Episode 8 The Instant Gardener


Episode 8

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Transcript


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

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but if your green space is more mess than majestic, making it over can be

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a daunting prospect, especially if you're short on time and money.

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-Well, the Instant Gardener is here.

-Da-da!

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Danny Clarke is an expert at transforming gardens.

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And these will really bring the smile to my face.

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Each time, our gardening guru will be showing you how to create

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-gorgeous garden makeovers.

-Doesn't that look great?

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Each transformation will be packed with brilliant ideas to help

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you get to grips with your own outdoor space.

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Just continually deadhead

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and you will keep getting that plant to flower.

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-He'll be turning garden junk...

-Oh, look at that!

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..into garden jewels...

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It's going to be used as a planter

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and I think this is going to look absolutely terrific.

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

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

-OK.

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..be it on shrubs or salvage.

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Would you like that in your garden?

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And because Danny is the Instant Gardener,

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-everything you see will happen in a single day.

-Oh, thank you so much.

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-Oh, wow!

-That's unbelievable!

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Today, we're in Southampton -

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a city on the south coast of Hampshire.

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This historic port town is still a thriving industrial hub,

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and while its sunny climate

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and coastal charm are a gift to gardeners, Southampton,

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like any large city,

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has its urban pockets where green space seems very hard to find.

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A stone's throw from the sprawling tower blocks of Southampton

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is this - an urban oasis, an acre of farmland - loved

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and cared for by the local community.

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But they need a little bit of instant help.

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-Richard!

-Hello.

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-Good to see you.

-Pleasure. Thank you.

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You have literally got your hands full. Who have we got here?

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Yes, we've got Lily and Beatrice and Chloe and Clementine -

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our Golden Guernsey goats.

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Lovely as they are, they're not going to be very useful for us

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-today, are they?

-No. No, I can't imagine they will.

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Let's go and meet some of your volunteers,

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who are on hand to help at the garden.

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Let's do. Let's do.

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The Oasis Down to Earth Farm is a charity-run urban farm in the middle

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of an area with one of the highest rates of deprivation in the country.

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Run by staff like Richard plus an army of volunteers,

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it offers a rare taste of the outdoors to adults with learning

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disabilities, local school groups - in fact, anyone who needs it.

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The farm is a lifeline to its users who can interact with

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the animals and grow crops.

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But what it doesn't have is a garden area for socialising in.

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With every penny stretched to the max and every volunteer working

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to their limits, their garden dream is always just out of reach.

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Step forward the Instant Gardener.

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No, no, not him - that's a sheep.

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This, however, is Danny, and he's on his way down to the south coast

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to get a better idea of the challenge that awaits.

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So I'm coming down to the farm today to have a little sneaky peek

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because it's very important for me to have a look

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and get the lie of the land before we start to change it.

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Every garden is different

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so every garden needs its own application, and this is

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an example of something that's very different to what we've done before.

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I can see lots of raised beds here and it appears to me that they're

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really heavy into recycling.

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Beyond that fence over there, I can see pallets,

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I can see a silver birch that's been logged up over there.

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Almost certainly, we can re-use them.

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So I don't want to bring anything new into here

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cos it's going to jar with the surroundings.

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Now, over here is the piece of land that I think

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we're going to transform.

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It obviously wants something that's secluded,

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an area that's not overlooked.

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For a social area, this is going to be absolutely fine.

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I mean, it's very rough.

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If you look down here, you can see how rough the land is.

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I mean, the grass is very sparse.

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There's not a lot here and it does look pretty unkempt,

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very untidy, but it still has huge potential.

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I think we can make this look pretty smart.

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This is about people wanting to get involved with nature,

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so really, I'm thinking about enhancing what's naturally here.

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So let's see if we can come up with a design that suits

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this environment.

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There's a design taking shape in Danny's mind,

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and today, he's back to put it into action.

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But first, he's going to meet the team who will be helping him.

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-Hello, Helen.

-Hello, Danny.

-How are you?

-Hello, Richard.

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-Nice to meet you. How's it going?

-Danny, Richard, Mary, Nigel.

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-Nice to meet you.

-Hello, Nigel.

-Hello, Danny. You all right?

-You OK?

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-Yeah.

-Good.

-Richard, just talk us through what this place is.

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Oasis Down to Earth Farm is a community farm,

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in the biggest sense.

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We work with people with learning disabilities during the week,

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we run educational sessions, both regular and special needs,

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and we are open to the public on the weekends to come

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and visit the animals, the garden.

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We run groups of people living with dementia.

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Yeah, many, many things happen at the farm.

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-So very much a community facility?

-Absolutely, absolutely.

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We have five...six members of staff who work at the farm

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and we have a core of approximately 40-45 volunteers who help us out.

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Two of which we have here.

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Mary and Nigel, you both volunteer at the farm.

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-Mary, what makes you want to come down here?

-I love coming out here.

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It's in the city but it's green, and so... There's something about

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being around greenness - it just helps your spirit, I think.

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-It helps mine, definitely.

-It is brilliant.

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I mean, I wandered past a couple of tower blocks then wandered in

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-and saw Snowball, your cow.

-Yes, I know.

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So it's a farm in the middle of the city, which is

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bizarre to a country girl like me.

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Nigel, what about yourself - how much time do you spend down here?

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I come in, basically, for one day a week.

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I'm retired and I was looking for opportunities.

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I live in Southampton.

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I've lived there for 20 years and didn't know it was here.

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-It's incredible.

-There is so much going on here.

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There's kind of pockets of activity everywhere

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but what do you think you're lacking?

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We have a large area here at the garden which is unlandscaped.

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I am looking to create something that can be combined with

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a social space where people can sit and relax,

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but also, potentially, I'd like a fire pit with a shelter over it.

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So, if I can get this straight in my mind,

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you're after a communal space,

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somewhere where you can socialise, somewhere that's sheltered?

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Yep, somewhere that's sheltered, preferably where we can all

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sit round the fire and do a bit of cooking.

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-That sounds like my kind of place.

-You're not going to leave, are you?

-I'm not going to leave.

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You can come and join me after we've built it, no problem.

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Well, I'm not going to take Richard away

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because I feel like he's better off by your side, helping you out.

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Keep him on track, you know. Make sure you get what you want, Richard.

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Nigel and Mary, we'll disappear

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and get some inspiration from a nearby garden. Anything you need?

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Yes, if you could just go and get something for me.

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-I'll give you the renowned book.

-OK. Grasses and...

-Some latifoliums.

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-Some latifoliums?

-Yes, please.

-OK, excellent.

-Good.

-See you in a bit.

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-See you soon.

-See you later.

-Take care.

-See you later, guys. Bye, bye.

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While Mary and Nigel slip away with me to look for inspiration,

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Danny needs to get moving.

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He has nine hours to turn this bare patch of land into a beautiful

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garden. What's the plan, Dan?

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This is a community farm but it's got no communal garden,

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and that's what we're going to provide.

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What we want to do is make this area sheltered cos it's so exposed.

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So we want to make it a little cosy haven

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and what we're going to do is create concentric circles,

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so you're looking down and you've got two concentric circles.

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So the way I'm going to create shelter is by using

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a combination of fencing

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and hedges in a circular form with an invisible entrance.

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And in the centre, we're going to have a fire pit.

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So that is going to be the centrepiece of the plan.

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And then we're going to enclose that fire pit with gravel.

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And then, on the outer circle, we're just going to bark it.

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And on the bark, we're going to have seating.

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On one side of the circle, I'm going to create a mound.

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And on the mound, we're going to house grasses and we're going to

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have some silver birch, multi-stem silver birch -

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one of my favourite trees.

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It's going to look absolutely fantastic.

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The grasses, as well as providing movement on the mound,

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the roots are going to hold the mound together.

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And that's what I'm trying to create here - something that looks

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really natural, and grasses are a great way to do that.

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And in addition to that, I'm going to do something extra funky -

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I'm going to put a shade sail up, so if it rains,

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they've got somewhere to shelter.

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So it's not just going to be shelter from the wind

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but also shelter from the rain. And do you know what?

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I think we'll get moving because there's rain coming in very,

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very soon.

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In just one day, Danny plans to create an enclosed circular

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seating area with a fire pit as the centrepiece,

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banked on one side with birch and grasses

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and covered with a shade sail for protection from the elements -

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something he could do with today because here comes that rain.

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But a drop of water won't stop Danny or his helpers today -

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right-hand man AJ and farm volunteer Amanda.

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The first job is to create the outer fence from the farm's own

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salvaged materials.

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-So now, what we need to do is source these pallets.

-Yes.

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Let's go and have a look round the farm.

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-Let's go on a little treasure hunt.

-We're going on a pallet hunt!

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For Danny's circular fence, the team have found just the thing.

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I tell you what, if we can get enough of these, it's perfect.

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Yep, and we've probably got one of our farm volunteers,

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-which will help, to pallet-break them.

-Brilliant.

-Brilliant.

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-We've got a good team here.

-I'm starting to like this!

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Now, the idea is that we're using pallets because there's going to be

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gaps between the slats and they're going to act to diffuse the wind.

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We don't want to have a solid block there

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because the wind will hit it head-on and it will weaken the structure

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and it could fall over and hurt somebody. So these are a great idea.

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Great find, team. Now to arrange them as per Danny's design.

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If we get the pallets in position,

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we can get a couple of conifers in and we can play around with it.

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The conifers are just there. Get three conifers, then.

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It's always a great idea to lay your garden out before you're actually

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putting the stuff in so you can visualise how it's going to look.

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Each upright pallet will be separated by a couple of conifers to

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create the outer boundary, leaving a gap for the hidden entrance.

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It's very important that we have enough gap here for wheelchair

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access. So we've calculated this, Amanda, what, roughly...

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About 1.20m, then anybody self-propelling can easily

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-get through without scraping knuckles.

-OK, which is good.

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With the trees in place,

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the fabulous farm volunteers are sprucing up those pallets.

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Just taking some of the pallets apart to actually re-use the planks.

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So I believe AJ wanted more planks on his original pallet.

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They're just beefing up the slats as they're quite sporadic,

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so just to make it look more like a pallet.

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What we're going to do now is just clear the debris from these

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inner circles cos we want to make this as flat as possible,

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as debris-free as possible. We just rake this through.

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It sounds easy but there's quite a lot of rubble under there, and with

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the rain still bucketing down, the team have brought in a bit of cover.

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I'm not sure it's going to make much difference.

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The trick to this - it's a very, very special technique,

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and it's called brute force.

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While Danny and the team are scratching

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the surface of his design, my plan for the day is well underway.

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OK, Mary, Nigel, we are off

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to a garden that will hopefully give you a bit of inspiration,

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maybe have a few ideas that you might want to

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pinch for your garden going forward.

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Today, our inspirational visit is to Knoll Gardens in the neighbouring

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county of Dorset - a wonderland of grasses, shrubs and trees.

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-Have a look at this.

-That's fantastic.

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-Huge eucalyptus.

-That's fantastic, isn't it?

-It's amazing.

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-You just want to climb up it, don't you?

-Don't let me stop you there.

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You go for a climb, if you want.

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Now, that has clearly fallen over by accident,

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-but it looks impressive like that, doesn't it?

-Amazing, yeah.

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-It's like something out of Jurassic Park!

-Yeah.

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-It's a piece of art, isn't it?

-It is like a piece of art, yeah.

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Much like Danny's design, Knoll Gardens aims to work

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with its surroundings to create a natural style of planting.

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That is definitely far from formal.

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Do you think you could have something like that down at your garden?

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Well, I think Richard will probably make something out of it.

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I know this was an accident but it's obviously quite carefully managed now, isn't it?

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Quite a lucky accident.

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Much of the garden's naturalistic look is down to

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the huge range of grasses. Even early in the year,

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they're beginning to show off a wide variety of colour.

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Look at these! Grass, grass everywhere.

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It's a huge plot, too - about four acres -

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so there's plenty for us to explore.

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They're a bit different, aren't they?

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They're beautiful - really sort of lovely colour.

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Back at the farm, the garden plot - or should I say "pond"? -

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is being cleared and to help the job go faster,

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Richard has got out the farm's rotivator,

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a machine for preparing the ground.

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Are you an alien? Because you're very good at crop circles.

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With the levelling finally in hand, AJ can start

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turning the pallets into windbreaks.

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My job today is to make these windbreaker pallet fence things

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that Danny wants.

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Three steps. One - build the pallet fences,

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two - dig the holes,

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three - cement them so they don't go anywhere.

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The first task is to make legs for each panel.

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With the gap between the front and the back of these pallets,

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I'm slipping these posts through.

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Now I've just got to measure the two foot that's got to go

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into the ground.

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So, then, make a good fixing between some of these slats

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and then through the side.

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There we go. First one all built.

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Now to dig the holes to fit the legs into.

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Next, a hole needs to be dug for each post.

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I'm going to get this beast started up which is a petrol hole digger.

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Now, this is a skilled job and not to be attempted

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unless you have plenty of experience.

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You can always dig the holes by hand and indeed, sometimes you have to.

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Unfortunately with these, they can catch stones or whatever which then

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stops it from working and so we then pull out and use by hand.

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It's a bit of mix and match of manpower and machine power.

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Let's go for it.

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I'm going to go down two foot into these holes to make it a good decent

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depth so we can get a lot of the posts in the ground, which will only

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make whatever is connected to it above

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a lot more stronger and firmer.

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Da-da! Thank you. Thank you, sir.

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Danny? How is that looking?

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You know what? I think that looks really cool.

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Now there's just one more step to take.

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The last thing to do on this section here is to get

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the cement into the holes with some water for it to go off

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and then these should stand up by themselves.

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This quick-drying cement is specially designed to set superfast.

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All you do is pour the dry cement into the hole and add water.

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And there we go.

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That quick-drying cement should go off in about 20 minutes.

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Even in the pouring rain, the design is starting to come together,

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thanks to all that hard graft, and the volunteers

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and I are just as drenched at the inspirational Knoll Gardens.

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Time to take a bit of cover and meet the man behind the magic.

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Neil, come on over. Come and join us in this lovely marquee.

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Tell us about Knoll Gardens.

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Basically, we've been here for 22 years but it was originally,

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the bottom half of the garden was actually a carrot field.

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That is how sandy the soil is.

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And then it became a botanic garden in the late '70s which is

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why we've got so many of these fantastic trees that we see today.

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The garden is a labour of love for Neil, who has developed it

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into a natural but impressive shore garden with year-round interest.

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We love the garden. It is quite a relaxed feel.

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We've always loved the natural environment

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and I think trying to have a style of gardening that actually

0:18:000:18:03

honours that, I think, is what I've been trying to achieve.

0:18:030:18:06

We call it naturalistic as opposed to formal.

0:18:060:18:10

I like the fact that it looks so natural

0:18:100:18:12

and it looks like you've allowed nature to dominate,

0:18:120:18:16

as it were, nature to take over and it doesn't look forced.

0:18:160:18:21

Not everybody has four acres in two decades.

0:18:210:18:23

How do people emulate this kind of garden?

0:18:230:18:26

Some of it is actually quite easy

0:18:260:18:28

because it's the style of plants, not being too fussy,

0:18:280:18:31

using plants that don't need staking, deadheading, spraying.

0:18:310:18:35

Planting the area up in one go,

0:18:350:18:38

so it's a border that is done completely and mulching.

0:18:380:18:41

It sounds so simple but the less we have to interfere

0:18:410:18:44

with the area, with the garden, the more the wildlife can take over,

0:18:440:18:49

so it's actually very simple steps.

0:18:490:18:51

Well, contrary to popular belief, these gardens don't

0:18:510:18:54

happen by accident so we'll let you get back to work, Neil.

0:18:540:18:56

-We'll have a bit of a wander round. Shall we go that way?

-Yep.

0:18:560:19:00

You might not have four acres to play with,

0:19:000:19:03

but any garden can have a gorgeous, natural look.

0:19:030:19:06

Plant grasses in a sunny area.

0:19:060:19:09

Plants like these thrive in sunshine and aren't always big fans

0:19:090:19:13

of claggy, damp soil.

0:19:130:19:15

Limit the range of plants you use.

0:19:150:19:17

Rather than 12 totally different species, go for four kinds

0:19:170:19:21

but get three of each.

0:19:210:19:22

In a large area, be even more generous for giant sized impact.

0:19:220:19:28

And give those green fingers a rest.

0:19:280:19:30

A naturalistic garden shouldn't be too tidy.

0:19:300:19:33

You just need to chop grasses back to the ground at the end

0:19:330:19:36

of winter ready to reveal new shoots and start growing all over again.

0:19:360:19:40

Back on the farm, the outline of the garden is coming together

0:19:440:19:47

but it's gone midday. Danny needs to start piling on the pressure.

0:19:470:19:51

Now we're forming a mound just here.

0:19:530:19:56

This is going to be a fairly simple structure.

0:19:560:19:59

It's going to kind of add a little bit of shelter for what is going

0:19:590:20:02

on inside there, inside the circle, but also it's going to be a great

0:20:020:20:06

way to show off the grasses that we're going to use in the design.

0:20:060:20:09

If I'd just used compost, it's not going to hold.

0:20:090:20:13

So I'm going to mix this with some of the turfs

0:20:130:20:16

and some topsoil that's on the other side of the farm.

0:20:160:20:20

And Danny's got plenty of help to transport the soil into position.

0:20:200:20:25

This looks impressive, doesn't it? There must be a local display team.

0:20:250:20:28

I think they call themselves the Red Barrows.

0:20:280:20:31

Very good, Danny!

0:20:310:20:32

Do you want to bring it through?

0:20:320:20:35

-That's it.

-OK.

0:20:350:20:36

The mound's building nicely.

0:20:380:20:40

And despite the weather, morale is high.

0:20:400:20:42

It's a bit damp, isn't it?

0:20:420:20:44

It does help having a good team behind us, though.

0:20:450:20:48

Danny said, keep it coming.

0:20:480:20:50

You guys are brilliant.

0:20:500:20:52

I'm very encouraged by the design, but I do know what the time is.

0:20:550:20:59

We're only just getting the fencing in

0:20:590:21:02

and we've still got to plant the trees, these trees,

0:21:020:21:05

and the hedge.

0:21:050:21:06

We've got to put the log edging down, plant up this bank,

0:21:060:21:10

we've got to put a membrane down and we've got to add the bark to it.

0:21:100:21:14

And we've got to put some shingle down for the fire pit.

0:21:140:21:17

Not to mention the shade sail, Danny,

0:21:170:21:19

which could have saved you a soaking.

0:21:190:21:22

Better plough on with the next task - edging that circle.

0:21:270:21:31

I'm using this log-roll edging here to contain the bark chippings

0:21:310:21:35

within this area.

0:21:350:21:37

There's a bit of snobbery attached to log-roll edging, I think.

0:21:370:21:42

A lot of people refuse to use it

0:21:420:21:43

because it's kind of regarded as old-fashioned.

0:21:430:21:46

But I'm using it in this environment because it works.

0:21:460:21:49

It works with this rustic feel.

0:21:490:21:52

Once you've rolled it out,

0:21:530:21:54

you just attach the next roll to this end

0:21:540:21:57

and then twist this wire round the wire

0:21:570:21:59

that's in the one you're going to attach it to.

0:21:590:22:02

So it's very simple to use.

0:22:020:22:04

Once I've gone all the way round and I'm happy with the way it looks,

0:22:040:22:07

I'll put three or four stakes in

0:22:070:22:09

along the entire length of this roll, then I'll screw

0:22:090:22:12

the log-roll edging to the stakes

0:22:120:22:14

and that will keep them nice and firm.

0:22:140:22:16

While Danny is creating the farm's garden,

0:22:220:22:25

I'm finding out how the farm has helped nurture those who work on it.

0:22:250:22:29

I think we could have a few minutes in the dry,

0:22:290:22:32

because it's pretty damp out there.

0:22:320:22:34

-Mind you, you must be used to that by now, Mary.

-Yes, I am.

0:22:340:22:36

I don't mind being outside in the rain cos I love the farm,

0:22:360:22:40

I love the fresh air, I love the fact that it's a little gem.

0:22:400:22:43

What kind of an area is the farm and garden in?

0:22:430:22:46

Some people say the area is a little bit of a deprived area,

0:22:460:22:50

but that's good because people who don't get to see

0:22:500:22:53

farm animals and greenery

0:22:530:22:55

can just have that little experience right on their doorstep.

0:22:550:22:59

The kids get a lot out of it, definitely.

0:22:590:23:00

That's one of the best things.

0:23:000:23:02

If you're here in the daytime and hear the kids coming,

0:23:020:23:04

-it's brilliant.

-Yeah, running around.

0:23:040:23:06

It's a fantastic atmosphere there. We get a big diversity of people.

0:23:060:23:10

We get older people with learning disabilities,

0:23:100:23:12

but also we've had little children who've come there.

0:23:120:23:15

We've had a deaf child who wouldn't speak, was terribly shy,

0:23:150:23:19

and when he saw the garden, he was, "Mum, look at this!

0:23:190:23:22

"Mummy, look at that!" And he was chatting away to us as well.

0:23:220:23:24

That makes it all worthwhile.

0:23:240:23:26

Because it's the community farm, it's very satisfying to work there.

0:23:260:23:30

-And I get a lot out of it.

-What about you, Mary?

0:23:300:23:32

What do you get out of it?

0:23:320:23:34

It's completely changed me from sort of getting up late,

0:23:340:23:37

what am I going to do with the day?

0:23:370:23:39

And now I get up, I look forward to going to the farm,

0:23:390:23:42

I've got things to do there.

0:23:420:23:44

I can achieve something.

0:23:440:23:45

I did work for 17 years, then I had a bit of a breakdown

0:23:450:23:49

from stress and anxiety and then I found the farm,

0:23:490:23:54

it's given me a purpose,

0:23:540:23:57

it's got me back into work and it's given me confidence.

0:23:570:24:00

It's just stolen my heart.

0:24:000:24:02

What do you think this new, improved area would bring to the garden?

0:24:020:24:06

Primarily it's going to be a social space.

0:24:060:24:09

I think we lack that at the moment

0:24:090:24:11

because I think the social places tend to be indoors.

0:24:110:24:14

So this will be an outdoor social focus-y place.

0:24:140:24:18

But it will be brilliant in the summer.

0:24:180:24:20

In the summer evenings it will just be brilliant.

0:24:200:24:23

Today is going to make a huge impact.

0:24:230:24:25

We'd better get those plants that Danny needs

0:24:250:24:27

-or we'll never get that garden finished.

-Yeah.

0:24:270:24:29

Yeah, come on, crack on, right, lead the way. This way.

0:24:290:24:32

On the farm, Danny's design is looking promising.

0:24:330:24:36

But with only three hours remaining

0:24:360:24:38

and the rain coming down even harder,

0:24:380:24:41

there's a long way to go.

0:24:410:24:42

Oh! It's great to be out of the elements.

0:24:430:24:45

It's absolutely tipping down outside.

0:24:450:24:48

And I'm sheltering with these two beauties -

0:24:480:24:50

this Betula jacquemontii

0:24:500:24:52

and this Thuja "Emerald".

0:24:520:24:54

Conifers are much maligned and they really shouldn't be.

0:24:540:24:58

There's one particular conifer that's given the others a bad name,

0:24:580:25:02

and we all know which one that is. That's the Leylandii cypress.

0:25:020:25:05

But this is an absolute beauty.

0:25:050:25:07

And you know I can tell the difference between this

0:25:070:25:09

and the Leylandii cypress - it's its gorgeous smell.

0:25:090:25:12

It smells of pineapple.

0:25:120:25:14

The beauty about this particular specimen

0:25:140:25:17

is that you can cut into the old wood.

0:25:170:25:20

You can trim up your hedge and it will still look great.

0:25:200:25:23

It's not going to go brown.

0:25:230:25:24

Now, the reason I've chosen this in this particular design

0:25:240:25:27

is because I wanted something that is fast-growing.

0:25:270:25:30

But I didn't want something that's difficult to handle.

0:25:300:25:34

And this really does fit the bill.

0:25:340:25:36

So, the other tree I've got is this lovely silver birch -

0:25:360:25:39

Betula jacquemontii.

0:25:390:25:40

It's absolutely gorgeous.

0:25:400:25:42

And this is the multi-stemmed version of it, which basically is

0:25:420:25:46

that the stems are growing from just down below.

0:25:460:25:48

It actually acts as a windbreak,

0:25:480:25:51

so we'll filter the wind through before the wind hits the enclosure.

0:25:510:25:55

And also, it offers dappled shade.

0:25:550:25:57

So when the leaves are in, you haven't got

0:25:570:25:59

that thick block of shade.

0:25:590:26:01

It will filter the sun through.

0:26:010:26:03

I love the silvery bark. It's absolutely gorgeous.

0:26:030:26:07

And, you know, it will discolour over time, but all you need to do

0:26:070:26:11

is to rub it with some soapy water and it will be gleaming white again.

0:26:110:26:16

This is an absolutely show stopper of a tree.

0:26:160:26:18

And you know what? I think it should take a bow.

0:26:180:26:21

Before the trees take centre stage in the garden,

0:26:240:26:28

Danny still has to dress the mound of soil.

0:26:280:26:30

And the rain just isn't letting up.

0:26:300:26:33

I love this weather.

0:26:330:26:34

-All right, Amanda?

-Yeah, fine.

-How's the weather treating you?

0:26:360:26:39

-It's been kinder, hasn't it?

-How long have you been working here for?

0:26:390:26:43

I started volunteering 16 years ago now.

0:26:430:26:46

16 years ago?

0:26:460:26:48

-So you've been here a long time.

-Definitely, yes.

0:26:480:26:51

And what does this place mean to you?

0:26:510:26:53

It's just a great sense of community.

0:26:530:26:55

We've got a pupil referral unit literally next door to us.

0:26:550:26:58

Some of those youngsters are struggling a bit

0:26:580:27:00

-in mainstream school.

-Yeah.

0:27:000:27:02

But they come over here and interact with the animals,

0:27:020:27:04

do a bit of hard work and they love it.

0:27:040:27:07

So it's a real boost to their self-esteem.

0:27:070:27:09

-And it must be a boost for you as well.

-Oh, definitely, yeah.

0:27:090:27:12

-You're giving a lot of yourself to this project.

-Yes.

0:27:120:27:16

For me, it's a family concern as well,

0:27:160:27:18

cos my children were basically toddlers

0:27:180:27:21

when I started as a volunteer and both of them have grown up helping.

0:27:210:27:26

It's been really good for us cos I was a single parent

0:27:260:27:29

when my two were really small.

0:27:290:27:31

So that made me come out with the children

0:27:310:27:34

-to do something which is worthwhile.

-Yeah.

0:27:340:27:37

-Really important.

-So it's quite varied then?

0:27:370:27:39

-Today you're doing this.

-Yes, this is great fun.

-This is good fun.

0:27:390:27:42

-In the sunshine.

-In the sunshine.

0:27:420:27:44

-Never a dull moment.

-Never a dull moment, but definitely a dull day.

0:27:440:27:48

THEY LAUGH

0:27:480:27:50

-We can brighten it up, though, can't we?

-OK.

0:27:500:27:52

At least it's stopped raining on Nigel, Mary and I.

0:27:520:27:56

It's time to get stuck into our shopping list.

0:27:560:27:59

Danny's golden rule of plant shopping is to set out with

0:27:590:28:02

a clear idea of what you want to help you avoid impulse buying,

0:28:020:28:06

which can lead to bad choices

0:28:060:28:09

and a garden that looks a bit of a hotchpotch.

0:28:090:28:11

Today's order is for some grasses, including 10 latifoliums.

0:28:110:28:16

-You see, I like these.

-They're nice, yes.

0:28:170:28:19

They look hardy and quite easy to look after,

0:28:190:28:22

like you wouldn't have to do too much.

0:28:220:28:24

Mary, you know the kind of plant I like.

0:28:240:28:26

Knoll Gardens has its own nursery, specialising in ornamental grasses,

0:28:260:28:31

so I'm in the right place to pick some brains.

0:28:310:28:34

Ladies, sorry to interrupt. You look very busy.

0:28:360:28:39

But I'm overwhelmed by all the grasses here.

0:28:390:28:41

How many types of grasses do you have?

0:28:410:28:43

Oh, absolutely hundreds, I wouldn't like to count.

0:28:430:28:46

-Too many to count.

-Yes, too many to count.

0:28:460:28:49

So, what is so good about grasses?

0:28:490:28:51

Why do people love grasses in their gardens?

0:28:510:28:54

Because they prolong the season in the garden.

0:28:540:28:57

Even the deciduous ones that go straw coloured through the winter,

0:28:570:29:02

they still retain their shape and their form

0:29:020:29:05

and they look absolutely stunning when the frost is on them.

0:29:050:29:09

How easy are grasses to look after?

0:29:090:29:10

They're very easy. The deciduous ones,

0:29:100:29:13

you just ground-level from around mid-March, up they pop again.

0:29:130:29:16

Depending on what grass it is,

0:29:160:29:18

they'll grow very quickly in the right situation.

0:29:180:29:22

They're not no-maintenance, but they're very low-maintenance.

0:29:220:29:26

-All right, I'm going to go in search of some grasses.

-Brilliant.

0:29:260:29:30

-Liz, can I borrow you for some assistance?

-Mm-hm.

-Come on then.

0:29:300:29:32

We'll let you crack on. Thank you.

0:29:320:29:35

-She's busy, isn't she?

-She is very busy.

-This way?

-Yeah.

0:29:350:29:38

With only two hours to go, the circle is still carpeted in mud.

0:29:390:29:44

This one could go down to the wire.

0:29:440:29:46

But Danny is carrying on as best he can

0:29:460:29:48

and the next job is to cover all that mud

0:29:480:29:51

by laying the bark chips and gravel.

0:29:510:29:53

We've got another edging material here. And this is made of aluminium.

0:29:530:29:58

We're trying to make a circle out of it.

0:29:580:30:00

And this is normally used in contemporary gardens.

0:30:000:30:04

I'm just using this to separate the bark from the gravel.

0:30:040:30:08

-WHISTLES

-Jump through, hop!

0:30:080:30:10

-Go on, go on.

-Really?

0:30:100:30:13

I don't know if I can jump that high.

0:30:130:30:15

THEY LAUGH

0:30:150:30:17

Have you got the pegs?

0:30:170:30:19

-Let's go centre to the big one.

-OK.

0:30:200:30:23

Which will be about there, won't it?

0:30:230:30:25

Now, I'm just going to put some membrane down.

0:30:300:30:33

Here it is, all nice and neatly rolled up.

0:30:330:30:35

And the reason I'm putting this down

0:30:360:30:38

is to stop any weeds coming through the bark.

0:30:380:30:41

And what's good about this also, because it's got

0:30:410:30:43

lots of little perforations, it's kind of a bit like a teabag, really.

0:30:430:30:48

It still allows the water, the rainwater, to filter through.

0:30:480:30:52

Because we don't want the bark swimming around on some...

0:30:520:30:56

watery...mess.

0:30:560:30:59

When the chips are down, there's only one thing to do -

0:31:010:31:04

get the chips down.

0:31:040:31:06

The always frugal farm has managed to wangle these woodchips

0:31:060:31:09

from a local tree surgeon for free.

0:31:090:31:12

You can buy 100 litres of bark for less than a tenner though.

0:31:120:31:15

The bark does migrate over a period of time.

0:31:150:31:18

You know, the wind will blow bits away,

0:31:180:31:21

so just keep an eye on it and make sure it's topped up.

0:31:210:31:24

Although the gravel is now going down,

0:31:240:31:26

the garden still needs its planting.

0:31:260:31:29

To help this, I've got to get Danny's grasses in the bag.

0:31:370:31:40

So while Nigel is on a mission for one of Danny's favourites,

0:31:400:31:43

the latifoliums, Mary and I are getting expert advice

0:31:430:31:46

to help us pick out a couple more, and fast.

0:31:460:31:49

Mary. Meet Liz.

0:31:520:31:54

-Hi, Mary.

-Liz is going to guide us through...

0:31:540:31:57

-Hi, Liz, nice to meet you.

-And you.

-..some grasses.

0:31:570:31:59

I believe these are a good one.

0:31:590:32:01

They are very good for your situation.

0:32:010:32:04

They like dry shade,

0:32:040:32:05

they're a lovely spring flower, lovely white flowers.

0:32:050:32:09

Heads that sit up to about 60 centimetres in height.

0:32:090:32:12

So they would be good in that sort of socialising area.

0:32:120:32:14

-And easy to look after?

-Very easy, yes.

0:32:140:32:16

They're evergreen, you just tidy them through

0:32:160:32:19

mid-March, April time. And then off they pop again.

0:32:190:32:21

You might want to give them a little haircut, but not much,

0:32:210:32:24

but it's as simple as that.

0:32:240:32:26

-Sound doable?

-Perfect.

-Is there anything else you can recommend?

0:32:260:32:29

Because we need to get two or three.

0:32:290:32:31

-Nigel is off looking for another one.

-Another nice one

0:32:310:32:34

is the Carex "Evergold", which is here.

0:32:340:32:37

It's got a lovely bit of colour to it.

0:32:370:32:39

Again, it's evergreen.

0:32:390:32:41

-Gets to about 40 centimetres in the right conditions.

-Right, OK.

0:32:410:32:45

And again, you just tidy that through, mid-March onwards,

0:32:450:32:49

and then off it will go again. You see the new shoots coming through.

0:32:490:32:51

And they're lovely. Add a nice bit of colour.

0:32:510:32:54

Yes, that offers something different, doesn't it?

0:32:540:32:56

That grows upright, this spreads out sideways.

0:32:560:32:58

-Different bit of colour.

-Yeah.

0:32:580:33:00

-OK, let's take a few of these and a few of these.

-Great.

0:33:000:33:02

-Do you want to grab some of those, Mary?

-Yes, will do.

0:33:020:33:05

-Liz, thank you so much.

-OK, no problem. Thank you.

0:33:050:33:07

-We'll load ourselves up with these.

-OK?

0:33:070:33:09

-And head on. Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:33:090:33:10

-I've got mine.

-Good find! Good work. What are they called again?

0:33:120:33:16

Brill! They look good, and that's all that matters, right?

0:33:180:33:21

Yeah, fabulous.

0:33:210:33:22

With some carex, luzula and Danny's longed-for latifoliums on board,

0:33:220:33:27

it's time for me to get back to the farm.

0:33:270:33:30

After nearly nine hours of work, the rain has finally stopped,

0:33:340:33:37

and a minor miracle has happened.

0:33:370:33:39

Danny!

0:33:390:33:41

AJ!

0:33:410:33:42

I am genuinely in awe.

0:33:420:33:45

Hello, Helen, how are you?

0:33:450:33:47

-It's been a terrible day...

-Yes, it has.

0:33:470:33:49

-That is an understatement.

-..weather-wise.

0:33:490:33:52

I thought we were going to get back here and it would be a mud bath.

0:33:520:33:56

I genuinely can't believe what you've done.

0:33:560:33:58

We're not complete, it's not finished, as you can see.

0:33:580:34:01

Cos the weather did hold us back quite a lot

0:34:010:34:03

and it was a complete nightmare, really.

0:34:030:34:05

OK, not the result you wanted, but an amazing effort,

0:34:050:34:09

-given the conditions.

-Yes.

-And it will get finished.

0:34:090:34:13

-Hm.

-So don't cry too much.

-We'll try not to.

0:34:130:34:16

The trees might still need to be planted

0:34:170:34:19

and the shade sail might be nowhere to be seen,

0:34:190:34:22

but we do have just enough time

0:34:220:34:23

to get my purchases planted before sundown.

0:34:230:34:26

Grasses, grasses. Get your grasses.

0:34:260:34:29

Helen's brought back some lovely grasses.

0:34:300:34:32

-I love those ones.

-They're brilliant, aren't they?

0:34:320:34:35

Just look at the way it's brightening up the bed.

0:34:350:34:38

It does look fantastic. Especially against the compost.

0:34:380:34:41

What's great about grasses is that they'll grow in most soils.

0:34:410:34:44

-Quite often, the poorer the better.

-Oh, OK.

0:34:440:34:47

So they're as tough as old boots.

0:34:470:34:49

-In this situation, they require very little maintenance.

-OK.

0:34:490:34:53

-Do you like these?

-Yeah, I do like them. They're nice.

0:34:530:34:57

And they grow very tall, which is good, which will give us a screen.

0:34:570:35:01

All sides of the circle are now enclosed

0:35:020:35:05

and the fire pit is in place.

0:35:050:35:07

But the shade sail and tree-planting will just have to wait.

0:35:070:35:10

Do you like? Or do you like?

0:35:100:35:12

-We like.

-Beautiful.

0:35:120:35:14

Guys, I feel like you're a bit flat and a little bit sodden.

0:35:140:35:18

But do you know what? You shouldn't be, because this looks amazing.

0:35:180:35:21

It's a massive transformation, you're so close to the end,

0:35:210:35:24

it's practically finished.

0:35:240:35:26

You can't do anything about the rain, you can only do so much.

0:35:260:35:28

It's been pretty tough today,

0:35:280:35:30

but really we've got to be positive about this

0:35:300:35:32

because this bit of land here looked like that bit of land this morning.

0:35:320:35:36

And I think we have made an improvement.

0:35:360:35:39

I know these guys well, I know they'll get it finished.

0:35:390:35:42

-And to be honest, you'll probably get it finished in about an hour, won't you?

-Yes.

0:35:420:35:46

-Yeah, when the sun shines.

-Sorry, a dry hour.

-Yeah.

0:35:460:35:50

So, this garden wasn't quite as instant as usual,

0:35:590:36:02

but a few weeks later, Danny and AJ are back to finish

0:36:020:36:05

this almost completed garden.

0:36:050:36:07

The weather is ten times better than last time.

0:36:070:36:10

It's much better, isn't it?

0:36:100:36:11

And to make things even easier today,

0:36:110:36:13

the farm's fantastic volunteers

0:36:130:36:15

have already dug in the trees around the border.

0:36:150:36:18

It looks great, doesn't it? I really like it.

0:36:180:36:20

Everything's really settled in nicely.

0:36:200:36:22

But Danny still needs to get that all-important shade sail up.

0:36:220:36:27

-That's it.

-That's nice and taut.

-That's perfect, isn't it?

0:36:270:36:31

Yeah, if we go that height there, then the two posts there,

0:36:310:36:34

we can go higher and get that sort of nice sort of angled canopy.

0:36:340:36:38

Right, I'll get these screwed in, get these hooked on

0:36:380:36:42

and then we can then come back to it with the posts

0:36:420:36:45

-and just manipulate it that way.

-Yes.

0:36:450:36:48

Right, I'm going to drill a hole here,

0:36:530:36:55

just a pilot hole with a smaller drill bit, smaller than that,

0:36:550:36:59

and then the eyelet will go in, we'll twist it in, screw it in,

0:36:590:37:02

and then, once that's in, we'll clip on the clip,

0:37:020:37:05

the other side is the shade sail

0:37:050:37:08

and then we'll then move on to the post.

0:37:080:37:10

While AJ works on the sail, Danny's checking up on

0:37:130:37:16

the conifers that have been planted in his absence.

0:37:160:37:19

The one thing I've noticed is that...

0:37:210:37:23

these have been put in the holes -

0:37:230:37:26

which is absolutely fine, the depth of these holes is fine -

0:37:260:37:29

but I would have made these holes slightly bigger.

0:37:290:37:31

And what I would have done is mix some compost in with the soil,

0:37:310:37:35

then I would have backfilled with that.

0:37:350:37:37

What you're in effect doing is,

0:37:370:37:38

before the roots get to the poor soil here,

0:37:380:37:41

what they're going to do

0:37:410:37:43

is find their way through the nice soil.

0:37:430:37:46

And the root system is going to be stronger

0:37:460:37:49

before it hits the soil that's not so good.

0:37:490:37:52

That sounds like a good excuse

0:37:530:37:55

to use some of the farm's lovely natural produce.

0:37:550:37:57

-Hi, Richard, all right?

-Hi, Danny, how's it going?

0:37:570:38:00

-Not too bad.

-Good, good.

-Lovely sunny day.

0:38:000:38:02

-Yeah, much better than it was.

-For a change.

-Absolutely.

0:38:020:38:05

I see you've got some lovely compost for me.

0:38:050:38:07

I've got some home-made stuff from the farm, yes.

0:38:070:38:10

Home-grown here at the farm from everything we've got here,

0:38:100:38:13

-so it is good stuff.

-It's absolutely gorgeous.

0:38:130:38:16

What I want to do is make this a square hole

0:38:160:38:20

and make the hole bigger,

0:38:200:38:22

and with the soil that comes out, mix it in with that lovely compost.

0:38:220:38:26

-That way, we give this tree the best possible start in life.

-Lovely.

0:38:260:38:29

What's the theory with the square hole versus the round hole?

0:38:290:38:32

Basically, we don't want the roots going round and round on them.

0:38:320:38:35

So, we want the roots to go out and hit the sides.

0:38:350:38:38

And Danny's got one more little tip for growing strapping shrubs.

0:38:410:38:45

What I'm doing here is spreading some mycorrhizal fungi.

0:38:450:38:48

I'm not going to mix it into the soil

0:38:480:38:50

because I want this stuff to make direct contact

0:38:500:38:53

with the root system on the tree.

0:38:530:38:55

Now, it forms its own root system, which attaches itself to the tree.

0:38:550:39:00

So, what it's doing is making a secondary root system for this tree

0:39:000:39:03

which will help this tree establish and help it suck up more water.

0:39:030:39:07

While Danny works his way around the rest of the trees,

0:39:100:39:13

AJ needs some holes for his poles.

0:39:130:39:15

What we're going to do with these posts here is -

0:39:170:39:20

which we always seem to do with the post -

0:39:200:39:22

is to have them at a slight angle.

0:39:220:39:24

If they're angled away from where the pressure is

0:39:240:39:27

from it being pulled, it just gives it that little bit of leeway

0:39:270:39:31

cos if they were absolutely perfectly sort of straight,

0:39:310:39:34

and then you did get a big gust of wind, it'll just pull it,

0:39:340:39:38

where, if you're at an angle like this, you've got more strength

0:39:380:39:42

with it in the ground and it'll just sort of not fall over, basically.

0:39:420:39:46

Right, I've dug the hole now, clipped it on there,

0:39:530:39:56

now I'm just going to put the post in and connect the sail

0:39:560:39:59

just to get the angle of the post before we start cementing it in.

0:39:590:40:02

I'm happy with that. Nice angle there and it's nice and taut.

0:40:020:40:06

There's enough excess on the chain to slacken it off if they want to.

0:40:060:40:11

And the sail should look good.

0:40:110:40:13

So, it's quick-drying cement,

0:40:160:40:18

so, in theory, Luke's only got to stand here for 20 minutes.

0:40:180:40:21

Now, with the final touches in place, a little later than billed,

0:40:260:40:29

Danny can finally hand over the finished garden to the farm.

0:40:290:40:34

After all that work, we got it done in a couple of hours.

0:40:340:40:37

-Yeah.

-And it's looking great.

0:40:370:40:38

-Now for the big test. Shall I go and find them?

-Yeah.

0:40:380:40:42

-And see if they like it?

-Definitely.

0:40:420:40:43

But I think you may have to hold this pole.

0:40:430:40:46

-Yeah, I know you're fatiguing now.

-I am fatiguing, yeah.

0:40:460:40:49

See you in 15 minutes.

0:40:490:40:50

Before Danny started, this patch of the farm was

0:40:540:40:57

a bare and barren wasteland, with no place to sit and socialise.

0:40:570:41:01

Now, Danny has utterly transformed it

0:41:040:41:07

into a serene and sheltered space,

0:41:070:41:09

where this hard-working community can take some well-earned time out.

0:41:090:41:13

By making the most of the recycled materials,

0:41:130:41:16

he's created an eye-catching design with a sociable layout...

0:41:160:41:20

..enhanced by some stunning trees and sturdy hedging

0:41:210:41:24

to offer protection from the elements.

0:41:240:41:27

All capped off by a colourful shade sail.

0:41:290:41:32

Its rustic materials match perfectly with the farm's laid-back vibe.

0:41:340:41:38

And those gorgeous grasses bring the bank alive with graceful movement.

0:41:400:41:44

What's more, it was all done on a shoestring. And in almost one day.

0:41:460:41:51

Top job, Danny. Now it's time to see what everyone thinks.

0:41:520:41:56

Oh, check out the sun sail! Very nice.

0:41:590:42:03

A fire on the go, beautiful, very nice.

0:42:040:42:07

Looks fantastic. Very open, very airy.

0:42:070:42:10

I'm looking forward to bringing people down here.

0:42:100:42:13

Just basically scrubland, that's all it was,

0:42:130:42:15

-so it's a complete transformation.

-Love the sun shade.

-Good.

0:42:150:42:19

-Do you think it works well with this environment?

-It does, yes.

0:42:190:42:23

It really offsets the green, I really like it, yes.

0:42:230:42:25

You can easily move around, which is what we needed.

0:42:250:42:28

It's away from the hustle and bustle of the main farm,

0:42:280:42:31

so potentially you can do all the hard work down there,

0:42:310:42:34

then just come down here for a bit of a chill-out and relax.

0:42:340:42:38

It just shows what you can do.

0:42:380:42:39

All that hard work, that terrible weather you had to put up with,

0:42:390:42:43

-and it's beautiful, it's peaceful.

-We've got all the grasses you chose.

0:42:430:42:46

All the grasses we chose, yeah. Good choice there, guys.

0:42:460:42:49

Very good choice, I'm impressed with that.

0:42:490:42:51

It's going to mean an awful lot to the users of the farm.

0:42:510:42:54

The kids I can bring down here for the holiday activities,

0:42:540:42:56

the fire-lighting, people with learning disabilities can come here,

0:42:560:43:00

if they feel anxious, they've got a nice place to relax and be calm in.

0:43:000:43:03

Yeah. And I suppose what's great for this is

0:43:030:43:05

it makes a good focal point as well, doesn't it?

0:43:050:43:07

-We might even have our next staff meeting down here.

-LAUGHTER

0:43:070:43:11

It's not just for you, you know.

0:43:110:43:14

If we can bring some of the people down here...

0:43:140:43:16

-You most certainly can.

-OK, no problem.

0:43:160:43:18

Hello, welcome, everyone.

0:43:210:43:23

James, if we get bored of woodwork,

0:43:230:43:25

we can come down here and have a fire, mate.

0:43:250:43:27

No problem.

0:43:270:43:29

Yeah.

0:43:290:43:30

What do you like most about this space?

0:43:320:43:33

-Pretty.

-It's pretty?

0:43:330:43:35

Do you think you'll be use it a lot?

0:43:350:43:38

Yeah.

0:43:380:43:39

Well, it's your space, come and enjoy it.

0:43:390:43:42

THEY ALL CHATTER

0:43:470:43:51

That reaction speaks volumes, and I know, with that design,

0:43:530:43:57

I have really hit the spot.

0:43:570:44:00

And I am so pleased.

0:44:000:44:02

Congratulations, Danny, this design is a definite hit.

0:44:020:44:06

Join us next time for another Instant Garden.

0:44:060:44:09

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