Score: 26.5/30
No wonder landscaper Dale went all out to win this week — his pride was on the line!
"We knew it was going to be a close competition — and it was. Thank goodness we won!" Sophie laughs.
The couple, who presented a whimsical, quirky garden, stayed true to form, creating a space that was both fun and functional. And the judges loved it.
"Once again you walk into Sophie and Dale's, and the smile just starts hurting your face," Shaynna said upon seeing their fairy-tale garden.
"They have a real sense of fun, and almost fantasy," John McGrath was quick to add. "Itis like Alice in Wonderland! And they have these wonderful figurines, wonderful grass — and these tree stump chairs are really quite incredible."
Dale's unique wooden stools — complete with coasters so you can wheel them around the deck — tie in beautifully with the timber theme that runs throughout the house. And Sophie couldn't be more thrilled with the way they came up.
"Dale designed them exactly how he wanted them to look — and they came up great," says Sophie.
"I got the stumps from a bloke that I have got timber from before, Tom The Lumberjack," Dale adds. "I also got the wood for the table and the bar from there too."
As well as their quirky design aesthetic, the other thing that's setting Sophie and Dale apart from their neighbours is their use of grass — and their clever decision to open up the yard to the side street, allowing potential buyers to park their car off-street. Coming last in the first challenge of the season, the couple had no choice but to take House #1 — and now it's looking like this twist of fate might just pay dividends.
"The grass, it's a point of difference round here to have a lawn. It's only a few square metres, but it's that feeling it gives you," says John McGrath. "They have actually made it very easy for the purchaser to bring a car off the street. That adds value."
In terms of value, Sophie and Dale are making sure any potential new owner gets it in spades. With an extra $4000 in winnings to spend, this week Sophie has been racing around the shops, picking up little extras to entice potential buyers — including those two gorgeous vintage bikes!
"It got to the second last day and I went and bought some fabulous, expensive bikes," says Sophie proudly. "The extra money has been great, and it's funny — we didn't plan on having anything left over at all!"
