Lucky wilko competition winner gets a garden makeover

When Ellie Argyle moved into her home with boyfriend Geoff Mile 12 months ago, she had a wishlist of improvements.

But with all their efforts focused on the inside of the house, the outside of their 1930s semi remained a little scruffy and unloved.

And Ellie knew that help was needed to get the garden looking the way she wanted.

So when the finance assistant saw the wilko Mirror competition to win a garden makeover, she didn’t hesitate to enter.

Ellie says: “Since we moved in we have been focusing on decorating the inside of the house and left the front garden because we didn’t have much time or money. In the end the house looked lovely, but the outside area let the rest of the property down.”

Determined to show the couple just what could be achieved in a short space of time and on a limited budget, the wilko team sprang into action.

Identifying the front bed along the side of the footpath as ripe for improvement, they cleared it, installed the Wilko Expanding Willow Fence (180x90cm, £8) to add height to the wall separating the house from the neighbouring drive, and planted Wilko Honeysuckle plants and Wilko Clematis plants (£3 each) to add extra privacy and colour.

The team also provided stylish lighting to show off the house after dark, lining the entire footpath with Wilko Solar Light Posts in stainless steel (£1.85 each).

Next, they turned their attention to the front door, placing two lovely pots, Wilko Planter Tall Square Madrid Gun Metal 35cm (£14), either side and adding Wilko Hydrangeas (£3 each) to create a stunning entrance feature. Gravel was replaced with bark chippings to give it a more modern feel, while a yukka plant which covered a broken lamp post was replaced with a Wilko Expanding Willow Obelisk (1.5m, £10). This acted as a frame for the Wilko Wall Hanging Baskets With Liner (£4 each) that were placed around the obelisk – a trick that will create a floral fountain effect when the plants are in full bloom and provide a stunning centrepiece.

An unattractive water pipe which ran down the front of the house had three black Wilko Drain Pipe Pot Holders attached (£2.50 each) to add colour and interest to an ugly feature, while an overgrown bush was pruned back to give it a neat and tidy look.

Finally, the team gave the front gate a dramatic look using Wilko Barely Black Exterior Gloss Paint (750ml, £9). It may sound like a huge amount of work, but the user-friendliness of the wilko products meant that the makeover was completed in just one day. Ellie and Geoff were amazed at the transformation, with Ellie saying: “We are really pleased. The garden just looks so much better, and the different planters and flowers that the team have used look lovely. “We thought it would take months, but seeing how quick and easy it was to do has made us realise it’s possible to make big changes in just a weekend.”