THE TV CARPENTER : Home Makeovers with Wayne Perrey

Wayne Chats With Max Parker-Smith from C5 "Great Garden Challenge"

• Wayne/ Max Parker-Smith • Season 2 • Episode 25

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This week I chat with Max Parker-Smith,
Contestant from C5 'Great Garden Challenge'

Guest: www.maximilliandesign.co.uk

Hope charity : www.hopecharityproject.org
Sponsor: To take advantage of the generous 15% discount from my sponsor Thorndown, please visit http://bit.ly/TVCarpenter. Discount code: TVCarpenter

Contact me: Wayne Perrey on Twitter and Instagram.

Music: "What's the Angle" by Shane Ivers

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

On today's show, I'll be talking with max Parker Smith about being a young garden designer and being the runner up of the great garden challenge for channel five

Speaker 3:

almost is your responsibility to, as a Dalton, Oregon designer, to instill these things in, in gardens and people's lives. Because no, I don't think a designer's job is just to make things look nice. You know, we have a duty of care to, to bring certain things to people and to be sustainable and conscious or people's wellbeing. But I think that's one of something I'd like to do, you know, throughout my whole career is it's not, it's not just for our statics. Um, there's so much more to it than that.

Speaker 2:

Welcome to the TB carpenter podcast. I'm your host Wayne Perry. And this is a podcast where I interview my friends from the world of interior design and garden make-over shows with the aim of inspiring you to create your dream home. What a week this week, um, things are starting to kick off again in the world of TV. I had a crazy weekend up in Halifax building a set up there in an amazing location, which nearly got flooded out. We had to move all our vehicles because the river burst its banks, um, with the crazy crazy storms that we had. And then I had to drive back on the Sunday evening from Halifax down to London and then to Folkston on Monday and Tuesday cause I was filming with max restores filming. Um, the Airbnb show, uh, I think it's called, I think the working title is be my guest where we turn people's spare rooms into, um, rentable income so they can rent it out like on an Airbnb. And it was a full on few days, uh, how many to build some crazy storage and wardrobes and things in two days whilst the camera crew is, they're really pushed me to my limits. But actually the end result was pretty cool. It was really, really good. Um, today I want to say again, a huge thank you to my sponsors thrown down. And if you haven't listened to the podcast before, Phil and Dan and my sponsor, they create a amazing would paint, which could also be used on UPVC. It can be used outside and inside. And his eco credentials are second to none. I've done a little mini interview, I think this was another is a only a minute long, but it explains how thorn down got his name and it just emphasizes the whole feel of uh, a family run business, which I always want to support. For the last few months I've been celebrating thorn down and I hadn't really stopped to think why are you called fond down? Well, the whole company,

Speaker 4:

the paint and everything is very personal to us. And our name is Thorton Barra. And we didn't think for awhile in my call it foreign Barra, but having lived with it all my life and grown up, it's very difficult to spell. Just had to move away from it, you know, but not completely. And so, yeah. So that was the start of it. Um, and then yeah, it was a mixture of different things that inspire us, isn't it?

Speaker 5:

Yeah. So the downs was very much about the fact I grew up in, um, in the Southeast. So they were the South downs. I've spent lots of times of walking in when we were kids. And then you spent a lot of times with mountain biking on the black down Hills and so down, just seemed to resonate with us. And if you put the thorn and the down together, then it also is just really well described the would paint. So it's um, it's the thorn, so it's the thorn in nature. It protects and it protects things from harm. Um, but then the down is very soft and gentle and warm and care. And so the two of them together just seemed to resonate really well with the wood paint. Especially

Speaker 6:

if like me, you want to support new businesses, then you can go to thorn down dot code at UK. And if you type in the code TV carpenter, you get 15% discount on any of their online products. Now to the main event, uh, I interviewed Maximillian a couple of months ago. He was, uh, him and his, uh, gardening partner were runners up of the great garden challenge on channel five and I built for them. I built both of their, um, two of the after their three gardens and they were really talented, really clever, and came up with some really interesting and inspiring garden designs and it was a joy to build for them. So I interviewed them and I hope you enjoy listening to my interview with max Parker Smith.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 6:

Max, thanks for talking to me. So your, your website says Maximillian design.co dot. UK. So do you go by max on Maximilian

Speaker 3:

Oh, you can call me max with friends. Bless you've come out.

Speaker 6:

Yeah, I'd like to think I'm one of your friends after I built for you twice on there. The great garden challenge. Congratulations. Anyway, for getting on the show. How did it come about that you ended up being, being on the show?

Speaker 3:

Um, well, I would like to say that they approached us, Emily and myself, because they'd heard about us somehow. But actually, um, they approached the, the school that are the design school that Millie and I went to, which is the[inaudible] school of design. Um, and they spoke to Andrew Duffy was the course lead day. They just said, do you know anybody who would fit, who fits this description or what, what we're trying to look for on this show. Um, and our tutor, very tiny, put me a mini forward us. Um, so I mean, I was incredibly surprised and flattered to be honest, to be chosen skeleton. And it was, um, it was lovely.

Speaker 6:

It was amazing. Well, one thing is you got right to the final, you know, so,

Speaker 3:

yeah, I know. I know. I mean, getting on the show was incredible. Getting past the first round, that was amazing in itself. And then getting it the second lap, honestly. But in the second round we thought, you know, that's there. We've had the most time. We might messed it up a little bit, but then the final, I mean, I was just the icing on top of the cake.

Speaker 6:

It was, yeah, it was, it was, it was good fun. And, um, so how do you, how did you and Millie work together then? What, what do you think your, your, your collaboration styles that are, how did that, how did you find that working on the show?

Speaker 3:

Well, Joe, so during, or the whole process of the show obviously was[inaudible] I had never worked together. We barely knew each other before we started the show. Um, and so I think when we, the first project we did, we had like this moment we go, okay, well, you know, do we just start drawing on the board together or how does it work? And then I think we literally lost about a minute and we go, okay, this, this isn't right. So we, we would go away. We with kind of do our own research[inaudible] um, you know, explore tan routes to go down, like things that we think would be fitting for each of the briefs. Um, and then we would come back together. I speak about what works, what doesn't work, what we can almost take from each other's ideas. And then I suppose, yeah, just kind of, it flowed very naturally after that. But you know, because we were giving us a short period of time to do it, we had to be really efficient and I think, you know, it would come to a point where we naturally went to certain jobs. So for example, Millie Millie's parting is wonderful. Um, and so she and she, her plot knowledge is far superior than mine. So naturally she would kind of choose the plant thing and kind of the feel of what we were trying to achieve, you know, um, the soft landscaping. Um, but then it would just be lots of, lots of little things that they were, you know, the small details. For example, um, uh, maybe the brick choice, maybe that would be something I would choose or, you know, um, one of the, the water found water features in the beginning. And again, maybe that's, well, that was something that I explored more. So we would just naturally things happen quite naturally. Um,

Speaker 6:

it was interesting watching both your confidence grow. I joined you guys for the semifinals and the final and I, and I built the both of you. I remember that we had one of those conversations about that round seating thing that we created for you. Um, and I just remember that, that what those phone calls were, uh, initially, you know, it's the unknown, you know, and I, and I think you realize quickly with those, especially the trades are just going, you know, we can help you the best we can. And I think if you do it this way, you'll get more out of it as in time wise and stuff. Cause originally we looked at bending wood and then I was like, it's not going to happen in the timeframe we've got. And then you realized we were there to help you and support you and that. And I think once that was established you guys flew and I could see your confidence growing throughout the series.

Speaker 3:

Yeah. Well, I mean, either you will actually ride because this was, well this was the first garden that I'd ever built, you know, and we had a learned a huge amount of construction and, and that, that in itself is like a whole, you know, professional, you know, you do it. Um, and so, uh, it was amazing to have you guys on hand. So tell us what would work with[inaudible] on the, on the second, um, on the semifinals, the, the car bench, we, we're talking about you. We didn't, we couldn't really think about how to get that, um, the curve on it, you know, the, the measurement and it seems so simple, but it, I don't know, just in our minds it didn't compute. So as soon as we came to you, you're like, okay, this is how we're going to do it. And it was perfect.

Speaker 6:

Yeah, it looked great in the end. I think we've got some great comments from that. But just I'm looking on your website. Maximillian design.co. Dot. UK. My next question was going to be about your style, but interesting looking at your portfolio. You've got so many different things. So you know, you've gone from like rooftops in parliament to, you know, old farm houses to Georgian houses, to golf clubs, golf, um, you know, um, centers. What, what would you say is your natural style or what do you favor?

Speaker 3:

Well, I think because I'm so early on in my design career, so, um, you know, why everything is kind of so different on my website is know I started at, um, the country club a few years ago and what I liked then is totally different from what I like now. And it's just like the more you look at things, the quicker your, your tastes change. So I mean, these few years I just, I, you know, these things that I did back then, you know, I would do differently now. Um, but I, so the, the style I like, okay. So I really do like a combination of using traditional materials and you know, in a slightly more modern minimalistic way. Like I love the oboe. I remember a million and I spoke about some show, but I really do love how you can, um, use as paired back, um, a paired back style paired my materials and to create a really well designed, a clean design. Um, I don't like things that she fussy, whether that's just maybe the way my brain works. Um, but I don't like clutter. I see, I see some designers have this amazing abilities to, you know, project all these different shapes and, and patterns and textures and um, and design ideas. And so this one small space and I'm just, it's in my eye. It just, it's almost a little bit too much. So I really do like simplicity, but at the same time, like with the plan saying I love full blogs. Um, but again, there are what, 800,000 plans plus in the world. So I can't tell you exactly which ones are my fat, my final favorite, you know? So again, it just changes and I'm actually gone at the moment. I've seen hundreds of planets obviously, that I've never seen before then I'm definitely going to be using. Yeah. Um, but no, I think like, well my style is constantly changing.

Speaker 6:

Well that, cause that was gonna be my, yeah, that was going to be my next question in that, um, obviously you, you worked at Chelsea flower show this year and you, you designed, um, a visit, a stand for the sculpture David Harbor. What was that about? What was that?

Speaker 3:

Um, so that was me that, yeah, like you said, he was a pretty well known sculpture. Um, and the design was for his Tristan to show off his sculptures. And I suppose the brief was, um, it was to do whatever you kind of want, but it can't overshadow or overstate the, um, the sculptures. It has to come second to it. And if anything it has to, you know, compliment and kind of like push the sculptures forward. Um, but at the same time I had to sort of have some continuity with the design of Andrew Duff's garden, but it was on main Avenue, which was the David Harbor Sabbaths garden. Um, so I kind of just take inspiration from the stone that he was using and kind of like brought that across. Um, and then did you, you want me to explain the design?

Speaker 6:

Well, no. Yeah, I'm just, cause I'm, I'm just intrigued cause you, you've got a fast start, five stars for that. So do they, do they judge the, the standards, the trade standards about it as well? Oh my God, I didn't know that.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, no, I tell her whether they may be gave me five stars because know not many people tries to, maybe they're like, Oh well this guy's ops. He tried his five stars, but[inaudible]

Speaker 6:

no, don't put yourself down and you've got five stars, Chelsea flower show, 2019. That's amazing. So, um, I was gonna ask you about trends and things because you know, you're a young designer, let you say your, your gardens are constantly evolving and things that you did years ago. You, Jed, you know, you probably would move on. And I'm the same with carpentry. I, I, you know, I approach things differently from what I used to do a few years ago at Chelsea this year. I can go, I can get a ticket. It's like such a, you can't even get in there. What, what trends did you see that, that, that have inspired you and you're interested to put into new gardens?

Speaker 3:

Um, well, okay. So it was very obvious that it was, um, going back to the more naturalistic style, um, and trying to be sided, more sustainable use native plants, native trees, um, which I'm socially, you know, um, private. Um, I suppose, I suppose it is, well I really did like was, um, seeing plants that aren't, you know, typically I feel like when you look at them straight away, they're not the most beautiful plants out there, but it's just like when you start looking at, you know, into further detail and giving them a chance and you see what wonderful things they are. I think the was always, you know, there was very much a Chelsea planting, um, which, you know, there would be a lots of, um, also lavender's Mona costumes or, um, lupins or sort of gems and geraniums and everything that is, is that these plots, but Oh, what I kind of like is the ones that are kind of like understated, um, the ones that might sit in the background. Those are the ones that I'm potentially more interested in just because you don't see them everywhere. Um, but also I do think there's a real connection, um, that we have when things are done naturally. You know, like it really, you know, it'd be walking through a field and you'll be at your most calm. And I think having a naturalistic style, at least like a little space in your garden does wonders for, you know, your mentality and your emotions. And, um, so I think I feel wellbeing. It's great to have, um, like an altruistic area.

Speaker 6:

Cause it, yeah, it's, it's interesting you said that cause that on your website you talk about the rooftop garden at pal mal and you added, um, Rosemary cause it adds texture and it's a healing fragrance for the employees to enjoy. And that's quite a, just that, it was quite a lovely statement. I was like, so do you plant with the wellbeing in mind rather than it just looking pretty?

Speaker 3:

Um, well I think it almost is your responsibility to, as a felon or work on design that to, to instill these things in, in gardens and people's lives. Because, you know, I don't think a designer's job is just to make things look nice. You know, we have a duty of care to, to bring certain things to people and to be sustainable and conscious or people's wellbeing. I think that's one of something I'd like to do, you know, throughout my whole tour is it's not, it's not just for our ascetics. Um, there's so much more to it than that.

Speaker 6:

Absolutely. So just wrapping up now, so obviously with this, we recorded this before the show goes out, the show actually starts next week. Um, how, how excited are you by the show going out next week?

Speaker 3:

Oh, well I'm very, I am very excited, but I'm still like, um, tomorrow says there's a little bit of angst and nervousness about it. Um, but I think there's just throughout the whole, um, uh, campus by the whole process, there were certain things that I said I'm going to, why do I say that? People are going to see you saying that. Um, but no, it's, it's great. It's been a long time coming,

Speaker 6:

no, the whole of last summer. But um, what, um, what are you hoping is going to come from the show?

Speaker 3:

Oh, um,

Speaker 6:

in an ideal world, what would you love for them, for the show to, to do for you and you and your brand and your, and, and your, your career?

Speaker 3:

Um, for Katie, it's quite a big question. Well, I would, to be honest, I, right now, ideally if some, like a, a big designer, um, watch the show and he said, okay, that's great. And then he pulled me off and said, max, we'd like to offer you a job. And I'd be like, that's, that's the ideal situation. I basically just at the moment, because I'm early stages, I just think there's so much to learn and so many amazing designers out there, but I just wanted to, you know, absorb all of the, um, their knowledge and their experience. Um, I just feel like that would be a waste to not try and tap into that. So that is the oddest situation is I get hired by a good designer.

Speaker 6:

Amazing. And you can just, yeah. Flex your creative muscles with them, with the, with the I of someone who's who's well established. That would be amazing. Okay. Well max, it's been absolute pleasure speaking to you so I can, can contact contact you and your website Maximillian design dot code at UK. And is there any other ways that anyone can get in touch with the, if they, if they wanted to?

Speaker 3:

Well, I have Instagram. Yeah. Um, which I am at the moment. I'm max pocket Smith. Um, so they can look me up on that. Or, um, all my contact details are all on my website, so that's probably the best way. Do you want us

Speaker 6:

three from there, max? It's been an absolute pleasure speaking to you again may and uh, I hope you know, it all, you come across brilliantly in the show as I'm sure you will. We add fun building form for you. Uh, especially on the last day when we're all drenched wet running around it being gorgeous for the whole series. Then the final, it peed it down, but uh, it looked good and it looked amazing. And just to know that, uh, all those plants from your garden went to a worthy cause. I went to my friends, um, charity hope charity, which helps mental health for children so that they all got re re replanted, um, in their, in their sensory garden. So definitely I'll ask, I'll speak, I speak to is Frank Clay. It's a hope charity, which helps children suffering with mental health issues. And um, they had a garden about half an hour away from where the show garden was and um, I think a couple of weeks later we managed to lift them all in and get them all planted over there. So, Oh, definitely. Well, I'll, I'll put you in touch and we'll send them home. But great. Speak to your max and good luck. Take care. Bye. Bye.

Speaker 2:

As you heard at the end of Max's interview, we talked about whose show garden Weasley and how we managed to get it all lifted and taken to a local charity called the hope charity, which I'm an ambassador of and I am Dennard about including this next bit. Um, but then I thought as an ambassador of this amazing children's mental health charity, uh, I think it was my duty to include next clip, uh, at the end of my podcast. Um, for any of you who don't know my background originally, I weirdly trained before becoming a carpenter. I trained as a, as a performer, as an actor and as a Western. Before my, I worked a lot in Western shows. Uh, I did that for about 15, 16 years and I loved it and enjoyed it. Um, but then I started doing carpentry and realized I actually enjoyed it more than performing in the West end. So I don't sing anymore. I don't perform anymore other than, um, doing this podcast or doing the audit chart, um, charity gala and I was asked to, um, perform me and my wife because my wife's a Western performer. We're asked to sing at an event, um, called featured in 15 and featured in 15. It's a bit like Ted talks with alcohol, so people have 15 minutes to tell their story. And the theme that evening was hope. And, uh, we were last minute as to um, perform at this featured and 15 event. And it was the week after I built this garden and managed to get the garden transferred to the hope of charity and I sang a song at it and explained about the charity and explained, um, why it was important, um, to raise money for children's mental health. And like I said, I am the nod about including it at the end of this podcast. But then I thought, why not? So here we are, have a listen to the story of the hope charity and as a bonus feature, you get to hear me singing a song that I literally learned the day before the event.

Speaker 4:

I feel bad. The fact that they started was going for anyway. And then I watched a program on TV, a Panorama program actually was mental health. I don't know if any of you saw it. It was about how does no provision for children empowered mental health. The government has no place to put them or help them. And I want to do one of our really good friends, Claire, whose child goes to our daughter's school, they moved away now. Um, they, their daughter was really a, with mental health trends to the point that she, she was trying to kill herself every day and no one would help her where she was swinging from the Bannister. And I don't love that. It was holding up, stop dying that then they, they into care. And that was[inaudible] and she's had a really tough time. So she set up a company, a charity called the hope charity and that stands for hold on pain ends. And she, uh, from that she'd got loads of stuff going on. She was asking for free social media stuff or fully help. And then I just thought, they've got a garden there. I can get this garden there. And I rang, I said, do you want this garnishment? Oh my good God, that sensory boundary. Amazing. I said, pull a few strings, you know, snooze a few people's feet. So could use those go, can this garden be 13,000 pounds worth of go to this charity half an hour down the road? And she, they were absolutely. So we must live this garden. I went there last week and saw this garden in this place and I'm just blown over by it. Just been there and I'm through just being a bit bit cheeky and just a smile and managed to make something work. And then she asked me to be an ambassador for this herb charity, which, so while I was watching these videos of her charity, his song was playing on the radio and it just seemed to make sense for these children about all diversity and just coming out the Ashleys and people doing good. So under this song yesterday, so I apologize, I forget. And you'll know it from a Europe[inaudible][inaudible] okay. So I'm going to try to say, Hey guys, thanks.[inaudible][inaudible] walking home.[inaudible][inaudible][inaudible][inaudible] from yay.[inaudible][inaudible]

Speaker 7:

hello.[inaudible][inaudible][inaudible][inaudible][inaudible][inaudible][inaudible]

Speaker 2:

well, that actually the vocal cobwebs. Uh, if you want to know any more information about the hope charity, you can check them out@hopecharityproject.org and find out information from them. It's an amazing resource and they literally, you know, give support to not only the children suffering from mental health, but the families all around them so that they can be best supported as well. And a huge thank you to my sponsors thorn down. Don't forget, you get 15% discount by putting in the code TV carpenter, go on their website, thorn down dot code at UK and get that 15%. And all that's left for me to say is, thank you for listening to the TB carpenter.