With last weekend being a three day one it was the perfect opportunity to get stuck in and start giving two areas of our garden a spruce up and a mini makeover. These two areas are the bottom patio (where the big goldfish pond is) and jungle veranda.
Despite being only classed as 'mini makeovers', they'll still take quite a bit of time to complete. So no finished product and after shots on this post, but rather just glimpses of what we have done so far, up to the point where we packed up on Monday evening.
Basically, lots of painting was done!
Starting with the bottom patio. With the weather predicted to be good on the Saturday, mixed on Sunday, and a washout on Monday, the bottom patio had to take priority for a spruce up.
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| In its messy splendour before we began the work |
Having had a brown and beige tone to the area ever since we created it, we decided to say goodbye to their predominance and introduce more colour.
When I first mentioned about changing the colour of the pond, the first and instant suggestion of Gaz was purple. So purple it was...
By Saturday night, it was fully painted...
This is just the beginning. More colour will be added, one way or the other. Like orange perhaps?
The garden furniture on the bottom patio will get some colour treatment too, starting with the chairs upcycled by being painted bright orange. Not an easy feat on old furniture that was varnished dark brown. It will take four coats and a good few hours to achieve the bright orange colour on them.
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| Two more coats to go! |
Starting with a sweep and some decluttering. Plants were taken out to be washed and freshened up by the rain, and some items we had to let go and say goodbye.
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| A fine mess. You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs first after all... |
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| Broken and mouldy frames, bye bye! |
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| Bye bye tables and few accessories! Although Twinkles seems to want to hang on to them. |
With lots of sleeping in between 'helping'...
We want the veranda to be less brown this time around. And it starts with the furniture. Did I say we've done a lot of painting last weekend? Oh yes!
Lots more left to do from this point but we'll post more updates as we get more done along the way!
Mark :-)
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
I am always amazed how folk are prepared to show off their grubby corners as I would feel ashamed to let people know how sluttish I had become.:-) Your choice of colours is fab and I feel a bit guilty for painting my garden furniture with creosote.
ReplyDeleteComfy and secure enough to show grubby bits nowadays lol! :))
DeleteI love the color refresh in process and look forward to seeing the "after" shots. My back patio could use a color change too but I've yet to find inspiration.
ReplyDeleteIt'll come and you'll find yourself painting away :)
DeleteOooohhhh, that purple is so dramatic! Great choice!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cindy!!
DeleteOh I love your color choices so far, and damn, if I lived down the road I'd take that little wicker table/ottoman off your hands. Looking forward to the next installment.
ReplyDeleteI quite like that one, but Gaz wasn't so keen and it wasn't stable with one slightly shorter leg somehow..
DeleteThat white in the last photo was a bold choice! ;)
ReplyDeleteCompletely steering away from its old look :)
DeletePurple! OMG yes, that was a great choice. Love the orange too, of course. Looking forward to seeing more.
ReplyDeleteI was slightly hesitant at first that it'll make the area dark but it was fine once done :)
DeleteI love the new colours you are using round the garden. To make the furniture painting a bit easier, why don't you look at Autentico Exterior Chalk paint. My daughter up cycles furniture and uses chalk paint over varnished wood. You can then seal or wax if necessary. Always love following you round your garden xx
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip Libby, really handy about the exterior chalk paint! Had to get a custom mixed one though for the orange paint as they seem hard to get hold of readily mixed.
DeleteLooks great!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteGetting two people to agree on what can stay and what must go leads to more clutter around here than either of us would like. Good for you, reaching consensus and letting go. The color changes are exciting.
ReplyDeleteA matter of timing here, if both in the mood to declutter we can be ruthless :)
DeleteOooh, I do love a pop of colour!
ReplyDeleteDitto!
DeletePurple and orange! Hooray! I love your new colors and look forward to seeing more!
ReplyDeleteWonderful color choices! I painted our garage a dark purple - it is a great color foil for plants! And good for you for decluttering - you are a much needed inspiration! :)
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