Far East of Eden: Couple transform their £240,000 Yorkshire new-build home into tropical paradise with plants from their travels in Thailand and Sri Lanka

  • Chris Ensell, 32, and wife, Anneka, 31, brought Southeast Asia back home to Ackworth, West Yorkshire
  • The newlyweds drew inspiration from their honeymoon in Sri Lanka and the Jim Thompson House in Bangkok
  • Chris estimated he has up to 300 variations of plants and has spent around £4,000 on tropical plants
  • He and Anneka completed the entire garden transformation themselves to help keep the price of the renovation project down A couple has transformed the garden of their £240,000 new-build home into a tropical paradise inspired by their holidays to Southeast Asia.

    Chris Ensell, 32, and his wife, Anneka, 31, have brought Thailand and Sri Lanka back home to Ackworth, West Yorkshire. 

    When the newlyweds moved into their house in 2018 the garden consisted of nothing more than 'dry and useless turf that hadn't been watered for weeks,' Chris said. 

    Chris Ensell, 32, and his wife, Anneka, 31, have recreated a tropical paradise in the back garden of their £250,000 new-build home in Ackworth, West Yorkshire

    Chris Ensell, 32, and his wife, Anneka, 31, have recreated a tropical paradise in the back garden of their £250,000 new-build home in Ackworth, West Yorkshire

    After visiting Asia the pair agreed that they wanted to transform their barren garden into a calming oasis like the ones they saw abroad. 

    Chris and Anneka started renovations in the summer of 2019.

    Chris said: 'I wasn't massively into gardening before starting this project as this was the first house that we lived in that had a good garden space.

    Our first home only had a decked area with room for some potted plants.

    After their holiday in Southeast Asia the couple agreed that they wanted to recreate the calming oases they saw back home in the UK

    After their holiday in Southeast Asia the couple agreed that they wanted to recreate the calming oases they saw back home in the UK

    After spending some time thinking about how we would like to design the garden, a tropical paradise theme seemed perfect because we had loved our holidays to destinations such as Thailand and Sri Lanka.'

    The couple visited Sri Lanka for their honeymoon in 2018 and drew a lot of inspiration from the Jim Thompson House in Bangkok - an art museum and the former home of American-born Jim Thompson. He was known for kickstarting the Thai silk industry after WWII. 

    Chris said: 'I wasn't massively into gardening before starting this project as this was the first house that we lived in that had a good garden space. Our first home only had a decked area with room for some potted plants'

    Chris said: 'I wasn't massively into gardening before starting this project as this was the first house that we lived in that had a good garden space. Our first home only had a decked area with room for some potted plants'

    We wanted to recreate this in our garden at home so that stepping into the garden would feel like we were on holiday,' Chris said. Little did they know a travel-restricting global pandemic was on the horizon

    We wanted to recreate this in our garden at home so that stepping into the garden would feel like we were on holiday,' Chris said. Little did they know a travel-restricting global pandemic was on the horizon

    Chris described the home-turned-museum as 'so calming and idyllic'. 

    'We wanted to recreate this in our garden at home so that stepping into the garden would feel like we were on holiday,' he added.

    Little did they know a travel-restricting global pandemic was on the horizon. 

    The couple visited Sri Lanka for their honeymoon in 2018 and drew a lot of inspiration from the Jim Thompson House - an art museum - in Bangkok

    The couple visited Sri Lanka for their honeymoon in 2018 and drew a lot of inspiration from the Jim Thompson House - an art museum - in Bangkok

    Chris estimated that he has up to 300 variations of plants and has spent around £4,000 on tropical plants since starting his garden transformation

    Chris estimated that he has up to 300 variations of plants and has spent around £4,000 on tropical plants since starting his garden transformation

    The transformation was no easy feat and required a lot of research

    'It seems pointless to spend money on tropical plants if I didn't know how to take care of them,' Chris said.

    'I have learned on the job. I've spent lots of time watching YouTube videos and gardening programs on television,' he added.

    Chris estimated that he has up to 300 variations of plants and has spent around £4,000 on tropical plants since starting the garden transformation.

    The transformation was no easy feat and required a lot of research. Chris learned a lot on the job but also spent lots of time watching YouTube videos and gardening programs on television

    The transformation was no easy feat and required a lot of research. Chris learned a lot on the job but also spent lots of time watching YouTube videos and gardening programs on television

    In the winter the couple has to put the plants into their greenhouse with heaters to keep them alive

    In the winter the couple has to put the plants into their greenhouse with heaters to keep them alive

    As a photographer Chris has an eye for design.

    He and Anneka go to specific growers for their tropical plants and attend rare plant fairs to try and get as many unusual plants as possible.

    Chris said: 'I like it when people look at our plants and are unsure about what they are.'

    As tropical plants tend to grow quite fast it can be a challenge to know where to place plants in the garden for optimal sunlight.

    'They are a lot easier to look after in the summer, I just have to water them in the mornings and evenings. This is also the time that the garden is looking its best,' Chris said. 

    The 32-year-old photographer has an eye for design. He and his wife go to specific growers for their tropical plants and attend rare plant fairs to try and get as many unusual plants as possible

    The 32-year-old photographer has an eye for design. He and his wife go to specific growers for their tropical plants and attend rare plant fairs to try and get as many unusual plants as possible

    Chris and Anneka completed their entire garden transformation themselves, with the help of some family members, to help keep the price of the renovation project down

    Chris and Anneka completed their entire garden transformation themselves, with the help of some family members, to help keep the price of the renovation project down

    In the winter the couple has to put the plants into their greenhouse with heaters to keep them alive. 

    Chris and Anneka completed the entire garden transformation themselves, with the help of some family members, to help keep the price of the renovation project down.  

    He said: 'Aside from the plants the project cost us around £1,500. We tried to do it on a budget and get things for as cheap as possible, or even for free, on Facebook Marketplace.

    Seeing the garden coming together more recently has been brilliant because the plants are getting to really good sizes now.'

    They are very happy with the outcome, 'especially during the pandemic.'

    'As we can't go on holiday, we have our garden as our own little holiday and oasis,' Chris said. 

    The plants 'are a lot easier to look after in the summer,' Chris said. 'I just have to water them in the mornings and evenings. This is also the time that the garden is looking its best,' he added

    The plants 'are a lot easier to look after in the summer,' Chris said. 'I just have to water them in the mornings and evenings. This is also the time that the garden is looking its best,' he added

    Aside from the plants the project cost the couple 'around £1,500'. They budgeted and bought equipment for as cheap as possible, or even got it for free, from Facebook Marketplace

    Aside from the plants the project cost the couple 'around £1,500'. They budgeted and bought equipment for as cheap as possible, or even got it for free, from Facebook Marketplace

    Chris and Anneka are are very happy with the outcome, 'especially during the pandemic as we can't go on holiday, we have our garden as our own little holiday and oasis'

    Chris and Anneka are are very happy with the outcome, 'especially during the pandemic as we can't go on holiday, we have our garden as our own little holiday and oasis'

    Chris said: 'I like it when people look at our plants and are unsure about what they are'

     Chris said: 'I like it when people look at our plants and are unsure about what they are'

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