Getty ImagesHannamariaH
Need garden ideas on a budget? Try these easy ideas to make your outdoor space look fantastic.
1
Shape up
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One of the easiest and cheapest ways to transform your garden is to cut the lawn into a clearly defined shape – something like a circle, a square or an oblong. Mark it out with string and use a spade (try this Stainless Digging Spade by Spear & Jackson) to cut away the excess grass. It’s not a difficult job and should only take an afternoon. And the best part? It costs absolutely nothing!
MORE: 10 simple tips to maintain your beautiful garden
2
Plant up
Getty ImagesAlKane
The most cost effective way to fill flowerbeds with great looking plants is to buy perennials that you can divide. This may sound like advanced level gardening but really it isn’t. It will work with clump forming perennials such as geums, astrantia and hardy geraniums. Simply tip the plant out of its pot and pull it apart into two or three bits, each with some stalks and root. Dig a hole and plant each part in your flowerbed. Next year when they’ve grown and spread, you can dig them up and pull them apart again to gain even more plants. You’ll get a wonderful display in a couple of years for very little cash. Six geranium plants are usually enough to get going in an average sized garden.
HB suggests: Geranium Plants – Mixed, 40 Value Plug Plants, £10, Suttons BUY NOW
3
Look up
Getty ImagesSimon McGil
Considering their size and longevity, trees are very inexpensive and just a few will make a difference to the look of a garden. Try small trees like June berry, Amelanchier lamarckii, an ornamental cherry like Prunus × incam ‘Okamé’, or a crab apple. Three should be plenty for an average sized garden.
HB suggests: Apple Crab Tree – John Downie, £18.99, Suttons BUY NOW
4
Smarten up
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When it comes to paths and patios, gravel is a much more affordable surface than paving. To lay it in place; mark out the area, then scrape away loose soil or grass, pin down a permeable membrane to stop the weeds coming through and spread the gravel over it. Aim for a depth of 2.5cm. Choose a pale gravel, like Honey Stone, to contrast with your lawn and planting. A large bag will cover around 20 sq metres.
HB suggests: 20mm Gravel Jumbo Bag, £42, Wickes BUY NOW
5
Light up
Petal string lights, £31, Berry Red
Outdoor fairy lights can be bought online all year around and they’re a quick, simple and cheap way to bring a pretty glow to a patio and beyond. You can arrange them through tree or shrub branches, attach them to fences and furniture, or suspend them from canes stuck into the ground. They can be run from a plug inside the house, so you don’t need an electrician.
HB suggests: 300 Warm White LED Fairy Lights Clear Cable, £25, Lights4Fun BUY NOW
MORE: 6 top tips for lighting up your garden