A TRANSFORMATION of a garden in Malmesbury is to be showcased tonight on Alan Titchmarsh’s latest programme Britain’s Best Back Gardens.

River Barn was formerly part of a model farm, sold after becoming disused to a pair who turned it into a thriving tourist attraction and wildlife reserve.

Finn and Nicki Spicer bought their home new in Malmesbury in October 2006 and worked for several years to create a garden which now brings visitors from far and wide.

The pair met in 2004 at Bristol University, where Finn is a senior lecturer in Philosophy and decided to buy somewhere to work on.

“When I was a freelance photographer back in 1987 I went and did some photos of a couple of nurseries and realised I knew half the names,” said Mrs Spicer.

The pair had no horticultural training but had an enthusiasm for the project and poured their heart and soul into making the garden a wildlife friendly area that now attracts many visitors.

Mrs Spicer continued: “I had always wanted to have a garden to open on the National Garden Scheme and we have now achieved that dream by opening up not just for the NGS but also for Malmesbury Carnival and so far we have raised over £6000 for charitable causes.

The pair enjoyed their time filming with gardening legend Alan Titchmarsh, praising him as funny, cultured and extremely professional.

The programme shows how the pair went from a twin-unit caravan, weathering the freezing conditions for several years to where they are now, with a garden recognised as one of only thirty picked by Alan Titchmarsh for recognition in his new three-part series on ITV.

Mrs Spicer added: “It has been really really good fun and our main mission is to share our garden. We usually open the garden up to the public in a really low key way.”

Anyone who wishes to visit the gardens is welcome to visit and leave a donation in an honesty box left outside. For more information visit http://www.riverbarn.org.uk/

To see their story on Britain’s Best Back Gardens tune in to ITV tonight at 8pm.