‘Ground Crew’ plants ideas

In Claire, Liz, Sara and Sarah, 30ish Helen has just about the best friends a woman could ask for. She gets enormous satisfaction from her charity work and enjoys her serene suburban life in England’s Nantwich in Cheshire. What she’s lacking is a presentable garden, but her pals have a delightfully devious plan to change that by enlisting the landscaping services of “Ground Crew.”

The veteran BBC America series, which opens its new season tonight at 6 (repeating at 9) with Helen’s episode, is akin to the myriad domestic makeover shows on this side of the pond. The idea here is to get the subject out of the house for 48 hours, have a basic game plan in mind for the “Ground Crew” crew, then spring the surprise on the returning happy homeowner.

The series has undergone a bit of a nip and tuck itself. Comically clashing colleagues Tommy Walsh and Charlie Dimmock are back along with partner Will Shanahan, but Alan Titchmarsh is gone, replaced by Kirsty Kling.

The new team, with considerable assistance from Helen’s four friends, take on the project, and they have their work cut out for them.

As is, the backyard area is a cramped, grassy rectangle whose most distinguishing feature is a clothesline. Helen’s buddies want to round out the area’s blunt borders, add a water-over-pebbles stream, and incorporate her passion for pigs into the design.

The “Ground Crew” folks make some modifications to the plan and get started amid some good-natured ribbing. “The first sign of madness is talking to yourself,” Charlie says at one point to a muttering Tommy.

It’s all good fun, and it might leave you wishing your own friends would get on the stick and plan a little surprise.