Skip to content

Halloween lovers build spooky garden graveyard

Lili Sheppard,in Hempsteadand
Tanya Gupta,South East
BBC Ashleigh Feveyear and Nico Slatter, a young couple, stand on a narrow garden path surrounded by a Halloween-themed graveyard display. The front garden contains weathered grey gravestones, several with engraved names and dates, including John Peter Kramer and Gage Creed. Bare branches stretch across the scene, with fencing, trees and the brick wall of a house visible in the background.BBC
The couple's love of creating things and all things Halloween led to the display

A couple have created a spooky Halloween scene outside their home using handmade decorations after spending about two months building the attraction.

Nico Slatter and Ashleigh Feveyear have transformed their garden in Hempstead, near Gillingham, with props including gravestones, sound effects, smoke and animated figures.

The graveyard they have created in Birch Grove uses headstones that were made out of polystyrene by Nico, and then painted by Ashleigh.

Ashleigh said: "It was fun. I mean, it gave us something to do over two months, basically, and we did it because we just really enjoy creating stuff and we like spooky and we like Halloween. So it just all kind of made sense."

Nico Slatter Close-up of several gravestones arranged in a garden and lit in bright green light. One gravestone reads "John Peter Kramer" with additional engraved text beneath. Another stone to the left is inscribed with "Charles Lee Ray". Other tombstones stand behind among grass, fallen leaves and bare branches. Part of a tall grim reaper figure can be seen in the background above the graves.Nico Slatter
The couple spent months creating gravestones and spooky figures for the display

Ashleigh said the spooky scene had been popular with visitors adding: "People have been coming with their children and taking photos, and their dogs as well, so it's been fun seeing everyone enjoy it."

She said Nico cut out the headstones.

Ashleigh then painted them and filled in the letters in dark grey.

She said: "I would look at inspirations online of real gravestones and just pick out parts of them that I really liked."

Nico Slatter A night-time view of a front garden decorated as a Halloween graveyard. A pathway leads between weathered grey tombstones lit by small ground spotlights. Several orange pumpkins sit beside the path. Bare tree branches frame the scene, while a large grim reaper-style skeleton figure draped in flowing fabric stands above the graves. Small lanterns hang from branches and posts, and mist or smoke is illuminated by white light around the display. A black metal fence is visible in the foreground.Nico Slatter
The graveyard is lit up each night with special effects until Halloween

The couple, who have posted pictures on Facebook, have said people are welcome to walk through the graveyard, and all the sound and light effects will be turned on each night up to Halloween.

"I'm very excited for people to come and see our display," Ashleigh said, adding that they both just wanted to people to enjoy it with them.

She said: "We come out here most nights and just experience the front garden, so we're looking forward to people seeing it and feeling it too."

Nico Slatter A close-up of a tall Halloween grim reaper decoration illuminated in green light. The figure has a skeletal face and chest, wears draped robes and raises one bony arm into the air. A small lantern hangs from the front of the costume. Wooden fencing and dark foliage are visible behind the figure against the night sky.Nico Slatter
Ashleigh and Nico plan to re-use their decorations in future years

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, X, and on Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Kent on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.

More on this story
Related internet links