A Husband Builds $43,000 Tropical Oasis in His Backyard for Wife’s Year-Round Getaways

Vacations abroad are a luxury most people can’t afford. For families with busy schedules, it can be a real struggle to book time off together, which is why some people prefer to stay at home. Luckily, some heroes out there make sure to pamper their loved ones. 

Chris and Sharon live in Northamptonshire, in the UK. They are very hard-working people and are owners of their own businesses. They are also the proud owners of an elderly dog with disabilities. Unfortunately, their hectic lives make it difficult for them to book time off together. 

Although Chris didn’t have any experience with landscaping, he was willing to learn as he developed his fantastical project. The tiki garden was built to be a place of relaxation far from the hustle and bustle of the couple’s hectic lives. 

Chris and Sharon loved going on regular vacations to exotic destinations every year, but when they started their own businesses, they could no longer take as much time off. They both love running their business, but the workload dramatically restricts their movement.

Not only are their jobs very demanding, but there is also another impediment to their vacation aspirations: Their pet, Dice, an adorable nine-year-old American Bulldog, has earned a reputation as being the baby of the family. 

Without a time limit, Chris could work on his backyard project whenever he had time off, even if it meant a few hours a day. He had drawn up many plans and didn’t expect it to be easy, but he wanted to impress his wife.

The first thing Chris had to do in the backyard was take the grass out. It wasn’t easy, but once that was done, the real magic could happen. He wanted to mimic the tiki bars they had visited years ago, so they could escape their real lives every now and then without actually leaving their home. 

It took a lot of research to determine what plants would be ideal for the garden. Because the couple lives in the UK, it would be challenging to keep tropical plants healthy. He wanted his garden to look lush since it meant being able to escape from reality. 

Chris didn’t hire anyone to help him with the project; it was a one-man show out there in the backyard. Because he mostly worked in his time off, it would be difficult even to attempt to hire someone. 

Because Chris is a builder, he knows how to make a sturdy foundation, work with different materials, and above all, build it to last a lifetime. This amenity would be constructed durably, so they wouldn’t have to worry about maintenance time or the weather destroying it. 

When the project was finally finished, the couple couldn’t believe their eyes! All of their hours of hard work paid off. After two years and an investment of around $43,000, they managed to create a getaway worth of the most luxurious private islands. 

One of the main amenities Chris worked on was the Tiki bar. It was important that it resembled a tropical bar on a remote island. Nothing less than perfection would impress Sharon—and so, he outdid himself! Every detail was carefully designed and thought out. 

The couple’s new backyard would finally be a place of peace, rest, and fun. It was vital for them to have a place where they could share good times with their loved ones. Because the UK has notoriously shifting weather, here they could sit back and enjoy the warmth. 

Two years is a long time, but the result is inspiring. It was well worth it in the end. Chris and Sharon can now enjoy tropical getaways whenever they want without having to worry about dog-sitters, air travel, or missing work. 

But how did Chris get the idea of building such an ambitious project? Well, after renovating a few areas of the house he had lived in with Sharon for fifteen years, Chris was inspired to do something different with the backyard.

Chris had only ever taken care of indoor succulents and cacti—never tropical plants. So it took a lot of research to find the right plants that would both look tropical enough and survive the chilly British weather. 

Chris wanted to accentuate the willow tree’s tropical look, so he mainly bought plants that had lush green leaves. He also got bamboo trees to create natural divisions; instead of building walls, the bamboo would give the backyard privacy.

Chris knew the project would end up looking amazing. After all, he was dedicating every free moment he had—either in the planning stage, researching, or building. But what he didn’t expect was that he would enjoy the process so much. 

Even though the structural part is completely finished, the garden will be an ongoing project. Chris claims that he has become “addicted to gardening” ever since he started—a takeaway he wasn’t expecting as he had never really cared for plants before.

The tiki garden is now Chris and Sharon’s favorite place to relax and unwind from their stressful day jobs. They host tropical parties with their friends and birthday parties with family members. But even though it’s technically finished, they are always finding ways to improve it. 

Chris and Sharon’s backyard renovations have helped inspire their close relatives, as well as strangers on the internet, to remake their backyards into their own style or needs. The couple loves giving tips on how to pursue a dream backyard.