Domestic Design
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Changing Blooms as seen on BBC TV Points West & South Today - Back Garden in Pinehurst, Swindon
Design Summary: Restyle domestic back garden using a simple design due to timescale,
make it child-friendly and low maintenance
Diane said 'I've never won anything in my life and I'm absolutely thrilled at the garden's
transformation. It's so completely different'
BBC Radio Swindon ran a competition in conjunction with Phillip Osman to find some worthy
cause or person who would benefit from a garden makeover. It was a bit like 'Groundforce'
and 'Changing Rooms' combined.
There were many entries in July 2005 but the winner had had a particularly rough two years
and the state of her garden was getting her down.
The view from the kitchen was of three, six foot tall garden sheds about eight feet away
from the window. The patio was cracked and dangerously uneven. There was an old 1950's
style washing line and an unsafe metal climbing frame that would take several strong men
to remove it. The lawn was bumpy and the bottom of the long garden was very overgrown
with brambles.
Phillip was in no doubt that Diane Palmer from Pinehurst, Swindon, was a worthy winner
because she and her mother both suffer from cancer. (Thankfully Diane is in remission
and Cathy was mysteriously healed as the garden makeover progressed!)
The plan was to spend two days stripping and rebuilding the garden, with BBC Radio
Swindon presenter Graham Seaman and his team, following progress every 10 minutes.
In the end, the broadcast crew shipped en masse to Diane's back garden and did two
live, three-hour broadcasts amongst the workers who were shovelling grit and soil,
delivering compost, painting fences and generally causing mayhem!
When the garden was cleared, Diane said 'I haven't seen the bottom of the garden for
fifteen years. I'm amazed there's all this space.'
Overall costs met by sponsors
Design £750
Materials £2250
Labour £1000
Total £4000 approx
Special Challenges
Because this project was undertaken against a background of a strict and immovable
recording schedule, every element had to be lined up in advance. Even then, things
went awry - Two strong male volunteers were unavailable because one's daughter was
rushed to hospital with suspected meningitis, and the other was unavoidably detained.
Project management is an essential skill and every move had to be planned so volunteers
were not tripping over each other.
One of the planters came without a base and there was an emergency trip to Wickes
to pick up a suitable alternative - all to beat the deadline. The clock was ticking!
A mini digger loaned by Hewden Hire shifted seven and a half tons of spill. Seven and
a half tons of bark chippings covered two play areas. Thirty cubic metres of compost
were loaded into two big planters made by Enterprise Works. Railway sleepers provided
by Swindon Services defined the secret garden and built two raised flower beds.
And then there were the cables - BBC Radio Swindon and BBC TV Points West had vans
and cameras and all sorts. Just when you thought it was safe, a microphone would
pop up for a quick quote or anecdote!
However, the radio crew didn't have it easy. They were roped in to assemble the
garden furniture and Graham Seaman will make a DIY expert yet!
A Family Affair
Joining the team of volunteers from different companies were family members; Joe and Sam,
twin teenage boys and their sister Caitlin who were all pretty handy with a paintbrush.
Graham Seaman was impressed at how quickly they wood-stained the garden fences, working
in relays as a seamless team. Mark took a couple of days off work as did his mum Pat
Wiseman and her partner Phil. Pat kept us all plied with hot drinks, cold drinks, bacon
butties, sandwiches and a constant smile.
Sponsorship
Working in advance, Phillip had approached a number of local businesses and the Swindon
Chamber of Commerce also rallied support. A number of Chamber members chipped in with
materials and labour.
Countdown
The countdown was live on air on Friday 2nd September 2005. Sponsors arrived at 12.30pm
for lunch using the newly built barbecue, ably manned by Cathy's partner, Kevin. The last
few plants were still being potted right up to the last minute and the garden was just
about there as the photographer arrived from the Swindon Evening Advertiser to record
the moment for posterity!
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, (Champagne cork pops)
'This is BBC Radio Swindon on 103.5 FM. It's one o clock on Friday the second of September'
- and Graham Seaman did his final handover back to the studio.
Media coverage
Two pieces of TV coverage were networked across BBC South Today and BBC TV Points West
showing the two-day makeover in fast-forward set to Groundforce music. Adding together
radio and TV audiences with two full-page features in the local newspaper, nearly a
million people had the opportunity to see this good news story.
Gardens That Make a Difference
Later that Friday evening, with wine in-hand and another barbecue sizzling away, we were
all able to sit and enjoy the new courtyard with the children running about the garden
safely, in a way that was never possible before. They have a secret garden and Mark has
a new lease of life. Mark and Diane have a new, shared interest and can take pride in the
place once again. All it needed was some help and focus.
Phillip says 'I'm delighted the garden has made such a difference, not just visually,
but in the way the family is using it now. They've spent the last of the summer living
in the garden, which is fantastic. It's done its job and got Diane out of the house.'
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