A Peel man with no formal training in landscape gardening has created a large Manx mosaic in his back garden.
Barry Phillips, aged 52, created the garden mural using Manx quartz collected from various beaches around the island, Manx slate for the stepping stones, recycled pallets for the fence and between 1,000 and 1,500 scollop shells from Fenella Beach.
The HGV driver worked on the mosaic for around four hours during the evenings to finish the mural, and has done all the work himself. It took him around one month to complete the piece of outdoor art.
Barry said he has had no formal training but has an ‘enthusiasm to create nice things’.
‘I’ve never done anything like this before, it’s completely different from my job,’ he said.
‘My mate had a template of the Three Legs of Mann and I thought I’m fed up with grass.’
He said he has received a lot of praise for his hard work, with friends describing it as ‘brilliant’.
‘Everyone who has seen it has given me 10 out of 10.
‘I have done this mosaic to inspire others that anyone can do what I have done with a bit of imagination and some hard work.’