Our Garden – Before

Since we had our extension done last year the garden has been a mess, both front and back gardens, and has needed a huge overhaul. But, we haven’t had the money or inclination to do much to it over the winter. But, now that the days are getting a little longer, the weather is often bright and crisp we have decided to plough on and get the garden the way we want it ready for us to enjoy it over the spring and summer.

We used to have an L shaped patio before the extension that wrapped around the house but since the extension was finished we have just had one rectangle patio which is at a slightly higher level than the lawn.

Our Garden - Before

We also have a massive 30ft shed that runs down the garden, it makes the lawn next to it just a corridor of lawn rather than any usable space and because we have such a massive shed we have filled it with so much over the years. Plus, the shed forms our boundary too – so the side of the shed is where a fence should be – but isn’t.

At the end of the garden we have vegetable patches that have been a labour of love for years. They take so much upkeep and the only real reward we get from them is two weeks of mammoth strawberry harvest each year.

Our Garden - Before

Beyond the vegetable patches is a no-man’s land of dumping ground and gravel, a space we don’t use and that was made slightly bigger when the back fence was put up by the new development behind.

Our plan for the garden is to get rid of the shed and get a new one right at the end of the garden on that spare bit of ground. It will still be a really big shed – 12ft x 10ft but will make use of pretty vacant space and stop the garden being split in two by the current shed. We’ll also have the fence replaced – and added – all the way along the side of the garden.

Our Garden - Before

We’ll then make the current vegetable patch area into a really good size play area for the children. They have a lot of play equipment already but it means in time we can invest in a climbing frame or similar for them.

From the play area to the patio there will be raised sleeper beds along the fence, giving somewhere to plant my beloved fruit plants and also somewhere to sit. The rest of the area will be lovely new turf and I cannot wait to have a good expanse of grass and to be able to see the whole garden from the patio. It is going to make such a massive change for us and how we use the garden.

Our Garden - Before

I’ll keep you updated with the progress and will give a proper update when the work is done. It’s almost as exciting as when we started work on the extension!

Our Garden - Before

Author

  • Donna Wishart

    Donna Wishart is married to Dave and they have two children, Athena (13) and Troy (11). They live in Surrey with their two cats, Fred and George. Once a Bank Manager, Donna has been writing about everything from family finance to days out, travel and her favourite recipes since 2012. Donna is happiest either exploring somewhere new, with her camera in her hand and family by her side or snuggled up with a cat on her lap, reading a book and enjoying a nice cup of tea. She firmly believes that tea and cake can fix most things.

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3 Comments

  1. It sounds like you have some fantastic plans. Your garden is so big and has so much potential. I think as soon as you take the shed down your garden will look so different x

  2. That’s fabulous Donna, the garden is the one part of our house that I can’t wait to get sorted. I see what you mean about the corridor beside the shed, it will definitely be more usable when the shed is at the end of the garden. I look forward to seeing what it’s like when it’s complete.
    Nat.x

  3. It is going to look and be amazing by the sounds of it and having a shed right at the end makes a lot more sense for being able to watch the children play etc too doesn’t it? Yay, I hope the work gets finished really quickly.

    Stevie x

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