A SAVVY homeowner who was quoted a whopping £13k to transform his garden patio has revealed how he did it himself and saved £9k.
Rob Peake shared a selection of before photos of his outdoor space, before revealing the very impressive tropical/jungle garden he achieved, with the addition of a stunning small pond.
And it’s no wonder social media users have been flooding him with praise, with people calling it everything from “stunning” to “truly gorgeous.”
Speaking to Fabulous Digital, Rob explained: “I was quoted £13k for the patio on its own, and I managed to get the hard materials for around £4k.”
In the initial post, which was shared to Facebook page Gardening on a Budget Official, Rob explained how he started his garden/patio and pond project around October last year.
“We previously had bamboo all around the garden,” he commented.
“I think we’d watched too many Groundforce TV programme episodes when we thought it might be a good idea to plant it.
“The bamboo was a runner type and had grown under neighbour’s decking, under fences, and near neighbour’s garage foundations.”
The savvy homeowner went on to admit it’s the most “labour intensive job” he’s ever done, adding there’s been many times he wanted to give up, especially in November and December with the rain and cold.
He continued: “The early dark nights had finally caught up with me and working under light trying to get the patio sorted resulted in me thinking, let’s wait to the new year.”
Rob explained how the bamboo was planted bamboo over 15 years ago.
“It gave us privacy all year round but its not suitable to plant in the ground without a barrier or better still in a planter, it’s a thug,” he wrote.
“I spent nearly three summers digging it out and removing all the runners with a axe and shovel, and a reciprocating saw.”
The DIY whizz went on to say how his patio is over 5m x 4m, and that he’d wanted a “tropical/jungle garden with a small pond for a long time.”
Reaping the rewards of the long hours, he told how it’s all finally paid off as he’s now been able to sit in the sun and soak up all of his hard work.
And for anyone looking to do the same, Rob has a few words of encouragement.
“This post is just to help those like me where you want to give up,” he wrote.
“I did it all on my own and there were many, too many nights – especially on a Saturday or Sunday evening at 5pm in mid December – that it was so cold and the rain lashing down.
“And I just wanted to go inside in the warm and give up never to return, thinking to myself I’m never going to finish it.
Wow you did a fantastic job – all those cold nights were worth it. It’s truly gorgeous!
Social media user
“Stick with it, it’s definitely worth it!”
He added: “I had to watch a lot of YouTube videos on what I had to do and my daughter helped with the patio laying.
“I wouldn’t have been able to finish it without their help, and it saved me over £10k doing it myself.”
The post has been flooded with hundreds of likes and comments, with many quick to congratulate Rob on his efforts.
A gardening pro, or just starting your planting journey? Nigel Lawton, a gardening expert at Dobbies Garden Centres has shared the six jobs you can do to transform your garden in under an hour.
1. Tidy up
Remove dead leaves, neaten beds and borders, remove any seeds and apply a good layer of mulch over the surface with organic peat-free compost. TIME: 60 mins
2. Design beds and borders
Trim back winter flowering plants where blooms have started to fade. Start by removing any dead, diseased or damaged branches, and get rid of any branches that cross over, Nigel says.
Then prune summer flowering shrubs like Buddleia, Lavatera and hardy Fuschias to allow room for new growth. As well as encouraging new growth in the plant by removing dead material, pruning will also allow you to control the height and shape of your plants. TIME: 50 mins
3. Create a cosy patio
If you have a patio, transform it into a cosy socialising spot.
Start by giving that a good clean with a jet wash to quickly complete the job in under an hour. You can further liven up the area by adding some garden furniture paired with some cushions, some throws, and an outdoor rug. TIME: 30 mins
4. Refresh pots
To enjoy instant colour in your garden this spring, Nigel recommends refreshing your pots, hanging baskets, and window boxes with early season flowers for a country garden effect.
Plant in threes or fives to create a impactful display with small, medium, and large plants of different heights beside your door. TIME: 15 mins
5. Lawncare
Another beginner-friendly task you can do to spruce up your garden is taking care of the lawn by cultivating the soil and making sure the area is level and firm.
Rake out any moss or dead grass, and apply lawn treatement in late spring. TIME: 15-30 mins
6. Welcome wildlife
Spring is the perfect time to welcome wildlife into your garden as small animals come out of hibernation and new birds hatch into life.
To ensure your garden is a safe space for wildlife, Nigel suggests dedicating a small section of your garden to creating a wildlife-friendly habitat with pollinating plants and places for small animals and insects to shelter.
You can create a safe space for them by stacking branches in a shaded spot to help protect them from the elements. All of this can be done in under an hour. TIME: 40 mins
“Love the patio slabs amazing job enjoy the up and coming summer,” praised one.
A second enthused: “Wow you did a fantastic job – all those cold nights were worth it. It’s truly gorgeous!”
“Fabulous work. Well done!” a third commented.
Meanwhile, a fourth added: “Very hard work paid off xxx looks amazing!”
Another chimed in: “Fantastic, well done..love it!”
