There was only one problem when the 79-year-old started work – his dogs kept urinating on his plants.

Fed-up, Mr Aspin decided to build a well using old bits of stone and wood, hoping it would save his flower beds and lawn.

And it worked, with pets Ben and Max now using the handmade water feature to do their business.

Mr Aspin, from Marsden Lane, South Shields, said: "Before I built the well, they were destroying my plants and grass. It's the best bit about my garden – it only took two weeks to build."

Mr Aspin and his wife Audrey, 77, moved into the bungalow 10 months ago, and he has revamped the front and back gardens.

Now the latest entrant in the Gazette's Glorious Gardens competition, added: "After six months of hard work, it was looking totally different than when I took it over.

"I spend a lot of time in there and I'm always looking to improve it. I try to make it better each day I spend gardening.

"There's no better feeling than planting seeds, and watching plants grow. I can't believe how fast the garden has come on, it makes me so happy."

* Hundreds of pounds' worth of prizes are up for grabs for our eventual winner and two runners-up.

Our prizes include a £300 shed, courtesy of Timberline, for the winner.
The second-placed runner-up will receive a £50, two-burner gas barbecue from B&Q, and the third prize is a £25 Asda voucher.

To enter your garden, or nominate someone else's, call 427 4858, or e-mail gazette.news@ northeast-press.co.uk

You can also write to: Gazette Glorious Gardens, c/o News Desk, The Shields Gazette, Chapter Row, South Shields, NE33 1BL, or fill in a form online here.
Don't forget to include the entrant's name, address and telephone number.