Small budget, no problem

After

Before

My partner and I moved into our first house in May 2005. At 24 years old, I was a completely inexperienced gardener, but I was dismayed at the state of my garden. I wanted a garden full of colour throughout the year, with a definite structure, so there was a lot of work to do.

I based my design on a circle to soften the straight lines of the fences we had to erect. The ground was waterlogged and compacted in places and there were tree roots everywhere. With a lot of hard work, I improved the soil, which involved digging very deep, removing the roots and adding plenty of home-grown and bought compost, which is where most of the budget went.

I planted a mixture of shrubs, perennials, annuals and bulbs that flower in their first year. I wanted to cover the fences for a greener and more enclosed garden, so I've planted lots of climbers. Until they establish, I have white cosmos, sunflowers and the existing Verbena bonariensis to add height and colour. Due to my tight budget, I grew seeds, was given plants, bought garden-centre bargains and sent off for the reader offers in magazines - my favourites are the tea roses I received from Gardens Monthly, which are really pretty and still flowering. There is much left to do, but this has inspired me to keep gardening.