"You can create something from nothing and it's just so magical"

Discover how one of our competition finalists turned a small urban plot full of ivy and builders' rubble into a tropical wildlife haven

- ADAM DUXBURY

Kyla and her partner Dave have made the most of a small back garden in North London by transforming it into a tropical meets-woodland retreat. Kyla who is a songwriter and musician - expanded on her knowledge of gardening in containers in a rented flat by adding structure and colour and giving the garden a focal point. Tucked at the bottom of the plot lies a secret mini woodland area just waiting to be explored, by insects, animals and humans alike. And right outside the back door is a welcoming colourful spot to relax and enjoy nature. 

What was the garden like when you moved in?

There was a massive wodge of ivy and a huge overgrown fig tree. With those two things combined, it didn't feel very light and it was quite damp. There was a big pile of builders' rubbish at the back, but there were some lovely things too, like the fatsia and the climbing roses. The roses don't really go with my tropical theme, but they flower so beautifully that I don't have the heart to change them.

What did you do first?

We replaced all the fences that were rotten and removed the ivy, which was just blocking everything. That was a big job, as was clearing the rubble and pulling up the weed membrane. We spent so long out there just clearing. We dug the pond quite quickly because I knew I wanted to attract birds. I wanted that back bit to be a wildlife haven. It's been a success and we have birds here every morning.