I tried a viral garden fad to have ‘Santorini vibes in Surrey’ – now it’s falling apart & green, don’t make my mistake
A WOMAN has shared a warning after a viral hack she thought would give her garden ‘Santorini in Surrey vibes” ended up going green and falling apart.
Nadine said that she followed the “fad” of white render in her garden a few years ago, “on a cascade of planters, down steps“.
“Inevitably, this has now done badly, and is falling to pieces, cracking and no longer white”, she told Jojo Barr and Pollyanna Wilkinson on their home and garden podcast The Ins & Outs.
White render is a kind of exterior wall finish that is known for its bright and pristine appearance.
Nadine asked garden designer Pollyanna for advice on how to fix the problem.
“Could we cover it up with cladding, or is it best to rip it out and start again?”, she asked.
“It will be a really big job but it definitely isn’t giving the Santorini in Surrey vibes we were hoping for.”
Pollyanna shook her head in disapproval at Nadine’s mistake, stating that she hates white render “for a reason.”
The designer said that if her render was in good condition and had just gone green from algae, painting would be a simple way to fix it.
“My favourite colour to paint render is the colour of milky coffee”, she said.
“I find it really brings a lot of warmth, and eliminates the green.”
Pollyanna explained that white render falling apart is very common as render is one of the cheapest options for retaining walls.
She said that a simple way to fix the problem is just to plant an evergreen hedge in front of it, to hide the render from view.
If this doesn’t work for you, a more expensive option would be cladding the wall with stone or porcelain.
Pollyanna recommended using DesignClad for this, which you can pick up from £70 from London Stone.
Gardening mistakes that could get you fined
Gardening experts over at Toolstation have revealed the garden laws you need to be aware of not breaking.
While some of these laws could land you with a fine of up to £20,000 in extreme cases, a friendly chat with your neighbours can usually resolve any issues.
Tree removal and pruning: If you have a tree in your garden you want to get rid of you better think twice and do your research.
The gardening experts reveal: “If one neighbour wishes to remove or heavily prune a tree that the other neighbour values, disputes can arise over the impact on the view, shade, or privacy. “
While it might cause a row, if it is in your property boundary it is ultimately your choice, unless it has a Tree Protection Order on it.
“But, some trees may be protected by a Tree Protection Order which makes it an offence to uproot, top or destroy them, the experts warn.
The maximum fine for breaking this law is £20,000, so make sure you double check if it does have a TPO.
You can find out by contacting your local council for a map that shows this information. Alternatively, you can ask to speak with your local tree officer.
Property boundaries and fences: One of the main causes of neighbours falling out is through arguing over property boundaries and fencing.
To avoid this situation, the gardening pros recommend checking the deeds of your property to determine the correct boundaries
“Most of the time, it’s easy to determine who owns the fence as the fence posts will usually be on the owners side,” they add.
“Additionally, the height of fences or hedges can cause disputes between neighbours if one party feels the height has exceeded the two metre guidance.
“Hedges and fences should be no more than two metres high, and you could be asked by the council to take them down if a neighbour complains about the height.
“Luckily, standard fence sizes are less than two metres tall so you shouldn’t have a problem.”
Garden structures and additions: A pergola is the perfect addition to a garden if you want somewhere to relax in the shade.
But if it obstructs your neighbour’s view or violates local building regulations it could cause a dispute, as can sheds and other garden structures.
“If you’re not sure, have a chat with your neighbours to let them know what you’re planning and, if there’s an issue, get in touch with your local council who can give you more guidance,” advise the gardening experts.
Overhanging branches and plants: “When branches, vines, or roots from one neighbour’s tree or plant extend into the neighbouring property, it can lead to disagreements over potential damage to structures, blocked views, or the burden of maintenance,” reveal the pros.
However, it’s important to note you can only trim overhanging branches up to the boundary of your property otherwise, it could be seen as trespassing.
You can climb into the tree to carry out the work if needed, but only on your property and make sure to stay on your side of the fence if you don’t have permission to enter your neighbours garden.
She explained that this is a very thin format porcelain which comes in lots of different colours.
“It’s very convincing, they’ve got ones that look like lead or zinc, they’re stunning.”
You can stick the DesignClad straight onto the wall, or if you want to use a more expensive method, such as stone, you will need to chip the render off first.
“That really is the most premium option, because of the labour involved”, she said.
Pollyanna reiterated that it is best to avoid using white render altogether as it is likely that you will have to spend a lot of money fixing it when it goes wrong.
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