I transformed the garden of my boring new construction project into a Disney paradise with Aldi bargains
A mother was so bored with her boring new yard that she decided to turn it into a Disney World paradise.
Mel Hamblett, 35, has been a huge fan of the beloved brand since she was a child, with the iconic songs from the films fueling her love of musicals and theatre.
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When Mel first visited the amusement park in America at the age of 23, she found it a magical escape and wanted to capture memories of that feeling in her own home.
The Gloucester mum-of-two already has a Little Mermaid-style bathroom, which she renovated for just £200.
There are also subtle references to her favorite Walt Disney films throughout the house.
She said: “While the mermaid bathroom is an explicit homage to Ariel, I try to incorporate Disney into my home in more subtle ways.
“We have a neon sign above our bed that says ‘who’s disturbing my sleep?’ – a nod to the Cave of Wonders from Aladdin, but also an expression of our life with a young child.
“My son’s bedroom has a rainbow theme, but he also has a gallery wall full of Pixar movie posters. He’s a huge fan of cars and Toy Story, so it was a way to add a pop of color to the walls with a nod to his favorite movies.
“In our living room we have custom art hanging on the wall that says ‘look at this stuff, isn’t it amazing’, the opening lines of ‘Part Of Your World’ and photos from our trips to Disney parks.
“We also have a rug in the kitchen with Mickey Mouse figures hidden on it, while the home office has a neon sign that reads ‘to infinity and beyond’.”
And her garden has also undergone a magical metamorphosis.
While I worked full-time in communications, and was also a mother and interior influencer (@awholenewbuild), Mel managed to transform her new, weedy garden into a place she absolutely loves.
Mel told Paving Superstore: “During the pandemic we spent a lot of time outside and realised that the garden didn’t have much life. It felt a bit unloved.
“When we moved here, we didn’t even have turf. So it took a few years before we had a simple lawn and patio tiles laid.
“I remember sitting on a beanbag and drawing what my dream garden would look like. Once I had the idea, I couldn’t let it go.”
She took inspiration from her love of Disney themes and colours and incorporated them into her own outdoor space.
She added: “My husband and I are huge Disney fans and we love how when you visit a Disney park you are transported to other worlds thanks to the theming.
“I wanted to reflect that, so that my garden feels like a refuge and not like a boring new building plot.
“I was inspired by the spiky and exotic planting in Adventureland during the day – lots of big leaves, palm trees and dark green, and at night by the magical colours of Pandora, which is exhibited in theme parks with coloured lights everywhere that become magical after sunset.
“This is exactly what I tried to recreate in my garden.”
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Merl hired builders to tackle the patio, pergola, fencing and raised beds, then tackled the planting, painting and finishing herself.
She said: “Gardening wasn’t something I was confident about at first.
“When I started the garden renovation I had very little DIY experience and during the design phase I needed the help of a number of builders to bring my idea to life.
“With more DIY skills a few years later, I think we could have tried it ourselves and saved some money – but at the time it wasn’t something I felt confident in attempting.”
She added: “Once the main landscaping features were in place, I filled my garden boxes and started searching garden centres for the right tropical plantings that were hardy enough to survive the British climate.
“Over the last 3 years I have created new planting beds, saved up for a 2.13 metre high tree fern, which I am very proud of, and changed the colour scheme of the fences and patio to neutral stones, which really allow the green of the plants and grass to come into its own.
“It’s a very different style from my colorful and bright house, but I love the contrast between the calm colors during the day and the festive atmosphere in the evening.
“I love that my garden now has a real personality.
“It used to be just a lawn, but even though it’s still a relatively small garden, my husband and I work very hard on it.”
By purchasing smartly and using residual materials, Mel was able to keep costs low and avoid unnecessary expenses.
She scoured Asda and Aldi for bargains and waited patiently for the end of season sales.
She revealed: “To be as cost-effective as possible during this transformation, there were a few ways I could keep costs down and not spend too much money on things that didn’t need to.
“One of the things I did was create my own plant wall using leftover accessories from a friend’s wedding, which she kindly donated to me. It worked out great.
“I also have a few plants that I cut from my mother’s garden. One of them is a cutting that she took from my late grandmother’s garden. So that is really special to me.
“I have spread my furniture out over a number of years to keep costs down.
“For years, we’ve bought our furniture in anticipation of the end-of-season sales at Habitat or through special offers at Aldi. It saves us money in the long run.
“I had to accept that plants are expensive.
“I always try to use discount codes and shop around for the best deals, but I’ve kept costs down by buying smaller plants where possible and giving them time to grow.
“In 3 years we have grown tremendously, but I think the main way we have saved money is by saving time, compared to buying large trees and plants.
“Garden supplies are never cheap, though, and that was the biggest learning curve for me: accepting that plants are expensive!”
And for all other garden lovers looking to transform their outdoor space, Mel shares her top tips.
“I guess my advice would be not to expect your garden to be perfect right away and to take your time before you invest money in it,” she said.
“My husband and I spent years thinking about how we wanted to use the space before I could design it to our liking.
“For example, asking ourselves questions like where does the sun set in the evening in the summer and where do people put the barbecue when you have friends over? That really helped us determine which areas we needed to designate for different purposes.
“Plus, because of the cost of plants and landscaping, you don’t want to rush into things and make a costly mistake that will be expensive to change.”
Gardening work in August
Veronica Lorraine, gardening editor for The Sun, has shared 10 gardening jobs to do during the last month of summer, as well as the most important jobs to remember when you go on holiday.
1. Watering plants on holiday
Think about how you are going to water your plants when you go away. Irrigation systems are ridiculously expensive, so ask a friend or neighbor to come over.
2. Don’t forget your houseplants!
For houseplants, use the upside-down bottle trick – fill a wine bottle and then turn it upside down, pour downwards and stick it in the pot – the water should slowly seep out. For smaller plants, use a thick piece of string and run it from a glass of water into the soil – this will allow it to soak up water slowly. Be sensible with your watering – visit www.mains2rains.nl for some tips on how to save water in August. But use as much grey water – i.e. dishwater – as possible to save such a valuable resource.
3. Dig for potatoes
The second early potatoes are ready to be harvested.
4. Keep removing faded flowers
Use pruning shears or pinch off the flowers with your finger and thumb. For roses, make sure you get back to a set of five leaves so you have the best chance of more flowers.
5. Plant strawberries
You can actually plant strawberries as early as the end of August, which will be ready next year. For the strawberries you already have, if there are any shoots growing out of them, try to put them in pots to get more strawberries for free.
6. Prune lavender
At the end of August, when the lavender has finished flowering, you can prune it back. Always prune it back to the woody stems, but make sure you can still see some small buds.
7. Collect seeds
Many plants are starting to go to seed now, so it’s the perfect time to collect them and get free plants for next year. Just make sure you label the envelopes.
8. Sow hardy annuals
Sow hardy annuals towards the end of the month so they will flower next year. Try to choose sheltered spots for them.
9. Pruning back roses
Prune the climbing roses back and make sure they are all tied up. Give your roses their last feed at the end of August.
10. Make sure your hanging baskets are well watered
It is very important to give hanging baskets enough water. They dry out first and the least quickly.
