WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR GARDEN ON A BUDGET

Are you looking for ways to give your garden a makeover without a complete redesign?

Garden projects can be expensive but there are many small ways you can add impact to your space or give areas a new look, and they don’t have to be costly. Buying a tin of paint and rejuvenating your fence can give your garden a new style, growing annuals from seed will produce a host of ready made plants to fill borders and containers, all for the cost of a few packets of seed.

You can make your own bird bath or create a planter from pallets. Even reshaping a border can give your garden a new designed look. We show you how to refresh your garden, with this list of modern garden ideas, and explain how to make it look good on a budget.

PAINTING A FENCE

Give your fence a fresh coat of paint for instant impact in the garden. Not only will this rejuvenate your fence and protect it from the weather, you can make your boundary into a feature by painting it a bold colour. This will give you a new backdrop to plant against, all for the cost of a pot of paint.

MAKE A SIMPLE BIRD BATH

Save money on buying a bird bath with this economical alternative. Not only will you have an attractive new garden feature, but it will help attract a variety of birds. All you need is a terracotta pot, a glazed terracotta saucer and some external waterproof glue. Turn the pot upside down and add a circle of glue to the bottom. Stick the saucer on top of the upturned pot, making sure it's central. Leave to set for a few hours, then fill the saucer with water.

PLANT IN SMALL GAPS

Buy a pack of hardy succulents such as sempervivums and crassulas to create a display in the gaps between paving or in the dry soil at the base of a wall. Buying a pack of plants at the garden centre or online will save you money and these tiny plants will add a dash of greenery to tiny spaces.

ADD LIGHTING TO YOUR GARDEN

Lighting doesn't have to be run off the mains and expensive to make a difference to your garden. Garden lighting can be low cost and easy to install, from using candles in lanterns on your outdoor garden table to stringing battery operated fairy lights in your trees or shrubs. There are also lots of solar lighting options for post lights or spot lights that can be positioned alongside paths or used to highlight focal points at night. To protect bats and insects at night, make sure you use soft lighting rather than brighter, white LED lights, and turn them off when you're not using the garden.

TURN PALLETS INTO PLANTERS

Pallets can be sourced for free and repurposed as planters, raised beds or insect shelters. Wash your pallet and then either leave it as it is or add your own finishing touch by painting it. Use the pallet as a way to display bedding plants or salads. Trailing plants will be able to spill over the edge of the pallet softening the look of the display. It will also add height and can be used to disguise a bare wall or fence.

RECYCLE BOTTLES AND CORKS

Reuse corks or wine bottles to create striking garden edging. Use a glass cutter to cut the bottom 10cm off the bottom of the bottle and set it into building sand as if they were bricks. If you don’t have enough bottles, try sourcing more from local pubs or restaurants.

MAKE A BEE HOTEL

Bee hotels provide a vital habitat for many species of solitary bee and also make a focal point in the garden. To make one, fill a wooden box with a mix of hollow stems and bamboo canes with diameters ranging from 2mm to 12mm to attract a variety of different species. Cut the stems to the same length (ideally 20cm), ensuring any nodes in the bamboo stems are at one end. Then pack them together, with any nodes at the back, in the box. You can also drill holes in logs of the same length. Position your bee hotel in a dry, sheltered spot in full sun, about 1.5m high. Fixed securely to a wall or fence is ideal.

PLANT SEEDS AND BULBS INSTEAD OF BUYING MATURE PLANTS

If you want to create a gorgeous garden full of colourful blooms on a budget, then patience is key. It’s a lot cheaper to buy seeds and bulbs than it is to buy mature plants, so why not sow some seeds and watch your plants grow? There is something extremely satisfying and rewarding about nurturing plants and watching them grow from seedling to fully fledged foliage. If you’ve got the time (and commitment) to spare, then consider growing your garden plants from seed to save on costs.