Budget Friendly Ways to Improve Your Garden This Summer


If your garden's been looking a bit tired lately, don’t assume you need to rip everything out or throw loads of money at it. Most of the time, it just needs a bit of time and attention to bring it back up to scratch. Even if you're not particularly green-fingered, there are things you can do to make it feel more put together without spending much (if anything!) We've recently thrown a garden party which kind of  forced us into getting ours sorted which was quite good as there were jobs out there we'd been putting off for ages! If you want a quiet spot for coffee in the morning or somewhere decent to have a drink with your mates in the evening, these are the kinds of fixes that make a difference.

Start with a proper clean
Most gardens don’t actually need a full makeover, they just look rough because they’ve been ignored for a while. Pull out whatever’s dead, hack back anything that’s taken over, and get rid of the weeds. Brush the paths, wipe down furniture, and hose off any moss or dirt that's built up. If you've got paving, try using a proper patio cleaner with a stiff broom or a pressure washer if you’ve got one. That alone can change the feel of the whole place. Edging the lawn makes a big difference too and doesn’t cost a thing if you’ve already got shears. Even just sweeping up leaves from behind pots makes it feel more finished.

Fix what’s already there
It’s easy to forget how much you already own because it blends into the background. If anything’s broken, look into furniture repair instead of tossing it out. That old bench or table might look past it, but often all it needs is a sanding block and a tin of outdoor wood paint. A £12 tin of Cuprinol will do a whole set of chairs and last ages. You can also tighten bolts, replace rusted screws, and use wood filler on damaged bits. If your plant pots are looking scruffy, give them a wipe or repaint them. Terracotta ones especially look better with age, so don’t bin them unless they’re cracked through.

Don’t blow the budget on plants
Plants are where costs creep in without you realising. We all love a little stroll around Dobbie's on a Sunday morning but a trolley full of pots from the garden centre can easily come to £60 and still not fill a bed. Instead, look at what grows well from seed- nasturtiums, cosmos, poppies, marigolds, even salad and herbs. They bulk out space quickly and keep going for months- I planted some herbs last year and they're HUGE now, especially my sage plant. And I have to admit, I've not even watered them, they somehow thrived on neglect!  If you’ve got neighbours with established gardens, ask if they’ve got any cuttings or split plants going spare. Mint, hostas, and geraniums all spread easily, and most gardeners end up with more than they can use. You can also keep an eye on Facebook Marketplace or local plant swaps, there’s usually someone giving things away in trays outside their front gate.

Use what you’ve already got
You don’t have to be great at DIY. It’s not about building a full outdoor kitchen, it’s about reusing what’s lying around. If you’ve got leftover bricks or tiles, use them to edge a path or surround a flower bed. Old crates or bits of pallet wood can become shelving or potting tables if you screw them together properly. Tin cans, if you clean them up, make decent planters for herbs or succulents. None of it has to look pristine. In fact, rougher bits often look better outdoors anyway because they blend in naturally. It’s about being practical, not polished.

Add some light
Lighting makes the biggest difference for the least effort. You don’t need to wire anything in or spend much. Battery powered fairy lights, solar lights, or even a string of bulbs along the fence change how the space feels once the sun goes down. You can shove fairy lights in a jam jar or wine bottle if you want a quick makeshift lantern. Aldi usually sells solar garden lights for under a tenner, in the middle aisle in summer and they work well enough for a few hours of evening light. Put them near a wall or behind plants to get more of a glow effect.