🖼️
The project:
We moved into our house in November 2025, and started with the renovation of the patio and garden in January 2026. The work entailed the renovation of the patio which was a covered concrete slab when we started, and was a tiled patio with barbeque facilities and outdoor dining set and blinds for protection against the weather once completed. The garden was a complete new design and layout, including new storage sheds, herbs garden, fruit trees , kids play area and new planters, all with new irrigation. The work was completed in March 2026, three months later.
- Materials:
Attached a design layout and a list of items / materials used. The following were purchased at Bunnings Morayfield:
Tools: 90% of all tools used (spades, garden forks, hammer, Ryobi tools (see list below) for the construction were purchased
Plants: 100%
Swann 4k security cameras: 100%
Kids sand pit and sand bags 100%
Mulching and weed mats: 50%
Pesticides and fertiliser: 100%
Planters: 50%
Weed mats: 100%
Soil for pots and herb/vegetable planters: 100%
Herbs:100%
Irrigation:100%
Garden sheds purchased from Stratco
- Tools:
All purchases were made at Bunnings Morayfield. We unfortunately did not create a project or buy online, so we can not share links to these products. Instead we spent hours upon hours in Bunning's Isles and shopped all we needed as and when we needed it. We have the Flybuys links and hard copy receipts if proof is required by the judging panel? Tools used:
Spades, garden forks, diggers, hammers, hose pipes etc.
Ryobi and Ozito: Lawn mower, hammer drill, circular saw, grinder, blowers, hedger, weed-eater, screw driver etc.
Karcher high pressure water cleaner
- Step 1:
All the construction occurred all at once, over a three month period, so I have split the work into sections rather than steps. Hope this is acceptable?
Section 1: Patio refurbishment
Patio was a covered concrete slab when we started. We installed new rollup blinds that were then fixed to the existing steel roof structure. This was done to extend the outdoor patio use even if the weather was inclement, i.e. windy, rain or very hot/cold. We then upgraded the lights to have a dim switch (candle light dinners just feel better with dimmed warm white ceiling lighting), and installed a new mounted wall fan for the hot and humid summer months. The floor was then tiled and bins for recycling of glass and cans was purchased and strategically placed on the patio. We then bought a Weber , spice drawer/ barbeque cleaning equipment cabinet and fridge /freezer for outdoor entertainment
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- Step 2:
Section 2: Side passage:
We purchased 2 garden sheds and three planters. The sheds were installed at the northern side of the side passage to allow for easy access from the front yard for mowing, weeding, snipping and dust bins. The two stores have seperate functions. The one houses all the tools and equipemnt, the other all pesticides, soil, watering cans, food fertilisers etc. The three planters were installed towards the southern side to allow for easy acces to the herbs from the new patio area. Two of the planters have herbs (Mint, basil, origanum, thyme, parsely, sage) and growing, this third planter has vegetables (green peppers/ capsicums, butternuts) growing. These three planters have been covered to protect them from pests.
- Step 3:
Section 3: The garden
The existing lillypilly hedges were trimmed neatly. New planters were constructed within the existing lawn. A walkway was built with stepping stone and pebbles to celebrate the new water feature. This simple but modern water feature is also lit up at night , and can be seen as soon as you enter the house from the front door. The walkway is then aligned with small Japanese boxes, which will eventually form a neat low level hedge around the walkway an d the water feature. The two planters either side of the walkway stretching along the entire length of the patio was planted with low maintenance/ shade tolerant plants such as Mondo grass and tricolours.
The artificial grass/ kids play area and sand pit was placed to ensure maximum "day time exposure" for the grand kids to have maximum use of the late afternoon sunsets. Two garden chairs were placed for easy supervision/ interaction with the grand kids, but also to enable us to enjoy the great sunsets that do occur from time to time in Queensland. Several fairy lights were placed strategically around the garden for early and late evening lighting effect. Four planters with lemon trees (for the gin and tonic of course) were placed at the most south eastern corner for maximum sun during the day.
- Step 4:
