Skip to playerSkip to main contentSkip to footer
aaadata13
  • 5/21/2025
Garden Rescue 2025 episode 2 - Crawley
Transcript
00:00The Garden Rescue Team are on a mission to make garden dreams come true.
00:07Charlie Dimmock, Lee Burkhill, Flo Hedlum and Chris Hull are here to answer your gardening
00:28It feels disorganised, a bit chaotic. It's a bit of a shocker.
00:31Each week, two of our designers will go head to head.
00:34Pick me and let's do this.
00:36The garden we're going to go with is...
00:39Drumroll!
00:41Woo!
00:42What?!
00:43Lee!
00:44Oh yes!
00:45And whichever designer loses...
00:47The race is on.
00:48Go!
00:49Helps the winner build the garden.
00:51Good idea.
00:52Did you get that on camera? Lee said good idea, Charlie!
00:55Amazing.
00:56Turning garden dreams...
00:58Open your eyes.
00:59I'm so overwhelmed.
01:01Into reality.
01:03That is amazing!
01:11Today, the team face up to some crazy paving chaos in crawly West Sussex.
01:17I'm Nadine.
01:18I'm Lamar.
01:19So we dated when we were 16. Young love, let's say.
01:24But we both decided to go to university in different areas of England.
01:27So we drifted apart and we didn't hear, see or speak to each other for 10 years.
01:33Literally 10 years, yeah.
01:35When their eyes met once more 10 years later, it was love at second sight.
01:40These long lost lovers were married in 2022 and bought this house one year later.
01:47Funnily enough though, I think the day that we came to see it, it was raining.
01:51And we never actually saw the garden.
01:53I think we opened the garden door and it was like, yeah, it looks fine.
01:56And then we shut it and that was it.
01:58Nadine and Lamar have created a lovely look to their interior,
02:02but the garden is a different story.
02:06We've got crazy paving. I mean, it looks horrid.
02:11We did try once upon a time to dig all this space up,
02:14tried to make it a fire pit, but...
02:16We cut it down, don't we?
02:17Yeah.
02:18And it just grows back ever so quickly.
02:21So when we moved into the property,
02:23we were told by the previous owners that they used to have chickens
02:26and they used this small area as a chicken coop,
02:29but it's just not conducive to a nice social garden.
02:36Socialising is something Nadine and Lamar are desperate to do more of,
02:40but fear their weed-filled south-facing hot garden just isn't up to the job.
02:46Hi!
02:48So my mum's from Jamaica, my dad's from Myanmar, Burma.
02:52Both my parents are from the northern part of Sri Lanka,
02:55and for us growing up, all of our family parties,
02:58all of our functions were always in the garden.
03:00We'd have a barbecue, the football would be on,
03:03there would be some occasion to have a garden party.
03:05We're massive foodies, so we'd love to be able to cook out there
03:09and use some plants that we can use in our cooking,
03:12or even cocktails.
03:14Right now, guests are stuck with plastic chairs on the patio,
03:18which, when the sun comes out, is scorching.
03:21I want to get my legs out, but I can't in this grass.
03:25Nails everywhere.
03:26Can you believe this is supposed to be a fire pit?
03:29Hope everyone's hungry!
03:31CHEERING
03:33Have a look around, you can see the state of the garden.
03:36Come on, Garden Rescue, please come and help us.
03:43It's Lee and Charlie who will be vying for the chance
03:47to transform Nadine and Lamar's overgrown plot.
03:51So, Nadine and Lamar, long-lost lovers.
03:54Yeah, they look lovely, don't they? Really sweet.
03:57I have to say, though, the garden doesn't look quite so lovely as them.
04:02Yeah, just long and lost, but not much love in this garden, Charlie.
04:06And I bet even you can remember Crazy Paving.
04:09In the mists of time, somewhere.
04:11When you were on your tricycle going round.
04:13I mean, look at the lawn.
04:15We've got this square in the middle and wonky donkey borders.
04:18I know.
04:19There's that old chicken coop as well.
04:21Yeah, but they are overlooked, aren't they?
04:24Yeah, but there's not really much to entice you into the garden
04:27at the moment, it's just a blank box, isn't there?
04:29I know, but I wonder what they want.
04:31I know there's going to be a lot of work involved.
04:33Oh, shall we find out? Yeah.
04:35Charlie Lee, what we really love for our garden
04:38is somewhere that combines our love for food
04:41and our ability to socialise at the same time.
04:44Yeah, definitely.
04:45So in a lot of Caribbean and South East Asian culture and food,
04:49there's a lot of sauces that are created,
04:51specifically green sauces that are made out of chillies,
04:54curry leaves, pimento leaves, mint.
04:56It would be great if we could pop out into the garden
04:59and just pick a couple of chillies for garnishing,
05:02or finishing off a dish, or to make that green sauce.
05:05I mean, it's great that it's south-facing.
05:07Chillies, tomatoes, everything you need,
05:09make all those gorgeous sauces.
05:11What we'd really love our garden to have is a place to sit down,
05:14out of the sun, ideally,
05:16so that everyone can just enjoy the space as much as possible.
05:19What's brilliant is they actually want shade,
05:21where most people need more sun.
05:23Yeah, but it's pergola?
05:25We'd really love the garden to have a pop of colour,
05:28something tropical, something to remind us
05:30of home.
05:32Jungle plants are great, but, I mean, the budget's £5,000.
05:36Could eat that up.
05:38Could easily get gobbled up, and talking about gobbling,
05:41they want to be able to cook their own food.
05:43I know, and do you go permanent cooking area or moveable?
05:47There's just loads of ideas in my mind.
05:49Yeah, well, I'm keeping mine in my mind,
05:51cos I know what you're like, Lee, I know what you're like.
06:01Charlie and Lee will come up with a design
06:03to fit the £5,000 budget.
06:06Nadine and Lamar pick their favourite,
06:08which the losing designer must help to build.
06:12A trusted team of landscapers provide the labour for free,
06:16leaving the full budget for materials.
06:21Back in Crawley, Nadine and Lamar have received the designers' pitches.
06:25Ready? So excited.
06:28Nadine, Lamar.
06:30This is my design.
06:31I've given you a design of a garden that's going to wrap round you
06:35and hug you, a huge socialising space,
06:38as well as giving you lots of produce.
06:41Wow. Wow.
06:43Looks amazing.
06:44I've designed you a really modern take on a Caribbean
06:47crossed with an Asian garden, where you can cook up a feast
06:50and have all of your family and friends around.
06:53The first thing I've done is give this garden
06:55a really clean, modern, geometric layout.
06:58Oh, my gosh.
07:00I've gone for quite a dynamic shape and design that swirls round.
07:05And the extra space.
07:07Yeah, that curve is so nice. I would have never thought of that.
07:10So you come out of the kitchen door
07:12and the first thing you see is this jungle planting
07:15with this raised metal planter, galvanised steel
07:19and lots of lush foliage and maybe even a palm there.
07:23Oh, palm?
07:24Oh, no, it's exactly what we wanted as well.
07:26It definitely feels like the tropics now. Yeah.
07:28Charlie's design will bear jungle-style plants in its curves
07:32to envelop Nadine and Lamar in their tropics-inspired space,
07:36whilst Lee's design is a different take on the social garden.
07:41And the first thing to note is this beautiful sandstone paving.
07:45Now, I've opted for this really light dove-grey sandstone.
07:48Perfect. And that will go with everything?
07:50On the left-hand side of the garden, we've got a generous lawn
07:53but an even bigger bench that will sit around ten people.
07:57To fit up to ten people, that's so much.
08:00In the middle of the lawn,
08:01I'm giving you this really modern geometric fire pit
08:04so you can light the fire in the early evening
08:07and then use the garden all the way through until midnight, if you wish.
08:11Now, I know that shade is a real concern in the garden,
08:13especially in the summer,
08:14which is why I've given you these two simple shade sails.
08:18You've also got these three beautiful banana trees
08:21and they're super hardy, even in the UK.
08:24A banana tree! Oh, my gosh.
08:26If we follow the path down the right-hand side of the garden,
08:29you'll notice your own barbecue zone.
08:32Great, it's all on one side as well, so we can do everything,
08:35the drinks and the food, all in one area.
08:37Lee has included exclusive spaces for socialising and cooking.
08:42And Charlie's got her own take on that.
08:45The central feature is this seating, socialising area.
08:50Big enough space so you can get a dining room table out there
08:54with lots of chairs.
08:56The main feature of the patio is this raised, rendered wall
09:01that acts as a table but also a seating area and also a fire pit.
09:07So we've got this circular fire pit.
09:09That's so nice.
09:11Which, when it's not lit, you can have the top on
09:14and you can use that as a table so when you're barbecuing,
09:17you can bring all the food over to this area.
09:20Perfect. Yeah, somewhere we can put the food and drinks as well.
09:24Lee and Charlie have both ticked the hospitable food lovers' box.
09:29But to win the couple a round, it could all come down to the herbs
09:33and plants that could complement these foodies.
09:37I know you also want to grow some vegetables and herbs
09:40ready for your cooking and green sauces.
09:43Green sauces.
09:45So the first thing I've done to the right of the new patio
09:48is give you a raised bed.
09:50And I'm going to pack it full of things like lemongrass,
09:53coriander, mint, rosemary, lemon balm,
09:56all of the standard herbs that you can grow.
09:59Imagine being able to just get that from the garden
10:01instead of going to the shops.
10:03Now, some of the spices that you need for your green sauce
10:06and jerk chicken need a bit more heat,
10:08which is why I've also given you a mini greenhouse
10:11where you can bring on chillies and all sorts of tropical specimens.
10:15Oh, my God!
10:17We've got this dry sort of gravel area
10:21with perennial herbs through,
10:23so when you're at the barbecue up in this area,
10:26you can go and sniff out the herbs.
10:29So when you're at the barbecue up in this area,
10:32you can go and sniff some,
10:34but it's not too far away from the kitchen either.
10:38So I'm hoping you're going to pick my design
10:40because I think it'll be ideal for you guys.
10:43Thanks, Charlie.
10:44If you want to cook up a storm, pick my design.
10:48So nice.
10:49It's like everything we asked for.
10:51I know.
10:52Each design offers a different but delightful take
10:55on a tropical social garden.
10:57It's up to Nadine and Lamar to choose their favourite.
11:01Let's start with Leed.
11:02Yeah, sure.
11:03We're going to have a lovely little greenhouse just there.
11:06So it's so convenient in the middle of cooking,
11:08I can just nip out and grab a few herbs.
11:10It makes you feel like you're in an exotic garden
11:12at the same time.
11:13And I just love the fire pit and the bench.
11:15You really can't go wrong.
11:16It looks like such a nice social area.
11:19Yeah.
11:20It's going to be such a good prep location as well.
11:22It'll be amazing.
11:23Do you want to have a look at Charlie's now?
11:25Yeah, let's go.
11:26Do you know what?
11:27I never thought of having a curved design,
11:29but that works so well.
11:30It's really listened to us as well,
11:32in terms of what we thought we needed for the garden.
11:34And we've got the same chillies and tomatoes and garlic there,
11:37so we can nip out and grab those from the planters,
11:40which is super, super helpful.
11:41Yeah.
11:42And even this centre jungle as well, right?
11:44Just the palm leaves and everything.
11:46It's going to be so hard.
11:47How are we going to make a decision?
11:49I've got no idea.
11:51So we've heard back from Nadine and Lamar.
11:54Shall we say garden?
11:56Hi, Charlie and Lee.
11:58Thank you so much for your designs.
12:00We've had a really difficult time picking through them.
12:02Yeah, it's been super difficult.
12:04Charlie, your circular design,
12:06really opening up that hosting space for us,
12:08we didn't even think it was possible.
12:10Lee, I think we just loved the banana trees
12:13and then also having the little greenhouse
12:15with our lemongrass and chillies.
12:17Oh, do you know, we've given them a real challenge.
12:20So, the garden we're going to go with is...
12:25Lee's!
12:26Yes!
12:27I knew mine was a bit out there for them.
12:30Do you know, they were so different though, weren't they?
12:33They were, they were.
12:34To say though, I hope they fix that gate.
12:36Yeah, because how are we going to get it in?
12:37I know, you'll be carrying everything through the house.
12:42In Crawley, project manager Dan is rallying the team of landscapers
12:46to bring Lee's ambitious design to life.
12:50The team have just two days to create a tropical party space.
12:56A few things are happening.
12:57We've got a nice little social area over there.
12:59We're going to have a bespoke L-shaped bench
13:02with some shade sails.
13:03You know, we're going to have some raised planting beds
13:06made from sleepers.
13:07And also, we'll get rid of the chicken run
13:09and we're going to have a nice little barbecue area.
13:11You know, we've got a bit of a jungle here
13:13we need to get rid of.
13:14We've got this crazy paving that needs to be removed.
13:17Everyone up for it?
13:18Yeah.
13:19All right, let's get cracking.
13:20When the sun is out, this south-facing plot is roasting
13:24and the team are already working up a sweat,
13:27pulling up 22 square metres of patio.
13:30There's so much to get out of this garden.
13:32No-one seems sad to see the back of that retro crazy paving.
13:37I've never actually lived anywhere with crazy paving,
13:41fortunately, because I think it belongs in the past.
13:45Three hours in, Dan uncovers a problem.
13:50Unfortunately, underneath the crazy paving,
13:52we had another layer of slab and concrete,
13:54so now it's going to take us more time,
13:56more wheelbarrow runs to the skip.
13:58Yeah, we would have liked to have been a bit more ahead of schedule.
14:02Patio, patio.
14:04What a nightmare.
14:07The double-layer patio has extra challenges.
14:11It's important that we get to the right level
14:14so we don't cover the damp roof,
14:16so we've definitely got to take it down.
14:18It's just a matter of getting it all out now and cracking on.
14:21In his design of a food-lover's garden,
14:23Lee has created a cooking and prep area
14:26where the dilapidated chicken run currently stands.
14:30So, it's out with the coop.
14:32It's coming out quite easy, which is nice.
14:34It's very rotten, which helps getting rid of it,
14:37but it's a bit of a shame because you can't reuse any of the material.
14:41Coming out's easy.
14:44And the team just keep adding to the dozen wheelbarrows
14:47that have already made their way to the skip.
14:55The team get the area to the right level for the patio doors
14:58before laying a sub-base
15:00on which Lee's elegant sandstone will be paved.
15:04Yeah, it's nice to actually start getting some stuff in
15:06rather than taking it all out.
15:08Yeah, we're winning.
15:13Lee's design creates a wraparound patio
15:15running from the exterior of the house.
15:20While Kyle whacks in the sub-base,
15:24Susie is prepping Lee's sandstone tiles for paving.
15:30So, all I'm doing here is adding a slurry mixture
15:33to the back of the slabs, which is an exterior PVA
15:36mixed with some cement.
15:38Because these slabs are so smooth,
15:40we're just ensuring that they stick down properly.
15:46An eye for detail is key to the laying here.
15:50So, rather than a broken bond pattern like on the brickwork there,
15:53Lee's opted to go for a geometric grid,
15:55which means all the lines have to marry in perfectly,
15:59which is why we've set this string line up here
16:01so it's nice and square from the house.
16:04It's a bit more work for us, but I think it's worth it.
16:11Actually, it's a lot more work.
16:14With 20 metres of patio well underway,
16:17Dan is tackling the old fire pit to make way for the new
16:21and bringing that overgrown lawn back to size with a turf cutter.
16:27But this garden is full of rocky surprises.
16:31Yeah, we've kind of hit what seems to be an old flowerbed,
16:34but, of course, it was buried underneath all this high grass.
16:37Oh, the joys of this.
16:39This is definitely a job that keeps giving.
16:43There's been some firefighting,
16:47but with the lawn almost cleared
16:50and patio well underway,
16:52it's time for the team to start the build of raised beds
16:55to hold Nadine and Lamar's herbs and spices.
16:58Finally getting these raised beds done. Looking good.
17:02Ready for Lee and Charlie to add their expertise in the morning.
17:07I love areas like this through housing, you know,
17:10a corridor for wildlife, trees, great place to explore.
17:13Yeah, we've already got so much greenery
17:15that we can maybe borrow for the garden.
17:17It definitely needs it.
17:21Wow, this looks a bit different.
17:23It does. Having the paving, that's fantastic.
17:26All that crazy paving's gone,
17:28and I reckon the landscape has found that a breeze to lift up.
17:31Yeah, I'm loving the way you've got it laid out.
17:33It makes it feel very modern, having it in that uniform style.
17:36Yeah, and that's what I wanted, because the interior is so modern.
17:39I wanted to flow that out into the garden.
17:41So what am I up to then?
17:43Well, I'm going to put you in the shady corner.
17:45It doesn't look very shady to me.
17:47Well, no, you've got to build it first, Charlie.
17:50No, I would love you to make a beautiful, huge L-shaped bed
17:53and we've got some gorgeous tropical planting for you.
17:55OK.
17:56And then this bench needs to fit at least ten bums on it as well.
17:59Right, so what are you going to be doing then?
18:01Well, cooking is really important to Nadine and Lamar,
18:03so I'm going to be building them their own outdoor kitchen.
18:06Ooh, look at you!
18:07It's covered in lovely herbs and loads of things they can use
18:10in their food preparation.
18:11That sounds gorgeous. OK, right, well, off we go.
18:14Off we go.
18:22Now, Nadine and Lamar are big foodies
18:24and a huge part of my design is to give them their own outdoor kitchen.
18:28Now, this used to be a chicken coop
18:30and the ground looks very uneven and who knows what's underneath,
18:33but I wanted to design a space where they could leave the house
18:36and get straight into the action cooking delicious food,
18:39which is why I'm using this whole section here as the outdoor kitchen.
18:43I'm going to integrate the barbecue with the L-shaped worktop
18:47and it's really important because it makes a feature of it
18:50and gives form to the garden.
18:52Now, the layout of this garden is super important.
18:55You'll notice that the pavers are really wide
18:57and I've laid them out in a simple contemporary fashion.
19:00There's no brickwork or stagger joints.
19:02The back door there is the same width of the flights
19:05and that's a clever proportion trick to make everything feel like it connects.
19:09So they've still got this generous patio outside of the house,
19:12but ideally I want to lead them into the rest of the garden.
19:25Ooh, so we're in the entertaining area.
19:28Well, it's entertaining at the moment, I have to say.
19:30Seems to be an extra crazy paving patio that's been used to fill in an old pond.
19:36Oh, lovely. Do you know, water features just seem to follow you, don't they?
19:39Yeah. So that's a bit of a nightmare.
19:41I mean, this could be a right time burn, couldn't it?
19:43It could, but at least we've got some rubble that we can put at the bottom of the planters.
19:48Positive thinking.
19:50So you're just giving me so many solutions, Charlie, I might as well go home.
19:53But this area is going to be a gorgeous area, isn't it?
19:56So you've got the seeds, and then what plants do I get?
20:00Well, we've got some beautiful tropical specimens, maybe some bananas.
20:03Right, well, they're going to need some free-draining soil rather than this kind of stuff.
20:07Yes, yes, right.
20:11Thank you. No point breaking our backs, is there?
20:15Because the garden is south-facing, she's faced comfortable.
20:19Come this way, come on, this way.
20:21So Lee, Charlie and the team are starting to plot out the sailcloth shade.
20:27So rather than using a tape measure, I thought I'd use a few labourers.
20:32Right, so get this marked out. So the first one goes near Kyle.
20:36The sailcloth, made of polymer weave, costs around £15 for a two-metre triangle,
20:42a much cheaper and sleeker alternative to awnings or gazebos.
20:47But then that ends up in the middle of the lawn.
20:49Doesn't it?
20:51Unless you put the post far over there and have a long rope.
20:54Longer rope, yes. Good idea.
20:56Did you hear that? Did you hear that? Did you give that on camera?
20:59Lee said, good idea, Charlie.
21:01I give credit when it's due, I just don't really say it that often.
21:08Once Kyle and Dan have inserted posts for the first set of sails,
21:13they place more in for the second set.
21:17That's spot on.
21:18Right, great stuff. Next?
21:21Next, Lee has created separate entertaining and cooking spaces for Nadine and Lamar,
21:28with a generous kitchen worktop as the key component.
21:36So Susie.
21:37Hiya.
21:38I could do with some help building this fabulous outdoor kitchen,
21:41and you look like you're the woman with the tools to help me.
21:44You've got the word in the tape, haven't you?
21:46Now what I'd love to do is to build this L-shaped sort of kitchen unit
21:50that's deeper on one end than the other.
21:52Nice.
21:53I was also thinking, if it's possible, we've got all this beautiful paving,
21:56could we use one of the pavers for the worktop so it connects the two together?
22:00Yeah, definitely.
22:01Fab, right. I'll get some kit.
22:03Cool.
22:09Susie and Lee are building the frame for the outdoor kitchen
22:12that'll be braced to middle supports to hold shelves.
22:18So the frame is coming together really nicely,
22:20but I'm so excited about what's going to go on top.
22:23Right, let's get this shelf on.
22:26Once top supports are attached to the frame,
22:28they are ready to hold Lee's master stroke.
22:32Oh Susie, this is what I call design deliciousness.
22:37Look at this.
22:39I must admit, I'm a bit in love with this idea.
22:42Susie has done such a magnificent job of cutting these pavers for this table,
22:46and it's a little design idea called an eye hook,
22:49and that's where you use the same material in different parts of the garden
22:52to draw your eye, and that's the hook.
22:54So by using the paving off the floor on this table,
22:57all of a sudden the garden feels like it's one cohesive design,
23:01whereas if I'd have just used timber,
23:03it might have looked a little bit disparate and separate,
23:05and I don't want that.
23:06This really is design heaven.
23:09At 1,500 by 900 millimetres,
23:12it should fit snugly into the cooking area.
23:15Oh, critical mass.
23:18Go!
23:20Just about.
23:23Glad I've got my big shoes on.
23:28So Charlie's been harassing me about the lack of progress,
23:31but you know, you can't rush perfection.
23:33I think she's going to love this when it's finished.
23:36Oh, look at that. Lovely.
23:38Builds itself, this stuff, I tell you.
23:46The team are making way for a bench seat in Lee's big entertaining space.
23:53Danny! Darling.
23:54This bench, it's really key to the socialising area,
23:58and it's got to feel modern.
24:00We're making one bench that's 10 foot long.
24:03Yep.
24:04One bench that's 12 foot long.
24:06Yes.
24:07We're going to have a mitre in the corner so it fits together,
24:10and then we've got the legs to go on.
24:12So nice and precision, yeah?
24:14Yeah, no worries.
24:16Right, we need to get this spaced out.
24:18Right.
24:20So when you're making a bench,
24:22think about the height of the bench and who's going to be sitting on it.
24:25Normally anything between 40 centimetres and 50 centimetres.
24:30Screwing square wooden legs to the underside gives support
24:34and a modern finish.
24:39Wow, that's a big bench.
24:41It's a whopper.
24:43We're going to cut along here and then along here,
24:46and then they will butt up,
24:48and then the leg will go in the middle.
25:00The entertaining space will need to be levelled
25:04before Charlie and Danny can fix the bench in situ.
25:08It's all about the process with this.
25:11We get the big bits, the clumpy bits out,
25:16get the ground nice and flat.
25:18We add some topsoil, a nice little sprinkle bit of topsoil,
25:21and then we lay the nice lawn.
25:23Bang on.
25:25Turf should be laid as soon as possible after delivery
25:28to stop it drying out.
25:37For the Dean and Lamar's garden,
25:39I want every area to have something that they can use in the kitchen,
25:42and we've got this beautiful array of different herbs
25:45and herbaceous perennials
25:47that all have either edible or medicinal uses.
25:50We've got things like the blueberry,
25:52We've got things like the bloody dock,
25:54the sorrel here that can be used in salads for spicy leaves,
25:57strawberries, and believe it or not,
25:59this yarrow here can even be used medicinally.
26:12Lee's striving to get something else planted in the entertaining space.
26:17I'm spending an awful lot of time with Kylie,
26:21digging these holes for the bananas
26:23because they have a rather exacting requirement,
26:26which is that they need free-draining soil.
26:29Lamar and the Dean have quite nice soil,
26:32but it is a bit on the clay side.
26:34It's a bit sticky and fudgy.
26:36So what I'm doing is digging a lot of that out,
26:39and then I'm going to replace it with a secret blend
26:42to help make it more free-draining.
26:44So we're going to have 50% grit for drainage,
26:49but then we're also going to have 50% beautiful new topsoil,
26:53loads of organic matter.
27:04Ooh, look at the bananas!
27:07Wow, they're lovely!
27:09Hang a banger!
27:11Dawn!
27:12I thought I was going to sneak them off before you saw.
27:15No, we've got to share these plants, Charlie.
27:17Lee, release the bananas!
27:20Now, we need to be careful with these because, as you know,
27:23they get tatty very quickly.
27:25Yeah, they split really easily in the breeze, don't they?
27:28Ooh!
27:29And the Dean and Lamar are going to love this
27:31because any leaves that do break like this,
27:34they can snip them off in the summer
27:36and lay them on the table when they have a barbecue,
27:39and it looks fantastic, very tropical.
27:42So how much did these cost, then?
27:44These were £99 each.
27:46Wow, that's good, then!
27:47Yeah, but they're a big impact plant, aren't they, sir?
27:50Yeah, and they are the key feature of the garden, aren't they?
27:53That's what they wanted.
27:54Exactly.
27:55Could have got them for about this big for about £25,
27:58but they'd look lost in that garden.
28:00Right.
28:02The entertaining space is the most important for Nadine and Lamar,
28:06and it was Lee's bold planting that won them over.
28:09I really can't wait to see those banana trees.
28:11I think they're going to add so much vibrancy and culture to our garden.
28:14It's a really popular staple element to cooking in Sri Lanka.
28:18You often eat off of banana leaves,
28:20and they serve as a plate or a decorative item.
28:22We just can't wait to see how it grows
28:24and how it adds that beautiful character to our garden,
28:26along with the shade it brings from those huge leaves.
28:29So we're really, really, really excited.
28:35This one's heavy.
28:37Especially when you've got two.
28:39So pop that in place.
28:41Ooh, it's looking good already!
28:44Yeah.
28:46And the beauty of these is every year they're just going to get bigger and better.
28:49Don't get me wrong, if you were up in Liverpool,
28:51yeah, you'd be fleecing, mulching, panicking over winter,
28:54but down here, you've got this sort of microclimate.
28:56Yeah, it's going to look fantastic.
28:58It's almost like it's been planned, isn't it?
29:00Yeah, you've put a little bit of thought into it for once.
29:03Complementing the statement pieces of this garden
29:07will be herbs and plants in raised beds,
29:09and a mini greenhouse.
29:13Now, these are great little units,
29:15but if you're putting in a greenhouse,
29:17whether it's something like this or a bigger one,
29:19think about where you're actually going to position the greenhouse.
29:24Sometimes it's better to put them in a bright, sunny spot
29:28that's protected, but not on a south-facing wall
29:32where it's going to be really, really hot,
29:34because you're going to have to really make sure
29:36you water regularly and check the plants morning and evening
29:40and also put shading up.
29:42So just think about that.
29:44Now, the great thing about this is it's not actually glass.
29:47It's like a polycarbonate, and it's sort of textured,
29:51so it gives it a little bit of shade, unlike glass.
29:57I'm just about to start assembling the barbecue,
30:00and there are a billion and one little nuts and bolts,
30:03but it's important I get them all in the right place,
30:05because this is no ordinary barbecue.
30:07Oh, no, this is a barbecue smoker,
30:09so Nadine and Lamar can smoke the foods as well as barbecue,
30:13but it's also got that important chimney
30:15that's going to take away the smoke from the garden
30:17or the neighbours.
30:20Charlie and Dani are preparing to fix the ten-seater bench in place.
30:30Can't say that that is not entertaining.
30:32That's a big space, isn't it?
30:34It could also be a table, can't it?
30:36Where you sit with your barbie, put your food down,
30:38put your drink down.
30:39A big posse.
30:40Yeah, a big posse.
30:41A big posse.
30:42A big posse.
30:43A big posse.
30:44A big posse.
30:45A big posse.
30:46A big posse.
30:47It's like we put your food down, put your drink down.
30:49A big potting bench, you know.
30:50Yeah.
30:51Throw in all your flowers.
30:52Right, next.
30:59Right, Lee, can I start bringing the plants in?
31:02Here's the first two or three.
31:04Of course you can.
31:05I think that's one of your favourites.
31:06It is, the crinodendron.
31:07I love it.
31:08I think I'm just jealous, because I can't grow it at home.
31:11And fatsies, I've got lots of fatsies.
31:13You bring them in, and let's start playing around with them.
31:15Okay.
31:28Now, in this raised bed, Lee's got a mixture of perennials
31:33and grasses and a few shrubs to give some structure to it.
31:38And one of the shrubs he's chosen is this lovely calistemon,
31:42or bottle brush.
31:44It's related to eucalyptus, and if you crush the leaves,
31:49it smells very sort of eucalyptus-y.
31:53Evergreen, but the thing that I really hate is actually being
31:57in wet, damp soil, so it's going to be ideal in this raised bed.
32:02Oh, I'm taking the weight off near the kitchen,
32:16and it's a good reason, because I've got this beautiful
32:18herb bed right near the house.
32:20I'm filling it full of beautiful, easy-to-look-after edibles,
32:24which means that Nadine and Lamar can make gorgeous green sauces
32:27and cook up a feast.
32:29And one of them is common mint, but I've not just gone for the
32:32basic mint, I've gone for four different cultivars.
32:35This one is Tash Kent mint, great for mint tea,
32:38really fresh flavour.
32:40We've also got some lemongrass, and this is really exciting,
32:43because it's such a tropical herb, but it will grow fantastically
32:46well in this raised bed here in this sunny garden.
32:49Now, a little trick, if you don't already have lemongrass,
32:52is that you can buy some from the supermarket,
32:54from the fresh herb aisle, and then all you do is take one
32:57of these, or two, and pop them into a jar of water,
33:00making sure that the fat end is at the bottom.
33:02Leave it for two weeks on a window ledge indoors,
33:04and then when you start to see roots emerge,
33:06you know that you can pot it on into some compost
33:09and grow your own lemongrass.
33:11Super easy for beginner gardeners.
33:14The garden is taking shape.
33:17Get that up, and then see what happens with the back.
33:20You might, yeah.
33:22One.
33:25And the team is prepping to add a second cloth of shade
33:29across the entertaining area.
33:31They say many hands make light work, but actually, I think
33:34we should have just got Charlie up here on her own,
33:36and this would have been done easily there.
33:48Right, I'm just digging the hole for the achebea,
33:51one of my favourite climbers.
33:53It's going to love it here, because it's a south-west
33:56facing wall, so it's nice and warm, so it gets afternoon sun
34:00and evening sun.
34:02It will go mad, so it'll cover the fence line,
34:05but because it's a warm wall, it's probably more likely
34:08to get the fruit on it afterwards.
34:19Now, if you're a beginner gardener that favours bold colour
34:22and you want to pack a punch, then you'd be hard-pressed
34:25to beat Aegean.
34:27These fabulous herbaceous perennials come in a mix
34:30of yellows, oranges and bright reds, and the reason why
34:33they're so great for beginner gardeners is that they're
34:36totally bomb-proof.
34:38Slugs won't touch them, because they've got these slightly
34:40hairy leaves, and they flower profusely from around May,
34:43sometimes through to November.
34:45It means that from May all the way to November,
34:47there's going to be these totally tropical red-hot
34:50pops of colour.
34:53All right, we're at the final stages now of getting the turf down.
34:57We're just squeezing this nice, fine layer of topsoil,
35:01getting it all in preparation for the nice quality turf
35:05to go down.
35:09Mind you, the greenhouse is coming in.
35:13Mind you, the greenhouse is coming in.
35:22Look at that handy little table there.
35:25So, we've got some chilli plants.
35:28Now, the other thing I'm going to pop in here as well
35:31is sweet basil.
35:33Now, sweet basil, I have to confess, I tend not to be able
35:37to grow it very well, because I over-water it.
35:41It doesn't like to get too wet, especially in the evening.
35:46So, the old wives' tale is that you must water it after midday,
35:51when it's nice and warm, but not after three in the afternoon.
35:55If you water during the daytime, all that extra moisture
35:59has gone into the plant, and so the slugs and snails
36:02don't get it so readily.
36:12With turf finally ready to lay, the finishing touches
36:16are going in, and after just two days' hard craft,
36:20this tropic foodie paradise in Crawley, West Sussex,
36:24is almost complete.
36:27Oh, what a busy day. Busy day.
36:29Lots going on in this garden.
36:31There's lots of elements to it.
36:33When you look round, raised beds, barbecue tables,
36:37storage, greenhouse, tables, bench, planting, fire pit.
36:42I mean, just so much in the garden.
36:44Sails. But it's all beginner-friendly,
36:46so it shouldn't scare them too much, because it gets them
36:49gardening straight out the bat.
36:51I bet they're very excited about seeing it.
36:53Should I get them out? I think so.
36:58When the team arrived, Nadine and Lamar's garden
37:01was a crazily paved eyesore, with no space to entertain
37:05or retreat from the beating sun in their rubble-filled exterior.
37:11But with a £5,000 budget, it has been redefined
37:15as the perfect sociable spot.
37:21Keep your eyes shut. You're nearly at the edge.
37:23Right. Yep. So lift your feet.
37:25Lift your feet a bit more. There you go.
37:27Here they come.
37:29It's such an amazing transformation.
37:32I think they're going to be bowled over.
37:35Time to find out what Lamar and Nadine think
37:38of their new-look exterior.
37:41So, Nadine and Lamar, your garden before was a sea
37:45of ultimate crazy paving and a wonky-donky lawn.
37:50You asked for a garden where you could entertain
37:53your many family and friends and cook for them
37:56in this garden space.
37:57So whenever you're ready, open your eyes.
38:01Oh, my God. Wow.
38:03Oh, my goodness.
38:05This is not the same garden. Are we in a different house?
38:08This is not the same garden.
38:10The table, the barbecue, everything.
38:12Wow. The crazy paving is no more.
38:14It's all gone. Oh, my gosh.
38:17Oh, my goodness. It looks amazing.
38:19I don't know where to look.
38:21Oh, my goodness.
38:24It's a bit of a feast for the eyes.
38:26Yeah.
38:28Where that crazy paving once lay...
38:34..a neutral sandstone patio now leads to connect areas
38:38filled with hot herbs and plants.
38:41So, first off, what do you think of this brand-new patio
38:44with these really wide grey pavings?
38:46This is exactly, I think, what we would have wanted.
38:48It's not a health hazard any more.
38:50I can walk without worrying about chicken legs or anything.
38:53And they're so big, and it makes the space look so much bigger.
38:56Yeah.
38:57Got these two huge raised beds here, full,
38:59and super easy to look after,
39:01with these perennials and shrubs,
39:03in that colour palette of orange, red and yellow.
39:05Yeah.
39:06I love the natural wood colour as well, don't you?
39:08It just works. Yeah, it works. It's just...
39:10So nice. It really matches the inside of the house,
39:12like the ventrals.
39:13Shall we go and look at your grow-your-own area?
39:15Yeah. Definitely. Come on, follow me.
39:18Down where the dilapidated chicken run once dominated...
39:25..is a newly dedicated cooking spot,
39:27where Lamar and Nadine can also pick their own ingredients for feasts.
39:34It's incredible. Look at the chillies, the peppers.
39:36Is that basil? We've got thyme here as well.
39:39Oh! Yeah.
39:40Oh, it's so good.
39:42It's incredible, honestly.
39:44And then with the raised bed here, we've got four different types of mint,
39:47we've got strawberries, we've got corianders, tomatoes,
39:50everything that you can grab in the kitchen... Wow.
39:53..and start to make those sauces.
39:55I'm losing steps not having to walk to the shop.
39:57Yeah, I know. You don't need to go to the shop any more.
40:00Oh, it's incredible. It's so big as well.
40:02Yeah. And it just kind of hugs the house
40:04and means that you can jump from this kitchen to the outdoor kitchen.
40:07Yeah. So, shall we go and take a look at your brand-new kitchen?
40:10Yes. I'm so excited.
40:13Lamar, you wanted a jerk drum so that you could barbecue
40:16all of your favourite foods.
40:18I'll definitely cook it by your seasoning. Yeah.
40:20I'll do the prep and you'll get all the glory.
40:23If you can recognise these,
40:25this is the same material that we use on the floor.
40:27This as well, yeah.
40:29And it means that even if you grab, like, red hot food out of there,
40:31it can go straight on here, it's not going to burn or scorch.
40:33Fantastic. It's not going to put any mats down or anything.
40:35Exactly. Yeah. It's so good.
40:37So well thought out.
40:39It's detail like that that make the garden work together seamlessly
40:44and it gives that modern, clean vibe.
40:47Now, should we take a look at the final piece of the jigsaw?
40:50Yeah, definitely. Yeah, you ready? Come on.
40:53Where the overgrown, rubble-filled lawn once was...
40:59..there is now Nadine and Lamar's entertaining area,
41:03with its long, right-angled bench,
41:05enveloped by tropical plants and sailcloths for shade-seekers,
41:10perfect for sharing time with friends and family.
41:14It's huge. It's so big.
41:16Like, just where have you found the space to even include this?
41:19I know. In the garden? I have no idea.
41:21We could literally fit all of our friends and family here.
41:23Literally, yeah. It's perfect.
41:24I mean, I know I said I was going to give you a bench for ten bums,
41:27but Charlie's been on this and she's given you actually 11.
41:30Oh, fantastic! Bums that can fit, so...
41:33What do you think? That's so good.
41:35It looks great, honestly, and I'm in the shade almost, yeah.
41:38Yeah, it's so good.
41:39We've put these two shade sails in,
41:41that means that throughout the day you've got little pockets of shade.
41:44Do you think that will help you to use the garden more?
41:46Oh, massively. I think it gets so unbearable, doesn't it?
41:49So the fact that we now have access to shade
41:51so we can still use the garden instead of hiding inside, it's perfect.
41:55Now, this whole area is kind of kissed
41:57with easy-to-look-after Caribbean-style plants,
42:00grasses, the banana trees.
42:02Amazing. I know.
42:03And the Sri Lankan in me is jumping out cos we use them to eat off.
42:06Well, that's it. You've got the leaves as well you can use as makeshift plates.
42:10Exactly.
42:11So I didn't do all this on my own, I had help from the crack team
42:14and also Charlie did a huge amount of the work here.
42:17Come on, Charlie!
42:18Hi!
42:20Hi!
42:21Do you love it?
42:22You love it.
42:23It's just surpassed our expectations, hasn't it?
42:25Definitely.
42:26It's gorgeous.
42:27It's the heart of the home again.
42:29So we're going to have to see all of our friends and family here
42:32and I cannot wait to get over there and prep everything,
42:35get you cooking everything.
42:36Can't believe it.
42:37This garden's literally everything that we dreamt of.
42:39Even more than what we dreamt of, it's actually incredible.
42:42Can't wait to host family, friends in here.
42:45Yeah, no, it's literally going to be the heart of our home.
42:48It's the perfect tropical foodie garden,
42:51fulfilling with family and friends.
42:56Wow!
42:57Wow!
42:58Oh, my God!
42:59Oh, my God!
43:01Love it!
43:02Love it!
43:03Are you ready?
43:04What's that colour, guys?
43:05Give it a proper shake.
43:11Let's cheers to our new garden and lots of new memories.
43:14Hooray!
43:44I love you.
43:45I love you.
43:46I love you.
43:47I love you.
43:48I love you.
43:49I love you.
43:50I love you.
43:51I love you.
43:52I love you.
43:53I love you.
43:54I love you.
43:55I love you.
43:56I love you.
43:57I love you.
43:58I love you.
43:59I love you.
44:00I love you.
44:01I love you.
44:02I love you.
44:03I love you.
44:04I love you.
44:05I love you.
44:06I love you.
44:07I love you.
44:08I love you.
44:09I love you.
44:10I love you.
44:11I love you.
44:12I love you.