Magical makeovers
LOVE YOUR GARDEN ITV, 8pm
THERE’S a lot to be said for the winning combination of a trowel and a spade, a few hardworking volunteers – and Alan Titchmarsh.
The ever-cheerful gardener is back with a new series of this show, the green-fingered version of DIY: SOS.
Each week, Alan surprises someone with an inspiring story (and a neglected garden), before transforming the space into something you might see at the Chelsea Flower Show. And it all gets surprisingly emotional as you discover you’re suddenly sobbing over a hanging basket of geraniums or a vegetable patch.
“I believe that every garden has the potential to be beautiful, you’ve just got to give them a little love,” says Alan, who’s like a benevolent gardening wizard.
The first broken backyard belongs to Mark Ormrod, who in 2007 became the first British triple amputee to survive the Afghanistan conflict after having both legs amputated above the knee and his right arm removed above the elbow.
The ex-Marine was 24 when he went out on a routine foot patrol in Helmand province and stepped on an IED. But six months later he walked on prosthetic legs to receive a medal for his service and now he works to support other injured veterans and is training for the 2018 Invictus Games.
But his uninviting garden, with its uneven paving stones and abandoned kids’ playset has remained a challenge too far.
It’s down to the skills of Alan and the team to transform it into an outdoor space where he, his wife and three young children, can finally enjoy the sanctuary they need.