They’re about to record their fourth episode (Bob was the first guest; today they’re interviewing Mike Dee from the Beastie Boys and broadcaster and writer Don O’Porter) and are already a more established broadcasting duo. ‘I was so nervous to meet him,’ says Caitlin of Adam. ‘I don’t go out on Friday nights, I just watch Gardeners’ World. And the thought of meeting Adam, who is my favorite on the show – never mind everyone else – I was so nervous.’
After one chemistry test, Adam sent a message to the producers that they didn’t need to watch any more. ‘That’s it, job done,’ he says. ‘Partly because you’re like Mrs Frost, aren’t you? And I was able to marry him for 25 years.’
When he first came to Caitlin’s garden, which would serve as a studio outside Rain or shine, she was anxious to get her handiwork reviewed. ‘I’m like, how do you describe it? And I’m waiting for him to say “This is how it is garden Xanaduno, this is Kubla Khan, this is Eden.” And he goes, “That’s just like you, isn’t it?”
‘I said: “What, wonderful?” He went: “Too busy. It’s like I’m in your head.”‘
As far as Adam was concerned that was a compliment. ‘(A garden) should have a personality. When you’re designing for someone else, (it’s) an idea to listen and create something they want. I also get nervous when I bring plans to people. Because I suppose you are making a part of someone’s soul in a way. You hope it becomes a big part of their life.’
Still, Caitlin is ideally after a gold star. ‘I want you to walk through the door one day and go: How did you do this? This sounds incredible!’
Dean Hearne
Dean Hearne
The garden is entirely its own work. She has tried to recruit her brothers and husband to help in the garden with limited success over the years. ‘I call my brothers the Muscle Machine – ironically, because they’re all just chain-smoking geeks. I asked them to dig for me and I went down to the bottom of the garden and my brother Eddie was just smoking a roll up, a spoon very lazily going into the soil. I said this is supposed to be big enough to put a tree. It was like “I’m taking my time, it’ll be done when it’s done”.’
She once asked Pete to plant some irises for her. ‘He spent 20 minutes tying an elastic band to the bottom of his trousers. I was like “what are you doing?” He went “Worms – they might go up.” Worms are never known Travel Man’s leg up. He went out and disappeared into the bottom of the garden, returning 20 minutes later and uttering a phrase that still chills me to the bone: “Is there a proper way to bury them?”‘
