Whether you’ve got a tumbling sprawl of greenery or a neat little patio, your garden should be your very own staple of paradise: a place of calm amidst the fast pace of life, and somewhere you can retreat to for a few moments of zen.
It’s thought that just five minutes of outdoor activity – including gardening – is enough to boost your self-esteem. However, it’s no secret that maintaining a garden can be taxing, in both time and money.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, many of us realised the importance of a comfortable and inviting home and garden. It’s reported that as a nation, we spent £16billion on our gardens between March 2020 and March 2021.
Social media is seemingly brimming with ‘garden goals’ posts depicting lavish seating areas, fancy lighting, fire pits, and immaculate lawns. The good news is that bringing the garden haven of your dreams into reality doesn’t need to break the bank.
That’s why we teamed up with Little-loans to share some garden improvements tips to help you create a sensational space on a budget.
Frugal furniture
You don’t have to spend a fortune on garden furniture for it to make an impact.
Have a think about the sort of furniture you’d like. Perhaps you enjoy hosting and are looking for a couple of rattan sofas to set the scene during your next BBQ, or maybe you’d just really like a cosy swing seat where you can hunker down with a good book.
Garden furniture can be expensive, so don’t rush into buying the first set you see. Shop around and compare prices for the best deals. Don’t be afraid to stray away from well-known brands if they’re out of your budget – major supermarkets are not to be sniffed at, and often stock affordable, good quality garden furniture.
Found a decent deal? Check out the customer reviews for both the product and the company, and if they’re favourable, go ahead and snap up that bargain!
A splash of colour
Updating the paintwork in your garden can make a surprising difference to the overall look.
Why not jazz your fences and shed up a bit with some quirky alternatives to the standard brown shades? Garden paint can be purchased from high street stores such as B&Q for as little as £4.50 (size dependent), in a variety of colours, including purple, yellow, blue, and even pink.
Making small changes and thinking outside the box can make the world of difference and allow you to really put a personal stamp on your space.
Maximise your space
Longing for a bigger garden? It may not be an impossible ask after all…
In the tip above, we mentioned sheds. Do you really need yours?
If your shed is sitting empty, gathering rot, and falling down, it might be time to say goodbye.
If getting rid completely isn’t an option, could you consider downsizing? Outdoor storage boxes are smaller than standard sheds and still allow room for essentials such as tools and watering cans. They also tend to be more reasonably priced than sheds.
You’d be surprised how much room sheds take up. Your garden will feel noticeably bigger when it’s gone, or been scaled back.
Make it evergreen
Investing in some year-round plants – often referred to as ‘evergreens’ – could help you cut back the amount of time and money spent on your garden.
Evergreens remain green throughout the year, so you won’t have to fish out the secateurs and prune dead leaves.
In addition to this, evergreens tend to be hardy, meaning that you shouldn’t need to spend money replacing them as often as you might other, more sensitive, seasonal blooms.
Examples of evergreen plants to look out for:
- False Cypress conifer
- Privet
- Cherry laurel
- Blue holly
- Azaleas
Pennywise Potting
Now that you’re the proud owner of a collection of hardy plants, the next step is to pot them.
But wait – before you fork out on traditional pots, have a look around your house and garage for inspiration. Plants can be homed in an array of zany pot-substitutes, which will add instant character to your garden.
Some ideas to consider are old walking boots, teacups, bathtubs and wheelbarrows. Just be sure to make adequate drainage holes before adding your plants.
Go wild
The structured look isn’t for everyone. If you find the idea of perfectly potted plants too regimented, you may wish to consider the wildflower meadow look.
Not only do wildflowers look fantastic, but they’re also a cost-effective option. Packets of seeds are often a lot cheaper than plants and bulbs.
Of course, you’ll need to spare a little time and patience to nurture your seeds, but your efforts will eventually be rewarded with a roaring display of colour that will transform any garden into a sanctuary of utopia.
Once your seeds have bloomed, wildflower patches are low-maintenance, and the benefits don’t end there. Wildflowers provide essential food for pollinators, such as butterflies and bees. In turn, they pollinate other flowered crops, including popular fruit and vegetables. Without the input from pollinators, crops would need to be sustained artificially.
Did you know that you can get a free packet of wildflower seeds from Just Bee Honey? All you need to do is cover the 99p postage.
Affordable accessories
Who says your garden needs a swanky, money-guzzling water feature to look the part?
Sometimes, the smallest things can make the biggest impressions.
This is where designing your dream garden gets fun. There are so many cheap and cheerful ways to showcase your personality through garden accessories.
If it’s a chilled out, boho vibe you’re going for, why not hang some dreamcatchers from branches? Windchimes can also form a relaxing atmosphere.
If a sophisticated and stylish look is what you’re going for, attaching a string of outdoor fairy lights to the fence adds instant glamour.
Wanting to get the kids involved? Why not spend an afternoon painting rocks to decorate your garden? Sets of rock painting pens can be bought from Amazon for under £10.
Grow for it!
Is your very own allotment at the top of your wish list?
Home allotments are great at giving off the appearance of a cosy, country-garden. Not only this, but they could also assist in reducing the cost of your food bill.
Amid the cost-of-living crisis, many of us have experienced a rise in the price of our weekly food shop. One way to help combat mounting expenses is to grow your own vegetables, which is thought to be able to save the average household up to £690 a year.
From tomatoes and onions to peas and potatoes, there are many blogs and articles online to guide you through growing your favourite veggies.
Green fingered goodness…
Let’s set the scene.
It’s a Monday evening in April, and you’ve just got home from work. The sun has made what feels like its first appearance since winter. To get specific, it’s so balmy that you didn’t even need your ‘big coat’ today!
You open the back door and step out into your garden. your patio is soaked in the evening sunshine, shadows dance merrily between the branches of the trees. The breeze lightly ruffles the leaves: nature’s music. The noise and stresses of the day instantly melt away.
Tea outside tonight? Why not.
For further tips on sprucing up your garden on a budget or for home improvements on a budget check out the little-loans blog.
