“I spent most of my time in the garden when I was little,” says Charlotte Millington, 31, an endoscopy technician from Essex. “If my parents were outside then I was out there ‘helping’ too. I loved planting seeds and spent a lot of time making mud pies and collecting bugs.”
It’s no surprise then that ever since Millington and her partner, Dean, moved into her childhood home in Rochford six years ago, which they rent from her parents, the back garden was the project she was eager to get her hands dirty with.
“We had grand plans for the garden when we first moved in and we did make a start but then it came to a halt when we realised how much it would cost,” says Millington. “The overgrown yard was letting down the house and it was really getting me down not being able to use it. I need to be outside and around plants, plus we want a nice garden for when we have children. We decided if we were going to give it a makeover then we were going to do it properly.”
The couple calculated that a complete redesign of the garden – which would involve a Japanese influence with clean lines and minimal colour palette of vibrant reds and rich greens – would cost in the region of £6,000.
Breaking that big figure down made saving more achievable. “We worked out how much we needed for each bit and saved up for one part at a time. First the fences, then the slabs, planters and so on,” explains Millington. “We budgeted around £250 to £300 a month, but sometimes saved an extra £600 if it had been a good month.”
Millington says she prefers saving up smaller sums. “I like the small wins adding up,” she says. “If I have to save up £1,000 I like to break it down and save £100 at a time, as otherwise £1,000 feels like too big a number.” Over a year, they put away £6,000.
Today, six months after the redesign, the garden looks transformed. “It’s completely different,” enthuses Millington. “The plants have now given it colour and the black fences create a dramatic backdrop, showcasing the textures wonderfully, even in winter. Our garden now has beautiful evergreens and pops of colour like vibrant red from the cannas, acid green from our golden larch and vibrant sunset shades from the acers. The grasses and ferns add texture and help to break up the lines of the garden. We’ve created a neatly defined planting area that has been great fun to design and bring different layers and heights to keep it interesting. I’ve discovered a love for lots of new plants such as heucheras and coleus since last year and I’m now on a mission to collect as many varieties as possible.”
However, while most of the garden is complete, the couple pressed pause over the winter and are now saving to create a decking area and lay a new turf.
Millington is far from the only green-fingered person investing in their garden – UK households spent around £7.5bn on garden goods in 2017, according to a report by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA).
As for the future, Millington says they’re continuing to stash money away for other projects.
“We’re still saving for the garden and we’d like to renovate one of the bathrooms,” she says. “We’re also planning to buy the house off my parents so we’re trying to put down a deposit for that.”
Millington says saving for the future can bring an element of calmness and feels empowering. “It’s reassuring to know that money is there if anything big does happen,” she says. “We have emergency funds and we have got money sitting in other places, which is nice to have. Having savings takes a layer of stress away.”
Jill Waters, retail director at NS&I, says: “Sowing the seeds of saving with just a few pounds a month will soon start to grow into a regular habit where you can start turning your dreams into reality. Saving for a garden will be a year-round reminder of your achievement.”
Looking out to her garden, Millington says the new design stirs her soul.
“I don’t think I truly realised how much I missed having a garden until the time came to start planting up and I was out there each evening after work checking on everything and tending to it,” she says. “I’m itching for spring to come so that I can get back out there properly. I think there is a lot to be said for how good plants and taking care of them can make you feel.”
Having something to save towards can make putting money aside easier. With the help of NS&I, you can reach your goal too. Visit nsandi.com for more information.
