Gardeners’ World to feature revamp of a small Stamford garden

suzanne.moon@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Published: 05:00, 14 March 2025

Those keen to turn a boring back yard into a garden paradise should tune in to Gardeners’ World this evening.

Fiona Cumberpatch from Stamford has had her garden selected to appear on the BBC programme that was made famous by Barnsdale gardener Geoff Hamilton.

And although the garden to Fiona’s terraced house close to the centre of town isn’t huge and had hidden issues, she has transformed it into a beautiful and tranquil retreat.

Fiona Cumberpatch in her garden, which is featured on Gardeners' World. Photo: Fiona Cumberpatch

The garden began as a paved yard and after work on the house was completed, Fiona turned her attention outside.

She said: “We had an extension added and, after it was finished, I thought we could dig up the bare back yard and plant flower beds, with small trees and shrubs.

“I was upset to find out from our builder that it stood on deep concrete foundations which would be difficult and expensive to remove. But I was determined to find a way round it, as I knew I couldn’t live in a house without a garden.”

The garden before Fiona got started. Photo: Fiona Cumberpatch

With the help of her husband and two sons, the top layer of slabs was lifted.

A curved reclaimed brick path was laid, and gravel added to soften the look of the area.

“I had three existing raised beds, and the rest of my planting is in containers and pots,” said Fiona.

“I work as a garden journalist, and I’m talking to experts and visiting horticultural shows all the time, so I had built up a picture of how I wanted my plot to look. I drew a basic plan, and that helped me work out where I’d place my pots to best effect.”

The programme will be shown on BBC 2 on Friday, March 14 at 8pm, and on BBC iPlayer. Photo: Fiona Cumberpatch

After two years, the plants had grown to create a haven of greenery, colour and scent in summer.

Fiona, who writes for Garden News, Garden Answers, LandScape, Kew magazine, and Modern Gardens, started sharing photos of her own garden’s progress on Instagram, which were spotted by a BBC researcher. They asked if she would be willing to take part in an episode of Gardeners’ World.

Fiona wants other people to know that a small garden doesn't have to be dull. Photo: Fiona Cumberpatch

“I was happy to do it because I want to spread the message that even if you only have a tiny outside area and a limited budget, you can still grow something beautiful,” said Fiona.

“At a time when our green spaces are diminishing so rapidly, I’m keen to do my bit by encouraging as many birds, bees and other pollinators as I can.”