Build Up - Day 5 (One week down, one wall up)

By the end of today Andy had pretty much finished the wall. It looks fantastic and is already getting lots of comments from passers by. Now we just have to wait for him to leave and then we can take all the credit! Thanks Andy for a tremendous effort.

Build Up - Day 4 (A Load of Cock & Hen)

Further progress made today on the wall which is beginning to look very nice. Andy starts dressing and laying the cock & hen coping and then just has to prove that the wall will at least last the Show. After setting lines for the final two stone pillars, it takes him a while to find Guy, who is clearly exhausted after watching Andy at work for three days.

Build Up - Day 3 (The rise and fall)

By the end of Day 3 the wall is really taking shape, curving and undulating to plan. There is even a 'smoot' for any wildflife that can't be bothered to go around the wall!.

Build Up - Day 2

The specimen trees are placed in their final positions straight away to give them plenty of time to settle in. Fingers crossed they do not seem to be showing any ill effects from their journey yesterday (yet!).

Andy Craig, our expert waller, sets to work on the dry stone wall.

Build Up - Day 1 (And so it begins...)

Arrived at Hampton Court Palace for Day 1 of the Build Up to find we have been allocated a great sight - surrounded by tall trees and in sight of The Palace. Morning spent getting plot excavated and marking out the plan on the ground. By the late afternoon the Matt and Jeff arrive with the trees and stone after a long day on the road.

Leave no stone unturned

Matt and Andy check the stone is fit for purpose!

Set in stone

Dean Baker, of Hanbeck Natural Stone, Andy Craig, the Master dry stone waller, and co-designer Matt discuss details, and Andy builds a prototype wall to assess how the stone looks.

A stationary stone gathers moss!

To give the garden an authentic look we were keen not to use freshly quarried stone for the wall. As luck would have it Hanbeck Natural Stone had just the thing - weathered stone from the rim of the quarry.