Kirman Design Feature on
BBC Your Garden Made Perfect Series 1 Episode 6

Pip’s certainly pulled out all the stops to try and win over Mandy and Chris and it's those bespoke designed flourishes which can make all the difference as this private garden in Preston proves.

Angela Scanlon: “A night shoot Pip, very exciting!”

Pip Probert: “Isn't it?”

Under cover of darkness, Pip has taken me to a garden designed by Andy Kirman to prove just how much impact outdoor lighting can make.

Angela Scalon: “Oh, wow, look at this.”

Angela Scalon: “Oh, wow, look at this.”

This garden’s slick lighting design has created a space where you'd really want to hang out after dark.

 Pip Probert: “It's lovely isn’t it?”

Angela Scalon: “Oh my god, it's so gorgeous. It's all about the light, right?”

Pip Probert: “It is isn’t it!”

Angela Scalon: “The daisies, look at the giant daisies!”

The feature lights here produce a slick contemporary look and the right lights will set the tone for Pips design.

Pip Probert: “So these are a little bit like what I've used for Chris and Mandy’s design. The lighting's got a really circular design. They've just matched the theme and their position within the planting these here stands out and…”

Angela Scalon: “Oh go on show us what you’ve got!”

Pip Probert: “Lovely!  So we have…”

Angela Scalon: “Oh hello! A little disco moment. A little… it does have a party vibe yeah.”

Angela Scalon: “I feel like we should be doing tequila shots!”

Pip Probert: “So you can pick these up in different places there's loads of different options online and they start about eighty/ninety pounds.”

 Angela Scalon: “Okay”

In this bigger space they've used multiple statement lights, but in a smaller garden just one would make an impact.

Pip Probert: “Could you imagine sitting in the house and looking out and having all the really different colours.”

Angela Scanlon: “Boom, boom, boom!”

Another option is up lighting, which can really illuminate your plants.

Angela Scanlon: “It's gorgeous isn't it. Feels almost like a hotel, kind of very high-end.”

PP It does it's just really clean-cut really contemporary and fresh

Just a few lights can generate some cool after dark ambience, but how can planting be used to add to the atmosphere?

Angela Scanlon: “So should you be considering them when, you're choosing where the up lights are going what's growing over them, what it's lighting up?

Pip Probert: “Yeah definitely so a hydrangeas a bit more of a feature plant it's got big bold leaves and more delicate kind of intricate flowers so that combination within the one plant it's really nice because you get the different shadows as it shines upon the wall behind.

Angela Scanlon: “Yes as softer kind of cloudy”

Pip Probert: “Yeah something like these grasses they'll be moving in the winds and you'll get the shadows gently moving on the fence.

Angela Scanlon: “It feels like they've really committed to the lighting thing. I mean, they're everywhere and it creates such a gorgeous atmosphere, but do you need to go the whole hog.

Pip Probert: “Not all you don't have to have them everywhere and it could be that you have one feature a tree or a sculpture, just that one thing that's your focal point and that's your thing”.

  Angela Scanlon: “So like the Acer tree”

Pip Probert: “Definitely like the Acer.”

But will Mandy and Chris choose night lights with people or dapple tree shade with Helen?