I gave my rotting garden a mega transformation on the cheap using bargain buys from B&Q and Ikea and it looks insane
ONE WOMEN has revealed that she has made the most of her rotting garden without having to splurge on experts for help.
Emma Bailey, 35, from Sutton, Greater London, revealed that she used bargains from B&Q and Ikea to keep costs down without being too strict about style.
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Emma, who posts to YouTube as Emma’s Allocation Logtell the community to save money Latest Deals.co.uk: “I wanted to turn the back garden into a livable space for the summer.
“It required some work as the furniture was rotting, there was a large compost pile that damaged the barn and the courtyard needed a clean up.
“As part of my makeover, I decided to change the color of the hedge from white to dark blue because I feel like the white takes away the color of the flowers and makes the area appear a bit dull.
“Design is really an experiment. I’ve never designed a garden before but I knew I wanted an area in the back to sit and relax.
“The plan is to sit here often to do some work, especially when this is a large space. The awning is pretty sturdy, so there’s no reason to pull it up.
“We had pallet furniture in the back garden on the porch, but we knocked it down and removed it. We took it to the recycling area of the landfill so it could be reused.
“The original furniture was uncomfortable to sit on and quite dirty. I also found out that a lot of bugs and spiders will hide in there, which is really not very nice. Pretty.
“We decided to buy a new set of tables and chairs from Ikea, and we found the price to be quite reasonable. That’s about £200 all in.
Emma explains that she started her garden makeover by clearing out the composting area.
“The first job I needed to do was clean up the composting area,” she notes. I rake it out, bagged it, swept away any leftover soil, and threw it away.
“This waste caused the bottom of the warehouse to rot so I’m glad it’s gone! We now have a special bin for garden waste that is long past its expiration date.
“Then I washed the yard with a garden hose. I have used bicarbonate of soda on stains that are more difficult to remove.
“At this point it’s time to paint the garden fence. I chose the Urban Slate color from the Cuprinol range. It sells for £15 at B&Q. We have a lot left over!
“This darker light black was chosen because it contrasts nicely with the trees I placed in front of it.
“It took a while to finish the paint job but I was really pleased with how it looked once it was done.
“Seen from a distance, this color combination with the yellow shed, pink flowers and tulips look great.”
After painting the fence, she notes that she then decorates the space with bargains from B&Q and Ikea.
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She continued: “The Next The next day I put a rug on the patio that I bought for just £25 from B&Q. Then I assembled Ikea furniture.
“After we put the table and chairs together, it was just a matter of planting lots of colorful flowers to encourage wildlife and pollinators as well as create a quiet area to sit.”
Reflecting on the project, Emma shared: “I am very pleased with the look of it, as it is an easy change but really effective.
“The back garden has been transformed and I’m really looking forward to using the space in the summer.
“I also have a small plot of land at the bottom. The space is only 6m x 2m but don’t let the small space prevent you from growing vegetables because you can absolutely do it.
“I’m growing peas right now, I have a blueberry bush and some potatoes.
“I also take advantage of the vertical space and have potted plants hanging from the fence. I have some strawberries and chives.
“If we had to do it all over again, we would remember to put the lid on the paint can after putting it in the storage, because the next day we pulled a bike out of the paint bucket and spilled the whole bucket!
“We will never get an expert to tackle the garden. All fences and landscaping were done by us.
“The YouTube tutorials are very helpful. We are both very good at doing it ourselves our home and the garden!”
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