A couple had their tired garden transformed into a multi-functional outdoor space in a £30,000 makeover in last night’s episode of Your Garden Made Perfect.
Parents Neil and Clare live in Northwich, Cheshire, with their four teenage children. Their garden is a good size and has spectacular view of surrounding countryside, but the couple felt the space wasn’t being put to best use.
Before the transformation there was a picket fence at the end of the garden, a large slabbed patio, and a narrow path dividing two disjointed patches of grass.
BEFORE: Parents Neil and Clare live in Northwich, Cheshire, with their four teenage children. Their garden is a good size and has spectacular view of surrounding countryside, but the couple felt the space wasn’t being put to best use
AFTER: A couple had their tired garden transformed into a multi-functional outdoor space in a £30,000 makeover in last night’s episode of Your Garden Made Perfect. Pictured, the result of the TV garden makeover
RURAL LIVING: The garden (pictured afterwards) backs onto a field and offers stunning views of the Cheshire countryside
HAPPY CUSTOMERS: Parents Neil and Clare, who live at the property with their children, were thrilled with the results
UNIMPRESSED: The couple were delighted with the finished result, even though it went £10,000 over their original £20,000 budget. However viewers at home were less impressed, with several comparing the finished result to a beer garden
The space held particular sentimental value for Neil because the house is his childhood home and belonged to his parents. The garden was planted by his father, including a DIY pond that was added in the corner in the 80s.
After considering two proposed designs, Neil and Clare opted for the one by Pip Probert, which combined Neil’s desire for a space to socialise outdoors with Clare’s wish for a quiet place to relax with a book in the sunshine.
The couple were delighted with the finished result, even though it went £10,000 over their original £20,000 budget. However viewers at home were less impressed, with several comparing the finished result to a beer garden.
One tweeted:’Budget went over by 10k. Where’s the swimming/lap pool because I’m not seeing how this ‘journey’ has cost 30 grand! Definitely had room for it… #YourGardenMadePerfect.’
TIRED: Before the same space felt disjointed with haphazard seating and was under used by the family of six
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: After considering two proposed designs, Neil and Clare opted for the one by Pip Probert, which combined Neil’s desire for a space to socialise outdoors with Clare’s wish for a quiet place to relax with a book in the sunshine
DISCONNECTED: There was no feeling of continuity between the rooms at the back of the house and the space outside
‘ZONES’: The winning design separated the garden into a series of ‘rooms’ where the family could relax alone or together
Another posted: ‘£30,000 for a garden with no shelter from the rain and the red hot pokers will be gone in a couple of weeks #yourgardenmadeperfect.’
A third wrote: ’30 f*****g grand! Again! For a s***e looking pub beer garden… In fact, the beer garden at my local is much nicer and has more character.’
The winning design separated the garden into a series of ‘rooms’ where the family could relax alone or together.
One side of the garden, where the pond was previously situated, made way for a large pergola with pub-style seating and even a dart board.
Neil, who had spoken of his desire to have a space where he could enjoy a beer with friends, said he was thrilled with the new addition.
FAMILY TIES: The house is Neil’s childhood home and used to be owned by his parents. Much of the garden was created by his late father, including the DIY 80s pond at the bottom of the garden, which was removed during the makeover
SPACE TO SOCIALISE: The pond made by Neil’s father was replaced with this partially covered seating area
OPEN AND EXPOSED: The couple said they felt the layout of the garden before, pictured, didn’t give them privacy
INCORPORATING THE VIEW: The picket fence at the end of the garden was replaced with a 2m flower bed border
BIRD’S EYE VIEW: The garden following the £30,000 makeover on last night’s episode of Your Garden Made Perfect
On the other side of the garden there is a hanging chair where Clare can curl up with her book and relax. The garden still incorporated a lawn, although it was much smaller than before.
At the end of the garden the picket fence was removed and replaced with a 2m flowerbed border that creates a more seamless transition between the garden and the fields beyond.
Commenting on what his father would have thought of the transformation, Neil said: ‘He’d love it, he would be very proud. That to me was what it was all about.’
The father-of-four also said it was a conscious decision to go £10,000 over budget.
‘We always say, if you buy cheap, you buy twice, so we’ve gone for it,’ he said. ‘It’s a legacy… It was a mindset thing. It’s here for life if it’s done properly and we’ve got that now so we’re really pleased.’
