This popular project used paving and thoughtful planting to turn an unused space into a garden oasis.
The project
To start this courtyard and garden-path makeover we stripped the area right back, removing the old bamboo fence panels, pebbles, plants and synthetic turf. We then painted the fence using Dulux Weathershield in Woodland Grey.
To prepare the area for paving we laid down a base of metal dust and compacted that down with a plate compactor.
We then laid our beautiful 600mm x 600mm porcelain pavers and brushed over landscaping sand to fill any gaps.
Once the pavers were laid we built garden beds using H4 treated Pine. We lined these with landscaping plastic before filling with soil and then added plants including Agaves, frangipanis, Yuccas and olive trees (most were cuttings from Mum and Dad's garden!).
We stained the garden beds using Cabot's Deck and Exterior Paint in Mission Brown.
Finally, we built a bench seat in the corner using treated Pine clad with Merbau decking boards. After leaving the boards to weather for a couple of weeks we finished the bench with Feast Watson Matt Look Decking Oil.
Now we have a beautiful outdoor area to spend time gardening, having a morning coffee on the bench or barbecuing for friends and family.
It has gone from being an ugly and unused space into a garden oasis!
How to plan a garden makeover
Experienced Bunnings Workshop member Adam Woodhams shows you How to plan a garden makeover and How to give your garden a makeover in his popular two-part series.
Horticulturist and Bunnings Workshop member Noelle has also created a helpful guide How to choose plants for your garden. It's a fantastic resource for planning a new garden or garden makeover, including tips on design and plant selection.
How to build a planter box
Adam Woodhams has put together this brilliant step-by-step guide and video tutorial: How to build a planter box with bench seats.
Workshop member Rob gets right down to basics in his guide: How to build a simple planter box. Resident D.I.Y. expert Mitchell also created this handy guide: How to build a raised garden bed using pallets.
More project inspiration for your outdoor areas
Workshop member Jimi carried out a stunning front-yard transformation involving a curving stone retaining wall and crazy paving complemented by thoughtful garden planting.
Workshop member Rufaro's complete backyard makeover turned a tired yard into an attractive and functional outdoor living area.
There are also plenty of great ideas in our collection of Paving ideas for outdoor entertaining areas, our Top 10 most popular garden makeovers and our collection of Ideas to revamp your side yard.
Let us know if you need a hand with your project – we're here to help.
