Before & After: ‘We wanted to create a relaxing garden oasis’
In what was a previously uncared-for plot full of weeds, this eclectic courtyard-style garden in Nottingham has been thoughtfully redesigned from the layout to the plants. But like any renovation project, there were a few challenges to overcome. Here are the results...
Who lives here
Jodie Hazlewood, interiors consultant and founder of online shop thehouseupstairs.co.uk, lives with her husband Olly Hunter and their miniature Pinscher Roy Dandy in a converted Victorian maisonette in Mapperley Park, Nottingham.
Before
'It was a totally unloved area – just a mass of weeds and stinging nettles,' says Jodie.
What was the inspiration behind your garden makeover?
JH: We wanted to create a little oasis, a bit like a courtyard garden you’d find in Puglia in Italy. Somewhere relaxed with easy-to-maintain lush greenery and a place to host friends and family. It’s also the main entrance to our maisonette, so it was important it made a good first impression and worked with the style of our home– fun, eclectic, a bit cobbled-together and lived-in.
Where did you start?
JH: Initially we approached the project by working out how we could fit together all the elements needed to make the space usable. I thought of it as a room, considering how best to light the space and going from there. Once we started accumulating plants, it was easier to see how it would all come together.
Did you do much of it yourselves?
JH: Not too much of the physical work! We did all the planting and some of the initial groundwork, such as clearing the plot. Olly made the wood store beneath the stairs out of old pallets, but we used our usual builders for everything else.
How did the project progress?
JH: Slowly! It was a particularly rainy summer so the work was a bit stop-start. On top of that, the concrete wouldn’t set, the fence posts refused to stay straight and the paint didn’t dry properly. Then the builders were committed to another job. We got there in the end but by the time everything was finished, summer was almost over, which was a shame.
Are you happy with the result?
JH: We’re over the moon. It was an unattractive space before, so turning it into somewhere we can use is wonderful. I think my Instagram followers enjoyed the journey – warts and all. I love how the climbing plants are starting to grow, and I like having my morning tea out here and hosting as many friends as possible. I’m also enjoying learning what will thrive in this shady, north-facing garden.
SOURCEBOOK
Fencing, gardentrellis.co.uk
Flooring, frank-key.co.uk
Tiling, toppstiles.co.uk
Gate, locally made
Garden seating, sunslifestyle.com
Lighting, corston.com
Festoon lighting, festive-lights.com
COSTS
Landscaping £6,000
Fencing and trellis £4,500
Flooring £800
Tiling £1,200
Gate £500
Pots and plants £600
Seating and lighting received as gifts
Total = £13,600
Follow Jodie on Instagram at @thehouseupstairs
Follow House Beautiful on TikTok and Instagram.
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