Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Health
  • TV
  • Hard to Find
Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Health
  • TV
  • Hard to Find
Subscribe
  1. Home
  2. Renovating

A ‘50s front garden is given a makeover

Work with what you already have to easily add character to your home. - by Charlie Albone
  • 10 Dec 2021

Johanna, Charlie and James are back for the new year but there’s one big problem…judging from their surroundings, they’re not sure WHICH new year they’re celebrating. You see, they’re transforming a front of house which is stuck waaay back in the 80s, and it really shows. It’s a problem many of us are familiar with: how do you modernise your daggy and outdated home exterior without breaking the bank? Johanna, Charlie and James are showing you how, by breaking up the task into small and achievable jobs you can tackle over a few weekends. From your front fence to your front door, they’re out to prove that you can update the front of your home, no matter what decade it’s stuck in.

WATCH: Joh, Charlie and James' front garden makeover

Mid-century brick homes are mainstays of our Australian suburbs. Solid and sturdy, they were built with practicality in mind, the gardens often just an afterthought. But you can build on these basics to create a welcoming front yard full of character.

Give the front fence a new lease on life and replace the boring old concrete path that leads to the house with a stylish serving of crushed granite. Spruce up your entryway and patio and complete your revamp by filling garden beds with a few small trees underplanted by clumping grasses and flowering beauties. 

Project: Garden path

before pic of house

Before: A drab grey concrete wall.

Sue Ferris
after

After: A freshly painted fence - with pickets added - and flowering shrubs which add a riot of colour

Sue Ferris

Gather your supplies

  • Paving and brickie's sand 
  • Cement 
  • Charcoal face bricks 
  • Crushed granite

You'll also need

  • Crowbar
  • Spirit level
  • Shovel
  • Stringlines
  • Wheelbarrow
  • Rubber mallet 
  • Trowel

Here's how

Step 1

step 1

Step 1

Sue Ferris

Use crowbar to break up and remove existing concrete path. Excavate near gate for bricked entry. 

Step 2

stpe 2

Step 2

Sue Ferris

At gate, lay 50mm thick bed of paving sand that is 80mm below the finished height of the path. Mix a bit of cement into the sand so it will harden when wet. Make the sand level then lay face bricks on top, aligned with the outside of the fence. 

Step 3

step 3

Step 3

Sue Ferris

Dig narrow trenches along the sides of your path. Set up stringlines at the outside edges of your path. Blend brickie's sand and cement in the ratio of 5:1 and mix with water in a wheelbarrow. Make the mix so it will hold its shape but will easily give when a brick is pressed into it. Shovel mortar into trench, then lay bricks on edge in mortar. Tap down using a rubber mallet until edge of brick meets the stringline. 

Step 4

step 4

Step 4

Sue Ferris

Every so often, lay a row of bricks across the path to break it up and create interest along the length. When finished, spread mortar on either side of the bricks about 30mm from the top. Splay the mortar away from the bricks with a trowel to create a wide bed. Leave mortar to set.

Step 5

Spread crushed granite between the bricks, making sure it is at least 40mm thick. Stamp down granite with your feet as you go. Finish path by sweeping off the top of the granite flush with the bricks. 

final path

Final look: Add colour and crunch with a granite path edged in charcoal bricks.

Sue Ferris

Add on tech for your home

Even the older homes can be brought into the 21st century with a few nifty add-on smart devices. 

1. Lockly smart deadbolt and latch

tech
Sue Ferris

Never search for your keys again! The touch keypad allows access for family and friends, with up to 18 different codes available. Fingerprint recognition adds an extra layer of security. It can all be controlled remotely using iOS and Android home assistant systems, and via an app that lets you monitor activity and grant access from anywhere. 

2. Eufy 1080P Floodlight

man setting up security lights
Sue Ferris

Motion-activated floodlight and security camera all in one. Record what's on the camera or livestream directly to your phone. Alerts can also be sent and a 100 decibel siren can be sounded to scare off potential intruders. 

3. B-HYVE WIFI Tap Timer

hand holding phone open on app
Sue Ferris

Take the hassle out of watering your garden. Attached to your tap, the WiFi-connected device offers you complete control from your smartphone. Real-time weather updates let you adjust your watering schedule to deliver just the right amount of water to your garden, saving on water and money. 

What we planted

Make a pattern by repeating the placement of different plants.

Foxgloves and agapanthus
Sue Ferris

1. Foxgloves

foxgloves flower
Sue Ferris

2. 'Baby Pete' agapanthus 

agapanthus
Sue Ferris

3. Miscanthus ornamental grass

miscanthus
Sue Ferris

4. Coastal rosemary 

rosemary
Sue Ferris

For more garden projects pick up the latest issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, available now in selected newsagents and supermarkets – or buy online today!

  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • TV
  • Driveway Ideas
  • Front Garden Ideas
  • Landscape Design Ideas
  • Patio Ideas
Charlie Albone
Charlie Albone
Charlie has worked internationally and in Australia for the past 17 years, designing and building gardens that are timeless, inspiring and enjoyable to spend time in. In 2015 and 2016, he was awarded two Silver gilt medals for his own gardens at the world’s most prestigious flower show The Chelsea Flower Show.

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%

Plus, your chance to win

Subscribe Now
Treat yourself to a subscription

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%

Plus, your chance to win

Subscribe Now
Treat yourself to a subscription

Recommended to you

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

Before & After: Charlie Albone's front garden makeover on a budget

Before & After: Charlie Albone's front garden makeover on a budget

Charlie and Adam’s cottage garden makeover

Charlie and Adam’s cottage garden makeover

Charlie and Adam give a '70s courtyard the ultimate makeover

Charlie and Adam give a '70s courtyard the ultimate makeover

Charlie and Juliet's boho-style Palm Springs makeover

Charlie and Juliet's boho-style Palm Springs makeover

{headline}

{headline}

How to give your clothesline a gorgeous makeover

How to give your clothesline a gorgeous makeover

How to fix a muddy patch in your yard

How to fix a muddy patch in your yard

Charlie and Adam give a small courtyard a lush makeover

Charlie and Adam give a small courtyard a lush makeover

{headline}

{headline}

Charlie and Graham's zen garden makeover

Charlie and Graham's zen garden makeover

Charlie Albone's garden makeover for under $3,000

Charlie Albone's garden makeover for under $3,000

How to makeover a garden on a small budget

How to makeover a garden on a small budget

Charlie creates a gorgeous side garden

Charlie creates a gorgeous side garden

Johanna and Charlie give a backyard a resort-style makeover

Johanna and Charlie give a backyard a resort-style makeover

Charlie visits a Mediterranean-style garden with salty soil

Charlie visits a Mediterranean-style garden with salty soil

The power and science behind living green walls

The power and science behind living green walls

Bhg
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Bhg Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • All Recipes
  • BHG Shop
  • Girlfriend
  • Home Beautiful
  • New Idea
  • New Idea Food
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • Who
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • That’s Life
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • 7mate
  • 7NEWS
  • 7Sport
  • Sunrise
  • Starts at 60
  • Hard to Find
© 2022 Are Media PTY LTD
All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Get more from Better Homes and Gardens

Magazine Subscription Offer

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%

Shop This Offer
Treat yourself to a subscription