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People Are Turning Their Back Gardens Into Greek-Inspired Holiday Havens

Mary-Jane Wiltsher

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People Are Turning Their Back Gardens Into Greek-Inspired Holiday Havens

Featured Image Credit: Facebook / Chris Ryan

In lockdown we've seen Brits upgrade their gardens with holiday-inspired features like grassy Tiki Bars and at-home beaches.

But some DIY enthusiasts are going one step further, transforming their outside spaces into Greek holiday hideaways fit for Mykonos and Santorini.

We're talking white-washed walls, deep blue wood work and bright red geraniums, with plenty of beachy rattan textures thrown in.

The original idea for Chris' Greek-inspired garden came from a blue and white tiled table he already owned (Credit: Chris Ryan)
The original idea for Chris' Greek-inspired garden came from a blue and white tiled table he already owned (Credit: Chris Ryan)
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Just right for sipping on an ouzo as the sun goes down!

Wigan-based Chris Ryan decided that if he wasn't going on holiday, he would bring the holiday home.

"I started my garden because, like many others, I've been working from home and I wanted to feel I had another place to go," he explained.

Before the makeover, the space was
Before the makeover, the space was
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The original garden was "dull with no life other than the odd weed here and there".

Chris inspiration for the makeover started with a table he already owned, topped with pretty blue tiles.

Chris used Cuprinol paint in shade Blue Iris for the fence ("I was very impressed with the quality") and covered an old ivy trellis with lights from B&M.

He also painted his garden walls with white masonry paint to brighten the space.

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Chris used white masonry paint and Cuprinol paint in shade Iris Blue for his colour scheme (Credit: Chris Ryan)
Chris used white masonry paint and Cuprinol paint in shade Iris Blue for his colour scheme (Credit: Chris Ryan)

Garden rugs from Lidl ("a steal at £6.99") and rattan furniture, sourced second hand and updated with a lick of paint, complete the look.

"A lot of the plants are artificial as I always forget to water them and I've protected them with waterproof spray," added Chris.

"I've only been to Greece once but my dream is to go to Santorini, so until I can afford it I now have it in my back garden, minus the beach culture and ruins. With my Google Mini playing the sound of the sea, for a minute I was transported!"

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Meanwhile, Carol Willis Pink from Nottingham took inspiration from Greece for this tranquil seating area in the corner of her garden.

Carol gave her arbour a lick of paint and used rugs and cushion covers from Amazon to transform the space (Credit: Carol Willis Pink)
Carol gave her arbour a lick of paint and used rugs and cushion covers from Amazon to transform the space (Credit: Carol Willis Pink)

"The future looked dull without our holiday to look forward to," said Carol. "The Greek island Zante is our favourite place that we look forward to visiting at the end of summer."

Deciding to "bring Greece to us", Carol set to work on a little area in her small back garden that was "dull and unused".

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Now the space is cool and coastal, thanks to a tile-effect outdoor rug by Fab Hab on Amazon (£61) and Yanwen blue and white cushions, also from Amazon (£7 each).

Carol used white masonry paint and a blue paint from Aldi in shade Forget Me Not. A window mirror from B&M (£20) completes the look.

"We sit, enjoy a cocktail and Zorba music on our Alexa," said Carol. "I look out of my kitchen window and smile at our special place in our garden, until we can be there [to Greece] again, once safe to travel."

We love this blue-painted oasis complete with old olive oil cans used as plant pots - genius! (Credit: Instagram / @_risqgay_)
We love this blue-painted oasis complete with old olive oil cans used as plant pots - genius! (Credit: Instagram / @_risqgay_)

Elsewhere in the world of Greek hideaways, we love this blue painted oasis - which in reality is located in Ridderkerk, Holland.

Peter and partner Johan have travelled Greece extensively, visiting Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos, Naxos and Santorini, among other locations.

Wanting to bring a flavour of their favourite holiday destination to their back garden, the couple sourced Greek Taverna-style chairs and tables from a second hand market.

They added shuttered mirrors to the wall and plants potted in old olive oil canisters - the perfect backdrop for tucking into a big plate of moussaka and feta laden salad.


And if you don't have the time or resources to transform your entire garden into a Greek hideaway, why not simply paint your trellis or garden gate a rich blue, like the Insta user above?

The colourway looks stunning contrasted with white-bloomed climbing plants.

We can practically hear the crickets chirping.

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Topics: Greece, Home, DIY, Life, Garden, Interiors

Mary-Jane Wiltsher
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