0:00:02 > 0:00:05With her can-do attitude, love of simple gardens
0:00:05 > 0:00:07and decades of experience...
0:00:07 > 0:00:08Hello!
0:00:08 > 0:00:11..Charlie Dimmock is one of Britain's best-loved gardeners...
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Looking good, boys.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16..but the new kids on the gardening block are the Rich brothers.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18We want to be the brothers
0:00:18 > 0:00:20that change people's perceptions of gardens.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23Winners of multiple medals at the Chelsea Flower Show...
0:00:23 > 0:00:25Oh, good turn. Amazing, isn't it?
0:00:25 > 0:00:30..the boys have become known for their dramatic outdoor spaces.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35Now these two different generations of gardening are going head-to-head.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39I know they've got a gold medal, but I can come up with a few ideas.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43They're meeting frustrated garden owners across the country...
0:00:43 > 0:00:45The photos made it look tiny.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47It is, isn't it? I'm sure you've seen larger.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49I don't know what to do with it.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52..and will each pitch them a design based on their needs...
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Wow! ..and budget.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55That looks really exciting.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57It doesn't look like it could be our garden.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59The winner... Ta-da!
0:00:59 > 0:01:02ALL: Whoo! ..brings their design to life...
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Hold on, hold on! Sweet as a nut.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08..and the loser has to help them build it.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Oh, I'm getting irritated now. We're sort of faffing around.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12This is what happens...
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Does he ever get irritating? All the time.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17..when different styles collide...
0:01:17 > 0:01:19Who chose these? One, two, three.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23This looks like your design. Yeah!
0:01:23 > 0:01:26..to turn garden dreams into reality.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Wow. Open your eyes.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32Wow! It's amazing.
0:01:32 > 0:01:33It's beautiful.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Today, Charlie and the Rich brothers are competing over a garden
0:01:42 > 0:01:45that has to work for two different generations.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48So, this is a really lovely story.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50It's the family home and garden.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54Jackie grew up there, but Jackie and Neil had gone away,
0:01:54 > 0:01:58have come back now to live with dad Mervyn...
0:01:58 > 0:01:59Nice.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01..and they've bought the house off him
0:02:01 > 0:02:04to look after him in his old age. Nice.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Yeah, this is where I actually grew up,
0:02:06 > 0:02:08I got married from here...
0:02:09 > 0:02:14..and it's always... I've always been very sentimental about it.
0:02:14 > 0:02:19Once they decided to move back in with 88-year-old dad Mervyn,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Jackie and Neil sent the builders in for several months
0:02:21 > 0:02:24to give the house a much-needed face-lift.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Now that the house renovation is almost complete,
0:02:29 > 0:02:33the garden is starting to look rather dated by comparison.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Although there's lots of memories, it looks a bit boring.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38She wants something that says,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41"Come and sit in me. Isn't this lovely space?"
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Is the garden for Mervyn, as well? Yeah, Mervyn loves the garden,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47so we've got to think about the three of them.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50It's not just... Not just those two. ..Jackie and Neil.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55Jackie's dad Mervyn has lived here for more than 40 years.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59I used to love the garden cos I was into the birds, as well.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03I had tame blackbirds come and sit by the side of me.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06Actually, he's still around here now.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09I know it's him cos he's got a white spot on his side.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12It'd be nice to have somewhere for Dad to be able to come out
0:03:12 > 0:03:14and sit down and relax.
0:03:14 > 0:03:19Unfortunately, right now, the garden doesn't suit anyone's needs.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Apart from a treasured magnolia tree,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25it's become a collection point for leftover building materials,
0:03:25 > 0:03:30and Jackie's eclectic mix of garden ornaments.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33There is a lot of clutter. Yeah.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36And when you've got nice features like this magnolia tree,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39you don't need to do too much, do you?
0:03:39 > 0:03:41The work on the house
0:03:41 > 0:03:44has left a serious dent in Neil and Jackie's finances,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47so they only have a limited budget for the garden.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Do you want the really good news? Oh, is it budget?
0:03:49 > 0:03:53THEY LAUGH How did you know I was going there?
0:03:53 > 0:03:57It's not vast... OK. ..but you've got a good structure.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Am I selling this to you? Yeah. Yeah. OK!
0:04:01 > 0:04:02?2,000.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04OK. That's not too bad.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07I think, for them, it's got to be, you know,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10that there's light at the end of the tunnel.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15We've had the builders up to here, we want our garden back. Yeah.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17So, that's the challenge.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Now it's time for Charlie and the boys to battle it out
0:04:20 > 0:04:22for the right to make over the garden.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26They both have to come up with a design
0:04:26 > 0:04:29that they hope will deliver the perfect garden
0:04:29 > 0:04:30for Jackie, Neil and Mervyn.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34The family will then choose a winner,
0:04:34 > 0:04:36and the losing designer has to swallow their pride
0:04:36 > 0:04:39and muck in to help build it.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Now Charlie and the boys are heading to Herefordshire
0:04:43 > 0:04:46to unveil their finished designs.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50It's time for the pitch.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Charlie appreciates how big a role
0:04:52 > 0:04:55this garden has played in Jackie's life...
0:04:55 > 0:04:56Oh!
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Keep calm! Keep calm! THEY LAUGH
0:04:59 > 0:05:02..but the boys suspect the remodelled house
0:05:02 > 0:05:05reflects their desire to look to the future.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07So, we wanted to create individual rooms
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and maybe create that journey between them, as well.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13So, to give the garden a purpose, you have to travel round it.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16And we wanted to reflect the interior, so keep it quite modern,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19quite contemporary, a little bit quirky, in a way.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22And one of the ways we've done that is through the paving line.
0:05:22 > 0:05:23Oh, wow. Yes!
0:05:23 > 0:05:26So, your magnolia,
0:05:26 > 0:05:30I wanted to highlight that focal point even more.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33So, I've put a lovely seat -
0:05:33 > 0:05:35circular seat - underneath it,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38and then I was going to use your leftover paviours
0:05:38 > 0:05:39to pave under there,
0:05:39 > 0:05:44to tie your patio area in with underneath the seating.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47So, picking up on the timber theme,
0:05:47 > 0:05:50I'm going to have some upright organ pipe posts,
0:05:50 > 0:05:54and they're going to be dotted around in the borders
0:05:54 > 0:05:58to give some height and structure there. Brilliant.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00What we wanted to do was bring the planting
0:06:00 > 0:06:02so it kind of hugs the paving. Yeah.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04So, you know, you've got nature coming up to you.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07So, it's a nice way of softening this quite contemporary feel.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09And in the evening, the sun comes round to there.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Yeah. It'll be a really special spot, yeah.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16The Rich brothers have gambled on spending all the budget in one area,
0:06:16 > 0:06:19which means they can invest in some feature plants.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22We've focused on giving you a specimen acer tree,
0:06:22 > 0:06:24and then two cornus shrubs.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27What's so good about these two cornus shrubs is going to give...
0:06:27 > 0:06:29It's got berries, so, again, it's going to attract birds
0:06:29 > 0:06:30into that little space
0:06:30 > 0:06:33and it's going to be a very natural little haven.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37Dad would like that, as well. He'd love it. Yeah, definitely.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40But Charlie has redesigned the whole garden...
0:06:42 > 0:06:44You've got lovely planting here,
0:06:44 > 0:06:48but I wanted to sort of really glam it up
0:06:48 > 0:06:53by using things like iris, agapanthus, alliums.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56..and she's about to reveal her trump card.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00And with all your lovely bits and bobs...
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Junk. Not junk, or tat!
0:07:03 > 0:07:06We can use those to create focal points around the garden.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09It looks really good. It's lovely. It's covered everything.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Yeah? I think so.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14The pitch is over.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Now it's up to Jackie and Neil.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19I would never even have thought of doing something like that.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Only one of the designs can win,
0:07:22 > 0:07:23so will Jackie and Neil plump for
0:07:23 > 0:07:26the Rich brothers' private seating area,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29statement trees and elegant patio
0:07:29 > 0:07:32or Charlie's complete garden upgrade
0:07:32 > 0:07:36with a circular seat around Jackie's beloved magnolia tree?
0:07:36 > 0:07:38I like them both.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41It's decision time.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Hello. Hi, guys.
0:07:43 > 0:07:44Hey.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48So, it was genuinely really, really difficult,
0:07:48 > 0:07:51but the one we've chosen is...
0:07:51 > 0:07:53THEY CHEER
0:07:53 > 0:07:56Awesome! Way to go! Nice. Amazing!
0:07:56 > 0:07:59So, what swung it for you?
0:07:59 > 0:08:02In fairness, your design did everything we wanted,
0:08:02 > 0:08:03but this one was probably something
0:08:03 > 0:08:06we would never have done for ourselves, so we thought
0:08:06 > 0:08:08we'd push our boundaries... Wouldn't have thought about it.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11..and maybe make the decision to try something different.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Well, there you go!
0:08:13 > 0:08:15Sorry, Charlie.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19Oh, I have no problems with that at all!
0:08:20 > 0:08:23So, the boys' bold design has won,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25and what's more, Charlie now has to follow their orders
0:08:25 > 0:08:27as all three of them work together
0:08:27 > 0:08:30to build Jackie and Neil's dream garden.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34It's day one of the build.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36The Rich brothers are off-site,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38pulling together their planting plans...
0:08:40 > 0:08:43..and have left the landscaping team to start prepping the site.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52In the Rich brothers' design, the seating area has a fractured style,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55where the planting is interspersed with paviours,
0:08:55 > 0:08:58and it requires meticulous planning.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00With a ?2,000 budget,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03the brothers have asked the team to keep an eye on anything
0:09:03 > 0:09:06that can be reused from the old garden...
0:09:06 > 0:09:08This turf's coming out nice,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11so I think we should save as much as we can.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15..although the budget has stretched to brand-new, contemporary paving.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Now, Charlie and the Rich brothers have arrived out front
0:09:20 > 0:09:23and are planning their next move.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26So, this garden is not the biggest budget... No.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28..but I definitely think...
0:09:28 > 0:09:30It's a little section of the garden,
0:09:30 > 0:09:31but I think it's going to be really fun.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34I think it comes down to, being a slightly smaller budget,
0:09:34 > 0:09:36we need to give them as much as we can.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38One of the things I was thinking about,
0:09:38 > 0:09:40cos we're getting rid of some of that turf and soil
0:09:40 > 0:09:41for the slabbing and the planting,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44there's going to be quite a lot of stuff left over.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46The boys want to focus on the seating area,
0:09:46 > 0:09:50and have tasked Charlie with finding a home for Jackie's collection.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52So, I think reusing some of that quirkiness that we love...
0:09:52 > 0:09:54She's got some really lovely things -
0:09:54 > 0:09:57one or two things I would like to just move aside -
0:09:57 > 0:09:59but there some really lovely things she's got.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03You do love your quirk. I do. I like all my knick-knacks.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05So, I can do what ever I want with the ornaments
0:10:05 > 0:10:06and put them wherever I want?
0:10:06 > 0:10:09You do what ever you want with those quirky bits, it's fine.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Just not in our little area.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13With all these quirky features,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16let's hope there's room for the plants.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19The boys have invested over half of the two grand budget
0:10:19 > 0:10:23on trees, shrubs and perennials to bring the seating area to life.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26We've got a nice array of plants here, haven't we?
0:10:26 > 0:10:28A very natural kind of feeling. Beautiful, really nice.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30All the foliage complements each other.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32Look at this! I think acer's beautiful, isn't it?
0:10:32 > 0:10:36But there's a lot of landscaping to finish before any of them can go in.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43Meanwhile, Charlie's in amongst Jackie's knick-knacks.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Jackie and Neil have got all sorts around here.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Lots of bits and bobs.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51These could be handy for the other end of the garden.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Bit of Zen. THEY CHIME
0:10:56 > 0:10:58Oh, look at these, look at these!
0:10:58 > 0:10:59Ooh!
0:10:59 > 0:11:01I like that.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Cor, that's fab, isn't it? Three of them.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12Over in the seating area, Harry's straight onto the patio.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15It's a really good tip to clean the underbelly of the paving slab
0:11:15 > 0:11:18before laying it. It's great for two reasons.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20First, it gets rid of all the cutting dust and dirt,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and second, it really allows it to bond with the mortar.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29I'd say that paving really highlights that twisted willow.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Suddenly, it's gone, "Bing!"
0:11:33 > 0:11:36David's working on the garden's big recycling project.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40He's had an idea on how to use the turf from the patio area.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45He's arranging it in an arc around the magnolia tree,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47and once covered with more turf,
0:11:47 > 0:11:49it'll become a natural-looking seating area.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54It's surprising the amount of turf we will need.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56Don't forget we need it down there, as well. Yeah.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Now the patio's finished,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Harry's also letting his creative side run wild
0:12:01 > 0:12:03with some garden sculpture,
0:12:03 > 0:12:08and he's hoping to convince Neil and Jackie to go for the idea.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10I don't like to ask.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12It does look a little bit mad at the moment.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15We've come up with a little idea of using these steel rods
0:12:15 > 0:12:17and looking at the twisted willow there,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20you can see how everything is quite organic in shape. Yeah.
0:12:20 > 0:12:21And this is quite malleable.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24We can bend this and create these kind of lovely serpentine curves.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28Then the other idea is to grow some clematis up there.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32I really like it because it's different, it's a little bit odd.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35But with something growing through, I think it will look great.
0:12:35 > 0:12:36Yeah, brilliant. Great.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Right from the conservatory, as well, it's brilliant.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Phew! I thought it might have been too far for you.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Never too far, is it? No, no, no. Not with quirky.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47We've got more quirky stuff, don't worry.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Steel is a very pliable metal
0:12:50 > 0:12:54so it's easy to manipulate and, at less than ?2 for each rod,
0:12:54 > 0:12:57it's a dirt cheap way to add structure to the garden.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01So, at the moment, this is just kind of going to nowhere,
0:13:01 > 0:13:05but what we want to do is to put the acer in this bed so that it gives it
0:13:05 > 0:13:09a kind of bookend, so you won't see these sharp edges.
0:13:09 > 0:13:14It'll kind of disperse into the tree and, hopefully, soften it.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16One of the challenges with the new garden
0:13:16 > 0:13:20is to make it work with the family's newly extended house.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23A patio now runs the length of the property.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26So, to soften part of it, the boys have designed
0:13:26 > 0:13:30a long flowerbed and they want Charlie to take care of it.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32So, this is my bit of the garden, is it?
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Yeah, this is your part of the garden, your planting bed.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37What we wanted to do is to kind of blend this lawn area into
0:13:37 > 0:13:40the existing patio, which will kind of have a nice relationship
0:13:40 > 0:13:42with the rest of the garden when it's planted up,
0:13:42 > 0:13:44have a nice view from the kitchen.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47So, it's just going to make the most of what is kind of
0:13:47 > 0:13:49an unfinished little space of the garden.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53While Charlie gets to work on the flowerbed,
0:13:53 > 0:13:56the boys are bringing in the statement acer.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02To offset the existing magnolia tree, the boys are using shrubs
0:14:02 > 0:14:06and trees to make the seating area feel secluded and private.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08It needs to straighten up a little bit.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12Full-size acers like this one can cost hundreds of pounds.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15You can buy them at a fraction of the size for around ?20,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18but they only grow 12 inches a year,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21so it's a long wait to get something like this.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Oh, that looks nice from here. That branch is perfect, isn't it?
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Yeah. That kind of links them both, doesn't it? It does, yeah.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29To complement the acer,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32the boys are adding two more small trees.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35We've got two dogwoods and these are quite dappled
0:14:35 > 0:14:38and they'll act as that really lovely natural screening.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40Shall we get it out and put it in? Let's try it.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Ready? I'll hold it and you pull.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Good work, boss.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Good strength. It's light.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Beautiful. Yeah.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53And these are going to look great, aren't they?
0:14:53 > 0:14:57The dogwood, or cornus, can grow more than ten feet tall,
0:14:57 > 0:15:01so will balance out the acer on the other side of the patio.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04But whilst the boys' backs are turned,
0:15:04 > 0:15:08something strange is emerging from Charlie's flowerbed.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Like that.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Like that. For a bit of organ piping.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15And then that's going to be a birdbath.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17So, Merv can clean it really easily.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19So, we've got a bit to go on top there.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21And then we've got a bit of a water feature here,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23which I'm going to plant up with an arum lily
0:15:23 > 0:15:26and put a hosta draped over the side,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28so it should look really sweet.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31I do love this timber.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35The first trees may have gone in, but there's still a lot to do
0:15:35 > 0:15:37and the turf seat is yet to be finished.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Oh. Good for some, isn't it?
0:15:39 > 0:15:42At least Charlie's not lying back on this.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44I tell you what, done a good job here.
0:15:44 > 0:15:45Well, it seems like it.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48It's like a little drop-down chair.
0:15:48 > 0:15:49On that note, don't go back.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Flipping hell. Charlie, Dave's lying back again.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55I want to stargaze. It's not quite dark.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59By the time we've finished this garden, it WILL be dark, so get on.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06It may be a long way off, but the ultimate aim of the boys' design
0:16:06 > 0:16:08is to create a private outdoor room
0:16:08 > 0:16:11that's separate to the rest of the garden.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15Turning a plot into a series of rooms enables the garden owner
0:16:15 > 0:16:18to create different spaces with their own purpose and mood.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26One of the best examples of this is York Gate,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29a one-acre garden in Leeds that was built after the war.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35Here, yew and beech hedges separate the space into smaller gardens.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39The garden itself, because of the use of rooms,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41has many different themes within it.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45We have a white and silver garden, a kitchen garden.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50Behind me, we have the canal borders with some very distinctive topiary.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52We also have a small woodland garden
0:16:52 > 0:16:55and even a miniature pinetum as well,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58so you can see you can fit a lot into a small space.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00We've got 14 different compartments,
0:17:00 > 0:17:02each with their own flavour.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05The way that the rooms are set out is that they
0:17:05 > 0:17:10flow into one another, so different vistas and focal points are captured
0:17:10 > 0:17:12as you walk around the garden.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15You have a great sense of being enclosed within the space,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17but it's not too claustrophobic.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21A good example of a small but effective garden room
0:17:21 > 0:17:23is the fern walk.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26So, early in the season, you have lots of erythroniums,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29dog tooth violets and then that's followed by
0:17:29 > 0:17:31all the lush fern foliage.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34As you walk around the garden,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37you catch glimpses of the adjoining rooms
0:17:37 > 0:17:40to the room you're currently in, and it gives a great sense
0:17:40 > 0:17:41of journey through the space
0:17:41 > 0:17:43so you can say, "Oh, what's over there?"
0:17:43 > 0:17:45With the different garden rooms,
0:17:45 > 0:17:47each have their own distinctive feel,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51but that means they've got their own distinctive collection of plants,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54so the variety is really quite immense.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Back in Hereford, with the statement trees in,
0:18:01 > 0:18:05the boys are keen to start planting up their own outdoor room.
0:18:06 > 0:18:11But first, the top layer of the new turf seat needs to go on.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Just laying on the new turf now on the mound.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16It's quite tricky cos it's a curve, so you have to keep altering it
0:18:16 > 0:18:18and then filling in the triangles.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21But as long as you've got a sturdy knife with you, a good, sharp edge,
0:18:21 > 0:18:22you know, a little bit rough,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26then all you do is you just fold one under the other,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30cut down the line, and then they pair up really nicely.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32When laying new turf, it's really important
0:18:32 > 0:18:34to keep it watered to start with.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37It's very prone to drying out, especially at the edges,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39so as long as you keep it watered until it starts rooting
0:18:39 > 0:18:41then it should be fine.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43With this, definitely won't be able to get a mower up it
0:18:43 > 0:18:45if you want to get a clean cut,
0:18:45 > 0:18:47so I'd recommend maybe just some shears, something like that.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50It's quite nice to leave it a little bit shaggy, little bit long
0:18:50 > 0:18:54cos if you're lying back in it, it'll be a lot more cosy.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56The brothers have given Charlie free rein
0:18:56 > 0:18:59to create some new, quirky features for Jackie,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02but I'm not sure what they'll make of this one.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Right then, Lee... CHARLIE GIGGLES
0:19:05 > 0:19:09Hmm! This may or may not work, hey?
0:19:09 > 0:19:13What I'm thinking is cutting the top off the head.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17If it works, it's going to look fantastic,
0:19:17 > 0:19:20or it'll be going straight into the skip.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22OK? All right, then.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24Up for a challenge, you know that.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27This is one of the wackiest things yet.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30But we'll give it a go. They'll be putting it in the skip.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35CHARLIE LAUGHS
0:19:35 > 0:19:39It's all right, don't worry! Bye! What did I hear? Nothing.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42All right. Nothing. What's that behind you there?
0:19:42 > 0:19:44Nothing. What's that? Sorry?
0:19:48 > 0:19:51While Lee decapitates Charlie's mannequin,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54the boys have moved on to planting between the slabs.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00They've been laid in a staggered fashion so they can be interplanted
0:20:00 > 0:20:03with perennials and grasses that will grow over the edges
0:20:03 > 0:20:06and add to the intimate feel of the space.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14Next door, Charlie's mannequin is ready for a new hairstyle.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16I'm going to plant it up with some carex.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19This is Frosted Curls, a bit like curly hair.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22And then some sempervivums, or houseleeks.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25These were called houseleeks because they used to use them
0:20:25 > 0:20:28to plug up the holes in the roof, hence "house leaks".
0:20:28 > 0:20:32Or they are also known as hens and chickens.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35These are your hens and these are the baby chickens.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37And they're really easy to propagate from,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40so all these bits, or chickens, that have fallen off,
0:20:40 > 0:20:42I'm going to make into cuttings
0:20:42 > 0:20:45that I'm going to put in the top over here,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48like so. Won't that look cute?
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Don't know whether this will look cute.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54I think the hair first. It's a bit...
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Does that look like bed hair?
0:21:02 > 0:21:03A bit like... Argh!
0:21:03 > 0:21:05CHARLIE WHISPERS INDISTINCTLY
0:21:07 > 0:21:10What does that look like, then, Lee?
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Very good. Like she's got a fascinator on.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15What are we going to call it? Bob?
0:21:15 > 0:21:16Bob. Bob.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20These gaps in the paving are looking quite harsh at the moment,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23so what we're going to do, we're going to use Alchemilla mollis
0:21:23 > 0:21:25to really soften those edges.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29It's a great plant, really hardy, and it self-seeds freely,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31so it's great for filling up space.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Has a lovely yellow flower in the summer
0:21:33 > 0:21:36and that's what helps itself seed, but if you cut that off
0:21:36 > 0:21:38then you'll help reduce its spread.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41Alchemilla really is bombproof.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43It puts up with most soil conditions,
0:21:43 > 0:21:44very happy in sun or shade.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47And also, a nice little tip - if you cut it back in August, then
0:21:47 > 0:21:51these new, green shoots and leaves come out and it keeps on going.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59An interesting fact where the name alchemilla comes from
0:21:59 > 0:22:02is it originates from the word alchemy,
0:22:02 > 0:22:04and that's due to the fact that
0:22:04 > 0:22:08if you get water droplets on the leaves
0:22:08 > 0:22:11then they rest as little spherical balls,
0:22:11 > 0:22:13kind of like mercury or quicksilver
0:22:13 > 0:22:16and this was thought to have healing or magic properties.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18CHARLIE GROANS
0:22:18 > 0:22:23It's time for Bob to find a home in the garden.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25CHARLIE LAUGHS
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Dun-dun-DUN!
0:22:27 > 0:22:28So, we've nicknamed it Bob.
0:22:28 > 0:22:33Yeah. And where would you like Bob to be positioned?
0:22:33 > 0:22:34Centre stage. Right in the middle.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Right in the middle. I think you did a great job.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39It looks like it's got a fringe coming down.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41Off the catwalk in Milan.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Yeah. It's a fascinator.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46That'll become the new thing now for fashion.
0:22:46 > 0:22:47Macabre.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49So, do you really want it down there?
0:22:49 > 0:22:53No. I think we'll leave it out for now. See? Leave it out for now.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55I do like it. I think you did a great...
0:22:55 > 0:22:57You couldn't actually have done any better with that.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59Just have the head and I'm all over that.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02You want me to plant it that deep in the ground.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Up to the neck. The neck will be fine.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08But Charlie's determined to convince the boys.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10And I think she's got to be side on.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Bob's sort of doing that. Nice. I like that. Come hither.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Poor lady. She's got a muddy face, hasn't she?
0:23:19 > 0:23:25A less divisive feature is the turf mound, which is just about done.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Finally, I'm just giving this turf a good bashing.
0:23:27 > 0:23:28That's just to make sure
0:23:28 > 0:23:30that the roots make contact with the soil beneath.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36The boys have focused more than half of the two-grand budget
0:23:36 > 0:23:40on planting for the seating area and Charlie's bed by the extension,
0:23:40 > 0:23:44and it's now heads down to get them filled.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46What we've tried to do with this planting scheme is to create
0:23:46 > 0:23:47a very naturalistic character.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Not one plant stands out from the rest,
0:23:50 > 0:23:52but instead, they all kind of fuse together
0:23:52 > 0:23:55in a very understated, simple way.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Harry and David are employing a muted colour scheme,
0:23:58 > 0:24:00blending vibrant cirsium
0:24:00 > 0:24:03with tall, flowing penstemons
0:24:03 > 0:24:06and the elegant pink skyrocket, the tiarella,
0:24:06 > 0:24:10to give the garden the calming, soothing feel that Jackie,
0:24:10 > 0:24:12Neil and Mervyn are all looking for.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15What's really lovely about this space is that you've got
0:24:15 > 0:24:18the magnolia, you've got the holly, you've got the twisted willow
0:24:18 > 0:24:20and then it drops down to the dogwood and the acer
0:24:20 > 0:24:22and that really does create this lovely, dappled space,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25so when you're sitting in here, it feels very relaxed.
0:24:28 > 0:24:33This garden has been the product of hard work and lots of imagination,
0:24:33 > 0:24:38a blend of art, recycling and ingenious design
0:24:38 > 0:24:44and, as the last of the plants and knick-knacks go in, it's done.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Just a few days ago,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Neil, Jackie and Mervyn's garden was stuck in the past.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Although it held precious memories for the family,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01they wanted something that looked to the future.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Now, thanks to the boys' design,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09it's the perfect garden for their new life together.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13To make the two-grand budget work,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16the boys have focused the money on the key area of the garden
0:25:16 > 0:25:19that Jackie and Neil wanted to change.
0:25:19 > 0:25:23At its heart is a new secluded seating area
0:25:23 > 0:25:25based around the boys' staggered patio.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Coming in at just short of ?500,
0:25:30 > 0:25:32it's been interplanted with subtle shades
0:25:32 > 0:25:34that will grow and spill over the edges.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39The boys spent more than half the budget on new trees,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41shrubs and perennials to add privacy.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45And Harry spent just ?50
0:25:45 > 0:25:48creating a home-made steel sculpture
0:25:48 > 0:25:51that echoes the lines of the willow tree.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53To add interest to the lawn,
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Dave has added a new, low-budget feature,
0:25:56 > 0:26:00a recycled turf seat to highlight the magnolia tree.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03And, thanks to Charlie,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07Jackie's love for the unusual is still a big part of the garden,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10in the shape of a new birdbath,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12and Bob the mannequin.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19But the true test of success lies with Jackie and Neil.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Are you guys excited?
0:26:21 > 0:26:24Yes. Very, actually, yes. And nervous.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Right. Three, two, one, open your eyes.
0:26:28 > 0:26:29Oh, hey...
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Oh, look at this. That's lovely.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36That looks really good, doesn't it? Yeah. That's Charlie's little area.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38There's a bit of quirk there.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Smiling. Smiling. Smiling's good.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44You did mention that we couldn't out-quirk you...
0:26:44 > 0:26:47and we had a go. THEY LAUGH
0:26:47 > 0:26:48How strange is that?
0:26:51 > 0:26:54That is really good. Have we out-quirked you?
0:26:54 > 0:26:56I love it. That's brilliant.
0:26:56 > 0:26:57Jackie likes it.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Neil looks a little perplexed, but he is smiling.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03Well, my best bit in the garden.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05You're meant to be able to lie back on this.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08They've done it so you can do a bit of stargazing. Look at that.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Different heights, as well.
0:27:10 > 0:27:11I did catch him sleeping on this earlier.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14I was. I had a little nap. It definitely has been tested.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18JACKIE: I'm not going to test it now because I won't get back up.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21What do you think about the slabbing? Oh, it's amazing.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23I'm not sure anybody was going to be allowed to walk on this.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26You're fine to walk on it. Thank you.
0:27:26 > 0:27:27What do you think of the acer?
0:27:27 > 0:27:30It's stunning. That is beautiful.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32That is a big tree, isn't it?
0:27:32 > 0:27:35I think it's great the way the boys have kept
0:27:35 > 0:27:39a lot of things that remind Jackie of growing up here.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41What do you think of the sculpture?
0:27:41 > 0:27:43It's amazing.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Get the plants growing along it, it'll be great. Yeah.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48It'll definitely soften over time.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51The way it moves in the wind, we quite like.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54The wire sculpture is very subtle.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57You sort of see it, but you don't sort of see it.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59It's very clever.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03So, you grew up in this garden and it's changed now since then.
0:28:03 > 0:28:08How do you feel about that? A bit emotional about it, actually.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Yeah. Mum would have loved this.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12It's just absolutely lovely.
0:28:12 > 0:28:13Thank you very much.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16It's happy tears. It really is.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19THEY CHEER
0:28:19 > 0:28:23And it looks like dad Mervyn is a fan, too.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26It's something that goes with the house now, doesn't it?
0:28:26 > 0:28:28Yeah. You know, it's in keeping with the house.
0:28:28 > 0:28:29They've done a fantastic job.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32We couldn't have done something like this. We couldn't have dreamt it.