A savvy mum has revealed how she managed to give her tired-looking garden a modern makeover amid lockdown – and all for just £200.
Janine Byrom, 38, from Atherton, explained that before the revamp, her garden was overgrown and not kid-friendly – but thanks to a few bargain buys including fake turf from B&M, it wasn’t long before her heavenly haven started taking shape.
‘I had always wanted a lovely garden that we could enjoy as a family but had little knowledge of how and where to start,’ said the mum-of-three said, speaking to money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk.
‘I joined a few gardening pages on Facebook and took inspiration from people creating smaller gardens on a budget.
Janine Byron, 38, from Atherton, overhauled her garden amid lockdown – and it cost just £200. Pictured, before the transformation
The thrifty mum bought supplies from car boot sales and fake turf from budget store B&M. Pictured, after the transformation
The business owner (pictured) said she had always wanted a lovely garden that she could enjoy as a family but had little knowledge of how and where to start
‘I’ve always loved pretty shabby chic inspired things and had collected many things before lockdown as I gathered my ideas.
The business owner went on to say how it was lockdown that really pushed her to do something.
Janine carefully selected each item, spending £50 on turf, £8 on a picket fence, £20 on fence paint, £28 on cushions, £18 on paint for her bench, £12 on the fake trellis, £8 on the fake flowers, £16 on floral wreaths and around £40 on other bits and bobs.
‘The garden was overgrown with weeds and nettles and the kids just had a large trampoline that was taking up so much space,’ she explained.
Janine says that before (pictured), the garden was overgrown with weeds and nettles and the kids had a large trampoline that was taking up so much space
The savvy mum borrowed gardening tools from a neighbour and dug up the weeds and levelled the soil. Pictured, after the transformation
‘With their permission, I dismantled the trampoline and set to work on the garden. I did get quotes from gardeners but as a single mum on a very low budget, I just couldn’t afford what they were asking.
‘I was undeterred and decided to just get stuck in. I borrowed gardening tools from a neighbour and dug up the weeds and levelled the soil.
‘I managed to get hold of some fake turf during my weekly shop to B&M – I always shop there for the kids’ snacks and crafting supplies so I added a few bits to my trolley during my essential visit.
‘I followed the instructions and laid the turf. Already the garden was beginning to take shape.’
The thrifty mum also went on to say how she recycled and upcycled wherever she could.
‘I even transformed an old sideboard that I was planning to tip into a seating area by covering it with a waterproof tablecloth and outdoor cushions,’ she added.
‘I ordered my fence paint online and spent a day repainting the fence – but it was so worth it and the garden really did look 100% better.
Janine upcycled an old sideboard that she was planning to tip into a seating area by covering it with a waterproof tablecloth and outdoor cushions (pictured)
Janine spent a day repainting the fence – but added it was ‘so worth it’ because the garden really did look 100% better. Pictured, after the transformation
‘I had a trellis to attach to my shed which I added more fake flowers to, and I filled flower pots with fake flowers until I could get to a garden centre. Friends and neighbours also brought me plants and little bits they weren’t using.
‘I had some old china and attached plates to my shed via some strong adhesive strips and I added garden solar lights, too.
‘The kids’ bench I already had from a previous car boot find that I managed to snap up for a fiver so I just painted that with some paint I had previously used on my front door.
‘I’m still going to add to the garden as and when I can get more plants and so on, but the difference this extra space has made is unbelievable.
‘My daughter’s birthday was during lockdown and I managed to do her a little BBQ and paddling pool which she loved.’
The project has proved the perfect distraction during the pandemic, and Janine is extra pleased that she managed to stick to her tight budget.
Janine says the project has helped her so much during this difficult time and has given her something to focus on mentally. Pictured, after the transformation
‘The project has helped so much during this difficult time,’ she said. ‘It’s been so good mentally to focus on something to do and I can quite honestly say that if it wasn’t for lockdown I wouldn’t have had the kick up the bum to do it!
‘I’m really proud of our garden and never believed I could achieve so much on a £200 budget!’
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, commented: ‘A professional gardener might have quoted upwards of £1,000 for this. Janine probably saved about £800 doing it herself which is fantastic.
‘You, like Janine, might be itching to transform your garden. Janine shows that with some savvy buys, it really can be done on a budget! So when social distancing is finished, inviting your friends over is going to mean so much more.’