ANTIQUE SHOPPING + GARDEN PLANS | Laura Melhuish-Sprague 

I love how you wished to be able to wake up to that view every day... and then you found paintings by your favourite painter of a favourite view. I think you should have them at your bedside!

I’m a landscape architect. I would put the silver birch by the bench in the middle. Don’t plant it too close to the wall. Love your plan.

An architect`s advice: the bbq should be close to the table, not at the end of the garden, otherwise, you would have to be crossing over and back to serve, it`s not practical. You could put a nice fire pit at the end to create a nice atmosphere and some warmth when the weather is not hot enough!

That china set was my parent’s pattern for their wedding! My Mom took them out of storage a few years ago to use as an everyday set to enjoy instead of saving. 🤗

I would have bought the tea set. The plates are perfect for pastry / dessert with tea. LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!

The garden plan looks lovely. The only thing I’d suggest is to perhaps rethink the silver birch as the tree you‘d plant, if you indeed plant a tree there. I’ve got one on my terrace and it’s mature and gorgeous, but it’s also SO messy: in spring I’m constantly cleaning seed pods that stain everything and in autumn and winter it sheds tiny leaves and soft branches. Silver birches are beautiful but perhaps better for areas where the mess won’t be so visible like a dining are or deck. Perhaps speak to a consultant in a good garden center where they can advise you on what type of tree to plant so it (a) isn’t a mess right from the start and (b) one which won’t want to outgrow the space too much, as silver birches will get enormous v quickly

Think about outside sink (butler/Belfast) near BBQ area and natural wood prep area/surface. Very handy to have a 'dirty' outside sink, particularly if you have children later 😀

Ollie: "...both your arms are full. I guess we're done." Haha. Great art selections. Glad they are of local scenes. You never regret buying something you love.

Those paintings are so beautiful! So glad you found something you love.

Your garden plans are so lovely. So looking forward to your garden content Laura!

Laura and Ollie, love the paintings. Paintings of local areas are always so meaningful. The garden plans look beautiful. Cannot wait to see the progress as you start to create the space. Your Vase looks beautiful on the table. Excellent choice. Take care.

I love that you 2 are a great team! You have the same goals, give or take a tree! Can't wait to see the garden come to life! Stay Safe friends!

Painting vs print...get a jeweler’s loupe or really good magnifier glass. Put one print next to one of the new paintings. Look very closely at a color wash with the loupe on the one you know is a print. Up close the color should show up as a scatter of little dots. This is part of the printing process. Do the same with the new painting. If it is an original watercolor, the color should appear as a continuous color wash.. no dots. They are beautiful either way. The only thing that concerned me is whether or not the matting is acid free. The inner core area of one of the mats looked like it was turning brown, which is a sign it might not be acid free. That browning can, over time, transfer to the print/painting and cause the art to also turn brown or acquire brown spots that is called foxing. It would then require the services of an art restoration expert to reverse the damage. I know you mentioned the artist’s name, but I didn’t catch it. Could you repeat it here?

That dining table is gorgeous!!! And what a bargain ❤️

Soo excited to see the progress guys!

Great to see Topsham we had a lovely breakfast opposite the antique centre a couple of weeks ago - I live across the estuary from Topsham so am lucky to see those views every day on my walks x

Hi Laura and Ollie. I love your trip to the Topsham antique centre - something I love to do as well as reclamation centres and charity shops. I love the paintings- they are an investment and some of the most treasured things come along when we least expect them. Dartmouth is an amazing place and the Exe Estuary- both places I visit when I’m in England. I think you’re garden will be lovely when you finish and will really look forward to the videos of it’s restoration as with the house renovations. Take care 💖🌸🌷

Garden plans look beautiful!

Hello to you lovely people. Hope you two and your loved ones are doing good. Sending you and ollie loads of love from India. Was waiting for a garden video from a very long time. Eagerly waiting.

Ahh I love topsham and darts farm, I was so gutted when pink strings in topsham closed!

I love holly trees...but they can be thugs! The garden plans look great.. but I bet they evolve as you go. Have a beautiful week. 💝💝 xxx

I live near topsham and absolutely love having a walk and get a coffee in topsham and sit down outside the antique shop and looking at the view, I didn’t knew you both were local xx

Usually I have no idea where people are in videos, but I was like wait a minute, I know exactly where they are! I spent a very pleasant day there in 2019 and picked up some antique keys that always spark curiosity. I am frankly impressed that you limited yourselves to two paintings ( which are really lovely btw). Airline weight restrictions were what reigned me in. 😉

Fun video. I enjoy seeing your garden / outdoor areas as it's so different to Australia xx

So happy to see this come up! My partner Tim and I just got our first house and we are doing lots of home reno bits too, not quite as intensive as you but I've been watching your channel for so long and I'm so excited to have my own place to work on!! Going back and rewatching all your old videos has been so fun 😍

The paintings are ahhhh beautiful 👍🌹

As a watercolor artist, those paintings look genuine to me!!

You are such a cute couple!! BUY THE TABLE!! It's beautiful and would look great in your dining room. Think of holiday meals there! Your garden plans make me exhausted, but will be beautiful!

Yay! New video 🥰

Happy Friday xx my lovely

Really loving the garden plans. I would highly suggest going for the silver birch rather than an evergreen because it will have 4 season interest - incredible leaves in the autumn, stunning white trunks in the winter and fresh dappled green for the rest of the year. It's also easier to grow a lot of plants under dappled shade as apposed to deep shade.

I love the painting 💕 x

Starting with the garden now is a greaaat idea guys trust me!

Definitely buy the table. It’s a bargain. The paintings are lovely. You’ll be pleased you bought them every time you look at them.

I love the glass vase you bought

I think it’s smart to do the garden at the same time. It means you can actually enjoy your garden and plant trees and shrubs that will be established. My dad planted palm trees before he built his house. Now he has shade and an established fruit garden now his house is built.

Hi Have you considered planning your garden on the diagonal? rather than all straight lines? One thing I made an rooky error, was not planting my large shrubs and trees strategically to hide neighbouring windows!! Something to think about?? Bon chance.

I like the idea of the BBQ area at the back, but do you really reaaaaally think you're going to bring all your plates, salads, foods, drinks, ... up there every time you have a BBQ and bring it all back to the house once you're done? It's quite a distance, and going to the toilet etc will be a task because it's so far back

Don’t know how I missed this video. I wouldn’t feel too terrible about taking out the Holly, many people never consider the actual size of a plant when they are placing it. A great book called Right Plant, Right Place could be helpful as you choose what to put in your garden. I like trees that are usually under twenty feet...Japanese Maple, Japanese Snowbell, Dogwoods, Redbuds or even Peanutbutter tree. Have fun. Retired Landscape Designer

The paintings are beautiful isn't it so special when there a local artist. If you ever tire of them I'll gladly take them off your hands. That's quite an undertaking for your back yard, when will you start. When will you enlarge your home? Wow, I can't wait to see the end result. I wish you lots of energy.

I love your chatty videos...if I’d known I would of got my pjs on too, I know I could of paused video but I was engrossed! 🤗😂🙋🏻‍♀️💕🇬🇧 jane

Please share the garden builder app you used. Looks so fun and I need to plan mine! Lovely plan!

think it'd be so easy to plant some herbs by the bbq to be fragrant / to use !!

What a wonderful find, so are we still allowed to Hob Nob with you art collectors now 😃😃😃

I love the antique dining table. Was hoping that you might have a rethink and decide to get is since it is a good price, but with your unexpected technology expenses, maybe not. Also, wondering if perhaps the BBQ might be better located closer to the dining table for convenience?

I ve been noticing the dust lately and it was bugging me. Thank you for the change🌸

As i was scrolling I looked at your thumbnail I thought I saw kate middleton lol

Hi there, I have a spirit level like that, it was my grandad's.

I would keep the current dining table for your dining room. Looks stunning! not a big fan of the one you saw in the antique shop...but itñs your house :)

Pls. help what is the programs name that you draw your garden plan?

Ha! I thought the spot was on my phone!

Love the gravel idea. Also, I think you guys need to have a mind switch right now. You've been in demo & reno all this time & the budget has been for those jobs. However, you've completed enough rooms that it's time to think dining table, pics & vases.😊 All that to say, you're still being very responsible about your expenses & these things are long life buys. I think you can trust your instincts. Sandi.

I love Topsham

Love your wardrobe Laura! Where are your outfits from? Love the navy mac, white peasant blouse and your jacket at the start of the video. Need them in my life! x

Lol...1993 ,so they're really old !!

Great video again, love the garden planner, which one did you use? We are looking to do something to our bottom garden too and love the simplicity of the garden planner.

super video

Google "black screen "....you will find the answer to get back up and running.

💗💗💗💗💗

Please, can you tell me the name of the artist who did those paintings? I am in love with them 😍

Buy that table for £80...you would make a killing on a resale. Retired antique dealer here. Just Do It ! lol

You guys are no joke! Hard workers 100%! Did you get a new camera towards the end of the video? Looks like there's a blurring filter on your skin :/

Your latest video has come up as private?

Check out Bunny Guiness’s videos if you need any gardening ideas, she’s great!

screens on laptops are replaceable. that's not a horribly expensive thing in the grand scheme of things either. a certified repair shop should be able to do it within a couple days.

Be very careful to pick a tree that isn’t going to cause you to have to clean after it all the time. Especially if your having a seating area and bbq.

You manifested finding the view ...you found, what you literally just wished for a view like that.

oh gawd ..this is so boring..can't watch