They are about to record their fourth episode (Bob was the first guest; today they are interviewing Mike D from the Beastie Boys and broadcaster and author Dawn O’Porter) and already have the patter of a far 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 Gardener’s World. And the idea of meeting Adam, who is my favourite on the show – no offence to everyone else – I was so nervous.’
After one chemistry test, Adam texted the producers to tell them they needn’t look any further. ‘That was it, job done,’ he says. ‘Partly because you’re a lot like Mrs Frost aren’t you? And I’ve managed to stay married to her for 25 years.’
When he first came to Caitlin’s garden, which will serve as the studio for Outsiding come rain or shine, she was anxious to get his review of her handiwork. ‘I’m like, how would you describe it? And I’m waiting for him to say “this is like the gardens of Xanadu, this is Kubla Khan, this is Eden”. And he went “it’s a bit like you isn’t it?”
‘I said: “What, amazing?” He went: “Quite busy. It feels like I’m inside your head.”’
It was a compliment, as far as Adam is concerned. ‘[A garden] should be someone’s personality. When you’re designing for someone else, [it’s] that idea of listening and creating something that they want. I still get nervous when I bring plans to people. Because I suppose you’re creating part of someone’s soul in a way. You’re hoping it becomes a huge part of their lives.’
Still, Caitlin is ideally after a gold star. ‘I just want you one day to walk through the doors and go: how have you done this? This looks incredible!’
Dean Hearne
Dean Hearne
The garden is entirely her own work. She has tried over the years to recruit her brothers and husband to help in the garden with limited success. ‘I call my brothers the muscle machine – ironically, because they’re all just chain-smoking geeks. I’d 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, with a spoon very listlessly going into the soil. I said this is supposed to be big enough to put a tree in. He 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 strapping elastic bands to the bottom of his trousers. I was like “what are you doing?” He went “worms – they might go up.” Worms have never been known to travel up a man’s leg. He went out and disappeared to the bottom of the garden, came back 20 minutes later and said a sentence that still chills me to the bone: “Is there a right way round to bury them?”’
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