27 > 0:21:31sow thickly. You'll get no better results by sowing thicker.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33These are individual plants
0:21:33 > 0:21:35and if you crowd them they'll just be thin and weedy.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37So that's the number one rule.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41And two, when you've got them in the ground, tread all over them,
0:21:41 > 0:21:45push them down against the ground or roll them. You want to get contact.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50- Right.- In other words, don't rake it, tread it.- OK.- Flatten it.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53And the third thing, and this is absolutely critical,
0:21:53 > 0:21:55don't let it dry out.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59- It just looks fantastic, doesn't it, Mum?- It looks like an orchard!
0:21:59 > 0:22:01It does!
0:22:01 > 0:22:05I hope I've managed to introduce the idea of a little rhythm
0:22:05 > 0:22:11and spacial harmony without losing Frankie's lovely free spirit.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15It's starting to feel like it's coming together a bit more.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19It's been like a smashed egg omelette for weeks
0:22:19 > 0:22:23- and it's been hard work. It's fantastic having Monty back.- Yeah!
0:22:23 > 0:22:24Can we have him every week?
0:22:24 > 0:22:28So if she can get that bank sown, the pond filled up
0:22:28 > 0:22:34and some decent planting, there's a garden there waiting to come alive.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43But no sooner is Monty's back turned than Frankie is ignoring
0:22:43 > 0:22:45all his advice about her mud head.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48My garden is looking so lovely now,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50but it's just missing that...
0:22:50 > 0:22:53thing that makes it different from everybody else
0:22:53 > 0:22:54and I just think it needs a mud head.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57I still think it needs a mud head.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Oh, no!
0:22:59 > 0:23:02- Monty will be surprised! - Yeah, he will.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05- Good surprised or bad surprised? - PAT LAUGHS
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Frankie is mixing up some cob - a mixture of straw
0:23:08 > 0:23:10and subsoil to cover her head.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15- What are you going to call the mud head?- Monty!
0:23:15 > 0:23:17SHE LAUGHS
0:23:17 > 0:23:21He'll be immortalised in mud. What greater honour can we give him?
0:23:21 > 0:23:23LAUGHTER CONTINUES
0:23:28 > 0:23:32Look at that! It sticks!
0:23:32 > 0:23:35I feel like a master sculptor.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38And along with some help from her volunteers,
0:23:38 > 0:23:40the mud head is brought to life.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43I think this is something I'd remember.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46If I saw a mud head in someone's garden I'd remember that.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48Yes, Frankie!
0:23:48 > 0:23:50But what will your hero Monty feel
0:23:50 > 0:23:52when he realises you ignored his advice?
0:23:55 > 0:23:59Back in Clapham, Monty's visit has spurred Jack and Chris on
0:23:59 > 0:24:03and they're keen to get on with building their fern wall.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07To turn their dreams into reality, they had to get some help
0:24:07 > 0:24:10from Mum and Dad.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13I think he'd rather we all backed off
0:24:13 > 0:24:15and he could just get on with it.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18No, he's really good. He knows what he's doing.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22Green walls like this are being used increasingly to bring
0:24:22 > 0:24:26vegetation to urban settings, often with architectural touches.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30These larger designs need special racks and watering systems.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34Jack and Chris have bought fence posts, which they plan to
0:24:34 > 0:24:36combine with planks of wood to make shelves to house
0:24:36 > 0:24:39their collection of potted ferns.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43It isn't long before it all starts going a bit wrong.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46There. It stops.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51- There's something there. - It's a stone.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Perhaps it's the concrete of an old fence, John.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59There's a lot of rubble and flint and stones down there.
0:24:59 > 0:25:04You could put the post in on its own without this.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Let's try and get the stone out.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12Ever the perfectionist, Jack isn't going to give up.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14That's going to reach Australia in a minute.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18And after a lot of digging, it finally pays off.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20Yay!
0:25:20 > 0:25:21CHEERING
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Problem solved, Dad gets back to work.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29And before long, he has the last panels in place.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31Perfect fit.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Look at that!
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Dad's done a brilliant job
0:25:37 > 0:25:39of actually turning our idea into a reality.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41I'm really pleased it's happened.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45I don't know, maybe this was the easy part. I don't know.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47I don't know how many of these we're going to need.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55To help Jack and Chris work out at the next steps for their fern wall
0:25:55 > 0:25:58and get some tips for their plant collections,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Monty has sent them to the Chelsea Physic Garden.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05Head gardener Nick Bailey is on hand to take them round.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08- Hey!- Hi, guys, welcome to the garden.- Nice to meet you.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10The garden is home to a huge collection of rare plants
0:26:10 > 0:26:12from around the world.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16Many of these species were brought to Britain by plant collectors,
0:26:16 > 0:26:20who used a simple yet effective device to transport their finds.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24There's about 5,000 species sitting here today,
0:26:24 > 0:26:28and of course many of them would arrive in these wardian cases.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Nick explains that the wardian case was created by Nathaniel Ward
0:26:32 > 0:26:36in 1829, to allow plants to survive long journeys.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40And Jack has a bit of a connection to its inventor.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43The guy that invented it lived two minutes away
0:26:43 > 0:26:45- from our house in Clapham.- OK!
0:26:45 > 0:26:48I was wondering, did he ever work here or...?
0:26:48 > 0:26:50He didn't work at the Physic Garden,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53but he was an associate of the Physic Garden, he was an adviser.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57Knowing Jack is a big fan of plant collections, Nick shows him
0:26:57 > 0:27:00one of the garden's best examples.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03I've never seen such a variety of pelargoniums before.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05Some I've never seen before.
0:27:05 > 0:27:06I mean, this, I suppose,
0:27:06 > 0:27:09is the lovely thing about a collection, that it really
0:27:09 > 0:27:13shows you the diversity and just how different these plants can be.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17There's one that virtually looks like a cacti over there.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19These are some of the scented leaf forms.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22This is one called Attar Of Roses.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Have a crush and a smell.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26It often get used in perfumery
0:27:26 > 0:27:29and it's got that sort of rose water scent to it, so it smells like...
0:27:29 > 0:27:33- Turkish Delight. - Yeah, Turkish Delight, yeah.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Next, a collection which should have some good plants to inspire
0:27:36 > 0:27:38Jack and Chris.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42This is one of our British native ferns.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44It's called Asplenium scolopendrium.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46It's a broadleaf fern, so it doesn't have
0:27:46 > 0:27:50any of those divisions that you often see on ferns.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52And is probably one of the easiest ones to grow,
0:27:52 > 0:27:54so it could work really well in your wall.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58Are there any major pests of ferns that we should be aware of?
0:27:58 > 0:28:01There's a few things to think about. Western flower thrip
0:28:01 > 0:28:04is a real issue, and unfortunately there's very
0:28:04 > 0:28:06little available on the market to deal with it.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09But the answer is really good growing in the first place.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12The other problem you often get is with slugs and snails.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15Of course there's numerous organic methods you can use to control that.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18You can get some organic sprays which make leaves taste
0:28:18 > 0:28:19really horrible.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21You can also use daggings,
0:28:21 > 0:28:24which is trimmings from a sheep's rear end. Um...
0:28:24 > 0:28:27And put that around your plant and they won't crawl across that.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31But probably the easiest thing to do is just an evening hunt with your...
0:28:31 > 0:28:35Particularly on a rainy evening, go outside with your torch.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38You'll find they'll all be out looking for something to eat.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41- I'd rather do that than handle dagging.- Yeah!
0:28:41 > 0:28:43It's been really exciting.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47We've taken in so much information. Nick's been fantastic showing us around.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50It's been nice to see that we are on the right track.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52It's given us a lot more excitement about getting to the end
0:28:52 > 0:28:55and having this, you know, really cool garden.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02Back in Hereford, Frankie still seems to be ignoring Monty's
0:29:02 > 0:29:04to-do list.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07She's cooking up an unusual treat for her mud head.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10So, you got lots of moss, lots of yoghurt...
0:29:10 > 0:29:13And there is a moss milkshake.
0:29:13 > 0:29:14LOUD WHIZZING
0:29:14 > 0:29:18- Whoo! - LAUGHTER
0:29:18 > 0:29:22It looks absolutely disgusting!
0:29:22 > 0:29:24Look at that!
0:29:24 > 0:29:27- Do you want to try some?- No!
0:29:27 > 0:29:29Here we go. Pour that in there.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33Lovely!
0:29:33 > 0:29:36- This is going to be painted on the front of the mud head.- Yes.
0:29:36 > 0:29:37And the idea is,
0:29:37 > 0:29:40all those little bits of moss will stick to the mud head
0:29:40 > 0:29:43and spread so that the whole face of the mud head will be
0:29:43 > 0:29:45covered in moss and be green.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49So it won't look muddy, it'll look green and gorgeous.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51Moss milkshake made,
0:29:51 > 0:29:55all that's left to do is to paint it on and hope it sticks.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59It's beautiful! Look at that!
0:29:59 > 0:30:01Frankie, put some on its eyebrows -
0:30:01 > 0:30:04on both the eyebrows - and make them a bit bushy.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06- A bit Denis Healey.- Yes!
0:30:06 > 0:30:08Do you know? I bet, in America,
0:30:08 > 0:30:10women would probably pay to have this done.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12SHE LAUGHS
0:30:12 > 0:30:15This is... sedge grass called frosted curls
0:30:15 > 0:30:18and I've got seven plants, I think.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21I'm going to put three in the head, to make the hair,
0:30:21 > 0:30:23and I've put some holes...
0:30:23 > 0:30:26I've chiselled some holes in, so I don't know.
0:30:26 > 0:30:27I've not tried this before.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30So, the idea is we'll have some on the top,
0:30:30 > 0:30:34some in the side. And they grow to 30cm, so, eventually,
0:30:34 > 0:30:37this should grow and cover the whole mud head.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43So, if I put that down there, to make more of a fringe,
0:30:43 > 0:30:47if I plant them slightly sideways...
0:30:49 > 0:30:53..to come down. They've got good roots on them.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55- Hey, look...- It's brilliant.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57It's brought it to life...
0:30:57 > 0:31:00With the moss all over its face and the hair.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02You're liking the mud head now, aren't you?
0:31:02 > 0:31:04Well, I'm accepting it, I just have to.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06You like the mud head.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09No, it isn't as bad as I thought it would be.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12I'm slightly coming round to it and I like its hair.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16That's because you're a hairdresser. I think it's wonderful.
0:31:16 > 0:31:20So, that's Pat converted, but what will Monty think?
0:31:22 > 0:31:25It's May and Monty is back in Clapham
0:31:25 > 0:31:27to see how Jack and Chris are getting along.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34I'm very interested to see how much Jack and Chris
0:31:34 > 0:31:37have developed from the original discussions we've had
0:31:37 > 0:31:40because it seemed to me then that the key to this garden,
0:31:40 > 0:31:42for them at least,
0:31:42 > 0:31:43was to indulge
0:31:43 > 0:31:47and engage in this slightly geeky passion for collecting
0:31:47 > 0:31:52and to really focus on just a few plants that excited them.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55Jack and Chris are creating a plant lover's paradise,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57packed with dahlias.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01They're also making a living wall full of ferns.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03But their lack of experience is beginning to show
0:32:03 > 0:32:07and they need some basic advice from Britain's favourite gardener,
0:32:07 > 0:32:09particularly when it comes to potting on their ferns.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11We need to pot up the ferns because some of them
0:32:11 > 0:32:14are coming bare root, others are coming in small pots
0:32:14 > 0:32:16and they need to be put into bigger size.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19We want Monty's help with it because we've never done that.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21There's a lot of conflicting stuff about the kind of soil that's
0:32:21 > 0:32:24needed for different kinds of ferns
0:32:24 > 0:32:28and I think we need a bit of clarity on how different it needs to be.
0:32:28 > 0:32:34My feeling is you do more damage obsessing about details with compost
0:32:34 > 0:32:39than just buying a good bark-based peat-free compost.
0:32:39 > 0:32:40If you want a little bit more drainage,
0:32:40 > 0:32:45add some vermiculite, horticultural grit or perlite.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48If you want to hold moisture a bit more,
0:32:48 > 0:32:52you can buy either a soil improver or make your own garden compost
0:32:52 > 0:32:54and add 20% of that to it.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56Honestly, I'd keep it as simple as that.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58Right, one little tip I can show you if,
0:32:58 > 0:33:01if you have a lovely fern like this,
0:33:01 > 0:33:05which is fantastic, and you want to put it into a bigger pot,
0:33:05 > 0:33:08put some compost in the bottom like that...
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Stick that on top.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16Just gently pour soil - don't push or pack around it...
0:33:16 > 0:33:17All the way around.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19Carefully lift that out...
0:33:19 > 0:33:21So these are whole.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23Pull that out. Pop it in. THEY LAUGH
0:33:23 > 0:33:25Water it in gently.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27It will subside a little bit.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30The roots will find their own way out.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32If you want to top it up a little bit later, you can do that.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34And that's potted on.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37And that...you've got the right proportion all round it.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39You've got exactly the same space all around,
0:33:39 > 0:33:42it's got room for it to grow into, and that's fine.
0:33:42 > 0:33:46Ferns potted on, it's time for them to take their place on the living wall.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49OK, space them out how you want them.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53Now what strikes me...
0:33:53 > 0:33:56is you've got one, two, three, four, five, six, seven,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58you've got eight ferns there,
0:33:58 > 0:34:01so you've going to need at least eight per section.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03One, two, three, four, five.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05You've got ten sections, so you need 80 ferns.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Go shopping. THEY LAUGH
0:34:08 > 0:34:12Take out thy credit card, walk to the fern shop
0:34:12 > 0:34:15and buy another 40.
0:34:15 > 0:34:19A fern shopping spree? Music to Jack's ears.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22But first, some advice about his other obsession.
0:34:22 > 0:34:23Let's look at dahlias
0:34:23 > 0:34:26because I know dahlias have sort of eaten into you, haven't they?
0:34:26 > 0:34:29- Yes.- They've got you. - Yes, they have.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32But you haven't got much experience of growing them.
0:34:32 > 0:34:33- Never grown them.- Right.
0:34:33 > 0:34:39This is a very nice example of a healthy dahlia plant.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41What I like about it is...
0:34:41 > 0:34:43That you've pinched out the top.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45Was that on purpose or accident?
0:34:45 > 0:34:47It was on purpose, but I didn't know what I was doing
0:34:47 > 0:34:48so I stopped on that one.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50Can I just tell you that, instinctively,
0:34:50 > 0:34:52you did exactly the right thing?
0:34:52 > 0:34:54Can you see that you've got nice side-shoots
0:34:54 > 0:34:56growing from where you pinched it out?
0:34:56 > 0:35:00Lovely strong side-shoots from below, more side-shoots down there.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04These side-shoots are going to have the flowers.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06So, in principle, at this time of year,
0:35:06 > 0:35:08cutting it back, pinching it out,
0:35:08 > 0:35:11will produce more flowers that will last longer and later.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16There are around 20,000 types of dahlias,
0:35:16 > 0:35:17and they come in all shapes and sizes,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20and give colour well into the autumn.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23But as Monty explains, when the frosts start,
0:35:23 > 0:35:27either cover them or dig them up and store them until spring.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33It's early summer
0:35:33 > 0:35:36and Frankie and Pat are about to get a masterclass in what
0:35:36 > 0:35:39goes into giving a garden structure and form.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42They've travelled to Bryan's Ground,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44a stunning Arts And Crafts-style garden,
0:35:44 > 0:35:47to meet one of the owners, Simon Dorrell.
0:35:47 > 0:35:48- Hi.- Hello.- I'm Frankie.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51- Hello, Frankie. I'm Simon. - Hello, Simon. Nice to meet you.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53- And this my mother Pat. - Hello, Pat.- Hello.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55- Lovely to meet you. - Lovely to meet you as well.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58- Welcome to Bryan's Ground. - Your irises are just beautiful.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01- They're looking splendid, aren't they?- It's stunning. Really lovely.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04- Let me show you the rest of the garden.- Looking forward to it.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09Set over eight acres, the gardens at Bryan's Ground
0:36:09 > 0:36:11have been created from scratch
0:36:11 > 0:36:14by the present owners over the last 22 years.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17They meticulously planned every inch of the space
0:36:17 > 0:36:20and did all of the planting and landscaping themselves.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24Principally, I thought that the garden should have a very close
0:36:24 > 0:36:25relationship to the house,
0:36:25 > 0:36:29so a lot of the vistas that are the backbones of the garden
0:36:29 > 0:36:32emanate from doors and windows in the house.
0:36:32 > 0:36:37So I took canes and string and I laid out vistas across the garden,
0:36:37 > 0:36:40which today form the backbone of the design.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42I planted many more hedges and avenues of trees,
0:36:42 > 0:36:45and I've used a lot of topiary as well cos they're wonderful
0:36:45 > 0:36:47at articulating that space.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49They have wonderful form and structure.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52The thing with my garden.... And Monty said it,
0:36:52 > 0:36:56it just looks like a load of borders plonked in with no structure.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00I feel that you need to just impose a bit of order
0:37:00 > 0:37:04and then you're much freer with your planting.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06You can do absolutely anything you want to do.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08It's getting the big things...
0:37:08 > 0:37:11I think it's getting the bones right very early on
0:37:11 > 0:37:14and then everything else falls into place.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17In the past, I've always been a bit worried about topiary because
0:37:17 > 0:37:21my garden's not...it's a normal size, but it's not huge.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24I always thought I'd have to come to a big garden to see topiary, but...
0:37:24 > 0:37:26But obviously I'm gardening on a very large scale here.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28We're in a part of the garden...
0:37:28 > 0:37:32Just this part is 5.5 acres, so obviously very different for you.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34But I think, even in a small garden,
0:37:34 > 0:37:39it lends a wonderful sense of scale and progress.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44Simon shows Pat and Frankie lots of examples of topiary.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46They are made from box and yew and he shows them
0:37:46 > 0:37:51how successful shapes can be created by growing over frames.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54The real secret to success lies in how to clip the bushes.
0:37:54 > 0:37:55They're gorgeous.
0:37:55 > 0:38:00Yes, this is yew topiary and, here, I clipped it into a pyramidal form.
0:38:00 > 0:38:01These I cut twice a year.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05You can get away with cutting them once a year, about September.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07What do you use to cut them with, Simon?
0:38:07 > 0:38:09Well, I used hand shears.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11I know a lot of people use electric shears,
0:38:11 > 0:38:13but I like to use hand shears.
0:38:13 > 0:38:19I think it is a much closer cut and you can refine it as you go along.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21I would think that this is quite difficult to do,
0:38:21 > 0:38:23this kind of cutting,
0:38:23 > 0:38:28- because it isn't a straight line down...- No.- ..like that.
0:38:28 > 0:38:29It takes a degree of concentration,
0:38:29 > 0:38:33- but you do get your eye in quite quickly.- Do you?
0:38:33 > 0:38:37And if you lay the shears on the plane and cut across,
0:38:37 > 0:38:40you can get this flat face.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42I'll show you what I mean.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45- I see. You cut across, but not... - Yes.- ..down.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47So I'm going across, like that, all the time.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49Not taking very much off.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51So, I think you should have a go and see how you get on.
0:38:51 > 0:38:56- I'll hold your stick.- Make sure you're side on to the plane.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58Absolutely brilliant.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Looks like our retired hairdresser Pat is a natural.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04You can come and cut all my topiary for me.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06SHE LAUGHS You've got the job.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10For Frankie, the visit to Bryan's Ground has been a revelation.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13Coming here, you can see that you can put the structure,
0:39:13 > 0:39:15the topiary, the fencing, the lines in,
0:39:15 > 0:39:19and still have this gorgeous, gorgeous planting.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21And it's just fantastic.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23This is just the sort of garden I want to take my shoes off
0:39:23 > 0:39:28and run around in the morning, which is what I wanted from day one.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35It's July.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37In Clapham, Jack and Chris are struggling
0:39:37 > 0:39:39trying to renovate their house
0:39:39 > 0:39:42and create their dream garden all at the same time.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46But even building chaos can't stop Jack's plant collecting.
0:39:48 > 0:39:53- There we are, look.- Add that to the pile.- Brilliant.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56I promise, these are some of the last few to arrive!
0:39:56 > 0:40:00I don't think we can... I don't think we can take any more.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03I think the main challenge is, when the first works started,
0:40:03 > 0:40:07there was loads of dust and it was a bit of a panic at that point.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11The building work has turned Jack into an overprotective parent.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15He's been OK. I think seeing him almost dusting down the leaves,
0:40:15 > 0:40:18I think the neighbours will probably think he's a bit crazy.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21But, you know, it's a labour of love.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25And Chris has been busy, too.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29So...this gizmo is one of Chris' additions to the garden.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32It's a rain gauge. Chris is really obsessed with gadgets.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36He loves tracking every part of his life - his heartbeat to how much
0:40:36 > 0:40:39rain and pressure there is every day - to keep a record.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42I think he's actually got more into gardening because of it.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48Back in Hereford,
0:40:48 > 0:40:51Frankie has been hard at work building her paths.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54But still feeling inspired by her visit to Bryan's Ground
0:40:54 > 0:40:55and her topiary lesson,
0:40:55 > 0:40:59she wants to trim her yew trees into a pillar shape.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03Luckily for Frankie, Pat's decided to oversee her efforts.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06Go on, I'll be your supervisor.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10Like... Like in the salon, when you're teaching someone...
0:41:11 > 0:41:15But it's a lot harder than Simon made it look.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18Ooh, my goodness, that doesn't look very good.
0:41:18 > 0:41:19The gaps look worse.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21But I think...
0:41:21 > 0:41:23I think that gap will fill.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28Pat's hairdressing know-how comes in handy.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30Actually, we could tie it back.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34That's a bit of a genius thought, Mother.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36Get a bit of string and fake it.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39It needs a bit more work.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42- Is it better than you expected? - Yes, it is.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47Whilst Frankie may be pleased with her yew-cutting efforts,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50the wild flower meadow has gone badly wrong.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52Frankie's friend Mandy has arrived
0:41:52 > 0:41:54to give some much-needed moral support.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57What do you do?
0:41:57 > 0:42:00- It's a bit of a disaster. - Dig it up and start again?
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Well, this is supposed to be a meadow
0:42:02 > 0:42:04but it's just absolutely full of weeds.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08Perhaps, in her enthusiasm to get started,
0:42:08 > 0:42:12Frankie didn't allow enough time to kill off the weeds.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14Summer is racing past
0:42:14 > 0:42:18and Jack and Chris have a deadline to face.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20Monty's coming in just over a week
0:42:20 > 0:42:23and we need to bulk up our collection of ferns.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27We are short, aren't we? We've only got two-thirds of the wall full.
0:42:27 > 0:42:29I have to admit, I am extremely stressed.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32I think we've got a bit of Monty mania going on.
0:42:32 > 0:42:37It's time to act on Monty's advice and go shopping.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39Here we go.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42Oh, my word! That is a lot of ferns.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45Right, we've got to get going.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47We've got some ferns to buy.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49We need 15 or 20...
0:42:49 > 0:42:52- Yep.- ..that are not on this list. That are...
0:42:52 > 0:42:55If we double up, it doesn't matter too much. OK.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Yeah, this one's perfect. Got one of those already.
0:42:58 > 0:43:02- Got one of those.- I've never been panic fern shopping before.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05This is a first. You think this one is better than that one?
0:43:05 > 0:43:07I think the other one cos it's got less...
0:43:07 > 0:43:09No, the other one that you had.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11- Jack, this is a fern and a banana. - HE LAUGHS
0:43:11 > 0:43:13We have to get this - a few bananas.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15- Brilliant.- I've gone bananas.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18He's very particular, as you can see.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21We had to get exactly the right one.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24It looks as though Chris is getting almost as carried away as Jack.
0:43:24 > 0:43:26If you get too many, is that a problem?
0:43:26 > 0:43:29It's worse not to have enough.
0:43:29 > 0:43:30- And give them to friends.- Yeah.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33Spread the fern love.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35Ferns bought, it's time for Chris to reflect
0:43:35 > 0:43:37on their unusual shopping trip.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40Most people have to put up with their partner's going out
0:43:40 > 0:43:41buying clothes and shoes -
0:43:41 > 0:43:44I have to worry about Jack going out and buying flowers,
0:43:44 > 0:43:47- plants and ferns. - HE LAUGHS
0:43:47 > 0:43:50- Thanks, Chris.- The terrible truth.
0:43:52 > 0:43:54But back at the flat,
0:43:54 > 0:43:57it's clear that the building work is nowhere near finished.
0:43:57 > 0:44:01Perhaps they should have listened to Monty after all.
0:44:01 > 0:44:06I think we were quite confident but really, looking back, very naive...
0:44:06 > 0:44:09to think that the two projects wouldn't interact
0:44:09 > 0:44:12with each other at all and clearly that's...
0:44:12 > 0:44:14In retrospect, that's a bit silly.
0:44:14 > 0:44:17It's made both things hard for everyone.
0:44:17 > 0:44:20It's made working on the garden harder and it's made working on
0:44:20 > 0:44:22the house harder for the builders.
0:44:22 > 0:44:26I'm panicking if we can actually get it all done in time, honestly.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29It's going to be a really interesting few days
0:44:29 > 0:44:30before the party.
0:44:30 > 0:44:34I think we're going to have to really pull out all the stops.
0:44:34 > 0:44:38Over the next week and a half, Jack and Chris move heaven and a
0:44:38 > 0:44:42lot of earth to get their garden finished in time for the party.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50And before they know it, the big day has arrived
0:44:50 > 0:44:52and Monty is due in just a few hours.
0:44:57 > 0:44:59We haven't got time to pick it all out, so we're just going to
0:44:59 > 0:45:03sweep it under the outdoor equivalent of the carpet, which is under a fern.
0:45:03 > 0:45:05They're quite useful for that.
0:45:05 > 0:45:08Really excited about the party, but extremely nervous as well.
0:45:08 > 0:45:12Everything still needs loads of prep doing.
0:45:12 > 0:45:13Don't know what to do with them!
0:45:16 > 0:45:19While Jack is fussing with his flowers,
0:45:19 > 0:45:20Chris is showing off his gadgets.
0:45:20 > 0:45:25One of the things you can do is talk through the camera.
0:45:25 > 0:45:28So Jack can talk to his plants when he's out.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31I have been known to talk to the cat, but not the plants.
0:45:31 > 0:45:33Into the garden now.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36As ever, no detail is overlooked by Jack.
0:45:36 > 0:45:39Not even a speck of dust.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42Essential party preparations, labelling the plants.
0:45:42 > 0:45:46Never mind the food - make sure every plant's got a label.
0:45:47 > 0:45:52414 plants accounted for.
0:45:52 > 0:45:54Gymnocarpium dryopteris.
0:45:56 > 0:46:00- That is one of the ferns in the fern wall, yeah?- Yeah.
0:46:00 > 0:46:07- It's important to have the family. - Yes.- That's one.- One. OK. 149 to go.
0:46:09 > 0:46:13A week ago it had scaffolding, dust everywhere,
0:46:13 > 0:46:16a big hole for the drains and things.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19- These weren't here, these big doors. - Yeah. Some late nights.
0:46:19 > 0:46:21Some late-night gardening.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24So excited for Monty to be coming round to look at the fern wall and dahlias.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27Hopefully we have done him proud in terms of what he advised.
0:46:27 > 0:46:30Yeah. I'm looking forward to him seeing the transformation.
0:46:30 > 0:46:32And I hope he thinks we stuck to plan
0:46:32 > 0:46:34and we did everything we said we were going to do.
0:46:36 > 0:46:40Six months ago, this was a bland and uninspiring back garden
0:46:40 > 0:46:42with more concrete than plants.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46Well!
0:46:46 > 0:46:49It's certainly grown, hasn't it? Haven't they grown!
0:46:52 > 0:46:55Now Jack and Chris have brought this space to life.
0:46:57 > 0:46:59Their fern wall is thriving.
0:47:01 > 0:47:03And there are a variety of dahlias,
0:47:03 > 0:47:05adding height, shape and lots of colour.
0:47:07 > 0:47:10They even have their very own Wardian case.
0:47:11 > 0:47:16The two things it seemed to me you were focusing on, dahlias and ferns,
0:47:16 > 0:47:20have...one taken over from the other or are you still...?
0:47:20 > 0:47:22Is it double loyalties?
0:47:22 > 0:47:25I love the ferns, but I think the dahlias just
0:47:25 > 0:47:28how surprising they are and how they change so rapidly.
0:47:28 > 0:47:33I think you've been surprised how hardy everything has been, given what's gone on.
0:47:33 > 0:47:37Monty wants to know if Chris's geeky gardening gadgets have come in handy.
0:47:37 > 0:47:39Where did the technology come in?
0:47:39 > 0:47:43Things like the rain gauge, when access was limited and it was
0:47:43 > 0:47:47difficult to water, it was really useful having that data to say,
0:47:47 > 0:47:51actually, there's been enough rain today, you don't need to water.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54I think that would interest a lot of gardeners, actually.
0:47:54 > 0:47:59Jack's obsessive cataloguing hasn't gone unnoticed either.
0:47:59 > 0:48:03I have never seen labels in a private amateur's garden
0:48:03 > 0:48:07that are so professional looking. Where's all that come from?
0:48:07 > 0:48:09A bit of madness, but also at the Chelsea Physic Garden
0:48:09 > 0:48:12they had them, and what I love about that is anyone can go there
0:48:12 > 0:48:15and see a plant they like and can get the exact one.
0:48:15 > 0:48:17It's... Without being patronising, it's sort of sweet,
0:48:17 > 0:48:19but it's also a bit bonkers, you've got to admit.
0:48:19 > 0:48:24It is a bit bonkers, and it is a bit over the top. I've enjoyed it.
0:48:24 > 0:48:27Time to hear the verdict from some of their friends.
0:48:27 > 0:48:31It's brilliant. It's really inspiring. So much going on.
0:48:31 > 0:48:34I didn't realise how much you can do with a garden.
0:48:34 > 0:48:35It's amazing, what they made of it.
0:48:35 > 0:48:39The amount of green, and this space, it really brings the space...
0:48:39 > 0:48:40Makes it larger, not smaller.
0:48:40 > 0:48:42I think the garden looks amazing.
0:48:42 > 0:48:46The last time I saw it, it was literally just pavements and fence and walls.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49It is definitely a seal of approval
0:48:49 > 0:48:51seeing someone like Monty Don in their garden.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54And the man who gave them advice on their visit to the Chelsea Physic Garden
0:48:54 > 0:48:57has come to inspect their work too.
0:48:57 > 0:48:59These guys have done a great job.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02And so much diversity, so many different species in here.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05I think the challenge is going to come in that some of them
0:49:05 > 0:49:09want to be growing at the base of a waterfall, really damp and covered
0:49:09 > 0:49:13in water, others want to be growing in rock outcrops and really dry.
0:49:13 > 0:49:18So that's really going to test their horticultural abilities to keep all that going.
0:49:18 > 0:49:22I think, though, with their technologies, they should be able to manage it.
0:49:22 > 0:49:26Jack and Chris have one more thing to celebrate - Chris's birthday.
0:49:28 > 0:49:34You should be feeling a combination of pride and relief, I guess.
0:49:34 > 0:49:38Having to battle through builders to reach this point,
0:49:38 > 0:49:43and not just well done both of you, but I think happy birthday.
0:49:43 > 0:49:46- Thank you!- Happy birthday.
0:49:46 > 0:49:47I'm proud of the garden,
0:49:47 > 0:49:50because I think it still works as a garden as a whole even though
0:49:50 > 0:49:53there is lots of different plants and a collection, it still gels together.
0:49:53 > 0:49:57Yeah, it's calm and it's a nice space.
0:49:57 > 0:50:00I think it will work well as a garden.
0:50:00 > 0:50:03We've actually come in under budget because we grew
0:50:03 > 0:50:05a lot of stuff by seed or from plugs,
0:50:05 > 0:50:09so we budgeted at 2,000, it came in about 1,800. Overall.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12That said, we are going to have to sacrifice a few things, aren't we?
0:50:12 > 0:50:16Yeah, I think we'll have to hold off furnishing the flat a little bit, I think,
0:50:16 > 0:50:20so we might be sitting out in the garden longer than we anticipated.
0:50:22 > 0:50:23That's fine.
0:50:26 > 0:50:31I think Jack and Chris's garden shows one really important fact,
0:50:31 > 0:50:35that when you set out to make a garden,
0:50:35 > 0:50:38you must find the thing that spurs you on.
0:50:38 > 0:50:41It doesn't matter what it is.
0:50:41 > 0:50:46But you need to find that one passion that makes you want
0:50:46 > 0:50:51to get out in the garden in all weathers and in all circumstances.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54For Jack it is a lot of dahlias and ferns,
0:50:54 > 0:50:59and a little bit of technology from Chris.
0:50:59 > 0:51:04But whatever it is, if you find that kernel, then you're hooked.
0:51:09 > 0:51:12It's the day before Monty's final visit to Frankie,
0:51:12 > 0:51:15and the garden is a hive of activity.
0:51:15 > 0:51:18It's going to pour with rain from three o'clock onwards. Yep.
0:51:18 > 0:51:22Might start at two. Starting now. So we've got one hour.
0:51:22 > 0:51:27- I haven't finished my tea yet. - No time for tea!
0:51:27 > 0:51:29There's bits of path that need cutting.
0:51:29 > 0:51:32We're just sort of filling gaps, plugging things,
0:51:32 > 0:51:34and it just feels like there is not enough time.
0:51:34 > 0:51:37I could do with another week and a team of people.
0:51:37 > 0:51:42So it's all hands - and even paws - on deck to make sure it gets done on time.
0:51:42 > 0:51:46Come on, then, come on. Help me dig. That's it. Good boy!
0:51:46 > 0:51:49Can you dig a big hole for this big plant?
0:51:49 > 0:51:51I'm absolutely bricking it at the thought of Monty Don
0:51:51 > 0:51:54walking down my drive and seeing my mud head.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57I think I might get the mother of all telling offs.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00Yeah. I'm absolutely petrified.
0:52:00 > 0:52:03We've put the work in, but it would be just nice for him to say,
0:52:03 > 0:52:04you know, "I like it."
0:52:07 > 0:52:11Back in March, Frankie's garden lacked shape, colour and design.
0:52:15 > 0:52:19- Look at this! It's looking wonderful.- You like it?- I love it!
0:52:21 > 0:52:25Six months on, it's totally transformed.
0:52:25 > 0:52:29Grass paths connect the garden's key elements.
0:52:29 > 0:52:35A wildlife pond surrounded by plants is alive with nature.
0:52:35 > 0:52:41Beds planted with cottage garden flowers bring the colour Frankie wanted.
0:52:41 > 0:52:48The orchard is thriving, and the ugly back wall has been covered in cleft chestnut.
0:52:48 > 0:52:52And in pride of place, Frankie's mud head watches over everything,
0:52:52 > 0:52:56adding a real sense of fun and individuality.
0:52:56 > 0:53:00I can see talking to you originally it was a bit like maths homework.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04There was a lot of nodding and you didn't quite get it.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06No, I didn't get it at all.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09I had to sleep on it, and the next morning after you'd gone,
0:53:09 > 0:53:12the first thing I did was get up with sticks and strings
0:53:12 > 0:53:15and mark out paths, because suddenly the penny dropped.
0:53:15 > 0:53:20What happened to the sort of Greco-Roman villa that was going to be there?
0:53:20 > 0:53:25Hadrian's Villa, from oak, yes, that was the idea.
0:53:25 > 0:53:27Was that... jettisoned?
0:53:27 > 0:53:31Woke up bolt upright at three o'clock in the morning and thought, "What am I thinking?"
0:53:31 > 0:53:35No, it was when you said that Hadrian had 4,000 slaves to build it and I didn't.
0:53:35 > 0:53:39And mud head, he got in here!
0:53:39 > 0:53:41She had to have mud head.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44But he is subtle, he's horticultural.
0:53:44 > 0:53:45He's not subtle!
0:53:45 > 0:53:47Well, he's sort of...
0:53:48 > 0:53:52- He's outrageous.- The hair's good, though.
0:53:52 > 0:53:55The hair is genius. The hair is a triumph.
0:53:55 > 0:53:58And if it makes you happy, then it's wonderful.
0:53:58 > 0:54:02Yeah, I come out of the door every morning and see that, and I laugh.
0:54:02 > 0:54:04I really do. I love it.
0:54:04 > 0:54:07- And you don't think it lowers the tone at all?- I hope it does!
0:54:07 > 0:54:09Yes, good.
0:54:11 > 0:54:15So that's more or less a thumbs up from Monty for the mud head.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18Next, an inspection of Frankie's skills at clipping a yew
0:54:18 > 0:54:21into the beginnings of topiary.
0:54:21 > 0:54:23Ah, yes, I remember this. You have cut it back a bit.
0:54:23 > 0:54:25We have cut it back quite a lot.
0:54:25 > 0:54:28- That is actually a real mistake. - Oh, is it?- Yes.
0:54:29 > 0:54:34Never tie any plant, any living plant, with wire.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37- That will cut into the bark.- Yeah.
0:54:37 > 0:54:42Always tie things up with softer material than the thing you are tying.
0:54:42 > 0:54:44- Right.- It's a really good rule of thumb.
0:54:44 > 0:54:49Finally, Monty wants to see how the orchard he helped plant is coming along.
0:54:49 > 0:54:52So the orchard is now established.
0:54:52 > 0:54:56- Trees... I see you have completed the planting.- Yes.
0:54:56 > 0:54:58The wild flower meadow,
0:54:58 > 0:55:01I gather it wasn't as big a success as it might have been?
0:55:01 > 0:55:03No, it was a disaster.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06It was full of weeds, it swamped everything else,
0:55:06 > 0:55:09so we just strimmed it. And I think it looks better
0:55:09 > 0:55:12from down below when you look up to the garden.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15- Does it feel like an orchardy sort of space?- Definitely. It really does.
0:55:15 > 0:55:19And it's going to have bulbs planted to come up in the spring,
0:55:19 > 0:55:22and I've got fruit already.
0:55:22 > 0:55:25- Things have gone well. - They have gone well.
0:55:26 > 0:55:30As Pat and Frankie's friends start arriving, it's time to toast
0:55:30 > 0:55:34the garden and all of the hard work and people that made it possible.
0:55:34 > 0:55:39When I first came here, I realised within a minute or two
0:55:39 > 0:55:46that this was a madhouse, and that the garden had some lovely things in it, and some lovely bits,
0:55:46 > 0:55:49but it was chaotic, it was all over the shop.
0:55:49 > 0:55:51But, and it is a big but,
0:55:51 > 0:55:54the transformation has just been wonderful.
0:55:54 > 0:55:56I have seen a lot of gardens in my time,
0:55:56 > 0:56:00and this has given me as much pleasure today as almost any.
0:56:00 > 0:56:04It's a joy. I know exactly what it takes to do all this.
0:56:04 > 0:56:08Masses of laughter, perhaps some tears, and it shows.
0:56:08 > 0:56:11Gardens are not about plants, gardens are about people.
0:56:11 > 0:56:15I would just like to thank everybody for coming today.
0:56:15 > 0:56:17I don't want to get weepy, although it's coming.
0:56:17 > 0:56:20The garden has come about because of Jane, my sister,
0:56:20 > 0:56:24and you all know and love Jane, who died five years ago.
0:56:24 > 0:56:27And this has been her last gift.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30And we've had such a blast, haven't we?
0:56:30 > 0:56:32Absolutely.
0:56:32 > 0:56:36- To Jane, for still making things happen.- Still making us feel better.
0:56:36 > 0:56:39Thank you, Jane. ALL: Jane!
0:56:39 > 0:56:41Very good. Let's drink.
0:56:41 > 0:56:43LAUGHTER
0:56:45 > 0:56:49To Frankie and Pat's relief, their hero, Monty,
0:56:49 > 0:56:52has given the garden his seal of approval.
0:56:52 > 0:56:55But what does Frankie's team of helpers think?
0:56:55 > 0:56:58It's just been a really, really positive experience,
0:56:58 > 0:57:02and I think it's been a positive experience for everybody.
0:57:02 > 0:57:05- Yeah.- You and me. We're good friends now.- We're mates know!- We're mates!
0:57:05 > 0:57:09- How do you think it's gone, mother? - Absolutely wonderful.
0:57:09 > 0:57:13The whole day. It's been... Even the weather.
0:57:14 > 0:57:20But it has been lovely, and the party has been just great.
0:57:20 > 0:57:23- I know, it's been great. - Seeing all Jane's friends.
0:57:23 > 0:57:28We've really enjoyed doing this. I'm quite sad in a way it's over.
0:57:28 > 0:57:30This is my dream garden. It's the dream come true.
0:57:30 > 0:57:32I come out every morning and I just think,
0:57:32 > 0:57:35I can't quite believe it is mine.
0:57:35 > 0:57:39And it's all thanks to Jane that this came about.
0:57:39 > 0:57:43- And yeah, I love it. Really love it. - It's magical.- Yeah.
0:57:48 > 0:57:52I've really enjoyed everything about this garden.
0:57:52 > 0:57:56I'm very pleased that I've played a tiny part in its evolution.
0:57:57 > 0:58:00And one of the things that is very strong
0:58:00 > 0:58:04and has been through it from the beginning is Jane's presence,
0:58:04 > 0:58:07and what this garden has meant to the family.
0:58:07 > 0:58:12And the best thing that she's brought to it, that gardens bring to everything,
0:58:12 > 0:58:19is a real sense of joy, of life, and of hope for the future.