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  2. Front Garden Ideas

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

Take your garden from woeful to welcoming without busting the bank. - by Charlie Albone
  • 04 Nov 2020
Before & After: Charlie Albone's front garden makeover on a budget
Sue Ferris

First impressions count, so turn heads and start conversations with these simple weekend tasks that will turn your dull front yard into something that will razzle dazzle your neighbours.

Take out a lazy lawn and put in a lovely bed of flowering plants, replace a poor excuse for a hedge with one that grows lush under any conditions, plant a feature tree and then tidy up. All simple tasks that won't cost the earth.

Front garden before makeover

Before: Basic and bare

Sue Ferris
After makeover

After: Lush and lovely

Sue Ferris

Project 1: Replace lawn with a garden bed

Gather your supplies:

  • Plants
  • Compost 
  • Mulch

You'll also need:

  • Grass marking paint
  • Square-edged spade
  • Metal rake
  • Garden fork
  • Post-hole digger
  • Buckets

Here's how

Step 1

Step 1
Sue Ferris

Mark out where lawn is to be removed with grass marking spray paint. Remove turf and all roots by digging squares with square-edged spade, then lifting it up - but keep as much soil as you can. 

Step 2

Step 2
Sue Ferris

Rake soil to ensure all roots are moved. 

Step 3

Turn over soil with fork to aerate it, add compost and rake it in. 

Step 4

Step 4
Sue Ferris

Set out plants where you want them to go, ensuring that those that grow tall are at the back of the bed.

Step 5

Charlie Albone planting plant
Sue Ferris

Dig holes with a post-hole digger as deep as pots and twice as wide. Pour water in holes. Soak plants in buckets of water. When water has drained, add plants and backfill holes. 

Step 6

Spread mulch over soil of the garden bed.

Garden bed

The final look: soften the edges with a curved garden bed

Sue Ferris

Project 2: Replace a struggling hedge

Gather your supplies

  • Hedging plants
  • Compost
  • Mulch

You'll also need

  • Square-edged spade
  • Garden fork
  • Metal rake
  • Tape measure
  • Post-hole digger
  • Buckets

Here's how

Step 1

Charlie Albone in garden
Sue Ferris

Dig out old hedge.

Step 2

Charlie Albone digging in garden
Sue Ferris

Dig out and lift squares of turf with spade.

Step 3

Step 3
Sue Ferris

Turn soil over with fork to aerate it.

Step 4

Charlie Albone raking soil
Sue Ferris

Add compost to soil and rake in. 

Step 5

Set out new hedge plants 50cm-80cm apart.

Step 6

Step 6
Sue Ferris

Dig holes as deep as pots and twice as wide, pour water in holes. Soak plants in buckets of water. When water has drained, add plants and backfill holes.

Step 7

step 7
Sue Ferris

Spread mulch.

Finishing touches

1. Paint your porch

Paint your porch
Sue Ferris

The porch is your entrance and bare concrete is a dull grey. Brighten it up with a coat of paint in a deeper, richer grey. 

2. Pressure clean your driveway

Pressure cleaning driveway
Sue Ferris

A gleaming driveway vastly improves the look of your home and costs you nothing more than the hire of a pressure washer. 

3. Replace letterbox

Letterbox
Sue Ferris

A letterbox is essential for any home, but it need not be just a box. It can be architectural and smart too, but not cost a bomb. 

You might also like:

How to create a native verge garden with Charlie Albone

How to create an affordable green wall with Charlie Albone

A sneak peek inside Charlie Albone's garden

  • Garden
  • Driveway Ideas
  • Front Garden Ideas
  • Landscape Design Ideas
  • Patio Ideas
  • Paving Ideas
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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.

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