What a difference a few weeks make for Victorian couple Adam and Lisa who again topped the leader board taking out the first semi-final.
The popular Melbourne pair astounded judges Joe Snell and Wendy Moore, homeowners Carole and Russell, and themselves by transforming Team WA‟s barren, rocky outcrop into a „tropical paradise‟. “I am amazed that they have been able to achieve all this in less than four days,” said Wendy. So was Adam.
At times the affable chippie was left speechless, exhausted from the task of moving massive rocks to create dry stone wall terracing for the landscaped gardens and an outdoor deck which captures the mountain views. “I never want to see a big boulder again in my life,” said Adam. He joked the red, rocky landscape was out of this world. “It’s ridiculous! There is no soil on this block of land. It’s rock. It’s like we’re working on Mars!”
In delivering a winning score of 17 points out of 20, Joe praised Adam and Lisa’s “superhuman effort” in transforming the once arid area. Wendy agreed, joking: “Adam, you are officially our new „rock star‟.”
Upon seeing their new front yard, homeowner Carole became emotional as she did at the interior reveal: “Can you imagine the kids here?” she said, weeping. Russell nodded: “Wow! That is bloody amazing.”
The Perth grandparents were equally impressed by Candy and Ryan’s efforts in their new terraced backyard which included a Balinese-inspired water feature, but not so the judges who scored them 13 points. “I think your greatest weakness is coming up with bigger ideas than you can handle,” Wendy told Team NSW.
The second garden and exterior to be renovated in the first of two semi-finals was Candy and Ryan’s Sydney home. The secret crate items all teams had to incorporate in their design proved to be the undoing of both QLD and WA.
Maddi and Lloyd were given two goldfish, but how to accommodate „Randy‟ and „Cyan‟ in a modern garden setting challenged the Queenslanders. Judges panned their “unfinished” pond and their house rendering. Joe also took aim at the LED lighting used on the front steps which he said looked like “Christmas lights”. Team QLD were left “gutted” by its score of 11, which put them at the bottom of the leader board.
Candy and Ryan were appreciative of their traditional rivals‟ effort in the front yard saying it was unrecognisable, “It doesn’t even look like our house,” said Candy. But WA‟s deeds out the back raised the pair’s eyebrows.
Carole and Russell were given nine railway sleepers in their secret crate to use in the yard. Candy expected them to be cut in half and used as a garden bed but Carole decided to erect them vertically as a sculpture. “It looks like a grave,” said Ryan, laughing. Candy agreed: “That creeps me out. It’s like a burial ground”.
The judges applauded the idea of using the sleepers as a feature but thought the positioning wrong. The outdoor deck and dining area was a hit though, with Wendy and Joe awarding them a combined score of 14 points to put them in second place.
For the WA and NSW exteriors, Judges Wendy Moore and Joe Snell scored the teams:
The second semi-final showdown kicks off tonight at 7.30pm with the reveals tomorrow night. The four teams must next makeover the gardens and house exteriors of Maddi and Lloyd‟s Townsville Queenslander and Adam and Lisa‟s Melbourne cottage.
