Do the legwork
The first thing you need to do is decide what you want out of your new garden. Do you yearn for a zen relaxation zone? A chic entertaining patio? A dedicated area for the kids to play in? Or maybe you fancy introducing a theme like Japanese Garden Style or a Moroccan Garden. Do your research well in advance. Every episode of Ground Force kicks off with the team agreeing the plan of action, so take your lead.

Get organised
Get friends and family to pitch in and task each person with specific jobs (including tea duty). Thoroughly scope out the work and make sure you have all the tools you'll need, so beg, borrow and hire accordingly. If you're doing some serious soil-shifting you'll need to hire a skip or heavy-duty sacks. And make sure you arrange for all your supplies like turf, decking, sand and soil to be delivered first thing.

Water, water everywhere
Ms Dimmock sees to it that nearly all Ground Force makeovers include a water feature, and with good reason. The element of water can simply transform a garden, from the humble bird bath or pond to a mirrored waterfall. Whatsmore water attracts wildlife, so you'll benefit from an extra dimension of enjoyment. See Beautiful Bird Baths and Building a Garden Pond for advice, or check out Installing a Water Feature if you fancy something a little more ambitious.