Got a garden or a bit of outdoor space? It’s awesome, right? Like having your own mini oasis to soak up the sun and chill with nature. But if it’s not feeling cozy or inviting, you might not be hanging out there much. Don’t worry, sprucing it up doesn’t have to be a huge deal.
Instead, how about getting creative with some cool, budget-friendly gardening tricks? Stick around, I’ve got 10 creative gardening ideas to help you jazz up your space and make it your own!
On a Budget
1. Easy DIY Garden Path
Garden paths add some structure and organization to your yard or outdoor area without compromising your space, as fencing, a trellis, or other dividers might.
Supplies Needed:
- Discarded bricks, concrete slabs, old decking slats, stones, or tree stumps.
- Tools for leveling and securing the path materials.
Basic How-To Instructions:
- Pick from bricks, slabs, decking slats, stones, or tree stumps, based on your style.
- Layout where you want your path to go in your garden.
- Clear and level the area for your path.
- Place your chosen materials along the planned route, securing them as needed.
- Fill gaps with soil, gravel, or sand, and tidy up the edges.
Creating a garden path is a simple way to add charm and structure to your outdoor space without the need for major construction or high costs.
2. Alternative Planters
For those with limited garden space in apartments or on balconies, embracing creative gardening ideas like a planter gallery wall can be a game-changer.
This approach utilizes vertical space efficiently, allowing you to display plants on walls or partitions, optimizing outdoor layout while adding a unique aesthetic touch.
3. DIY Outdoor Couches
You can’t hang in your newly decorated space without some garden furniture! With just a few materials and elbow grease, you can DIY an outdoor couch!
Supplies Needed:
- Used wooden pallets
- Weather sealant for wood
- Comfy, washable cushions
How-To Instructions:
- Find some used wooden pallets, often available for cheap or free.
- Join the pallets to create the base structure of your couch.
- Protect the wood by applying a weather sealant.
- Place comfortable, washable cushions on the pallet base for seating.
- Tailor the design to fit your space and style preferences.
This DIY outdoor couch is a great way to recycle materials, save money, and add a personal touch to your garden area!
4. Planter Gallery Wall
Living in an apartment or maisonette often means limited garden space, with balconies or terraces serving as your green area. This usually results in an abundance of potted plants, which, while lovely, aren’t always space-efficient.
A great solution is to create a planter gallery wall. This approach varies depending on your available wall or partition space but ultimately maximizes your vertical area for plant display. It’s an efficient, visually appealing way to organize your plants and can really enhance your outdoor layout. Plus, it looks pretty awesome!
5. Old Chair Planters
Upcycling old household items make for some of the best creative gardening ideas!
There are tons of different used and preloved items that can serve a purpose in your garden, and likely a few you’ve never even considered. Did you ever consider using old dining chairs as outdoor planters?
Though maybe not the most obvious choice, they work surprisingly well as planters and add a vintage feel to your outdoor decor.
6. Wine Cork Plant Markers
Starting an herb and vegetable garden can be confusing since seedlings often look alike. To keep track of what’s what, consider using wine corks as plant markers.
You can paint, write, or draw on them to label your garden beds clearly. It’s a customizable and eco-friendly idea that adds upcycling value to your garden. Plus, saving wine corks can be handy for various DIY projects!
7. Colander Hanging Planters
Proper drainage is key for potted plant health, as water buildup can cause root rot. While many hanging planters lack drainage holes, a simple solution is to use a colander.
You can easily find them at thrift stores, dollar stores, yard sales, or even in your own kitchen. Just ensure the colander’s holes aren’t too large, or use a water-permeable liner to keep the soil in place.
8. DIY Raised Beds
A way to ensure that pollinators can benefit from your creative gardening ideas is to introduce some protected, raised beds into your space.
Not only does this look neater and adds some structure to your outdoor space, but it also protects those precious plants more effectively.
Supplies Needed:
- Old scraps of metal, planks, or concrete slabs
How-To Instructions:
- Choose from metal scraps, planks, or concrete slabs for your raised bed.
- Construct a box-like structure using your chosen materials to the desired size and height.
- Position the raised bed in your garden and ensure it’s stable.
- Plant flowers or other plants in the raised bed for less competition and better protection from pests, leading to healthier growth.
9. DIY Garden Shade
There’s nothing better than hanging in your outdoor space on a beautiful summer day. But sometimes, it’s hard to enjoy it without some shade and relief from the bright sun.
Thankfully, creating your own garden shade is super easy! All you need is some large scraps of fabric, some poles, and something to hold it all together.
This gardening idea is particularly fun because you totally customize your shade however you want to compliment your garden.
10. Easy Water Feature
Water features are a cool, unique gardening idea to diversify the plant and insect population in your outdoor space as well as draw the eye to an exciting focal point.
With some stones, a metal tub, and a water pump, you can fix yourself an easy water feature in no time.
Time to Spruce up Your Garden!
Making your garden feel more like you doesn’t require a huge investment and hiring a landscaping company to do. There are plenty of simple, creative gardening ideas and changes that can transform the feel of your outdoor space to reflect your home and your interests better.
Want more garden content? Visit our gardening page for in-depth guides, explainer posts, and great ideas!