If you want to refresh your garden but don’t have a big budget available, there are still plenty of things that you can do. Here are some simple and inexpensive ways to add interest to your outdoor space without breaking the bank.
Use repurposed items for planters and furniture
If you have any old furniture or sanitary wear, or can pick some up cheaply from a junk yard, then why not give it a quick coat of paint and use it in your garden. Old sinks and bathtubs make great plant containers, while tables and chairs can be used either for outdoor dining, or as handy surfaces for garden jobs, if you give them a coat of weatherproofing paint.
Add edging to define your borders
Paths and borders can be transformed with some simple edging techniques. You could use bricks, rocks, or stones placed end to end, and fixed with a layer of cement. Alternatively, you could use logs or planks of wood. These options do require some initial outlay, unless you can get a good deal from a builder’s or demolition yard, but they should last for years.
You can also buy manufactured edging, made from metal, rubber, or plastic, at relatively low prices. If you want the edging more for structural purposes, to hold a soil border in place for example, then a metal edging made of stainless steel or aluminium should do the trick.
If the edging is required for decorative purposes, then you could try making your own picket fence out of off cuts of wood, or woven wicker. Even a few inches of gravel makes an attractive separation between a flower bed and a path.
Plant plenty of hardy perennials
Choose colourful flowers which come back year after year to save yourself buying expensive exotic varieties every spring. For example, primroses, pansies, violets, and periwinkle will survive low temperatures, and they are also great for ground cover, helping to suppress weeds.
Start a vegetable patch
Growing your own fruit and vegetables is rewarding, and it will also save you money in the long run. Produce fresh from the garden is also packed with nutrients and extra tasty, so you will be giving your diet a good healthy boost as well. Not to mention all the extra muscles you will develop digging out your veggie patch and planting it up!
Choose a level sunny spot in your garden, which is not overshadowed by a large structure, or hedges or trees. Start with vegetables and fruit which are easy to grow, such as potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and strawberries.
Before planting, dig over the soil to at least one spade’s depth, and add some rotted manure if possible. This is usually fairly cheap to buy from stable yards, and larger establishments such as riding schools and livery yards may even let you collect a few bags for free.
Plant in rows, at least 30cm apart, or whatever the planting instructions recommend. If you have a small garden, you can still grow climbing plants such as runner beans and peas in containers with vertical frames.
If you are looking for landscaping in Lancashire, please get in touch today.
