Kate Garraway’s frail husband Derek Draper smiles as she creates well-being garden

Kate Garraway proudly showed the health and well-being garden she had created for her frail husband Derek Draper on Love Your Garden on Tuesday night.

The special episode saw the Good Morning Britain presenter, 54, search for ways to incorporate medicinal plants into her outdoor space in north London to help Derek, also 54, who is suffering serious complications after contracting Covid.  

Derek, who was put into an induced coma by doctors in March 2020 and could currently die if is left unaided for three days without expert care, beamed as Kate said: ‘This is your part of the garden’.  

Moving: Kate Garraway proudly showed the health and well-being garden she had created at her north London home to her frail husband Derek Draper on Love Your Garden on Tuesday

In a bid to adapt her outdoor space to help Derek, Kate said of her plans: ‘We want to make the garden into something more than just space to be. I really want to grow some plants that will actually improve our health and wellbeing.’

Filmed across the seasons from spring until harvest time, Kate battled terrible weather as she created three different beds of plants-  medicinal, tea and aromatherapy.

She said: ‘If you look past the initial beauty of the plants, it can give you so much more. I haven’t quite proved you can grow yourself well but I think I’ve definitely learnt you can grow yourself happier.’ 

Herbal: The special episode saw the Good Morning Britain presenter, 54, search for ways to incorporate medicinal plants into her outdoor space to help Derek

Herbal: The special episode saw the Good Morning Britain presenter, 54, search for ways to incorporate medicinal plants into her outdoor space to help Derek

Wow: In a bid to adapt her outdoor space to help Derek, Kate said of her plans: ‘We want to make the garden into something more than just space to be'

Wow: In a bid to adapt her outdoor space to help Derek, Kate said of her plans: ‘We want to make the garden into something more than just space to be’

The presenter visited Kew gardens where she learnt about the medicinal benefits of plants, and is inspired in her own garden to create a border of plants filled with antioxidant benefits, a separate tea garden and an aromatherapy garden.

Growing four types of mint and swathes of lavender, Kate created her own herbal teas and room spray with the help of her son Billy, 12.  

Kate reflected: ‘This is going to be so much more than I thought it was going to be. 

‘I’ve taken the garden that’s a place of family fun and turned it into something that’s the way our family has to live now.’

Viewers took to Twitter to comment on the touching scenes. One wrote: ‘Great to see D smiling. All the best’, while another added: ‘What a journey you have been on Kate.’  

Loving it: As Kate later showed Derek the garden, she said: 'This is your part of the garden', with the former political lobbyist beaming as he admired the borders

Loving it: As Kate later showed Derek the garden, she said: ‘This is your part of the garden’, with the former political lobbyist beaming as he admired the borders

Family: She said: 'I’ve taken the garden that’s a place of family fun and turned it into something that’s the way our family has to live now'

Family: She said: ‘I’ve taken the garden that’s a place of family fun and turned it into something that’s the way our family has to live now’

Scented kitchen: Growing four types of mint and swathes of lavender, Kate created her own herbal teas and room spray with the help of her son Billy, 12.

Scented kitchen: Growing four types of mint and swathes of lavender, Kate created her own herbal teas and room spray with the help of her son Billy, 12.

Garden: Filmed across the seasons from spring until harvest time, Kate battled terrible weather as she created three different beds of plants – medicinal, tea and aromatherapy

Garden: Filmed across the seasons from spring until harvest time, Kate battled terrible weather as she created three different beds of plants – medicinal, tea and aromatherapy

55400193 10616953 image m 106 1647381347054 55400187 10616953 image m 107 1647381355502 55400195 10616953 image m 108 1647381364286 Brilliant: Viewers took to Twitter to comment on the touching scenes. One wrote: 'Great to see D smiling. All the best'

Brilliant: Viewers took to Twitter to comment on the touching scenes. One wrote: ‘Great to see D smiling. All the best’

 A third viewer chimed: ‘Kate Garraway on Love Your Garden- a total natural and the dungarees are very Felicity Kendal/ The Good Life! Can only be a good thing. What a wonderful idea for their garden.’

While a fourth typed: ‘You’re an inspiration Kate.’ Another wrote: ‘Brilliant am watching now.’ 

Last month, Kate gave a health update on Derek and revealed he is only able to sit in his wheelchair for 20 minutes at a time before he flags. 

Tough: Last month, Kate gave a health update on Derek and revealed he is only able to sit in his wheelchair for 20 minutes at a time before he flags

Tough: Last month, Kate gave a health update on Derek and revealed he is only able to sit in his wheelchair for 20 minutes at a time before he flags

Smelling good: Derek took in the scent of a flower

Smelling good: Derek took in the scent of a flower 

The Good Morning Britain presenter appeared on This Morning to discuss her second documentary about Derek’s recovery for Covid-19, with the star also detailing their trip to Mexico for Derek to receive specialist treatment. 

And Kate admitted with Derek’s struggle to sit for long periods of time, she told how she initially thought the idea of him making the 5,000 mile trip was ‘bonkers’.    

Sharing how Derek’s needs for 24/7 care can no longer be sustainable in the long run, Kate talked about Derek making the trip to Mexico after a doctor out there offered to help.

She explained: ‘There’s a point where money runs out. If there isn’t the structure there to help long term, what are we going to do?’ 

Gardening: A third viewer chimed: 'Kate Garraway on Love Your Garden- a total natural and the dungarees are very Felicity Kendal/ The Good Life! Can only be a good thing'

Gardening: A third viewer chimed: ‘Kate Garraway on Love Your Garden- a total natural and the dungarees are very Felicity Kendal/ The Good Life! Can only be a good thing’

‘We can’t give up on him. This particular doctor who had dealt with people offered us the chance to be a kind of test case.’

She added of her former lobbyist husband: ‘He can sustain sitting in a wheelchair for about 20 minutes before he flagged so the thought of going 5,000 miles seemed bonkers. 

‘I think Ben Shephard was a little bit concerned about my sanity.’ 

However, despite her pal’s concerns, the broadcaster reckons the trip gave Derek ‘hope’ for his future.

She said: ‘But he [Ben] then got it. We sort of worked hard and funnily enough, I sort of thought that at the end of the journey, if nothing else comes from this, the fact that he’s [Derek’s] done this.

‘I can already see has said something to himself about the possibility of hope.’

Wow: Kate sat and relaxed as she took in the beautiful flower borders

Wow: Kate sat and relaxed as she took in the beautiful flower borders 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-10616953/Kate-Garraways-frail-husband-Derek-Draper-smiles-creates-garden.html

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