A decade of dedication: How we've created our very own garden oasis
Part 2: From blueprint to bloom: Cultivating the first steps in creating our garden oasis
Welcome back, to my Garden Series, I apologise that this has turned into a monthly post, rather than the initial bi-weekly post I had originally planned.
If you’re new to The Stylish Home, and would like to catch up with Part 1, please do have a read:
This originated as an exclusive mini-series, available only to my paid members, however since making some changes to my Substack, I’ve now removed the paywall, and all posts are now accessible to everybody.
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To re-cap, Part 1 presented a “then and now” visual, sharing the original estate agents photos with the decade-long transformation of our garden.
In Part 2, I invite you to join the journey from commissioning a garden designer to embarking on the first phase of cultivating our garden oasis.
After settling into our new home, I sought the expertise of a local garden designer to explore the full potential of our garden, which required a complete makeover.
While we intended to undertake most of the work ourselves, consulting a professional for the garden layout proved to be a valuable investment. As someone who loves spending time in the garden, having a thoughtfully designed space was important, ensuring I’d have my very own garden sanctuary to enjoy for years to come.
Garden design discussions
After several discussions and meet-ups, our garden designer unveiled a design that truly captured my vision, I was so excited to be able to get started.
I was soon brought back down to earth, when the quote to turn my dream garden design into a reality was shared.
A staggering four-figure sum, far beyond what we could afford, or justify, it quickly became clear that this would be a long-term project.
Luckily, the gardens layout lent itself to a phased development, allowing us to focus on one section at a time.
We decided to begin by commissioning the installation of raised oak sleeper borders along the gardens lower edge. This would lay the groundwork for the rest of the transformation.
With this initial phase underway, we could then plan the subsequent steps, undertaking much of the work ourselves, and seeking professional guidance when necessary.
When the bubble bursts
Phase 1 was set to be full steam ahead!
The oak sleepers had been delivered, and we eagerly awaited the garden designers arrival to kickstart our garden transformation.
To our surprise, we discovered that our garden designer didn’t actually like to get her hands dirty!
She arrived, with her assistant, Graham, outlined the tasks, and then announced her departure to the Lake District, leaving Graham to shoulder the workload.
At first, I had no reservations, trusting that Graham was well-prepared, equipped with the necessary tools and materials, and often supported our garden designer with her garden projects.
However, we soon realised that Graham had restricted working hours and lacked clear instruction, and progress was slow during his limited time on-site.
It became evident that this was a two-person job, and with the garden designer unreachable, my partner had no choice but to assist to keep the project on track.
To make matters even worse Graham hadn’t been supplied with the right materials to complete the job to the expected standard.
Based on our experience, we wouldn’t be rushing to seek assistance from her for the remaining garden transformation.
Years later, the consequences of these oversights became clear; the untreated wood pillars meant to secure the sleepers had rotted away, resulting in us having to replace all the borders.
“If you want something done, do it yourself”
Time to get down and dirty
Once bitten, twice shy.
Following our unfortunate experience, we came to the conclusion that we would take the remaining work in transforming our garden into our own hands.
The first step was to dig out areas designated for new walls, the steps and the garden water feature.
Next came the foundational work followed by the construction of the new brick walls.
It’s amazing to witness the transformation unfold so rapidly.
With the walls in place, we tackled the challenging task of elevating the upper garden section; this was essential to accommodate the expanded patio area.
We moved tons of soil from various parts of the garden to rise the patio level to the matching height of the existing structure. Then came the laborious task of breaking up hardcore material to ensure a solid, compacted base for the future patio tiles.
With the upper patio section elevated to the desired level, we were ready to complete the steps which descended to the garden’s lower level.
With the construction phase now complete, we were ready to start adding the finishing touches to the walls.
We had chosen to render the walls inspired by a contemporary, Mediterranean aesthetic. Yet, the subsequent harsh winter caused parts of the render to “blow”, and I certainly didn’t want to have to be replacing the render every year.
So, we invested in tiling the lower section of the walls, which was the perfect solution, as well as looking really effective. Stay tuned for more details in Part 3.
The last finishing touch for the upper section was to replicate the raised oak sleeper borders found in the lower section; this time constructed correctly from the outset by the other half.
To complete the transformation we embedded solar panel spotlights within the upper wall, casting a warm glow and bringing the garden to life in the evening.
Blooming borders
Before spending a fortune on plants for the borders I sought guidance from the original garden blueprint and created a plant planner.
Admittedly, I’m no garden expert, and most things when it comes to plants is trial and error; yet, I did love my ingenious idea to estimate the number of plants required for each border.
With a visual guide created from extensive online research, I visited my local garden centre, prepared for the planting phase to begin.
From paper proposal to being ready to get planting, it’s incredible to witness the flourishing of these now established borders, five years later.
As Part 2 draws to a close, I think I’ll leave it there, to save the unfolding of the next instalment in this mini-series.
In the upcoming Part 3, I’ll share the mammoth task of tiling the expanded patio and the finishing touches, including the early stages of the pergola’s construction.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading Part 2 and seeing visually, how we’ve created the garden we now get to enjoy in its full glory.
Until next week…
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Gosh Sonya, what a task you & your other half had to take on, thanks to an unsatisfying result from a garden designer & sidekick 😠 Loving watching how it’s evolving into the amazing outdoor space you have today! 🙌🤎