How can I get a cheap garden makeover?

neilsadams

We moved into a house that needed loads doing to it 4 years ago and whilst we've done loads, the garden has been neglected. It's about 120ft long by 90ft wide and is basically just grass. We would love to have a place to leave the garden furniture out, decking etc but just can't afford it as we're still working on the house.

So, is there a way of getting a landscape gardening company to makeover the garden on the cheap so they can use it as a show garden? Or are there any garden makeover TV shows that need a desperate candidate?

Thanks for any help that can be offered.

westiea

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

emiff6

Why the heck would you want decking if youve got grass? And in 4 years, you could have turned over a bit of the soil and scattered flower seeds and put in a few cuttings of shrubs and trees, or berries and seeds. (Which are free for the picking up or asking most of the time). And growing your own veg saves money you know, (but of course uses up "leisure" time).

Having said that, I would suggest you try checking your local colleges or polytechs and see if any run building or carpentry courses.

My local college often advertises for people who want outdoor building or carpentry jobs doing, to give their students hands on experience "on the job", as opposed to building practice walls and fences at the college. You'd have to pay for materials, but the labour would be free.

Or you might be very lucky and find somewhere that runs garden design courses and is looking for a place to let their students run riot.

cootambear

neilsadams wrote: »

We moved into a house that needed loads doing to it 4 years ago and whilst we've done loads, the garden has been neglected. It's about 120ft long by 90ft wide and is basically just grass. We would love to have a place to leave the garden furniture out, decking etc but just can't afford it as we're still working on the house.

So, is there a way of getting a landscape gardening company to makeover the garden on the cheap so they can use it as a show garden? Or are there any garden makeover TV shows that need a desperate candidate?

Thanks for any help that can be offered.

Hum. Why did you buy a house whose garden you couldnt maintain?

Sorry to be negative, but I have one thats 16 foot long on its 3 sides. Thats enough for me to keep up, and I know many on here who just have a few plants in pots who would love to have so much.

Sambucus_Nigra

If it's basically just grass, can't you mow it?

cootambear

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

If it's basically just grass, can't you mow it?

Yer. If youve got grass it has to be mowed. simples.

adelight

Seeing as the school holidays have just started you might be able to get some cheap labour in the form of school leavers looking to make a few bob and get some work experience(and a surprising number of sixteen year olds know how to lay bricks etc). Get them to weed and lay some slabs(doesn't get much more low maintenance and doesn't sound like you'll want to be looking after decking to me...) over a few days.
Places like wilkinsons have heavily reduced seeds and plants right now, so you could get seeds to plant next year or some plants/trees to go outside right now.

Whatever you do will cost you money and plants won't be instant i'm afraid.

Sue-UU

That's a great idea about youngsters on holiday, adelight!

Welcome to MSE neilsadams, I can appreciate your problem if you're someone who's not great with your hands. Many folk are like that, including my S-I-L! Why not get a card into your local PO or shop offering work for school children. You may be surprised at how willing they can be. A pity my Grandson isn't near you.

At least you're wanting your garden to look good, which is more than a lot of folk.

Best wishes, Sue x

3v3

neilsadams wrote: »

We moved into a house that needed loads doing to it 4 years ago and whilst we've done loads, the garden has been neglected. It's about 120ft long by 90ft wide and is basically just grass. We would love to have a place to leave the garden furniture out, decking etc but just can't afford it as we're still working on the house.

So, is there a way of getting a landscape gardening company to makeover the garden on the cheap so they can use it as a show garden? Or are there any garden makeover TV shows that need a desperate candidate?

Thanks for any help that can be offered.

Oh I'd love that too!!! But, it's down to me and mine to do it instead.

Register with Freecycle, sometimes people are giving away paving slabs. You only need to cut out around the slabs, flatten the soil, put in some sharp sand and lay the slabs on top = a place to put your garden furniture.

Furniture sometimes comes up on freecycle, but, before long the sales will be in full swing in the stores so they can clear their space for Autumn and Winter goods.

[Deleted User]

OP, me and dh did ours, including barrowing 9 tonnes of various gravels up tiers 3m high. Then at the same time we sorted a weed infested piece of old grassy field all very heavy, bone hard clay and turned that into a productive allotment, we built lots of raised beds and planters and raised a shed after putting slabs down and we started all that in july 2010

Oh just to say that I am 63 and dh is 64 and has 2 artificial hips. We had no help. It is down to motivation, not being lazy and a willingness to do back breaking work

neilsadams

cootambear wrote: »

Hum. Why did you buy a house whose garden you couldnt maintain?

Sorry to be negative, but I have one thats 16 foot long on its 3 sides. Thats enough for me to keep up, and I know many on here who just have a few plants in pots who would love to have so much.

If you read what I wrote I didn't say we couldn't maintain it, just that we had been spending all our time and money on the house and so hadn't got around to the garden yet. We now want to find a cheap way of getting the garden tidied up and designed properly.