A BOLTON gardener could be “shedding” tears of joy after his back garden creation was nominated for a top national award.
Andy Walker has built an alpine hut-style shed in his back garden in Farnworth, and the structure has been entered into the annual shed of the year competition.
Mr Walker, aged 46, who is originally from Deane, spent six months creating the shed, which he has called Ty Mynydd Fach — Welsh for Little Mountain Hut.
The name was inspired by his wife Rachel, who is from Wales, as well as the couple’s shared love of mountain climbing.
The landscape gardener said he used mainly recycled materials which he came across during his work.
He said: “The shed was inspired by our love of the mountains. My wife and I have climbed mountains around the world including Nepal, Tanzania, Peru, Ecuador and the Alps.
“We have visited mountain lodges and huts in a lot of these places and wanted to create something to capture these places — I even proposed to Rachel on top of a mountain, and luckily she said yes.”
Inside the Alpine hut are mountain related memorabilia that the couple have collected from their travels, including a South American wall hanging, Nepal prayer flags, beer bottles and a wooden bear from Yosemite national park in the USA.
Mr Walker added: “I have constructed a bar and the seating is made from recycled pallet wood.
“Around the walls of the hut I have carved the names of mountains significant to us and there is also a stone fireplace with a Welsh slate hearth.”
The Little Mountain Hut has been shortlisted in the budget category of the national contest, which is sponsored by Cuprinol.
The top four creations in each of the eight categories will make up the finalists, who will feature on the popular Channel 4 TV series Amazing Spaces this summer, when an overall winner will be announced.
The 46-year-old added: “I saw the show last year and it did inspire me, but you never know how these things will go — so I was really chuffed to be shortlisted for one of the awards.
“The shed is a great place for us to go and relax and forget that the M61 motorway is just over the road.”
Voting to determine the category winners, and who goes through to the next round has opened via Readersheds.co.uk.
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