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With her can-do attitude, love of simple gardens | 0:00:02 | 0:00:04 | |
-and decades of experience... -Hello! | 0:00:04 | 0:00:06 | |
..Charlie Dimmock is one of Britain's best-loved gardeners. | 0:00:06 | 0:00:09 | |
Looking good, boys! | 0:00:09 | 0:00:12 | |
But the new kids on the gardening block are the Rich brothers. | 0:00:12 | 0:00:15 | |
We want to be the brothers | 0:00:15 | 0:00:17 | |
that change people's perceptions of gardens. | 0:00:17 | 0:00:19 | |
Winners of multiple medals at the Chelsea Flower Show... | 0:00:19 | 0:00:22 | |
-Oh, get in. -Wow. That's amazing, isn't it? | 0:00:22 | 0:00:24 | |
..the boys have become known for their dramatic outdoor spaces. | 0:00:24 | 0:00:29 | |
Now, these two different generations of gardening are going head-to-head. | 0:00:29 | 0:00:34 | |
I know they've got a gold medal, but I can come up with a few ideas. | 0:00:34 | 0:00:38 | |
They're meeting frustrated garden owners across the country... | 0:00:38 | 0:00:42 | |
The photos made it look tiny. It is, isn't it? | 0:00:42 | 0:00:45 | |
-I'm sure you've seen larger. -I don't know what to do with it. | 0:00:45 | 0:00:48 | |
..and will each pitch them a design based on their needs... | 0:00:48 | 0:00:51 | |
-Wow! -..and budget. | 0:00:51 | 0:00:53 | |
-That looks really exciting. -Doesn't look like it could be our garden. | 0:00:53 | 0:00:56 | |
-The winner... -Ta-da! -ALL: -Whoo! | 0:00:56 | 0:00:59 | |
-..brings their design to life. -Hold on, hold on! | 0:00:59 | 0:01:03 | |
-Sweet as a nut. -And the loser has to help them build it. | 0:01:03 | 0:01:07 | |
I'm getting irritated now with faffing around. | 0:01:07 | 0:01:10 | |
-This is what happens... -Does he ever get irritating? -All the time. | 0:01:10 | 0:01:13 | |
-..when different styles collide... -Who chose these? -One, two, three. | 0:01:13 | 0:01:18 | |
-This looks like your design! -Yeah! | 0:01:19 | 0:01:22 | |
..to turn garden dreams into reality. | 0:01:22 | 0:01:25 | |
-Wow! -Open your eyes. | 0:01:25 | 0:01:27 | |
-Wow! -Whoa! -It's amazing! | 0:01:27 | 0:01:30 | |
-Oh! -It's beautiful! | 0:01:30 | 0:01:32 | |
So, whose garden will Charlie and the Rich brothers | 0:01:38 | 0:01:41 | |
be battling over today? | 0:01:41 | 0:01:43 | |
We've heard from three generations of women from the West Midlands. | 0:01:43 | 0:01:47 | |
-We've got gran Lillian, mum Carrie and daughter Morgan. -OK. | 0:01:47 | 0:01:52 | |
These three ladies all live in the same house, | 0:01:52 | 0:01:54 | |
which they moved into just six months ago. | 0:01:54 | 0:01:57 | |
And they couldn't be closer. | 0:01:58 | 0:02:00 | |
We decided Carrie's partner works away such a lot | 0:02:00 | 0:02:04 | |
that it was company for all of us to be together. | 0:02:04 | 0:02:08 | |
I've got independent living within the house, which is ideal, | 0:02:08 | 0:02:10 | |
because we're not living in each other's pockets. | 0:02:10 | 0:02:13 | |
-Morgan loves having Nan about, doesn't she? -Yeah. Morgan loves it. | 0:02:13 | 0:02:18 | |
Whatever Mum doesn't do, Nan does. | 0:02:18 | 0:02:20 | |
Lillian, Carrie and Morgan all share the main house, | 0:02:20 | 0:02:24 | |
whilst Lillian has her own living space downstairs. | 0:02:24 | 0:02:27 | |
And now, all three of them would like a new garden | 0:02:29 | 0:02:32 | |
because the current one isn't really a garden at all. | 0:02:32 | 0:02:35 | |
-And it looks a little bit like a car park. -A little bit?! A lot like! | 0:02:35 | 0:02:39 | |
I can't believe it. There's not even weeds growing there. | 0:02:39 | 0:02:42 | |
It's devoid of a plant. There's nothing in there. | 0:02:42 | 0:02:45 | |
The previous owners used it as a driveway. | 0:02:45 | 0:02:48 | |
It's very bland. | 0:02:48 | 0:02:49 | |
There's just nothing. It's just slabs and gravel. | 0:02:49 | 0:02:52 | |
There is nothing else. | 0:02:52 | 0:02:54 | |
The plot is also completely exposed on one side, | 0:02:54 | 0:02:58 | |
so the ladies have made privacy | 0:02:58 | 0:02:59 | |
one of the key requirements in the new garden. | 0:02:59 | 0:03:02 | |
It's vastly overlooked, isn't it? | 0:03:02 | 0:03:04 | |
I know. That's one thing. The other side looks fine, | 0:03:04 | 0:03:06 | |
but this side looks like there's a bit of a privacy issue. | 0:03:06 | 0:03:10 | |
My initial thoughts are it needs a bit of height. | 0:03:10 | 0:03:12 | |
-It is pretty flat. And maybe green? -Do you think?! | 0:03:12 | 0:03:17 | |
When she moved in with her daughter, | 0:03:17 | 0:03:20 | |
Lillian left behind a much-loved garden, | 0:03:20 | 0:03:22 | |
so now she'd like a small space all of her own | 0:03:22 | 0:03:25 | |
outside her own back door. | 0:03:25 | 0:03:27 | |
I would like just a little area just so that I could pop in and out | 0:03:28 | 0:03:31 | |
and have a coffee when I want one. Yeah. | 0:03:31 | 0:03:34 | |
This family are fed up with staring at concrete and slate chippings | 0:03:34 | 0:03:38 | |
and would like somewhere to relax in the summer months. | 0:03:38 | 0:03:41 | |
We constantly say, "It's a sunny day today | 0:03:41 | 0:03:43 | |
"and we can't sit outside cos everybody else can see us." | 0:03:43 | 0:03:47 | |
-What is the budget? -The budget's £2,000, which isn't bad, is it? | 0:03:49 | 0:03:53 | |
Not too bad because it doesn't look huge, does it? | 0:03:53 | 0:03:56 | |
But there's quite a lot of existing materials, | 0:03:56 | 0:03:59 | |
so it is all hard landscaping, | 0:03:59 | 0:04:00 | |
but they look in pretty decent condition, | 0:04:00 | 0:04:02 | |
-so we could probably re-use them. -Yeah. | 0:04:02 | 0:04:04 | |
Now the designers know the size of the challenge they face, | 0:04:04 | 0:04:08 | |
it's time for them to go head-to-head | 0:04:08 | 0:04:10 | |
and compete for the chance to build the garden of the family's dreams. | 0:04:10 | 0:04:16 | |
They will each come up with a design that works within the ladies' budget | 0:04:16 | 0:04:20 | |
and present it to them | 0:04:20 | 0:04:21 | |
Lillian and Carrie will then pick a winner, | 0:04:22 | 0:04:25 | |
but it isn't over for the loser, as they'll help build the garden. | 0:04:25 | 0:04:29 | |
It's the day of the pitch, | 0:04:32 | 0:04:33 | |
and the designers have travelled to the West Midlands | 0:04:33 | 0:04:36 | |
to present their finished designs to Carrie and Lillian. | 0:04:36 | 0:04:39 | |
Who will the ladies go for - | 0:04:39 | 0:04:41 | |
the boys whose modern designs will appeal to Carrie and Morgan, | 0:04:41 | 0:04:46 | |
or Charlie who shares Lillian's love of flowers and foliage? | 0:04:46 | 0:04:50 | |
We wanted to create a kind of haven for you - | 0:04:51 | 0:04:54 | |
somewhere that feels very private, very green, | 0:04:54 | 0:04:57 | |
very luscious and very colourful. | 0:04:57 | 0:04:59 | |
We've done this by splitting the garden | 0:04:59 | 0:05:01 | |
with these four planting beds. | 0:05:01 | 0:05:03 | |
That really then isolates this kind of little social area | 0:05:03 | 0:05:08 | |
in the middle, which means you are literally surrounded with greenery. | 0:05:08 | 0:05:11 | |
And within these four individual flowerbeds, | 0:05:11 | 0:05:13 | |
we wanted to make sure we had a lot of year-round interest. | 0:05:13 | 0:05:16 | |
-Oh, lots of colour! -Lots of colour. | 0:05:19 | 0:05:22 | |
-I'm glad you said that, Lillian. -Lots of colour. | 0:05:22 | 0:05:24 | |
I have gone very much for a garden garden, to get rid of the car park. | 0:05:24 | 0:05:30 | |
This area here is raised beds made of timber, and in that area, | 0:05:30 | 0:05:35 | |
there's going to be much more of the pottering plants, | 0:05:35 | 0:05:38 | |
so cottagey - things like dianthus and Cupid's dart, aquilegias. | 0:05:38 | 0:05:44 | |
-So, I have spent all of the budget on the garden. -Right. -Not the fence. | 0:05:44 | 0:05:51 | |
-OK. -Mainly because I think the fence could be easily fixable afterwards. | 0:05:51 | 0:05:57 | |
-OK. -Get the garden done first. | 0:05:57 | 0:05:59 | |
Charlie's hoping to win the ladies over with a blaze of colour | 0:06:00 | 0:06:04 | |
so the boundary doesn't become such an issue. | 0:06:04 | 0:06:06 | |
But the boys are playing it safe. | 0:06:06 | 0:06:09 | |
-I know one of the main things with this garden is privacy. -It is. | 0:06:09 | 0:06:13 | |
That's something we need to address, | 0:06:13 | 0:06:15 | |
so we've given you brand-new fencing all the way along, | 0:06:15 | 0:06:17 | |
solid wooden fencing, so people will have to really try | 0:06:17 | 0:06:20 | |
if they want to look in, which they will want to look in, I'm sure. | 0:06:20 | 0:06:23 | |
They'll be really interested. | 0:06:23 | 0:06:26 | |
Not to be outdone, Charlie has an alternative to the fence. | 0:06:26 | 0:06:31 | |
We've got topiary balls that are going to be descending in height, | 0:06:31 | 0:06:35 | |
-so it gives a false perspective, make the garden look longer. -Lovely. | 0:06:35 | 0:06:39 | |
Lillian doesn't look entirely convinced, | 0:06:39 | 0:06:42 | |
so Charlie has something special, just for her. | 0:06:42 | 0:06:44 | |
-And this area here is your area, Lillian. -Yes. -Seating area there. | 0:06:44 | 0:06:49 | |
Now, it's quite a dark area, so to brighten it up, | 0:06:49 | 0:06:52 | |
-I've put a mirror on the wall here. -Oh, right. | 0:06:52 | 0:06:55 | |
If you put plants round it, you really don't see that it's a mirror. | 0:06:55 | 0:06:59 | |
Sounds lovely. | 0:06:59 | 0:07:00 | |
Very nice, yeah. | 0:07:00 | 0:07:02 | |
The pitch is over. | 0:07:02 | 0:07:04 | |
It's now all down to Lillian and Carrie. | 0:07:06 | 0:07:09 | |
This is not an easy decision. | 0:07:11 | 0:07:15 | |
Will they go for Charlie's bounty of colourful plants | 0:07:15 | 0:07:18 | |
and Lillian's secret garden | 0:07:18 | 0:07:20 | |
or the boys' large entertaining area, | 0:07:20 | 0:07:23 | |
raised planters and solid fencing for privacy? | 0:07:23 | 0:07:26 | |
-Hello. -Hello. | 0:07:28 | 0:07:29 | |
-Hello. -Hello. | 0:07:29 | 0:07:30 | |
-It's been a very hard decision, but we have made a decision. -Good. | 0:07:34 | 0:07:39 | |
-Ah! -Whoo! -Yeah! It's the boundary that clinched it. | 0:07:42 | 0:07:46 | |
Oh, amazing! So, what made you go for our design? | 0:07:46 | 0:07:50 | |
-The fence. -Ah, there we are. We were subtle. | 0:07:50 | 0:07:53 | |
So, the Rich brothers have won, but Lillian has one condition. | 0:07:55 | 0:08:00 | |
What I would like to do, if it's all right with Charlie, | 0:08:00 | 0:08:04 | |
I'd like to pinch some of her design for that corner, | 0:08:04 | 0:08:08 | |
-if it's all right with you two as well. -Yeah. | 0:08:08 | 0:08:10 | |
-No. -Of course it's fine. | 0:08:10 | 0:08:13 | |
-I'd like the mirror... -Mm-hm. | 0:08:13 | 0:08:15 | |
..area with the flowers round it and the little seating area, | 0:08:15 | 0:08:19 | |
so that I've got it private | 0:08:19 | 0:08:21 | |
for my friends when they come round. | 0:08:21 | 0:08:24 | |
-That's the wine corner. -That's the wine corner. | 0:08:24 | 0:08:27 | |
So, the boys may have taken this one, | 0:08:30 | 0:08:32 | |
but they won't be able to boss Charlie around too much, | 0:08:32 | 0:08:35 | |
because to give this family what they want, | 0:08:35 | 0:08:38 | |
both designs have to somehow work together. | 0:08:38 | 0:08:41 | |
It's an early start in the West Midlands. | 0:08:47 | 0:08:50 | |
Right, skip man's here. Things are on track. | 0:08:50 | 0:08:52 | |
The Rich brothers are off-site, finishing their planting plans, | 0:08:54 | 0:08:59 | |
so they've asked project manager Paul | 0:08:59 | 0:09:01 | |
and the landscapers to get cracking on Lillian and Carrie's garden. | 0:09:01 | 0:09:05 | |
Post in the hole! | 0:09:07 | 0:09:09 | |
The first challenge is to put in the new fence, | 0:09:09 | 0:09:12 | |
and there's a whopping 25 metres of it to go in. | 0:09:12 | 0:09:16 | |
Timber! | 0:09:16 | 0:09:17 | |
That's the first panel going in now. One of many. | 0:09:21 | 0:09:25 | |
With the fence completed, the Rich brothers arrive | 0:09:32 | 0:09:34 | |
and are pleased with Paul and the team's efforts. | 0:09:34 | 0:09:37 | |
Loving the new fence. It's smartened up this space quite a lot. | 0:09:37 | 0:09:41 | |
Makes a dramatic difference, doesn't it, | 0:09:41 | 0:09:43 | |
-with the privacy for the garden? -Yeah. | 0:09:43 | 0:09:45 | |
But this is no time for standing around. | 0:09:47 | 0:09:50 | |
Transforming this grey space into something living | 0:09:50 | 0:09:53 | |
is going to need some serious muscle, | 0:09:53 | 0:09:55 | |
and now Charlie's here, | 0:09:55 | 0:09:57 | |
they're gearing themselves up for the task ahead. | 0:09:57 | 0:09:59 | |
It'll be interesting how this one pans out. | 0:09:59 | 0:10:01 | |
Any plant is just going to make a total difference, really. | 0:10:01 | 0:10:04 | |
Hard landscaping's already here, isn't it? We're reusing the slate. | 0:10:04 | 0:10:08 | |
-You said it! -So, it's just bringing in plants, isn't it? -Yeah. | 0:10:08 | 0:10:12 | |
-Yeah. -Easy. | 0:10:12 | 0:10:13 | |
With £1,100 already spent on the fence and the skip, | 0:10:14 | 0:10:18 | |
the boys are planning some cost-effective features | 0:10:18 | 0:10:21 | |
to make Lillian and Carrie's budget go further. | 0:10:21 | 0:10:24 | |
So, have you got something up your sleeve, have you? | 0:10:25 | 0:10:27 | |
-We don't know where it's going yet. -Within the budget? | 0:10:27 | 0:10:30 | |
-Everything's in budget. -It's pretty much upcycling. -OK. | 0:10:30 | 0:10:33 | |
-Pick it up from anywhere. Cheap as... -Chips. -Chips. | 0:10:33 | 0:10:36 | |
-Who's rocking this seat? -I'm rocking the boat. -Are you rocking it? | 0:10:36 | 0:10:39 | |
-Right then. -Yeah. -Back on. -Oh! | 0:10:39 | 0:10:44 | |
The mass of hard landscaping covering the plot | 0:10:44 | 0:10:47 | |
is actually in good condition, | 0:10:47 | 0:10:50 | |
so the boys are planning to recycle as much of it as they can. | 0:10:50 | 0:10:54 | |
At the heart of the boys' design are four beautiful flowerbeds. | 0:10:54 | 0:10:58 | |
And right now, where they need to go is covered in slate. | 0:11:00 | 0:11:04 | |
But there's a nice surprise lying underneath. | 0:11:05 | 0:11:09 | |
-Oh! -Look at that. -Soil! Whoohoo! | 0:11:09 | 0:11:13 | |
-That's not bad! -Look at that! -Look at that! | 0:11:13 | 0:11:17 | |
How about you mark it out before you dig up all the soil... | 0:11:17 | 0:11:20 | |
-Yeah. -..and make it muddy? -I'm going back in the sun. | 0:11:20 | 0:11:23 | |
-It's cold here, isn't it? -Oh! | 0:11:23 | 0:11:26 | |
This will make prepping the new flowerbeds a lot easier. | 0:11:26 | 0:11:29 | |
-It's quite nice watching your brother work, isn't it? -Yeah. | 0:11:31 | 0:11:33 | |
-THEY LAUGH -Nice one, young one. | 0:11:33 | 0:11:37 | |
HARRY LAUGHS | 0:11:37 | 0:11:39 | |
But it's not all good news. | 0:11:39 | 0:11:42 | |
The boys designed the beds | 0:11:44 | 0:11:46 | |
to match the rectangular shape of the plot, only there's a snag. | 0:11:46 | 0:11:50 | |
It isn't as rectangular as they thought. | 0:11:51 | 0:11:53 | |
-Bit of an irregular garden, isn't it? -Yeah. | 0:11:53 | 0:11:56 | |
So, we're going to have to pick one line to go off | 0:11:56 | 0:11:59 | |
-and then work from that. -Yeah. It narrows a bit. | 0:11:59 | 0:12:02 | |
We'll work with this boundary line | 0:12:02 | 0:12:04 | |
-and then all the lines then work off that. -Yeah. -Let's look at your plan. | 0:12:04 | 0:12:09 | |
Now, you're going off that | 0:12:09 | 0:12:11 | |
-because that's giving you straight lines. -Yeah. | 0:12:11 | 0:12:13 | |
-So, you're ignoring the patios on the...? -No, going with it. | 0:12:13 | 0:12:16 | |
-You're going with it. -Going to work with that. | 0:12:16 | 0:12:18 | |
-So, we're not going to end up with rectangular beds. -No. | 0:12:18 | 0:12:20 | |
We're going to end up with diamond-shaped beds. | 0:12:20 | 0:12:22 | |
-But they'll look square, won't they? -Parallelogram? -Squishy square. | 0:12:22 | 0:12:26 | |
-Rhombus. -Squishy square. -Rhombus? -Squishy square. | 0:12:26 | 0:12:29 | |
-Look. That looks serious, doesn't it? -He's here. | 0:12:29 | 0:12:32 | |
-The man and his tape. -The tape measure. | 0:12:32 | 0:12:35 | |
So, while the brothers mark out the new positions for the beds, | 0:12:35 | 0:12:38 | |
Charlie's off to start working on her special project for Lillian | 0:12:38 | 0:12:42 | |
at the side of the house. | 0:12:42 | 0:12:43 | |
She's creating a private haven, | 0:12:46 | 0:12:48 | |
with flowerpots and a mirror, | 0:12:48 | 0:12:50 | |
surrounded by colourful planting. | 0:12:50 | 0:12:52 | |
-Lee. -Yep. -Would you come and do a bit of chopping of wood for me? | 0:12:54 | 0:12:58 | |
-I'm sure I can manage that. -Yeah? | 0:12:58 | 0:13:00 | |
The boys have already allocated all the budget to THEIR design, | 0:13:00 | 0:13:04 | |
so anything extra has to be made virtually for free. | 0:13:04 | 0:13:07 | |
So, my idea is this is going to be on the wall, | 0:13:07 | 0:13:12 | |
hidden by the fence, which I'll paint. | 0:13:12 | 0:13:15 | |
Plant it up and the plants will all fluff over the top | 0:13:15 | 0:13:19 | |
and then I'm going to attach some terracotta pots here as well | 0:13:19 | 0:13:25 | |
and I think that'll look quite pretty | 0:13:25 | 0:13:26 | |
and I'm going to zhoosh them up with a bit of emulsion paint | 0:13:26 | 0:13:30 | |
and I might put a mirror behind to reflect some light | 0:13:30 | 0:13:33 | |
and reflect the plants as well. | 0:13:33 | 0:13:35 | |
-Very good. We can sort that no problem. -Chop it, then. | 0:13:35 | 0:13:39 | |
Having moved the slate, | 0:13:49 | 0:13:51 | |
the boys now need to create the two beds near to the garage. | 0:13:51 | 0:13:54 | |
But there's a whopping great patio there, some of which has to go. | 0:13:54 | 0:13:58 | |
Any hardcore left underneath is being used | 0:13:59 | 0:14:02 | |
to help make a new path down the garden. | 0:14:02 | 0:14:04 | |
We're just removing the hardcore and the concrete | 0:14:04 | 0:14:06 | |
that was beneath the slabs | 0:14:06 | 0:14:08 | |
and then we'll turn that into nice soil for the plants. | 0:14:08 | 0:14:11 | |
-I'll carry that. -Go on, then. They're quite chunky. | 0:14:14 | 0:14:17 | |
-Saying that... -You HAVE said it! It's a long walk to the skip. | 0:14:20 | 0:14:25 | |
-I'll just put them back here for now then. -Yeah! | 0:14:25 | 0:14:28 | |
Would you like a wheelbarrow, Harry? | 0:14:28 | 0:14:31 | |
The old patio slabs were tightly laid, | 0:14:33 | 0:14:35 | |
so smashing one allows access to the others. | 0:14:35 | 0:14:38 | |
Right. Lovely jubbly. | 0:14:40 | 0:14:42 | |
Harry was being all big and manly. | 0:14:42 | 0:14:44 | |
He didn't realise quite how far away the skip is. | 0:14:44 | 0:14:47 | |
The new beds actually cut into the existing patio. | 0:14:49 | 0:14:52 | |
The slabs are in good condition, so rather than pay for new ones, | 0:14:52 | 0:14:56 | |
the boys are counting on the landscapers' cutting skills. | 0:14:56 | 0:15:00 | |
So, we're just going to cut this bit off here, | 0:15:01 | 0:15:04 | |
that little guy, and then leave the rest of them. | 0:15:04 | 0:15:08 | |
-Leave him, get rid of him and then get rid of that one there. -Great. | 0:15:08 | 0:15:12 | |
-So that just keeps those lines nice and parallel, doesn't it? -Love it! | 0:15:12 | 0:15:17 | |
And the circular saw helps to make light work of it. | 0:15:20 | 0:15:24 | |
-You're cutting the wrong ones! -No! No, I haven't. | 0:15:26 | 0:15:31 | |
Are these the wrong ones? No, I've moved the line out the way. | 0:15:31 | 0:15:34 | |
-No, only joking! -Argh! | 0:15:34 | 0:15:36 | |
Yeah, we want to break the right ones. | 0:15:44 | 0:15:46 | |
There you go. Lovely jubbly. | 0:15:46 | 0:15:49 | |
Meanwhile, the shale is being moved into the middle of the garden | 0:15:54 | 0:15:58 | |
to create the new seating area between the beds. | 0:15:58 | 0:16:02 | |
So, we're reusing the MOT, which is this gravelly stuff, | 0:16:02 | 0:16:06 | |
to fill in the pathway and then put the shale on top, | 0:16:06 | 0:16:10 | |
so we'll only need a thinner layer. | 0:16:10 | 0:16:12 | |
Saves money. Saves money, saves skip space as well. | 0:16:12 | 0:16:16 | |
Hard landscaping is not cheap, so recycling existing materials | 0:16:16 | 0:16:21 | |
is an excellent way to make your garden budget go further | 0:16:21 | 0:16:24 | |
and enable you to buy more plants. | 0:16:24 | 0:16:28 | |
Harry and David have chosen some corkers | 0:16:28 | 0:16:30 | |
for Lillian and Carrie's garden. | 0:16:30 | 0:16:32 | |
Beautiful, aren't they, these? | 0:16:33 | 0:16:35 | |
But before they can be planted, | 0:16:35 | 0:16:37 | |
the new beds need to be properly edged. | 0:16:37 | 0:16:40 | |
So, the bones of the design are down | 0:16:40 | 0:16:42 | |
and you can see the beds here around me. | 0:16:42 | 0:16:44 | |
Now, all that we need to do is bring in the shuttering | 0:16:44 | 0:16:46 | |
that'll define the beds and keep the shale out from the soil. | 0:16:46 | 0:16:50 | |
Simple timber edging or shuttering creates a nice finish | 0:16:50 | 0:16:54 | |
and keeps the soil of the beds from spreading. | 0:16:54 | 0:16:57 | |
Meanwhile, Charlie's upcycling project for Lillian | 0:16:59 | 0:17:03 | |
is coming along nicely. | 0:17:03 | 0:17:04 | |
We haven't really spent much on this little project at all | 0:17:06 | 0:17:09 | |
cos the picket fence was free, | 0:17:09 | 0:17:11 | |
we got little pots of paint, which are £1, £1.50, | 0:17:11 | 0:17:16 | |
and the mirror is from a charity shop and it was £3.99. | 0:17:16 | 0:17:21 | |
That was probably the most expensive bit - the plastic trough. | 0:17:21 | 0:17:26 | |
And then a few bedding plants, which is really what Lillian wants. | 0:17:26 | 0:17:30 | |
She wants to be able to potter and do her own bedding, | 0:17:30 | 0:17:33 | |
so she can change it spring, autumn and summertime. | 0:17:33 | 0:17:38 | |
Not to be outdone, | 0:17:38 | 0:17:39 | |
Harry and David have a low-cost project of their own. | 0:17:39 | 0:17:43 | |
In the old garden, the garage was a real eyesore, | 0:17:43 | 0:17:46 | |
so the boys have come up with something to help screen it. | 0:17:46 | 0:17:49 | |
So, these are reinforced steel mesh sheets. | 0:17:50 | 0:17:53 | |
You can pick it up from any builders' merchants, | 0:17:53 | 0:17:55 | |
but we managed to salvage this one. | 0:17:55 | 0:17:57 | |
But this will be a really nice frame for climbers to grow up | 0:17:57 | 0:18:00 | |
and just add that extra bit of greenery. | 0:18:00 | 0:18:02 | |
50mm holes are drilled into timber posts | 0:18:06 | 0:18:09 | |
so that the mesh can slot in. | 0:18:09 | 0:18:11 | |
Fingers crossed. | 0:18:11 | 0:18:12 | |
-Start at your end and work your way up. -He's in. | 0:18:13 | 0:18:17 | |
-Oh. -Yeah, it's coming. | 0:18:18 | 0:18:21 | |
Perfect! | 0:18:21 | 0:18:22 | |
So, this will stand up and there'll be another post on this end. | 0:18:22 | 0:18:26 | |
-Beautiful. -Yeah. -Really nice. -Spot-on. | 0:18:26 | 0:18:29 | |
Blimey, this is looking a bit like a garden now, isn't it? | 0:18:42 | 0:18:46 | |
And not a trip hazard with lots of strings everywhere. | 0:18:46 | 0:18:50 | |
Safety first, safety first. | 0:18:50 | 0:18:52 | |
Charlie's keen to get the bosses' approval | 0:18:52 | 0:18:54 | |
for her project round the corner. | 0:18:54 | 0:18:57 | |
-I love the colour. -Yeah, it's nice. -Lime green. | 0:18:57 | 0:18:59 | |
-You love your green, don't you? -With fuchsia pink. -Oh! -Oh, God. | 0:18:59 | 0:19:04 | |
-No, sky blue, actually. That colour. -I know. | 0:19:04 | 0:19:08 | |
For once, we've got a bit of sky blue. It's not cloud grey. | 0:19:08 | 0:19:11 | |
It's a bit chilly, though. That wind! | 0:19:11 | 0:19:15 | |
Glad I've still got my thermals on. Brrr! | 0:19:15 | 0:19:18 | |
Harry's final task before planting is to break up the soil | 0:19:23 | 0:19:26 | |
that's been compacted by the paving slabs | 0:19:26 | 0:19:29 | |
and add some mushroom compost to improve the condition of the soil. | 0:19:29 | 0:19:33 | |
The soil is the most important thing when you're planting. | 0:19:37 | 0:19:39 | |
If you prep the soil well, then the plants are going to do beautifully. | 0:19:39 | 0:19:42 | |
-Charlie, you've got one job. -What's that? -Bubble watching. | 0:19:44 | 0:19:47 | |
-Bubble watching? I can bubble watch. -OK. | 0:19:47 | 0:19:50 | |
Charlie's improvised wall garden is almost finished. | 0:19:50 | 0:19:54 | |
Slightly over to me. Just recess the other end slightly. | 0:19:54 | 0:19:57 | |
I have to say, even if she doesn't use it for plants, | 0:19:57 | 0:20:01 | |
it would be really handy just to put your tea there | 0:20:01 | 0:20:04 | |
or your, you know...bottle of wine, champagne. | 0:20:04 | 0:20:09 | |
That looks all right. | 0:20:11 | 0:20:13 | |
-Look at that! Ooh, hello! -Like a glove and a chicken's lip. | 0:20:13 | 0:20:16 | |
And she'll have a beautiful view of the garden. | 0:20:16 | 0:20:20 | |
And her view is improving by the minute. | 0:20:20 | 0:20:24 | |
Key to the boys' design are three trees | 0:20:24 | 0:20:26 | |
that provide height in the last third of the garden. | 0:20:26 | 0:20:30 | |
First in are the two amelanchiers. | 0:20:30 | 0:20:33 | |
-What do you think of this guy? -They are really pretty. | 0:20:33 | 0:20:36 | |
When you see these out in the spring, you think, | 0:20:36 | 0:20:39 | |
"Yes, we're going in the right direction. Summer is coming." | 0:20:39 | 0:20:43 | |
It's the perfect tree. It's more like a shrub, isn't it? | 0:20:43 | 0:20:45 | |
For a small garden like this, it doesn't overpower you. | 0:20:45 | 0:20:48 | |
These mature trees are more expensive, | 0:20:50 | 0:20:54 | |
but give an instant wow factor, | 0:20:54 | 0:20:55 | |
and to ensure they thrive, they need careful planting. | 0:20:55 | 0:20:59 | |
What you can do is just tease the roots. | 0:21:00 | 0:21:05 | |
If they've been a bit pot-bound, give them a little start. | 0:21:05 | 0:21:07 | |
And what's nice - they're not going to keep going round and round | 0:21:07 | 0:21:10 | |
in a circle in the hole you've dug. | 0:21:10 | 0:21:12 | |
They have the chance to penetrate out into the outer soil. | 0:21:12 | 0:21:15 | |
That looks pretty good from here. | 0:21:17 | 0:21:20 | |
As well as their aesthetic value, | 0:21:20 | 0:21:22 | |
these trees will help provide privacy for the family, | 0:21:22 | 0:21:25 | |
especially when they're in full bloom. | 0:21:25 | 0:21:27 | |
Creating screening in overlooked gardens | 0:21:29 | 0:21:32 | |
is something landscape designer Daniel Shea | 0:21:32 | 0:21:35 | |
is constantly asked to provide solutions for. | 0:21:35 | 0:21:38 | |
It's all about raising boundaries, | 0:21:39 | 0:21:41 | |
bringing in trees to screen off windows. | 0:21:41 | 0:21:43 | |
Getting that feeling of intimacy straightaway | 0:21:43 | 0:21:45 | |
is something you want to achieve. | 0:21:45 | 0:21:47 | |
Planning restrictions mean you can generally raise your boundary | 0:21:47 | 0:21:51 | |
to a maximum height of two metres. | 0:21:51 | 0:21:53 | |
This property was overlooked by several houses, | 0:21:54 | 0:21:57 | |
so to ensure privacy, the garden was sunk and trees planted. | 0:21:57 | 0:22:01 | |
We brought in three silver birch. | 0:22:02 | 0:22:04 | |
They're nice trees, they don't cast too much shade | 0:22:04 | 0:22:06 | |
and they've got a nice, contemporary, clean, fresh feel. | 0:22:06 | 0:22:10 | |
To increase the height of your boundary, trellis is another option. | 0:22:12 | 0:22:16 | |
The long, linear lines - | 0:22:18 | 0:22:19 | |
they let lots of light in but you can't see beyond them. | 0:22:19 | 0:22:22 | |
All you can see is shadows. The light pours and flows in | 0:22:22 | 0:22:25 | |
and it really creates this feeling of warmth. | 0:22:25 | 0:22:28 | |
It's all about getting the balance right | 0:22:28 | 0:22:31 | |
and making it work with the space you have. | 0:22:31 | 0:22:33 | |
Really think about your boundaries first, I'd say. | 0:22:35 | 0:22:38 | |
Once they're established, you've kind of built your walls, | 0:22:38 | 0:22:41 | |
you've built your room, and then it's just about how you dress it. | 0:22:41 | 0:22:44 | |
Back in Walsall, the planting is in full swing. | 0:22:50 | 0:22:53 | |
The boys are filling the beds | 0:22:55 | 0:22:57 | |
with a combination of flowering perennials and grasses. | 0:22:57 | 0:23:01 | |
This is Deschampsia flexuosa, or wavy hair grass, | 0:23:06 | 0:23:09 | |
and you can see why. | 0:23:09 | 0:23:11 | |
Just really gorgeous, really natural, | 0:23:11 | 0:23:13 | |
and I think it's going to fit well with this planting scheme | 0:23:13 | 0:23:15 | |
and give them a patch of the wild. | 0:23:15 | 0:23:17 | |
This planting scheme is quite bold. | 0:23:20 | 0:23:22 | |
There's lots of colours here that are going to stand out. | 0:23:22 | 0:23:24 | |
You've got the sanguisorba with this deep red, | 0:23:24 | 0:23:27 | |
anemones, which will be lovely and white later on in the season, | 0:23:27 | 0:23:30 | |
catmints, which will give a flood of blues and purples in the summer. | 0:23:30 | 0:23:35 | |
Meanwhile, round the corner, in Lillian's private garden, | 0:23:35 | 0:23:38 | |
landscaper Lee's work is still not done. | 0:23:38 | 0:23:41 | |
Watch my plants, watch my plants, you! | 0:23:45 | 0:23:47 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:23:47 | 0:23:50 | |
-That's it. -Oops. -Hang on. -That's it. -Centralise it. | 0:23:50 | 0:23:55 | |
-And then that jasmine. Yummy, yummy scent. -Lovely. | 0:23:55 | 0:24:00 | |
Pop it in here and train it round | 0:24:00 | 0:24:03 | |
and the wall will give it the protection it needs. | 0:24:03 | 0:24:06 | |
And then it's a case of getting those pots on there. | 0:24:06 | 0:24:09 | |
Yeah, I don't think that looks half bad. It's all right. | 0:24:09 | 0:24:13 | |
This mushroom compost is doing a hell of a job, isn't it? | 0:24:16 | 0:24:19 | |
-It's amazing. You put a load in there, didn't you? -Yeah. | 0:24:19 | 0:24:22 | |
The last of the trees, the cherry, is going in, | 0:24:22 | 0:24:25 | |
and the boys have asked Charlie to plant the mesh screen behind it. | 0:24:25 | 0:24:29 | |
So, the boys have got this cherry here. Lovely pink flowers on it. | 0:24:30 | 0:24:34 | |
It's going to add some height to the garden. | 0:24:34 | 0:24:36 | |
And they want this Clematis montana, "Pink Perfection", | 0:24:36 | 0:24:39 | |
to pick up the cherry flower colours. | 0:24:39 | 0:24:42 | |
It's taken some serious labour to break through the concrete | 0:24:49 | 0:24:53 | |
and replace it with a garden. | 0:24:53 | 0:24:55 | |
And as the much-loved barbecue returns, | 0:24:57 | 0:25:00 | |
Lillian and Carrie's new garden is finished. | 0:25:00 | 0:25:03 | |
Before, this garden was more like a car park, | 0:25:10 | 0:25:13 | |
covered in wall-to-wall concrete and shale and devoid of life. | 0:25:13 | 0:25:17 | |
Now the boys have transformed it into a garden | 0:25:20 | 0:25:23 | |
for all three ladies to enjoy. | 0:25:23 | 0:25:26 | |
A new fence was a must, and now it's in, | 0:25:28 | 0:25:31 | |
the noisy, exposed road is a thing of the past. | 0:25:31 | 0:25:33 | |
But it ate up almost half the budget, | 0:25:34 | 0:25:37 | |
so the boys have had to beg, borrow and steal | 0:25:37 | 0:25:40 | |
to transform the space within. | 0:25:40 | 0:25:41 | |
The existing landscaping was repositioned, | 0:25:45 | 0:25:48 | |
opening up the space for four flowerbeds | 0:25:48 | 0:25:50 | |
that surround a social area - perfect for family barbecues. | 0:25:50 | 0:25:54 | |
The boys focused the rest of the budget | 0:25:59 | 0:26:01 | |
on bringing colour and texture to the garden. | 0:26:01 | 0:26:05 | |
The beds are filled with grasses and herbaceous perennials | 0:26:05 | 0:26:08 | |
for year-round colour. | 0:26:08 | 0:26:09 | |
Adding to the wow factor are the stunning amelanchier | 0:26:13 | 0:26:16 | |
and cherry trees, costing £120 each. | 0:26:16 | 0:26:19 | |
They give instant height to the area. | 0:26:19 | 0:26:22 | |
To screen off the ugly garage door, David created an improvised trellis. | 0:26:24 | 0:26:29 | |
It didn't cost a penny and, once the clematis has clambered over it, | 0:26:29 | 0:26:33 | |
it will be enveloped in pink flowers. | 0:26:33 | 0:26:36 | |
And, as promised, | 0:26:38 | 0:26:40 | |
Charlie has given Lillian her own little area to potter around - | 0:26:40 | 0:26:44 | |
a walled garden, made from anything she could find in the skip. | 0:26:44 | 0:26:48 | |
It's time to see if the boys have delivered. | 0:26:51 | 0:26:54 | |
Right, keep walking. | 0:26:54 | 0:26:56 | |
I think the garden looks really fabulous. | 0:26:56 | 0:26:59 | |
It's one of my favourite that they've done. | 0:26:59 | 0:27:02 | |
-Open your eyes. -Have a look at it. -Oh! -Wow! -Oh, it's lovely! | 0:27:04 | 0:27:09 | |
You love it, great. | 0:27:09 | 0:27:11 | |
-So, this is where you can sit down, have your morning coffee. -Yeah. Oh! | 0:27:11 | 0:27:14 | |
It's a garden! | 0:27:14 | 0:27:16 | |
LAUGHTER | 0:27:16 | 0:27:17 | |
-Oh, it's beautiful! -Oh, wow. | 0:27:17 | 0:27:19 | |
-Oh, it's gorgeous! -What do you think of the fence? | 0:27:19 | 0:27:22 | |
-That was the main thing. -I love the fence! I absolutely adore the fence. | 0:27:22 | 0:27:27 | |
-It's fantastic. -It's just amazing. | 0:27:27 | 0:27:29 | |
-It's making me cry. -Oh! -I just don't know where to look first. | 0:27:29 | 0:27:34 | |
So, we've got all the different plants here, | 0:27:34 | 0:27:36 | |
-like the grasses, which give lovely interest and movement. -Gorgeous. | 0:27:36 | 0:27:40 | |
We've got two amelanchier, kind of shrubs, | 0:27:40 | 0:27:42 | |
so they won't grow too large. But you can see this lovely blossom. | 0:27:42 | 0:27:45 | |
-Get lots of little birdies. -Yes! -They'll love it. | 0:27:45 | 0:27:48 | |
Lots of birdies in the garden. | 0:27:48 | 0:27:50 | |
And this area here, you can have your table and chairs | 0:27:50 | 0:27:52 | |
and just enough room for the whole family, | 0:27:52 | 0:27:56 | |
all three of you, to sit around here and enjoy it. | 0:27:56 | 0:27:58 | |
That's right, yeah. It's what we need. And a lovely fence. | 0:27:58 | 0:28:01 | |
-It's a good-looking fence, isn't it? -It is! | 0:28:01 | 0:28:03 | |
I'm going to put my hands up and say it. | 0:28:03 | 0:28:05 | |
Paul did a great job of that, yeah. He did a good job. | 0:28:05 | 0:28:08 | |
I got quite emotional when I walked out. | 0:28:13 | 0:28:15 | |
I didn't know what to expect, to be honest. Amazing. | 0:28:15 | 0:28:18 | |
We've definitely got everything that we wanted. | 0:28:18 | 0:28:21 | |
It has exceeded our expectations, | 0:28:21 | 0:28:24 | |
with the plants, the design, the fence. | 0:28:24 | 0:28:26 | |
It's just everything. | 0:28:26 | 0:28:28 |