Charlie Dimmock Foreword

’òThe days are getting longer and you can feel the sun on your back, the birds are singing in the trees and when you walk past your local garden centre, you'll notice it's blazing in colour.

All of this signals it's time to get out in the garden, but not before you've done some planning and some research. What to plant, where to plant are all questions to be considered.

And then there's the equipment you need - the right tools for the right job. Join me and Tommy Walsh as we explore some of the ways you can make your home and garden a better place.

The gardening year is just about to hit its peak and there is plenty to do from maintenance and general upkeep through to planting and growing.

And of course there are other considerations. There's no point working up a sweat if you're not going to get out in the garden and enjoy it.

What leisure activities are best suited to your garden? From barbecues through to outdoor heating and lighting, we explore the possibilities in this magazine - aided and abetted by a host of leading writers.

There is another side to all this work, it keeps you fit and healthy and it means that you could be adding value to your property. It is not all back-breaking work and unlike my work on TV you won't be working to a killer deadline.

Gardening has been my passion for a number of years and working on BBC's Ground Force was very satisfying. Seeing people really enjoy creating their dream garden is amazing.

With a bit of inspiration and a little bit of planning you could have your own very special garden. We're going to need some rain but even watering problems with a hosepipe ban likely to be in effect in most of the country, can be circumnavigated.

So with this in mind, read, plan and plot then sit back and enjoy what you have created. It's easy when you know how.'

Tommy Walsh Foreword

’òThe art of good DIY is knowing what you are doing. Yes, of course it can be hard work but once you get in to the right frame of mind and it can be fantastically rewarding.

In this magazine, my old friend Charlie Dimmock provides the input for the garden, while I offer loads of tips and pointers on how to do a job properly in and around your house.

Some of the information is about improving what you have got, updating and renovating. Then of course there is the business of repairing and mending.

Owning a house is an ongoing job, there will always be something to do or a new fashion to follow.

I know some people are not naturals to DIY but I hope to show, with the help of some leading home improvement writers, that just about anyone can succeed at most of the jobs around the house.

It is about understanding what you are required to do and it is about planning your work. If you go to work in an office you'll be in an environment where forward thinking is essential, and it is too, back at home with the jobs about the house that need doing.

Buy the right tools, buy the right materials and structure your time correctly and the job can be completed to a professional standard.

And there are not many things more rewarding than a job you've done for yourself. You will have been in total control, you will have saved money and best of all you can stand back, be proud of your work knowing it was all down to you. On top of that the cash saved is cash that can be spent elsewhere or ploughed into a future project.

Hopefully you'll read and enjoy this magazine and be inspired. I also hope you will end up believing that there are jobs around the home that you can do for yourself. If not, at least you'll have a better understanding of what is going on.

Good luck and keep focused on the job in hand.'