Garden MAKEOVER

Hayley Norris' top priority was a multifunctional, low-maintenance outdoor space

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When Hayley Norris, 42, a relationship manager, moved into her home six years ago with her husband, John, 43,  and son Alfie, 11, they spent the first few years renovating the house and left the garden, which became a dumping ground for a lot of the building supplies.

Once the dust had settled, she realised that the unloved outdoor space was in desperate need of some care and attention, and while Hayley had lots of ideas about what she’d like, she was fully aware that she was new to gardening and that it really needed to be easy to care for. She also wanted the garden to be a relaxing place for entertaining and to have plenty of storage.

Careful planning

‘The garden wasn’t my favourite part of the house,’ recalls Hayley. ‘The fencing was falling apart and mismatched, the borders were overgrown and the patio was discoloured and cracked. It really wasn’t a place I liked hanging my washing, let alone entertaining.’