PR guru Valerie Roe totally transformed her garden by getting rid of car parking space

PR expert Valerie Roe recently transformed her garden after building an extension onto her Naas home.

Valerie feels like she has gained another room thanks to the clever way garden designer Dermot Melia has laid out her back and front gardens. Valerie decided to get rid of all the parking space at the front of the house, to make the area more green and inviting.

Prior to this, the back garden was unusable as the builders had to bulldoze it to complete the home's renovation.

"I love a modern style and grey, I don’t like a lot of colour. I didn’t want red, yellow and a riot of colour in the garden. I wanted everything to be muted and tranquil, just purples and whites. We came up with the design together and I was blown away," Valerie says.

She never thought she could have everything she wanted. "I wanted a water feature, an outdoor room, a fire pit, everything I saw on Instagram, but never thought we could actually manage it. I think that’s what Dermot is an expert on - making small areas work."

Something that required little to no maintenance was also top of Valerie's priorities. "I have a very busy life, my partner is an international equestrian coach and travels all the time. My son is a tennis player and also travels extensively, while I run my own business.

"I wanted something easy that did not require a shed full of tools or me to be regularly mowing the lawn. Moreover, I don’t have green fingers, so it was important it was as simple and maintenance free as you can get. Ultimately, we wanted a place the three of us could come out and relax on the rare evenings we have together, away from all the madness. That’s what we got and it is simply gorgeous. "

Photography by Simon Peare

Scroll down to the gallery below see the photos of Valerie's amazing garden!

To read the full interview and see all the pictures, pick up a copy of RSVP's Home magazine, on shelves now.