Ian Robertson and fiance shifted two backbreaking skips' worth of debris through the house to make way for a stylish, thoughtfully planted garden
'We cleared the garden back to bare earth, shifting two skips' worth of concrete, brick, poor soil and fencing, trug by trug, as we had no other access than through the house.'
|
| After
|
|
| Before
|
|
| Before
|
|
| Before
|
My fiance and I moved into our London mid-terrace house nearly three years ago and, having previously lived in a flat, I was eager to test my gardening and design skills on a new project.
The rear garden was a real overgrown mess and, even though the garden only measures 5 x 5m (17 x 17ft), we could not see the boundaries! We cleared the garden back to bare earth, shifting two skips' worth of concrete, brick, poor soil and fencing, trug by trug, as we had no other access than through the house. My back's not been the same since!
We've planted Fatsia japonica and bamboos Phyllostachys aurea and nigra to give the garden structure, combined passion flowers and arum lilies (Zantedeschia), while assorted ferns help create a tropical feel and a patio and lawn area have been created to open up the small space.
Two years on the garden has knitted together well. We're looking forward to relaxing in it now that the hard work is over. However, we've also got a new project as we're expecting our first child in a few months!
Ian Robertson, Charlton, London
Submit your garden makeovers
I'm always on the lookout for descriptions and photographs of garden makeovers, including 'before' and 'after' shots. We publish the best in
Gardens Monthly magazine as well as on Gardening.co.uk. Why not upload yours to the
Gallery, or
email me with your digital images and text. Alternatively, send text and photographs by snail mail to Sarah Brocklehurst, Magicalia Publishing Ltd, Berwick House, 8-10 Knoll Rise, Orpington, Kent, BR6 OEL.
denotes Subscriber-only content | Friday 25 July 2008 | Help | Glossary 
