"I always say we bought the garden, not the house.

We had previously looked at so many houses on the market and were disappointed as we were outbid each time.

Then my mother spotted a small ad for this house. It was in such bad condition; there were seven students lodging in it and there was only an outside toilet. But I didn't really pay much attention to any of that . . . I just fell in love with the garden."

That was five years ago and since then Alison and husband Declan Beirne have created a home where the line between the fully renovated house and rejuvenated garden is delightfully blurred via the glazed walls and French doors in the sunlit, kitchen/ dining room extension.

The initial task of reviving an unruly garden that had been untouched for nearly a decade led to the formation of Dig, the couple's landscaping and maintenance company.

Horticulture graduate Alison had worked as a designer for several years and was a team member of the silver giltawardwinning exhibition at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2002.

Together with project manager Declan, the company specialise in design and maintenance contract work for the corporate market, property management firms and private clients. They also come to the aid of gardens in need of a seasonal tidy-up and, increasingly, owners of hard-to-sell properties seeking a horticultural makeover.

As well as the obvious aesthetic side of their work, there is a hugely practical dimension too. As Alison explains, a beautiful garden is as much to do with maintenance as good design.

"A lot of our clients are couples in their mid-30s, both working and with little time on their hands. That is where we would do a lot of maintenance work. Garden waste is also a huge issue for people.

We remove it but it's getting more and more difficult for garden companies to dispose of it in the greater Dublin area. It's something we hope the Green Party will address."

When it came to taming their own garden, they quickly discovered they had something of a historic and quirky plot to work with. And one which was a television star in its initial heyday. "Our neighbours used to tell us about 'Harry's garden'. Harry was the original owner. He grew up here and the garden was his pride and joy. His mother, known as 'Muds', had a little summer house with a bell in it at the bottom of the garden and she used to ring up to the main house for her tea to be brought down. The garden was so unusual it was featured on RTE's Radharc television series decades ago."

Eccentric touches aside, the basic structure, including steps, paths, archways and a circular paved patio, was excellent. A key aspect of a well-laid out garden, according to designers, is that you shouldn't be able to take it all in in one glance.

This garden is laid out in a series of 'rooms'. Entrance is up the original steps and through a jasmine and rose covered arch. From there, it's past a lofty lilac and then a series of squared sections, each with their own floral story to tell. The first garden is a raised rockery, naturalised with aqualiga, camellia and spring flowering bulbs. Next is a herb garden with neat box hedge. At the very bottom of the garden is a small lawned area. This is currently given over as a play area for the couple's young daughter, Leonie.

The garden may sound high maintenance but the couple say a twice-yearly overhaul . . . spring and autumn . . . with some weeding in summer, while allowing plants to naturalise, is the approach.

But there is always something new to discover or unearth. Unusual artefacts have emerged over the years, including the penguin by the pond, resplendant on his diving board, and also a small statue of a lady in bright national costume. These have been faithfully retained, giving this city garden its unique and quirky character and adding an element of fun with each discovery . . . such as was the case with the original l930s glasshouse, which retains an original incumbent.

"When my sister Louise and I first braved the brambles and nettles to investigate the glasshouse, we spotted an ancient vine growing up through it. We were even more excited when we spotted a huge bunch of ripe grapes languishing behind the glass. But when we finally got through the door, we discovered they were plastic!"

WHERE TO BUY

>> Dig Landscaping & Maintenance Ltd: www. diglandscaping. ie. Costs range from 200 per day (per person) for garden maintenance; garden design costs 300 for an initial consultation.

>> Debenhams: www. debenhams. com

>> Homebase www. homebase. ie

>> Murphy & Wood Garden Centre: Hill's Centre, Johnstown Road, Dun Laoghaire, 01-285 4855. Great for rare and unusual plant species

>> Orchard Garden Centre: Lucan Road, Celbridge, Co Kildare, 01- 628 8903. Good for plants and garden materials.

THREE TO STEAL

1 For a low-maintenance city garden, twice a year give it a good overhaul. In spring, get out before March and rip out weed seedlings before they take a hold.

In autumn, give the garden a good feed. You can also cut down on the work by letting plants naturalise, says Alison.

2 Create a more interesting garden space by breaking up the garden into a series of 'rooms': a herb garden, decked area, lawn and rockery. Gardens should be explored not taken in at a glance

3 If your garden is very small concentrate on plants that look cheerful and colourful in spring, rather than trying to create year-round interest. Inexpensive lanterns and outdoor lighting will add to the feel.