Episode 5 The Instant Gardener

Beautiful gardens are one of Britain's most glorious sights,

but if your green space is more mess than majestic,

making it over can be a daunting prospect,

especially if you're short on time and money.

Well, the instant gardener is here.

Ta-da!

Danny Clarke is an expert at transforming gardens.

These are really bringing a smile to my face.

Each time, our gardening guru

will be showing you how to create gorgeous garden makeovers.

Doesn't that look great?

Each transformation will be packed with brilliant ideas

to help you get to grips with your own outdoor space.

Just continually deadhead

and you'll keep getting that plant to flower.

He'll be turning garden junk...

Oh, look at that!

..into garden jewels.

It's going to be used as a planter

and I think it's going to look absolutely terrific.

And showing you how to spend a small budget wisely...

-That's why Danny makes me bring a list!

-OK.

..be it on shrubs

or salvage.

Would you like that in your garden?

And because Danny is the INSTANT gardener,

everything you see will happen in a single day.

Oh, my...

Oh, wow!

That's unbelievable!

Today, we're in the leafy suburbs of Solihull,

only eight miles from Birmingham, but light years away

from the hustle and bustle of inner-city living.

Its spacious streets and green gardens

are an enticing prospect for young families.

Having an outside space is a priority for most parents,

and when it comes to size, you tend to think the bigger the better,

but I'm here to meet a family whose dreams of a big garden

have meant they've bitten off more than they can chew.

DOORBELL RINGS

-Hello!

-Hello there.

-You must be Hayley.

-Yes, I am. Nice to meet you.

-Kevin?

-Nice to meet you, hello.

-Nice to meet you. Let's have a look at this garden.

-OK, come on in.

Thank you.

Hayley, Kevin and their son Aaron

moved back to the West Midlands three years ago

after having lived in the southeast.

Aaron is nearly five and has Down's syndrome.

He was born with a serious heart condition

that resulted in five operations by the time he was 18 months old.

He also has a hypermobility condition

which means that his joints rotate 40% more than they should,

so he's still a little wobbly on his feet.

All in all, Aaron needs plenty of exercise and stimulation

to help him with his development.

So, Kevin and Hayley have called on the instant gardener

to give their garden a step in the right direction.

And so he could work out how to help,

Danny went to Solihull a few days ago

for his first glimpse of the challenge ahead.

I've come along today to have a sneak preview

at Hayley and Kevin's garden, just to see what is what.

This is what I like to see -

sound boundaries.

And it's a lovely open space.

I get the impression the people who own this garden do garden.

You can see that the soil's been nicely turned over.

It's kind of not a very nice shape to this lawn.

I mean, they've given it a go.

The garden itself is devoid of plants, so it's very, very bland,

but a big plus, there are a couple of trees over there,

which means we can give some height to this garden.

Now, this is a big area, very sort of barren.

Nothing in it at all apart from a few nodding daffodils

right against that fence over there.

This is actually screaming at me

that it should be converted perhaps into a place where a child can play.

Colour and texture's very important in a garden - in any garden -

but especially for this lad, cos there's nothing here.

All in all, we've got a garden here that's pretty boring,

pretty barren, but we've got a lot to work with.

Today, Danny's back with a plan in mind

and he's ready to get started

but first, it's time to meet the garden's owners.

-Danny.

-Hello, Helen.

-How are you?

-Good to see you.

-Good to see you.

-This is Hayley and Kevin.

-Hello, Hayley.

-Lovely to meet you.

-Hello, Kevin.

-Danny. Nice to meet you. How are you?

As you've seen, this is their football pitch.

This is huge!

I know. I think, when we bought the house,

it was a jungle behind there. You couldn't even see those two trees.

-So, you've done a lot work on the garden already?

-A lot of work.

We've also had a lot of trees taken out, as well,

because there was actually very little daylight so, in the summer,

it was just like it was kind of night-time permanently.

-How do you feel about the garden now?

-Excited, really,

because it's all about making it into a really nice garden

that Aaron can enjoy and play with and we can enjoy as a family.

It's a dream for a lot of parents

to see their children playing in the garden, but, when it comes to Aaron,

he's got quite a few challenges that other children don't have.

What does he need from this garden?

He was born with Down's syndrome

and he's had quite a...

Well, he's had a very difficult start to life.

He's had five major surgeries,

countless hospital admissions,

and for the last year or so,

his health has really improved massively.

Anything that we can do which is going to get him moving,

get him interested in things,

stimulated - both mentally and physically.

We want something that's going to be maybe sensory.

That kind of thing helps with his development.

He loves playing in playgrounds and parks and that sort of thing,

but when it comes to out here, there is nothing to entice him out,

so an area perhaps where that gives him an opportunity

to maybe climb, move about, be mobile,

aid his physical development,

motor skills, that kind of thing would be great.

-Is there anything he would like in the garden?

-He just loves helping.

Whatever we do, he likes to do.

If I water the plants,

he's got his own mini watering can

-and he will come along and water with me.

-What about you two?

Would you like a space that you can enjoy as a couple and a family?

Yes, it would be nice to have a nice glass of wine

sat on a chair somewhere looking at our lovely garden.

That would be amazing, wouldn't it?

And you've done most of the hard work, which is great,

so we've got a blank canvas to work with.

Well, we're going to get out of your hair.

Have you got a shopping list for us?

-I've got a shopping list for you. There you go.

-Thanking you.

-Got the trusted book.

-Lavender and sweet peas.

-Very nice.

All the smelly stuff.

-Lovely.

-I love sweet peas.

-See you later.

-All the best, bye.

While Hayley and I seek out some inspiration,

Danny only has one day to convert this large but rather dull garden

into a physical and sensory adventure wonderland.

No pressure there, then, Danny!

This garden was once overgrown,

but Kevin and Hayley have cut it right back.

There's lots of light in here,

but we can't do the whole of this garden.

It's too much for us to do in one day

and we're just going to concentrate on Aaron.

We're going to concentrate on his needs

and we're going to do something for him down here by these trees.

We're going to have a lovely barked play area for him

just round here, so we're going to have big sweeping circle

going round here.

This barked area is very useful because what we can do,

we can bring some of Aaron's toys down here

to give him a reason to visit this place.

And as well as that, we're going to put a swing...

We're going to attach it to that branch over there

so he's got something to swing on,

because what we want to do is get him moving,

get him a reason to come down here and enjoy this space.

By that tree over there, they're going to put a half-circular seat

that's going to be for Hayley and Kevin.

We're going to have five circles

and each circle is going to be stuffed full of plants

which are going to represent all of Aaron's five senses.

We're going to have plants all about sound,

taste, smell, sight and touch.

I'm a bit worried about the top end of the garden

because, you know, resources are a bit stretched

and we are limited for time.

But having said that,

I would love to give Kevin and Hayley a start,

so we are going to see if we can shape this lawn

and maybe give them something to build on in the future

so they can add plants to it when they are ready.

So, Danny's plan is to turn this bare and boring area

at the bottom of the garden into a sensory adventure playground.

He's going to create a curved area covered with bark

for Aaron's toys and a swing for him to enjoy.

He's going to put in a seat for Hayley and Kevin

and add five circles of plants

designed to stimulate Aaron's five senses.

Finally, he's going to reshape the lawn ready for Hayley and Kevin

to kick-start their own planting plans.

There's a lot to do, but not a lot of time.

Luckily, he's got his regular team of handyman AJ,

and helpers Luke and Amyrose.

All I'd like to do is reshape this lawn...

-OK.

-..after I've lined it out with liner paint.

-Get the lawn up.

-Where's that going?

-Good question.

The excess is going to go in that corner over there,

and we're going to use that as compost.

Could you make a compost bin for me out of pallets?

-OK, yeah.

-I'm just thinking off the top of my head.

It wasn't in my original plan,

-but as we're speaking, I'm thinking it might be a good idea.

-OK.

Repurposing pallets is an Instant Garden favourite.

They're cheap and sometimes even free.

They can be used for all sorts of things -

in this case, a composter.

But it's an extra job on top of a full schedule.

Fortunately, Danny can also call on help from Kevin, and his dad, Dennis.

Plenty to do today, so perhaps you could go with AJ,

-and if you can come with me, Dennis.

-Sure.

-Cheers.

You've got the short straw, AJ.

And while AJ and Kevin organise the pallets,

Danny has spotted a problem that needs immediate attention.

It's so wet. By the end of the day,

if we're not careful and we keep walking on the lawn,

we're going to end up in a squidgy mess.

When you are undertaking a big job in the garden,

it's well worth laying out large scaffold planks

or large pieces of wood on the lawn

so you don't ruin it with wheelbarrows and walking.

Some of that lawn is going to be dug up to create a more pleasing shape.

If you can imagine a paper bag,

but with the middle squeezed in, all right?

That's the kind of shape I want to create here.

'Do you mean hourglass-shaped?'

Nice, soft curves.

Also, I think it's more pleasing on the eye to have a gentle curve.

Yes, that'll be hourglass, then!

So after using a hose pipe to get the shape he wants,

Danny can mark it with spray paint.

And Danny also needs to mark out the curve for Aaron's play area.

I want to do an arc, like a quadrant,

so it's going to be edged with an aluminium lawn edging. OK.

This is going to be a barked area.

Get low, get low to the ground.

That's it, brilliant. Doing well.

That's it.

Over in the corner, there is an important discussion to be had

about the design of the compost bay.

I think the main thing is, as Aaron is getting older

and a bit more adventurous, he's climbing more now,

so because he's exclusively tube-fed,

as he's climbing, he could catch it.

If he catches it, it could come out.

-So, I think, the safer we can make it, the better.

-OK.

With Aaron's safety at a premium,

AJ's had a rethink and he's going to need to make a shopping trip.

Kevin is a bit worried about little Aaron,

so I'm going to have to go and get some materials

to try and make some kind of gate to close it off -

to, for want for a better word, "Aaron-fy" it.

-"Aaron-fy" it, good.

-OK.

-Yeah, OK.

While AJ comes up with a plan to make the compost bay safe for Aaron,

I'm taking Hayley on a little jaunt to Royal Leamington Spa,

where I hope we'll find plants that will stimulate his senses.

So, Hayley, we are en route to a garden

that I hope you are going to enjoy.

Hopefully, you can have a bit of a look around, bit of a mooch around,

and maybe there'll be a few things here that you think,

"Ah, I'll do that and I'll do that."

Yeah, sounds good.

The Jephson Sensory Garden

set in a corner of the town's public park is a feast for the senses.

There are tactile textures to feel,

aromatic plants to smell,

opportunities to taste flavours and make sounds,

as well as bright and bold things to look at.

OK, Hayley, so...the sign says it all.

A sensory garden and it does what it says on the tin.

It's a real opportunity for people to explore some different touches,

smells, textures. Hopefully, there will be a few things in there

-that will really get Aaron's imagination running wild.

-Yeah.

This is the taste area,

so some brambles, some chives, some raspberries.

People are encouraged to pick and taste.

That's lovely. I would definitely come here with Aaron.

-He'd love it.

-Wouldn't Aaron love something like this?

Everybody loves these, don't they?!

For four-year-olds and 40-year-olds, I think this is brilliant.

Definitely, yeah, it's amazing.

THEY PLAY

Can you smell those lovely hyacinths?

Beautiful, yeah, very aromatic.

That is what you need to stimulate those senses, don't you,

-in the brain?

-Beautiful smell.

Have a look at this.

This is amazing.

It's like being at the funfair with those weird mirrors almost!

What would Aaron make of this?

He'd love it. He'd be just looking at himself,

trying to climb it,

peering at himself from every angle.

-Yeah, he'd love it.

-Is that the kind of thing you would like to see?

Your little boy playing, laughing, exploring?

Definitely. I wouldn't have thought of anything like this,

but, yeah, you could recreate a smaller version of this,

couldn't you? It would be fantastic.

Loads of fun for Aaron in here, but have a look out here.

Something for you to enjoy.

A climbing rose, some climbing sweet peas.

You could cover the whole thing with it?

While Hayley and I discover more clever ideas

for stimulating the senses, back in the garden,

it's time to start cutting out the new lawn shape.

What we're going to have is an hourglass-shaped lawn.

-Nice.

-Do you like it?

-I like your thinking.

Hourglass, I told you!

Using a half-moon lawn edger,

it's now a simple matter of making a clean cut

where Danny has sprayed his guide line.

Just keep it nice and straight, and just follow the line.

But in the play area, Dennis has hit a problem

trying to cut out the curve that Danny has mapped out.

There was a large tree here

and I didn't grind that out.

But Dennis isn't stumped and soon gets to the root of the problem.

Having bought the extra materials he needs,

AJ can now build a gate that will make the compost bay safe for Aaron.

What I have done here

is measured up this bit of gate -

picket fence, whatever you want to call it -

we're turning it into a gate.

I'm going to put two hinges on the one end.

Unfortunately, the hinges have been supplied with flatheaded screws.

The problem I find with flatheads,

is that when you get a flathead screwdriver into it,

and you start turning it,

if you haven't got the right pressure and the right angle,

you end up making that slit there,

which the head goes into, break.

The screw is then useless.

I'm going to change these screws that have come with it

to some that I've got in me van

that are Philips, which is the cross.

Crosshead screws will make your DIY jobs easier

and they're cheap to buy.

Using them, AJ soon has the gate

screwed onto the front of the compost bay.

He's also added a lock which is hidden behind

so Aaron won't be able to open it.

That's one job down, but there are still plenty more to get on with.

Meanwhile, Hayley and I are on a safari of the senses

exploring the nearby Jephson Sensory Garden created by John Holmes.

I think this garden has been designed brilliantly.

Let's meet the man behind it.

-John.

-Nice to meet you.

We love this sensory garden. There so much going on here!

Yes, we've got lots of recycled things in here because all the trees

we had to cut down to prepare for the garden are still here.

So we've got log sculptures,

also lots of plants which are touchy-feely.

We've also got the lamb's ears - you can use these.

-These are brilliant, aren't they?

-They are.

It is like a peach skin, isn't it?

The little wall round there, that's been recycled, as well.

It's so simple. Just this idea to create a little bedding area

with stones or bricks that no-one wants

and you can make it into a fun feature for a child, loads of ideas.

Where do you begin planning a space like this?

Anything that comes in here has to have lots of uses, so smell,

touch, taste and structure.

There's lots of colours in here. It's not very tastefully done -

it's not all blues and pale pinks.

It's very vibrant so people who are partially sighted

can get a lot out of the dramatic changes in colour.

What about taste? Because I am nervous about my son

putting things in his mouth in the garden.

We have chosen the plants specifically

so they can be tasted with ease.

So, we've got raspberries, we've got blackcurrants,

-there's thornless blackberries, there's chard.

-What about sound?

Is there any plants or trees that you can use

to create and audio effect?

We left some of the mature trees in so when it is a windy day,

you get the rustle through the leaves.

The whole garden is wildlife friendly.

It's not only good for people to look and enjoy,

it's also good for wildlife, so it's full of pollinating plants

and I'm hoping as the garden develops,

that you will be able to sit in here

and watch and see things and hear the hum.

If you have ever been in a wood on a quiet day,

you can hear the bees and all the insects around you

-which is quite a nice sense to add.

-It's very soothing, isn't it?

-It is.

John, I think it is fair to say our senses have been stimulated

and we're certainly smiling, so thank you very much for your time.

-Great job. Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you both.

-Good luck.

-Thank you very much.

Sensory gardens can offer something for absolutely everyone.

While we're very familiar with the roughness of gravel

and the smoothness of mirrors,

plants, too, can offer very different touchy-feely experiences.

Some of the most fragrant plants are herbs.

They're readily available and cheap to buy.

Lavender and rosemary are particularly pungent

when you rub the leaves.

And don't neglect sound.

That might be simple music-making instruments,

but the wind will waft and whistle

through tall plants like bamboos and grasses.

There's now just five hours left and, despite all the work,

there's not a lot to show for it.

Now, Danny has called on some professional tree surgeons

to fix a rope to that huge oak in the play area.

One of my ideas for the garden here

was to have a swing for Aaron in that tree.

As the rope swing goes so high,

I recommend you don't do it yourself.

I'd recommend you get tree surgeons in to do this

from a health-and-safety point of view.

You don't want to be climbing up a tree and falling out of it,

because it's a long way down,

and these guys have got the safety equipment.

Once they've safely secured the rope,

a swing can be attached later,

but Danny's a lot to do if Aaron's going to have anything to look at

when he's sat on the swing,

so he's turning his attention to edging the play area.

Here's my favourite flexible friend.

This lovely lawn edging which I'm going to use as an edging

for this area here which is going to be barked,

which is going to be Aaron's play area.

To really put this in,

I need to go down into the earth

and I reckon if I went down -

I don't know, I reckon go down maybe

an inch or so.

To do that, I just need to form a gulley.

So, I have already marked this out

so now I'm just going to go along gradually

and make a gulley all the way round.

This gulley will allow him to hold the aluminium edging in position

as he bends it around the play area.

Gradually, I will make this quadrant of a circle

which I'm aiming for.

Over on the lawn, Kevin and Dennis are struggling to dig out

all that waterlogged turf.

You're doing a great job, guys.

-How is it going?

-Working our way through.

In the quicksand and the swamp.

The swamp, as well, yes.

To give him a break, Danny asks Kevin

to help him fit the metal edging.

If you look at it here very closely,

you can see these little grooves.

OK? Now they slot into the grooves on the other side.

These are where the pegs go,

and these anchor the edging into the ground.

-Got you.

-The chances are we won't do this first time.

That's it. Just got to be a bit patient with it.

Don't rush it, and eventually you do it.

Keep going.

-That's it.

-About there? Yep.

Danny also has preformed aluminium frames

that he plans to use for his sensory plants.

We've got two semicircles

-which we're going to clip in to make a complete circle.

-OK.

-OK?

There's a lot of garden to deal with, and do you know what?

I just wonder if we've bitten off more than we can chew.

Don't be so negative, Danny! Get him a cup of tea, someone.

'Meanwhile, back at the sensory garden,

'Hayley and I are taking the morning to reflect.'

So, Hayley, talk to me about Aaron

-because he is 4½ years old.

-He is.

But already, he's been through a lot.

His life has really been one long, sort of... In-and-out of hospital,

recovering, which has meant, developmentally,

both from a learning point of view and a physical point of view,

he has been delayed.

But it feels like we're past the worst of it now

and he's starting to get stronger, healthier,

and so, we're kind of ready to do as much as we can

to sort of bring him on with his development now.

Physically, how is he at the minute?

He's been on a feeding tube pretty much since birth

and he developed a very severe oral aversion,

which has meant he doesn't eat food at all.

He's completely fed through a tube which goes directly into his tummy.

So, our main focus over the next year is helping his development,

but also seeing if we can get him off that feeding tube, really,

because there is no medical reason for him to have it any more.

It's full-on, isn't it, for you and Kevin?

It is part of life for us now and we just do it.

But it does require that extra level of thought

and also, there's always a bit of a worry in the back of your mind.

You know - is he going to pull the tube out?

Is someone going to trip over it? Is it going to hurt him?

You've got that protectiveness there. That's always there.

Also, it's not as if... You can't maybe just say,

"Oh, I'll just drop Aaron off at his mate's house.

"I'll just drop Aaron off with family or friends."

You can't say, "I'm going to disappear for a few hours." Can you?

No, you can't, because, you know,

somebody has to be trained up to be able to look after a child

who's tube-fed. We're so grateful that we have got Aaron.

He's been through so much,

and we've nearly lost him a couple of times, so, you know,

just the fact that he's with us still,

we're not bothered about the fact that we have to look after him

and never get to go out.

Aaron's quite wobbly on his feet at the minute.

What is he like in a park or in your garden at the minute?

He has really come along a long way since...

Particularly since last summer, but every day is getting better.

Just walking in a garden is physiotherapy.

You know, it helps his gross motor skills and doing the little things

that you do in a garden like watering plants

or touching things or planting.

They help the fine motor skills, as well,

so gardens are just an opportunity to help bring his development on.

What about for you as a family?

Does this garden offer you a space to just be a family?

Absolutely, yeah. It will be lovely to just come out into the garden,

and just literally play and do things

which are also helping his development,

but just feel like a lovely family experience, as well.

Yeah, everything that makes Aaron happy makes us happy. Yeah.

We're never going to get our garden finished

if we don't get to the garden centre

-and get back there and help out, so let's go to the garden centre.

-OK.

With three and half hours to go,

the garden is looking like a field of brown mud,

but at least Danny has now put in most of the edging

for the play area, as well as three of his framed circles

that he plans to fill with sensory plants

and he's got an idea where to get two more.

So, what I'm going to do here,

I've got a ready-made preformed circle

and all I'm going to do is cut it about there

and then sink it in the ground.

What we've got here is a recycled recycling bin.

Sounds like a job for AJ.

Now, what we need to do is cut round.

-Any ideas what we can use?

-Jigsaw.

Do you want me to come down here a bit

-so that this sticks in the ground more?

-Yeah, if you can.

Come down and we can put this in the ground and this will be brilliant.

-Leave it with me.

-It's perfectly timed. We've got two to do.

-That one over there, as well.

-Two?!

-Sorry.

Can we just run around the garden like Daleks or something?

-Like this.

-THEY LAUGH

Exterminate! Exterminate!

Looks a bit like you boys are having too much fun.

While they get the garden looking good,

Hayley and I are on a mission to make it smell good

by getting the highly scented lavender and sweet peas

on Danny's shopping list.

OK, so here we are at your local garden centre.

I think you have probably been here before.

Yes, this is my local. I'm a member of the club.

So, you will know it well.

-You'll be able to lead me.

-I know it very well, yeah.

We have seen how features and xylophones and mirrors and things

can make a garden a sensory experience.

I think we can find some plants

-that contribute to that sensory experience.

-Yeah.

'When we're out shopping for plants,

'we tend to focus on what they look like at the moment we buy them.

'However, it's better to take a more holistic approach.

'For instance, what will they look like in autumn and winter

'and what about the other senses?

'Why not try feeling and smelling them?

'Though maybe draw the line at tasting them,

'as you could poison yourself.

'Your local garden centre will usually provide expert advice,

'so we tracked down the outdoor manager, Miles Butterworth.'

Miles, sorry to interrupt.

Hello, this is Hayley.

-Hello, Hayley.

-Hello, nice to meet you.

We are in search of some sensory plants.

We're after something that would be good for touch,

so good for Hayley's son, Aaron,

to get his fingers in amongst.

OK, we've got a great selection of plants here, actually.

We've got lavenders.

Lavender are great. Very easy to grow and they have got, obviously,

the added value of scent.

They've got a really nice silvery foliage.

Very soft to the touch.

Great by pathways, as well, because as you walk by,

as you rub against them, it actually gives off more scent.

On a summer's evening, when it's nice and warm,

you get a fantastic, fantastic scent from that.

They do feel furry, don't they?

Yes, they do. It's lovely.

The silver foliage is like tiny hairs on the leaves

of the plants and that deflects the wind

and stops them drying out, so they're great

for a very hot, sunny position.

It's slightly furry to the touch.

-That's very nice.

-Let's take a couple of these, then.

Another selection of plants we've got here is the Erica Albert's Gold,

which is known as the tree heather. Feel that?

It has a real feathery touch to it.

-That's lovely.

-Really nice to feel.

Great in a sunny spot. If you put it in a bit of a shady spot,

it loses some of its colour and it goes a bit green,

so if you keep it in a sunny position, it stays yellow.

It gets to probably about three to four foot tall in the end.

That's brilliant. That does feel different, completely different

-to that, doesn't it?

-It does. That's really soft

and that's still soft, so it will be safe for a child to touch.

That is touch sorted. What about smell?

I've got a lovely selection of fragrant plants.

-If you'd like to follow me. I'll show you.

-Lead the way.

While Hayley and I are treating ourselves

to a bit of retail therapy, the clock is ticking for the team.

They've got just over two hours left,

though at least the play bark is going in.

This is a cheap and easy way of covering a large muddy area

and making a big difference in an instant

and because it has no sharp edges,

it's completely safe for the children to play on.

Let's take in a dozen bags. How many more bags do you think we need?

I think you'd need 20.

There's more bark coming, which is a relief,

so we need to do turn the soil over in this area

-and then we're ready to put the plants in...

-OK.

-..which is going to bring the whole scheme together.

-Great.

-Do you think Hayley will like it?

-Yeah, I think she will

because it was just that blank canvas,

and, actually, it's got much more definition, bit more character

and there's the zone for Aaron, as well,

which there hasn't really been, so,

you know, I really hope she will.

The great thing is it's given you guys a start.

We haven't done the whole garden, but that is impossible in a day.

-All you need to do is build on it, really.

-Yeah, definitely.

Get more plants in the beds, that sort of thing.

It's very easy.

And while he's turning over the soil,

Danny decides to recycle an old tyre

to make another sensory planting circle

which would make it a sixth sense, wouldn't it?

I guess with a tyre like that,

we should have a rubber plant there? Anyway...

This guy is good, you know.

-I'm here all week.

-Rubber plant...

-Thank you and goodnight.

He's not "tyre-some" with it all, is he?

The garden is starting to shape up with the bark arriving

and loads of sensory plants.

Genius.

Do you know what comes next? It's the planting.

So, we've got more digging to do,

but at least this ground is now prepared

and it will make it easier for us to put the plants in.

Now, look at this array of gorgeous plants.

Now, these are all plants that are here to titillate the senses.

Absolutely gorgeous. There is some smelly plants over there,

there's some plants here that are going to be great for sight

because they're full of colour

and there's some plants here that are really touchy-feely.

Some lovely bamboo over there.

Red Dragon. It's absolutely gorgeous.

The movements give that lovely swishy sound

which I think Aaron will really appreciate.

So, now, it's time to place them out

and then get them in the ground.

It can be a bit overwhelming,

arranging where this many plants should go in a garden,

but, fortunately, they are all potted

so they can be laid out on the soil surface.

That way, you can get an overall impression of how they look

before you dig anything in.

You should always start by positioning the larger ones first.

I'm going to place these fruit trees.

When I'm satisfied,

then I'll put the bamboos in,

and then, the lower-growing plants.

While Danny and the team get to grips with that lot,

Hayley and I are now looking for plants

that have a great fragrance

and will be on the nose for her son Aaron.

Right, so, fragrance, aromatic plants.

I see you've brought us to the sweet peas, which I love.

An absolute staple of any cottage garden. Fantastic scent.

Great for cut flowers, so you can actually bring the scent

into your home by cutting regularly.

What you do is when the flowers start to fade or go to seed,

you prune them off and that encourages more flowers,

and therefore, more scent for your garden.

How much experience do you have with sweet peas, then, Hayley?

None at all. I've never tried to grow a sweet pea.

I don't know anything about them at all.

They're relatively easy to grow, aren't they?

They will get quite leggy -

just have to pinch out, pinch the tips down,

down to the next set of leaves.

What that does is encourages side shoots

and those side shoots will produce more flowers.

So, the bushier the plant, the more flowers you'll get

and the more fragrance for your garden.

-You need them to grow up something?

-You need to give them support.

They are great for growing up obelisks or trellis.

If you haven't got that, if you want them to grow up the wall,

you just stretch wire across a wall and tie them in.

The important thing is to tie them in as they're growing

because they're quite flimsy

and you don't want them flopping around in the wind

and falling over. So, remember to tie them in as they're growing.

OK, let's take some of these.

I love them. Would you stick to one type?

You've got quite a large array of colours in the sweet pea family,

so if you want that Smartie effect,

really inspire the visual senses, it's a great plant to do.

Pick different colours.

It's going to be a real eye-catcher in the garden.

Right, let's get a load of these, because they are on Danny's list.

-OK.

-Thank you very much.

-No problem at all.

-Cheers.

-Have a good day. OK, bye.

'While Hayley goes off to collect Aaron,

'I now need to head back to the garden

'with some great sensory plants

'and get them planted pronto.'

But with just 90 minutes to go,

there seems to be more chin-wagging than digging.

What sort of height will the bamboo actually grow to?

They can grow very large, but they do need a lot of water.

That's one of the reasons we planted them here

and they're going to get the sun, as well.

You really do need to do SOME maintenance.

They don't need a lot of maintenance because there's no such thing

as a garden with no maintenance.

-There's low-maintenance.

-I'm comfortable with low.

Never mind the maintenance,

you've got actually get them in the ground first!

Now those bamboos and trees are placed to Danny's liking,

all he has got to do is arrange his sensory plants,

then he can get digging.

But you'd better get a move on, Danny! Time is running out.

With everything positioned,

Danny can finally begin planting,

and he's got some tips on how to plant trees.

This is a pear and I've planted this for Aaron

because it produces this beautiful white flower at March time.

What I do, when I plant trees,

I generally use a square hole rather than a round hole.

If you're using a round hole, the roots keep going round and round.

There are a few roots in there, but I've got a nice sharp spade

which is helping me get through.

Now, it's very important that you don't plant your tree too deep, OK?

I'm doing a nice big hole here,

but I'm going to backfill with a little bit of compost.

You've got a graft to here,

so you want to put the soil in the ground below that graft.

Never come up above that graft.

But, for safety's sake, I'm just going to make sure

the tree's put in the ground at that level.

With any tree, don't go throwing soil against the tree,

because there's a chance you might kill it.

That's probably about the height that I want

to put the tree in the ground, OK?

That's about what you call a spit.

The length of a spade.

Although the hole he has dug is already the right depth,

Danny wants to loosen the soil inside so that the tree's roots

can find it easier to establish themselves in their new position.

I really want to give this tree the best possible chance

at the start of its life,

and now, I'm going to offer that into the hole.

I think that is positioned quite nicely.

All I need to do was get some compost,

mix in with the soil that's there and backfill.

Make sure it gets a lot of water

and that tree will be as happy as Larry.

Now, one last job is to stake it properly.

With staking, you still want the tree to rock a bit.

You don't want the tree to be rigid

because if it rocks, it will send anchors out.

It's a bit of tough love, really.

Get a few...juicy bangs.

And here's another tip when you plant trees.

It is always an idea when planting, especially trees,

to plant in threes.

The reason being is that you want your eye to be fooled.

You don't want it to look contrived.

It's OK for formality.

You can plant in even numbers,

but in this case, it is better to do it in odd numbers

because we want to create that woodland-y feel.

If you've been wondering what AJ has been up to

while Danny has been busy planting,

he's been converting an old, unloved bench

into a tree seat for Mum and Dad

so they have somewhere comfortable to sit

while Aaron enjoys his new play area.

These are the two pads that your back leans against,

I think it need to be screwed in twice

to give it some more strength.

That's what actually holds it all together,

so I'm just putting a few more in.

But will it work as a seat under the tree for Hayley and Kevin?

Danny?

Oh, you've got the tree seat!

Tree seat, yeah.

-Oh, look at that.

-Does it fit?

Does it fit or does it fit?

Come on, then, king.

That's enough, because you've still got a lot to do.

You tell him, AJ!

Those plants aren't going to dig themselves in!

-Hello.

-Why isn't it finished?

-Good question.

-What do you mean, why isn't it finished? It is!

'No rest for the wicked, eh, Danny?'

-Cheeky monkey.

-Yeah, why isn't it finished?

Because we're waiting for you to help us to finish it.

Right, there's a jasmine.

-Thank you.

-Hayley liked it.

-I know it wasn't on your list, but she liked it.

-OK.

I call that a dog daisy. What is it officially?

-It's a chrysanthemum.

-Of course it is.

-Absolutely gorgeous.

And another lavender.

Seriously, I think the world of you.

-Come on, what's going on?

-We're almost there.

What's happening with the clock scheduling thing?

We're almost there. What do you think?

I think you need to be working a little bit quicker, my friend.

So, I'm not getting any encouragement from you?

I'm in shock. Right, come on, Danny, give me a job!

There's something on the patio over there.

I don't know if you can see it. The white chimney pot.

-Shall we get it brought down and you can plant it up?

-OK.

Thank you.

'An upcycled chimney pot. Brilliant.'

Where do you want this?

If you could just put it by the tree seat

and then we'll fill it with compost.

-Oh, my days.

-Here's the compost.

Right, I'm looking at this and thinking

we need something to pad it out a little bit more.

'Those old turf offcuts in the new compost bay will do nicely.'

'Meanwhile, Danny can get the plants in his sensory circles.'

I have just planted up this tyre with these lovely lamb's ears.

This is a real touchy-feely plant and Aaron's going to love this.

The reason these are called lamb's ears... Guess?

Cos they feel like lamb's ears to the touch.

Nice and soft and they've got a velvety feel to them.

Absolutely beautiful.

This is heuchera.

This is one of my favourite plants.

This comes in a range of colours.

You can get them in yellows, in lemon colours,

you can get them in reds, and this is a bronze. These are great.

They're evergreens and they will show colour all year round.

Aaron is going to love these because they are very soft

and if he falls on them, it's not going to do the plant any damage

because they're as tough as old boots.

'I'm hoping that's the case with most of these plants,

'but none of them will survive unless we get them in the soil.'

This bamboo, I love it.

I'm not very familiar with it. It's a red bamboo.

It's a great plant for Aaron, and the reason being,

-just listen to the sound.

-LEAVES RUSTLE

It's going to rustle in the breeze.

Sight. I mean, what is better for sight than these nemesias?

They are absolutely wonderful, and do you know what?

These will flower their socks off all year round.

All you've got to do is pinch them out and they will just carry on.

These nemesias are going in those rings over there.

I'm going to pack them full so it's going to be a riot of colour.

They are all wonderful, but as the light starts to fade,

time is fast running out.

It's now a frantic race to finish off the planting

and tidy everything up, ready for our big reveal.

You can still stand.

Just about. Dennis, I think we just about made it...

-I think so.

-..by the skin of our teeth.

-Just about.

When we arrived at Hayley and Kevin's garden this morning,

we were confronted by a big, barren space with a messy-shaped lawn

and a big, muddy patch at the bottom.

But in just a few hours,

Danny and the team have transformed it

by reshaping the lawn and creating a wonderful sensory playground

for their son, Aaron.

The shapeless section of soil under the trees

has been turned into an attractive curved area covered in play bark

where Aaron can play with his toys.

Danny has also fixed a swing to the tall oak for him to enjoy.

That formerly featureless space has also been transformed

for Kevin and Hayley by providing a semi-circular seat around the tree

and a secure compost bay the back of the garden

that will be safe for Aaron.

It's the sensory planting

that makes this garden truly dazzle the senses.

Danny has used flowers with brightly coloured petals and herbs

that smell and taste delicious.

He's added wonderfully fragrant blooms,

as well as plants with soft leaves that are a delight to touch.

And he's planted swishy bamboo

that will produce a range of wonderful sounds

when the winds blow through them.

All in all, it's a truly magnificent achievement.

Well done, Danny.

But what will Hayley and Kevin - and most importantly, Aaron -

think of all the hard work?

Right, OK.

We've been grafting all day for you.

Yeah.

OK, team...

Hayley, now you can have a look at your garden.

Wow, that's amazing.

What have you seen, Aaron?

Look at your garden.

Do you like it?

-Is it good?

-Yeah!

Ready.

Wow!

Kevin, are you exhausted?

Do you know what? No. It's been a really good day.

It's been a lot of hard work.

The guys have been great.

-Oh, Aaron's off. Aaron's off!

-He's having a look what there is.

Hayley, you wanted a space that Aaron would explore and enjoy.

-Have you got that?

-Oh, definitely, yeah.

It's fantastic and he's going to love all of the aspects of this.

Danny's put in lots of plants -

lots of different things to touch, to smell, to sniff.

We've got plants for sight over there.

plants with lots of colour in the rings

and obviously sound's important,

so we've chosen bamboos for that.

Yeah, so you get the rustling of the wind.

So, the theme is to choose plants that titillate the senses, really.

It should be great for Aaron.

And there's a bit for you, as well, with the seat.

Yeah, it's lovely.

That would be really nice in the summer and nice and shady.

It's an area for both of you.

Do you know what, guys? You started with a blank canvas this afternoon.

You said you didn't really know where to go.

Hopefully, we've given you a platform from which

to grow your gardening.

The garden is everything that we could have hoped.

This area is exactly what we needed.

You can see how much it means to Aaron,

so a massive thank you to everybody.

In terms of the garden, this is just the start for them.

They can build on this adventure playground

and they'll have more space for Aaron to grow with the garden,

for the family to grow as a whole. Do you know what?

They have been through a phenomenal amount already

and the next chapter for them is challenging,

but hopefully very, very exciting.

Another triumph for Danny and the team.

Once again they've managed to create an impressive

and delightful garden in just a few hours.

Hayley and Kevin can now enjoy the positive change

it will hopefully make to Aaron's life and their own.

Join us again next time to see another garden transformed

by The Instant Gardener.