'We've taken our garden from basic to beautiful'

By creating different zones, Jaisie Needham's new-look space works well for family barbecues, lounging with a G&T or toasting marshmallows in the evening

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After moving into their detached house in Sprotbrough, Doncaster in June 2021, Jaisie and Matt Needham waited until the following spring before tackling the south-facing garden. Although the property was only eight years old, the garden had become somewhat overgrown. “There were quite a few trees that we were glad of, and the shed was already here, but there wasn’t much landscaping – just a very small, basic patio that had been put in by the developer,' says Jaisie. ‘We use the side door as our main entrance to the garden, so the grass got very muddy.' Another bugbear was the tiny summerhouse in the far corner: ‘It’s quite a nice little spot that’s not too overlooked, but it was barely big enough to fit a chair in,’ explains Jaisie.

THE PROJECT

To make the most of the generous space, the aim was to create three different zones for entertaining, dining and sitting by a firepit. As there’s a generous front garden too, the children’s football nets could go out there, keeping the back garden more of a grown-up space. ‘We've got quite a modern feel in the house with a palette of monochrome, neutrals and wood, so we wanted to extend the decor out into the garden too,’ explains Jaisie. ‘I also wanted to go for plants that are fairly hassle-free and include plenty of evergreens to have colour throughout the year.’