It’s easy to think that the only way to get a nice garden is to go big and spend lots of money. This is true when designing a modern garden with all the latest materials or a full Japanese garden, fish and all!
Thankfully there are many ways to get started in gardening without breaking the bank, from starting simple with some pots or a small garden bed, to taking on larger projects like adding fencing or building flower beds.
Here are some budget-friendly ideas for your next garden design project!
1. Start simple with some pots or a small garden bed
If you don’t have much space for a garden, but still want to get started on the cheap, try starting with pots.
You can choose whatever size and style of container you like (from pre-made ones at your local garden centre to buckets or other containers you can find around your house) and plant whatever types of plants suit you best.
This is also a good option if you’re just getting started with gardening and want to test out different types of plants before investing in larger dirt beds or expensive gardening tools.
2. DIY fencing and flower beds
If you’re looking for a way to create a border or protect your plants and flowers from intruders, DIY fencing is a great way to do it on the cheap!
You can find cheap or free materials at home and around town (like old fencing, scrap wood, bamboo poles), some recycled supplies around your house (like old patio furniture or old sheets) or order them online.
Either way, there are many ways you can come up with something that suits your garden’s needs and your budget.
And if you’re looking for something more decorative in place of traditional chicken wire fencing, try buying some cut-to-size planks of wood from the home improvement store and painting them with whatever colour you like.
DIY flower beds are another low-cost way to spruce up your garden.
You can make them with materials you find around your house or buy from your local DIY store.
The materials will vary depending on what type of bed you want to make, but in general, you’ll need some sort of sturdy frame that can be filled with dirt and moss.
This could be a simple wooden frame with some rocks to hold the dirt in place or a more elaborate iron structure on wheels.
Whichever option you go for, just make sure it’s big enough for whatever flowers or plants you want to grow.
Raised flower beds can be particularly effective when designing a small garden on a budget because they elevate the garden and make use of its height when ground space is limited.
3. Using recycled materials to make something new
A great way to make your garden stand out is to use recycled materials. Fruit baskets, old wine barrels, wine glass racks, and even old curtains can all be used in the garden.
If you’re looking for a low cost way to get started in gardening on a budget, there are many different ways to do it with a variety of budgets.
Starting with small pots or containers is a good option if you don’t have much space but still want to get started on the cheap.
You can also start DIY projects like making your own fence or making flower beds out of wood and moss.
And if you’re looking for something more decorative than traditional chicken wire fencing, try buying some cut-to-size planks of wood.
5. Grow plants from seeds
Growing plants from seeds is a great way to get gardening and on the cheap!
First, find some seeds that you like. You can buy them from somewhere like the grocery store or at a nursery, or look for them in different places throughout your home (like in the bird feeder, after eating an apple, etc.).
Once you find some seeds, plant them according to the directions on the package. Make sure to start with planting small batches of seeds so you don’t end up wasting any.
When they grow to be bigger than a quarter-inch tall, you can plant more of those ones that survived and went to seed.
6. Growing your own food
If you want to save a lot of money and avoid wasting produce that goes bad before it can be eaten, grow your own food! You can use containers or flower pots to create your garden.
Vegetables Which You Can Grow Yourself:
You can grow many vegetables in your own garden if you use containers or flower pots. Vegetables such as beets, beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots and cauliflower are just a few of the vegetables which can be grown in containers or flower pots.
You should make sure that you have a good container for each seedling so that they will not dry out and die before they can grow.
7. Planting flowers
If you want to give your garden a simple and beautiful addition, it’s hard to go wrong with flowers.
They’re both easy and cheap to grow, and they can make your garden look like something out of a magazine while being totally affordable.
To make planting flowers as easy as possible, start by going through your yard, looking for bulbs that might have sprouted in the wintertime.
You can also buy these at any store that sells bulbs. If you find some really good spots where you’d like to plant flowers, put on a layer of compost or dirt on top if there isn’t any there already.
8. Rejuvenate your garden furniture
If you’re gardening outside more than inside, it might be time to rejuvenate your garden furniture.
You can do this by using a power washer to thoroughly clean it. This will not only make it look nicer but will also last longer and be less prone to breaking.
When power washing, take care to avoid any cracks or areas where the wood might have rotted away underneath and ruined the paint
9. Lighting
Garden lighting can be a surprisingly effective and low cost way to spruce up your garden.
Cheap options exist such as solar powered lights which hang from trees, or you can opt for more extravagant lighting like lamps with tables that have lamp shades on them.
Festoon lighting and fair-lighting can be a low cost way to add some colour to your garden
LED lights are inexpensive and home lighting is highly efficient in the “low” electricity requirement. Snowy days are perfect for this form of lighting, or you can buy fixtures that will stand above the snow. They give off a soft, warm glow that will illuminate your garden while working with the beautiful scenery.
10.Climbing plants
One of the most fun and exciting types of plants to grow are climbers. Climbing plants like strawberries and peas can be grown on trellises or poles.
In order to plant these, cut long pieces of wood to the desired height and plant the seedling about 2 feet away from it and have it face the trellis.
For strawberry plants, there needs to be two rows, one at each end facing towards the pole and trellis respectively, which gives them more room to grow.
When you water the plants make sure that you use a hose with a needle-tip nozzle so that it does not wash out any soil from between the rows.
11.Invest in a Chimenea
A chimenea is a great way to add an inexpensive feature to your backyard. They can be made from clay, brick, or stone and can have a variety of different openings.
The most common opening for chimeneas are square, rectangular, round, or oval shaped. A chimenea has one opening in the front that leads to the firewood.
When you use this type of fireplace as opposed to a more traditional one, you don’t need the stovepipe which might not be allowed in all areas
12.Build your own decking
You can save a lot of money by making your own decking with pallets.
You’ll need to take the boards off the pallet and cut them in half, then nail them together.
After they are nailed together you will need to sand it down and then seal it.
If you want your decking to look fancier than just doing this project, you might want to add things like railings or fences on top of the decking.
Another option is buying a kit that can be used for your project; either way works great.
13.Clear out the space
Clearing out your garden is a great way to start from scratch and make it more aesthetically pleasing.
If you’re doing this project on the ground, start by removing all the old plants, dead plants, or weeds that you can find.
It’s a good idea to loosen the dirt where you are removing the plants as well. If you have any lawn furniture, now would be a good time to put it back onto the lawn so you don’t end up damaging it while trying to clear out the garden.
After clearing out your garden, start filling in empty spaces with new plants or other things that may look nice in your garden
Final thoughts
Cheap garden design ideas are a great way to get started in the world of gardening.
There’s plenty you can do without breaking the bank, from starting simple with some pots or a small garden bed, to taking on larger projects like adding fencing or building flower beds.
Cheap and easy options exist such as solar powered lights which hang from trees, while more extravagant lighting is also an option for your new outdoor space.
These types of DIYs will help your home stand out this summer!
