WHEN Pat and John Heelan bought their bungalow in Bembridge six years ago, the garden was, in their words, a sea of bindweed and brambles.
Keen gardener Pat had a clear vision of what she would like the garden to look like but she needed professional help with hard landscaping and clearing the jungle.
"I had seen one of Tim Brayford's projects featured in the County Press. I got in touch and we met to discuss what I had in mind," Pat recalled.
"I drew out a rough plan for the garden and we talked it through. Tim made several suggestions, which were very helpful. For example, I had planned a path leading down the garden through an arch, but Tim pointed out that it would be more interesting to have a circular route all the way round the garden, so we designed a second arch leading back.
"That first winter was very wet, so it took several months for Tim to complete the project," said Pat. "We modified the plan along the way. I thought we worked very well together."
The garden, which measures roughly 90ft by 50ft, contains a number of different elements. Near the house is a terrace, leading to a lawn with borders where Pat grows her beloved herbaceous perennials. "Salvias are one of my favourites, I grow a number of different varieties. They are beautiful and very longflowering."
From here, an archway leads to a potager, or ornamental vegetable garden, which has four raised beds edged with railway sleepers. Pat grows a wide range of vegetables, such as french and runner beans, carrots and potatoes.
She has a greenhouse, where she raises flowers for her borders from seeds and cuttings. She also grows tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and melons in the greenhouse.
Another area is devoted to a fishpond, with a variety of aquatic plants.
Gardening is Pat's main interest. "1 spend time in the garden every day. I am a member of the Friends of Ventnor Botanic Garden and work there as a volunteer every Wednesday. I love the botanic garden and I've found that I learn a lot as I go round."
This summer, for the first time, Pat's garden was entered in the Bembridge In Bloom competition. Having won the Best Large Front Garden category, it was automatically entered in Wight In Bloom, where it was voted Best Garden Over Three Metres.
"I was absolutely staggered when I heard the garden had won. You don't know until the awards ceremony. It was a real shock," said Pat.
Pat described this summer as very difficult for gardeners. "We have had to do a huge amount of watering by hand. It has been one of the hardest any of us can remember."