Christine and her seven friends live in a spacious bungalow in Middlesbrough, surrounded by both front and back gardens.
Before the garden makeover, we met with some of the tenants and their support team from 1st Enable Ltd to discuss their hopes for the project. They shared a love for nature and expressed a desire to attract more wildlife to the garden, as well as to give it a tidy-up.
On the big day, we organised two teams – one for the front garden and one for the back. Around the property, we trimmed the large, tall bushes along the boundaries. In the front garden, we cleared the weeds from the paved areas and pathways, repaired the fence, replaced missing sections, and gave it a fresh coat of paint.
Before work started
In the back garden, the team painted the fence and dug out the borders, planting shrubs that would attract butterflies and bees. Old birdhouses were replaced with freshly painted ones mounted on the fence, and we stocked the bird feeding tray with seed to welcome more feathered visitors. The garden bench was sanded and painted a soft blue, adding a touch of brightness to the space. We also assembled a new planter and filled it with herbs the tenants could use for cooking.
During the day
For the final touches, we placed two large planters in the front and added a hanging basket by the door to brighten the entrance.
A special thanks goes to our tenants, their care team, and Paul Sturgess from the Caldecotte Group, who generously donated his time, covered some material costs, and arranged for a skip to help with the cleanup.
