English Cottage Garden

Host Matt James transforms a small Manhattan backyard into a traditional English cottage garden, using natural stone, reclaimed brick and a timber pergola.

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Hide CaptionShow CaptionThis ugly garden is in need of some serious attention — it's more of a dumping ground for plants than anything else.

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Before: Plenty of Potential

Jennifer Dondero is a green-thumbed native New Yorker with the tiniest of studio apartments. Her yard is one of her big loves but despite trying to make it beautiful, it's more of a dumping ground for plants than anything else.

The backyard is nearly double the size of her studio apartment, and Jennifer would love to have the additional living space. Plus, she loves working with plants, and if the space were properly designed, she could have room for lots more. She desperately needs a garden refuge, a place to relax and entertain. Host Matt James' challenge is to transform the ugly space into a traditional English cottage garden using natural stone, reclaimed brick and a timber pergola. Before the renovation can happen, though, she and Matt need to clear the yard of debris and dismantle an old concrete patio.