You’ve seen the show, now check out what happens behind the scenes!
(Missed it? Watch it on ITVPlayer now!)
Here’s one of our producer/directors, Ben, filming the introduction. He shoots the short videos while we’re away from site, and acts as the third cameraman during the day.
This is Holly and Eleanor, who co-ordinate most of the events and keep us refreshed with tea, coffee and fruit. It sounds very healthy, but don’t be fooled – there’s cake too! Just behind them you can see the huge pile of rubbish we’ve made on site!
The artificial turf in this episode was delivered by Easigrass and the sales rep turned up in this quite amazing car. But he was quickly told to get it off site and park it somewhere else…
This is our catering van, serving up some delicious meals. We get a bit of breakfast when we get on site and always have a nice lunch. It’s important to keep refreshed because you’re working in the rain against tight deadlines and having your every move filmed.
I love this shot! Meet Steve, one of our three cameramen, and behind him is Matt, our sound technician. In the camera lens you can see the director Alice, and you can also see Frances reflected in the window to the right.
This shot is a couple of the lads! Matt in the foreground is one of the hard landscapers and a brilliant paving guy, and Shaun is a carpenter who works on all the wood in the garden. They are great guys and always keep us entertained.
Here’s Ben filming for my piece on repairing your decking. The problem was that just as we had got most of the stain in, the rain started pouring down. Ben is getting soaking wet while I’m keeping dry under an umbrella!
Here’s a shot of Alan presenting a piece about that beautiful Acer. It’s one of my favourite plants from the show, and it looks amazing in that raised bed. It’s things like that – a few hero plants, that really make a garden.
Here’s me getting into trouble! I thought I’d have a quick go with Ben’s camera, but he didn’t think it was that funny. In the photo he’s telling me to stop messing about with such an expensive piece of equipment! It’s a great shot with a beautiful backdrop of um… Hippobag collecting all the rubbish.
Here’s a shot of Frances really getting her hands dirty and getting enthusiastic about her grass planting. The garden is starting to take shape, but we’re under a bit of pressure now because time is definitely running out.
Alan really puts his all into the show. Here he is lifting up Katie so she can tie the evergreen clematis in to the trampoline arch. The lengths that we go to, creating these makeovers – it’s above and beyond the call of duty!
Here is a photo of Katie presenting in the garden as she’s planting a fatsia. Often when you see it on TV, it looks as if they are just talking to you, but there’s a whole group of people on the other side of the camera!
This is what it looks like when you’re being filmed! It’s not just one cameraman! This is from one of the scenes at the end. From left to right you’ve got Matt on sound, Steve the cameraman, Natalie who’s first director for this episode, then second cameraman Stef, second director Alice, our co-ordinator and photographer Jim, and Grant the second sound guy.
Here’s a picture of the finished garden! This is what it looks like from the other side of the camera, when all the family come out to see what we’ve done. Alan’s raising a glass to a very deserving family and a spectacular garden. It really was a pleasure to work on it.
Peonies, or paeonia, are a classic British garden plant, famous for their bold foliage and big, showy flowers. They look divine planted in borders, giving the garden a punch of colour and fragrance from mid-spring to mid-summer. They can also be used as a low hedge, or mixed with roses, irises and columbines for a full flower bed.
Division
Peonies can be divided into two groups: herbaceous perennials with soft growth that dies back over winter, and tree peonies with woody stems that do not.
The plants have large, alternate leaves that are often tinged with bronze when young and rich red in autumn. But the real showstoppers are the flowers. They can be single, double or anemone-form and have lightly ruffled edges. The outer petals are broad and striking, and the centre is filled with strong stamens. They also make fantastic cut flowers.
Brilliant white
P. lactiflora ‘Duchesse de Nemours’is an old peony with white ruffled petals that deepen to yellow at the centre. It’s tall and has a strong, sweet fragrance. It’s also floriferous, meaning it grows multiple blooms on each stem that make excellent cut flowers.
Another good variety is P. lactiflora ‘Do Tell’, which has open, anemone-form petals and striking pink and white stamen. It won the American Peony Society Gold Medal in 2004, and grows prolifically in Britain. It has dark green foliage and strong red stems that won’t need staking.
Soft yellow
P. ‘Bartzella’ is an intersectional hybrid made from a cross between a white herbaceous peony and a yellow tree peony. It’s one of the most popular hybrids around, and won the American Peony Society Gold Medal in 2006. The huge blooms can be 25cm in diameter and have lemon yellow petals with red bases. It flowers prolifically without the need for staking, and has a lovely lemon fragrance.
How to grow peonies
Peonies are great for beginner or lazy gardeners, because they’re hardy and low-maintenance. They prefer full sun but tolerate light shade and thrive in most soil types.
Plant them in the autumn and once established they will look after themselves. They usually reach 60-90cm tall, but some varieties will get up to 150cm high.
The flower heads may need staking when in full bloom to stop the stems snapping. Cut the foliage as it dies back in autumn to avoid peony wilt – a grey mould.
Peonies are long-lived plants but they don’t like being transplanted, so leave them where they are. If you absolutely have to, move it in the autumn and try to create as little root disturbance as possible.
Did you know? Ants love peonies and can often be seen crawling over the buds and flowers. But don’t worry – they are there for the sweet nectar the flowers produce and don’t harm the plant!
Blushing pink
P. lactiflora Sarah Bernhardt is a long-time classic peony. It’s a floriferous variety named after the famous Victorian actress. The huge blooms have crinkled pink petals and a light fragrance. It’s a tall bush with rich green foliage that will need staking.
For something a bit more modern, try P. Coral Charm, a hybrid peony with salmon-coloured petals and a bright yellow centre. The blooms are in an antique rose form, and they fade from coral to a peach shade as the flower opens. The foliage stays green all year round, and it grows to 120cm tall.
Rich reds
P. lactiflora ‘Felix Crousse’ is an old, floriferous peony with a faint fragrance. It has rich raspberry-red flowers with a wide collar and a tightly packed centre. It’s a dependable variety with good drought resistance but may need staking.
Another good variety is P. suffruticosa ‘Rimpo’, a tree peony. It can grow up to 150cm tall, and has lovely deciduous foliage. It hails from Japan and has large blooms in a deep red shade with bright yellow stamen.
The world’s biggest flower show is almost upon us! And this year it’s an extra special one for me – I’m on the Celebrity Theatre and I’ve designed the garden for the Quiet Mark Treehouse and Garden with John Lewis!
The great thing about Hampton is that it’s like a cross between a flower show and a summer festival – the plants and the Pimm’s are equally popular!
Plenty to see
It has show gardens, floral marquees, trade stands and exquisite food and drink. There’s so much going on, so why not check out my Insider’s Guide. It’s packed with fascinating facts, practical information on getting there in style and my ten top tips for things to see and do!
And the best part? I’m offering it to you lovely readers – completely free! You can preview it, download it, print it, share it – it’s all for you.
