Couple spends 37 years and £15,000 transforming beautiful garden that now attracts thousands of tourists

Marie and Tony in their four seasons garden, and the view from above, which looks like an owl with eyes at the top
Marie and Tony in their garden, and the view from above (Picture: SWNS)

Back in 1982, Marie Newton decided to take up gardening as a hobby.

Now 37 years later, Marie and her husband Tony, both 71, had transformed the small patch of land around their home in the industrial heartlands of the Black Country into a stunning oasis that is filled with different colours as the seasons change.

Over the years, the couple has spent over £15,000 adding over 3,000 plants, including 450 azaleas, 120 Japanese maples and 15 juniper blue stars.

As spring changes to summer, summer to autumn and autumn to winter, the garden, in Walsall, West Mids., remains filled with different colours and it is nicknamed ‘four seasons’ on account of its year-round appeal.

Now, the space has previously won awards, including Britain’s Best Garden and it even attracts tourists from all over the world.

The couple, who have four grown-up children and four grandchildren, spend two hours a day lovingly maintaining the plants and bushes.

Marie Newton in the 4 Seasons Garden in Walsall, West Midlands
Tony and Marie Newton in their garden (Picture: Tristan Potter / SWNS)

Marie said: ‘There are over 3,000 plants in our garden, so many I can’t even count.

‘It’s an all-season garden so in autumn you see brilliant reds, oranges and yellows and in the spring the colours are equally as vivid and vibrant.

‘Autumn is my most favourite seasons for the garden.

‘There will be azalea and Acer leaves along with the evergreen conifers.

The 4 Seasons Garden in Walsall, West Midlands, where the autumn leaves are joining the beautiful apricot shade begonias
(Picture:Tristan Potter / SWNS)

‘It has been very satisfying to use so many skills and to have done every task ourselves.

‘All but two of all the plants in our garden have been planted by us.

‘What is rather pleasing is an aerial photograph appears to show the face of an owl in the garden. This was never intended but a very lovely accident.’

The 4 Seasons Garden in Walsall, West Midlands from above. They accidentally made it look like an owl
They even accidentally made the garden look like an owl (Picture: Tristan Potter / SWNS)

Old pictures from the 1980s show just how much work the couple have done to transform their muddy lawn and broken rockery into the wondrous creation it is today.

As the garden has grown, it’s even featured on several unofficial tourist trails in the Black Country and they estimate about 14,000 people from 48 different countries have come to visit it.

Marie added: ‘Some Chinese students came to visit our garden and told us that it was used as an example in one of their lectures.

The 4 Seasons Garden in Walsall, West Midlands
The garden has colour all year round (Picture: Tristan Potter / SWNS)

‘We spend around two hours a day in the garden but it can be more or less depending on the weather.

‘There is always something to do or a flower or shrub to tend. It has become quite an obsession.

‘We have grown some of the flowers ourselves from the seeds that have dropped from the other flowers.’

Tony and Marie Newton in their 4 Seasons Garden in Walsall, West Midlands
Tony and Marie spend at least two hours a day in the garden (Picture: Tristan Potter / SWNS)

Retired GP Tony added: ‘First we made it child-friendly for our kids but as the years went by we moved on to planting and growing our own flowers and plants.

‘There has been a lot of trial and error to get the garden way it is now.

‘A lot of our plants are now 30 years old or more.

‘We’ve got a vast amount of colour and plants all year around. We try and add to the garden every year but at this time of year it is simply glorious.’

MORE: Why you should wear Wear It Pink this Friday and how it can help the fight for breast cancer survival

MORE: Skin infection cellulitis makes baby look like she has a black eye

MORE: Woman completes 10k obstacle race with hi-tech ‘pirate leg’ after breaking her ankle



source https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/17/couple-spends-37-years-15000-transforming-beautiful-garden-now-attracts-thousands-tourists-10934781/
Top rated Digital marketing. From $30 Business growth strategy Hello! I am Sam, a Facebook blueprint certified marketer. Expert in Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, Google Ads, YouTube Ads, and SEO. I use SEMrush and other tools for data-driven research. I can build million-dollar marketing strategy for your business.
Learn more

Post a Comment

0 Comments