DIY Garden Projects: Building Your Own Planters, Trellises, and Garden Art

DIY Planters

1. Painted Planters

All you need for this easy garden project are a few pots, some paint, and a paintbrush. Keep it simple by painting the pots a solid color, or add some personality with an interesting design.

To ensure your new pots stay looking nice when they’re out in the elements, finish them off with a coat of sealer.

2. Raised Garden Beds

Building your own raised garden beds is simple to do and can save a lot of money versus buying premade beds. You can use cinder blocks, untreated wood pallets, or lumber such as cedar, pine, hemlock, or fir.

Cedar is one of the top choices because it’s naturally water-resistant and breaks down more slowly than other woods.

To make it easier, purchase a kit to assemble or buy a set of plans to follow.

3. Upcycled Containers

Garden projects that save money are some of the best kinds!

Before buying new planters, look around and see what you already have that might work.

Many unused containers can be upcycled into planters, including old kitchen bowls or strainers, buckets, empty milk jugs, tires, a wheelbarrow, and much more.

4. Pallet Planter

Repurpose an old pallet into a beautiful new planter.

Use an untreated wood pallet and leave it as is, or add vertical slats to separate growing areas inside the pallet.

Lay the pallet flat on the ground for a makeshift raised garden bed. Stand it upright to make a vertical planter.

Garden Supports

5. String Trellis

A string trellis is one of the most practical garden projects you can make. They’re perfect for providing support to any vining plants including tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, and pole beans.

To make one, all you need are garden stakes and twine. Secure the stakes into the ground about 4-6 inches deep. Then tie the string to the stakes using a cross-hatch or square pattern.

6. Teepee

Teepees are good for growing small vining plants like nasturtiums, peas, and pole beans. Large teepees work well for bigger plants like tomatoes and squash.

These attractive supports are quick and easy to make. All you need are bamboo stakes and garden twine. Push three stakes into the ground in a triangle pattern. How far apart the stakes should be depends on how big you want the finished teepee to be. In general, 6-12 inches apart works well.

Once the ends are secured in the ground, pull the tops of the stakes together to form a teepee shape. Secure the ends together using the garden twine, about an inch from the top.

7. Arbor

Arbors are both attractive and functional in the garden. You can grow many things on an arbor including flowers, grapes, squash, melons, and more.

To build your own arbor, you’ll need basic building supplies, including lumber, a saw, a hammer, and nails.

To make it easier, purchase building plans or an arbor kit.

8. Cattle Panel Tunnel

Cattle panels are incredibly useful in the garden. One large panel can be used to create a tunnel to support many different vegetables.

During cold weather, cover the tunnel with garden cloth to create a cold frame.

To make your tunnel, Bend the cattle panel over a garden bed and secure it using T posts.

Garden Art Projects

9. Windchimes

Make windchimes out of recycled silverware, sea shells, buttons, broken glass, or anything else you have on hand.

Use a large ring for the top, then tie the other elements to the ring using fishing line.

10. Stepping Stones

Stepping stones are a fun garden project you can make using a kit or with basic supplies from the hardware store.

To make your own you’ll need cement, a mold, and attractive stones or tiles to decorate with.

11. Plant Markers

Create unique plant markers using smooth rocks or stakes.

Acrylic markers make it easy to draw detailed images on small surfaces. Finish the plant markers with a coat of sealer to protect your designs from the elements.

12. Fairy Garden

Fairy gardens add a touch of whimsy and playfulness to the garden.

You can easily find elements for a fairy garden online, or use what you already have on hand. Create one little area for your fairies or sprinkle fairy elements throughout the garden for a bigger effect.

Garden Projects to Make Your Life Easier

13. Strawberry Rocks

Strawberry rocks are so cute, but they serve an important purpose as well!

Put these rocks around your strawberry plants in early spring. Birds will think they’re real and try to take a bite. Eventually, they’ll realize that these aren’t real strawberries and stop trying.

Then when the real strawberries start to come in, they won’t know they’re real.

14. Rain Barrel

Make your own rain barrel out of a trash can, barrel, or other large container. Use a mesh screen over the top to let water in while keeping other debris out.

15. Garden Apron

If you have some sewing skills, why not make a handy gardening apron? You can use it to carry your garden tools or for harvesting.

With this practical garden project, you won’t have to use your shirt to collect vegetables anymore!

16. Potting Bench

Potting benches are great for storing tools, potting up plants, and doing other garden tasks. You can build your own using scrap wood. To make it easy, purchase a kit.

17. Tool Cleaning Bucket

A tool-cleaning bucket is a practical garden project that’s sure to get a ton of use.

To make it, get an old bucket and fill it with sand. Add a generous amount of oil and stir it in. You can use any type of oil, but motor oil is best. Vegetable oil spoils after a few months.

To use the bucket to clean your tools, just dip them into the sand and move them around for a few moments. The sand works to rub dirt and grime away, and the oil protects tools from rust.

Keep the bucket covered when not in use.