A mum has transformed her run-down garden for just £600 — saving thousands by shopping around and repurposing items. Pixie Lavin turned what she described as an overgrown jungle into a beautiful back garden, featuring a perfect lawn and stunning pergola.
The 40-year-old, from the Kitt Green area of Wigan, spent two summers transforming the space and says she couldn’t be happier with the result. But the work isn’t completed just yet as Pixie plans to continue working on the garden with her dad next year, with sleepers and bunting first on the shopping list.
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“We were working on a real budget with no professional help,” she said. “I’ve done all the digging and relayed the flags through the grass and stencilled them while my dad took care of putting up the pergola.
“The work went relatively smoothly over the summer apart from when I got stuck in a conifer tree as big as the house when trying to cut it down. I climbed up thinking I could cut down some branches, but because I am afraid of heights, I was too scared to come back down, my dad found it very funny.”
Pixie says she saved cash by shopping around at stores including Wilko, George at Asda and B&M. While she claims the pergola should have cost around £5k, it cost just £600 to buy the materials and build it herself.
“I have always loved gardening and, growing up, my parents were keen gardeners,” she continued. “We would often visit garden centres.
“It took me around two summers to create where I am at. My favourite part is the pergola where I can relax in summer. I always wanted a space I could enjoy and I tried to make it as exciting as my home by adding tropical-style plants with lots of seating areas to chill or sunbathe. The most challenging parts were removing the large conifers and levelling the ground.”
Pixie beat scores of others in a competition for the 'best garden glow-up' following a nation-wide search by Power Sheds. People across the UK have been sharing incredible pictures of their garden makeovers, with images showing Moroccan retreats, tropical escapes, and deluxe decking.
Pixie also has a dedicated Instagram account, ColourMadeTheRoom , where you can follow her home and garden transformation journey.
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