A GARDEN made entirely from metal in the workshop of a Ledbury blacksmith is about to get national television coverage, after coming to the attention of BBC producers.

Presenters Gordon Taylor and Guy Cooper have been visiting Stephen McRae, from Upperfields, over seven months while he makes the unusual garden for a client in London.

It will be featured in a programme called The Curious Gardeners, which looks at different materials used in gardening, to be shown on BBC2 on Friday, June 14, at 8pm.

Thirty-year-old Mr McRae, whose studio is in Staplow, said he considered it a compliment to be included alongside other leading designers on the programme.

"They'd seen my work at shows and that's how it came about," he said.

"They came to the workshop and were looking at how I use metal on gardens, what sort of form it takes.

"The garden in London has metal in the floor, the boundaries, the sculptural elements of the garden. It's never been done before. It was an absolute nightmare! You have all these different steels and all sorts of things going on."

Mr McRae moved to the area from Sussex ten years ago, to study to be a blacksmith.

"I've always done sculptural stuff in metal. In the programme, they show the garden but they focus more on me as a designer."

Despite the potential of a large audience for his work as a result of the TV programme, Mr McRae said he did not think it would have an effect on his business.

"From experience I don't think it will do much for the business but I think it will do a lot for my reputation," he said.