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My favourite place in the world.The project was to landscape my backyard into a calm, colourful, engaging, bird-attracting oasis. The process of designing and creating a garden has provided me with much enjoyment and a sense of achievement.
AFTER
BEFORE
Materials
Richgro 25L All Purpose Mushroom Compost $5.88
Richgro Blood and Bone $36.83
Fine Farm Poultry Manure $7.10
Fine Farms Cow Manure $7.10
Seasol Concentrate $26.47
Organic Sugarcane Mulch $18.62
Water features
Large pots / Tuscan Path Harper Bowl Pots 60cm Grey $129.00
Water Pumps AQUAPRO AP1050 Water Feature Pump $72.37
Tuscan Path 600 x 600 x 20mm Sand Porcelain Paver $24.84
Tuscan Path 1800 x 900mm Rust Leaf Screen Panel $99.00
Brunnings 45cm Black Georgian Hanging Basket $25.09
Tools
Fiskars Smartfit L86 Telescopic Bypass Lopper $99.95
Steps
Step 1
Step 1: Creating the canvas.
My first job was to remove an old shed and struggling plants, I was left with two medium-sized deciduous trees and an uneven, pitted lawn. (All with the help of my amazing dad and his trusty Subaru!)
Step 2
Step 2: Assessing the site.
I was determined to find creative solutions for the challenging aspects of the property. Planting to create privacy from neighbouring properties was essential. The land was on a slope which allowed me to create various levels and curves in the garden design. The property was very exposed which meant that deciduous trees would be very important to support the overall health of the garden. The trees would provide the shade during the hotter months and allow the garden to capture the warmth from the sun during the cooler months.
Step 3
Step 3: Creating a vision for the garden.
I wanted my garden to be a calm, colourful, engaging, bird-attracting oasis; a space that would reflect the changing seasons. The garden needed to be visually enticing, leading from one area to the next with plants linking in colour and texture to create continuity. Water features, windchimes, arbours, decks, large pots and hedges as living pots would give some formality to an informal mixture of native and exotic plantings.
Step 4
Step 4: Planning the garden design
Research and more research! I was a first homeowner and a beginner gardener, I wanted to learn as much as I could to create my dream backyard. I borrowed landscaping books from the Tasmanian State Library, found inspiration in gardening websites and magazines and made regular visits to the 
Hobart Botanical Gardens. On one occasion I was fortunate to speak with a guest gardener from the Botanical Gardens in Japan about the essential components of Japanese gardens. It was then that I became interested in Fusui, the Japanese Art of Feng Shui in garden design and I was hooked!
The main principal to incorporate Fusui into my garden design was to create harmony through the flow of energy (called qi) by curving the garden beds to create movement. I used the five elements of wood, fire, earth metal and water specific to the cardinal directions (North, South, East and West) to create a harmonious experience in the garden.
Step 5
Step 5: Shaping of garden beds
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To create the shape of the garden beds, I placed garden hoses on the lawn to act as a guide for the border lines and then cut into the ground with a shovel to place wide plastic edging between the bed and the lawn. I was lucky enough to find free sandstone rocks advertised online, they were used as garden borders to raise the height of the beds in the lower part of the garden. Discarded carpet squares from a carpet shop were used on the paths as weed mat and layers of Tassie Gold rocks were placed on top.
Step 6
Step 6: Preparing the soil and mulching
The most important part of the garden preparation was to remove the grass and improve the quality of the soil before introducing any plants. A mixture of chicken manure, cow manure, mushroom compost, blood and bone and seaweed solution was then used to improve the condition of the soil. I placed thick layers of newspaper on the mulch and wet the paper thoroughly. Layers of sugarcane were placed on top to help with weed control and water retention.
Step 7
Step 7: Plant Selection
Plant selection was one of the most challenging aspects of developing the garden. I used my local area as inspiration and was able to identify which plants would be most successful, spoke to local gardeners and had advice from staff in garden centres. I selected a variety of native and exotic plants. The deciduous trees would provide the colour and blossoms throughout the seasons, and the native and evergreen plants would give shape to the space.
Step 8
Step 8: Planting out and mulching
The plant care cards were important for information on the spacing required for each plant, growth heights and the light and soil requirements. I planted at least three of the same plant species throughout the garden to ensure continuity of colour and texture in each garden bed. The taller plants were placed at the back and the smaller ones to the front. Mulching twice a year has meant that the only maintenance required is in pruning and feeding the garden rather than doing any weeding.
Step 9
Step 9: Hard landscaping
The arbour was used as a focal point and entry into another zone in the garden design. The upper, lower and side decks were designed to enjoy different aspects of the garden. The railway sleepers and oversized pots provide interest, and the water features add a calming effect. Large and small sandstone rocks and pavers were used to add a formal aspect to the garden. Custom-built outdoor furniture and furnishings were used to create informal entertaining spaces.
Step 10
Step 10: Enjoying the garden 
Step 10: Enjoying the garden
The garden has continued to offer surprises, challenges and most of all enjoyment. I continue to remove and add plants and make design changes as the garden grows. It has been a very rewarding experience and now it’s time to enjoy the garden!
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @WelcomeHome. It's amazing to have you join us, and many thanks for sharing your project.
What an incredible transformation. You’ve created such a vibrant and welcoming garden space. The contrast between your before and after photos is remarkable. The way you’ve incorporated curves and different levels into your layout gives the garden a really natural sense of flow, and the combination of textures and colours looks fantastic. The water features are a lovely touch too, adding that calm, relaxing atmosphere you were aiming for.
Congratulations on a stunning and thoughtfully designed backyard.
Mitchell
Good morning @WelcomeHome
Now that is next level improvement! For someone who isnt keen on grass (as I have to mow it) your grass looks lush! The flowers pop and love the deciduios trees 
So a question with the carpet as weedmat under the pathways.
Has it held up? (looks great btw)
Does it smell when wet?
Would you use it again as underlay?
Really love the amount of effort it would have taken to get from before to now!
Dave
