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  • 6/6/2025
Garden Rescue 2025 episode 9
Transcript
00:00The Garden Rescue Team are on a mission to make garden dreams come true.
00:10Charlie Dimmock, Lee Burkill, Flo Hedlum and Chris Hull are here to answer your
00:27gardening emergencies. It feels disorganized, a bit chaotic. It's a bit of a shocker.
00:32Each week two of our designers will go head to head. Pick me and let them do this.
00:37The garden we're going to go with is... Drumroll!
00:44Lee. Oh yes!
00:46And whichever designer loses... The race is on.
00:49...helps the winner build the garden. Good idea. Did you get that on camera? Lee said good idea Charlie.
00:56Amazing.
00:57Turning garden dreams... Open your eyes.
00:59That's so overwhelmed.
01:01...into reality.
01:03That is amazing.
01:10Today the team's in Swindon.
01:13Right, old choir. Always busy me. Always busy.
01:18Taking on the garden of Anne who's retired.
01:21I'm 77 years old. I'm retired. But my goodness, I like to fill the day with as many things as possible.
01:31I work at our local theatre, The Wyvern, as an usher. I belong to rock choir. Apparently I'm a soprano and I think that means I can go...
01:39Of course another thing I like to do when I've got five minutes is my art.
01:49Quite often to get the brush working I'll think about walking along a coastal path, listening to the sound of the beach.
01:56Perhaps a row of beach huts, all different colours, just gives me inspiration.
02:01Creative Anne is born and bred in Swindon.
02:05I've moved in Swindon 15 times. This is the 15th move. This is the last one.
02:11I moved into this bungalow March 2023. It needed complete renovation. We thought, yes, my husband and I could put our stamp on it.
02:21Sadly, last year he suffered a cardiac arrest which gave him brain damage.
02:27And he's now in a care home where he'll be for the rest of his life.
02:33But he's looked after very, very well by the care home.
02:36Ron's unfortunate decline in health means plans they had for their new bungalow have had to be put on hold.
02:45We were going to renovate the whole bungalow, the garden, the outside.
02:49But the garden, I don't know where to start. I can't do it physically.
02:53Look at the state of this.
02:55Living with nerve damage called occipital neuralgia herself, while Anne's keen to soldier on,
03:01her 91 square metre garden is too big for her to tackle alone.
03:06We've got lawn everywhere. I can't mow anymore. Look at the grass. The path's coming up. This is horrendous.
03:13The garden is lacking colour. It's either concrete or grass. Nothing.
03:20Though there is some planting Anne is pleased with.
03:23When I was 11, Mum and Dad moved to a house that had a lilac tree and I thought it was amazing.
03:29I'd never had one before. And it would move here. I got a lilac tree. I'm really pleased.
03:35The rest of it, however, is just a bit bland.
03:39It's so flat. It's so sad. There is nothing here, nothing here of beauty. It's so depressing.
03:47There's just no inspiration out there. I don't know where to start. I don't know what to do.
03:52And somebody needs to help me.
03:58I love the sky when it's like this, when you see the trails of the plains.
04:02I know. And there's even a cold breeze to stop us getting too hot.
04:06Lovely. And in a beautiful place.
04:08Chris and Charlie are hoping to deliver the right design for Anne.
04:12Right, Charlie. OK.
04:14Look at her garden.
04:17It's not very inspiring.
04:19No, it's one of those gardens, classic path straight down the middle.
04:23It looks like a very practical garden. Shed at the back, garage, washing line.
04:29But no spirit or liveliness.
04:31No, it needs to be a nice, lively garden for a lively Anne.
04:35Yeah, she does look very lively.
04:37Shall we find out what she wants?
04:39Chris, Charlie, I'd love a garden that's easy maintenance with my mobility issues.
04:45My husband's in a care home. He can't help.
04:48Aw.
04:49Yeah.
04:50Well, that's definitely needed then, isn't it?
04:52I want the garden that's going to give me some life.
04:54So let's have a garden that's got a pergola, a water feature, raised beds.
05:00All right.
05:01Well, that's not behind me.
05:03That's a lot of things to get in.
05:05That's a lot of things.
05:06And a patio.
05:07Just somewhere perhaps I can bring my friends round and have a cup of coffee.
05:12We can do that.
05:13That's a given, really, isn't it?
05:15Yeah.
05:16So come on, Chris.
05:17Come on, Charlie.
05:18Do your best for me.
05:19I need your help.
05:20Now that wish list.
05:21Ooh, that is big.
05:23I'm hoping that the budget is healthy.
05:26I wish I could tell you it was huge, but it is only 4K in this garden.
05:30Oh, I mean, you say only, but if you pick and choose what you're going to put in...
05:35Yeah.
05:36..it could work, it could work.
05:38You think you've got this one in the bag, do you?
05:40Well, I don't know about that.
05:41We'll see.
05:42I've got a few tricks up my sleeve too, Charlie.
05:44I know, I know.
05:48Charlie and Chris must create a design that fits Anne's £4,000 budget.
05:52Anne will pick her favourite, which the losing designer will help build.
05:59The designers and top team of landscapers provide the labour for free,
06:03leaving the entire budget to spend on materials and plants.
06:12Back in Swindon...
06:13Here we go.
06:14..the designer's pitches are in.
06:17This is exciting.
06:18Anne, here's my design.
06:20I've given you a garden that's full of colour, height, interest and a few things that you love to do.
06:27Oh, gosh, that looks beautiful.
06:29Starting off, outside your patio doors, a new patio, nice warm colour.
06:36But what I've also done is given you a modern screen along your driveway with a gate so you don't see the garage.
06:45And then we can grow some gorgeous climbers up it.
06:48And we've got these stepping stones that run all the way round.
06:52Oh, that's beautiful.
06:53What a beautiful design of stones.
06:55Now let me take you on a journey through the garden.
06:58So this is where your back doors are and I wanted to give you a brand new patio just outside of those.
07:03It's going to be the perfect spot for you to just sit, relax and have a cup of coffee in the morning.
07:08Yeah, coffee before I do anything.
07:10It's going to be a flagstone, natural stone paving in a random pattern, so nice and traditional.
07:15And then around the edge, to spice it up a little bit, I wanted to put in some pebbles as a little inlay.
07:21And that's going to be a recurring theme through this garden.
07:24Now this is where the journey starts to open up and get a bit more fun.
07:27Because I know you didn't want any lawn.
07:29So it's got a really strong shape, but it does have these sweeping curves that will lead you up to the end of the garden.
07:35Oh, thank goodness the grass has gone.
07:38And then you go along this pathway through the gravel and then you've got a bench seat that rolls around.
07:45The raised pond.
07:46Oh, look at this pond!
07:48So you can sit in different places or when you've got your friends around they can sit there.
07:53And the pond's going to be big enough so you can have a water lily in it.
07:58You can have a few goldfish.
08:00And then opposite we've got this raised bed.
08:03Because I know you want to do some pottering around and gardening, but it's not like hard work.
08:11Yeah, that's what I need. Something that's not too much.
08:14My mobility is a real problem.
08:17Charlie and Chris have taken different approaches to the entrance and central area of Ann's garden.
08:23But what about the back?
08:25As we move along up here, this is where you're greeted with a view of this big grand pergola.
08:32How can somebody design something as beautiful as this?
08:35We've got that big long raised bed that I know you really wanted.
08:39And it's going to be the perfect height for you to just perch on and do a bit of gardening.
08:43And it just elevates things a bit as well, bringing the plant in higher up.
08:47And then as you move along there into this area, this is where you've got a really long raised pond.
08:53It's going to be deep enough for you to put your own fish in.
08:56Thank you so much.
08:57And then right on the end, we've got a water blade pouring into it just to keep the water moving
09:02and to give you that amazing sound of running water.
09:05And a water blade. Oh, gosh.
09:08Here at the end, I've added height by putting in a pergola to give you some dappled light.
09:15Such beauty.
09:16And then I've got a feature shrub there or small tree.
09:20And I thought something like Magnolia stellata.
09:23And Magnolia, one of my favourite shrubs.
09:26And then I know you also really wanted to get some height into the garden
09:29because at the moment it is very flat and it's just a big issue for you.
09:33So I've given you this very large pergola.
09:35And over here, I wanted to give you your very own cordyline tree.
09:38Cordyline. You knew I love cordyline.
09:41Underneath that is going to be some quite sparse gravel planting
09:44because it's easy to maintain, keeps the weeds down.
09:47And then I've even added a little bit down the side just to screen the shed behind there.
09:52And I promise I'm going to give it a lick of paint as well just to spruce it up.
09:56That's important.
09:57It was something I was going to try and do myself, but I wouldn't be able to do it.
10:02It's going to be curvy with height and lots of lovely colour and interest.
10:08I hope you like my design.
10:10I'm absolutely blown away by this, Charlie. It's just incredible.
10:14We've got the pebbles, we've got the height, you've got your show-stopping water feature.
10:19I think this is going to be the dream garden for you to kick back and relax in, Anne.
10:23Gosh, this is going to be so difficult to decide.
10:25So, I really hope you pick me.
10:31Anne must choose her favourite garden design.
10:34So, let's have a look at Charlie's.
10:38Charlie's given me a beautiful pond.
10:41It's so big I could have the largest fish I've ever had.
10:45And it's a patio with a pergola and the plants growing up.
10:49That's so attractive.
10:50And I love how she's protected the side of the garage,
10:55because that is a very ugly feature of this garden.
10:58Let's have a look at Chris's.
11:00He calls this a pebbled paradise, which I think is a great name.
11:04And I see the pebbled paradise comes from layers of concrete
11:09done in strips with pebbles indented.
11:12How beautiful, what an attractive thing.
11:15It's really difficult to decide.
11:17They really are both beautiful.
11:21So, Charlie.
11:22Right.
11:23We've heard back from Anne.
11:24Oh, OK.
11:25Shall we see if your waterfall's going to get built?
11:27Oh, or yours.
11:29Have you put waterfall?
11:30Oh, yeah.
11:31Well, it's been really difficult.
11:33Two amazing designs.
11:35I've given so much thought to this.
11:37Oh.
11:38Charlie, what a beautiful design with the beautiful pond.
11:42Oh, we both did that.
11:43Oh.
11:44And, Chris, the geometry of the garden with the curves
11:47and the straight lines is just stunning.
11:50Oh.
11:51But I've given a lot of thought to both of them.
11:53And there's got to be just one winner.
11:56Cool.
11:58It's Chris.
12:00Ah!
12:01Well, you can definitely help me with my water feature,
12:03all right, Charlie?
12:04All right.
12:05OK.
12:06As it's you, Chris.
12:07As it's you.
12:08It's just so beautiful.
12:10Every time I play the video, I just cry.
12:12It means so much to me.
12:14You know she's going to really cherish it.
12:16And just that space for her when she gets back home
12:20to relax and water.
12:22I think it's going to be nice.
12:23You can definitely help me out with that, though.
12:30It's down to project manager Dan
12:32and his trusted team of landscapers
12:34to bring Chris's pebbled paradise to life.
12:38They have just two days to rescue Anne's garden.
12:41Morning all.
12:42Morning.
12:43So all this grass and this path is coming out.
12:46We're going to have a small patio area in front of the doors here.
12:49And then another patio area here.
12:52We're going to have a nice pergola over the patio area.
12:55And then along this side here,
12:57we're going to have a water feature and a raised bed.
13:00Quite a lot to do.
13:02Yeah.
13:03Right, let's go for it.
13:04First, the team must clear all the old fixtures and fittings.
13:09Talk about industrial strength washing lines.
13:12To make way for Chris's new design.
13:14Oh, it's stuck.
13:16You guys got the easy end, I reckon.
13:18There's no, that is not coming out.
13:21What the fuck are you?
13:22It's wedged.
13:24I think you had a little movement.
13:26Oh, hey, there we go.
13:28Obviously I loosened it for you.
13:29Obviously I loosened it for you.
13:30Yeah, obviously.
13:31Yeah, yeah.
13:32You got it?
13:33There are some heavy things hidden.
13:35Tell you what, I'll get this one.
13:36Yeah, you got that one?
13:38Yeah, yeah, sure.
13:39Susie!
13:42Throughout Anne's 91 metre square garden.
13:45These stones are like icebergs.
13:48And there's more in the ground than there is above.
13:50But they're coming out so that we can replace all this stone edging
13:55with a nice clean metal edge.
13:57And it'll be a lot easier for her to manage.
13:59You shall.
14:02Before Susie can begin to lay new edging for borders and beds.
14:06When it's spinning, it's winning.
14:08She and Danny are measuring up with laser distance measurers.
14:13It just carries this level dead across.
14:15And because we've got a dead level like that,
14:17we can then work out up and down off of that level,
14:20what level we want to be.
14:22It's just numbers and straight lines, basically.
14:24But it works well.
14:25So it's starting to beep and then when it flat lines like that,
14:28then I know that I'm level with the light coming out of the laser.
14:33Chris has created new shapes and curves throughout Anne's new garden.
14:38So what me and Carla just do right now is trying to get our points,
14:44get a string line and then we'll be able to curve,
14:46a nice curve from point A to point B.
14:49Once certain they'll be working to the right measurements,
14:52Danny can dig out the lawn that Anne dislikes so much,
14:56and help finish the clearing too.
15:03Go on Danny, see if you can do it.
15:05Ah, behold! Scalibur!
15:11Not everything in the old garden will go to waste though.
15:16Susie's keen to keep any plants she can.
15:20This is a Polaris grass.
15:22It's in the way of where our water feature's going to go,
15:26but luckily we're at the right time of year where I can actually split it.
15:30So I'm going to cut it back, get the spade and just split it
15:35and then we're going to transplant it and pop it in front of the conifers over there
15:39because it's such a nice grass, it'll be a shame to waste it.
15:48So the grass has formed a dense mat and I've been able to divide that into,
15:53well, looks like I can get about four plants,
15:55but chop down, I can go and transplant it over here.
15:59Once the borders are tidied, Susie can start to add new edging.
16:10Kyle and Monty are laying the sub base
16:14for a new patio at the rear.
16:23While Danny lays paving for the second patio at the entrance to the garden.
16:29with curves cut into paving at the centre of the space
16:34and wooden frames for raised beds and the water feature too,
16:40the team has worked hard to bring a new structure to Anne's garden in just one day.
16:48They're as ready as can be for Chris and Charlie's arrival in the morning.
17:01Look at this! Look at that! Now that's an oak tree as you were drawn.
17:05It is, it looks like a big broccoli doesn't it?
17:08Yeah!
17:09That has got some real character, I love that.
17:14Wow! Look at this!
17:17Look at this!
17:18Can you believe it?
17:19My goodness, it's changed a lot already!
17:22It feels very big, doesn't it?
17:23It does!
17:24I mean, this classic straight path down the garden, it's so boring, isn't it?
17:28Yeah!
17:29And now we've got these sweeping curves, it's very inviting.
17:31And I mean, Anne may be retired, but she is full of life and energy, isn't she?
17:35Yeah, so we want to bring that energy to the garden because it was very like...
17:39Yeah, so today you can bring that energy, Charlie.
17:42Okay!
17:43I want you focusing on, of course, the water feature.
17:46Right, which is a key thing around the pergola.
17:49Exactly, it's going to be a really calming, relaxing space for Anne.
17:52And what are you going to be doing there?
17:53Because there's quite a lot to do!
17:54I'm going to be doing the pebbles, I'm going to be doing the pergola, I'm going to be doing all of it, really.
17:58And that's before we get to the planting!
18:00Oh yeah, exactly.
18:01Right, shall I really upset Susie?
18:03Because I'll drag her onto it because I know she loves working with me!
18:06Oh, she loves it!
18:07Susie! Sweetie!
18:08Yeah?
18:09You're working with me!
18:10Good luck!
18:11This garden really needs rooms to break it up and make sense of this very long space.
18:25And by rooms, what I mean is just dividing it into different areas.
18:29And there's a lot of ways that you can do that.
18:31One, you could use physical screens made out of timber or metal.
18:35But what I've opted for is something a little bit more softer and delicate.
18:39So we've got planted divisions from these existing shrubs, which is brilliant because it just softens up these edges.
18:46But another trick I've employed in this garden is I'm using these strips of pebbles to denote different spaces.
18:52And what's really nice about that is it just slows you down as you're moving through the garden.
18:57You don't just see it all at once.
18:59Chris's pebble strips will divide a gravel garden he's creating beyond Dan's new patio at the entrance to the garden.
19:07Now gravel is a very cost effective way of covering a large amount of area.
19:13Because if you're going to do this in paving, it could cost £50 a metre for budget paving.
19:18But if you're going to do this with gravel, it would be less than half of that.
19:21So it really does save the pennies.
19:23Once membrane is cut around curved bedding, the team can start to lay gravel that will lead all the way to the rear patio, pergola and pond.
19:35Now Anne was really keen to have a pond in the garden and a pond that she could actually have fish in.
19:42Now maintenance on a pond is hard work, it's not low maintenance, so you do need to consider that.
19:48So that's why Chris has made it a raised pond so that it's going to be easier for Anne to look after.
19:54She can sit on the edge, she'll be able to reach the pumps and the filters and use a net if she's got to scoop anything out.
20:02First, Charlie and Susie lay a liner in the pond to stop it leaking.
20:07Chris has gone for really good quality liners, it's a rubber liner.
20:11Really good quality, heavy, but it doesn't get broken down by sunlight, it's nice and thick.
20:16And because it's a very simple shape, we'll only have folds in the corner, a bit like making a bed in inverse, if you know what I mean.
20:26Next, they can start to add water.
20:30Right, Charlie, there we are.
20:32Thank you very much.
20:33You're at this stage already, you're motoring along.
20:35I know, but it's a big pond, isn't it?
20:37She's very keen on her fish, isn't she Anne?
20:39She is, she is, but I'd suggest as it's getting later in the summer that she gets the pond set up, leave it a month and then put a few fish in.
20:46Yeah, they don't have to go straight in and endure a horrible winter, that would be sad for them, wouldn't it?
20:50While the pond fills, Chris is keen to add the frame and roof.
20:56Right, Carl, let's get these rails on then.
20:58Yes, please.
20:59To the pergola.
21:01Well, we want to get our height right as well, don't we?
21:03You go flush your end so it's nice.
21:05We'll get my end in on its mark and a really easy trick to make your pergolas look tidy is to countersink your holes for these construction screws.
21:21Because that way they're hidden away from the face and it doesn't chew up the timber.
21:31Chris has plans to make the pergola roof something special.
21:35I really wanted to give Anne a bit of detailing on this pergola so what we're going to do is we're actually going to overhang these top beams across the top and then I'm going to put a 45 degree cut on the end and it just give it a little bit of extra flair so Anne knows that this pergola has been personalised just for her.
21:56Anne really wanted to sort of brighten up this corner of the garden, the shed being a bit dark sort of disappeared so I think she just wants a nice sort of bright feature in the corner to cheer up a little bit in this area so that should be quite nice.
22:25And Chris's planting scheme will bring even more colour.
22:30Wow.
22:31Look at that. Lots of grasses. Oh she's going to love that.
22:35I love these sort of late season colour and all the movement from the grasses.
22:40And then you've got lots of shrubs that are going to be easy maintenance.
22:44That's what it's all about.
22:45Flowering shrubs, everyone goes oh flowering shrubs are boring but they're not, they give so much to a garden.
22:51Yeah.
22:52And I love Scheiser stylus, I mean late summer, colour it just keeps going late until the first hard frost and I have to say we down south now we don't tend to get them so much.
23:03No we don't.
23:04Right let's get some of these off then.
23:06And then we've got some facts here for a bit of drama. I love a bit of drama.
23:15Susie's been busy making the frame to house a water blade that will create a waterfall for the pond.
23:22Just making a few minor adjustments. Now I've got the water blade and then I've made a little incision so that I can lock that piece of timber out and the inlet pipe will fit nicely in there and then this blade will be flush with the front of the frame.
23:42The waterfall will sit on the pond's wooden edging made from sleepers.
23:51I need a little bit of persuasion.
23:55Chris and Kyle have spotted a slight unevenness to their slatted pergola roof too.
24:08What do you reckon then Bigo?
24:09I think so we might want to move them out a little bit don't you?
24:12Yeah I think the outside ones want to be further, closer to the edge don't they?
24:16It does yeah, which means they may have to change all of our measurements.
24:19It's alright I wasn't attached to it.
24:22Chris wants the slats to sit closer to the edge of the pergola.
24:27His eye for detail was why Anne chose his design in the first place.
24:33I do need that pergola in the garden because I do need some height.
24:38I just hope it looks okay when it's been constructed.
24:41Chris won't be happy until it looks more than okay.
24:45I'm really glad I decided to put these little details on the end because it makes such a difference this pergola.
24:51When you walk into the garden and you see this it's so grand and it's exactly what Anne deserves.
24:57I just love these little details.
24:59The rush is on. We're fixing, he's fixing.
25:03Ta-da! Done.
25:15At the pond Charlie and Susie have added the filtration and pump and hidden all unsightly cabling in Susie's clever housing unit.
25:24Now before gluing it permanently in position with this super strong glue we've got, we're going to test it first, just in case we need to adjust it.
25:35It's time to see just how well this pond's water falls.
25:39Oh there you go. Beautiful. Are we happy with that?
25:47Using construction glue will ensure the waterfall stays in position.
25:52Yeah upside down back to front.
25:54Danny's adding paving to clad the unit.
25:58We're using slabs which is lovely but as you can see not straightforward and easy.
26:04What you could do is use a metal sheet instead or smaller tiles which you could do individually or you could face it with timber.
26:13So there are the options but Chris wanted it a bit more fancy.
26:17Unless we got nothing else to do, we went fancy.
26:21We've got a lot to do.
26:26Chris is busy positioning pebbles for the strips that will break up the gravel garden.
26:31And there's many ways you can do it. This is the simplest.
26:34You just get a bed of mortar down like that and then you just place them in but you want to make sure you leave them proud.
26:41If you sink them in too much they're just going to get lost and enveloped in all of this.
26:46So you want to leave them a bit proud. That's the key.
26:48What I'm thinking I might do is actually put one of our leftover slabs like a stepping stone in the middle of this just there.
26:56Because I hate to see things go to waste.
26:58So I think it would be nice to plop it in there and then it ties the patios together with these bands of pebbles.
27:03That is lovely Kyle.
27:07With pebble strips well underway, the pond's ready to flow and all is equal with the pergola.
27:14It's a wheel burrow off.
27:16Chris and Charlie can start to think about planting.
27:20Now it's not always about the big showy tall flowery plants in the garden.
27:26Sometimes it's about the understated ones.
27:28The ones that fill the nooks and crannies on the edges of beds and that can take a bit of shade as well.
27:33So I've got these heuchera and these geranium who will be perfectly happy here when they get a mix of sun and shade.
27:39And then they just fill this gap in the front of the fuchsia.
27:44Soften it all up as well.
27:46That's nice.
27:52So I wouldn't mind if I'm doing this club it's an evergreen or two.
27:56So I've got fats here.
27:57Well I've actually got lots of evergreens right here.
27:59What about the viburnum maybe?
28:01Viburnum okay because you've got one down there so let's put that.
28:04Tie it together and it's got the lovely flowers.
28:06And it makes that nice round mound doesn't it?
28:08Yeah.
28:09And then.
28:10I think it needs to be very flowery because this is going to be the bed where Anne is actually sitting and pottering in.
28:15And the evening sunshine as well.
28:17Yeah.
28:18So we'll get some of these back there as well.
28:20Back there.
28:21Back there.
28:22Now this is one of my go to plants if you want a bit of a seaside feel in your garden.
28:34It's a corduoline australis or a tour bay palm because it's always found down in the English Riviera.
28:39But it is a really good plant especially if you're a beginner to gardening and you're worried about growing things that are slightly on the exotic side.
28:46This is perfect for you because it is hardy and it's really easy to grow.
28:51They grow in the toughest of conditions on the coast, they've got salt battering them, wind, rain and they even grow in really sandy dry soils.
28:59So as long as you've got some free draining soil, some sun, this is going to be happy as Larry.
29:05Beautiful.
29:14Nice, well done.
29:16Right, I'm just popping in this Fatsia japonica. It's a fabulous plant, shrub, evergreen, it's got these gorgeous, shiny, big palm-like leaves.
29:27So it's going to add some structure to this raised bed and then we've got some other shrubs that are evergreen right down at the end.
29:35We've got a choicier tonata. They're really robust and nice and easy for Anne to look after.
29:42While Charlie focuses on Anne's raised bed, Chris is focusing on the gravel garden.
29:49This beautiful silvery plant is a Santolina and it is a great plant for a gravel garden or any sort of Mediterranean or beachy coastal themed garden.
30:00And they're called the cotton lavender. Now they're not actually related to lavender but they have this really delicate textured foliage.
30:07And you can also clump them together either to form a hedge or just en masse on a sunny bank, they would do really, really well.
30:14But these are going to look really good once they fill out a bit.
30:17Painting is nearly coming to the end of the run. Sun bleached and distressed is how I'm going to describe it.
30:32Now the other thing Chris wanted for Anne in this border is lots of colour.
30:39And what's really great is he's put in a selection of plants that give you colour late in the season.
30:46Come sort of late summer, early autumn, the garden can look a bit drab and colourless.
30:53But he's got some really gorgeous late flowering perennials.
30:58We've got some asters, we've got the rudbeckias with these bright yellow flowers.
31:04And then one of my favourites, this one here, river lily.
31:08And he's got these lovely sort of salmon spikes of flower.
31:13It's quite an upright perennial and it gets to about two foot tall.
31:17But it flowers right the way through sort of late summer into the autumn.
31:23And if you don't get many frosts, it will keep going to early November.
31:29So Chris, do you want to have a quick glance?
31:33That is lovely.
31:35So it's a bit sort of colourful but prairie-ish?
31:38Yeah, I like that it's very loose. That's very me that is Charlie.
31:42That's all right then.
31:47I have got a really understated plant here.
31:51This is viburnum davidii.
31:53And it is a really great evergreen compact shrub.
31:57They're sort of used a lot for utility planting.
32:00But that's because they are so bomb-proof.
32:03It is a really, really tough plant.
32:05And they're just great for filling any gap.
32:07And you can kind of just plant and forget with these.
32:10You don't have to worry too much.
32:12If it eventually starts getting a bit too big and in the way, you can carefully prune them down low and take out the branches that you don't want hanging out onto your path.
32:21But other than that, you really don't need to worry about it.
32:24Chris is also working with some of the plantage Anne was already keen on in her garden.
32:37This lilac tree was really important to Anne because it reminded her of her childhood.
32:42And when she found it in this garden, I think she was over the moon.
32:45So it's really nice that we're able to make a feature out of this lilac in the garden.
32:50Because it was sort of stood alone.
32:52It looked a little bit lost before with the layer of the garden.
32:55But now that it's framed with this big sweeping bed and all this beautiful planting ties into the rest of the garden, it really, really shows it off.
33:04And this is actually an unusual one because it's a dwarf lilac.
33:07But you can see from the size of these old, gnarled trunks that it has been here for a long, long time.
33:13And I don't think it's going anywhere any time soon.
33:16And the late summer sharp showers...
33:21It's hailstones now!
33:25..are coming down in bucket loads.
33:32Do you know that way?
33:33Yeah. I think it's stopping, you know.
33:35I think it's stopping. I think it's safe to go out.
33:38Yeah, that'll do.
33:40OK, that'll do. Right, let's get this garden done.
33:43Come on.
33:44Oh, wet knees.
33:46Do you want a little penciler?
33:51Now, one last flower that Chris has popped in, which I'm sure Anne will absolutely love, is this thin-leaved sunflower.
34:00It's perennial and it's got these lovely yellow flowers.
34:04Being a sunflower, likes full sunshine, which it has got here.
34:08Not at the moment because we've got a little bit of rain and even a little bit of thunder and light.
34:13We've had it all today.
34:15And hail, sunshine, hail, rain, thunderstorms, the whole lot.
34:20The more loud noises you make, the heavier it looks.
34:26We're not going to make it.
34:28Come on, Chris.
34:29You've got this.
34:30Look how strong we are.
34:32There you go.
34:33You never know the man I was there now.
34:37It's a nice little feature, isn't it?
34:39Pretty.
34:40Lovely.
34:41With all the plants in place and main structures too, the team just have to add some final touches, including a chimney.
34:48All right.
34:49Yeah, no, I think that's fine.
34:51For two days, they've worked hard to bring structure and low-maintenance life to Anne's garden.
34:58We did it.
34:59I know.
35:00Oh, my goodness me.
35:01It was a race, wasn't it?
35:03It was a race and we had the weather, we had the rain and thunder.
35:06And now look, it's all right.
35:08It's all right.
35:09It's dry.
35:10Bit of sunshine.
35:11But, oh, Chris, I think Anne is going to be absolutely bowled over with this.
35:17She's going to really think this is the bee's knees.
35:21She is.
35:22And I think what you've done over here with the water feature and this planting bed, this is going to give her so much to do.
35:27She could sit and pot it and it's not going to be a chore, is it? It's going to be really fun.
35:31Well.
35:32I'm going to go get her.
35:33I think it's time.
35:34Come on, then.
35:35She's so excited.
35:38Anne's garden was once full of lawn with overgrown shrubs, cracking pathways and no colour nor purpose.
35:48But with a £4,000 budget, it's been given new shape and structure with patios, gravel garden, pergola and pond to fill with fish.
36:01There we go.
36:02Now keep their eyes closed.
36:03Position you there.
36:04One second.
36:05There we go.
36:06Here we go.
36:07I think Anne is going to be just overwhelmed.
36:10Anne, tell me what the garden was like the last time you laid eyes on it.
36:14Well, it was green.
36:15It was very flat.
36:16It was depressing.
36:17And there was a horrendous amount of concrete.
36:18I've never seen so much concrete in all my life.
36:19So I'm not going to make you wait any longer.
36:20Please open your eyes.
36:21God, no.
36:22This is ridiculous.
36:23It is.
36:24How can you do this in two days?
36:25Are you OK?
36:26Oh, no, it's making me cry.
36:27When I see people say they can't take it in and it's so challenging, I'm not so much concrete
36:28in all my life.
36:29So I'm not going to make you wait any longer.
36:30Please open your eyes.
36:31Oh, God, no.
36:32This is ridiculous.
36:33It is.
36:34How can you do this in two days?
36:35Are you OK?
36:36Oh, no, it's making me cry.
36:51When I see people say they can't take it in and it's so challenging.
36:56Oh, bless you.
36:58Oh, she's so lovely.
37:01Oh, God, it's more than beautiful.
37:03It really is.
37:04I can't.
37:05Oh, crumbs, I've got to find words and I can't find them.
37:08It's just so much bigger than it was when I left it this morning.
37:13That happens when you put things in it.
37:15It's going to be a vital part of my life, a vital part of my friends' lives.
37:20Yeah.
37:21And I'm just so overwhelmed with what you've done.
37:24What an amazing garden.
37:28Anne once walked out onto a straight, broken pathway that led to nothing but grass and bulging borders.
37:35She now arrives to a modern level patio leading to a gravel garden that's given a new shape and structure by those curved borders full of easy to maintain planting.
37:51We've got brand new paving underfoot.
37:54So it's now easy to glide out of the house and you've got all this space around you.
37:58It just looks as though it's been here forever.
38:01It is just amazing.
38:02You've got plants, you've got your existing shrubs, which are great.
38:06Now they look good, don't they?
38:07They do.
38:08And what about this little number here?
38:11The cordyline, thank you.
38:12She's just seen the cordyline.
38:15The centre of Anne's garden was previously unloved and unused.
38:20Now, texture's been added in the form of Chris's pebble strips, with raised beds to the side and coastal-style planting scattered throughout.
38:35There's the Cotoneaster.
38:37No, it's not your Cotoneaster.
38:38No, it's not.
38:39It's your cordyline.
38:40You already said that.
38:41That's the cordyline.
38:42You can rely on me.
38:45Yeah.
38:46But you've got one, your very own cordyline.
38:48The height of that.
38:49Yeah.
38:50This one's taller than me.
38:51It is.
38:52But it's very well established.
38:53Thank you very much.
38:54That's all right.
38:55And then we've got all these little gravelly plants that are going to fill out and self-seed around in time.
38:59Beautiful.
39:00And they'll keep popping up so they'll look really naturalistic.
39:02It's just going to be remarkable.
39:03It really is.
39:04Yeah.
39:05Now, let's have a look at this planting bed.
39:07Wow, it's the size of this.
39:08Now, Charlie spent a long time planting this up for you and it's full of beautiful flowers.
39:13What have I got here?
39:14But this is a river lily and it's really nice.
39:16It's so cute.
39:17I've never seen anything like it before.
39:19It's so precious.
39:20It is.
39:21I've got two of them.
39:22Oh, you've got more dotted around as well.
39:23Oh, I've got another one there.
39:24And there's some in another border.
39:25Oh.
39:26But they're great because you get lovely, really lush foliage and then the beautiful flowers.
39:29And it's good for late summer colourless border.
39:31Yes, yes.
39:32It's like a kitty in a sweet shop.
39:35Do you think this is the sort of bed you can enjoy pottering around in?
39:37Oh, absolutely.
39:38Absolutely.
39:39I shall just, I shall be popping seeds in and growing things and I just, I'm just going
39:45to have such fun.
39:46I've got a feeling Anne's going to be off down the garden centre tomorrow.
39:50Now, why don't we go and have a look at the main event?
39:53Go on.
39:54At the back of Anne's garden was more bland grass surrounded by bland shed and paving.
40:04Now, Anne can unwind or socialise under that bespoke slatted pergola and sit by the water feature
40:12as the sounds of its fall float across the garden.
40:16Oh, look at this.
40:18Beautiful, isn't it?
40:20But it's so big.
40:22I don't know.
40:23Oh, my Lord.
40:24Now, what do you think?
40:25Is this good enough for you, Anne?
40:27Well, it's just trying to find the right words for it.
40:29It's so beautiful.
40:31Big enough so you can have eight to ten fish.
40:35And we've given you the sleeper on its side there, so it's a good perch.
40:40You know, if you've got the fish in there.
40:42Can I sit down?
40:43Yeah, sit down.
40:44Oh, it's warm.
40:45I can have a bath.
40:46I mean, I think I need one more, actually.
40:51I'm filthy.
40:52I can see many happy memories are going to be made.
40:57Lovely.
40:58Absolutely lovely.
40:59And what about your shed?
41:01That's such a beautiful colour, isn't it?
41:03I knew you promised to paint it for me, but the richness.
41:07I know.
41:08It looks as though the sun's shining on there.
41:10It's like a little beach hut, you know?
41:12It's a new beach hut.
41:14Yeah.
41:15It's a new shed.
41:17And there's one more thing that's really great about this garden, and it's the view back towards the house now.
41:22I actually enjoy that so much.
41:24Chris, this garden is right off Ann's Street.
41:28Fantastic.
41:29I should be able to have a reed.
41:31I can have friends round and have coffee.
41:33I can do some gouache painting.
41:35Oh, that would be nice.
41:36There's so many things.
41:37If I can get on the floor, I'll also do some yoga.
41:40Oh, very good.
41:41If I can get up again.
41:42This is it.
41:43It's giving you space that you can actually use.
41:45Because I bet you never came down this end of the garden.
41:47No, I hated it.
41:48Yeah.
41:49I even paid a man to cut the grass and that was it.
41:51I didn't do anything else with it.
41:52And now you don't have to worry about cutting the grass.
41:54No.
41:55That's easy, isn't it?
41:56Yeah, I really, really hope it's given you everything you've wanted.
42:00More.
42:01And more?
42:02More than I ever expected.
42:04It really is, Chris.
42:05Obviously, I didn't do this garden by myself.
42:08It was a great team.
42:09And Charlie has spent a lot of time in this part today.
42:13Wow!
42:14Thank you so much.
42:15You've done such wonders.
42:17I have to say.
42:19Really?
42:20I don't think you liked it, did you?
42:22At all.
42:23I knew you'd be bowled over.
42:25It's beautiful.
42:26It's absolutely beautiful.
42:28Isn't it?
42:29It's amazing.
42:30It's just incredible.
42:31It's 100 times more than I ever imagined.
42:33I think you're going to love it.
42:35And you're going to be here with your choir.
42:37Oh, yeah.
42:38Belting out some tunes.
42:39Absolutely.
42:40Yeah.
42:41Maybe even a bit of dancing on the panel.
42:43We can do that.
42:44We can do that.
42:45Definitely, yes.
42:46Oh, no, I think this is my cue to leave.
43:03One, it has a fun time to dance game.
43:04Yes, that's a such thing.
43:05Ties.
43:06I think you'll at a time.
43:07Bye.
43:08See you next time.
43:09Bye.
43:10Bye.
43:16Bye.
43:17Bye.
43:19Bye.
43:20Bye.
43:23Bye.
43:24Bye.
43:25Bye.
43:26Bye.
43:27Bye.
43:28Bye.
43:29Bye.
43:30Bye.
43:31Bye.