Northwood Garden Rescue

With her can-do attitude, love of simple gardens

and decades of experience...

DING

..Charlie Dimmock is one of Britain's best-loved gardeners.

Looking good, boys.

But the new kids on the gardening block are the Rich brothers.

We want to be the brothers that change people's perceptions of gardens.

Winners of multiple medals at the Chelsea Flower Show...

-Oh, wow!

-Good turn.

-That's amazing, isn't it?

..the boys have become known for their dramatic outdoor spaces.

Now these two different generations of gardening are going head-to-head.

I know they've got a gold medal, but I can come up with a few ideas.

They're meeting frustrated garden owners across the country...

Not a lot going on, is there?

-Not a lot.

-I don't know what to do with it.

..and will each pitch them a design based on their needs...

-You look confused.

-I am, go for it.

-..and budget.

-It doesn't look like it could be our garden.

The winner...

-ALL:

-Charlie!

-Yeah, awesome!

-..brings their design to life...

Hold on, hold on.

-Sweet as a nut.

-..and the loser has to help them build it.

Keep working, keep working, boys.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy.

This is what happens...

Just get on with it! Sometime today would be good.

..when different styles collide...

I think your brother's throwing the toys out of his pram.

-Right, are we doing this?

-..to turn garden dreams into reality.

Wow. Aw!

-Oh, my goodness.

-Wow!

-Look at that.

-Oh, my God.

-Wow.

-Wow.

It's time to find out whose garden Charlie and the Rich brothers are

competing over today.

Young couple, Darshna and Noyon.

Nice, colourful outfit, isn't it?

Yeah, they look really sweet, don't they?

I'm afraid to say the garden doesn't look quite so sweet.

-No, it looks wild, doesn't it?

-Wild? It looks a mess.

Accountant Darshna and Noyon, a project manager,

upgraded from a flat to their house in Harrow just under two years ago.

They desperately wanted some outdoor space,

but their back yard is far from appealing.

Our garden is currently not used at all.

We've kind of spent a lot of time doing the inside of the house,

so it's been a bit neglected.

It's a bit of a... I don't want to say embarrassment,

but those of our friends who have seen it always comment

that it's so small.

It's a very, very small courtyard garden, which could be great.

Looks like it's a bit of a dumping site at the moment, isn't it?

Yeah, but look at all that concrete.

SHE SIGHS

Apart from an unruly climber, a few weeds and a big pile of rubbish,

Darshna and Noyon's six-by-ten-metre outdoor space

is blank and featureless.

I think it's that thought of not even knowing where to start with it,

because we're not gardeners, and we haven't ventured to try and make any

kind of attempt to do some gardening.

But the couple have grand designs for their miniature plot.

Four years ago, during a trip to India,

they fell in love with the gardens they visited there.

I'm interested in the sort of classical Indian Mughal architecture

with repetitive patterns, symmetry, so that is

sort of my dream garden.

The Mughal, or Mogul, Empire originated in the 16th century,

and extended over large parts of the Indian subcontinent.

Mughal gardens are known for their geometric layouts,

stunning water features and intricate details.

Bringing this to Harrow will be a challenge for the designers,

and that's not all - Noyon has another passion that he is keen to

see reflected in the garden.

I really love tiles.

I mean, I've tried to incorporate as much tiling as I'm allowed within

this house without being too overbearing.

I know the garden's small,

but if that could be incorporated that would be amazing.

What is the cash?

The cash, £2,500.

-OK.

-I mean, it's a tiny space, so it's not that bad, is it?

It is a tiny space.

But I feel like there's a lot of work, isn't there?

-And not a plant really in sight that's meant to be there.

-Yeah.

Charlie and the Rich brothers love a challenge.

So they head to Harrow to see the garden for themselves.

With each of them hoping to win the contract,

they'll be on the lookout for anything that gives them an edge.

-Wow.

-Well, it's definitely not Capability Brown, is it?

It's more like Inky Dinky.

Inky Dinky!

-It is a cool space, though, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-I love it.

-I could get really excited about this, you know?

I can see why they're, like, "It's tiny, it's small, argh!"

I actually don't think it's that small.

Maybe it's the illusion that it's small. It's got high walls.

But, actually, careful design,

I think this space could feel a lot bigger.

Yeah, well, maybe getting rid of that to start with.

-Yeah, definitely.

-After seeing the garden first-hand,

David and Harry are optimistic and head inside for a poke around.

-It's a lovely space.

-It's gorgeous, isn't it?

I think blue is definitely the running theme, isn't it?

And blue tiles, as well.

Picking up on the colours, it unifies the room together,

it just adds that bit of quality, I think, doesn't it?

And also I saw the mirror, as well.

I think, for me, that looks like Mogul.

-It does.

-If anything does. I think we should definitely look to try

-and incorporate that kind of shape into the garden.

-Mm.

The brothers are excited and continue their investigation around the house

whilst outside, Charlie meets Noyon and Darshna

to find out what they need from their garden.

-The space is quite small.

-Yeah.

What are you expecting from the garden?

A very low-maintenance garden from us, I think.

-Right.

-Mm-hm.

-Anything that takes the focus away from the size.

I think we're quite keen on having an area to sit out, maybe, like,

decked and looks quite pretty.

-A very inviting area.

-Yeah.

Oh, wow! Look at that. It's fit for a king, that shower.

Again, I think tiles is definitely the thing.

I know it's not odd to see tiles in a bathroom, but white again,

-but then with just one wall, which has a bit of...

-BOTH:

-..detail.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Now, tell me, explain to me about what's going on with this dog's leg

-in the fence.

-The previous owner of the house used to drive his car in,

-and park it here.

-Oh, so it's a parking space.

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-We are sorting that out. That's going to be straightened out,

so we'll have a bit more space for you to work with.

-A slightly bigger garden.

-Yeah.

-A bigger garden.

THEY LAUGH

Charlie and the Rich brothers have their work cut out for them.

They have to make the space feel bigger, keep it low-maintenance,

give it a Mughal feel and incorporate tiling,

and all for £2,500.

This is going to be tough.

It's time for the designers to get to work.

Charlie and the Rich brothers will compete against each other to come

up with a design that will work with Darshna and Noyon's budget.

The couple will then have to choose a design, and whoever loses will

have to help the winner build the garden.

The £2,500 budget will be used to cover the cost of the materials for

their new garden, while the labour will be supplied by Charlie,

the Rich brothers and their team of landscapers.

It's time for the big pitch.

Charlie knows that the couple want a low-maintenance garden that appears

bigger than it actually is.

Oh!

-Wow.

-While David and Harry have seen Noyon's love of tiles at first hand.

-Hi.

-In this little garden, whose big ideas will come out on top?

So, this is our design.

-Wow.

-It's time for the big pitch.

So, we know that there are definitely a couple of things you

guys really wanted in this garden.

One of them was to make it feel a lot larger than it already is.

And the second one was to really stress and be inspired from that

Mogul style of courtyard, and I feel like we've done it.

Although it looks simple, it's all in the detail.

-We know your passion for tiles.

-Yeah.

We wanted to create this lovely, seamless floorscape by using two

different tiles. One, the lighter one, is going to make the space feel

quite airy. And the other one is going to have that lovely pattern

-that runs around the simpler tile.

-And it'll be a lovely, pretty blue.

-Something that will match the blue in your living room.

-Oh, wow.

-OK.

The Rich brothers want to tile the floor all the way from the back door

to the rear wall, leaving essential open space for relaxing in.

Charlie, however, has taken a different approach.

To make as much usable space as possible,

this is a long, narrow patio,

with very sleek, white slabs.

So it would be an area you could have a dining-room table outside.

And then this is a simple decking that's smooth and a wooden bench for

when you don't want to get all your garden furniture out.

And then a fire bowl.

And I've left areas in the garden for tiling,

but what I don't want to do is put my influence of what I would choose

tile wise, and I think you would really enjoy putting your mark on

-the garden.

-Really good.

Not including any tiles in her design is a gamble for Charlie,

but she has cleverly included two sitting areas,

offering both a patio and the decking area that Darshna requested.

But what do the designers have planned for the back wall?

So, we have three archways, painted archways on the back wall,

so it gives that concept, that idea that, actually,

there's something further beyond that.

That will stretch the imagination into a larger garden, you know,

-of your dreams.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Then softened by climbers,

so you're going to get lovely blossom,

maybe something like trachelopsermum,

which just has a lovely scent.

And it's really going to encapsulate this whole space.

I want to highlight your wall.

I want to paint it over in a white colour,

which will lighten the garden even more and make it look more open.

And then we'll have planting along there,

but they're going to be quite dramatic plants.

Something like Arundo donax, you know, that looks like sugar cane.

Canna lilies that have got big, strapping, broad leaves.

And then I have what's called a silk tree.

And it gets pink, pom-pom-y red flowers all the way over the top.

-It looks amazing.

-Sounds good.

So, it's a bold and vibrant

yet low-maintenance planting scheme from Charlie.

How will the brothers respond?

With the planting, we wanted to keep it very luscious, very green,

a lot of foliage. One of the key things are the banana trees.

And their leaves are huge, and it's really going to draw your eye up,

-and make the garden feel larger than it is.

-Wow.

Plenty of other things, as well, so there'll be, like, a fatsia,

which has got a large, palmate leaf.

Euphorbia, which is, again, a lovely, evergreen leaf.

Things that will hold their lusciousness

-and their form throughout the year.

-Yeah.

Two very different designs, then,

but Darshna and Noyon seem to like them both.

How will the Mughal touches swing their decision?

As for the Mogul theme...

that's this section here.

And we have planting around here, which will be evergreen.

-Right.

-We then have an inner raised square, with planting,

and each section.

We then come up another layer with a tall flowerpot with a feature plant

-in it.

-Wow, sounds good.

-Sounds amazing.

-Yeah.

Within these Mogul style of courtyards water is really

important, so we've introduced a little fountain -

that you can see here.

Quite symmetrical within the centre of this part of the garden.

And that will act as a lovely focal point and I think really emphasise

that relaxing feeling. You have the sound of water.

It's refreshing, especially in summer.

I think it'll just be a really gorgeous place to be.

-It looks amazing.

-Brilliant.

Both designs have gone all out to give Darshna and Noyon

the Mughal-themed garden they've been dreaming about.

And each one also maximises their small space.

Oh...

I don't know.

But they can only pick one.

So, whose garden will they choose?

I really like the way Charlie has got the two elements in here with

the raised decking and this clean piece here.

-Oh, bit of decking?

-A lot of decking.

-A lot of it?

-With a fire bowl.

Huh?

We do fire bowls normally.

-You're just surprised that I came up with it?

-This isn't surprise,

-this is the face of a worried man.

-No, not at all. Yeah.

This is such a clean design.

The tiling just looks really sort of nice and neat.

-Yeah.

-See, I decided that I would let Noyon

put his own mark on the garden.

It's called the easy way out, that is, Charlie.

I think that's using your noggin.

It's just very confusing.

Yeah, it's definitely a difficult decision.

So, will it be Charlie's decking area with in-built storage

and raised bedding, vibrant, colourful planting and fire bowl?

Or the Rich brothers' tiled courtyard garden

with arches to create the illusion of space, banana trees

and custom-built water feature?

-Hello.

-Hi.

-Hi.

-It's time to decide.

-We've made a decision.

-We've made our decision.

And it is...

THEY CHEER

-Awesome!

-Well done, well done.

-Sorry, Charlie.

-It's all right.

What made you decide on this?

I think it looks like a different world.

With the back wall, as well, with that detail there,

it's like you're escaping into some exotic, faraway land.

-Very exciting.

-Yeah.

-I'm not painting the arches.

You are! That steady hand.

You've got that artistic touch, Charlie.

So, the Rich brothers take this one, but they're going to need Charlie's

help to transform this tiny plot into an exotic paradise.

It's early morning in Harrow.

The Rich brothers are off sourcing their exotic plants,

so landscapers Scott, Andy, other Scott

and project manager Bonnie are here to clear the garden.

Darshna and Noyon have had their fence line straightened out to

create more space and they've got new gates.

Harry and David weren't expecting this when they designed the garden.

On here, on the plan, we've got a border running down the side,

and the gates open inwards.

Which means these gates open into the flower bed.

-So we'll have to end it here, maybe?

-Yeah, yeah.

As Andy demolishes the old wall,

Scott and Bonnie start marking out where all those tiles will go.

The brothers' design involves two types of tile, creating clean,

straight lines with intricate edging detail.

These will need to be placed exactly right.

65 centimetres wide, it is, so 65 out to here.

The existing concrete surface might be an eyesore,

but it does provide an ideal base for laying the tiles.

Right, so that's our centrepiece.

-Yeah.

-And that's going to come over 20?

-Yeah.

Around the edges, however, where the flowerbeds are going,

that concrete has to go.

Once all the concrete is out, Bonnie and Andy begin to construct what

will eventually be the water feature.

Whilst Scott starts laying those all-important tiles.

These blue edging tiles will create the repeating pattern that Noyon

is so keen on, and help give it that Mughal feel.

The plain tiles that will fill the rest of the space are being laid at

a 45-degree angle,

which is a great way to fool the eye into believing the area is bigger.

-How's it going, Scott?

-Brilliant.

-Yeah?

-Really good.

Yeah, they're flying down, so it's really nice.

-It's looking good.

-Yeah, it's looking nice.

-I'm really pleased, actually.

-The contrast works really well.

It's going to look amazing when it's finished, yeah.

-Probably a bit fiddly laying the two together, but...

-It is, yeah,

-but it's going to be worth it in the end.

-Worth the effort, yeah. Lovely.

I'm using rapid set cement, as well, so I've got to get it done

-pretty quick.

-Quick, quick, quick. Why do you think I bought rapid set?

-To keep you moving.

-Keep us moving, yeah. Thanks for that.

Work is really moving on apace as David, Harry

and Charlie arrive on site.

-Oh.

-That's good, they've got the gates in.

-I know.

Isn't that nice? Now we can finally see where they are.

I feel like the design may have to amend a little bit, though.

-Yeah, and it is a tiny little space.

-But, you know, that means there's

not going to be a lot of work to be done,

but what is done has to be of quality.

-Top notch.

-Yeah, I think Darshna would have been quite happy just for

-it to be tidy.

-Yes.

-Whereas Noyon is going to be... He's very particular.

-He is.

-Which will make the garden look amazing.

-Yes.

-So, there's no pressure there, boys.

-All in the detail.

-Yeah.

-So, am I just making tea all day?

-Absolutely not.

You're sorting out the water feature.

OK. All right, then.

No more questions. And then a bit of planting with us afterwards.

And then we're going to do...

-Arches.

-Arches.

-And a little bit of tiling, maybe,

-and we have a little idea with a table.

-Ooh, yeah.

-OK.

-We won't tell you yet, Charlie, we'll leave it as a surprise.

So, the biggest problem's going to be keeping out of each other's way

-in such a small space.

-Yeah, probably.

-Well, we'd just better get on, then, eh?

-Yeah.

The designers are eager to get cracking,

and while the Rich brothers have kept the Mughal theme,

they are using Darshna and Noyon's courtyard space wisely.

Award-winning garden designer Jack Dunkley has some top tips if you,

too, have a courtyard garden.

A courtyard garden is enclosed on two sides of the boundary,

or in the middle of the house, with the house running all the way around

it, and kind of access into the courtyard as a central space.

The boundaries of a courtyard garden can often be quite high,

thus blocking out the light.

If this is the case in your garden,

be sure to include shade-loving plants.

However, due to their enclosed nature,

courtyard gardens can have their own microclimate.

Courtyards generally are quite good for frost,

so they can be quite enclosed and sheltered.

So, if you've got anything a little bit tender then a courtyard would be

a good place to put it.

But be careful if your courtyard garden is a sun trap.

A courtyard can get very, very hot in the summer.

Not watering plants enough can be a real problem.

Or if you go for the wrong types of plant that need a lot of moisture,

then they can get absolutely baked.

To make any small garden appear bigger

there's a couple of things you can do.

If you've got a small garden and you want to make it appear bigger,

then the best thing to do is to tackle the boundaries.

If you've got a brown, enclosing fence, it's really kind of dark,

and it'll be nice to lighten it up, put some planting on it,

maybe give it a touch of paint, and then look at linear lines,

and at the longest point of your garden put a focal point in.

Cos that will draw your eye to the longest part.

In Darshna and Noyon's small garden, project manager Bonnie

is laying the topsoil for the planting beds.

And Charlie has a suggestion for the brothers' water feature.

We could make that into a bit of a planter there, maybe.

I think it would be quite nice, just soften it.

Something to... Now...

explain to me what you want.

-I've now got the water.

-Yeah.

-I've got the walls.

-Yes.

-Going to paint this?

-Yes. All of it.

The whole thing, right. And where do you want the waterspout?

Well, ideally, it was just going to come out of the middle.

-Right.

-Just as a simple little feature.

My only thing with that is the noise can be slightly irritating,

-if you know what I mean.

-Make you go to the toilet.

-Not to be indelicate.

-So, maybe if we can break the fall of the water?

-Yeah.

-I'm thinking,

-you know your garden's all about foliage and jungle...

-Yeah.

-..that we maybe do some leaves?

-Yeah.

-Because I found this bit of old lead in the skip.

-That's a good find.

Could be really interesting, couldn't it? And it would age

-quite nicely.

-And then it could drip down the leaves and drop in.

Yeah, yeah. Perfect, I'll leave it with you, Charlie.

Right, I've just got to smooth this off now.

Landscaper Scott is laying the patterned tiles,

but will they fit under the new garden gate?

Just open it out and see if it goes over those tiles.

-Oh!

-Oh, look at that.

-Dream.

-Perfectly planned, that was, made-to-measure.

-Lovely.

On the other side of the gate,

David and Harry are marking out the arches for the back wall.

Originally we did want to paint it straight onto the wall,

but the wall's in a bit of a bad condition,

some of the mortar's falling out, so we're using marine ply.

That's going to give a lovely, clean, crisp archway.

Marine ply is perfect for it, rather than normal ply -

it's much more suited to the outdoor conditions.

You might not be able to see it yet,

but actually you've got the base of the archway here.

We're just drawing the vertical sides of it.

And at the top here is that ornamental archway style.

What I've got here is actually a template.

We were first inspired by the inside of their house.

They had this beautiful mirror with a beautiful shape,

and we wanted to replicate that with the top of the arches.

So I've used cardboard.

And by folding it in half, and drawing out the shape,

when you reveal it, it's very symmetrical.

And that's going to give all three arches the same identity.

Marine ply is extremely durable

and will withstand prolonged exposure to water,

making it a great material to use in the garden.

-Right, shall we stand it up?

-Yes.

It's going to look cool, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Perfect.

-Nice.

-Crack on!

One arch down, two to go.

A Mogul garden in Harrow might seem surprising,

but it's not the only one in the country.

Bradford's Lister Park has all the usual Victorian features

you'd expect in a conventional British park.

But, in April 2001,

its very own Mogul-inspired garden opened to the public.

Ian Woods, principal manager of parks and green spaces,

was involved in its creation.

The garden is widely accepted in the country as quite unique

in its element and design.

We're very, very proud of that aspect.

The garden itself is 130 metres long, 30 metres wide,

and it's divided up by the watercourses, the rills,

and the footpaths, breaking it down into little sub-gardens,

culminating in the pond at the end with the larger fountain there.

At the end of the watercourses here we have traditional Mogul designed

arches with the two cascades at either side,

which is that final backdrop to the garden.

The garden in Lister Park follows the Mogul principles of symmetry

and repetitive linear lines,

used to divide the space into smaller sections.

It's a simple, clean design.

It's quite elegant and formal at the same time.

And it's not fussy.

You can come into this garden and just feel at one

with the garden, effectively - it's such a tranquil space.

People can interact with the water,

they can walk across the watercourses,

they can sit at the side of it on the grass.

Mogul gardens evolved from what are known as Paradise Gardens,

and are a fusion of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles.

Part of the design was a garden which expressed Bradford's cultural

heritage, but something that would lend sympathetically with the park,

its natural surroundings, and the Grade II listed house as a backdrop.

Local craftsmen were involved, local stone was sourced,

so it's an English-cum-Bradford theme

on what was initially a Mogul garden design.

The local community in Bradford think it's a fantastic space.

It's just so different, yet so in line with what we have in Yorkshire.

Creating a Mogul-style garden needn't be difficult.

To replicate this design in a garden at home would be quite easy to do.

It's all about creating simple watercourses.

They don't have to be wide, they can be very narrow.

As long as you get that soothing flow of water,

or a fountain at one end of the garden, or something like that,

it can be replicated on such a small scale.

Back in Harrow, Charlie is brushing down the water feature

before she brightens it up with a lick of paint.

The great thing about white is it's going to really reflect the light

in the garden and make it really zing and seem bright.

Which will really show off the light greens of the banana plants

and the fatsias.

And with the movement of the water you'll get those dancing sparkles

of light on the leaves - should look glorious.

But painting anything properly can be a finickity task

that can test the patience of even the most experienced DIYer.

-Charlie?

-Have I been demoted? My painting job being taken away?

We're going to start painting this wall.

Would have been nice if you didn't give me a two-inch brush to paint the water feature with!

-Getting tired of it, are you?

-Getting a bit bored.

Well, that's why we're here!

After five minutes of painting you'll be bored, as well.

Oh, shabby chic.

Yes, see, that looks great.

Yeah, love that.

Gives that tile effect, doesn't it?

Even though it's brickwork.

Yeah, it does, it makes it more pronounced.

Just as Charlie predicted,

within minutes the brothers are looking for a distraction.

You could sing a song for us, Charlie?

Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye?

That's actually my favourite!

Hmm, bet you don't even know what a sixpence is!

Yeah, it's a money thing, isn't it?

Yeah. They were worth 2.5p,

you probably can't even remember what a halfpenny is!

Shilling?

-Penny farthing?

-That's a bike, you lemon!

I think I should stick to painting.

Yeah, I would, and my mouth shut.

That's what I was doing.

-Oldest and wisest.

-Yeah.

Resigned to their fate, David and Harry persevere with their job,

while Charlie's finishing painting the water feature.

The tiling is still under way, and landscaper Andy

lays in the raised edging to retain the planting beds,

which will soon feature the tropical greenery.

While round the back of the house, Harry is working on an extra feature

that wasn't in their original design.

A garden's not complete without somewhere to sit and enjoy it,

so we wanted to create this bespoke table to go in the garden.

That gave us the opportunity to really tie into that Mogul theme.

We picked up some reclaimed legs, but didn't have the table top.

So we've created it with marine ply.

And we've used batons on the outside,

and that allows us to put the tiles on the top nice and flush.

So it's really going to create a lovely finish.

The brothers have decided to keep the table as a surprise

for Darshna and Noyon.

But David wants to run their tile choice past the couple.

-Hi.

-Hello, how are you?

-Good, thank you.

-Fine, thank you.

I've got an idea for something special

-that wasn't on the design.

-OK...

You'll have to trust us, but I think it's going to be really cool.

And it does involve these tiles.

I'm sold.

Done. Go back in, I'm off!

Anything involving tiles, he's sold.

-Easy. Quite nice, aren't they?

-Yes, really nice, I like the colours.

There's a lot of varieties - a whole box of them, all different.

-Am I allowed to look into your box?

-No, just these ones.

-OK.

-I trust you.

-Nice, perfect, OK. Glad you like them,

but I'm going to have to ask you to leave now,

because this is where you disappear for the rest of the day

and then you come back to the surprise of your garden.

-Can't wait.

-OK.

-Awesome.

-Thank you very much.

-See you in a bit, goodbye.

With the tiles getting the thumbs up Harry can start sticking them on.

The table top has been specifically made to fit the tiles,

so there's no need to cut them, which will give a neater finish.

Right, last one to go in.

Perfect.

Inside the garden,

Charlie is moving on to the next stage of the water feature.

The thing about water features and pumps is you have to have electric.

Now, if you get an electrician in it makes it expensive,

there's a lot more preparation,

but what we're doing is using a solar-powered pump.

I have to say, they have come on leaps and bounds

in the last few years.

So you've actually got a battery pack

that charges up from the solar panel.

And the great thing about this is, say it hasn't been really sunny

and you're going to have people round,

and you want the pump to be working well, you can take the battery,

plug it inside for a couple of hours, and it fully charges up.

Now what I need to do is test the pump.

Now, this is the cool bit.

It's a little remote control.

But sorting out the plumbing seems to have sent Charlie round the bend.

Calling Harry and David!

Are you working out there, or just drinking tea?

I bet I know the answer.

-I can see him.

-Can you see my eye or my head?

I can see your head and your eye.

Do you like my little gadget?

What is it, an old phone?

It's the pump remote control.

-Is it?

-It's got four settings on it!

Wow. Thumbs up!

Now, all I've got to do is fill this without a hose.

One bucket at a time.

What a joy.

Good luck, Charlie, she's got at least 20 or 30 buckets

to get that thing full.

The gentle sound of moving water is a great addition to any garden.

From ready-made to custom built,

the range of water features on offer is huge.

Water features made using a variety of metals

can create a contemporary structural character.

Whilst ones that focus on wood or stone

give a more natural, warmer feel.

But not all water features need to include a fountain

or sculptural element.

Small streams, or even ponds, can be just as effective.

If you want the water to be crystal clear to really show off your fish,

for example, you'll need a filtration system.

And if you line it properly and include the right planting

you can have a pond absolutely anywhere.

Back in the garden Charlie is adding her extra-special touch

to the Rich brothers' water feature.

Right, that's me bit of lead flattened.

So that I can put a template on.

So, the boys drew a leaf, that shape for me,

I'm going to pop that on there and then just cut it out.

Then it's a case of a bit of detail.

So I'm going to take the sharp edges off with sandpaper.

And then I'm going to mark some veins down here.

There you go, that's it done.

So, the idea is the water is going to run down and drip off.

In theory.

The arches have been given a coat of paint

and so they can paint the edges a darker grey,

Harry and David are using tape to create a clean line.

The two contrasting shades will create a 3-D effect,

giving the illusion

that there's something beyond the arches themselves.

In the garden, Charlie's testing out the leaves for the water feature.

We're having to test each leaf to get it right on the right place,

but I think it'll look lovely once it's finished.

Charlie fixes the leaves to the water feature,

while David and Harry screw the arches to the wall.

That looks all right.

DRILL WHIRS

That's good timing, Charlie!

Around the corner, the Scotts are trying to balance their workload.

Can't touch these tiles. Do not touch these tiles!

I think I'm going to have to in a minute, I'm going to fall!

The tiles have not gone off, they're still wet,

and I'm trying to clean them,

so I'm stuck here, so you can just stay there and be the bucket boy.

-That's a promotion, isn't it?

-Yeah, that is a promotion.

With the quick-drying cement drying...quickly,

they use a jointing compound to fill in the gaps.

This comes as a ready-made mixture.

You simply add water and brush in.

It's finally time to start bringing in the lush green foliage

that is so typical of Mughal gardens.

-One banana, two bananas.

-Yes!

Three banana, four!

In fact, six banana trees are placed around the courtyard.

Just started to place the banana trees.

What we're using is a Musa basjoo,

and that's actually the hardiest banana tree you can get.

So it's going to be perfect down here in London.

Though if they do have a really cold winter they will have to protect it.

But the reason we've chosen them

is just to really tie in with that Mogul courtyard theme.

They're going to provide a really tall, dappled, lush green canopy.

Really exotic feeling.

When the sun is beating down,

they'll provide that lovely bit of shade.

Bananas can grow to well over two metres tall with large,

elegant leaves bringing a real touch of the exotic to the garden.

They'll need wrapping in straw or horticultural fleece

to protect them over the winter.

And in warm summers, they produce striking cream-coloured flowers.

Right, the boys have allowed me one plant in my water feature.

This is just an Acorus gramineus variegatus.

Semi-evergreen, and it's got this big sort of fountain of foliage.

It doesn't get much taller than this.

And I'm just really using it just to break the line

of the tank, and the pipe that's going out.

I'm dropping it in ever so slowly so all of the soil doesn't come out.

There you go.

Then in this front planting pocket,

the boys have gone for Alchemilla mollis,

and they'll have the nice, frothy green flowers

that will drop over the side of the planter, soften it all up.

The planting's in full swing all over the garden.

And Scott's getting the fatsias in.

They're often kept as a house plant,

but they really come into their own outdoors,

where the leaves become darker and thicker.

They'll grow in almost any type of soil, do well in shade or sun,

and, even if neglected, are a forgiving plant,

so they're ideal for this low-maintenance garden.

One of the plants we're using in this garden is Luzula nivea,

and that's snowy woodrush.

It's gorgeous, evergreen grass, and it tolerates up to full shade.

So, under the canopy of the bananas, next to the fatsias,

it's going to grow really well.

And what's nice is that unlike other grasses that flower in late summer,

this actually flowers in early summer.

You'll get these tall stalks

and this lovely plume of white on top that'll last into the summer.

And what you can do after it's flowered,

you can cut them down and that new,

luscious green growth will fill the garden with lovely colour.

Everyone's getting stuck in.

Well, almost everyone.

It's coming together nicely, isn't it, team?

Yes, it's all this hard graft.

Hard graft, Harry? What?

Yeah, you're just stood there with a plant in your hand!

This is hard. Hard graft!

Where's that cup of tea?

With the large leaved evergreen plants in place,

the perennials can now be added.

And Charlie's in charge of the euphorbias.

There are around 2,000 kinds.

This one will grow to about two foot tall,

has tiny red flowers surrounded by yellowy bracts,

which bloom from February and can continue through until autumn.

Now, Harry's finally getting his hands dirty.

This is one of my favourites,

Jacob's Ladder, and has a kind of beautiful dusty purple colour.

And that's going to link really nicely with those tiles.

That's a really important factor when looking to design your garden

or bring in plants, to have that unity

within the hard landscaping and the soft landscaping.

And this is really going to pick out that colour

and look great in the garden.

The plants are being packed in,

and it's all hands on deck to get every one of them planted in time.

A quick tidy, and the climbers are last to be positioned

before the finishing touches are brought in.

-Is it going to fit?

-I think it's OK.

I can't really see what's middle...

-That one there.

-Oh!

-Lovely.

-Beautiful.

-You can't have a table without any chairs, can you?

-No.

Before they called Charlie and the Rich brothers,

Darshna and Noyon's garden was a tiny, overgrown dumping ground.

But now, after its £2,500 overhaul,

the garden has been transformed.

The two-tone tiling, with its orderly pattern,

has made a huge difference, and cost £685.

The water feature, a must in any Mogul garden,

was custom made from cement blocks and a cattle trough

at a cost of £240.

And it's set off perfectly by the recycled lead leaves.

The Mogul-inspired arches give the illusion of space

and came in at £190.

The impressive tropical planting has brought a little bit of paradise

to north-west London.

It features six banana trees, each costing £30.

Eight fatsias were also £30 each.

And an array of underplanting at a total of £421.

The handmade statement table gives the couple a place to relax

in their own little haven, and cost a total of £80.

Darshna and Noyon desperately wanted to make the most

of their small outdoor space with a Mogul theme

that included tiling, and all for £2,500.

It's time to see if the Rich brothers have delivered.

I can't see much of the garden, but I can see them.

Three, two, one, open your eyes.

Oh, my God!

-Wow. It looks amazing.

-Wow!

-Glorious.

-Yeah!

-Good!

-Wow!

It just looks like a different garden.

Yes, this does not look like our garden.

Do you feel it captures that Mogul theme?

Yes, and more.

I love the pattern of the blue here.

I'd never imagined this.

I thought Noyon would like the tiles.

Right up his street, those tiles are, aren't they?

The tiles Dave showed you earlier have been put to good use,

and are now the table top.

That's really creative. When you showed me the tiles,

I had no idea what you were going to do with them.

-You trusted us.

-Yes, I trusted you.

-That is amazing.

-Wicked.

-Look at this!

-I know, it's Charlie's water feature.

-I hadn't even noticed that.

Hold on two seconds!

David's got the remote out.

-Yay!

-Oh, nice!

That is spectacular.

-Bespoke leaf, shaped by Charlie.

-Oh, very nice.

Water feature's a hit.

I have to say, it was a real faff, but worth it.

The garden is going to look luscious and green throughout the whole year,

-which is going to be amazing.

-Yep.

But also, when the banana trees grow up real tall,

it's going to create quite an immersive space in here.

Then we've got some perennials scattered through.

Spring to summer you'll have all these different plants coming up,

creating that lovely bit of colour in the garden.

So it'll be quite exciting for you guys to watch the garden evolve

and grow over the next couple of years.

It's going to be like a world away,

it's going to look like an exotic paradise.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Can't wait!

Can you imagine using it with your family, and everything?

-Yes.

-Well, yeah, and we're actually expecting, so...

Yeah!

..a little baby here, as well.

-Oh, nice!

-Awesome. You've got a lovely house,

-and now...

-A lovely garden!

I didn't want to say it, but you beat me to it!

Now the team have left, what do Darshna and Noyon really think

-of their new garden?

-I think it's amazing.

I'm so happy with the end product.

It's so much better than I thought it was going to be.

It's just completely exceeded my expectations.

This is spectacular.

I never thought this could be achievable in the space that we had.

It just looks like twice the size. It's amazing.