Life In The Garden Ltd.

05/10/2026

A new garden transformation is underway! 🌿

We started this exciting project this week, beginning with the installation of a new boundary fence — but this is only the first stage of a much larger garden redesign.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be transforming the entire garden in several carefully planned stages.

Next, we’ll construct two clay brick patios, laid in a distinctive circular pattern to give the garden much more character than a conventional rectangular patio.

After that, we’ll move on to the bespoke central section of the garden, which will include a small artificial brook and a completely new landscape connecting the different areas together.

There is a lot of work ahead, but this is exactly the type of project we enjoy — taking an existing outdoor space and gradually turning it into something individual, functional and full of character.

We’ll be sharing the progress as the garden develops. 🌱

Life In The Garden Ltd

05/10/2026

29/09/2026

A big thank you to our customer Lesley Midda for sharing these photos with us! Absolutely breathtaking! ❤️

29/09/2026

GARDEN LANDSCAPING PROJECT COMPLETED ✅

Another substantial garden project completed by Life In The Garden Ltd.

The main feature is a 65 m² calibrated Indian sandstone terrace, creating a large, practical outdoor living area across the rear of the property.

The terrace was constructed on a reinforced concrete base for strength and long-term stability, with the sandstone laid individually and finished using a cement-based grout system to create a durable, water-resistant surface.

We also installed approximately 60 metres of garden edging along both sides of the lawn, forming clean, flowing borders between the grass and the future planting areas.

The soil within these borders has been thoroughly enriched and prepared for planting, giving the future plants the best possible start rather than simply planting into the existing ground.

At the centre of the lawn we created a circular gravel garden, using natural stone, rocks and planting to introduce a strong focal point into what is a very large open garden.

A project involving plenty of groundwork, precision and attention to detail — built not only to look good when finished, but to perform properly for many years to come.

Life In The Garden Ltd
Landscaping • Patios • Planting • Garden Improvements

26/09/2026

🌿 DROUGHT-TOLERANT GRAVEL GARDEN 🌿

We created this circular gravel garden as a focal point within a large open lawn, combining strong visual structure with practical, drought-tolerant planting.

The plants were selected to cope well with hot, dry conditions, but that doesn’t mean the soil underneath was ignored. Before planting, we improved and enriched the soil to give the plants the best possible foundation for healthy, long-term growth.

We also wanted the feature to have real value for wildlife, so a bird bath was incorporated into the centre of the design, providing a reliable source of drinking and bathing water for visiting birds.

A simple idea, but one that brings together:

- drought-tolerant planting
- improved soil
- low-maintenance design
- year-round structure
- wildlife value
- a strong focal point within the garden

A garden can be beautiful, practical and beneficial to wildlife at the same time. 🌱🐦

Life In The Garden Ltd

19/09/2026

SOIL IMPROVEMENT 🌱

Healthy gardens start with healthy soil.

On this project, the difference is visible straight away. The pale material is the existing mineral soil; the deep black material is a rich organic compost — the kind gardeners often call “black gold.”

This isn’t just about adding fertiliser. By incorporating high-quality organic matter into the ground, we help improve:

soil structure

moisture retention

nutrient-holding capacity

root development

biological activity in the soil

The result is a healthier, more resilient growing environment for plants over the long term.

We don’t just plant into the soil — we improve the soil first.

🌿 Life In The Garden Ltd
Landscaping • Planting • Garden Improvement • Soil Preparation

04/09/2026

Another project underway in Stapleford Abbotts. 🌿

We’re currently transforming the rear garden of this property on a new-build development, extending the existing patio to create a much larger and more practical outdoor living space.

The preparation is now well underway, including the new retaining brickwork, levels, reinforced base and groundwork ready for the finished surface.

New-build gardens often come with fairly basic landscaping, but with the right groundwork and design they can be turned into much more usable and attractive spaces.
More progress photos to follow as this one takes shape.

Life In The Garden Ltd

Landscaping • Patios • Brickwork • Groundwork • Garden Design

📍 Stapleford Abbotts, Essex

14/08/2026

Garden Wildlife – Humming-bird Hawk-moth

More and more photographs and videos of the remarkable Humming-bird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) are appearing this summer.

This spectacular day-flying moth is a regular migrant to the UK from the Mediterranean and North Africa. Hovering in front of flowers and feeding through its long proboscis, it is easily mistaken at first glance for a tiny hummingbird.

Gardens can help. Nectar-rich flowers provide valuable feeding opportunities, while bedstraws (Galium) are important food plants for the caterpillars. Avoiding unnecessary pesticide use also helps create a healthier environment for moths and other pollinators.

If you are lucky enough to see one in your garden, take a moment to enjoy it — it is one of the most extraordinary insects to visit our gardens.

Photo: Vajk László / https://www.izeltlabuak.hu/talalat/238823
licence: CC BY 4.0

14/08/2026

𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 - 𝗢𝘄𝗹𝘀

𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗥𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗺𝘆.

An owl hunting in your garden at dusk is the sound of a healthy ecosystem working. Rodents are a key food source for many birds of prey. A single owl can control a rodent population that would otherwise devastate your vegetable garden, your stored goods, your peace of mind.

But there is a problem. When pests such as rodents consume poisoned bait, they often do not die immediately. During this vulnerable period, they become easy prey for predators like owls. Because birds of prey regularly eat multiple rodents, the toxin builds up in their bodies over time.

This is called secondary poisoning. The owl eats the poisoned rat. The owl becomes toxic. The owl dies slowly, bleeding internally.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲: 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻.

Removing food and shelter can often solve a rodent problem before traps or poison are needed. Remove fallen leaves and garden debris. Trim dense vegetation. Seal gaps in sheds and storage. Use trapping instead of baiting. These changes protect owls and the other predators that keep your garden in balance.

If you must control rodents, use mechanical traps. Do not use poison. Your garden’s owls - and their gift of pest control - depend on it.

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, contact Stacey Leigh Shaw on 083 874 7816 or [email protected].

Visit www.bedford.co.za.

Social Media Sponsored by ISUZU South Africa

04/08/2026

From summer meadow to winter feed 🌾🦌

We are currently cutting this meadow after allowing the grass to grow through the spring and summer. The cut grass will be dried naturally, turned into hay and collected rather than left to decompose on the ground.

Removing the hay helps prevent the soil from becoming too fertile, giving finer grasses and wildflowers a better chance to develop next year.
We also plan to build roofed winter feeders and use some of the harvested hay as supplementary food for the deer during the hardest part of winter.

It is a simple, traditional cycle: the meadow provides habitat throughout summer, and its harvest continues supporting wildlife during winter.