0:00:02 > 0:00:04Beautiful gardens are one of Britain's most glorious sights,
0:00:04 > 0:00:06but if your green space is more mess than majestic,
0:00:06 > 0:00:09making it over can be a daunting prospect,
0:00:09 > 0:00:13especially if you're short on time and money.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Well, the Instant Gardener is here.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18Ta-da!
0:00:18 > 0:00:22Danny Clarke is an expert at transforming gardens.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25These are really bringing a smile to my face.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Each time, our gardening guru will be showing you
0:00:27 > 0:00:30how to create gorgeous garden makeovers.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Doesn't that look great?
0:00:32 > 0:00:36Each transformation will be packed with brilliant ideas
0:00:36 > 0:00:39to help you get to grips with your own outdoor space.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Just continually deadhead,
0:00:41 > 0:00:44and you will keep getting that plant to flower.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46He'll be turning garden junk...
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Oh, look at that!
0:00:48 > 0:00:49..into garden jewels...
0:00:49 > 0:00:52It's going to be used as a planter,
0:00:52 > 0:00:56and I think this is going to look absolutely terrific.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59..and showing you how to spend a small budget wisely...
0:00:59 > 0:01:02- That's why Danny makes me bring a list.- OK!
0:01:02 > 0:01:05..be it on shrubs or salvage.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Would you like that in your garden?
0:01:07 > 0:01:10And because Danny is the Instant Gardener,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13everything you see will happen in a single day.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Oh, thank you so much.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18- Oh, wow!- That's unbelievable.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Today, we're in rural Midlothian,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31within view of the hills surrounding Edinburgh.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33It's a land of rolling countryside,
0:01:33 > 0:01:37with stone cottages and their gardens clustered amidst farmland.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42Many of us hanker after a big garden, but size can be a problem.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44The more space you have, the more you have to do,
0:01:44 > 0:01:46and the more you have to fill it.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48That's exactly what the owner of today's garden has found.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53Hello! You must be Shelley.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55- Hi, you must be Helen. - Nice to see you.
0:01:55 > 0:01:56Lovely to meet you - come on in.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Look at this!
0:01:58 > 0:02:00- It's great, isn't it? - Yeah, it's lovely here.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Shelley Cunningham and her partner Steve live in a rented farm cottage
0:02:05 > 0:02:08with a large front garden.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11A mum of two to grown-up son Ross and daughter Nicole,
0:02:11 > 0:02:13and a busy self-employed cleaner,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16Shelley has spent much of her life looking after others,
0:02:16 > 0:02:20including Steve, who suffered a heart attack five years ago.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23Shelley herself has had to come to terms with a diagnosis
0:02:23 > 0:02:25of multiple sclerosis,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28a condition which causes her a great deal of fatigue.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Plans for her garden have fallen by the wayside,
0:02:31 > 0:02:35and it's time this caring lady had a helping hand herself.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Step forward the Instant Gardener.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42A few days ago, Danny headed to Scotland
0:02:42 > 0:02:44for a sneak preview of Shelley's garden.
0:02:48 > 0:02:49When I'm designing a garden,
0:02:49 > 0:02:53the first think I like to do is look and see what's already there.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02I must admit, I do like doing front gardens -
0:03:02 > 0:03:05and this is quite a big space, it's quite substantial,
0:03:05 > 0:03:06and it's got a great outlook -
0:03:06 > 0:03:09such wonderful scenery.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13So, we've got this great stone path. I do like it, I mean,
0:03:13 > 0:03:14I love the colours.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17And it's kind of in keeping with the surroundings.
0:03:17 > 0:03:19But it is straight and it is pretty boring
0:03:19 > 0:03:22and it doesn't give you much of a journey.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25I do like a path that pulls you from side to side,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27not straight to the front door.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Having a look at this lawn, now, it's full of weeds.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37Now, we can give this lawn a good trim, we can give it a good tidy up.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42There is definitely the remnants of a bed here.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45There's some cordyline here and there's a pieris over there
0:03:45 > 0:03:47and there's a couple of pots.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51So, wouldn't it be nice to bring this section back to life for them?
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Now, I get the impression the people who live here,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59they perhaps want to grow their own vegetables -
0:03:59 > 0:04:01maybe they've had a go at it in the past.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03I can see some strawberries here.
0:04:03 > 0:04:04There's nothing in this bed,
0:04:04 > 0:04:08but that's not to say that they haven't done something before.
0:04:08 > 0:04:09And there's some mint over there.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12The people who live here have got a willingness
0:04:12 > 0:04:13to grow their own vegetables,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16and that's a good starting point for a designer.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21This morning, Danny's here to put his plan into action.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24But first, he wants to find out what Shelley makes of her outdoor space.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28OK, let's have a look at this garden.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30- Here he is. Danny, good to see you.- Hello, Helen.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33- This is Shelley.- Hello, Shelley, how are you?- Hi, nice to meet you.
0:04:33 > 0:04:35So, what a huge garden you have here.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Yes, uh-huh, it's really big.
0:04:37 > 0:04:38- Which is very unusual.- Uh-huh.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Normally people's back gardens are bigger than the front gardens.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Yeah. Because it's so big, I find it really hard
0:04:44 > 0:04:47to try and imagine where things would go,
0:04:47 > 0:04:49and how to make... I don't know, little areas...
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Plant, you know, it's just...
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Well, you can see, yourself, it's...
0:04:53 > 0:04:54- Yeah.- I know what you mean, though.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56You're kind of spoilt, aren't you, because it is so big?
0:04:56 > 0:04:59- Uh-huh.- It's like, where do you start?
0:04:59 > 0:05:02- Yeah.- I'm guessing you want something that's welcoming.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04- Uh-huh.- Cos at the moment, it's quite bland.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06I'd love somewhere that's got little flowers.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09I just want it really to look like a country garden,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11somewhere that when I do get home,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13that I can actually come out and sit and enjoy it,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15cos, at the moment, I come out and it's just weeds.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18I noticed over here some strawberry plants.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20- Uh-huh.- Is fruit and veg important to you?
0:05:20 > 0:05:22I love growing fruit and veg.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24I'm absolutely rubbish at it
0:05:24 > 0:05:26but I really do want to get green fingers.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29What would you like to see in the garden?
0:05:29 > 0:05:32I'd like it to be low-maintenance.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34I got diagnosed with MS a few years ago,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37so, sometimes I can be a bit sore and a bit stiff,
0:05:37 > 0:05:39so, going down low all the time's hard -
0:05:39 > 0:05:41hence I've got a raised bed.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43So, little and often is kind of what I'm hoping
0:05:43 > 0:05:44to be able to do in the garden.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46So, low-maintenance is key.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50- Yeah, yeah.- Sorry to rain on the parade, but you can't go too crazy
0:05:50 > 0:05:53- because this is a rented property, isn't it?- That's right, yeah.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56So, there are some limitations as to what you can do.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58- Yeah.- Basically, don't concrete it
0:05:58 > 0:06:00- and build a big structure. - No, I wouldn't do that!
0:06:00 > 0:06:02Danny, we're going to go off and leave you to it,
0:06:02 > 0:06:04head off on some inspiration.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06Don't worry, we're going to leave you some help.
0:06:06 > 0:06:07Is there anything you need us to pick up?
0:06:07 > 0:06:11Yes, definitely. If I can give you the book and whatever's in there.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Okey dokey.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15Four small fruit trees.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Ooh, lovely!
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Other than that, you can't know anything else about what's happening
0:06:19 > 0:06:22- in the garden. Let's leave you to it.- See you soon.- Have a lovely day.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25- Happy shopping.- Come on, Shelley. - OK, thanks, bye.- Bye.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29While I take Shelley away on a hunt for inspiration and some shopping,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Danny has just nine hours to turn her plot
0:06:32 > 0:06:35into a gorgeous cottage-y, kitchen-y garden.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37So, what's the plan, Dan?
0:06:37 > 0:06:39Shelley would like a kitchen garden,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42but I'm going to give her a modern-day potager -
0:06:42 > 0:06:45a mixture of edibles and ornamentals.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48And I'm thinking about doing something that's formal,
0:06:48 > 0:06:50so, I don't want anything that's over-fussy.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53I'm going to divide this garden into quarters -
0:06:53 > 0:06:57it's already divided into two by this long, straight, boring path.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01But now I want to create a bit of a journey, and what I'm going to do,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04I'm going to have a square bed over here, and a square bed over there,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07and I'm going to have a path running around it.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11And within these squares we're going to have herbs, flowers and veg.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13It's going to look absolutely fantastic.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19It's important that we don't have everything at one level.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21We want the eye to move up and down,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24and the way we achieve that is by putting fruit trees
0:07:24 > 0:07:26in the centre of each quadrant,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29and that will enable the eye to float around the garden.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Now, on this side, there's the remnants of a bed
0:07:34 > 0:07:37and we want to tidy that up, want to bring it back to life,
0:07:37 > 0:07:41and I want to mimic what's going on here on that side,
0:07:41 > 0:07:44and that will add to the formality of this whole space.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48I know Shelley is an MS sufferer,
0:07:48 > 0:07:51and she finds it difficult to bend down and stretch,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54so this trug is very important to her.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56So, our intention is to do this up
0:07:56 > 0:07:58and make it the centrepiece of this garden.
0:08:00 > 0:08:01With a new formal layout
0:08:01 > 0:08:05of symmetrical beds, fruit trees and parallel paths,
0:08:05 > 0:08:07topped off with a stylish centrepiece,
0:08:07 > 0:08:11Danny's going to transform this plot from a bare expanse of lawn
0:08:11 > 0:08:13to a gorgeous country potager -
0:08:13 > 0:08:18but there's just one day to do it, and the clock is already ticking.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20Luckily, Danny will have the help of handyman AJ
0:08:20 > 0:08:23and garden helpers Amyrose and Luke,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26as well as Shelley's daughter Nicole and son Ross.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28Time to divvy up the first jobs.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31We need to cut the grass and strim the edges.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34So, we're going to get this nice and tidy to start off with,
0:08:34 > 0:08:35and then we'll start building.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37And see that trug over there?
0:08:37 > 0:08:40We're going to do that up, and we're going to make that a centrepiece,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42so that's going to be AJ's job.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46All right? So, you're on lawn-cutting detail.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48I'm going to be on strimmer detail.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50- We'd better get moving.- Cool.
0:08:50 > 0:08:51OK, great.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56Giving Ross the grass to cut might have the long-term benefit
0:08:56 > 0:08:57of making him lawn maintenance man.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Now most of us have got lawns.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05They do need a lot of maintenance, they need a lot of cutting.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08In fact, I would say that lawns need more maintenance
0:09:08 > 0:09:09than our flower beds.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13Because you should really be cutting your grass at least twice a week.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Twice a week?! It sounds like a lot,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19but there's method in Danny's mowing madness.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23So, what we're trying to do is create a weed-free lawn,
0:09:23 > 0:09:27by keeping the grass cut on a regular basis.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31And eventually your weeds will weaken and you will definitely
0:09:31 > 0:09:33- have less of them.- OK.
0:09:33 > 0:09:34OK, let's go.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39While the elite cutting corps take on the lawn,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42AJ's doing battle with the battered old trug
0:09:42 > 0:09:44to see if any of it can be reused.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46- First thing we have to do is start digging this out...- OK.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49..and put it down on the floor there so we can then re-use it later.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Let's go.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53Working together with Nicole on the raised trug
0:09:53 > 0:09:57gives AJ a chance to find out a bit more about its history.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Did your grandad make this?
0:09:59 > 0:10:03He did. He does a lot of building stuff.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05He loves to... He loves his garden as well.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07He's always giving my mum tips.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09- He's done a good job, really, hasn't he?- Yeah.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Right, that should be enough, there.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15With the trug empty, AJ can remove the sides -
0:10:15 > 0:10:17but things aren't quite going to plan.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19I think it's seen better days.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24As you can see, it's starting to rot quite easily,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27cos there's two screws there that I've just pulled straight out.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Last bit of the base - this is...
0:10:31 > 0:10:33You know, scaff plank, so it's nice solid wood.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36It has been sort of painted, so it is quite...
0:10:37 > 0:10:38..robust.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43We can use that again, there's no problem with that.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45While AJ's trying to salvage the old,
0:10:45 > 0:10:48Danny's working on his brand-new garden layout.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53So, what I need to do now is to mark out where our beds are going to go.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00I'm going to try and make them as symmetrical as I possibly can.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03In Danny's formal design, it's really important
0:11:03 > 0:11:06that all of the lines of his beds and paths look straight.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09So, Ross and I are just going to measure this,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12and then do the equivalent on the other side,
0:11:12 > 0:11:14and then we'll just join up the two marks.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19That's it - way out.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21So, it's a good job I did that.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Danny's not the only one having a hard time -
0:11:25 > 0:11:28AJ's still struggling with his trug.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Hello, AJ, you all right?
0:11:30 > 0:11:31Yeah, slight problem -
0:11:31 > 0:11:33the recycling of these legs.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37I've got some bolts out but I can't get the Allen key ones out.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Which means, basically, I need to just get more wood
0:11:39 > 0:11:43- for different legs.- OK.- We've got to lift this up and break it.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45With no way to get the legs off without breaking the wood,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48AJ's recycling dream has been crushed.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51It's not playing ball, unfortunately.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Building a new trug framework from scratch will take time -
0:11:54 > 0:11:55better get a move on, then.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Shelley has dreams of a perfect cottage garden.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06I'm taking her to meet a lady who has created exactly that,
0:12:06 > 0:12:09including an ornamental kitchen garden area.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15I know you're quite keen on the sort of country cottage,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19countryside type of a garden, which would fit in with your surroundings.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23- Uh-huh.- So, we're heading to a garden that
0:12:23 > 0:12:27I think, I hope, fits that bill, and I hope you're going to like.
0:12:27 > 0:12:28Oh, I'm sure I will.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35Once a wilderness, Hunter's Tryst is a secret treasure
0:12:35 > 0:12:38which has emerged over the past 30 years,
0:12:38 > 0:12:41hidden behind an unassuming bungalow in Edinburgh.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Right, Shelley,
0:12:45 > 0:12:49have a look at this garden.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51Lots and lots to take in.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53It's absolutely lovely.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56I love this sort of rustic-y look, and I love this.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Lovely sort of rose-covered arbour there, a couple of seating benches.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03Just lovely colours, as well.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05You know, it's really nice -
0:13:05 > 0:13:06and the lawn looks lovely.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09And the beautiful blossom tree, that is beautiful.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12- I love that.- Stunning, isn't it, that cherry blossom?
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Yeah, uh-huh. I've always wanted a blossom tree.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Right, so, let's head into the next bit of the garden.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20To the untrained eye, the planting may seem haphazard,
0:13:20 > 0:13:24but it's actually been very cleverly divided into sections,
0:13:24 > 0:13:26with paths leading between each area.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Shelley, because of the way the plants are layered,
0:13:29 > 0:13:30and they kind of grow in height,
0:13:30 > 0:13:32this bit of the garden is completely hidden.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Yeah. It's lovely up here as well, isn't it?
0:13:35 > 0:13:39I mean, you kind of have no idea that this section is here.
0:13:39 > 0:13:40It's a different feel from down there.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Yeah. This is the bit we're particularly keen for you to see.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45- Uh-huh.- Fruit trees.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Yeah, lovely. I think cos she's got all the other plants,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51she'll get the bumblebees in to pollinate them, to get the fruit,
0:13:51 > 0:13:52- which is...- Oh, get you!
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- I know, yeah, I've been reading up. - Yeah, yeah!
0:13:55 > 0:13:57You know what's happening.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01If you strip everything away, it's a relatively regular-shaped garden.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03- Yeah.- What do you make of the paths
0:14:03 > 0:14:06and the way it kind of leads you round in a circle?
0:14:06 > 0:14:08I love it. I absolutely love it.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10It really... It breaks the garden up,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13and it makes it feel as though it's been here for a long, long time.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18You know, rather than my garden, which is just blank, with nothing,
0:14:18 > 0:14:20whereas this feels...
0:14:20 > 0:14:22I don't know, it just feels really nice.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24You know, it's character.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28- Yes.- Uh-huh.- There's a lot going on here, but it's quite relaxed,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31isn't it? It's quite... I feel like this is a country garden.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33Yeah, this is absolutely lovely.
0:14:33 > 0:14:34I mean, this is the type of place
0:14:34 > 0:14:37that, if I got home from work in the afternoon,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39I'd come out with my cup of tea and my book,
0:14:39 > 0:14:41and I would just sit and relax for an hour or two
0:14:41 > 0:14:42before I had to go out again.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44Let's go and meet the owner,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47- and she can talk us through how she's done it.- Lovely. Lovely.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50While we explore the makings of a Scottish country garden,
0:14:50 > 0:14:51back on Shelley's own plot,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54Danny's rejuvenating the bed by the front gate -
0:14:54 > 0:14:56the welcome mat of the garden.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00So, what we need to do now is use the half-moon edger,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02and just edge these bed out.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Keep it as straight as possible.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07Put your foot on the end, press down,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09give it a little bit of a lift.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Just keep following the blue line.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15While Ross takes the turf off the small beds,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Danny need to tackle the other huge expanse of lawn
0:15:17 > 0:15:20that needs lifting to create the new paths.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Now I'm using one of these turf lifters to make life easier.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26The good thing about using one of these
0:15:26 > 0:15:28is that you can cut even strips,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31and if you need to recycle the turf, you can.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34Really, my plan is just to clear this area here,
0:15:34 > 0:15:36and to clear that area over there.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45As Danny strips the garden down,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48AJ is rebuilding that vegetable trug from the ground up.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Well, then, that's the four legs.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54I'm going to cut this wood now which is going to be the framework
0:15:54 > 0:15:57to tie all four legs together, and make it a lot more sturdy.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Once the crossbeams have been cut, they can be screwed to the legs.
0:16:06 > 0:16:07There's a crossbeam -
0:16:07 > 0:16:10this will be one end so it makes it nice and study.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15But sturdy doesn't have to mean squat and unsightly.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18AJ's offsetting the timbers on the sides of the trug
0:16:18 > 0:16:19to give a decorative finish.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23When you walk up to it, that's what you'll look like.
0:16:23 > 0:16:24These will be cut off,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27this will be filled with soil down to this level here.
0:16:27 > 0:16:28I've put in this crossbeam,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31which is obviously - one, making it very strong,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34but, two, this is where the wood will recycle
0:16:34 > 0:16:36for the base of the soil to sit on.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38I'm feeling happy - that's one side done,
0:16:38 > 0:16:41just another two to do and a small one at the end.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Nothing is wasted on an Instant Garden day, not even space.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50AJ's come up with a plan to make use of the dead air under the trug.
0:16:50 > 0:16:55A little bird told me there's quite a bit of a journey for the lawnmower
0:16:55 > 0:16:56from round the back of the house
0:16:56 > 0:16:58to come all the way around this way here
0:16:58 > 0:17:01- and up through the drive, to get in here.- Mm.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04So, what I'm doing with this is actually making
0:17:04 > 0:17:08- the bottom half of these three sides enclosed.- Mm.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11I'm going to put a little gate on here, we're going to have a little
0:17:11 > 0:17:14- cupboard underneath there, so the lawnmower can go in...- Mm.- Storage.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18So, we've got a planter on top and a little garage underneath.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20I really like that, it's really good.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Great thinking, AJ. Now to get the rest of the side panels built -
0:17:23 > 0:17:26and don't forget to leave a door for the lawnmower.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30That's the final bit of the side on.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32All I've got to do now is put the gate on.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Back on the lawn, and the turf has been lifted
0:17:36 > 0:17:39and the new beds need to be dug over -
0:17:39 > 0:17:41a job for Danny and Nicole.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Your mum likes growing her own stuff.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Well, we're going to provide a garden where she can do that.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50So, we're going to have a mixture of ornamental plants, you know,
0:17:50 > 0:17:54the sort of plants you've got over there, and vegetables and fruit.
0:17:54 > 0:17:55I think she's going to love it.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58I think she's going to like that she can get to it easily.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01She's always tried to do things in the garden, but obviously,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03with having MS, she'll come out and she'll do a little bit
0:18:03 > 0:18:06and then she has to go back inside cos she's tired.
0:18:06 > 0:18:07- Right.- And...
0:18:07 > 0:18:10We don't get many nice days for her to come out and do it,
0:18:10 > 0:18:12and she doesn't really get to enjoy the garden
0:18:12 > 0:18:14cos she's constantly trying to do it up,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17when really she shouldn't be trying to do it anyway.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21It's a shame that she's ill now, my mum, because she's spent
0:18:21 > 0:18:24- her whole life looking after... - People.- ..everybody else.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27- Yeah.- And this is the time when she really does get to enjoy life.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29She had me and Ross young, so this is her time.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32She's been looking after people all this time,
0:18:32 > 0:18:33and now she's got the illness,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36so she's not had time to really enjoy herself.
0:18:36 > 0:18:37Yeah.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40But hopefully we can sort of give her something, in some small way,
0:18:40 > 0:18:42with this garden.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47While Shelley's garden begins to take shape...
0:18:49 > 0:18:51..Shelley and I are meeting Jean Knox,
0:18:51 > 0:18:55whose labour of love has given life to Hunter's Tryst.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59Here she is, the lady of the garden. Jean, this is Shelley.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01- Hello, Shelley. - Hi, Jean, lovely to meet you.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Tell us about this fantastic garden.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07This garden was a wilderness 30-odd years ago when I arrived,
0:19:07 > 0:19:10so everything here is less than 30 years old.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13And it's been a great experience to do it,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16but it's also been such a lot of hard work.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18I wouldn't like to do it again, now, at this stage.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21The thing that's striking, for me, is this is a square garden...
0:19:21 > 0:19:24- Yes.- ..but it doesn't feel square,
0:19:24 > 0:19:26because of the way you've done everything.
0:19:26 > 0:19:27I like the centre to be open.
0:19:27 > 0:19:33I've got the circles edged with pavers, and I like that precision,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36because the planting is then quite informal round it.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40I really like the effect of the very precise against the quite informal.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Yeah, it looks absolutely beautiful, I must say.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44I'm really impressed with it.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Thank you.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Talk me through the plants in this garden,
0:19:48 > 0:19:50because I feel like you've got a bit of everything in here.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Well, there probably is a bit of everything.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56When you start a garden, people give you bits from their garden,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00and almost inevitably it's bits of thugs that will survive anywhere,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02which is why they have them to give away.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05By thugs, you mean plants that are just going to survive...
0:20:05 > 0:20:06- Anyway.- Right.- Yes.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10For me, life's too short to waste time trying to nurture things
0:20:10 > 0:20:11that really don't want to grow.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13And I do research things.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15You learn to read between the lines.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18And if it says that it's hardy in most of the UK,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22then I wouldn't buy it because it wouldn't be hardy here.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25I must say, I hope that my garden one day will look
0:20:25 > 0:20:26half as good as this garden.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29- I'm sure it will do - it just takes time.- Yeah.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31- Definitely given us food for thought, hasn't it?- Yes, definitely.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33Thank you, it's absolutely beautiful.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35Well, thank you, it's been my pleasure.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39Whether your plot is in open farmland or the middle of a town,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42a gorgeous and rewarding country-style garden,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46full of flowers and fruit, can be yours with a few simple tips.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Maximise your space by planting between paving and paths
0:20:50 > 0:20:53for a garden overflowing with goodies.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56For a garden that's as beautiful as it is bountiful,
0:20:56 > 0:20:59use ornamental edibles such as fruit trees,
0:20:59 > 0:21:03which will blossom in spring and give juicy-looking fruit in autumn.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Create your design treating plants as a building material.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10Use them as focal points, boundaries, screens or shade cover.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13Taller species can create a great dividing wall
0:21:13 > 0:21:16that has natural country charm.
0:21:19 > 0:21:20In Shelley's own garden,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23there's more stripping down than growing going on,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26and I'm about to add to Danny's workload.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28- How are you?- How's it going?
0:21:28 > 0:21:29Very well, thank you.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?
0:21:32 > 0:21:37Lovely Jean, whose garden we're visiting, has offered us a bench.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39It's rustic,
0:21:39 > 0:21:41it's ageing in a lovely way.
0:21:41 > 0:21:46Shelley loves it, and Jean is kind of thinking about getting rid of it,
0:21:46 > 0:21:48so she said we can have it if we can take it.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50It sounds lovely. Yeah, let's take it.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52- Brilliant.- I think I know where we're going to put it.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54OK, brilliant. Thank you, Danny.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Take care. Bye, bye.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59But before sorting out the seating,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02Danny still needs to mark out the inner edge of the path,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05which is also the outer edge of the new bed.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Keep up the good work, guys.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08I'll move in a second.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11- You OK?- Yep.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12- Are you?- Yeah, I'm fine.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15To me. OK. To you.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17With all the new beds now dug out,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20Danny can edge the path around them with timber.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22I'm trying to get these parallel.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27- Been quite fiddly, actually.- It is.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Fiddly is an understatement.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31For all Danny's meticulous measurements,
0:22:31 > 0:22:36the garden stubbornly persists in looking, well, a bit wonky.
0:22:36 > 0:22:37Nothing's straight in the garden.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40I mean, the walls of the house are out,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42the fence is out.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46Sometimes you've just got to go with your eye.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48And that's what I'm doing at the moment.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50It's a perfectionist's worst nightmare,
0:22:50 > 0:22:54and it's costing Danny precious hours of daylight.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56- Danny?- Yeah? - How do you think we're doing?
0:22:56 > 0:22:59I know it's costing us time trying to get it right,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01but I think it's really important that we get it right.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05Because this garden is all about angles, and if we get it wrong,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07it's just going to look...
0:23:07 > 0:23:09It's just not going to work.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Does that work?
0:23:14 > 0:23:16- Yeah, that works, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:23:17 > 0:23:18Thank goodness for that.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21Now all Danny's new beds are in place -
0:23:21 > 0:23:24but he still needs to plant them up, gravel the path, add the trug
0:23:24 > 0:23:28and fruit trees and clear out this old bed beside the front door.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34What we need to do is take this decking out.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44These deck boards - they're going to be very useful.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48With Nicole on digging duty,
0:23:48 > 0:23:52Danny can concentrate on the beds at the end of the garden by the gate.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58Now, this gorgeous specimen of a plant is called a pieris,
0:23:58 > 0:24:02and as you notice it's a kind of pinky-red colour on the new growth.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04And it's got a lovely white flower.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07It's also known as a lily of the valley bush.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11That's because its flowers look just like the flowers
0:24:11 > 0:24:13on the lily of the valley.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Now, the reason I'm using this in this garden
0:24:15 > 0:24:17is purely for symmetry,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20cos there's already one here, over there.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23So, I thought I'd just continue the theme through,
0:24:23 > 0:24:27cos that's what this garden's all about - being symmetrical.
0:24:27 > 0:24:28What I'm going to do here,
0:24:28 > 0:24:30because this plant likes slightly acidic soil,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33I'm just going to just spread a handful
0:24:33 > 0:24:36of ericaceous compost around its base.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Ericaceous compost is more acidic than normal compost -
0:24:39 > 0:24:43great for plants that prefer their pH on the sharp side.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45There you go -
0:24:45 > 0:24:48and this beauty will soak up the nutrients when it needs it.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52And there's another existing plant that Danny wants to build on
0:24:52 > 0:24:54for his formal planting scheme.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58We've already repeated this pieris over there,
0:24:58 > 0:25:00so I'm going to repeat this cordyline as well.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03This plant is ideal for this plot,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07because it's tough as old boots and it won't mind the wind.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10The other one, you may have noticed, eagle-eyed ones of you will notice,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12that it's got a trunk.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14That's perfectly normal.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16This will also develop a trunk.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20The way it does that, these leaves just fall away as it grows.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Just to tidy it up as the leaves start to fade a bit,
0:25:23 > 0:25:24you can pull them off -
0:25:24 > 0:25:26it's not going to do the plant any harm.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28Or just let them drop off naturally.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30It's entirely up to you.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32It's a lovely plant, it's great.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34And what I like about it, too, is that it's architectural.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36It stands out.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40While Danny's getting his hands dirty in the borders,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43I'm finding out what a new garden would mean to Shelley.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Right, Shelley, talk to me about your garden, then.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49Do you spend a lot of time out there?
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Not as much as I would like to
0:25:51 > 0:25:54because it's not a very nice place to sit.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Hopefully, one day, I'll have a garden like this.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00So, you want the finished product, but the work, well, let's be honest,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02it's a bit of a hassle for anyone...
0:26:02 > 0:26:06- Yeah.- ..but, for you, with your multiple sclerosis...- Uh-huh.
0:26:06 > 0:26:07..I mean, is it feasible?
0:26:07 > 0:26:09Well, little and often...
0:26:09 > 0:26:12- OK.- ..is kind of what I keep getting told to do, you know.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Don't try and do everything all at once -
0:26:14 > 0:26:16and my balance can be a bit off at times,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18so sometimes, you know, nine o'clock in the morning,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21I can look as though I've had a little tipple, cos I'm staggering -
0:26:21 > 0:26:23but it's not, it's just the MS!
0:26:23 > 0:26:27But how frustrating is the unpredictability of MS?
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Extremely frustrating, and scary, very scary as well.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34Not knowing, you know, if you wake up tomorrow morning,
0:26:34 > 0:26:36if you're going to be able to get out of bed.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38Cos the last time I was really ill,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42I was numb pretty much from here down, and I was on crutches,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44and when that happened, I couldn't do anything.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Was it a shock to be diagnosed?
0:26:46 > 0:26:48It was a big shock.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51I mean, one of the most terrifying, scary things
0:26:51 > 0:26:56that's ever happened to me, and will ever happen to me, I assume.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59And this all comes after you've had quite a full-on time
0:26:59 > 0:27:02in terms of you and your partner - you looked after him
0:27:02 > 0:27:04when he wasn't well a few years ago.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Yeah, he had a heart attack
0:27:06 > 0:27:07a few years ago, as well,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09so I was playing little nursemaid there.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12- Right.- So, we got him back on the straight and narrow,
0:27:12 > 0:27:13and then it was my turn.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16It's like we kind of take things in turns each.
0:27:16 > 0:27:17Before he was ill,
0:27:17 > 0:27:19you were looking after your family as well, weren't you?
0:27:19 > 0:27:23My mother... My mum got diagnosed with cancer,
0:27:23 > 0:27:28so I pretty much took a year off work and nursed her for a year.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31And then, sadly, she passed away, so...
0:27:31 > 0:27:32Sorry to hear that, Shelley.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36- But it seems like you spend a lot of time caring for other people.- Yes.
0:27:36 > 0:27:41So, how important is it to you to have a space for you?
0:27:41 > 0:27:42It's really important.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45You know, I really would just like somewhere, when...
0:27:46 > 0:27:49..things are just a bit too much, you know,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52that I could go home and have somewhere nice to sit,
0:27:52 > 0:27:55soak up some of the vitamin D, and just knowing that's helping.
0:27:55 > 0:27:56- Yeah.- You know? With my MS.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59And, again, I think even being able to do a little bit
0:27:59 > 0:28:02of gardening here and there, it's such good exercise.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05- Yeah.- It's good, it's kind of getting everything working.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07- Yeah. So, there are a lot of potential benefits...- Yes.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09..to having an enjoyable garden.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12And, again, being able to grow my own fruit and vegetables.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16It's just fantastic being able to pick something so fresh and eat it.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18I love how the thought of that brings a massive smile to your face.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21Oh, I really do, I love the idea of it.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23If I could have chickens and things running about
0:28:23 > 0:28:26giving me my own eggs as well, I would, I really would.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28I'd have a cow and I'd be out there milking -
0:28:28 > 0:28:31but we'll stick with the vegetables!
0:28:31 > 0:28:33We're probably not going to buy you a cow today.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36- Yes, OK.- However, fruit trees are doable.- Ahh!
0:28:36 > 0:28:39It's never going to become a reality if we don't go and get them, though.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41- Shall we crack on? - Fantastic.- Let's go.
0:28:47 > 0:28:48Back at Shelley's garden,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51the team now has less than four hours to complete the job,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54and getting the angles of the beds and path right
0:28:54 > 0:28:57has taken much longer than Danny's bargained on.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00I was having a bit of a stressful moment a little while ago,
0:29:00 > 0:29:02cos nothing seemed to be working.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05But we're back on course now, much to my relief.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07And everyone else's.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09Now, remember those decking boards Danny dug up?
0:29:09 > 0:29:12He said they'd come in handy - and they have.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16I know that your mum has been donated a bench.
0:29:16 > 0:29:21So, I thought it'd be a nice idea to use these as a base for the bench.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23- Yeah.- So, I thought we could put them over there.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26There's some more over there, by the way, under the window,
0:29:26 > 0:29:28- so if we can collect those...- Yeah. - ..put them together,
0:29:28 > 0:29:30and then she's got a seating area.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34Making good use of garden salvage like Shelley's old decking boards
0:29:34 > 0:29:37is a penny-wise way of improving your garden.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41Pre-used timber also has a lovely weathered appearance,
0:29:41 > 0:29:45well-suited to a cottage garden feel that money simply can't buy.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48Now, we can be fancy with this...
0:29:48 > 0:29:52and have the deck boards going in different directions.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54I think that's perfect, don't you?
0:29:54 > 0:29:56- Yeah, I think it's really nice. - Yeah, I like that.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59Brilliant.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03And at last, AJ's bit of carpentry
0:30:03 > 0:30:07is ready to be placed into position in the middle of the design.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09It looks like a Trojan horse.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14Is AJ going to escape from it at night?
0:30:14 > 0:30:15- I will.- Yeah?
0:30:15 > 0:30:17Now there's a scary thought!
0:30:17 > 0:30:19I think it's looking good.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21It looks really solid.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24Well, then - get the recycled bits.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26With the new trug in position,
0:30:26 > 0:30:29AJ can make use of those salvaged scraps of wood
0:30:29 > 0:30:31from the old trug as a base.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33- I'm going to put some plastic liner in this...- Yeah?
0:30:33 > 0:30:36..and then you just make holes in the corners.
0:30:36 > 0:30:37Cos I'm going to put the lawnmower
0:30:37 > 0:30:41underneath here, so we don't obviously... The water going through
0:30:41 > 0:30:43the plant and going on to the lawnmower. But if we line this
0:30:43 > 0:30:47with plastic sheeting and just have the holes on the side
0:30:47 > 0:30:50then anything that... Any of the water that does go through
0:30:50 > 0:30:53can just go down the sides.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56While AJ waterproofs his trug, Danny can make his veg beds -
0:30:56 > 0:30:59the cornerstone of a country kitchen garden.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02Now, when it comes to growing crops,
0:31:02 > 0:31:06it's always a good idea to have more than one bed.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08In this instance, we've got four beds -
0:31:08 > 0:31:10we've got a bed here, a bed over there and the trug
0:31:10 > 0:31:12and there's a bed near the house.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15So, what you do, you take a crop and put it in another bed
0:31:15 > 0:31:18at the start of another season.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21The following year, when you use a different crop...
0:31:21 > 0:31:23Don't use the same crop.
0:31:23 > 0:31:28Perhaps follow carrots with peas, that kind of thing.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32You don't want to use one root vegetable after another.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34We call that crop rotation.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39Now the reason for that is that we don't want the soil to be exhausted
0:31:39 > 0:31:42of minerals - all the same minerals.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45And the other thing, as well, is we don't want a build-up
0:31:45 > 0:31:49of pests and diseases. So, that's the reason we've got more than one bed.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54And the first crop to grace Shelley's new potager beds
0:31:54 > 0:31:55is the blueberry.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Now I'm going to plant these blueberries near the house.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01This is an ideal place to plant them here,
0:32:01 > 0:32:03because the garden slopes back
0:32:03 > 0:32:06towards the house and it's very damp here -
0:32:06 > 0:32:08and they love the wet.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11In this case, I think I'll put them at an angle.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14That adds to the formality of the garden.
0:32:14 > 0:32:15They do like acidic soil,
0:32:15 > 0:32:19so I'm going to help them along with this ericaceous compost.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22So, what I'm going to do here is just mix this soil...
0:32:23 > 0:32:25..in with the ericaceous.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29Then put it in a hole like this.
0:32:30 > 0:32:31Position the plant...
0:32:33 > 0:32:35..see if I'm happy with it.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37Which I am.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39And then just backfill.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41Lightly firm this in.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46And there we have one nicely planted blueberry.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51While Danny admires his shrubbery,
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Shelley and I are on the hunt for the rest of the plants on his list.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59Some small fruit trees for her garden.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03We're calling on the expertise of garden centre owner Carolyn Spray.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07- Carolyn, just the lady.- Hello.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09- This is Shelley.- Hello. - Hi, nice to meet you.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12- We are after four small fruit trees.- Mm-hm.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Where do you start if you want to have a fruit tree in your garden?
0:33:15 > 0:33:17Are you going to grow them in the ground or in containers?
0:33:17 > 0:33:18How big do you want them to get?
0:33:18 > 0:33:21We need to have them in pots because my landlord's not too keen for us
0:33:21 > 0:33:23ending up with big trees growing in the garden.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26So, you want to be able to plant them and then take them with you?
0:33:26 > 0:33:27- Exactly, yeah.- OK.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30But the good thing about putting them in pots - you can also
0:33:30 > 0:33:31move them around for a bit of variety.
0:33:31 > 0:33:32Exactly, you can change them.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35And presumably, if you are going to be growing it in a pot,
0:33:35 > 0:33:37like Shelley, it needs to be the smallest.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39Yes. You're looking for a dwarf rootstock.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42Lots of different varieties are grown on different rootstocks,
0:33:42 > 0:33:45which makes them either very dwarf, dwarf, you know, a bit bigger.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49So, you can choose the same variety and have it in various sizes.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53The rootstock is the vigorous healthy root system
0:33:53 > 0:33:57onto which another variety of tree has been grafted.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Grafting like this means you can combine the attributes of two trees,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03such as short stature but tasty apples.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09So, if we were to get something that's dwarf rootstock,
0:34:09 > 0:34:12is there a specific type of apple tree we should be getting?
0:34:12 > 0:34:16Not a specific variety, but you have to look for this dwarf rootstock.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18- So, M27 is the one. - It's the size rather than the type?
0:34:18 > 0:34:19I had no idea they could do that.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22I thought you bought a tree and the tree just grew to whatever size...
0:34:22 > 0:34:25- No, no, no.- ..it decided. - It's clever, isn't it?
0:34:25 > 0:34:29This goes for not just apples but plums and pears, cherries.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32They all have a dwarf version that you can choose to put in a pot
0:34:32 > 0:34:35or, you know, somewhere that you want it to stay compact.
0:34:35 > 0:34:36That's great, I never knew that.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39- So, you got loads of choice and then you can take them with you.- Lovely.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42In terms of fruit, what could Shelley grow successfully?
0:34:42 > 0:34:46- Well, I've got a selection I could let you see.- Perfect.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50While Shelley and I go off in search of the perfect fruit trees,
0:34:50 > 0:34:54the fruits of Danny's labours are coming together in Shelley's garden.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56But time is ticking on -
0:34:56 > 0:34:58with less than two hours left, the beds need filling -
0:34:58 > 0:34:59as does the trug.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05There we go - filled it with the old compost soil mixture.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07Beautiful, spot on.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10I've just got to finish the gate now.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14And finally Shelley's lawnmower is ingeniously rehoused.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16All safe and sound, under lock and key.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21Meanwhile, Danny's got a cunning planting plan
0:35:21 > 0:35:23which will make life much easier for Shelley
0:35:23 > 0:35:25and help her to get the most out of her patch.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28This is my favourite part when it comes to gardening.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32I just love planting - and I love my plants.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35So, what we're going to do with this garden is companion planting,
0:35:35 > 0:35:38which means that plants that are friendly with others -
0:35:38 > 0:35:41they're mates, they work well together,
0:35:41 > 0:35:45and they work well because they keep pests and diseases away
0:35:45 > 0:35:49from their friends. So, we put them together, they will look after them.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52For example, these Marigolds...
0:35:52 > 0:35:54Now they keep whitefly away.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57So,, if you put these next to your cabbages,
0:35:57 > 0:35:59you shouldn't have a problem with whitefly.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02Now, as for this lavender... We all know lavender
0:36:02 > 0:36:03but the roots emit a chemical
0:36:03 > 0:36:05which keep the weeds down,
0:36:05 > 0:36:07so the more lavender you have in a garden,
0:36:07 > 0:36:10the less maintenance you'll have to do.
0:36:10 > 0:36:15The scabious over there attracts butterflies, which lay larvae,
0:36:15 > 0:36:17which gobble up the greenfly.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21So, this is all part of the wonderful ecosystem -
0:36:21 > 0:36:25and that's a good reason why we need to look after it.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29Now, the other thing I'm going to put in the garden are two obelisks -
0:36:29 > 0:36:30this one and that one over there.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33Now, these are going to give height to the garden
0:36:33 > 0:36:35and give a bit of structure as well.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38So, maybe in the winter when there's nothing around,
0:36:38 > 0:36:41you've still got something to look at.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43Now, they are for the sweet peas,
0:36:43 > 0:36:47and I think if I put one there, and one over here...
0:36:48 > 0:36:51..I think they're going to look absolutely fab.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55And they fit in with the symmetry of the garden.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00However, those beds are going to be symmetrically empty
0:37:00 > 0:37:02unless the team gets a move on.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06Come on, we need some activity, everybody.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10- They're nice. - They are quite nice.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12You won't find Shelley and I slacking.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14We're at a local garden centre looking for fruit trees
0:37:14 > 0:37:17that should be more manageable than a full-size orchard.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20Carolyn, talk us through what we've got here.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22I've got a plum, two apples and a pear -
0:37:22 > 0:37:25these are all dwarf rootstocks, so, nice and small.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27Tell us a bit more about each one, if you would.
0:37:27 > 0:37:28Well, the two apples...
0:37:28 > 0:37:31James Grieve is quite a sharp, acidic variety.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33Red Devil is a sweet and juicy one.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37The pear - that's one of the most popular varieties, Concorde.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39- I love those. - It's a really nice variety.
0:37:39 > 0:37:41And the plum is Jubilee,
0:37:41 > 0:37:44which is a really sweet, lovely eating plum.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46You've got your own fruit salad right here.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48I know, it's absolutely fantastic.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50I didn't realise you could have so much variety.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54Is it possible to get a lot of plums if you've only got one plum tree?
0:37:54 > 0:37:56- A lot of pears if you've only got one pear?- Yes.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58These ones are all self-fertile.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01Some apples, you need two varieties to pollinate,
0:38:01 > 0:38:03but these ones all say self-fertile.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05So, you could have just one and you would still get fruit.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08Same with the plum, self-fertile.
0:38:08 > 0:38:09What have we got over here?
0:38:09 > 0:38:12Well, do you know, if you got a teeny-tiny garden,
0:38:12 > 0:38:16then this is one tree and it's got two varieties grafted onto it.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18So, this bit here is James Grieve
0:38:18 > 0:38:22and the other variety is Egremont Russet.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25It's called a double cordon, so you've got two varieties on one tree
0:38:25 > 0:38:27if you've got, like, literally that much space.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29That's fantastic. That is so good, it really is.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32It is crazy to have two fruits on one tree.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34That would blow Danny's mind, though, if we take that back.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37Because he sent us to get four separate plants
0:38:37 > 0:38:39and I feel like we should go with these.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41- Right.- OK.- Lovely.- Great.- Yeah.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44- Carolyn, thank you so much. - You're welcome.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46Our mission has been a success.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48For Shelley, this means a well-earned break
0:38:48 > 0:38:50while the garden is finished.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52But for me it's the moment of truth.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55Just how much has the team managed to do in my absence?
0:38:56 > 0:38:58Danny Clarke!
0:38:58 > 0:39:00- Hello, Helen, how are you?- Hello!
0:39:00 > 0:39:02You're a sight for sore eyes.
0:39:02 > 0:39:03- Oh, thank you.- Thank you.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Here is one of four fruit trees.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09- OK.- I'm really excited about them, as is Shelley.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11She loves the idea of growing her own fruit and veg.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14- She'll have her own orchard here, won't she?- Ohh!
0:39:14 > 0:39:16Where are they going to go? Because I love this, I love this.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18- It's great.- We're not quite finished yet, though, are we?
0:39:18 > 0:39:21Not quite finished - we've got a bit of a way to go.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23- But don't tell everybody. - I'm here, don't worry.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25- OK, you're going to help. - What you need?
0:39:25 > 0:39:27Well, what I need is, these need to be put in pots.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30- Yeah.- OK, so I've got a pot there, pot there, pot there and pot there.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32- A tree in each. - And they're in position...- OK.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35- ..so they need to be planted. Could you do that for me?- No problem.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38- Brilliant. There you go. - Right, I'll crack on.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42We are up against it,
0:39:42 > 0:39:45so I don't know how we're going to get it done, to be fair.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52Now there's two reasons why I've put these plants in groups.
0:39:52 > 0:39:57One reason is cos I want to stick with the formality of the garden.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00And the other reason is, it's just going to be easier to look after,
0:40:00 > 0:40:04because in blocks it's easier to look after and to maintain.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10And speaking of sticking to the formality of the design...
0:40:10 > 0:40:12Does that look a bit skewwhiff?
0:40:14 > 0:40:16Seriously, is that leaning?
0:40:18 > 0:40:20Start trimming that corner up over there.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23Try not to wreck the place, team.
0:40:25 > 0:40:26This stuff is great.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29I love it - it allows rain to filter through.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31And also, it's cheap.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33It's cheaper than laying paving.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36And another thing, Danny, it's extremely quick to lay.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39Good thing, too, because time is nearly up.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43Five minutes, guys and gals.
0:40:43 > 0:40:44We're almost there now.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46We are going to get it done.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53Finally, this instant garden is complete -
0:40:53 > 0:40:55and not a moment too soon.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00Nicole, Ross, thanks for your help today.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02We got the job done, just about,
0:41:02 > 0:41:05and we definitely couldn't have done it without you.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08- So...- Oh, thank you. - Thank you very much.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11Well, the only thing that's left to do is bring your mum out.
0:41:11 > 0:41:12Yeah.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18This morning, Shelley's featureless front garden
0:41:18 > 0:41:21was an unwelcoming expanse of weed-ridden lawn,
0:41:21 > 0:41:24tired borders and pedestrian pathways.
0:41:27 > 0:41:31But now Danny's makeover has given a classic country charm
0:41:31 > 0:41:33both formal and fruitful...
0:41:34 > 0:41:38..bursting with edible treats and delights for the eyes.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41A smart, symmetrical new layout
0:41:41 > 0:41:44has broken up the bare and battered lawn,
0:41:44 > 0:41:46with a stunning raised bed
0:41:46 > 0:41:49and a handy hidden secret as its centrepiece.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54The old beds have been revitalised with gorgeous new plants
0:41:54 > 0:41:58and new beds have been created full of well-chosen herbs,
0:41:58 > 0:42:00flowers and fruit and veg.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04The portable potted trees give eye-level interest
0:42:04 > 0:42:06as well as fabulous fruit.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10Even the neglected lawn has had a Danny-special manicure.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15To finish it off, there's a salvaged rustic bench
0:42:15 > 0:42:18for Shelley to sit and admire her new front garden from.
0:42:18 > 0:42:23What's more, this was all done on a tight budget and in just one day.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25Congratulations, Danny.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29Now it's finally time for Shelley to meet her new kitchen garden.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31Let's hope she finds it as mouthwatering as we do.
0:42:35 > 0:42:36OK.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39We have one very excited lady.
0:42:39 > 0:42:40Wow!
0:42:41 > 0:42:42This is lovely.
0:42:43 > 0:42:44A couple of fruit trees.
0:42:44 > 0:42:48I can't believe it. I really can't believe it.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50This is just lovely.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53It looks completely different.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Sorry! And I said I wouldn't do this.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00What a marvellous job yous have done. It's...
0:43:00 > 0:43:04It's great. It's brilliant.
0:43:04 > 0:43:10I knew that you liked your fruit and your vegetables and stuff like that,
0:43:10 > 0:43:13but we wanted to do something that's ornamental, as well.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15Your children have done all the work.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17Well, ably assisted by Danny, obviously.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20Thank you, thank you, honey.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25Oh, yous have all worked so hard.
0:43:25 > 0:43:26What do you think?
0:43:28 > 0:43:29I'm speechless.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31For once in my life, I'm actually speechless.
0:43:31 > 0:43:33This is just beautiful.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36It doesn't feel like just the one big long space,
0:43:36 > 0:43:38it feels like I've got little areas.
0:43:38 > 0:43:40You know, little things to do.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42Oh, is that...? Is this...? Oh!
0:43:44 > 0:43:48That's fantastic. I've just realised... The raised bed.
0:43:50 > 0:43:52And my lawnmower.
0:43:52 > 0:43:53Fantastic.
0:43:53 > 0:43:57Cos see having to pull that from the back garden all the way around here
0:43:57 > 0:44:00was strenuous - and then to cut the grass, whereas now...
0:44:00 > 0:44:01and I've got less grass!
0:44:02 > 0:44:03Guys, great job.
0:44:03 > 0:44:05You look exhausted, but you've achieved so much.
0:44:05 > 0:44:07- Thank you, Danny.- That's OK.
0:44:07 > 0:44:10- It's absolutely fantastic, it really is.- My pleasure.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12- Go on, explore. Go on.- OK, yes. I want to go and have a look.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14We'll let you go for it. Good job, team.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16Are yous coming up to have a look?
0:44:17 > 0:44:20I am absolutely thrilled that Shelley loves this garden.
0:44:20 > 0:44:23She wanted to grow some fruit and veg - she's got that.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25She wanted a space she can chill out and relax in,
0:44:25 > 0:44:26and she's got that, too.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29And I, for one, think this is a gorgeous garden.
0:44:29 > 0:44:32Join us next time for another Instant Garden.