True romance

FACED WITH AN UNINSPIRING SPACE, NICOLA SET TO WORK TRANSFORMING IT TO CREATE A GARDEN PACKED WITH LIFE, COLOUR AND COMFY SEATING

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Nicola and Garin couldn't wait to move into their own house, complete with large garden, after living in a rental property for several years. Nicola, an interior designer, content creator and tattoo artist was desperate to get her hands on the outdoor space.

'The layout probably hadn't changed for 30 years,' she says. 'It was well maintained, but a bit dull, with a long lawn, some mature trees and hardly any flowers. I adore flowers, and I had this vision of a romantic space, filled with plants, a proper English cottage garden.'

The first job was tackling the hedge, which had grown thin and sparse. 'We got the professionals in to replant the whole thing with cherry laurels, which now gives us a big burst of lush green,' she says.