Garden Rescue episode 22 2024
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00The Garden Rescue Team are on a mission.
00:04What's not to like?
00:05To make garden dreams come true.
00:08Oh my God!
00:09Charlie Dimmock.
00:10Plants there, plants there, plants there, plants everywhere!
00:13Lee Burkill.
00:14Take me to my people, boys!
00:17Flo Hedlund.
00:18I've gone for the big bad boy.
00:20And Chris Hall.
00:21A couple of inches made all the difference.
00:23Tell me about it.
00:25Are here to answer your gardening emergencies.
00:28It's just a wild jungle.
00:30Okay, that's a challenge.
00:32Each week, two of our designers will go head to head.
00:35Now I really hope you like this garden.
00:37The design we have gone for is...
00:40Drum roll, please.
00:43Lee!
00:44Yes!
00:45Flo!
00:46Ah!
00:47And whichever designer loses...
00:49It's all about my water feature.
00:51My water feature.
00:53Helps the winner build the garden.
00:55Yes!
00:56Turning garden dreams...
00:58Please, open your eyes.
00:59Into reality.
01:01Oh, wow!
01:03That is absolutely stunning!
01:10Awaiting the team this time is a family garden
01:13with all kinds of complications in Albury, West Midlands.
01:18Hi, Garden Rescue. My name's Icky.
01:20Hi, Garden Rescue. My name's Pardee.
01:23And we really don't like our garden.
01:25So we've lived in the area for 20-plus years.
01:28This is our forever home.
01:31Icky and Pardeep share it with their two teenage children, Jay and Argan.
01:37The kids were quite young when we actually moved here.
01:39It's been a lovely family home for them.
01:43So their house may be well-loved,
01:45but outside, it's a very different story.
01:49We're having lots of problems with the decking and everything.
01:53As you can see, the boards are all rotten.
01:56They're not very safe at all.
01:59And over here, we have a trip hazard.
02:01You can see easily your shoes can get stuck in there, or sandals.
02:05Definitely no high heels are allowed on this decking.
02:09At 100 metres squared, the garden is a great size.
02:12But right now, there's nowhere for Jay and Argan to pursue their love of sport.
02:17Careful!
02:20We struggle with the space.
02:22You see, Jay has got a netball hoop here,
02:24because there's no other flat space in the garden.
02:27We sit on our lounges here.
02:29Normally, the barbecue is also set up here.
02:31I mean, we're sitting there, but there's just no room to move.
02:35All of us love the swing.
02:37We would still definitely like to keep that and put that somewhere else.
02:41We tend to do everything on the decking.
02:43It just feels so claustrophobic.
02:46So we could do with actually using the rest of the garden.
02:51But the rest of the garden isn't family-friendly either.
02:55The garden slopes in every direction.
02:57I can't even make sense of it, to be fair.
02:59It slopes down there, it goes up, slopes down there.
03:03What we find is the kids really love the table, tennis table.
03:06So it's a real struggle.
03:08So therefore, we have to do our level best to prop up the table,
03:12so the kids can play with it.
03:13So a couple of bricks that side, a spare brick that side.
03:17So it's just a nightmare.
03:20We've got this summer hut, but the problem is
03:23the location where it is slightly flat in the garden,
03:27we get no sun, so it never gets used.
03:30So it's just a log stall.
03:33And look over there, you can see there's nothing going on,
03:36just boring, no planting, nothing.
03:39Just dead, basically.
03:42There's also another pressing reason for Pardeep
03:45to have the garden of her dreams.
03:48I've been diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition,
03:51so it would be good to have a place in the garden
03:53where I can relax and have that bit of time to myself.
03:58Nice and quiet, maybe just hear the sound of water,
04:01so I can just get lost in my thoughts.
04:07Vying for a chance to give this garden a new lease of life
04:11is Chris, whose slick structured designs
04:14could suit Ikky and Pardeep down to the ground.
04:17They're stranded on this tiny deck
04:19when they've got that whole garden to utilise.
04:21I love that roundhouse.
04:23Or Ling, whose flamboyant plans could offer them
04:26a very different take on the family garden they crave.
04:30So Chris has got a lot to offer this garden,
04:32but I'm going to bring the unexpected.
04:38Right, I mean, that is a big garden.
04:41How do you tackle that?
04:43There's so many things that they need to do there.
04:45Exactly, there's all the different family members
04:47that are going to have different needs
04:49and almost competing interests in this garden.
04:51Yeah, this is it, you've got to cater
04:53for a different range of ages, and at the moment
04:55they're just trapped on that deck.
04:57There's nothing to draw them out into that space at all.
04:59When I look at that table tennis set, it's on a pile of bricks.
05:01It looks like it's going to fall over.
05:03Shall we find out a bit more from them?
05:05Come on.
05:07We'd love a multifunctional garden.
05:09You know, we appreciate the size of the garden,
05:12but we think it needs to be zoned,
05:14where the kids can have their breakout space.
05:16You know, on a summer's day,
05:18we all want to be in the garden,
05:20but we don't want to be on top of each other.
05:22But there's more.
05:24They'd love their new family garden
05:26to bring the flavour of their family's roots.
05:29We'd like to include our Indian heritage,
05:31and in Indian gardens, wood and water
05:34is very important to us.
05:36And this is a picture I took when I was in India,
05:39and it's a good example of our Indian heritage,
05:42because materials of the earth are really important,
05:45and trees and wood
05:48are very important to our Indian heritage.
05:51Planting-wise, again, a nod to our Asian heritage.
05:55We would like accent colours.
05:57The house is full of accent colours,
05:59so that kind of is our style.
06:01And we're not very green-fingered,
06:03so therefore, you know, low-maintenance possible.
06:07I mean, that is a pretty big wish list, isn't it?
06:09Yeah, I mean, to be honest, they had me at saffron and hot colours.
06:12I absolutely love that.
06:14And this garden's screaming out for a bit of colour, a bit of pizzazz.
06:17It does. I mean, it's so hard to divide this garden up,
06:20because you need areas for play,
06:22for table tennis, for relaxing,
06:24space to get all the friends and family round.
06:27I'd love to try and use this somehow.
06:29I mean, I think it just needs a good tidy-up,
06:31and that could be a key part to the design.
06:33See, you love it, and I'm a bit like,
06:35how does that marry up with this modern, zoned garden?
06:38It gives me a bit of a creep looking at that.
06:41Oh, does it? Yeah. It does, yeah.
06:43And do you want to know the budget? Go on.
06:455K. OK. Yeah.
06:48But we do have at least four demands on the garden,
06:50so when you look at it that way,
06:52the budget suddenly starts to shrink and shrink.
06:54Exactly, and especially a garden like this,
06:56you know, you need to put loads of plants in it
06:58to give them those colours and soften it all up,
07:00and your budget's just going to start to go down the drain.
07:02Yeah, definitely.
07:04It now falls to Chris and Lee
07:06to stretch that £5,000 budget as far as possible.
07:10Icky and Pardee then have to choose one of their designs,
07:14and whichever designer loses must help the other build it.
07:18The couple's budget will be spent on materials,
07:21with Chris, Lee and their landscapers providing the labour for free.
07:27In Oldbury, the pitchers have arrived.
07:32Right, here's the videos. Ready?
07:34Yeah, let's have a look. Here we go.
07:39Icky, Pardee, this is your garden, Family Fun and Tranquil Sun.
07:44Now, I know you wanted a garden
07:46where you could come together as a family, entertain.
07:49You wanted a nice level area,
07:51and you wanted to have a little bit of space
07:54You wanted a nice level area
07:56where you could play on that ping-pong table,
07:58but also you wanted somewhere where you could break away
08:01and relax and feel calm.
08:03Wow, look at that.
08:05This is my active hot garden design for you.
08:08You want a garden that's going to be super multifunctional
08:11for all of the family.
08:13You want an area for sports and recreation,
08:16a zone for relaxation,
08:18and also somewhere where you can entertain your friends and family.
08:21That looks really good.
08:23First issue to address, the dangerous deck.
08:27I wanted to rip that out and give you a brand-new decked area there.
08:31Now, the thing with that is it's going to still give you
08:34that little space down there that you can use,
08:36but you've got so many more spaces in the garden now.
08:39And I've given you a super modern, light-grey natural stone patio.
08:44It's going to look absolutely gorgeous,
08:46so that when you spill out from the house,
08:48you've got a super level, neat and tidy modern patio.
08:51So as we leave the first seating area,
08:53we're going to then move into the other zones in the garden.
08:56And I've used the same paving to take you on a journey to the next zone.
09:00No more wobbling around or wobbly boards.
09:03That's it.
09:05Two very different approaches so far.
09:08So how's Chris going to deal with the sloping grass?
09:12Now, I know at the moment one of the reasons you don't utilise that garden
09:16is because it does have a gradient on it,
09:18and you're even having to prop that ping-pong table up on bricks.
09:21So I'm going to tackle that.
09:23This area here is going to be level,
09:25and then we'll make everything else work around it.
09:27This is going to be the real kind of entertaining space,
09:30the place where you can get the family members around
09:33to get that ping-pong table out.
09:35It's going to be the dream spot.
09:37The kids will love that, have their friends over.
09:39They've got their own little social space.
09:41For this bench in here, I wanted to make some bespoke benches.
09:44They are really long, and they wrap around there.
09:47So it's a great place for getting together,
09:49and you actually get a lovely view back out across the garden.
09:53With Chris providing an entertaining zone that ticks various boxes,
09:58what has Lee got up his sleeve?
10:00This is going to be the multifunctional table tennis zone.
10:04What I've done is given you this wooden surround
10:08where the table tennis legs can sit perfectly stable.
10:11This area is going to be made of timber sleepers
10:13that are insect into the lawn, perfectly flush.
10:17If you want to then fold the table up,
10:19you can move it down the side of the house
10:21and use this area as another entertaining space.
10:24So we can be relaxing on the patio without having to see the kids play.
10:28Yeah, it's OK. The kids will be in their own zone.
10:32With the ping-pong table dealt with,
10:34what does Chris have planned for the far end of the garden?
10:38Moving up here, that's where things calm down.
10:41We start to relax.
10:43This roundhouse, I wanted to move it over
10:45so I could nestle it amongst loads of planting.
10:48This is where I wanted to move that swing seat
10:50to the top of the garden,
10:52and it's just going to give another quiet retreat.
10:54Now, the other thing in this tranquil space,
10:56I just wanted to give you a really simple small water feature
11:00because I know water is really important in Indian gardens.
11:04Somewhere where I can actually relax,
11:06a nice water feature as well.
11:08Chris is making the most of the couple's existing garden furniture
11:12and even adding a water feature.
11:14So what can leave fire back with?
11:17Now, I know that water is really important,
11:20so I've taken my design lead from the raised beds
11:23and given you this raised rectangular pond.
11:26It's going to be a simple pond with a bubbling jet.
11:29I'm going to keep the existing pavilion that he uses as a wood store.
11:32I'm going to repurpose it.
11:34This is going to be a little seating or changing area,
11:37and then I've connected it using a soft curved gravel path
11:41surrounded by all of these gorgeous ferns, grasses.
11:45Yeah, that sounds really good.
11:49With Lee also creating a tranquil zone with a water feature,
11:53could Chris's planting be the game changer?
11:56So when you're sat in this lovely seating area,
11:59you can look across to this border
12:01and there'll be some nice hot accents
12:03to remind you of your Indian heritage.
12:05So things like Helleniums poking up,
12:07lots of tall Calamagrostis or Miscanthus grasses
12:10just to give you a bit of texture,
12:12but also we'll dot some evergreen shrubs through
12:14to give you all-year colour.
12:16I love the use of shrubs, low maintenance.
12:18We're not green-fingered at all, are we?
12:20So that's ideal.
12:21This is a real multifunctional garden
12:23where you can cook, relax and play.
12:26It really is a garden for all ages.
12:28I'd love to see this one built
12:30because I think it is going to transform
12:32that very dull garden of yours
12:33and it's going to make a big difference to your life.
12:35I hope you pick this one.
12:38This is going to be really difficult.
12:40Yeah.
12:43Now it's all down to Ikky and Pardeep.
12:46Let's see.
12:47Will they choose Chris's zoned garden
12:49with a recreational area, new deck and two chill-out spots?
12:54I love where the woodhouse is right up in the corner
12:57out the way and that's when the sun hits
12:59at the end of the day as well,
13:00so it'd be nice to sit in there.
13:02The only thing I'm not sure about is
13:04we're replacing one deck with another deck.
13:06Yeah, that's true.
13:07You know, are we going to have the same issues again?
13:10Or Lee's colourful design with a raised water feature,
13:13secluded sunbathing spot for Pardeep
13:16and a new patio.
13:19I like the different zones and the vibrant colours.
13:22I also like that water feature being there as well.
13:24It's a nice big water feature.
13:26It's going to be a tough one to decide.
13:28It is.
13:29Only one design can win.
13:32Who's it going to be?
13:35Right, Ikky and Pardeep have got back to us.
13:37Well, let's see which one they picked.
13:39Let's have a look.
13:40Hi, Lee. Hi, Chris.
13:42Amazing designs.
13:43It was such a difficult decision.
13:45It always is.
13:46Yeah.
13:47Loads of talking, loads of discussions,
13:49loads of back and forth.
13:50Yeah, we love both designs.
13:52However, there has to be a winner.
13:54Yeah.
13:55And that winner is...
13:57Chris!
13:59Well done, mate.
14:01I think, to be honest, that was a very close call.
14:03Chris, we love the sight lines.
14:05We love that you can tell where it's zoned.
14:07Yeah.
14:08We have parties for maybe 40 people at a time.
14:10And you've got two different social areas.
14:12And now we've got lots of social area.
14:14Chris, we can't wait for you to come and build it.
14:17There's always one thing in the design
14:19that just kind of tips the scales, doesn't it?
14:21Yeah, because yours had that open space
14:23and your design breathed a bit more than that.
14:25Let's not forget about the creepy hut that I just left
14:27in the middle that you moved.
14:29Yeah, well, I'm going to get you to move that
14:31since you hate it so much, all right?
14:32Come on, then. Fair call.
14:36It's the day of the build in Oldbury
14:39and the landscaping team, led by Andy,
14:41are ready to commence battle.
14:44Ooh.
14:46Oh.
14:47Well, that looks quite smart, doesn't it?
14:49I'll tell you what, though, it's tricky, this one.
14:51A lot of logistical stuff.
14:53We've got to build a new deck.
14:55And then, when we do get into the garden,
14:57we've got to level all this.
14:59And you've got this massive, great gazebo we've got to move.
15:01We've got to get the logs out of that.
15:03And we've got to move the swing seat back up there.
15:05Considering there's a lot to do,
15:07should we just get on?
15:09Yeah, let's do it.
15:11Before the heavy landscaping can begin,
15:15space has to be made.
15:18That's almost a... That's got spring in it, that.
15:21LAUGHTER
15:25And the dangerous, rotten deck needs removing.
15:37See down on the floor here that we've got damp-proof membrane
15:41to stop damp rising.
15:43But what it'll also do, obviously it works the other way,
15:45it'll stop water draining.
15:47That's what's happened to this deck.
15:49You can see right here where it's been in contact with that.
15:53That's just rotted away the woodwork.
15:55You want to let whatever's below the deck drain away
15:59to keep that wood as dry as possible for it to last a long time.
16:09If old-fashioned brawn is needed to rip out the deck...
16:16Oh, that's better, look.
16:19Nice work, guys.
16:21..a more ingenious method is required to move the hut.
16:25And down. There you go.
16:29Oh, no, it's raining. I'm getting in here.
16:32Yeah, I'll join you, Andy. Good shout.
16:38I want to stay here for a while, then, shall we?
16:40Yeah, it's nice here. Yeah.
16:43The pavers beneath the hut also need lifting
16:46because this is the new family zone with a gravel base.
16:50Right, let's stick him back in, shall we?
16:52Come on, then.
16:54I'm fine not talking.
16:56I was going to say!
16:58That'll do you for the minute.
17:03I told you, a logistical nightmare, this one.
17:05Like, moving things so you can get stuff out from underneath them,
17:07moving them back.
17:09That's going to move again before we finish.
17:11We haven't finished underneath that yet.
17:15But that's the least of Andy's worries.
17:20The biggest job is the levelling of the lawn.
17:25So, once the turf cutter's been employed...
17:29..and the garden's completely clear...
17:34..in come the big guns...
17:37..to redistribute the soil.
17:52Guys are just putting in these sleepers down here.
17:55This will be the new level.
17:57You can imagine, if we take that much out,
17:59that's going to be... Raising it up like that,
18:01it's going to be so much flatter.
18:04Now, Gruff will push that bit of earth
18:06that he's taken off the top bit into this area,
18:08once this DPC's on,
18:10and we can get a better idea of where the levels are at.
18:18A new level garden will be transformative
18:21for Icky and Pardeep,
18:23but it's a time-consuming job.
18:29And with one end now flat,
18:31the hut has moved to its new home
18:33in the tranquil zone.
18:38So, entrance is facing this way,
18:40which is where we want it.
18:42Now we just bring that edge in over,
18:44line that up with the path into it.
18:46Come in here, sit down,
18:49cup of tea, glass of wine.
18:53There's also the swing chair to move,
18:55so both chill-out zones are established.
18:58Try not to scutch it too much up, like that.
19:01Things are starting to find their homes.
19:03This has found its home, that's found its home.
19:07We can work a little bit easier now.
19:09That's quite frustrating, that was.
19:13And with a new deck under construction...
19:20...the landscapers are making good progress.
19:24And with Chris and Lee just seconds away,
19:26it's just as well.
19:30Look at this!
19:31This is a bit different.
19:32Look at that, balance beam!
19:34I tell you what, this has really come along.
19:36It has, hasn't it?
19:37You can really see the zones coming together, can't you?
19:39You've got the lawn area,
19:40what's going to be the family zone over there,
19:42but there's a lot to do still.
19:43Yeah, so we're talking about zones.
19:45Where are you going to put me today?
19:47I'm going to put you in the garden.
19:49I'm going to put you in the garden.
19:51So, Lee, I would like you in the back corner of the garden over there,
19:55because it needs to be a tranquil relaxation zone for Paddy,
19:58somewhere where she can take herself off and just chill out.
20:01Oh, nice.
20:02I mean, when I'm looking at it now,
20:03it does look a bit sorry for itself.
20:05I'm thinking, how much excitement
20:07do you want me to put in that back corner, Chris?
20:09Go mad!
20:10Do you know what?
20:11I might take myself off shopping with my wicker basket
20:13and get a few accessories.
20:14Sounds all right, doesn't it?
20:15Nice day out for me.
20:16Yeah, well, I'm going to be doing this deck, by the looks of it.
20:19I'll see you in a bit.
20:24Now, all Icky and Paddy had in the garden
20:26was this rotten old deck in the corner and some mossy lawn.
20:29And they were all cramped on this deck as a family,
20:32so they had no space to spill out onto.
20:34But we're going to give them this beautiful, big new decking area,
20:38and then all of this as well, so they've got loads of space.
20:41This is going to be the kind of family socialising zone
20:44with the L-shaped bench around the corner,
20:46but it's also going to be the kind of sporting table tennis zone.
20:50Now, I've decided to make a bit of a tweak to this area
20:53because, originally, it was just gravel,
20:55but we had a bit of budget left over,
20:57so I wanted to put some paving in the centre here
21:00to give it a little bit of identity,
21:02but it also plays down that multifunctional route
21:04because it's going to provide hard standing for the table tennis area,
21:07but also, if that's not there,
21:09it's just a great bit of paving for the family to use.
21:12Now, there's still loads of other things in the garden,
21:14because this tranquil zone really needs to come to life
21:17because it's not feeling very tranquil at the minute,
21:19but a bit of planting and a touch of leaves magic,
21:21and I think it's going to look fantastic.
21:23Do you know what, I'm already feeling a little bit tranquil
21:25at this back part of the garden, Chris.
21:27Oh, let me get down here.
21:29I don't think I'll get any work done if I sit here for too long.
21:32MUSIC PLAYS
21:35MUSIC STOPS
21:46Now, Gruff and Cole have put in all the legwork on this deck,
21:49and it's such a shame because you put a lot of hard work
21:52into getting the subframe right,
21:54and then you cover it all up with decking boards and never see it,
21:56but it is crucial to make it really strong and sturdy,
21:59and the thing I love about this deck
22:01is that we've designed it so when you come out of the doors,
22:04it's like an infinity deck,
22:06so it carries on completely flush out into the garden.
22:09Now, the cost of this deck comes in at £700,
22:12and actually, you know, that's nearly a fifth of the budget,
22:15but it's really worth it because it's an important space for the family
22:18and it just gives them options in the garden.
22:21But I think it's time to help the boys get the deck boards on.
22:24MUSIC PLAYS
22:30This ground is super stony,
22:33so I'm not looking forward to planting later on at all.
22:39Before the boards can be fitted, the subframe is made rigid
22:43with timber posts sunk into the ground with postcrete.
22:50Right, time for a bit of a step test, shall we?
22:52Yeah, let's check it. See if it's got any bounce.
22:55Ooh, we're looking all right.
22:57So what we're doing is just taking a little journey across the deck
23:00and checking for any kind of weak points, any sags,
23:02because we can support them with more support posts there.
23:07This extra precaution will future-proof the deck
23:10from the wobbles when the family are all on it.
23:13Yeah, that one. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that looks all right.
23:16What about in the... No, that's all right, isn't it?
23:19All right.
23:21I think those three. One, two, three. Easy-peasy.
23:28MUSIC PLAYS
23:33BANGING
23:54Oh, I've had a lovely morning.
23:56Come on!
23:58What do you reckon? I don't know. I mean, what time do you call this?
24:01It's the finishing touches that bring a garden together.
24:04No, it looks really good. I love the colour. Yeah.
24:07A few pops of orange and yellow, a few hidden surprises for you as well.
24:10We've got some planting that's going to match that perfectly, haven't we?
24:13It should be good. Yeah, love it.
24:15Oh, I need to put my feet up now.
24:19So I've just had a nice little trip to the shops
24:21to buy a few finishing touches,
24:23because whilst we've got some gorgeous plants,
24:25this area really needs to pop.
24:27But I've also noticed another problem, which is this.
24:30I know I'm not the tallest gardener,
24:32but it's quite tricky to get in with these winter covers.
24:35So the first thing I'm going to do is remove these.
24:38They're only in here to protect this structure in the winter.
24:41For the rest of the year, I want it to be open and inviting.
24:44At the moment, it feels a little bit oppressive.
24:46So time to get these down and then have a think about the plants.
24:50MUSIC PLAYS
24:58Right, the tarps are all off.
25:00How inviting does that look now compared to before?
25:03But it is missing one thing, and that's some colour.
25:10Now, this deck is looking absolutely cracking,
25:12and I just love how clean and minimal it looks.
25:16Now, a lot of people, when they get deck boards,
25:18they lay them with the groove side up,
25:21which is what everyone thinks is there for grip,
25:23but actually it's not.
25:25You can lay them smooth side up like this
25:27and you get that really clean finish.
25:29And what the grooves do is they allow air flow under the joists here
25:33to stop them rotting out so easily so they can dry out.
25:36But also, it's easier for maintenance when you've got the smooth side
25:39if you ever need to treat it or sand it back.
25:41You just don't have to mess around with all these grooves.
25:44And it just looks way better, so I think everyone should do it.
25:48But yeah, just a few more boards to go in now,
25:50and then this bit's going to be complete.
25:53Let's see what it sits on here.
26:02All right, that's all done now, but time for the bench.
26:10Now, the reason I've decided to have the bench
26:12wrapping up this side and down there
26:14is because, one, it adds a division from the tranquil zone,
26:17so it keeps them separate.
26:18But also, it aims you looking this way across the garden,
26:21so it helps to connect this family area and the deck over there.
26:25So the two areas kind of speak for each other.
26:27But the family zone isn't just for socialising.
26:31It has a sporty purpose too.
26:33Right, come on, give us a hand.
26:35Let's get it on what is to be the lawn.
26:37Oh, God.
26:39Push.
26:42It's...
26:46Hang on a minute.
26:47It's like a water slide.
26:49It's like...
26:50It's like a sunbed.
26:52Or a car bonnet.
26:55It's definitely got some curvature on it.
26:57Maybe it's going to make it a bit more interesting when we play.
26:59Yeah, I've not played on a curved table before, so...
27:03You know, the reason it's so curved like this,
27:05I've realised, is because it's a tech ball table.
27:07It's basically like football on one of these.
27:09You are talking to the wrong person about football.
27:11Let's keep it simple, shall we?
27:13A bit of ping-pong instead.
27:15Let's have a quick game. Come on, then.
27:17Oh, my God!
27:19Oh!
27:21Oh!
27:24I'm not very good at this, I'll tell you that.
27:26Yeah, we'll blame the table, can we?
27:28Yeah, let's blame the bendy table.
27:30While our designers bash the ball...
27:33..a new gravel base is prepared for the table
27:36when it's not in use.
27:44Game over.
27:46And Lee's next task is to divide Pardeep's tranquil zone
27:50from the family space next door.
27:54Right, Colin, so we've got these timber posts
27:57that are going to be the screen.
27:59Now, so what we'd like to do, Carl,
28:01is to have a 400mm gap from the edge,
28:03which will marry up with Chris' bench,
28:05and then we've got ten of these boards
28:07to equidistantly place as a screen,
28:11and then we'll cut them down to 1.5m once they're in the ground.
28:15OK. That should give a nice height.
28:17See what distance we've got, shall we? Yeah.
28:21Give or take 340, 400 gap,
28:24and then we can fit ten in at 300cm.
28:26Yeah, and I'm guessing you're going to say
28:28we're going to make a little jig to space them out.
28:30Of course we're going to make a little jig.
28:32I love a little jig. Yeah.
28:34I was thinking a different kind of jig, but, you know.
28:36Right, so we'll take these out.
28:38Let's go.
28:46So what I'm doing now is just measuring out these timber planks
28:49to make sure that they're going to be in the ground by 500mm
28:52so they're nice and secure,
28:54but I want 1.5m above ground,
28:56so I need to measure off 2m,
28:58the 500 that's going underground,
29:00and the 1.5 above ground,
29:02and then cut off the excess.
29:04So mark 2m, get my goggles on,
29:07and use the chop saw.
29:18With the timber-treated planks costing around £15,
29:23this is a cost-effective way
29:25to add interest and screening in the garden.
29:40Now I've cut all of the wood,
29:42and Colin is kindly helping me mark out
29:44where these posts are going to go,
29:46and then it's a case of a lot of hard graft
29:48digging the holes that are 500mm deep
29:50so that they're really secure.
30:01Out front, Chris has been cutting the angled uprights
30:05for the family zone's L-shaped bench.
30:08Ta-da!
30:12Now you can see what this bench is actually meant to look like.
30:16So this is the side profile of the back
30:19with that lovely angle that I've been talking about,
30:21and how it's going to work is it's going to be fixed
30:24onto our edge sleeper there,
30:26and then this is your backrest,
30:28this will have sleepers attached to that,
30:30so give it a nice back all the way across,
30:32and then it's not actually going to be that low,
30:35it's going to have another sleeper on like that,
30:38and another sleeper going across here,
30:40so it's a nice deep seat,
30:41and that will be the finished level.
30:43So it's going to be a really comfy spot.
30:45Hard to picture now,
30:47but once I get a few more of these done,
30:49it's all going to make sense.
30:58Another key element of this family garden
31:01is the central lawn that will be surrounded by gravel paths.
31:10So we're just getting the turf down now.
31:13The key to any lawn laying
31:15is to get the joins nice and tight and secure,
31:18so that when it dries out a little
31:20during the rooting process,
31:22it doesn't split and make a big gap.
31:25So we'll tuck it in and we'll keep it nice and tight.
31:39So the last few of these upright wooden beams
31:41are going in to create the screen.
31:43By using screens, you can help break and cut the garden up
31:47into smaller rooms, zones, or areas.
31:50Now with this example, we're using these upright timbers,
31:53and they're going to give this really clean look to the garden.
31:56So although you'll be sat in here,
31:58maybe Paddy's going to be relaxing in there,
32:00she'll feel nested, but she can still see through,
32:02but it just gives that feeling that this is a different area.
32:06The plan is then to surround the posts with planting.
32:12Chris's choice of plants will bring a flavour
32:14of the family's Indian heritage to the garden.
32:19What a beauty!
32:24Wow!
32:26Oh, Chris, that is looking a little bit sexy now.
32:29That's a winner, that is.
32:31That's cute.
32:33That's cute.
32:35Cute, cute, cute.
32:40Now this is such an interesting tree to have in a small garden,
32:43because they don't get too dominant,
32:45and what I really like about them
32:47is they have a really overarching kind of loose habit.
32:50Now this one, Circe's Royal White,
32:53has bright white flowers in early to mid-spring,
32:57and it comes before all the leaves come out,
32:59so over all of the stems, all the way up them,
33:02is this kind of sea of white.
33:04Now this one cost us £160,
33:07and I know that sounds like a lot of money,
33:09but for a tree of this size with this beautiful habit,
33:12it is really good value for money,
33:14especially for what it brings to this corner of the garden,
33:16because it completely transforms it.
33:33Tell you what, it's looking good in here, isn't it?
33:36Yeah, it's starting to look really cute and relaxed.
33:38Yeah, it's like a proper little sanctuary up this end,
33:41just like you wanted.
33:43Not so much of a sanctuary, but...
33:46It's looking a bit barren at the minute.
33:48There's lots of life down this end,
33:50but this corner's looking a bit stark still, isn't it?
33:52Yeah, but that's the huge focal point, isn't it?
33:54So that's where all the effort's really going to go.
33:56It's going to come together very quickly.
33:58Now in Indian culture, the colour yellow
34:00often represents hope in springtime.
34:02So what I want to do in this part of the garden
34:04is to bring a little bit of that optimism to this area
34:07so it feels really relaxed.
34:08And the way that I've done that
34:10is by using the yellow colour throughout.
34:12We've got different vibrant hues of yellow turning into orange,
34:15offset with a little bit of white,
34:17and that's going to keep this really calm
34:19and make it feel really cohesive.
34:23To give the family some late-season colour,
34:26a key perennial in the scheme is rubeccia.
34:31Rubeccia flower late in the season.
34:34So these tend to flower around August to September.
34:37So whilst everything else is losing its colours,
34:39this is really coming into colour.
34:41The other beauty with rubeccia is they're really bulletproof.
34:44So if you're a beginner gardener
34:46and you're a bit concerned about how much maintenance and time
34:48it'll take to grow beautiful flowers,
34:50then rubeccia couldn't be easier to look after.
34:52Once you've got them in, they're pretty much pest-free,
34:55and other than giving them some free-draining soil
34:57and a bit of water,
34:58they will quite happily tolerate full sun and even dappled shade.
35:05It's not just Pardeep's tranquil zone that's packed with planting.
35:10Chris also wants to bring interest, height and colour near the house.
35:18Now this is one of the most important beds on this side of the garden.
35:21This is the bed that wraps along the side of the conservatory,
35:24but it joins up this connecting pathway
35:27between the new deck and the family zone.
35:30Now it's really important because it's one of the key views
35:33when you're sat on that bench looking across to this side of the garden.
35:36And because people are going to be walking through here all the time,
35:38they're going to be brushing past these plants and seeing them every day.
35:42Now it is a very small bed as well.
35:44It's only about 40 centimetres deep,
35:47probably a couple of metres long,
35:49and it's something you can easily replicate at home.
35:52So I've got, repeated through this bed,
35:55three tall pennisetums.
35:57You get a bit of height and structure and you get the lovely textural flowers.
36:01Then in front of that I've got some smaller sprawling perennials
36:04like these nepeta that are going along here.
36:07And these also are going to give you a really nice scent as you walk past here.
36:11MUSIC
36:21In Chris's design, the borders wrap around the garden,
36:25softening the different zones,
36:27and his plant choices reflect the family's desire for a low-maintenance garden.
36:33One of the plants that's going to bring a real sense of calm to this border is this.
36:38It's the good old trusty Echinacea white swan.
36:41It's got these really bright white flowers
36:44and these firm centres where all the pollen for different insects lives.
36:49Now the beauty of the white swan is it's super hardy.
36:52And the reason why I've picked it to go with these yellows is
36:55that if you put white with another colour, it tones down the yellow
36:59so it goes from being egg yolk into more lemony.
37:03The other beauty with white swan is if you're a beginner gardener, it's really tough.
37:06It will come back year after year.
37:08But another top tip is in early spring when you start to see the tiny leaves emerge,
37:13you do need to protect them from slugs
37:15because the biggest enemy to an Echinacea flowering are slugs and snails.
37:19So around April time, just go out and make sure that you're using some form of protection
37:23around the plants like coffee grinds or eggshells
37:25and other ethical ways to deter slugs.
37:27And then by the time your plant gets to about three to four inches, it's going to take off.
37:32I think you'll see when you add it to the yellow,
37:34all of a sudden this whole area just tones down a little bit.
37:45This is looking quite nice, isn't it, mate?
37:47It's hard work, isn't it?
37:48It's hard work in this sun, yeah.
37:50Look, I'm just going to ask.
37:52Where were you going to put the water feature?
37:54Oh, I thought you were doing that.
37:56No! Come on!
37:58Well, no worries, I'll just magic something up.
38:03As the day winds down in Oldbury...
38:09There we go, a little pitter patter.
38:11Nothing too huge, nothing too small.
38:14That's quite nice.
38:16The team work even harder.
38:19Last two sleepers to go down, and the bench is done.
38:22Time for gravel, then.
38:34And with the finishing touches tying the design together,
38:39it can be a bit of a challenge.
38:41And with the finishing touches tying the design together,
38:46Icky and Pardeep's garden is done.
38:51Oh, my days. What a day, Chris.
38:55Thank goodness we've got this bench to relax on.
38:57But the difference from what it was before...
38:59Now you've got these amazingly flat, distinct areas.
39:02This sort of back section of the garden is my favourite area,
39:05just because it is filled with plants all the way along there.
39:08Yeah, I'm hoping that Pardeep really feels like she can sit in there
39:11and just switch off whilst the rest of the family are busy doing whatever they're doing.
39:14She can sit there and think, oh, I've got my own space.
39:17Yeah, I think there's something for all of them in this garden, isn't there?
39:20So I can't wait to go and get them.
39:22I know. Looks like a dance floor, though.
39:24I feel like we should bust a move on the way out.
39:26Oh, go on, we've earned it, haven't we?
39:28Pow, pow, pow.
39:38When the team arrived, Icky and Pardeep's garden
39:41consisted of a rotting, dangerous deck...
39:47..a badly sloped lawn...
39:51..and an unsightly gazebo.
39:55It was not only unloved, it was unusable.
40:02Now the garden has been transformed into a multifunctional family garden.
40:07From the conservatory, a new deck brings the outside in
40:11and provides a place for barbecues and entertaining.
40:16Then to the left, a gravel path leads past the new level lawn
40:20to the family zone that doubles up as a place to play ping-pong
40:23with its new patio and incredible L-shaped bench,
40:27perfect to watch the games.
40:31From there, things slow down.
40:35Separated by timber screening, the old gazebo has been repurposed
40:39to give Pardeep her own tranquil retreat,
40:43surrounded by a soft, yellow-hued planting bed.
40:48The gravel path then leads to the swing seat,
40:51another quiet spot with a gentle babble of the water feature.
40:58Chris has gone all out to give Pardeep and Icky everything they asked for.
41:05But will it receive the all-important thumbs-up?
41:11Please open your eyes.
41:13Oh, wow!
41:17Oh, my gosh! I can't believe it's that good.
41:20Oh, my gosh!
41:22They actually look really gobsmacked.
41:24I'm not surprised. It's such a transformation.
41:27I mean, look down as well.
41:30Let me just check.
41:32There you go, there you go.
41:34It's beautiful.
41:35No more bouncy deck. They're jumping around and it's not moving an inch.
41:39I know you've got a big family.
41:41You always want to have lots of people around.
41:43So how's that for somewhere to sit?
41:45That is perfect.
41:46Still might not fit the family.
41:49Why don't you go and take a seat on it for us?
41:51Test it out.
41:55Do you think this space works for you now as a family?
41:58Oh, definitely.
41:59The old one was zero. This is 100.
42:01So it's opposites, you know.
42:03So it's gone from a zero to 100.
42:05And I'm not surprised. This transformation is monumental.
42:08Pardeep, you've got your very own zone in the garden.
42:11Lovely.
42:12Come on, let's go and have a look at it.
42:14I'll give you guys to it, you know.
42:16Okay.
42:17That's your zone.
42:18It'll only make me jealous, I think.
42:20Take a seat.
42:21Okay, can't wait. This is so nice.
42:23It is really calm and different, isn't it?
42:26I feel so relaxed here, so peaceful.
42:29What more could I ask for?
42:31All right, come on then, Nikki. We've got more zones to see yet.
42:34Come on then.
42:36Now obviously before, this sort of formed an extension of the deck, didn't it?
42:40Where you're all gathering.
42:42But now you've got a bit more room down there.
42:44I think this is quite a nice focal point at the end of the garden.
42:47It is.
42:48That view from here.
42:50It's great, isn't it?
42:51Yeah.
42:52So go on, do you think we've delivered on this one?
42:54More than delivered.
42:55Yeah, more than delivered.
42:56It's like...
42:57I said, it's, you know...
42:58It's better than what we were expecting.
43:00I know, I know.
43:01That's good. That's the result. That's what I want to hear, you know.
43:04It is, it is.
43:05They're going to be sat out in this garden for many, many days to come,
43:08just enjoying this amazing transformation.
43:11Well done, Chris.
43:13We absolutely love the garden.
43:15It's more than we could have wished for, to be fair.