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Garden Ideas on a budget

Posted on March 13, 2024

With Spring starting, you maybe looking to improve your outside space. Garden improvements can be expensive, however we have put together a few top tips to improve your garden on a budget, and make an instant impact! Many of the ideas we have put together are cheap and easy to do.

Shape and improve your lawn

One of the cheapest ways to transform your garden on a budget is to cut your lawn into a defined shape, a simple square, rectangle or circle! You can do this with a tape measure, a piece of string and a spade. Some lawn feed and a good watering will also do it the world of good.

Fill those borders up cheaply

Once you have got your defined lawn, filling up your borders is the next step. Plants like Geraniums or Astrantia can be a cost-effective way to fill your flowerbeds. These types of plants are called hardy perennials. One of the best things about hardy perennials is that you can separate the plants to cover a larger area, just make sure each part has a bit of root with it. Then next year when they have grown a bit you can divide them up and spread the plants around even more. Or swap them with your family and friends and get some different plants in return. You can also look in the reduced section of the garden centre, or asking friends and family for cuttings can help keep the cost down when buying plants.

Paint Your Fence

By giving your fence a fresh coat of paint is a cheep and easy was to get an instant impact in your garden. Not only will this fresh your fence and it will also protect it from the weather! You can make your fence into a feature by painting it a bold colour, and this will give you a new colourfull backdrop for the plants in your borders, all for the cost of a pot of paint.

Clear the way

Cleaning and weeding your paths and patios are a must-do to refresh your outside space. You can do this cheaply by borrowing or hiring a pressure washer to clean up paving or decking. This can make a huge difference. If you are thinking of creating a new path, gravel can be a great option, as it can be a lot cheaper than buying paving. You will need to mark out the area and pin down a permeable membrane to stop the weeds from coming through. Using a light cloured gravel can be a nice contrast to your lawn and planting, giving great results.

Hanging Baskets

To add instant colour in your garden, a really easy and inexpensive way to do this is to plant up some hanging baskets. Plants such as fuchsias, verbena or petunias, are great and you can even buy pre-planted hanging baskets too. You can also grow vegetables like tomatoes, stawberries and even potatos in pots on your patio. This can add colour, and interest to your garden, and if you grow some veg, a great extra benefit too. See the Green Suffolk website for more information on Gardening and Homegrown Food.

Green Suffolk

Lighting for evenings

White, red, blue or yellow? There is a huge range of outdoor lights that can add instant impact to your garden. Fairy lights can be arranged through shrub branches, or attached to a trellis. Static lights can be used to highlight a path or add drama to a tree. You can also get solar-powered versions of most lights if running the plug from your house will be an issue.

Compost

One of the easiest ways to save money and improve your garden on a budget is to make your own compost. You could get a compost bin, and turn your kitchen and garden waste into compost that you can use in your borders and fill pots. It will also boost the growth of plants and vegetables. Suffolk County Council have teamed up with getcomposting to get you started. For more information on how to compost see the Suffolk County Council Website.

Home Composting

Keeping warm or cool in the British Summer

As we all know the British weather can be unpredictable, so adding a canopy, pagoda or outside heater can extend the time you can entertain outside. Canopies are a great way to not only add shade but also provide cover for that inevitable rain shower. A pagoda with a clear plastic roof is another way to help keep off the rain, and provide a focal point in your garden. Oil heaters can range in price and output. It is always best to look at the area you want to heat, and look at the output as well as the height. There are many different types from free-standing oil heaters to an electric tabletop or a fire pit. When working out what is best for you and your budget there are lots of guides online to help you choose the best one for you.

Does everyone need a seat?

When planning to hold a social gathering in your garden, where is everyone going to sit will be on your mind. Old furniture can be refreshed with some sandpaper, wood stain or paint. Seat pads can be brought back to life with new fabric coverings. There is lots of advice and tutorial videos on how to reuse and improve your current garden furniture. If you need some new furniture, have a look at ex-display items or seconds, as they may be the hidden bargain you have been looking for. Also remember to think where and how you are going to store your garden furniture in winter, the last thing you want to do is leave it out all winter.