Mum Saves Over £2000 Transforming Rubbish-Filled Garden Into Pastel Paradise

• Anna, 38, was faced with an unruly garden full of spiky bushes and huge spiders
• She transformed the area herself, saving on professional costs by enlisting friends to help out
• Bargain supplies were obtained from Groupon, eBay, Lidl and Home Bargains
• Top buys include a half price garden set from B&Q, £150 reduced from £300
• Her friend was quoted £3000 for a similar job but she completed hers for under £500

Getting creative with your garden can lead to some impressive results, even if you’re on a budget. One savvy DIYer has proven this by transforming her abandoned, overgrown backyard into a pretty pastel paradise using discounts from eBay, Groupon and more.

Anna Orjak, 38 from Blackpool and mum to a 5 year old daughter who works as a Naturopath and YouTuber, sharing her DIY projects on YouTube and Instagram, told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk:  ‘I am a very creative person and I love gardening. My mum also has an amazing garden, she taught me how to look after plants and create my own space for me and my daughter. It doesn't take a lot to have a nice garden and it doesn't have to be expensive. My daughter and I love pink and other bright colors. We wanted a very colourful, bright and sunny garden filled with joy and happiness.

‘I picked up discounted and bargain supplies from Groupon, eBay and Home Bargains to name a few. I picked up a 17 metre squared pack of lawn turf from B&Q for £110, and Ronseal fence care paint from Home Bargains in the colour Red Cedar for £5 per 5 litres. It was on sale, and normally cost around £12, so I bought 2 boxes.

‘I got some plants from Groupon and eBay, which cost me around £50 in total. I also picked up some decorative stones from B&Q - a large 22.5kg bag of rounded pebbles is only around £10. Some of my supplies were free - such as an old pallet, which I painted in pink, and a friend gave me some bricks. My friend helped out with creating the decking, which saved me a couple of hundred in labour and installation costs. I got the decking itself from Savoy for around £100.

‘The first job was clearing all the rubbish left by a previous tenant, which included a 3 seater sofa I didn’t actually notice at first. It was hidden in a huge bush. I think nobody cared about this garden for years!

‘I got some new fence panels for around £100 and painted them in various colours. Then my friend made the decking, which created a nice space for my daughter to play. I complemented the area by picking up some inexpensive outdoor plants In Lidl and bulbs in Poundland, which didn’t come to more than £20.

‘With my mother’s help I laid out the turf, which was the hardest part. The preparation took a week as the soil was full of weeds and all sorts of rubbish. I bought 3 garden boxes In Lidl for £90 and kept all my garden equipment there.

‘One of my final additions was a garden set which I was able to get for half price from B&Q. Instead of paying the full price of £300 I paid £150 as I purchased it after the summer ended.

‘The project certainly came with its challenges - I didn't expect a garden could become so neglected. There were giant spiders and huge spiky bushes that were huge - they took a lot of effort to cut down. The fence panels were rotten, the posts had to be fixed...all of this could have been avoided if the previous tenants had simply taken care of their garden. Instead, it was filled with random furniture and huge piles of rubbish. It’s a shame that people do not respect the green space they have been given.

‘I’m glad to have the opportunity to live in a house with a huge garden so I could create a space that I have always wanted. That said, I would have allowed more time for the project if I were to do it again, as I was rushing it and it made me exhausted. I wanted to make sure the garden was ready for summer, but I should have just taken my time.

‘I didn’t get a quote for the project, but my friend had a similar job done for £3000 and we only spent £450 total, including the garden furniture!’

Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, said: ‘Wow, Anna has clearly put a lot of effort into this transformation as the before and after photos are night and day. It’s sad that the garden had been left in such a state by the previous tenants, but now it’s a pretty pastel paradise for both her and her daughter to enjoy.

‘The savings on laying down turf yourself can be huge, as Anna has shown. If you want to do a professional job yourself, here are my top tips.

‘1. Get rid of weeds first. Preparing the soil is a vital step. Ensure you use weedkiller, but not the residual type, as this can stay in the soil.

‘2. Lay the turf down quickly. It’s ideal to lay down your new turf within 24 hours of it being delivered to avoid issues such as discolouring and weakening.

‘3. Use boards. Don’t step across the turf while you’re laying it, as you risk leaving foot indentations.

‘4. Don’t forget the top dressing. Spread a light mixture of sand and soil or compost along the top once you’re done and work it in with a rake or brush.

‘5. Look after it properly. Aftercare is important. Make sure to water your new turf frequently in warm weather to keep it constantly moist. Don’t over-water it though, as this could lead to shallow rooting.’

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