Garden makeover: a neglected backyard turned into a pretty cutting garden for a florist
Discover how this florist has transformed her uninspiring backyard into a modern country garden space that's filled with beautiful blooms
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- beplay.iosapp
The transformation of this outdoor space is so dramatic, that it’s hard to visualize what this garden looked like before florist Deborah Boston worked her design magic on the area.
Before moving in, the couple’s Victorian home had been untouched for years, and needed lots of loving attention to turn it into a modern space, with a stunning flower garden fit for a professional florist.
Buying this three-bedroom property in 2013 was a huge lifestyle change for Deborah and her husband Jonathan. They swapped inner city living for a house further up the coast in a more suburban setting.
‘After years of living in Brighton [on the south coast of the UK], we wanted a complete lifestyle change. We sold our one-bedroom flat and moved out of the city so we could afford a house with a generous garden,’ Deborah explains.
‘We bought our new home from an elderly gentleman who had lived in the house his whole life, and the property hadn’t been touched since the 1980s. We had our work cut out.’
The couple'sgarden design ideasare an inspiring mix of sustainable, affordable and quirky but contemporary. Which could be described as a dream combination for many of us!
The original garden and how it looked before
While they saved up for their new extension, the couple focused their attention on their unruly garden. Made up of a lawned area, there was also one border filled with sad-looking roses, a few fruit bushes and an overgrown privet hedge.
They put up agarden roomfor florist Deborah (@honestwoman.co(opens in new tab)), which was the first stage of their garden makeover. But then in the spring of 2019, the couple forged ahead with their ambitious renovation project to makeover their kitchen space and the garden, transforming how they lived in their home forever.
Builders ripped down a Victorian outside toilet and pulled down the scullery. ‘We were left with a gaping hole at the back of the house and the garden was turned into building site. The works were a messy business which made living in our home during the whole build a challenge,’ says Deborah. ‘At least I had my studio to escape to when I needed to work.’
The plan for the makeover
Though unkempt, the garden was in a better state than the rest of the house so the couple decided to keep what existing elements they could.
Deborah wanted to usecheap garden ideasto transform the space into a modern, country garden where she could harvest flowers. ‘We kept what we could, including the cherry blossom tree in the middle of the lawn, and worked these existing features into the new design.’
It was essential to create a garden full of flowers and plants that Deborah could use in her floristry work. So the couple wanted to widen the花园的边界and add flowers that would bloom all year long.
To save money, Deborah was eager to do the entire garden makeover herself. And being a creative person she was more than equal to the task.
Putting in the garden studio
They started by tackling a large sycamore tree and the hedges, calling in the help of a tree surgeon to shape these areas. By far the toughest job was to remove a large mound of earth to make room for an outdoorgarden office.
‘I wanted a space to host flower workshops away from the rest of the house. We found this large studio fromSkinner’s Sheds(opens in new tab). We built the concrete foundations, and my dad did the electrics for us,’ she explains. ‘We painted the exterior of the studio black to match the rest of the house and widened the borders on both sides.’
Working with the extension
The new extension was designed to flow seamlessly from the kitchen and onto a living area, opening out onto the garden. This turned their backyard into anoutdoor living spacewhere they could entertain and relax.
‘One key part of our garden design was the large bi-fold style doors running along the back of the house. We wanted doors made from black metal to give the space an industrial look. We found a local window specialist who made the doors in modern-day materials to our exact specifications,’ she says.
从美学上讲,建筑的外部project had to complement the Victorian building and the newly renovated garden.
Hard landscaping additions
Agarden pathdown one side of the plot uses grey slate so it's in keeping with the period features of the house. Husband Jonathan installed moderndecking ideasleading out from the studio and kitchen extension to create two relaxing areas which Deborah uses for her flower workshops that she hosts throughout the summer.
At the bottom, she added anoutdoor sinkand potting bench. ‘We made that from the old garden gate, and I repurposed an old Polish washing tub found at an antiques fair. It’s now my outside preparation area,’ she says. ‘Where I can, I use reclaimed materials in my garden like vintage pot plants, buckets, urns and vases.’
Creating a floral feast
Taking inspiration from theSussex Prairie Garden(opens in new tab)在英格兰南部,黛博拉了她的花园with grasses to create an all-year-round display. ‘Over the years, I’ve been slowly adding different types of plants. In my first year, I learnedhow to grow hydrangeasand peonies, then every year since my borders have accumulated more color within them.'
Last year, the couple increased the size of theirflower bed ideasto create a cutting garden. ‘We dug into the lawned area, then mixed in a Sussex manure which is renowned among gardeners for encouraging fabulous flowers growth. Within the border, I addedornamental grassesfor movement and structure.’
Clever cost-saving ideas
Deborah's work bench is made from the old back door from the house. ‘I salvaged it and turned it into my table.’ Along the back are shelves full of vases. ‘I’ve been collecting for years, and I hire them out for events and weddings. The main point about my studio is it is a working space, it’s not tidy but it doesn’t matter as it is filled with beautiful things,' said Deborah.
The vintage table and chairs found on Facebook Market Place were painted black to match thegarden fence ideas. ‘I love dressing the table for lunch. And when I host my workshops, we finish with drinks at the table. Everything in the garden has to be dual purpose and work hard to earn its place here.’
A garden for work and play
By景观与流ersand filling borders with plants of different heights, the space looks natural and lush, with the black fencing creating the perfect backdrop to the floral displays. ‘Every bit of the garden is working hard for me, providing homegrown materials for my work. I even use cuttings from the privet hedge in my arrangements.’
Over time, Deborah’s garden has evolved into a place that she works and relaxes in. ‘My garden is my therapy, where I can work, relax with friends, and entertain. Pottering around out here is my favorite pastime.’
-
-
Take part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch 2023 to save our feathered friends
GardensWatching garden visitors for just one hour in the Big Garden Birdwatch 2023 could help provide vital data to protect birds from the effects of climate change
By Jayne Dowle •Published
-
Do you need to chit potatoes? Find out what the experts say
自己种植Learn how to chit potatoes before planting them in the ground and you’ll be on your way to getting an earlier and bigger harvest
By Drew Swainston •Published