Recently, we’ve spent a lot more time outside and started to look at ways to transform our garden on a budget.
I’ve never been much of a gardener, I always found it a little overwhelming and wanted a minimalist look (probably more due to the fact that it always looked like hard work!)
I just didn’t know where to start when it came to planting flowers and pruning trees so left it well alone!
We mowed our lawn and stuck a few plants in some pots and hoped for the best, only to find that most plants had died over the winter and the lawn looked like someone had given it a comb-over!
I started researching gardening on a budget to get some ideas to improve our outdoor space
Every year I’ve upped my game a little and this year is no exception, I have plenty of small garden ideas on a budget to share!
Create a Garden on a Budget
I never really gave our garden much thought when we first moved into this house. It was a large space and great for our kids to run around in.
However, in 2020 we started spending a lot more time in our garden and we started looking at ways to improve it. We had some glorious weather, so spent a few weeks out in the garden digging, pruning and thinking of ways to improve our garden space.
From small garden ideas to gardening on a budget, here are some projects to get you started.
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Our garden and decking space looking a bit, well, meh!
Clean your patio or decking
Start by pulling up any plants or weeds that have grown in between the patio slabs and sweeping away the debris with a stiff brush.
Using the same brush, you can then use soapy water to scrub the patio or decking or use a pressure washer to remove the stubborn dirt and stains.
Spruce up a tired patio or decking by painting it!
We had new decking put down about 3 years ago and it did not fare well after a few winters.
I looked at many different ways how to tidy it up and decided to paint a mosaic pattern on it using Dizzy Duck Designs stencils and Cuprinol paint and was thrilled with the results.
I wrote a blog post on how to stencil your decking last summer and there have been some wonderful creative decking and patio designs since.
You don’t have to attempt to stencil your space, just a lick of paint will instantly freshen up your decking or patio and is a quick way to update your garden on a budget.
Tidy up flower beds and weeds and add some colour
If you are looking for small garden ideas, tidying up your borders and flower beds is the easiest way to spruce up your garden on a budget!
Try to pull weeds up from the roots so that they don’t grow back.
If you want to stop weeds or grass from growing in your flower beds, give them a border with something simple like bricks, sleepers or concrete blocks.
Add colour by painting your fence or shed
A quick and easy way to add impact and colour to your garden is to paint your garden shed or fence.
Different fence paint colours can make the difference between a garden looking small, or huge! It’s all a matter of perception.
Investing in lighter colours such as beige, pink and baby blue, gives the illusion that your garden is much larger than it actually is.
Darker colours can have the opposite effect, making your garden look more compact due to the distinct change in colour compared to the grass.
Why not try something new and give a new fence paint colour a go? There are plenty of affordable options out there, so you can find the perfect one for your garden.
No longer are the shelves stocked with just brown, light brown or a different shade of brown, you can find anything from Iris blue to bright pink which is a great idea for gardening on a budget.
We painted our fence dark blue last summer and I haven’t regretted it since, it’s a beautiful shade and really makes the plants and trees pop against it.
Sheds also look good painted in a different colour. If you don’t own a garden shed I highly recommend you build one with this step-by-step guide.
Repair and Paint pots
Painting or decorating tired plant pots and repairing ones that have not made it through the winter can help transform your garden on a budget.
I love terracotta plant pots, but you can paint tired pots bright colours to add interest to the garden.
We are trying to move away from plastic pots in our garden, you can create pots out of many things including welly boots, pots or pans and hanging baskets out of sieves!
Lighting
Last year, adding lighting to our garden was an absolute revelation and completely transformed our outdoor living. It is such a quick and easy way to transform your garden on a budget.
Not only does it look wonderful at night, but it can also provide a wonderful decorative feel during the day.
Adding wicker and glass lanterns, oversized candles, hurricane lamps and fairy and festoon lights to your seating space or just wrapped around the tree, can provide an instant uplift to your garden.
There is an abundance of solar-panelled lighting online these days so you don’t have to worry about your electric bill, with some of my favourites being the solar festoon lights from Wilko and battery-powered outdoor fairy lights from Lights4fun.
Add mirrors or decorative features
Mirrors are not just for the home! If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to transform your garden on a budget, these are just the thing.
You can get a great range of outdoor mirrors online that you can hang up in your garden.
This helps bounce the light around if you have a particularly shady or dark spot in your garden and can make the space appear bigger, as in the home.
If you are looking for simple small garden ideas, you can buy items like multi-coloured lanterns and ornamental wooden or rustic stars to hang from the trees or fences.
Paint your garden furniture
Is your garden furniture looking a little sorry for itself after 8 months of heavy winter rain? I know ours certainly was.
A bit like your fence or shed, there are so many fabulous paint products out there these days, you can paint your furniture an array of magnificent colours.
Maybe paint a small garden planter a bright pop of pink to add colour to your garden, or give your bench or dining set a new lease of life by choosing one of the fab colours on offer from Cuprinol, Ronseal and Rust-oleum.
It doesn’t even have to be expensive garden furniture, the popularity of using old wooden pallets to create seating and garden tables is on the rise and you could paint these to freshen them up. Gardening on a budget couldn’t be easier!
Cosy up your seating area
Once you’ve spruced up your garden furniture, you can make it a completely cosy outdoor space by adding lots of soft furnishings to your seating area like throws and cushions and perhaps an outdoor rug!
This has become a big trend in recent years with brands such as Wayfair, La Redoute and Maisons du Monde all selling outdoor rugs. They have plenty of garden ideas and products to suit all styles.
Divide the garden into zones.
And finally, if you are like me and find gardening a bit overwhelming and don’t know where to start, divide your garden into zones and tackle each area one at a time.
Start with a seating area so you can make the most of your garden and make sure it is somewhere you want to sit (not like us when we spent a fortune having new decking created in a permanently shaded area)!
Create a divide from the seating area to the lawn with lots of potted plants, bamboo screens or ornamental grasses.
With a seating area created, you can then sit there with a G&T and admire all your hard work in the garden!
So, what garden ideas are you going to tackle first? We are in the middle of creating a new seating zone in our garden and I can’t wait to enjoy it this summer.
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Simply wonderful, entertaining, enlightening and informative! Now where do I begin! Thank you for sharing your resources as that’s half the battle. I’m inspired
Thanks for reading Sally. We’ve really enjoyed transforming our garden this spring 🙂
Really enjoy reading your tips. Have a corner in our garden which needs help please. Two red brick walls and other side has a conservatory wall. Just enough room for a bench width ways but goes back a couple of feet. Many thanks
Author
Could you perhaps turn it into a little cottage/court yard garden? Cosy it up with a patio set and perhaps hang flower baskets from the walls? Or maybe drape some festoon lights from one wall to another to make it a really cosy corner in the evenings. You could even put a small corner sofa in there and make it totally cosy. 🙂
Hello, can you come and do mine now olease? If you like a challenge! You can take photos and publish. Please say YES ☺️
Hi Jenny
I’d love to! What do you need done? If you want to email me at hello@melaniejadedesign.com and I will see what I can do
Mel 🙂
I would love some help in my garden! Please send help. Yours looks so beautiful
Haha! Thanks Nadine. I think once you get some inspiration and mood boards sorted out, the rest will come easily. Take your time! Mel 🙂
I loved reading this. Inspired by painting a brick wall a lovely dark blue and decking with the cool pattern, instead of plain paint. No to get him to work 😉
Hi Lizzie
A friend of mine has just painted her white brick wall dark blue and it looks amazing! They have also had new decking laid and she bought a huge patterned outdoor rug to put on top which has a brilliant effect (and if I was to have decking again, I think this is what I would do instead of painting it! So much easier). Mel 🙂
Hi Melanie, very inspiring piece, do you know what the pavers are in the pic with the gorgeous big mirror? I am looking for a cheaper alternative to Yorkstone?
Hello. Do you mean the one with the dark blue exterior wall and mirror? I don’t I’m afraid, the picture is from http://www.aldgatehome.com so you’d have to contact them.
Mel 🙂
Hi Melanie,
I love your designs! They are so creative and earthy. Can you help me with my backyard? Do you charge a fee for your consultation?
Thank you ,
Julie
Hi Julie
Thank you 🙂 I could certainly help, email me at hello@melaniejadedesign.com and we’ll take it from there.
Mel x
Your ideas and finished design results are so inspirational.
I wish I had seen all this when I was able to garden . Now its a thorn in my side. But you give Hope xx
It all starts with small changes! 🙂
Great ideas…but I didn’t really see that you changed YOUR garden…and your new furniture is anything but budget! Those photos of other people’s gardens were nice though.
I hardly think painting your fence is expensive?? And I didn’t say I was changing MY garden, I said YOURS as in the general public. Did you get up on the wrong side of bed this morning??
Good morning Melanie,
You (and the unseasonable sunshine – let’s call it spring) have got me going. I particularly like the way that the pictures show how sheds can be softened by planting or other effects. The dark colours are also striking.
Will drop you a line if that’s OK.
Stephen
I really like these ideas, especially the one about adding string lights!! Those would be perfect for summer BBQs and parties. I just moved into a new home and got the fence redone by a local contractor. I got a composite fence and have been looking for other ways to spruce up my yard and garden on my limited budget. Thank you for these tips!
We’re looking at composite fencing for our new house. Thanks for the tip!
Hi Melanie
We love your garden design. What type of tree are they along the fence, is it Indian Bean? are they expensive to buy that size?
Many thanks
Kevin
Hi Kevin
Are you talking about the trees along the black fence? They are Indian bean. Unfortunately it is not my house, it belongs too https://www.instagram.com/skovbon/
Kind regards
Mel
Such cozy looks! I spent most of last summer updating my patio area but still have a ways to go. I love the use of mirrors outside and have seen so many at garage sales I could have gotten for really cheap, however, I live in NE Ia where the winters get really cold and nasty. Anyone have experience with having mirrors outside in super cold weather? I won’t get any if I have to bring them in every fall.
Author
Hi Michelle, I also love using mirrors outside, it helps bounce the light around and reflect all my lovely plants and garden decor. I live in southern England which gets really cold in the winter and some mirrors I’ve left outside, some mirrors I put away for the winter. The ones I left outside are fine, although starting to show signs of rust. I reckon it’s probably best to put them away in a garage or shed for the winter. Mel 🙂