
A husband dedicated two years and £35,000 to transform his garden into a tropical paradise for his wife as he was unable to take her on holiday - despite having never gardened before.

Construction worker Chris Lodge, 44, and business owner Sharon Lodge, 45, are so busy with work and caring for their disabled dog Dice, nine, that they have failed to go on holiday for six years.

Knowing how much they'd loved holidaying together, Jason Momoa-lookalike Chris decided in June 2017 to bring that holiday feeling to them by turning their back garden into a tropical Tiki wonderland.

Despite having no experience of gardening whatsoever, Chris threw every free evening and weekend he had over 24 months into the mammoth project - and the results are stunning.

After digging out the lawn, Chris built a beautiful timber, driftwood and rope bridge across the garden which is surrounded by luscious green palm trees and succulents.

The bridge leads to a Tiki hut, which Chris and Sharon call their 'Freaky Tiki', filled with a timber bar built by Chris, tropical trinkets and gorgeous timber engraved bar stools.

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This is the stunning Tiki-inspired garden created by Christopher Lodge at his home in Wollaston, Northamptonshire; complete with themes plants and paraphernalia

After digging out the lawn, Chris built a beautiful timber, driftwood and rope bridge across the garden which is surrounded by luscious green palm trees and succulents

The bridge leads to a Tiki hut, which Chris and Sharon call their 'Freaky Tiki', filled with a timber bar built by Chris, tropical trinkets and gorgeous timber engraved bar stools

Pictured here is the garden shortly after Christopher got to work on his ambitious project transforming it into the tropical paradise it has become

After living in their home for 15 years, Chris finally found the time to build an extension (pictured) two years ago and decided to tackle the garden at the same time

Chris and his wife Sharon (pictured enjoying a drink at the bar) were so busy with work and caring for their disabled dog Dice, nine, that they had failed to go on holiday for six years

Chris (shown left, who has a striking resemblance to Aquaman star Jason Momoa, right) had no gardening experience before the project but now claims to have a passion for it

While it has been no small undertaking with the couple forking out £35,000 on the project, Chris says every penny and hour of hard work has been worth it.

Not only can he, Sharon and boxer dog Dice now wander to the bottom of their garden and 'escape' but the venture has also ignited a passion for gardening in Chris.

Chris, of Wollaston, Northamptonshire, said: 'We used to love our holidays but we have a big business and I work a lot.

'The business suddenly took off and went a bit crazy and we've really been pushing it so we struggle to find the time now. We haven't been able to go on holiday for about six years.

'Our dog also suffers from little seizures now and then so we don't like to leave him. We're both housebound and office-bound.

'So I decided, I would bring the holiday to us so we can enjoy. Now we can go to the bottom of the garden and escape in a tropical paradise.

Christopher's wife Sharon (pictured left) and their boxer dog Dice (right) now wander to the bottom of their garden to 'escape' the outside world, he said

Despite having many different Tiki elements to the garden, there's still a lawn area for the the couple's pet dog to run around on

The incredible bar includes these carved timber bar stools, an optical illusion window and is decorated throughout with exotic trinkets

The Tiki hut offers space to the couple to entertain plenty of guests, with room in the bar itself and out on the decking, where visitors can warm themselves around the fire

Muscle-bound Chris poses for a photograph inside the couple's Tiki-inspired bar, where they entertain friends with cocktails

The stunning Tiki bar has a decking area adorned with plenty of tropical paraphernalia, including a beautiful high-backed wicker chair

'We can come down here to our tiki hut and grab a cocktail or a latte and relax. You feel like you're on the other side of the world. You'd never guess you're at the bottom of a garden in the UK.

'I want it to be a place where all our friends can come too if they're having a bad day or feeling down. I want it to be a place where people can just get away.

'I just love to do things that make people happy and put a smile on their faces. It has taken some time and it's swallowed up about £35,000 but it's all worth it as long as it makes us and other people smile.'

After living in their home for 15 years, Chris finally found the time to build an extension two years ago and decided to tackle the garden at the same time.

A willow tree and the bottom of their lawn reminded Chris of a jungle-themed fairground ride he used to go on as a child - and set off his inspiration for his exotic renovations.

Chris poured hours into researching which tropical plants could best withstand British weather and used online tutorial videos to learn all the tricks of the gardening trade.

With an 'eye for detail', years of construction and a helping hand from his mate Rob, Chris has really put his own 'funky and different' stamp on his garden.

As well as planting every plant and laying the grass, Chris built the bridge, put down the decking, built his Tiki bar and crafted a gorgeous bench out of timber.

No expense has been spared with some of the Tiki paraphernalia in the car costing £300 each, with many of the items specially imported into the country from America

Chris poured hours into researching which tropical plants (pictured here at the bar entrance) could best withstand British weather and used online tutorial videos to learn all the tricks of the gardening trade

Walking across the Tiki bridge, with its traditional knot ropes, gives visitors access to the beautiful bar area, which the couple think of as the centrepiece to their tropical paradise

While it has been no small undertaking with the couple forking out £35,000 on the project (pictured halfway through), Chris says every penny and hour of hard work has been worth it

His 'Freaky Tiki' hut was a wooden shed purchased for £4,500 which Chris then transformed with dried grass roofing, an optical illusion tropical window and exotic decorations

No expense has been spared with some plants costing £300 each and Tiki mugs that adorn the barn specially imported from America.

Chris said: 'I didn't have any gardening experience at all before this - apart from keeping the odd cactus or venus fly trap on the window sill when I was younger.

'But a couple of years ago I started an extension on our house and decided it was time to do the garden as well.

'There's a willow tree at the bottom of the garden that really inspired the jungle theme. The way the canopy hangs down made it feel a bit like a rainforest.

'So I started looking into tropical gardening and all the things you could do even living in this country. It really got me. I was hooked.

'I have dyslexia and I always struggled with things like school but when I find something I really enjoy, I put 100 per cent into it and I do have a good eye for detail.

'I have really enjoyed creating the garden. It's given me such a passion for gardening. It can be very addictive.

'And I like it because it's never done, you can always come down here and keep tinkering at it. I love that. It's so relaxing. It's perfect for me.

'So many friends have seen what I've done and they've never been into gardening before but now they're starting to take it up. I love that I've showed people what you can achieve.'