New homeowner shares before-and-after photos of whimsical backyard transformation: '[It] adds instant interest'

One homeowner in the United Kingdom took a struggling garden and turned it into a lush paradise that they showed off in a series of progress photos.

"Moved into our first home six months ago," the original poster said. "Haven't done anything inside yet, and have instead been focusing on outside!"

The initial photos show a garden that, while pleasant, has probably seen better days. Much of the space is paved with rectangular stones.

"Inherited three rose bushes and the plants in the bottom left corner of pic one, plus the two holly shrubs at the end," they said.

However, in later photos, they've massively expanded the number of plants and rearranged the garden to their liking.

"Dug up the paving stones and reset the path layout, built a tiered herb planter, and planted some seasonal stuff," the original poster said. "Plus a couple more rose bushes."

A garden like this one is better for both the gardener and the environment than an ordinary lawn. You can plant delicious vegetables and herbs, which introduce more fiber into your diet, or even go for beautiful and low-maintenance native plants that support local wildlife. Regardless of the plants you choose, you'll get exercise and enjoy better mental health. These benefits are available even if you only rewild part of your lawn.

The original poster didn't plan to stop with this set of changes. "Next steps will be to get some spring bulbs in," they said. "Really happy to finally have our own garden to transform and learn in."

Commenters loved that the original poster made the yard their own.

How much time do you spend taking care of the plants inside or outside your home? Several hours a week 🧑‍🌾 One hour a week ⌛ Less than one hour ⏳ I don't have any plants 😢 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Oh my goodness, what a phenomenal transformation in just six months," one user said. "It's beautiful."

"Love the curved meandering path, adds instant interest, and whimsy," a second wrote. "Yours is a great example of how to create a garden not based around the lawn."

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