THE TV CARPENTER : Home Makeovers with Wayne Perrey

Wayne chats with Thea Pitcher Associate TV Garden Producer

May 01, 2020 Wayne / Thea Pitcher Season 3 Episode 35
THE TV CARPENTER : Home Makeovers with Wayne Perrey
Wayne chats with Thea Pitcher Associate TV Garden Producer
Show Notes Transcript

This week I chat with Associate TV garden producer Thea Pitcher,
She is the lady behind the most successful Garden TV shows for the last 8 years
Guest: twitter @theapitcher



Sponsor: To take advantage of the generous 15% discount from my sponsor Thorndown, please visit http://bit.ly/TVCarpenter. Discount code: TVCarpenter

Contact me: www.theTVcarpenter.com

Music: "What's the Angle" by Shane Ivers


To learn how to achieve a Safe, practical and beautiful home,
 join THE DIY DOERS Facebook group

spk_0:   0:03
Hello and welcome to the TV Carpenter. My name is Wayne Perry. One Today show. I chat with ear picture. She's a garden producer. So if you've watch shows like Alan Teach Martians, love your Garden or Garden Rescue with Charlie Dimmock and Rich Brothers, or even the autistic Gardner or the Great Garden Challenge on Channel five, she is a lady behind all of these shows. Who makes them happen? No todo plans because he needs. You have to select plumps for the planting to the

spk_1:   0:33
gardens. You need to know about construction because you need to know what materials to order. You need to know about design as well, because the guns that weather is being designed in house or whether it's another show we've got pretences designing. They kind of, you know, they need to have a brief if it's someone else design, because you need to get a good brief eso that'll the guards are different because we can't have the same style of garden in every episode off whatever show

spk_0:   0:59
we're working on. Hello and welcome to the TV Carpenter. My name is Wayne Perry. This is a podcast where I interview all my friends from the world of interior design and garden makeover shows so that you can create your dream home ons. You're probably stuck at home looking around your four walls in your garden, thinking, What can I do Teoh to make this place better than it? Audis. I know I've mentioned it before on the podcasts. We were already thinking about knocking down walls. Actually, we are going to doing it this week. I've hired a skip, so I'll be clearing out all the rubbish on Be knocking down walls this week, and hopefully this podcast is there. Teoh. Help you and its encourage You inspire you so that you can create your dream homes. Like I say, by interviewing some amazing guests on DA first, they have to say a huge thank you to my sponsor, Thorn Down paints. I had a chat with the owners, Caroline and Ben a few weeks ago, and they were telling me what makes their ICO paint so good. And why is perfect for using in Children's furniture on any sensitive areas of your house? Where office You don't want any toxic chemicals leaking from the paint, so have a little and listen to this short woman interview with Ben from Thorne Down paint Thorn Down is said to be like a high performance ICO paint on its got minimal v O. C. Now I have no idea what vio si means. Can you explain that to me? On, obviously, is volatile organic compounds, so they are natural oily compounds that could evaporate off things like paint, especially spirit makes paints, oil paints and things like that, and then they can react with other things. And so they're quite nasty. And what we want to do was have this little chemical come out of the paint, a zit tried other than water the house. So that was very important. And it's a modern technology is very good, and the choice of raw materials that we had was very high performing. It was just a good time. I had to be producing a paint like that. So, yes, we creates the paint where not very much if operates off. So so does it mean that the actual paint itself off? You can't drink it. It's not. It is full of something, but it just means it's the bit that comes off the fumes that come off like that. The drying agents that normally really batting losses are in there, such minimal. So when you say minimal, how much? Isn't that? Well, If you like percentages, it's a maximum off no 0.28%. No point No. Five in the glass is so small it can it, Really, it's it zero. But with some of the raw materials are supplies. Can't counties that there's absolutely nothing in the whole process. And so we just put in the maximum. They think what was really lovely. But in the interview with Ben, you couldn't see. But his eyes came alive when I started asking him about stats and things he really loved, eking out on the whole science of the paint, which is actually quite reassuring because what I think if someone like him is doing that and it's his company cares that much about the environment, then it means that we can be having fun with the pain known that is safe to use. If you want to get hold of some thorn down pain, contact them at thorn down dot co dot UK. And if you type in the code TV carpenter, you will get 15% off any online purchases. At the moment, they're still working their family business, so they're all living together on their managing to produce. They're paint and it can get out to you. So, yeah, even in this locked down, you can get hold of thorn down paint now time for the main event. So I've wanted to speak to this lady for ages, but she's been traveling to be working on. I finally pinned her down to do the interview on her name is thier Pitch in a Fear is a TV garden producer, so her job is behind the scenes. So, behind all of these gardens, all these garden shows there's a whole creative team behind the scenes who not only helped with the garden designs but are there to practically make the gardens happen. So she's the lady on the Farron ringing for the soil to be delivered or for the concrete to be delivered or picking plants in the Garden center. And without this lady, all the garden shows that you have watched over the last eight years wouldn't have happened. And he's the reason why I'm in Garden TV makeover shows she gave him my first job and then introduced me to this network of garden makeover shows on, and she is beloved within the industry. So Havel it listen to me having a lovely chat with my girlfriend, the picture picture. Thank you for coming on the TV Carpenter podcast I knew quite a few years. To me, you're the queen of Garden makeover shows. You're the person who got me involved in gun makers shows. But within your rail within garden makeover shows, What's your job title? I didn't know what to call you when I was introducing you.

spk_1:   6:36
My my official title is associate producer on, but that kind of encompasses lots of things I wear many hats said, You know, but that's that's my official title

spk_0:   6:49
producer. So when have you always been involved in in Garden makeover shows?

spk_1:   6:56
Well, I've been quite lucky, So I started. I thought my career. I decided that I wanted to be a God. I don't want to spend all my time in doors on, so I didn't know anything about gardening, biking, mow lawns and hedges. So I set up a little business advertised locally and then kind of learn on the job for are delighted. I just night classes just sitting girls and girls are doing and they are suggestive and kind of just got myself a nice little around locally where I lived on then I was getting bored. I really liked his my brain, you know, because everyone a lot of people in in their goals, I have exactly the same clones let you have them in a different order, s so I was kind of a bit bored with my taking these guns, and I didn't know enough to kind of past America in seeing I wouldn't change the guards one one year by getting something about 14 years ago. Maybe, maybe more. And Titch Marsh had serious called a year a Q on it was behind the scenes of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kids near Richmond On one episode came on and I had a school of horse couch. Oh, wow. I together that my mom What? I'm gonna apply. I'm gonna go there. My members like here, they only 6 12 students, 12 14 students a year from around the globe. You're never gonna get lies that I'm going. So I didn't know I looked I looked up on the Internet and a nice today was that they would like that.

spk_0:   8:32
You're selling your ready stare You, sir. You're right. You

spk_1:   8:35
know, I bang I rang the school of horticulture and when I asked him, you know what cases you needed because I'd like to apply. And they said that I like very obvious things, like fat. I didn't actually have the qualifications that were required and have a high enough qualifications on you. Also needed toe Have two years packed practical experience in a recognised horticulture instruction. By my five years I saw had a chance it, But I haven't got exactly what you're asking for it. I think my skills were transferrable. Is it worth be applying? And they said, Oh, yeah, absolutely. Please apply. So So I Julie apply. I couldn't believe it when I got short list. Didn't called for an interview and I was like, Oh, my God, this is the best thing ever, right? So, you know, I probably won't get in buying. There's gonna enjoy getting going for an interview Rocket guns que at the school of horticulture because that's actually where I teach Marsh trying. So, you know, This is fantastic. Fantastic. Been through that on anyway. So I went for my interview, and it was I don't quite bit revision. We had. It was quite was quite death threat. A plant identification test you have to name was about 30 points on the table and you had to get the full that name for a least 10 of them. And we have persistent diseases. Identification. We have propagation. I had to talk my way around a cylinder Morrow quite full on and then ended with a panel interview with four principal of school of horticulture. That was yet it was also top people. Kids, I decide, enjoying myself because I was gonna get in and I would just really drivers. So we had quite a final block on. Then, about six weeks later, I go off place. No, my God, I couldn't believe it. I kept thinking they bring in sex. We've made a mistake anyway. So I I I studied horticulture que, which is a three year full time course of what she spends some of the time in the gardens or in the glass houses on that practical placements, learning things practically on. Then you spend the rest of the time in electric block on the kind of 95 throughout the year. You apart identification tests, and it's all it's quite full on you. You cover everything from clump, physiology, biochemistry, design, soil side. So it's it's quite wide raging.

spk_0:   11:07
One, of

spk_1:   11:07
course, to go on. I I was Yeah, I was in my final just a few months actually on, and the BBC got in touch with Q. And so we are looking for someone of your runner for our coverage of the Chelsea Flower. Have you got any strange to be interested? And I had a couple of weeks lead to take, so I said, Oh, you know what? I really interesting. So I am. So I applied on, got accepted. So I did two weeks on the Chelsea Flower Show as a run up, which which, actually, compared to most TV shows from his often you look after the presenters making team costly, but my was actually mawr kind of horticultural. So I have to work out where way we're doing an item. Yeah, we're doing a you know, click on plants that were that were kept cutouts that came from China, but thoughts of his quintessentially English. So I want to go around girls, find things like with stereo, right to Denver wins or things like that and then discussed these with the presenters and they got that. So it's a really good introduction into the TV. And then when I finished there, finish the TV contract. They said, Look applies to being a pool of runners because we we have a pool of runners we should call upon for all our other gardening shows on. So I did that and then I got I did that when I went back to Q, and I graduated on. Then I got called to say what I like Teoh work on have to court Flower Show. So I did that. Then I did. The following year I did Chelsea and then I went joined. Got The Gardener's world team is a researcher, so that's how I kind of got into TV. And then I got called. Um, I have been a big city icing months from spangled TV who produced Island Pitch Marshall's shows on at the time. He had his cap show in the afternoon, and they were wanting to do garlic. Nice things on it. And I got a call. I've been recommended Teoh Teoh, to come on work on the gardening segment of the show. So they are like, Well, that sounds great. And all the gardening programmes used to be produced at Bernie inside start to commute up on a Monday, rent a room, stay till Friday, come back on. The contracts were in his march till October when the growing season waas. But this contract was This was great because But this was actually I think it must be about the end of season with that September October. So it was a couple. It was a couple of months winter contract. I was like, That's great. And its London based brilliant. So I did. That was great fun Studio show Mad on Ben on. Alan was in discussions with setting. I love your guards that got signed off on commissioned by my TV on. See, I was already in the office working on the other, teach my show. So that became part that kind of initial team on Tiu Tiu work on your guard. So

spk_0:   14:06
from the beginning, then see you part of your wedding.

spk_1:   14:10
He did have a C love your guard on Star. So he had a actually to be bad. He got commissioned for longer Garnett that the initial first Siris was like a magazine format show. It wasn't makeovers, but they decided they wanted to make shows. And so I was from the birth, So it kind of feels like it's my baby from the very beginning.

spk_0:   14:32
Yes, on. Did you did you ever think about being like, obviously we've got Katie and Francis on that. Do you ever think about being like one of those girls since in front of the camera?

spk_1:   14:43
I know

spk_0:   14:47
you know your bag. Well,

spk_1:   14:49
I have been tracked onto other shows that

spk_0:   14:57
your your knowledge inlet the way I know it's amazing seeing or your background in the way. Obviously, I know you use you dragged me on Teoh the autistic card. But you're you're like that, the person who makes it happen. So you let the site form and your you liaise with not only the presenters and the directors, but you're the one organizing you know, the builders, they you know they're getting deliveries. Your If we need anything, we speak to you. You're on the phone, organizing the deliveries and stuff like that. How did you How did you find that? Was that something you've always done or different? Because it is a hard job to do what you do, you know, to manage expectations in the show.

spk_1:   15:38
Yeah, you you have toe the old. Like I said earlier, many hats double lots of balls. And I actually also actually a landscape as well. So I So I understand construction. It's kind of chicken. One million. It's to be able Teoh work to do the job. I do is you kind of need to know while all things about little things on. So I did everything from the casting which would be deciding who goes. Yeah, he's back. He gets the dog has done on the shows and for something. I love your garden, but for you for not just loving guards and burn your to see Garber, you have many other shows up. Don. Um, yeah, you have to be able to You need to be able to know the plants because you need to be able to select plants for the planting for the gardens. You need to know about construction because you need to know what materials to order. You know you need to know about design as well, because the guns that whether it's you know, whether it's being designed in house or whether it's on the show, we've got pretences designing. They kind of yeah, they need to have a good brief if it's someone else design, because you need to get a brief so that all the guns are different because we can't have the same style of garden in every episode or whatever show we're working on on. So you and you need to be organized and unflappable. You just have to keep calm. You know, things do go wrong, but I always go wrong, but that they have been, you know, wanted to kind of occasions, and you just need to be able to make right. What can I do? Afghan affects is

spk_0:   17:19
man absolutely. So let's talk it through the process. Say off, Love your garden. Obviously, it's a TV show Arent each march. You've got four presenters on that, and we do believe that a episodes a year on year generally on How does so? I want to talk about the design side of it who designs a garden who designs the gardens for your garden.

spk_1:   17:45
So it's the garden syllabi. Gonna is designed as almost like a team effort on so myself. Having met the families and Alan Plus, the Siri's Producer way will have spoken to the family. We should. We found out by a lot about so from that will be a list of want on leads to the goal so that we will need on a wheelchair access. Or, you know, we will need to have a garden building or, you know, or whatever. So there'll be some things that we know that we need to get a seat on. Then the producers come on board on. We have. We'll have a family. Research is that is quite big team behind the scenes on at the family research, and the producers will find out a lot more about families. Andi finding out kind of things about that back when you was places have been to visit things they like colors. They like things I'd like to dio were built up a bigger picture of this person, and then the guard design kind of comes out of a marriage between the two late, so we'll want, you know? Well, they're all these things that we need to get into the garden. And then I like the style of these people. What they actually like that well can lead you to what the garden will look like. On top of that, you do have, like, I just think you have to make sure that that no to God looks the same on so, which is quite freaky, really, Because, you know, it sounds easy. Have the more you have the stars. But you know, this you couldn't really even wrong a couple of So it's back to back that had, you know, gods are based on a circular design. So, yes, it's quite team, effort

spk_0:   19:32
way have draws them up then. So, do you guys sit and do the drawing? Or do you send away to somebody

spk_1:   19:39
you know, way we have someone a designer who will design to our brief on their always think, always got the patience of a saint herself and design something and they'll come in, it will come back, and it will go to Alan. It'll come to me and you know that the team will have a look at you and I will say again, that's great. But we need to take that back simply because the designer is designing for a brief we're designing not only for the for the guards what God looks like, but also for content for the program. Yes, which actually which? That another thing that we have to make sure, Because if you've got gardens, things that the same, you're not gonna have new content from each episode. And so we're often, you know, my job is to look for additional content within the design on, you know, new things, your new ways of doing things. There are better ways of decorating bulls, you know, Have we got myself having servicing in the garden and so we're constantly I'm constantly looking out. New inoperative come ways of doing things differently. You know, we love interests. There's always something you someone's done or may think Well, way we could try that. Some stuff we just make up ourselves.

spk_0:   20:48
I love that. I think I think that's and that's why I don't quite well with you guys and the team. The gun show is so you've got four presenters, each of them have need to have an area or something to explore. They've all been given now making news, you know, things that that's another, You know, off the directoral need certain inputs here, like story threads going through. And I know with me now they kind of go right. We want a barbecue area or something or something Building. And then the leave me to run with it on that hopefully create another story for that presenter. Eso es so much goes into the show's Yeah. Is there any truth, Detective Allen, about this before we were saying There's so many things about that. For example, with Alan the certain do's and don't you know, we know he's flower bench have to be a certain debt, you know? It's like us. An industry standard without Alan is not in the light. That's we need to dig it lower or he doesn't like wind chimes. So we're not putting a wind chill? Yeah, yeah,

spk_1:   21:50
their plants as well. You know something? I was not a great kind of Catania, remember? Rightly so, Yeah. There are things that I know about. Yeah, I think obviously having worked with them for years, you know I know these things. And also that things I can tell you. You know, anyone else who comes and does my job because it's not just made is normally one other. We do have the episodes each. Yeah, I mean that quite good team. You know, I think you know, because we've worked together for that time. We do know like this. Like

spk_0:   22:24
on DSO with love. Your garden will stick around for now because it's ITV. Obviously the guard most the gun is donated, But do you have a bunch at obviously litigating? What we get paid were paid by the channel. But do you have a material's budget for actually

spk_1:   22:41
say I do it

spk_0:   22:44
small? OK, yeah. So you have a minimal budget to K for bits and everything. Is everything okay? Is everything else then, just like donated then

spk_1:   22:55
Tonight we are so grateful and so lucky to be supported by a lot of companies, you know? But who you today not just products, but plants as well, you know, it's three industries, you know. It's it's No, it's not necessarily the most buoyant of industry. A lot, a lot smaller nurseries and people calling, you know, they don't have a massive profits. But the industry is incredibly supportive on we were really blessed, because if we we wouldn't be able to make the guards we make on the budget that would heaven on. Do you know that that also was a discussion that we had before we we started with it. You know, What do we want to achieve? You know, Do we want Teoh? Yeah. What? What do we want the show to look like? How did we Hey, how are we gonna achieve in, you know where the budgets? You know, what was the best way to work budgets, And I spoken to quite a lot, you know, supplies things. And before, Yeah, we made his decision and got their feedback. You know, obviously, it once by twice I people supplying the program get publicity from it. Um, Bobbsey. No frost for families that we built guns or, you know, they better. You get the amazing things and gone on. You know, companies are so, so generous on and in fact a lot that don't do it for the public city. You know, they just do it because, you know, because they're kind on you know, and that's that. That's really lovely, but we can't support our please supply us as much as possible. You know, in, you know, in the way we have a website and social media very social media happen using comprise. Yeah, we provided face, ese things like that. So it's nice to try and support that you get back as much as they given up.

spk_0:   24:46
Yeah, this is interesting, isn't it? Because I remember it's hard, even though is ITV We can you know you can product placement as it were. But remember, there's sometimes where we might have used a certain wheelbarrow, and it's so distinctive the channel have gone last too much. We need to get really to get rid of battle swap thing. Yeah, a little bit. How many? How many spots on it for people who like some of the big things that are donated where there is a big green house or, you know, some decking or some fence panels you get, you get certain. Is it spots like, Yeah, how many of those you're allowed?

spk_1:   25:18
Way. Get five sof high up, I say. High value. It's not necessarily high value. It could be a regular supply just supplies that isn't high value. But you know, there's They supported us for a long time. So it's done. Really The high right? You're or a regular fuck tonight to the program. Um, we have five spots. Perec. That's a where we put the product name and the company name on screen who least put precedent with price anymore.

spk_0:   25:45
No nothing. You have Teoh web

spk_1:   25:49
that people know the name of the product because we did with We find that we get a lot of emails, you know, on a lot of visits to the website and social media asking you what things are. Everything is listed, all of suppliers and what's been supplied is listed on our website for people to find. But, you know, we do still find you. We get a lot of questions. People are really came to know what products we're using. You know, the effective these amazing on you know what they want to find, You know, when we try to be inoperative and come up with new things. So it's not just the same things you've seen, you know, in other programs or magazines, and things are not way tried. I mean, five sat there racking my brains. You know what? What we do? What could be different without plants? X games, Obviously the first series that we were able to do Shady party, sunny plant saying plants for that period. What you've done that in the first years. You can't really go back to that again in the second says you got to find more interesting ways of presenting it. So we would think of, I don't know, we might have a her family who are really into dancing on. Say, yeah, we have climbing into dancing. I remember one year on what cycle I think way came up with the idea of having a border plants which have names that which related to don't answer. So I think there was something like Rosa Darcy Barcelona match. But it was just us finding new ways. And it is seeking them in a way. But I think it wants, and people remember things quite well if you actually present them in that way. Oh, yeah, I remember the dancing plants. Whereas if you actually said, Oh, we're gonna plant this Rose and this, you know it, you know it might not stick so awesome. We hope that it also makes make things easy to remember. And in the same way our gods are thought of things as well that that really helps the viewer to remember. They'll say, Oh, you know, I remember the please like it. I remember the festival girls and that he did. That was amazing. You know, we could all right, forget you don't have to remember here it waas or you know that you're not gonna remember his name, but yeah, I could remember the gardens by the things

spk_0:   28:09
so well. Too much remembering then. Well, what has been your favorite garden you've worked on?

spk_1:   28:16
Yeah. Oh, we had we had? No, it's still my favor. So we did a garden for family called the cocoons on that was down in the West Country somewhere. What? Some said maybe yes. Some said they on their golden. It was a really quite traditional English garden. It's quite big size and it's just beautiful. Hydrangea ran a bell laughing. There we had white trellis paint my trendiness, which I accidentally end up spraying someone's

spk_0:   28:49
calm. Yes. Remember that

spk_1:   28:57
there's not many things have happened. I know that it was May and not someone you want to run is said to be millions had I have to say, hands on my heart. I did take care and it was really unfortunate. I said a a spray station displacing. Try this and there was a law, this trailer. So it was way too much to do that by I had it there had bought. There was a hedge picnic laurel hedge boards all the way around. Tall enough, you're much taller than my Trellix, so that in case there was any drip sprayed ever they find at a couple of coats, it's great anywhere this lady came round said it. Should you expect my car sinking houses possible? It's no car near me, a member of the footpath behind the hedge, which she part of car on, slightly annoying on. And there have been really, really fine drift. Well, I went see any pain on the car on then She took me to, and there was an ever so I really, really fine. Mr. Pain just looked like a slight bit dust. It was actually paid over the entire car, which is going Castillo work was like, Oh, my God. So he's saying we got a the ballots to come wouldn t Kyle

spk_0:   30:15
And in

spk_1:   30:16
fact ing in my been a writer, I find out I wasn't the office I like best up straight away. But I know many things happen. You know, many thought they have a lot that I don't think anything's ever happened like that.

spk_0:   30:33
And it was making that

spk_1:   30:34
I think may.

spk_0:   30:35
So why Love is Beaven. So that's your favorite garden than this

spk_1:   30:40
car. It was a beautiful garden. It was just It was picture perfect. It looked amazing on. But that said, You know, this quite hard truths for me. I'm living to amaze with some of the 1st 1 So they were great because we've never done it before and yet we don't know doing and, you know, they looked amazing in the end. Despite, you know, you think my God house is gonna pull together. You know, everyone was new. Eso some of them, especially just because, you know, way we'll just starting off well, brown et the festival gone that you mentioned That's really great fun flags around it fun thing. And yeah, that's it's great fun going, but Yeah. I mean,

spk_0:   31:25
alone. So honor the rural, their own little well off to the wall. Their own episode. But each one comes with its own challenge. And it's excitement. And the teams are different. You got your You're different teams and the locations of difference. You'll have

spk_1:   31:39
families that different. You know, you go really close to the families because you're you're kind of your Yeah, obviously. I still alive. I interviewed them. You may be multiple. We've gone. And then you have this intense period of dealing with him just before the builders. Well, on death for the five days, you only have five days to build the goal. You know, it's going to the families air. Hey, for some of it on, you know, you you don't really good support them. And we have such wonderful people who we build the goals for They are actually deserving.

spk_0:   32:13
Brilliant. You still also you started garden rescue the one with Charlie Dimmock. A brief, but that How did that

spk_1:   32:23
say? Aye, I killed a car in the house. Does. But I remember being asked to do a pilot show. I think spun gold again. So produces Fallon stuff. They we're in talks with Charlie on these two young guys called Rich Brothers who just kind of started out. Think that might start a design for Chelsea?

spk_0:   32:44
Yeah. You have a winner. All they have Chelsea?

spk_1:   32:47
Yes, they were really quite. Yeah, they were quite green and fresh. And they were They were pitching a show. A kind of, you know, it is not a competition on build. So between Charlie Rich for others Teoh to the BBC on. So they asked me Teoh. Yet do the kind of like an initial, which is just calling my point. Okay. No. Yeah. Site. Yes, with a pilot. It's a pilot pilot section show really on. And they we got Charlie Rich brothers down and we shot some bits. And then that was Can't sent to the channel. And from that it was commissioned on medicals. That's an incredibly popular show. That's daytime. I 50 old episodes a year. It's it's really grown up. Bathroom? Yeah, That one is. It was complete differently to love your gods for the homeowner has a budget for materials. The labour budget is covered by the channel, but materials and I think get the materials are pickled by that point. So wait, don't we? Don't ask for anything free for that show. God's thing. We have to try and see what you get for your money and think that there's a lot to work on. Is a really bar against quite fast paced and you'll probably be doing, um, you're probably following a couple of ways. I

spk_0:   34:18
think they do say that three episode cause I've worked tonight. It's a two day build, isn't it? So the last thing the landscape and builders might myself after I've done about four or five of those episodes, and you kind of you go ahead of time, build a building, do a whole day's landscape and getting in the rich brothers and Charlie and sometimes our it will come along on the second day, and we'll finish it with them so they'll do. All the planting of to day build is crazy. He's

spk_1:   34:43
really mad, and you know, you are kind of that's what you're really quite against. That again you need super organized. It takes its It's quicker from a on organisational point of view from a because, um, because just ordering stuff, you know, freeing up buying our orders. Obviously, where you have people donating you, you need to go to a relationship with them and you can't expect to get anything. You know, you have to speak to them and see where the people are willing to. Can they do in the time? Frank, Where is running the rich brothers your Children got? Mestiri's is for may, um, logistically on easier

spk_0:   35:26
uneasy because of your pain, you should arrive when you say it's going around. Yeah,

spk_1:   35:32
people are, Yeah, I have to say that all supplies up there with all the show's been fantastic. I know. Yeah, yeah, I know. I bench. Yeah, that it's for sure, but we can't have We can't happen startup Like only we. I organize everything to get there the day before it's it's do because it gives you some leeway. If it doesn't turn up and you have some time because there's not going gang something turning up when you need it, who's invariably something will happen and you want to arrive and you'll be like

spk_0:   36:01
I remember on that show as well. Well, when I was working on it, it just being re commissioned again on they they wanted something like 360 episode The one they ask for something. Yeah, I think that's the way you do it. Way have to get a little bit.

spk_1:   36:17
Yeah, I'm pretty sure they tried to commission 100 20 or something or that it was just like that Just isn't there just isn't the time like that. That's not seasons. You're busy, right? Make stretch from Marshall October and I've ever been people would just be working full on. You know, you need a number of landscaping teams and you're just gonna wait presenters out, you know, it's long for them, you know, it's not just it's not just the team behind to see, you know, their long journeys filming in yet. You could be wells one day and then you be North Yorkshire. Yeah, not the next, and you got trouble between and get sleep. They say that that part of God misuse harder. The that is a fact that you're like the country.

spk_0:   37:03
I think they filled the film at three episodes a week. Don't like to say that would write. Alternating gardening teams are three gardening teams per week, so workers were there for the two days but the presenters come for the second day. So I remember, like, literally we do a whole day's garden, go back to the hotel, and then that evening, like the rich brothers or Charlie would arrive with a thing, came in the bar and then the next morning, that film with us, and then they would leave and go to the next one. It was just, Yeah, three days of these guys. Well,

spk_1:   37:33
yeah, it's quite it's quite quite challenge.

spk_0:   37:44
He's crazy. I remember what I first met you through. Doing through the autistic are the hottest gun. And you put out this help coal on like a social media going. Anyone know any good gardeners you could do? Do? About a decade? I'm making out. I cannot build in. And you know what I'm gonna say? Because literally I messaged you. Yeah, we're making a geodesic dome on because what can you do about the debt? Decade. And I was like, OK, building this kit house, this kit outbuilding on decking normal had to work on it to design shows. This is this is the first ever guard care. And then I never try to speak to your ring Iand, you weren't answering your call because you're busy. Doing you know we're doing working on the show is you're so busy when you're on site and then literally things day before I was due to arrive, you sent me to this piece of email that will plan with the geodesic dome on. I've never met you before, but I got a 1,000,000 of you, and I was like, Okay, so yeah, this is a kit you won't know you're making it out from scratch. I remember swearing it. You know what the You are brilliant cause you Hodgman do you know what? If you don't work, you don't work when we'll just say I work. But I was like, but I have never made a geodesic dome. Whatever. You know what your d c. K is? I felt my three time I

spk_1:   39:09
That's amazing. It

spk_0:   39:11
was No,

spk_1:   39:16
I've never seen anyone making That's always a T because it's not have, like, things that you've never done before. Every show I work on, it's like, you know, let's do this. That was never done that I

spk_0:   39:30
got the help of your lovely husband Dino, who was assisting a visited together and it was one of those I've said it before in this podcast. It was one of those things that I'm probably most proud of because of the plan that you sent me was of a guy who worked in a workshop a lot like we needed it outside in the rain, making it. And then windows had toe open like a lotus flower. And they actually and the end result looked brilliant on camera on. From that, I think we said I ended a relationship where you can grab anything. I can throw it away. Well, do. Yeah. And from that I think I've worked with on the Great Gun Challenge with you gone rescue ever. So you've opened up this whole new world in guy gracefully

spk_1:   40:14
Work way. Oh, yeah, my transferred or last. You know, if you're on the team, you gotta be prepared to destroy rice. I ask you to my normal life. You try getting my nose is possible with the nature of the show. Big way. Have some were quite balls turn around and actually know what we're doing. Sometimes I'm not even know what we're doing until you know we could before so Then I got work out, how we build things and, you know, materials I'm gonna need to get. And then I got say, right, this building,

spk_0:   40:47
I love it. I love the challenge. I think is no, we didn't good humor even. And this point is, well, I've gone, Actually, that's not safe or physically can't do that. It's not in the time I got I can't dear, but we always come up with a solution. I'm like, I say always be part of the solution, not the problem. And I think that's what way have good banter. Different. But I was looking on your on your Facebook recently, and it was really lovely is because everyone's on lock down. Everyone stuck in their house. You were. You were talking about doing venture, and everyone wants to grow veg. At the moment, everyone's every but you had some really good top, but I only saw the first video because a lot of people you can't get seeds at the moment is quite tricky. Ever alert gag. But you lose a few stuff that you have in your kitchen cabinet that you can plant now, so you can you just go through, some of these people could plant

spk_1:   41:40
you. Just, you know, everyone's going. I mean, that covers for sprouting already. You let's just bury them with a tip about the soil. If you could take a bearing them, everything it plans on the menu got planted. Tyson Your goal and you should take a trench coat with the Boston train. Just cover them in Seoul, and then the shoot pops up on the potatoes after close off the shoot. But the shoot needs to be underground. Topsy, grow the potatoes up so you keep mounting the soil up. But you do that. You could do that in a park flat, but you leaving do and carry it back so you don't have anything that you got supposed bottom for drainage. Yep, If you don't have a garden, you can hang. You carry a bag off your wall. You could be, but you could grow potatoes audible. Just need to make sure your bags he's got maybe a big bag wrapped around some dull Some like because the roots need to be done. That's one easy one. Another one the well, having covered probably garlic. It's been like garlic. They prefer to start when it is cold of it. You know, probably the worst will happen is you. You'll go. What big bulb of garlic Rather late breaking out into clothes. And to be fair, it's quite good. Finally kicked as away from other page and other ones, you might have you covered ginger as tropical plants that only grow in a greenhouse or

spk_0:   42:52
just a fresh piece of ginger. Can you just stick it?

spk_1:   42:54
Yeah, I guess you could cut out. You see a little nobody base. That's world. If you the best way to do is probably leaked a bit ginger in in the daylight, and it will start to develop little novels and on the this is called a rise over. It is a brute, but it's kind of a fleshy roots, and they will develop going wobbly bits. And then you could just sliced up and have one probably be a plant that got back and saw it growing. It takes about 8 to 10 months, thinks bitch interview to harvest.

spk_0:   43:22
So what is the normally bits sticking out for the noble bits sticking underneath underneath?

spk_1:   43:27
Well, if you could give you leave out if you like your junior around on the work. Yeah. Then on the top half of most side, it will start shooting. You'll start, but like, we need a little luck. So let's stop shooting shoot on their part. Them with a shoot. Facing up with instant soil does have to be that day. Just cover your well, just just a bit up over the top of the rise. And not to date. I don't like everywhere. Yeah. Andi. Yeah, right. Months. You'll have a nice day. Spit on. They have lovely flowers as well. They're nice. Impressive, actually. So yeah, they're things that people will actually have. You can grow things like pineapple tops. You have them up. You won't get pineapple for some time, but they write to grow together. Once I

spk_0:   44:13
did. He said about keys.

spk_1:   44:15
Peace? Yes, Pease. I'm gonna be doing a little flock on peace. But Pisa, these great because piece, you can grow them. You have gotten or you need to grow them in your house. So growing them in your house, you great pea shoots rather than the full people. Because you want about like things. But he's a great you can. You can get peace from the supermarket. So, like now it's like marrow fat peas that be shoes you buy that I normally site mining water 24 hours on on. They become so fleshy. But that just helps in Germany.

spk_0:   44:48
Just general dried peas that you bone about

spk_1:   44:51
dried peas. Yet right, he's not phrasing. And Dr Beans. I'm any kind of drawing pulse. You could grow opera.

spk_0:   45:02
I thought they had to be specific germinated kind of things

spk_1:   45:07
I know not peace but peace, particularly beginning when you can grow their easily indoors on a question, get sick. So you don't have to worry about struggling to get hold of any seats. That's kind of four pages that you can grow, Uh, even without having any seat. Now, obviously, the seat the seat supplies say that you should really buy properties, because that way that they mean your check their disease. Thanks. Thanks very much. We're not taking the business away from the seat supplies because a lot of Marina well, with orders and you know,

spk_0:   45:45
Yeah, I just

spk_1:   45:46
can't get them anyway, so yeah, it's

spk_0:   45:49
looking a little.

spk_1:   45:50
Don't you think you could You could do whether you've got got or you haven't. And that's why I wanted to do like, Look, that's what Doing a little block on my Facebook so that people couldn't see you know what they can do. I'm making it simple because you are often look a gold. That's he's brilliant it most of the other great making things that really simple. My nothing. That's always the best way to make things simple, for

spk_0:   46:14
I must be able final question before the cat Savage easier been rocking like it does the toilet roll I've seen on your Facebook. Well, I always ask my guests to describe to me, and it could be a gun you already have Or a garden that you you'd aspire to happen in your dream home described to me your dream garden on also what you're drinking while steering this dream garden.

spk_1:   46:39
Well, let's talk about drinking that seizes drinking a mojito, My dream garden Be funny. Sound facing Seaview Uh, what would I have in it? What plants and I love love, love. I've mentioned earlier my rangers, on particularly the Annabelle ones, a really lovely trees that currently it was now that cherry blossom on ah wisteria around the around a burglar.

spk_0:   47:13
You're such a traditionalist. They are so tradition. I never thought you would. You go for traditional English country? Yeah.

spk_1:   47:20
I don't know why I'm really quite fan, but I do like every gardens by, you know, I but yeah, I probably a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to girls. Oh, yeah. I love to see, you know, a strike Lord. Things really old fashioned. May is, like, quite contempt response. Thanks. Hydrangeas. I like other other more contemporary types, and I d attended when I plant. You know, I plan in a hutch kind of cottage garden. I quite like tohave blocks, no big blocks

spk_0:   47:57
of

spk_1:   47:57
car part. But, you know, I think get Dixon groups saying repair no, repeat by planting a lot as well, so it's probably inflict its traditional with contemporary choice.

spk_0:   48:09
Yeah, there has been an absolute pleasure. It's like, Oh, I just love speaking to you so you don't have a way to follow you on any social media is what's the best place they could find You

spk_1:   48:22
probably twitter I actually a picture on and

spk_0:   48:32
you married They are you doing? You're just a joy, and I just want to say once again, thank you for employing me for that geodesic dome. It was painful, but it opened up a whole new world for me. So thank you very much. Is being lovely speaking to you on the TV Carpenter podcast

spk_1:   48:51
like why?

spk_0:   48:55
What was really nice? You even got some vegetable planting top tips to finish off. I hope you enjoyed that construction with here. She really is a fountain of all knowledge and a lovely lady to beat. If you want to contact me, you can contact me at the TV Carpenter podcast. And if you have any questions about any my guests or any guests that coming up or if you have any ideas 20 guessed that you would like me to interview, contact me on my website. All I have to say it's a huge thank you to my sponsor Thorn down paint. Don't forget, you can get 15% discount on any of their online purchases. If you put in the code TV Carpenter when you're going to check out on their website, which is thorn down dot co dot UK, you can take full advantage off that 15% discount on once again. Stay home. Stay safe. Andi, Thank you for listening to the TV Carpenter podcast