Our summer goal was to reclaim an outdoor space that we had been avoiding for years. We set our sights on using only things we had or could get free and that meant it was going to be a zero budget project!
Once upon a time it was a summer work shop
This is a very different BEFORE photo than the one I shared
in PART 1 of our secret garden makeover. Many years ago we
tried using the space but this is right next to our front door
and it was always a mess so we cleaned it up and left it alone.
BEFORE
AFTER
In part 1 I explained how we got all the pavers free and
while I designed how they would get laid out I also included
three garden beds. I used a different style of brick to border
the gardens as you can see below.
All my dirt & plants were free
Another item I needed to source was soil for the garden beds.
Every few days I would take a bucket strapped to an upright
dolly into the back yard and shovel the fresh dirt off the mole
hills into my bucket. Voila I had collected enough nice free
dirt to create the gardens in our secret garden space. All the
plants I used we already had, I just relocated them.
******************************************************
More free treasures from the curb
I found a nice wood gate on the road side earlier this spring
and attached it to the chain link gate we already had in place.
Below you can see the pipe fittings I used.
I painted it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, no wax.
I will keep you up to date on how it holds up in our rainy weather.
One of the last things we needed was a table to dine at,
and that I found in the free section of CL. The white lamp
post and chairs we already owned as well as the bench seen
on the right side of this photo. I am planting some ivy
cuttings my mother rooted for me and they will be climbing
the chain link fence next to our dining table.
We are very proud of this space,
because we did it ourselves for us alone.
Here's hoping next spring will bring lots of
growth to our secret garden.
Part 1 of our SECRET GARDEN can be read here:
