COMPANIES came together to rescue a man’s dream garden after what was meant to be a three-week job dragged on for more than a year.

Paul Pinch, 54, can now enjoy his Japanese style garden in Bridgwater Drive, Westcliff, after local builders finished it off for free after another firm failed to complete the job.

Mr Pinch wanted to transform his 91-year-old mother’s garden in time for her birthday in May last year.

But work on Daisy’s garden was only finished last weekend after workers with Gold Medal Gardeners, based in Stratfordupon- Avon, stopped work in December last year.

Mr Pinch said: “It was my treat to mum. We had watched an Alan Titchmarsh programme and had seen a lovely Japanese garden. I wanted to recreate that with a Japanese tea house and koi carp pond.

“It was a nightmare with different people coming and going for ten months. I had to get other workers in and more have very kindly helped me. Stephen from Root2Shoot came in on Saturday to complete the garden by laying the new lawn. It is beautiful. He has done a great job and I’m very grateful to him and the other companies who also helped.”

He added: “It was only supposed to take 20 days and was supposed to be ready in time for my mother’s birthday on May 6 last year but it looks lovely now and mum sits in the conservatory enjoying the view.”

Stephen Ramsey, director of Root2Shoot, called in help from Crowley Turf Suppliers, in Upminster, and soil suppliers Treefella in Great Wakering to get the job done.

He said: “We found soil hadn’t been adequately rolled prior to the laying of turf which resulted in the lawn being so soft underfoot that you could not walk on it without sinking and leaving foot print and hollows all over the lawn.

“It was one of the worst attempts at a turfing job I have seen. We were asked to provide a price for repairing the lawn, by Mr Pinch which we did. It came to £575.95 however, I felt the original work was so poor the only way we could ensure the lawn was done correctly was to lift it and start again.

“This would have cost Mr Pinch considerably more, but it was money I felt he shouldn’t have to pay.”

Paul Dyer, who was employed as a designer for the job by Gold Medal Gardeners, said: “There were major water problems which were not realised at the time we advised the client.

“We carried out £10,000 extra work over and above the cost of the contract. The client refused to allow us to put drainage in because the water would go into a neighbour’s garden. All the problems were caused by rain. In the spring it is wet.”

Mr Pinch claims he has spent £35,000 on the new garden.