Your Garden Made Perfect

Demi and Laura have a busy family life in Hertfordshire, but their lacklustre ‘L-shaped’ garden, strewn with kids’ toys, needs an injection of life to make it the perfect space for their large, fun-loving family. Demi loves to entertain, while Laura wants a relaxing space for the family to spend quality time together in. Will it be possible to create an outdoor haven which works for everyone?

Neil and Clare have a garden that is relatable to many, uninspiring and rarely used. One thing it does have however is a stunning view of rural Cheshire, but the pair cannot agree on how to turn it into a practical space suitable for the whole family. Clare wants somewhere quiet to have a coffee and read a book, whilst Neil wants a space for entertaining all year round. The biggest design challenge they face is making the view feel part of their garden as currently it just makes the plot feel small. Further complicating matters, Neil has known the garden all his life so there are lots of memories of his late father.

Pam and Marcus have a big garden surrounded by large established trees, which stretches away from their suburban home in St Albans, Hertfordshire. It has been home to football goals, trampolines and other familiar play paraphernalia for years whilst the kids have occupied it. But the couple have decided that it’s finally time for a big change. The children have grown up, and Pam and Marcus are ready to transform the garden into a space for themselves. Pam dreams of a wildlife oasis, while Marcus wants something more practical in keeping with his garden sheds. After years of staring at their long garden with its strip of scruffy lawn, it’s finally time to do something about it - but they cannot imagine where to start.

Suzanne and Andrew have a huge problem in their lives: a derelict, crater-sized swimming pool in their back garden in Plymouth. When they bought the house, they dreamt of lounging around on their sunbaked south-coast riviera with friends and family, but the reality has been a nightmare. A succession of landscaping companies have run a mile the moment they gaze into the abyss, but Suzanne and Andrew are determined to transform this treacherous space into the garden of their dreams. Their budget doesn’t even stretch to simply filling it in, so how can they transform this empty pool into anything resembling a garden?

Tracey and Jake have a decent-sized, south-facing garden in West Sussex, but the space simply doesn’t work for their family. As a full time wheelchair user, Tracey struggles to navigate the tricky slopes and awkward drops of the garden and gets frustrated that she can only venture into certain parts without assistance. Jake, meanwhile, finds the space uninspiring and gets tired of trying to keep it all looking neat and tidy. He dreams of a low maintenance solution. Their daughter Poppy would love the garden to be somewhere she can escape into and enjoy alone or with her parents.

Mandy and Chris adore their Victorian home in Manchester, but they cannot unlock the potential of their garden. Overlooked on all sides, the couple feel on edge and exposed whenever they spend time in it. They have considered adding hedges and big trees to give them more privacy, but they don’t want to lose the light. The couple also disagree on how they intend to enjoy the garden - Chris craves warmth, so she loves nothing more than lying in the sun, while Mandy wants to be in the shade. With so many conflicting issues, they are at a loss over how to move forward.