Tracey Bermingham in the jungle garden behind her home (Image: Manchester Evening News)
A home in the suburbs boasts a garden that is anything but ordinary, thanks to the efforts of homeowners Tracey Bermingham and Tony Shepherd.
Over the past decade, the couple has transformed their property into a lush, green sanctuary.
The front garden, dominated by a towering Foxglove tree and clusters of banana plants and bamboo, offers a tantalising glimpse of what lies beyond the semi-detached Victorian house on Stafford Road, Monton.
Tracey takes delight in the reactions of visitors, particularly the students and parents who come for her private tutoring sessions, when they first see the garden.
However, it’s the 600 square metre back garden that truly serves as an oasis for the couple and their students, offering a ‘calm, tranquil atmosphere’ that creates an ‘amazing zen’.
Tracey Bermingham and Tony Shepherd are opening their garden as part of the National Garden Schemef the National Garden Scheme . 28 August 2024 (Image: Manchester Evening News)
Surrounded by historic oak trees, the garden is a riot of tropical plants, including a variety of bamboos, large gunneras, and hardy bananas.
Despite the tropical feel, the couple resists labelling it as such, preferring to choose plants they like and that thrive in the space rather than adhering to a specific theme, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Tony, 58, explained their approach, he said: “There is a general tropical, jungle plant theme.
“But whereas a lot of people who grow plants in this style, will grow one of everything you are expected to grow, we prefer to plant several of what we like and planting en masse works in a garden this size.”
The back garden of the property in Monton (Image: Manchester Evening News)
Tracey said: “When I first moved into the house, the garden was overgrown. It was pretty much a blank canvas.
“After cutting everything back I found two tennis posts and realised the lawn was originally used as a tennis court. When Tony and I got together, we realised that gardening and nature was something we had in common.
“We then started to develop the garden as a partnership. We complement each other as gardeners as we both have different expertise with a different variety of plants.
“This suited our blank canvas as we both wanted to create a tropical style garden. Lockdown was a catalyst. We were working through lockdown, but when we weren’t working we locked ourselves in our vision.”
The couple’s dedication to their garden is evident as they spend most of their spare time nurturing it, alongside growing vegetables and caring for their 20 chickens.
Their UK holidays are often spent on the hunt for rare plants and attending specialist plant fairs, as the varieties they seek are not the ones you’d stumble upon at a local nursery.
Their passion project recently turned into a charitable venture when they decided to open their garden to the public as part of the National Garden Scheme, which supports nursing and health charities through entry fees, teas, and cake sales.
Their opening last month was a resounding success, raising £1,700, and due to its popularity, they’ve scheduled another viewing for this Saturday, September 7.
Tony, a long-serving employee at Procter and Gamble in Trafford Park, shared his passion for his garden’s design, he said: “We think of the garden as having rooms, with several different areas to relax in depending on the time of day.
“It’s the first place I go to when I get in from work and there’s always something different to see every day.
“The three very large gunnera plants look like giant rhubarb. The bamboo collection is big, some types can be invasive but these are planted and maintained the correct way.
“We recently built an octagonal gazebo, which should be good for relaxing in, even during winter.”
The couple have been transforming the garden for more than a decadeo visitors as part of the National Garden Scheme . 28 August 2024 (Image: Manchester Evening News)
Tracey, 59, who runs Education Matters supporting children from Early Years to GCSE, including those with SEN, echoed her husband’s sentiments about the garden’s layout: “Like Tony said, we like the garden to have rooms. My theory being, we have rooms in our house, why not have rooms in the garden? “.
She also highlighted the positive impact the garden has had on local wildlife and her teaching, she added: “Something we have noticed is the increase in wildlife. It is so rewarding watching insects thriving in a pollen rich environment. Dragonflies have been in abundance this year.
“The garden is also an extension of my teaching, especially following Covid and the increase of children with anxiety.
“The calm, tranquil atmosphere creates an amazing zen. My favourite comment when I take my students into the garden is ‘wow! It’s like a real jungle out here’.”
The garden is home to some enormous plants (Image: Manchester Evening News)
George Plumptre, Chief Executive of the National Garden Scheme, has praised a new garden opening for visitors, saying: “The garden at 28 Stafford Road has opened its gates for the National Garden Scheme for the first time this year and is proving hugely popular with visitors.”
He added: “Its unusual woodland jungle planting with bamboo and large palm trees is an exciting departure from many suburban gardens and one that really speaks of the garden owner’s passion for plants.”
This Saturday, the garden will welcome guests from 12.30pm to 4.30pm, offering limited refreshments and plant sales. Adult entry is set at £5, while children can enjoy for free.
The address for those interested is 28 Stafford Road, Monton, M30 9HW. In support of the event, DB Garden Nurseries in Hyde has generously donated a significant number of plants to aid the fundraising efforts.