Gorgeous Garden Ideas On A Budget
You don’t need to spend big to have an amazing garden this summer! Here are some easy, and cost-effective tips from Matthew Clague, the expert at tool hire firm, Speedy
Get your garden ready for a summer of entertaining with these 6 top tips…
1.Picture-perfect paint
Pic: Shutterstock
A chipped or shabby fence, shed or wooden furniture can impact the whole look of your garden, so you’ll be surprised by how much a lick of paint can transform your outdoor space.
There are a whole host of wood paints and stains available in lots of different colours, so why not go for the latest colour trend to give your garden a whole new look? Choosing a protective paint saves money in the long run as woodwork will be protected from the elements for years to come.
Neutral tones for gardens are on-trend at the moment, and a paler paint will also help to show off your planting and make flowers pop.
Before applying paint, make sure the surface is dry and brush away any dust and debris.
To make the job quick and easy and ensure a professional finish, use a paint sprayer. When using this, always spray horizontally to avoid drips, and test your technique on a large piece of cardboard before starting out.
2.Get creative with wooden pallets
Pic: Shutterstock
Wooden pallets can be easily – and inexpensively – upcycled into all sorts of garden items.
You can source them for very little online, and they are sometimes even free, but can be turned into pallet planters or garden furniture such as sofas and tables.
There are lots of YouTube tutorials you can follow on creating seating and tables (see main pic at top) using only pallets, nails, a saw and a drill, even if you’re a DIY beginner.
Add wheels to the bottom of a pallet table to make it easily to move around, and be sure to accessorise sofas with cushions and blankets so they’re comfortable to use and you can keep warm into the early hours.
Or why not add a pallet to a fence or wall, as a pretty planting area? Paint to complement the colours of your plants or pots.
3.Give your patio some love
Pic: Shutterstock
Arguably one of the cheapest and easiest ways to spruce up your garden is simply giving it a spring clean.
If you’ve got a concrete or paved patio, or seating area that looks less than appealing, clear leaves and debris with a sweeping brush then use a pressure washer to shift stubborn dirt, algae and moss.
These can be expensive to buy outright, especially if you only plan to use it a couple of times a year, so consider hiring one from Speedy for the weekend for around £27.
Such a small job will make a big difference to the overall look of your outdoor space.
4.Make use of garden waste
Make your own wood chips for borders Pic: Shutterstock
A lot can be done to re-purpose garden waste too, helping you to save money while supporting the environment.
If you’re cutting back trees in your garden, you can hire a wood chipper to make your own wood chips. It’s expensive to buy ready-made in bags from garden centres, so why not make your own for free? Perfect for decorative use on paths or as mulch on bare soil to keep out weeds and add nutrients.
Alternatively, tree trunk slices could be used within a stepping-stone path, larger trees stumps can be turned into rustic stools, and any smaller, sturdy branches should be repurposed as canes and supports for climbing plants.
5.Think about creating height
Pic: Shutterstock
Adding height to your garden is a good way to make more of limited space and also provides an opportunity to draw the eye to various features.
There are a number of ways you can do this – including incorporating plants that grow to different heights and installing trellises, but also building shelving into garden fences or walls using old crates.
Crates can be screwed to the wall, painted in a complementary colour and then used to display potted plants. Arrange crates at different heights or fix a couple together to make a pigeon-hole style shelf unit.
Alternatively, use a saw to cut tree stumps at varying heights and place together in a corner of your garden. Position pots on top or hollow out and grow flowers inside the stumps.
Vertical planters are also very sought-after at the moment and are another way to add height and impact. You can easily make them yourself by fixing plant pots to a wooden pallet and drilling this into your garden fence.
Pic: Shutterstock
6.Hiring over buying
It’s important to have the correct tools before setting out on any garden DIY jobs. High quality tools will make the job much easier and quicker, and provide a more professional finish you can be proud of.
A recent survey reveals that over half of Brits admit that they often don’t even know if they’ve got the right tools for home and garden projects.
Hiring specialist tools can save money on garden makeovers, as it works out more cost-effective if you only plan to use them a few times.
Speedy has a range of 3,500 tools and pieces of equipment available to hire – from hedge trimmers and leaf blowers to lawn mowers and scarifiers – hundreds of which can be delivered to your door within four hours.
For more DIY gardening tips and advice, visit www.speedyservices.com/diy/skills-projects.
For more gardening content, don’t miss our weekly gardening spread inside the pages of My Weekly with garden expert Susie White. In our latest issue, Susie is talking about picking patches, harvesting garlic and planting for spring.
Allison Hay
I joined the "My Weekly" team thirteen years ago and, more recently, "The People's Friend". I love the variety of topics we cover both online and in the magazines. I manage the digital content for the brands, sharing features and information on the website, social media and in our digital newsletters.
