0:00:02 > 0:00:05With her can-do attitude, love of simple gardens and decades of
0:00:05 > 0:00:10experience, Charlie Dimmock is one of Britain's best loved gardeners.
0:00:10 > 0:00:11Looking good, boys!
0:00:11 > 0:00:15But the new kids on the gardening block are the Rich brothers.
0:00:15 > 0:00:16We want to be the brothers
0:00:16 > 0:00:19that change people's perceptions of gardens.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Winners of multiple medals of the Chelsea Flower Show...
0:00:22 > 0:00:24- Wow.- Good turn.- Amazing, isn't it?
0:00:24 > 0:00:28..the boys have become known for their dramatic outdoor spaces.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34Now these two different generations of gardening are going head-to-head.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38I know they've got a gold medal, but I can come up with a few ideas!
0:00:38 > 0:00:42They're meeting frustrated garden owners across the country.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45- Not a lot going on, is there?! - Not a lot!
0:00:45 > 0:00:46I don't know what to do with it.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49And will each pitch them a design based on their needs...
0:00:49 > 0:00:50Wow!
0:00:50 > 0:00:51..and budget.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53That sounds amazing.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54Doesn't look like it could be our garden.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56The winner...
0:00:56 > 0:00:58CHEERING
0:00:58 > 0:01:00..brings their design to life.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02- Hold on, hold on!- Sweet as a nut.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05And the loser has to help them build it.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Keep working, keep working, boys!
0:01:07 > 0:01:09Whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy!
0:01:09 > 0:01:10This is what happens...
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Just get on with it! Some time today would be good!
0:01:14 > 0:01:16..when different styles collide...
0:01:16 > 0:01:18I think your brother's throwing the toys out of his pram!
0:01:18 > 0:01:19Right, are we doing this?
0:01:19 > 0:01:23..to turn garden dreams into reality.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25- Open your eyes.- Oh!
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Oh, it's lovely.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29- Wow!- Look at that!
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Wow! It's not our garden!
0:01:42 > 0:01:45It's time for Charlie and the Rich Brothers to get their teeth
0:01:45 > 0:01:46into today's challenge.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51This is Andy, Fiona and little Alex.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54- He's very bonny, isn't he? - He's very young.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56And they want a very user-friendly garden
0:01:56 > 0:01:58that they can use as a family.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02I have is to say, I don't think I've seen a garden so devoid of plants.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04- It's literally nothing.- Just lawn.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08That's it. Now, I don't mean to be rude, but
0:02:08 > 0:02:10it is quite boring.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17Andy, a naval architect, and Fiona, a civil servant,
0:02:17 > 0:02:19moved into their house four years ago
0:02:19 > 0:02:21and immediately got stuck into the garden.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27When we moved in, it was really, really overgrown. So, after a lot of
0:02:27 > 0:02:30clearing out, and a lot of weeding,
0:02:30 > 0:02:34we're now back to, well, it's nothing more than a blank canvas,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36so we really need to start from scratch.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Since having a child, the couple have realised that
0:02:42 > 0:02:46their 13 by 30 metre plot is not only boring, it's dangerous, too.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50We have a little boy, a one-year-old, called Alex and
0:02:50 > 0:02:54currently the patio's all uneven and broken. The steps are too high.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58And the ditch at the bottom is just a big hazard for him.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Unless it's heavily supervised with a lot of preparation,
0:03:01 > 0:03:05we don't go out there with him, which is a bit of a big shame.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09We don't use it at all. We've probably used it a handful of times
0:03:09 > 0:03:10since we moved in.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14So, really, having a safe place for him to play and burn off energy
0:03:14 > 0:03:15is essential.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19It's not all about Alex, though, is it?
0:03:19 > 0:03:21No, I think it's a balance, you know?
0:03:21 > 0:03:23He's fresh on the scene.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26So, I think, as a family now, we can split the garden into two,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29so we can have a, kind of, natural play area for Alex, but also have
0:03:29 > 0:03:30this lovely entertaining space.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34Not only is the space unsuitable for Alex,
0:03:34 > 0:03:38it's not really luring Andy and Fiona out of the house, either.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Fiona is really, really into cooking,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43so we would love a garden space. Once Alex is in bed,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46we can have friends or family round for dinner.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48We can have people round to entertain.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Drinks in the garden ourselves.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55So, to give Alex a safe area and have a space all to their own,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59what are Andy and Fiona prepared to spend?
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Our budget for the garden is £5,000.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05And we think it's a good investment for the future
0:04:05 > 0:04:06if we can get out and use the garden more.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09That's all right, isn't it? You can do a lot with that.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12It's quite a small garden, as well, so I think having a budget like that
0:04:12 > 0:04:15means we can really involve lots of different elements
0:04:15 > 0:04:19- within this space.- Should get a real wow factor there somewhere.- Yes.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22£5,000 is a lot for a garden this size,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25so our designers have no excuses.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27They'll need to come up with something
0:04:27 > 0:04:28that knocks this couple's socks off.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36So, to get under the skin of this particular challenge
0:04:36 > 0:04:38they're heading to the family's home in Southampton
0:04:38 > 0:04:40to see the garden for themselves.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44It's quite a nice-sized garden for a house of this size.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48- Yeah, it's great.- That's a pretty strong boundary, isn't it?
0:04:48 > 0:04:50Yeah, it's a bit in-your-face.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52At the moment, it's all you see, isn't it?
0:04:52 > 0:04:55- There's nothing here except for one tree and one plant.- Yeah, minimal.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Minimal, yeah, but not the good minimal.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59No, and it's very neat.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Well, neat is one word for this dull and empty plot,
0:05:04 > 0:05:06but it does have one feature,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10and it looks a lot worse in the flesh than it did in the pictures.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13I have to say, that is a really steep slope, isn't it?
0:05:13 > 0:05:16- Yeah.- It didn't look that steep in the photos.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18No, it's going to be quite key how we actually deal with that,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21because I think it's a bit of a problem space at the moment.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23- Yeah, well, it's a nothing space, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27One quarter of the plot drops by nearly a metre.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30No wonder it's not entirely safe for little Alex.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32There's no reason to come into the garden,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35because there's nothing to look at.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39We get it - it's blank and featureless.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43So the boys head inside to see if they can pick up some clues
0:05:43 > 0:05:44about the couple's taste.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46But it's not going to be easy.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51It looks like baby Alex has taken over the house.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54Ah. What do you notice here?
0:05:54 > 0:05:57- Definitely a lot of toys. - Yeah, a lot of toys, neat toys.
0:05:57 > 0:05:58They look very neat.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00But I think maybe what might be a nice thing is
0:06:00 > 0:06:03- to give them a little divide in the garden.- Yeah.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Give baby Alex his space, so he's not cluttering up,
0:06:05 > 0:06:07and give the parents their space.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09- They are plastic.- So maybe a nice thing might be to introduce
0:06:09 > 0:06:10a bit more natural play.
0:06:12 > 0:06:13Maybe Charlie will have more success
0:06:13 > 0:06:17figuring out what this couple really want.
0:06:17 > 0:06:18Alex arrived at a time when
0:06:18 > 0:06:20time available to do the garden just plummeted.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24- OK. So that's why you've come to me and the boys?- Yeah,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27we need some help. We need some serious help.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31Meanwhile, in the dining room,
0:06:31 > 0:06:33the boys have made an important discovery.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36- That's a big, old family.- That is.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Do you think it's going to be paramount to, kind of, accommodate
0:06:38 > 0:06:40all these when they're having a family gathering?
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Yes, some nice big spaces. By the look of the frames,
0:06:43 > 0:06:46- probably quite neat, as well. - Yeah, very neat in here.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49Having now taken everything out, it's time to put something in,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53- and it's time to maintain it, rather than just...- Oh, that's really nice
0:06:53 > 0:06:54to hear, because a lot of people go,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57"Yeah, I want the look, but I don't want the maintenance."
0:06:57 > 0:06:59But to say that you don't mind doing a bit and actually
0:06:59 > 0:07:01start getting involved,
0:07:01 > 0:07:03and you want Alex to get involved with that as well?
0:07:03 > 0:07:07- Yeah.- Yeah, we'd love some area, or just little bits throughout,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10something he could do and play with
0:07:10 > 0:07:12and would really draw him into the garden as well.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Even though this isn't a huge garden and the budget is decent,
0:07:17 > 0:07:21there's not a lot for our designers to go on, other than it being safe
0:07:21 > 0:07:24for Alex and a setting for Andy and Fiona to entertain their very
0:07:24 > 0:07:27large family and many friends,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29they've virtually been given free rein.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41It's going to be a challenge, so the trio waste no time and head straight
0:07:41 > 0:07:45to their drawing boards. Each of them will come up with a design that
0:07:45 > 0:07:48works within Andy and Fiona's budget.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50The couple will then have to choose a winning design
0:07:50 > 0:07:53and the loser will help the winner build the garden.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58Their £5,000 will be used to buy all the materials for their new garden
0:07:58 > 0:08:00as Charlie and the Rich Brothers,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02along with a crack team of landscapers,
0:08:02 > 0:08:03will provide the labour.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11It's time for the designers to pitch their ideas.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13This is our design.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18The boys have seen that Andy and Fiona love family gatherings,
0:08:18 > 0:08:21so will that be the dominant theme in their design?
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Whilst Charlie has learned that Andy and Fiona aren't afraid
0:08:29 > 0:08:32to get their hands dirty once the garden is in.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Wow.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37But there's some practical issues to address first,
0:08:37 > 0:08:39and Charlie's had a radical idea.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43I'm hoping to change your mind about the ditch,
0:08:43 > 0:08:47because it is actually quite nice to have level changes.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51So, coming out from your kitchen, we have steps out, and you're
0:08:51 > 0:08:55going to have a view going down to the sunny part, which is going to be
0:08:55 > 0:09:00your entertainment area. So we go down, and we're going to
0:09:00 > 0:09:03terrace this and make this into a patio area
0:09:03 > 0:09:05with big, shallow steps going down.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08They're not actually steps, they're going to be, like,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11platforms down into that area.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14So that'll be like a sunken garden, and I'm going to use plants
0:09:14 > 0:09:17that are going to give you colour all year round.
0:09:17 > 0:09:18Sounds good.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22So, rather than use up the budget building up the slope,
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Charlie's suggesting a lower tier with two different areas.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28And the boys are thinking along similar lines.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32So, we've taken inspiration from your kitchen.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34It's very modern, very minimal.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37So we want to create the same kind of feeling out here.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39So it'll be a very modern slab.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41And that would run down to the bottom.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44And also, we've put in a kind of, tiled wall as well,
0:09:44 > 0:09:48so that doubles up as seating. If you have friends and family over,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50then this space becomes a lot more usable.
0:09:50 > 0:09:51It looks really good.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58But what have they got in mind to entertain baby Alex?
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Then this side of the garden,
0:10:00 > 0:10:04you know, Alex needs that space to run around, play football,
0:10:04 > 0:10:10sit in his little pedal car, hurtle around, this is his area down here.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14So we have a slide going down the slope.
0:10:14 > 0:10:19We're going to cut that back a little bit to give him a bigger area
0:10:19 > 0:10:21and put play bark down there...
0:10:21 > 0:10:23with a nice playhouse.
0:10:23 > 0:10:30So, from the dining room, you won't really see that play area.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32A stroke of genius from Charlie.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Playhouses aren't the prettiest of features,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37so by putting Alex's on the lower level
0:10:37 > 0:10:39it won't dominate the garden
0:10:39 > 0:10:42and will be almost invisible from the house.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44How will the boys respond?
0:10:44 > 0:10:47On the left-hand side we've got these lovely rolling hills
0:10:47 > 0:10:50that Alex can enjoy now. When he gets a bit older, they become this
0:10:50 > 0:10:53really fun space to play that's nice and safe.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57Then on the other side, we've got these steps running down into this,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- more, kind of, adult space. - So, this is kind of his space
0:11:00 > 0:11:02that he could venture around, run around.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05And there was a little slide that we dig into the bank.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Great minds think alike.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13The boys have also included a slide for Alex
0:11:13 > 0:11:15that makes use of the level change.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18But whilst Charlie is planning to terrace the slope,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21they're suggesting contouring the lawn so the lower level
0:11:21 > 0:11:24links naturally with the upper tier.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27- Thank you very much.- Thanks. - Cheers, guys.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33It's going to be the details that decide this one.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36And Andy and Fiona are giving nothing away.
0:11:36 > 0:11:41I really like the modern look and how this, kind of, brings the patio
0:11:41 > 0:11:46- closer together.- The only downside I can see is that I don't know,
0:11:46 > 0:11:50with the slope, about keeping on top of the garden.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52It might be more of a challenge.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56I don't know about you, Charlie, but we found it quite hard to read them.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59- Yes.- So we don't quite know how it went.- No facial expression at all.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02- I'm taking that as a good sign. - Yeah?- I feel like we're going to
0:12:02 > 0:12:05- win, but I mean, what did you take from it?- I took it as a bad sign.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08I just don't know quite how those steps will work out.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11They're quite short and small, where these steps are really long,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13and really ease down into the bank.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17- Yeah, you have a lot more graduation there.- You do.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19There's so much going on in this design.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24They can only choose one, so who will it be?
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Will they be won over by Charlie's year-round planting
0:12:29 > 0:12:31and safe, shallow steps,
0:12:31 > 0:12:35or the boys' contemporary patio and naturalistic play area?
0:12:37 > 0:12:38It's decision time.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40Here we go.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- So, we made a decision.- All right.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47It was a lot tougher than we thought it was going to be.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51We can say that you were both very difficult to read,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54none of us had any idea.
0:12:54 > 0:13:00We eventually got to a decision. We've gone with...
0:13:00 > 0:13:02The design we've chosen.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Oh, I've got one. Yay!
0:13:06 > 0:13:08I want to make the playhouse.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12So, Charlie takes this one, but she'll certainly need the boys' help
0:13:12 > 0:13:15if she's going to transform this joyless plot
0:13:15 > 0:13:17into a garden to entertain the whole family.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Early morning in Southampton,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30and while Charlie is away fine tuning her design,
0:13:30 > 0:13:31Paul the project manager,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34with landscapers Andy, Jason, and Malcolm,
0:13:34 > 0:13:36begin the garden built with gusto.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46First job is to dismantle the steep steps from the house to the garden.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Charlie's design includes new child-friendlier steps
0:13:49 > 0:13:50with shorter rises.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57- One step.- Is it the right way up?
0:13:57 > 0:14:00They're using railway sleepers to build the new steps.
0:14:06 > 0:14:07Oh! Look at that.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12They're pre-cut to size, and at £25 per sleeper
0:14:12 > 0:14:16are a cheaper and quicker option for building steps than other materials.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22And once they're in, Andy can use them as the fixed point to position
0:14:22 > 0:14:24and build Charlie's central raised bed.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Out front, the digger's arrived.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36It'll save the chaps some backbreaking work
0:14:36 > 0:14:40when it comes to tackling the ditch at the end of the garden.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Andy, Andy, straighten up a bit, mate, straighten up.
0:14:43 > 0:14:44That's it.
0:14:47 > 0:14:48Lovely.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Andy and Fiona's garden features a 1:2 slope,
0:14:53 > 0:14:57so there's a fair bit of excavating to do.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59But this slope is nothing compared to what
0:14:59 > 0:15:01other gardeners have had to cope with.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Kate Gartner inherited an extreme gradient
0:15:08 > 0:15:10outside her back door in Bedfordshire,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13but was determined to turn it to her advantage.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Before we designed the garden,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20it was a single slope with a holly hedge
0:15:20 > 0:15:23around the outside, lots of brambles, lots of weeds,
0:15:23 > 0:15:30unloved for about 30 years, and it didn't really look very promising.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34They started out by creating a seating area outside the house.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37I would say over the course of the development of the garden,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41we've probably moved something like 60 or 80 tonnes of soil
0:15:41 > 0:15:43to actually create spaces.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46We've built retaining walls. We've put steps in.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50By terracing the slope, Kate and her husband have made different
0:15:50 > 0:15:55spaces on every level, each with a unique feel and atmosphere.
0:15:55 > 0:16:00We talk about rooms, we have lots of different areas within the garden,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03so, as you go through the garden, you're almost on a journey.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05You can't ever quite see the whole garden,
0:16:05 > 0:16:09but when you get to the top you can look down on it.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13Not only did they use landscaping to tackle the slope,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16they employed nature to help them, as well.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20Because our soil is very sandy, to stop the garden sliding
0:16:20 > 0:16:23we've used things like geraniums and fuchsias to actually create
0:16:23 > 0:16:26an anchor, and then other key plants planted into it
0:16:26 > 0:16:28to create some of the structure.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Some of the practicalities of gardening on a slope make it
0:16:32 > 0:16:35challenging. So, for instance, you need to think about how you're going
0:16:35 > 0:16:37to access through the plants.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40We've got stepping stones on the bank to stand on.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Try and plant close together, so we don't have too much weeding to do.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46So, it may only be a couple of times a year
0:16:46 > 0:16:48where I need access the bank itself
0:16:48 > 0:16:51to do essential maintenance and pruning. The rest of the time,
0:16:51 > 0:16:53we get to sit and enjoy the garden.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02Back in Southampton, they're a long way from conquering this slope.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05So Charlie, the boss, has arrived to get things moving.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11She's placed Alex's play area in the former ditch,
0:17:11 > 0:17:16so a child-friendly entrance and exit to that area are all-important.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20Always start at the lowest level, which is here, and then go up.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23So we're going to be putting steps in up here.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26And we're just using sleepers.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30These are softwood, but tanalised,
0:17:30 > 0:17:33you're going to get about 15, 20 years out of them, quite happily.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37So, that would give us our first step.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40And I don't want it too uniform, because this is a play area,
0:17:40 > 0:17:44so, I'm staggering it and also bringing them in and out.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Nice, even steps, quite shallow,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50so Alex can get up and down easily.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54Then, we're going to go up one step into the vegetable patch,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57which will be a tunnel. So, this is one level.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Then we'll step up again into this level,
0:18:01 > 0:18:05which will be Mum and Dad's chill-out patio area.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09And then one more step and we're at the top of the garden.
0:18:09 > 0:18:14So there's no dreaded ditch any more, it's all nice, even steps
0:18:14 > 0:18:16that everybody can cope with.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23With the team hard at work making the ditch into a usable space,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26more help arrives in the form of Harry and David. And Charlie
0:18:26 > 0:18:30doesn't hesitate in putting them straight to work.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32This here garden...
0:18:32 > 0:18:35So it's a garden of two halves, and we're not talking football, boys,
0:18:35 > 0:18:39not the football, no. We've basically got Alex's area.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42So, children's fun play area
0:18:42 > 0:18:44and then adult area for Mum and Dad
0:18:44 > 0:18:47to chill out while watching Alex play.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51- Yeah.- Now, I do have a little bit of an issue. Well, a bit of fun
0:18:51 > 0:18:55for you, really. This area we've got here, because we got that lovely
0:18:55 > 0:18:57- crab apple at the bottom.- Yeah?
0:18:57 > 0:19:01I'm thinking that we run a flower bed down here
0:19:01 > 0:19:05- to cover up the wall. - The wall, yeah? Nice.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07You know, nice, big...
0:19:07 > 0:19:10But what about running a race track down through it?
0:19:10 > 0:19:14- A race track?- What, through the plants?- Through the plants, yeah.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17- What do you think? No? - That's fine, it's normal.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21In a pedal car. I thought he could weave around, and go round the tree,
0:19:21 > 0:19:25back on, so then he's got a complete circuit he can do in the garden.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- Let's push for it.- I'll ask him. I'll ask him, see what he says.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32- That's good.- You know, as you boys are so young,
0:19:32 > 0:19:36and boys and toys, I think you can do the racetrack,
0:19:36 > 0:19:40- the slide, the playhouse, the tunnel, yeah?- Done.
0:19:40 > 0:19:41It's full day, isn't it?
0:19:41 > 0:19:44It is going to be lots of fun but lots of work.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48But there's an awful lot of work to be done
0:19:48 > 0:19:50before the fun can start, boys.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54First, there's the little job of building Alex's new playhouse.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58- Close that, mate.- There is a bit of a draught out today.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01Charlie's got us building Alex's playhouse.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03It's very much a family garden,
0:20:03 > 0:20:06so Andy and Fiona have their space, and then Alex has his space,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09- his little clubhouse. - Very important.- Very important.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12And who better to do flatpack than us?
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Charlie knows that we love it so much, doesn't she?
0:20:15 > 0:20:18- She knows us too well. - What now?- Instructions.
0:20:21 > 0:20:22They both...
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Doesn't actually matter which way up.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27Do you want the door opening inwards, yeah, or outwards?
0:20:27 > 0:20:28Outwards.
0:20:28 > 0:20:29It's going to be tricky.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31Always have flat ground when you're doing it.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33- Shall we just get this one in first? - Hold it up?
0:20:33 > 0:20:36So you need the biggest screws, mate.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40- Four?- Three.- Three.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45- Happy?- Yeah, very happy.
0:20:45 > 0:20:46Clearly with the boys at the helm,
0:20:46 > 0:20:50that playhouse isn't going to be built any time soon.
0:20:50 > 0:20:55Meanwhile, in the back garden, Charlie wants to run her racetrack
0:20:55 > 0:20:59idea by the client to see if she can get his buy-in.
0:20:59 > 0:21:04Now, you'll probably remember on my design, there wasn't anything here.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09- Right, yeah.- I didn't really know about this very artistic, wavy bed.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Now, maintenance wise, I can imagine
0:21:11 > 0:21:14- it's a bit of a nightmare to keep it nice.- It is, indeed, yes.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18Yeah, and it doesn't really go with my contemporary, sort of, linear,
0:21:18 > 0:21:19rectangular design.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24So what I'm hoping is that we can take that off as a straight border.
0:21:24 > 0:21:29- Yes?- Plant it up nicely with some really, sort of, basic
0:21:29 > 0:21:31easy to maintain shrubs that have got a lot of colour.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34But I thought it might be fun to put, like,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37- a pedal car track running through.- Oh, wow. Yeah.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42Yeah? So Alex could be on-road on the patio, then he could
0:21:42 > 0:21:46off-road through here. And then I'm thinking that we'll swing it round.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50We're going to put something here to stop him being able to go totally
0:21:50 > 0:21:54down there. Then it'll swing round and come back onto the grass.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- Fantastic.- Yeah?- Yeah, that sounds absolutely amazing.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00It's a big thumbs up for the track idea.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04That'll be another job for Harry and David to get their teeth into.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Should they ever finish the playhouse, that is.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08"Then using four screws Q...
0:22:09 > 0:22:13"..attach part G to the sides of part A."
0:22:15 > 0:22:16Let's have a "part A" later.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25- Nice?- Perfect. - I think Alex is going to love this.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28I remember when Dad built us a little den made out of pallets
0:22:28 > 0:22:30- amongst the conifer trees. - Yeah. That was awesome, wasn't it?
0:22:30 > 0:22:32- I'm pretty sure that had carpet in it, as well.- It did.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34- It was our own little getaway, wasn't it?- It was.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38I'm getting too old for this.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40Just add a little bit of height.
0:22:42 > 0:22:43Take pride in your work.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Just screw it anywhere.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48Are you ready?
0:22:48 > 0:22:50With the final screws going in to the playhouse,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53it's looking fabulous. But the brothers haven't
0:22:53 > 0:22:54finished with the fun yet.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57There's plenty more to be done in the back garden to make this
0:22:57 > 0:23:01the perfect area to entertain little Alex.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05Having put Alex's part of the garden squarely in the boys' hands,
0:23:05 > 0:23:06Charlie can now get on
0:23:06 > 0:23:11with marking out where all the planting beds will go.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13This garden is a bit of a nightmare
0:23:13 > 0:23:17because it's definitely not square or rectangular.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18It's a really odd shape.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22So, to try and create a formal, contemporary feel,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25I've had to decide to just work off of the main views,
0:23:25 > 0:23:29which are out of the patio doors and the kitchen window.
0:23:29 > 0:23:34And then work this way to get nice, rectangular, square beds.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38And then all the other beds are going to be off
0:23:38 > 0:23:40at slightly different angles.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42But hopefully, once it's planted up,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45you won't notice that it's all a bit squiffy.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47It's a technical word, squiffy.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00At the back, David has moved onto the steps
0:24:00 > 0:24:02that Charlie wants inlaid into the gradient.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Charlie wants that really organic, kind of higgledy-piggledy feeling,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08so we've got them different lengths, different heights.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10We're just going to scatter them up so Alex can run around
0:24:10 > 0:24:12and have a little bit of fun with his little legs.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16Each sleeper is laid and levelled and then fixed securely in place
0:24:16 > 0:24:19with a couple of pegs.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21And then we're going to screw them in from the back.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24So you won't see them, it'll be really seamless,
0:24:24 > 0:24:26but it'll be really sturdy.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Where is this one going, Dave?
0:24:28 > 0:24:32- Here?- Yes. Yeah, just about that angle there.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34The steps obviously make a slope much more functional.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36But they do something to the mind, as well,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38they, kind of, make it more accessible.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40So when you have a slope, it looks quite daunting,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42especially from the bottom, so what the steps do is
0:24:42 > 0:24:45they break that up and they create that journey.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54Elsewhere in the garden, progress is swift and the landscapers begin
0:24:54 > 0:24:57bringing in the plants so Charlie can start placing them
0:24:57 > 0:25:00and really see how the garden is going to take shape.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04She's kicking off the planting with a fig to help add intimacy and
0:25:04 > 0:25:06beauty to Andy and Fiona's new seating area.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12When you're planting a fig...
0:25:12 > 0:25:19to make it fruit well, what you want to do is restrict the roots.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21And I'm going to do that by using
0:25:21 > 0:25:24these leftover slabs from the old patio.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29Now, you want them to be about an inch above the surface.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33So that the roots don't hop over the top,
0:25:33 > 0:25:34because they can do that.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35So you want to contain them.
0:25:35 > 0:25:40And then on the bottom we're going to break up these old bits.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42If the roots were left unchecked,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45the plant would produce masses of green foliage and not much fruit.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51So I'm aiming for about four inches of rubble at the bottom of the hole.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Put a bit of soil at the bottom.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Charlie leaves the fig on its frame for now, but Fiona and Andy will
0:26:02 > 0:26:06need to add some wire to the fence to support it as it grows.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12By adding gorgeous statement plants like the fig,
0:26:12 > 0:26:16Charlie is aiming to provide a beautiful space for Andy and Fiona
0:26:16 > 0:26:19to relax in as well as a stimulating play area for Alex.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22It needs to work for them all.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Family gardens are something that garden designer Dawn Isaac
0:26:30 > 0:26:32specialises in creating.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35So a family-friendly garden needs lots of different areas.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Things to keep the kids interested. So it should have somewhere for
0:26:38 > 0:26:40them to sit and eat, but also for them to play.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44Here it's a sunken trampoline to expend all that energy on.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46But it could be anything else, it depends what space you've got.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Somewhere for them to get creative,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51so it could be, like, a mud pie kitchen, and somewhere for them
0:26:51 > 0:26:52to hide away from parents,
0:26:52 > 0:26:54because however much we don't like to think about it
0:26:54 > 0:26:58our children would be much happier sometimes to be out of our sight.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Sharing mealtimes is an important aspect of family life
0:27:02 > 0:27:05that Dawn always tries to facilitate in the gardens she designs.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09A room in the house that's always used for families is the kitchen.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12So, in this garden we've taken the kitchen outside.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15There is an outdoor space here where you can cook pizzas,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18or have a barbecue, and all sit together as a family, because it's
0:27:18 > 0:27:20one of those really important times
0:27:20 > 0:27:22that you actually get to spend time together.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27In designing this garden in Surrey,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Dawn has carefully concealed the play area.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35What I've done in this garden is segregate it in that you can see
0:27:35 > 0:27:38these beautiful, big borders. And it looks like a traditional, beautiful,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41English country garden that any parents can be terribly proud of.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44But actually, look closely, and all around the corners,
0:27:44 > 0:27:47in lots of places, hidden away, are things that the children love.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50So the children's play area in the corner you can barely see.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54There's a beautiful, raised play platform,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57and it's hidden within the apple tree. That makes it more interesting
0:27:57 > 0:27:58for the children.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01And there's even a little side path with an insect shelter
0:28:01 > 0:28:03and stepping stones and a hammock to go and chill out
0:28:03 > 0:28:05when you've just about had enough.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13Back in Southampton, like Dawn, Charlie is keeping the
0:28:13 > 0:28:17overall look of the garden very much in mind too.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21She's moved on to planting the rest of the 99 plants she's sourced
0:28:21 > 0:28:26to transform the family's flat and featureless garden.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29Now, this raised bed is quite key to the garden.
0:28:29 > 0:28:34It, sort of, divides the areas. So, you've got the patio area here,
0:28:34 > 0:28:36and then the lower patio.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40So it sort of leads you down that way as well as screening this patio.
0:28:43 > 0:28:49Now, this is an evergreen shrub - Daphne odora Aureomarginata.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53So, it's got a little yellow edge to the leaf.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Evergreen has whitey-pink flowers
0:28:55 > 0:28:58that have got the sweetest scent to them,
0:28:58 > 0:29:00so it'll be great in this patio area.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03And also, if they've got the kitchen doors open, it'll just drift in
0:29:03 > 0:29:04while they're cooking.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15Charlie fills in around the evergreens
0:29:15 > 0:29:17with some purple heucheras
0:29:17 > 0:29:21and some catmint with stunning contrasting silvery foliage.
0:29:22 > 0:29:29And then I'm going to run some little violas all the way through.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35With the steps now finished, the boys move on to creating Charlie's
0:29:35 > 0:29:40vision of a racetrack for Alex on the left-hand side of the garden.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43And the first task is to get the big plants in.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47- That's not as heavy as I thought. - No, it's not. Where's it going?
0:29:47 > 0:29:50- So this is going to be the start of your racetrack, isn't it?- Nice.
0:29:50 > 0:29:56- Shall I go that way?- Yes, let's go the most complicated way.- Let's go.
0:29:56 > 0:30:01- So...- Here somewhere? - On the corner. There.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03- Check that out.- Look at that.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07- Through here... - That'll be quite exciting, you know?
0:30:07 > 0:30:12So, if you mark out the track, bearing in mind I do want to work
0:30:12 > 0:30:14- plants in.- Do you know what plants do you want to weave in?
0:30:14 > 0:30:16Depends what gaps you leave me.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18All right, so it's determined by us, then.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23The boys mark the racetrack out in sand before cutting the turf.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27- What do you think about that so far? - Yeah, mate, lovely.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30It's going to be a super nice little serpentine path through, isn't it?
0:30:30 > 0:30:32Whip around past the miscanthus.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35Then at the end, a nice, sharp corner around...
0:30:35 > 0:30:38- Little bit of a hairpin?- Yeah. - A challenging hairpin at the end.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41It's always a good idea when marking out paths or new borders
0:30:41 > 0:30:42to do this...
0:30:42 > 0:30:44Nice.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47..to make sure you're happy with the shape before committing.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50- Look at that!- Perfect. - It's nice, isn't it?
0:30:50 > 0:30:54- Awesome. Just needs repurposed now. - It does.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Even if it's raining, you can just practice the handbrake turns.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00- Cool, right, let's get digging it out, shall we?- Yes.
0:31:00 > 0:31:04The Rich brothers are giving Alex's racetrack a surface of bound gravel,
0:31:04 > 0:31:06but need to prepare the area first.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09Just digging down now to create the racetrack.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12And we want it to be a nice, firm base so he doesn't sink in.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16We don't even mind these few little bumps, because that's more fun.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21And there's only one way to check
0:31:21 > 0:31:25that they've got the width of the track just right.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27Because he's got little legs, hasn't he?
0:31:27 > 0:31:29He's got quite little feet on the ends of those little legs as well.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33Look at that, that's good width. Nice, not too sharp.
0:31:37 > 0:31:38Beautiful.
0:31:43 > 0:31:45Charlie has chosen bound gravel
0:31:45 > 0:31:48for both the racetrack and the new seating area.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Once shovelled into place, it needs a tamp down with a whacker plate
0:31:51 > 0:31:54to compact it and give it a firm surface.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00This finish is great for giving a more informal look.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03And it also is cost-effective at £10 per metre squared.
0:32:06 > 0:32:07While Andy's on the whacker plate,
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Harry and David quickly finish off the steps.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12There we are, I think the steps look pretty epic, don't they?
0:32:12 > 0:32:15Yeah, I quite like the way they're quite disjointed.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Yes, and a nice level change, I would say, for little Alex's legs.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20Yes, nice and easy to walk up and down.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22I'll have a little go, actually.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26Perfect. Look at that. Good for small legs.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31Meanwhile, Charlie's adding an extra pop of colour to her raised bed
0:32:31 > 0:32:34in the form of winter bedding plants.
0:32:34 > 0:32:39The great thing about bedding is if you're starting out in gardening
0:32:39 > 0:32:43they're straightforward and easy, they're not too expensive,
0:32:43 > 0:32:45so if you go slightly wrong and they do die
0:32:45 > 0:32:47then you're not that worried.
0:32:47 > 0:32:53But they're also very reliable. So, things like pansies and daisies,
0:32:53 > 0:32:55wallflowers, and, of course, bulbs.
0:32:55 > 0:33:00Bulbs have to be one of the most reliable plants to put in.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04They'll give you big impact, lots of colour.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08If you're not sure what to plant because of the time of year,
0:33:08 > 0:33:11just go to the garden centre and I promise you,
0:33:11 > 0:33:15they will have a selection of the appropriate bedding for you.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22With the racetrack complete, Andy and Jason use rounded posts
0:33:22 > 0:33:24driven into the ground
0:33:24 > 0:33:27to form a barrier to stop Alex flying off down the slope.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31The next part of Charlie's design for the play area
0:33:31 > 0:33:34is a hazel tunnel for Alex to explore.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36So it's not only a lovely tunnel for Alex,
0:33:36 > 0:33:39but also it's a great climbing frame for fruit bushes.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43The hazel sticks are tied together at the top,
0:33:43 > 0:33:47like a wigwam, to make a sturdy structure.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50But Charlie wants it to be lined with edible treats as well.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53- What have you got me there, Dave? - I've got me some good looking
0:33:53 > 0:33:55tayberries. What have you got?
0:33:55 > 0:33:58- I've got some thornless blackberries.- Nice.- Loch Ness.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00Where are you going to plant them?
0:34:00 > 0:34:03One over here and one over there, between the gaps.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06These guys are going to need some support when growing.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09They can grow up to eight to ten feet tall, so that's where these
0:34:09 > 0:34:10come in as really important.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13And over time, they'll, kind of, weave their way
0:34:13 > 0:34:15through this kind of wigwam. And create a lovely little
0:34:15 > 0:34:18foraging tunnel for Alex when he travels through.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21Autumn's a great time to plant your trees and fruit shrubs
0:34:21 > 0:34:23because they're not putting as much energy into their growing,
0:34:23 > 0:34:25but they're putting it into their root systems.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28So this is really going to establish them really nicely for spring.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31And also, when the soil's warmer and moist like it is now,
0:34:31 > 0:34:34it's perfect growing conditions for them.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38The team are on the home straight now, but there's a big piece of
0:34:38 > 0:34:42Charlie's design that's missing, the playhouse.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45And there's only one way to get it in the garden.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49- LAUGHING:- Oh! Watch the tree.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58- Snug.- Would it have been a better idea to actually build it in here?
0:34:58 > 0:35:01- I don't know.- What do you mean, you don't know?
0:35:01 > 0:35:04The fun of getting it in definitely outweighed building it here.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06- Yes, it was way more fun. - Was it? I think it should be on a,
0:35:06 > 0:35:08- don't you...- Angle?- On an angle.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12And if we can go back a little bit, just about that,
0:35:12 > 0:35:14and then we need to level it up a bit.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17Come on, everybody out, back to work, we've got garden to finish.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19Slide's got to go in.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22Planting's got to be done.
0:35:22 > 0:35:23CHARLIE LAUGHS
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Yeah, I know who that probably was due to.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37With the boss cracking the whip,
0:35:37 > 0:35:40it's all hands on deck to get the garden finished.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44Time for Alex's brand-new slide to be anchored in place.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49But it will need a test run.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51GROANING
0:35:53 > 0:35:55CHARLIE LAUGHS
0:35:57 > 0:35:58Is it fun?
0:36:00 > 0:36:03That's cleaned it off.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06- Doing it again! - LAUGHTER
0:36:06 > 0:36:09And Charlie leaves the chaps to landscape around the slide
0:36:09 > 0:36:12with sensory plants, chosen for their touchy-feelyness
0:36:12 > 0:36:15to really add to Alex's enjoyment of the play area.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21We're planting beds on a slope, so these plants
0:36:21 > 0:36:25really help to stabilise it. And, again, being on a slope, you've got
0:36:25 > 0:36:28two different aspects to this bed. So, from up there and down there
0:36:28 > 0:36:30they'll both look really different.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36Over the other side of the garden,
0:36:36 > 0:36:39Charlie's going for a different effect with the planting.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42I feel like I'm in the jungle down here. It's great.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45Which is exactly the feeling I want Alex to get
0:36:45 > 0:36:49as he's pedalling along through his racetrack.
0:36:49 > 0:36:50I'm planting miscanthus.
0:36:50 > 0:36:51I love miscanthus,
0:36:51 > 0:36:56they add height to the garden without blocking out views.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00And come late summer, early autumn,
0:37:00 > 0:37:04they've got gorgeous seed heads that just sort of glint in the light.
0:37:10 > 0:37:11With the last plants going in...
0:37:11 > 0:37:14Move it, move it, move it.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18..Andy and Fiona's furniture dusted off and placed in its new setting,
0:37:18 > 0:37:21it's mission accomplished for the Garden Rescue team.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29Before they called Charlie and the boys,
0:37:29 > 0:37:33Andy and Fiona's garden was an empty, dull, and hazardous plot,
0:37:33 > 0:37:37unsuitable for Alex to play in and uninviting for Mum and Dad.
0:37:41 > 0:37:46Now it's had a £5,000 makeover and Charlie has spent every penny
0:37:46 > 0:37:49on creating a safe, fun area for Alex
0:37:49 > 0:37:52and a relaxing space for Andy and Fiona.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54A garden they can all truly enjoy.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01Charlie spent £350 on replacing the patio
0:38:01 > 0:38:04with a sleek, new, concrete surface.
0:38:04 > 0:38:10It's contemporary and laid on in a firm base to eliminate trip hazards.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13She replaced the steep, dangerous steps out of the house
0:38:13 > 0:38:15with shallower versions made from sleepers.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18They're much more suitable for Alex's little legs
0:38:18 > 0:38:20and make the garden more accessible for all.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24And came in at a cost of £550.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30The digger made short work of reshaping the dreaded slope
0:38:30 > 0:38:33and creating, in its place, a usable seating area.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37It has transformed the no-man's-land at the end of the garden
0:38:37 > 0:38:39and was a snip at £175.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43The planting brings this garden to life
0:38:43 > 0:38:48and Charlie pushed the boat out and spent £2,200 on mature plants
0:38:48 > 0:38:53to add instant structure and provide colour even in the darkest months.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57And last but not least, Alex's playhouse, slide, and racecourse
0:38:57 > 0:39:00will keep him safely entertained for hours in the garden
0:39:00 > 0:39:03and collectively cost £375.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09Fiona and Andy desperately wanted a space they could all use and enjoy
0:39:09 > 0:39:13and were prepared to spend a whopping £5,000 of their own money
0:39:13 > 0:39:15to make it happen.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20It's time to find out if Charlie has delivered.
0:39:20 > 0:39:21OK, you can open your eyes.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24- Wow.- Wow.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27That is amazing.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29Alex, look.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32- Look at that, absolutely loving it. - Yeah.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35This border here is going to be a lovely, scented border,
0:39:35 > 0:39:39full of purples and pinks and lots of bulbs that will come up.
0:39:39 > 0:39:44Then this border here will grow up and screen the fence.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47- Oh, wonderful.- The colour of the plants is amazing.
0:39:47 > 0:39:48And this is, as we said,
0:39:48 > 0:39:51- it was going to be a garden of two halves.- Yes.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53So this is really your half.
0:39:53 > 0:39:58- This is your evening patio area. - Oh, wonderful.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02Again, we've got lots of fruit trees and scented plants.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06So, this fig tree is going to cover the whole of that fence.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10Then these are evergreen jasmines, so lots of scent, and then
0:40:10 > 0:40:12that's your vegetable area.
0:40:13 > 0:40:14Look!
0:40:16 > 0:40:17Down we go.
0:40:17 > 0:40:22But it also makes, like, a nice walkway through to Alex's bit.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25Do you want to go and check that out?
0:40:25 > 0:40:28- Do you want to go inside?- Wow.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30- Do you want to go inside? - THEY LAUGH
0:40:30 > 0:40:32I think they're super pleased with the effect.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34Before it was just a ditch, wasn't it?
0:40:34 > 0:40:37I think now it's got real meaning.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40Well, he seems to be enjoying that.
0:40:40 > 0:40:41So, we've got rid of the ditch.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44- Yeah!- We've got rid of the ditch. - It's unbelievable.
0:40:44 > 0:40:49It is. This is amazing, this part of the garden, I could
0:40:49 > 0:40:52never imagine wanting to be in it. And now, you know, this area,
0:40:52 > 0:40:56particularly for Alex, is just... He won't be out of it.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58- So, it's just brilliant.- Cool.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05- Are you going?- Yeah! - THEY CHEER
0:41:05 > 0:41:07- Good boy.- That was fun.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10He definitely fits easier than you did, Dave.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13- You want to go again? - He'll now want to go round again.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16- You want to go round again? - Yeah. Guess how Mum and Dad
0:41:16 > 0:41:18are going to be spending their evenings.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20It won't be sat over there.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25- Wow, look at you.- Look at that. - Yeah!
0:41:26 > 0:41:29Andy was a bit like that.
0:41:29 > 0:41:30That's good, isn't it?
0:41:30 > 0:41:34So, you should, by rights, be able to push him around the track.
0:41:34 > 0:41:35You hold on.
0:41:37 > 0:41:38Here we come.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44Look at that, good father-son bonding, pushing him on the car.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47And we've put the posts in, so once he's under his own power
0:41:47 > 0:41:51he can't go hurtling off the bank, so they're quite robust.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54- Wowee! Look at that.- Hands-free.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57- Yay!- Was that fun?
0:41:58 > 0:42:02And then you've got your final patio area.
0:42:02 > 0:42:08And I'm hoping that these steps make it usable for you.
0:42:08 > 0:42:13Yeah, they definitely do. You can easily wander in and out safely.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15That way looks like our house,
0:42:15 > 0:42:17but this way does not look like our garden.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20It's just transformed our garden unbelievably.
0:42:20 > 0:42:21I can't thank you enough.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24Hopefully, so you'll be able to use it more, because you said you
0:42:24 > 0:42:28- weren't using it at all.- No, well, now, looking at Alex, we won't be
0:42:28 > 0:42:30able to go back in the house.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37£5,000 was a serious investment to make in their garden.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40Do Andy and Fiona think it was money well spent?
0:42:42 > 0:42:45We could never have come up with anything like this ourselves.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48It's more than we could have possibly dreamt up
0:42:48 > 0:42:51with any budget. So, 100%, it was definitely money well spent.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53I have to say, I don't think
0:42:53 > 0:42:55we could have crammed much more in, really.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58No, it's really well-balanced, isn't it?
0:42:58 > 0:43:02For me, I could never have imagined the race track and the car.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04'Alex's reaction was even better
0:43:04 > 0:43:07'than I could possibly have hoped for. So, I'm sure I'm going to go'
0:43:07 > 0:43:09round there with him a lot of times.