Vanessa used online bargains and ingenuity to make her own growing place

A woman who wanted to transform her garden on a budget found bargains online and created her own outdoor space for around £30. A typical greenhouse can set you back several hundred pounds alone, but Vanessa Rae from Wigan transformed her garden without breaking the bank.

Inspired by a love for homegrown produce and the serenity of gardening, Vanessa said: “I kept seeing these beautiful greenhouses online. They looked amazing, but I just couldn’t justify spending hundreds of pounds.”

Vanessa spotted a compact greenhouse on direct-from-factory platform Temu for £30. Then she found a large wooden table for free online. “I thought, why not just combine the two?” she said. “The idea came together pretty quickly, and once I had the bits, it took no time to assemble.”

Vanessa used duct tape and sandbags to secure the greenhouse frame to the table. “I was actually amazed at how well it worked,” Vanessa said. “It’s sturdy, it looks great, and it cost me next to nothing. My mini allotment is coming along beautifully.”

Her current crop includes strawberries, tomatoes (both standard and cherry varieties), peppers, Scotch bonnet chillis, carrots, potatoes, radishes, and spring onions. She also maintains a display of sunflowers and a well-tended herb garden.