The Great Garden Revolution (2021–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Episode #1.1 - full transcript

Spring is finally here.

Yes!

And there's a garden revolution
sweeping the nation.

This year it has felt like
more than ever,

people are exploring their gardens.

Oh, wow, look at this place.

And starting to explore the sheer
potential that they offer.

People all over the country
are experiencing this new

connection to their gardens.

And there you have it.
Ooh, yeah.

So we want to invite you to join in.



I'm on a huge mission to change
what we put in our gardens.

Inspiring you with possibilities...

It's gorgeous.

..and to totally transform
our ordinary gardens.

Oh, wow.

It can be a bit scary,
cutting plants.

We'll be sharing tips and tricks...

But cutting equals good,
so just go for it.

..and the jobs to do right now.

Lick of paint and it's finished.

Over the next few weeks we're gonna
be meeting fellow revolutionaries.

Look at this space.

People who think along
the same lines as us.

It's very pleasing to do.
I really feel like he's responding.



So wherever you are, with whatever
you have, it's time to join

the garden revolution.

It feels like this summer is going
to be all about spending time

together, outdoors.

SHE LAUGHS

So this weekend we're celebrating
gardens that we can get together in.

Social distanced dancing.

In North London, we're transforming
an unkempt plot into a garden

fit for a party.

We can't wait to invite our friends
over and actually use the space.

We'll show you how to plant for
those long-awaited summer barbecues.

Sprinkle the seed through the row.

How to pimp up your old paving.

Straight away, it's a lovely
little burst of colour.

And create a pond that local
wildlife will go crazy for.

Projects like this are really fun to
do, especially with family members.

And we're even getting
a strictly VIP invite to

socialise in the garden of
the one and only Shirley Ballas.

I kept them, replanted them
and blow me down if they're not

starting to look healthy - it was
my disaster that is now blooming!

I've been designing gardens and
garden buildings for over ten years

and I'm passionate about creating
spaces to get people out in nature.

In the lockdown, we all started
to understand the value of that

outdoor space and it's almost
as if we've been given an insight

into a better way to live, maybe
to live a little bit slower and

to understand the happiness and joy
we can get from our garden spaces.

Gardening is a gateway
into understanding how we're

connected to the world around us.

Reconnecting to nature drives
what I do, and I want to educate

and inspire people to garden
in a really sustainable way.

I think more and more people have
been getting into gardening lately,

because we've been living
through a very stressful time

and I think that we have this
innate understanding that

being outside, being in nature,
being in our gardens

is really, really restorative,

and I think that as we head into
a future where sustainability is

just so important, our gardens just
offer this incredible space that

helps us reduce our carbon footprint
and also increase biodiversity.

And this week, the garden we are
going to transform belongs

to this family of five.

We're the Cotterells, we are
from Harrow, North West London.

I'm Laurence, I'm the eldest
of the five... Rather, three!

THEY LAUGH

And they're the owners of this.

Hello, hello, this is the house
of Cotterells.

Everything we have here
is just stuff.

Their plot is full of overgrowth,
pot-holes, a dilapidated shed,

and a lot of junk.

Like so many of us,
the Cotterells have been

staring at their garden for the
past year, just itching to try

something new and now spring is
here, they're ready for action.

During lockdown we realised that we
really need to use the garden

to its full extent.

The issue is, everybody wants
something different.

The boys are into working out
and martial arts

and see their garden as their gym.

Well, this is Brock.
He's part of the family.

He is, I guess, the third brother.
Hey!

He must be about 18, 19 years old.

So he's got a couple of years
on this one.

We're punching him all the time,

so we do leave
a bit of marks on the grass.

For dad Curtis, the garden
is an extra kitchen.

He barbecues 24/7, 365 days
of the year, Christmas included.

I didn't barbecue on New Year's
Day, so I had that day off.

Whereas mum Laurelle just wants
some peace and quiet.

And I'd just like to sit in
the garden and watch them

doing their thing.
So if they're happy, I'm happy.

The Cotterells are in need
of a multifunctional space

they can all share and be together.

And they aren't the only ones
wanting to transform

their garden for social times ahead.

Up and down the country, people
are joining the garden revolution.

Hello, I'm Nia
and this is my garden.

Taking what they've got
and turning it into places to relax

and places to entertain.

Get out into the garden
and create your own tiki bar.

From eclectic yards

to Ibiza bars,

our gardens are the new places
to hang out.

And there you have it,
the finished masterpiece.

Ready for the sun,
just in time for the heatwave.

We're getting straight down
to designing a garden that's

perfect for socialising in
and perfect for the Cotterells.

Creating a social garden is
about creating a space that people

want to spend time in, and that's
going to be different for everyone.

For this family, they have a lot
of different wants and needs.

So it's all about creating
some designated zones

so the family can use it
in the way they want to,

but so they can also come together
and socialise.

Garden spaces are so valuable
for our mental wellbeing.

So the more time we can spend
outside, the better.

To me, a social garden doesn't
necessarily mean

a lawn with a table and chairs
on it.

It can mean a little nook
within a wild space

where you can just sit
with a cup of tea,

it can mean paths moving through
the space to draw a party through,

as well as growing plants
that complement the socialising.

For example, some mint
for your mojitos

or some salad leaves
to go with the barbecue.

And so our plan for this garden puts
being social at its very heart,

whilst being enveloped in nature.

The focal point is a giant
pergola with a decking area

for a barbecue kitchen,
al fresco dining and an outdoor gym.

I'll plant a forest garden
using revolutionary, sustainable

principles which will enclose
a relaxed seating area for Laurelle.

And there'll be raised beds
packed with herbs

and veggies that'll get
any summer feast going.

This should give the Cotterells
exactly what

they need to start spending
more time outdoors

and is full of simple ideas
that will work in almost any garden

so you can give them a go
in your garden this weekend.

Over the next few days
with our team of builders

and gardeners, we will be
transforming this space.

And work clearing the site

and building the base
of the pergola has begun.

150, lads - four at 150.

At this stage of a new garden,

it's kind of like a funny muddle
of anxious and excited,

because you know that
you're about to plant up plants that

are going to be here for five, ten,
15 years and that's quite momentous,

really, because you're changing
a landscape in quite a dramatic way.

We want to arm our new recruits
with the confidence

they need to take
this garden forward,

so the Cotterells have grabbed
some forks, spades and drills...

Can't wait to see.

..and got to work alongside us.

It's a nice big space, it's
deceptively big. Think so. Yeah.

So we're going to to have a mix
of different zones

that do different purposes.

This is going to be the dad zone.

So we're going to have
the barbecue area.

Your training area - punch bags,
maybe a kick bag. Wicked.

The idea is that they can
get pushed away.

I'm hoping we can have
a family table

and chairs that come out
into this area.

I love it, I'm excited for that.

It's a brilliant way for us
to use it to its maximum potential.

Does it feel good to be finally
getting into this garden?

Because if you've been here
nearly 30 years... Ages.

After last year, lockdown, I thought
we need to be doing more

with this garden,
but they were all right with it.

I said, "Well I'm not."

There are some basics that any new
gardener needs in their back pocket.

One of them is knowing your soil.

Here, it's a type found
in many areas of the UK,

but particularly
in Southern England - clay.

Clay is actually a really good
soil for growing plants in,

cos it's really high in nutrients.

But the bad thing is that
it's really compacted. Yeah.

So, soil like this, as you can see,
it's like super, super dense,

like cement, almost. Yeah.

Really hard for plants to get going
in soil like that.

So we're just giving it a bit of
a dig to open it up a bit.

Soil is the starting point
for a healthy garden.

So if you want healthy plants,
you need healthy soil,

and healthy soil is living soil.

Living soil needs air. Yeah.

We've got to get
the foundation right.

Exactly, you've got to get
the foundation right.

Then after that, you won't have
to do this again. You promise?

I promise! Yeah.

To help transform this garden
we've got carpentry wizard

Bruce Kenneth joining the party.

I'm on a huge mission to change
what we put in our gardens -

the revolution's
more than just plants

and I want to elevate the furniture
to kind of match everything else.

I get pretty annoyed with
the standard of outdoor furniture,

so I want to bring them furniture
to draw people out.

I want to put a table outside

and chairs that people want
to sit at and eat.

I want to make their backyards
an inviting place.

Hey, guys. Hey.
How's it going, Bruce?

Good, good.
Your beds have arrived.

Let's hope your measurements
are right. They're probably not!

In his workshop, Bruce has made
two giant raised beds

that I'm going to plant with
a crop of salad vegetables

and herbs for those barbecues
that the family really wants.

This would be the band video,
wouldn't it? Yeah.

All of us singing
as we go down the street.

THEY LAUGH

Growing food is a perfect
starting point for joining

the revolution - it's a lovely way
to interact with your garden

and you get to enjoy
the fruits of your labour.

Is that where it wants to be?
Roughly.

I love that wood, what is it?
It's larch.

That'll be good in the weather.
It'll grey out and silver over time.

Brilliant. Right, shall we crack on?
Let's do it.

If you want to have loads
of lovely veggies

for those summer feasts ahead,

now is when you need
to start sowing your seeds.

It's a simple task that is perfect
for doing this weekend.

This time of year is a great time
to start sowing seeds.

It's not too late.

May is a good time
to start sowing vegetables,

especially plants
like courgettes, leafy greens.

My method of organisation is this
sewing box, which is

actually a sewing box as in
needle and thread sewing,

which is funny, because
I use it for seed sowing.

So it just makes the whole process
easier, and I can close up

the box and take it wherever
I might need to sow in the garden.

Growing your veggies from seed
is easy, cheap

and great for cutting down
on food miles.

But there are just a couple
of simple rules to follow.

We're going to create
some very shallow lines.

The rule of thumb with seeds
is that it needs to be

as deep as the seed's girth.

Sprinkle this seed as evenly
as possible through the row,

cover the seeds really loosely
and then gently firming down

so that the seed has got
good contact with the compost.

I'm planting out lettuces,
courgettes, beetroots,

radishes and chives as they're some
of my summer salad favourites,

but there's a whole world
of veg out there to explore.

In this warm temperature,
now that we're in May,

we should see germination within
about ten days, which is very quick.

So get out in the garden
and get sowing.

Still to come...

I visit the gorgeous backyard
of a social garden pioneer.

It's a free jungle gym, isn't it?
Yeah.

And I plant a revolutionary type
of sustainable garden.

It is really low-maintenance.

A little bit more of
a wild way of gardening. Yeah.

Low-maintenance works for me!

Across the UK a revolution is
taking place,

as more and more of us reimagine
what our gardens can be.

Yeah, it's still kind of like
a building site

but it's getting there.
Yeah, I need to do this now.

For many of us, getting in the
garden has become the new going out.

This week, we're all about gardens
to socialise in.

And in North West London,

we're creating the perfect hang-out
for the Cotterells.

As we transform their garden,

there's something that was earmarked
to be chopped down,

but before anyone gets
the chainsaw out,

I want to get a closer look.

So this tree looks very dead.

The family have said that it is
dead, and I just wanted to come and

have a little bit of an investigate
to see how dead it really is.

There is some life to this tree,

and you can see that because some
of the buds, they're still furry

and they're living, and you can also
give the branch a little scratch.

And if you can see green underneath
the surface, then it's alive.

Compared to here, when you break it
and it's brown, it's brittle,

that's definitely dead.

So this tree is not fully dead,

certainly not fully alive,
but I love it.

I'm a big believer in using
what already exists in a space.

Trees like this will
eventually decay and rot down.

But in the meantime,
it's a joyful structure

and it will serve the garden
in other ways too.

As the wood starts to decay,
it creates more and more

habitat for different insects,
different wildlife, even for birds,

cos birds start feeding on the
insects that are living in the tree.

The amount of life that that decay
is supporting is just so huge.

Which is really a beautiful thing.

As work carries on in our garden,

I want to see what fellow
revolutionaries

are doing in their gardens.

So, Matt, we're here
at your wonderful gardens.

This is my own space.

It's also my little laboratory,
I guess, really,

where I get to experiment
with plants and materials.

Award-winning designer
Matt Childs creates magical

and inspiring gardens.

And at his home he's created a space
which has socialising at its heart.

We might not all have
such a large plot,

but there are lots of details to
incorporate into smaller gardens.

Immediately, I can see
different zones happening,

it's almost as if each little
section could be a garden in itself.

I'm all about gardens
being for people.

So I've kind of designed these
different spaces which allow for

coming outside
and having a coffee in the morning,

having a place to eat
during lunch time where

I know we've got the main bit of
sun, and then the evening,

further down into the garden
where we've got a fire pit to light.

It's all about enticing people out
into the garden and the more spaces

you give them to sit and enjoy
and get involved in, the better.

The first thing to catch my eye
is a social space

that's very close to my heart,
a shed.

Oh, wow, look at this place!

It's gorgeous.

It's a sheltered space and the great
thing about that is that you provide

a destination whereby you can be
when it's raining or when it's cold.

It reminds me
of the pergola that we're doing.

Just enclosing an area can be nice
to be in, basically. Yeah.

And by providing walls or screening
or a shelter within the garden

space, it naturally makes us feel
more at ease and more comfortable.

The lights are quite good.

Maybe I'll think about putting
some lights in.

We kind of pretend this is
our little disco party place.

Are you saying that you do
a little bit of dancing in here?

Shall we start the music up?

Given the Great British weather,

converting a shed or
enclosing a pergola

is a great way to hold
the party outdoors.

As well as entertaining spaces,
Matt has engineered areas

throughout the garden to unwind
and connect with nature.

Here's the wild flower bit.

Look at this space!
Absolutely gorgeous, isn't it?

Places to sit are scattered
throughout this garden.

Wherever you can put opportunities
to encourage yourself

to spend time in the garden
and enjoy it,

I think that's really important.

And one way to guarantee a smile
is to have some surprises

and areas to have fun.

I mean, look at this thing!

Wow, it's a free jungle gym,
isn't it?

Yeah, go for it.
I feel like a kid again.

The journey that leads through
Matt's garden ends up at a spot that

is perfect for those long evenings
when we want to stay out late.

This is cosy, isn't it?
End of the day around the fire.

I just love that in a garden, having
a heat source to go to at the end of

the night so that, you know, you can
be out in the garden even longer.

Enclosing a social area like this
is a clever way of making you

feel cosy and protected whilst
giving you a fresh perspective.

This is usually the point where
you've got a glass of wine or

a beer or a gin and tonic
in your hand,

and just a time for just
telling stories.

But also up there is really
important as well.

There's nothing like in the evening
having a space to go to where

you look up at the stars.

You know, you are this little,
tiny thing in this amazing

environment garden
and then the universe above.

So, that's kind of my poetical bit.

I feel like I've had a whisky
already! Just chatting!

Matt's garden is a masterclass
in creating outdoor spaces

for people to enjoy themselves
and enjoy their surroundings.

Back in our garden in North London,
the transformation is continuing.

Using existing structures
is often a cheaper

and more sustainable approach to
revolutionising your back garden.

So I'm going to show you
an inexpensive way to transform

a feature so many of us have
in our back and front yards.

And it's a fun job
you can do at the weekend.

So what we've got in this garden
is an old crazy paving pathway.

It's going to be difficult
to rip all this out,

and sometimes it's nice to work
with what you've got.

So we're going to try
and create a thyme path.

Based on the old pathways
where you walk on the thyme

and it crushes the leaves.

That's going to release
the oils in the leaves,

and it sends up this lovely
fragrance into the air.

Just choose a few slabs here
and there to lift up.

This is a really great thing
that you can just do of a weekend.

Take some of these stones out
and get some plants in.

As well as thyme, I'm adding other
herbs and Alpine plants such

as saxifrage, oregano and lemon balm

to add pops of colour and scent.

These plants aren't expensive,
at around a fiver each.

So you can have fun and experiment
with different varieties.

Don't try to be too structured.

It looks a lot more natural

if you could do little pockets,
as random as you can.

These alpines are very hardy and
naturally exist in quite poor soil.

So if you have rich clay soil
like here, you need to mix in

grit or sharp sand.

Half grit, half soil, to recreate
the conditions the plants need.

Straight away, it's a lovely little
burst of colour and it makes

the path feel a bit friendlier,
and brightens your day a little.

So if you could grab that end?
Of course.

Within our social garden,
I want to create a zone

that's really peaceful
and nurturing.

A wilder part of the garden
that's a place to relax,

connect with nature and feed
the soul as well as the tummy.

I'm planting
a type of garden that was born

in the back yards of Kerala
in India, but is now

growing in popularity with
sustainability-focused gardeners.

A forest garden.

So a forest garden is the idea
of having a space where you've

got lots of different layers.

Typically you'll have seven layers.

So you'll have tall trees
up to ten metres or something,

smaller trees, vines.

You'll have shrubs,
herbaceous plants

and then you'll have ground cover,
which is protecting the soil.

And all of these plants interact
with each other in a beneficial way.

So you end up planting
a sort of mini-ecosystem.

Forest gardens are full of plants
with a purpose.

Edible and medicinal species
from fruit trees and vines to herbs

and leafy plants.

And as the leaves drop,
they are left to form

a compost layer to feed the Earth
and lock in carbon.

We're going to start with
the canopy.

It's called the strawberry tree,

and has beautiful
strawberry-looking berries.

OK. That one can go just over there.
At the back?

It might seem small now,

but this tree can grow up to
five metres tall.

Then we're going to go down to the
kind of shrub, kind of vine layer.

Because brambles like to
kind of lop over stuff.

As the strawberry tree starts to
grow, it'll start to cast a

bit of shade and the blackberry can
tolerate that shade,

which is good. Right, perfect.

For the next layer down,
the middle herbaceous layer,

we're planting angelicas,

whose stalks and shoots make
great candied sweets,

as well as hostas, whose new,
unfurled leaves

can be cooked up as a snack.

Below this is our final layer,
the ground cover.

We've got mint.

This plant typically you would not
recommend to plant

outside of a container,
because it does spread.

But in this setting, we are going to
plant it outside of a container

because the whole point is that it
will spread everywhere.

Yeah. It will create a mat on the
soil and act as the ground cover.

Joining the mint, I'm adding one of
my favourite plants to put in teas

and salads, lemon balm.

And finally,
a more surprising edible one.

These are violets.

They're basically going to
spread slowly

but surely around on the soil.

The flowers and the leaves
are all edible.

Each layer has a purpose,
providing shade, mining nutrients

from deep in the soil
up to the surface, or attracting

different birds and insects
as pollinators or pest controllers.

It's a completely sustainable
eco-system.

And the main bit of maintenance
is to harvest berries

and leaves to eat.

The whole point in it
is that it self-regulates.

You don't need to keep buying
plants in,

it just kind of ticks over
by itself. Yeah.

It is really low-maintenance.

It's a little bit more of
a wild way of gardening.

Yeah, low-maintenance works for me.
Yeah!

Are you good?

At the bottom end of the garden
our giant pergola is flying up.

And all the existing woodwork
across the garden, from the fences

to the shed, is being spruced up
and unified with a lick of paint.

So we've given it one coat already.

I'm giving it a second coat to
really bring up the colour.

Painting can be one of two things
therapeutic or frustrating.

It doesn't seem to really be
anywhere in the middle.

But today it's very therapeutic,

it's nice just to be out here giving
this shed a new lease of life.

# Keep digging, keep on digging! #

Over in Poppy's edible
forest garden,

there's a peach tree that needs
planting and I'm going to pitch in.

You've got the hardest one to plant.

I know! You did well there,
didn't you? Sneaked that one in.

I heard what you were
saying about the forest gardens.

I loved it.

Do you think this is something that
anyone can have a go at? Yeah, I do.

The bare bones of a forest garden
is perennial plants,

planted in a system of layers.

So you can do that in a tiny plot,

or you can do it on acres
and acres of land.

I love the idea that gardens
look after themselves

cos you don't have to work so hard.

Indeed. And you can just have
a cup of tea. And enjoy it. Yeah.

Which is important in life,
isn't it? It is.

Some people get put off because
they think it's so much work.

And actually you have
to be able to remember to

enjoy your garden and sit in it.
Totally.

And this is creating
an environment that has that

feeling of wilderness that is
so good for us.

This is the way forward, Poppy.
This is the way. It is.

Letting nature take the lead,
for sure.

I best get this tree in then.

Being locked in
and locked down made us

look at our gardens
in a whole new light.

Oh, that's sage!

And now more and more of us
are getting into gardening.

I'm Shirley Ballas and I joined
the Garden Revolution

lockdown 2020.

I definitely wouldn't call myself
an expert gardener,

but I have absolutely enjoyed being
a beginner gardener.

I have three areas to my back yard.

One is where we eat breakfast
in the morning, full of sunshine,

have a little barbecue area,
little seated area for the evening.

It is Pot City here.

I love pots.

And I've got evergreen plants
and beautiful pansies,

lavender and herb of grace.

I've got some California fescue.

This grows free and wild.

It's like Boris Johnson's hair,
actually.

I am so lucky to have two
cherry blossom trees...

Ride it, cowboy, ride it!

SHE LAUGHS
That's my ex-husband!

Over the last year, Shirley's
learned some big gardening lessons.

So I have two small areas
either side of the front door,

and last year,
I had all the plants here

that should have been in the
sunshine, I had in the shade.

So I eventually had to dig them up,
start again.

They have to be in the right spot.

As well as choosing the right spot,
you need to choose the right pot.

So talk about disasters.

These two azaleas last year,

I put in plant pots
way too small for the roots.

And they kind of looked like they
were dying, they just looked a mess.

So I almost threw them away, but
then I kept them, replanted them,

and blow me down if they're not
starting to look healthy.

It was my disaster
that is now blooming!

Here's a top tip for you
that I learnt the hard way.

You must water from the bottom.

I was watering all
the way at the top, midday sun,

and scorching the leaves.

But of course, the most important
lesson is learning to just get out

in the garden and enjoy your plants.

I do believe that plants like you to
talk to them and this little fella,

when I stroke the sides of him,

I really feel like he's responding.

I find during the most difficult
times during lockdown,

that the beginner gardening
was actually very therapeutic.

And after a long day of gardening,

I now have my G&T with my oldest
yucca, 35 years old.

He's partial to a little G&T too!

Across the nation, the garden
revolution has taken hold

as our outdoor spaces
become our social spaces.

So we have Chris's lovely decking
that he made me.

In our garden
transformation in North London,

we're getting the Cotterells'
back yard

ready to be a place to entertain.

I'm a big believer that
it's not just us

that want to socialise in gardens.
It's local wildlife too.

So I'm giving them
their own hang-out -

a simple barrel pond that you can
try out this weekend.

I think that ponds are
a beautiful conversation point.

It's a really lovely curious
little moment in the garden

that you can kind of inspect.

Ponds can be really small spaces

and don't have to be sunk
in the ground.

Any container that holds
water will do.

So this is a second-hand
half whisky barrel.

They're really easy to get
your hands on online.

They're not particularly expensive,

and it's lovely to think about
its previous life,

holding whisky instead of water.
A whisky pond.

In this garden, the pond is part of
my forest garden eco-system.

Its role is to attract
pest controllers -

slug munching frogs,
newts and toads.

In placing where our ponds go,

we want to find somewhere where
you've got enough light

because you've got plants
you're going to be putting into it,

but you don't want it to be
in too much sun

because then you can get
situations like algae blooms.

So you want maybe
a bit of dappled shade,

and somewhere that you'll be passing
by it or being able to interact in.

You don't want to put it all
the way at the back of the garden

where you're never going to go
and see it or be able to experience

the dragonflies hovering serenely
above the water.

A pond habitat needs plants and
in a container like this

you have to create shelves of
differing heights

for them to sit on.

Old bricks are perfect for creating
level steps.

To keep the pond healthy, you should
add plants such as hornwort

and spiked milfoil which naturally
oxygenate the water

without the need for a pump.

The first plant we're going to pop
in the pond is this marsh marigold.

When we put our plants in the water,
we actually keep them in the pots

which means that the soil

isn't all going to float off
all over the place.

This plant is really lovely
for pollinators, for example bees,

and it's also great for newts,

which like to lay their eggs
in the leaves which is really sweet.

Joining the marsh marigold is
American galangal,

water forget-me-not
and dwarf water lily

which sits with its leaves
on the surface of the water.

Having about 50% foliage coverage
ultimately is the aim,

so these plants are
all going to grow

and eventually create
a nice bit of shade

and a nice bit of structure
for the wildlife to live within.

Projects like this
are really fun to do.

It's a creative outlet,
and it's also wonderful seeing

how something you make become
a home for so many other creatures.

A little entry and exit point
for wildlife is the final touch

and then just wait for your frog
and toad friends to arrive.

As well as these wilder spaces,

this garden has a separate
functional area -

the giant pergola
which is shaping up nicely.

I think this is a lovely
big structure.

It's a little bit of
bling in some ways,

but it's a destination
point as well.

Although putting something like this
together does take a bit of skill

and heavy lifting,

all the materials are pretty cheap
to get hold of

for something so dramatic.

This is just roofing batten, four
by four posts and four by two wood.

All wood goes grey over time.
That can be nice,

but if you want wood to stay
the same colour,

you put a treatment on it.

And this pergola will house
the outdoor kitchen

where dad Curtis will cook up
a storm on the barbecue.

To keep this zone organised,
back in his workshop,

carpentry wizard Bruce is creating
the ultimate barbecue accessory.

So today we're going to build
a barbecue trolley.

This is going to assist you
when you're cooking your dinner.

What it's going to be is a box
with a lid

and in here will be water-tight,

so you can put your knives
and things in and then four legs,

two of which are on wheels,

and then down here there's going
to be a little shelf,

and everything will be to hand when
you're outside barbecuing,

so you don't have
to keep bringing it all outside.

The first thing to do is make
the two ends of the trolley.

Each leg is a piece of three by
three treated timber cut to length.

What I need to do now is attach
these legs together.

This is going to act as a panel
here, that's going there,

and this is going to hold
the bottom shelf.

Design's important in your garden

because it's
an extension of your home.

It's also part of nature as well.

So you want to complement
each other.

So that's why I'm making
this in wood.

That's the main frame done.

What I need to do now is put
a little shelf in here.

And once that's done, there's a
quick trick to get rid of any

lumps and bumps from your
finished item.

I'm going to use wood filler
to fill these screw holes.

So you want to push it
into the holes a bit.

Overfill is always fine.
You can sand that back later.

Once dry, a sand and a quick
coat of paint will cover it all.

So I've decided to go
with charcoal grey.

For this project,
it's absolutely perfect.

Adding a layer of paint is adding
a layer of protection.

Knowing how dedicated Curtis
is to his barbequing

I want to make sure he's got
somewhere

to store all his extra gadgets.

So, we're giving this table
a hinged lid,

a magnetic strip for the knives

and hooks on the front to hang
all his turners, tongs and forks.

I think Curtis is going
to really like this one.

I know I do. I can't wait to get
it in his back yard.

So, Bruce, this place is really
coming together. It really is.

It's a neat little thing, isn't it?

And it has wheels so you can move
it around and lock it in place.

So they can just eat under
the pergola that you built

and just enjoy it and I think Curtis
will be busy on the barbecue

making food for his family.

It means a lot to him,
that barbecue. Yeah.

The pergola area is
coming along nicely

and over in my forest garden,

I'm finishing off the planting
with something very special.

This is the elder
and this is the black lace variety.

Elder is one of my all time
favourite trees.

Not only does elder provide
the delicious flavours

of elderflower cordial and syrup,

but she also provides a harvest

of natural remedies perfectly
timed for what us humans need.

So in spring, when there's
hay fever all over the place,

she has flowers that can be used
as a remedy for irritated sinuses.

All you do is you pick the flowers
and you put them in a tea,

you inhale the steam,
you drink the tea

and it's really relieving
and soothing.

And then later in the year,
she's got berries.

The berries are really high
in vitamin C, antioxidants

and are a powerful antiviral.

So in late summer, you can turn them
into elderberry syrup,

which you can drink
throughout the winter.

And it's those powerful healing
properties that have given her

one of the best folklore tales.

The story goes that each tree
has an old woman

who lives within the tree
and protects the tree,

and if you cut down the elder
without being granted permission

by the tree, you are cursed and this
superstition was so prevalent that

actually farm workers would refuse
to chop down elder hedges,

because they believed so deeply

in the power of the spirit
of this tree.

I personally love the folklore and
stories and history behind plants.

It's kind of like getting
to know someone.

When you know a few facts about
them, you feel a bit more familiar

and a bit more comfortable
with each other.

All this planting will enclose
a seating area

we're creating for Laurelle,

and Bruce has been busy making
the centre-piece.

Surprise.

Oh, wow!

Oh, wow, that is a lovely.

So, I handmade you a chair.

This hand-crafted hardwood chair
brings a bit of cool elegance

and will hopefully entice Laurelle
to spend longer relaxing

and enjoying the garden.

This is your corner.

You heard that? Yeah.
Just a little place for yourself.

Yeah, right.

As these plants get bigger,

you'll find that this will
kind of encapsulate you

and just remove you ever so slightly
from the chaos that's outside here.

Thank you so much.

With mum Laurelle's seating
area complete...

..I'm turning my attention
to another element

that has been a driving factor in
the design of this garden -

an outdoor gym.

It seems it's not just the
Cotterell boys

who've been getting lean
on the lawn.

Welcome to my gym, everybody.

Across the country, people have been
turning gardens into gyms.

From full weather-proof studios

to old school assault courses.

Through... Through.

It seems that while we've been
locked out of the gym,

the gym has been brought
to the back yard.

Oh, quite heavy, isn't it?

And I'm bringing my version
to our garden.

The boys love training.

I want to give them
a nice little place to work out,

so I'm going to build
a nice, simple gym.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

The great thing about knocking
up your own mini gym

is that you can make it
totally bespoke.

You can buy poles for around 20 quid
and fixtures for just a few pounds

online or from most
builders' merchants..

You just put the pole
into the fitting and then screw

into the supporting structure so you
might need an extra pair of hands.

I think it's one of
the stories of the year,

creating these little gyms.

I love to design things that
people can make themself.

You know, it's all about trying
to get people involved

and realise that they can have
a go at these things.

Final screws are in.

Get old Brock in place
and it's good to go.

So, lads, this is your new gym.

I love it. This is the perfect
space. Yeah, perfect.

So we've got the punchbag
which just slides in to use.

To work around it.

That's good. We've got a pull
up bar.

I don't know what this
exercise is called. Like a dip bar?

Yeah, dip. Yeah, for dips. That's
really good. A dip? OK.

That'll be enough of them.

Er... A TRX. I like that.
I like that.

It's all in this little one
square metre, really.

That's all you really need.

The boxing, the training,
the stretching, everything.

It's just everything in one,
you know.

And we haven't forgot Brock.
Oh, you had to keep Brock.

Thank you for keeping him.
You know he's still there.

At least he's not in the
middle of the garden.

Yeah, I just can't wait
to give it a go.

So, thank you, honestly.
It's no problem.

As the final touches go on
this garden,

ready for the Cotterells
to start living life in it,

people up and down the country have
been turning their gardens

into the place to hang out.

How about that?

If you want to share what you've
been busy doing in your garden,

use the hashtag gardenrevolution.

As the garden revolution
takes hold across the country,

you've been putting your gardens
to good use

as we get ready to start living
life again in our back yards.

In North London,

all the elements of our social
garden are coming together.

Wahey!

Look, guys!

We've got a nice big olive tree,
what do you think?

So much height. It's just
instant structure, isn't it?

It is. Good stuff.

The rest of the dining furniture
is getting a final protective layer.

Bruce, it's gorgeous!
Thank you so much.

So it's an iroko dining table.

I've designed it to kind of hearken
to, like, modern furniture.

Right now, what I'm doing is
I'm oiling it.

This will darken over time,

so it'll age and kind of go
more of a chocolate brown over time.

Iroko is an African hardwood
that's similar to teak

in being very durable and able
to withstand the British weather.

Isn't it nice to be around beautiful
furniture like this?

It is. I want people to look at
furniture a different way.

I don't want people to look outside

and see your bog standard garden
furniture.

I want to bring this kind of
furniture outdoors

and in more people's backyards.
It makes you want to come outside.

It makes you want to sit at this
and have dinner.

And the dying apple tree
is starting a new life.

I'm planting in clematis.

As it grows, it's going to use
the apple tree as support

to climb up higher into the dead
canopy.

It'll have a nice support
to climb on,

and it'll create
a nice amount of greenery

and some flowers in the garden,
covering this structure.

A few days ago, the Cotterells'
back garden was an unloved,

unkept and completely wasted space.

This family of five desperately
needed a place they could all share,

and for get-togethers
with family and friends.

Now, this garden is transformed...

..into a stunning social space.

My pergola has created
a striking open air room,

perfect for spending
more time outdoors.

The raised beds are home to food

which will be
ready to eat in a matter of weeks.

By using what's already
in the space,

the old tree has a new,
supportive role.

The crazy paving is now a walkway
full of colour and scent.

My container pond will hopefully
soon be a new home

to local wildlife.

And the self-sustaining
forest garden will soon grow

and enclose Laurelle's
gorgeous seating area.

This garden is now the perfect
space

for this family to spend time
together.

You guys hungry? Oh, yes.

And is so much more
than just a place to eat.

It looks really, really nice.

It's like you're on holiday.

Cheers, cheers.

Cheers!

The garden was an area that
I didn't really want to frequent.

It was just a space, but now I just
see a totally different energy.

We never came in this back bit. No.
It was always trees and muddy.

We never used this part.

We can't wait to
invite our friends over

and actually use
the space as a social space.

What we've done here is,
we've brought people together.

You know, this is just a few bits of
wood, but now it's a pergola

and the dining room table is just a
few bits of wood,

but now it's a place for people
to enjoy for many years.

To have somewhere that we all can
sit together, that makes me happy.

Never really felt comfortable to eat
outside,

but now it's just a beautiful place.

I'm very excited we have the ability
to host parties.

So this is the place now.
You know, I'm pretty sure

we've got the best garden in London
right now, hands down.

The deck has always been designed
with different functions in mind.

Table away, punchbag out and the
pergola mini gym is in full effect.

I'm really proud of
what we've done in this space.

We've got little areas for everyone.

We've got the gym for the boys

and we've got a nice place for mum
to sit and relax,

and hopefully this is a space

that the whole family can use for
years to come.

And doing some extra planting

is bringing the family
together in new ways.

How do you want to plant this,
Spence?

Start from here.

You make the hole.

From a social garden perspective,

I think that there is no
more enjoyable way to bond

than over harvesting food and seeds.

There's something really lovely

about chatting over working
in the garden.

So hopefully, that's what this space
will be able to provide as well.

Go on, dig, dig!

THEY LAUGH

It's been really amazing
and I just think to myself,

"Why didn't I do this before?"

I think sometimes people feel
intimidated by the garden

but really, it's just about getting
in the garden and getting involved.

Gardens are there to be enjoyed,
and we shouldn't forget that.

Next time, we're all about wild
gardens

as we head to Greater Manchester.

This is amazing. I mean, how can
we really improve on this?

We show you how to adopt a more
laidback approach to your planting.

You know, I'm not going to be able
to move that anyway.

So we'll leave it at that.

How to invite
wildlife into your garden...

The beetles are going to love this.

And how to make a lawn with
a difference.

It's just a bit more fun
than a normal, plain old lawn.