From twinkling lights to water features — how to glam up your outdoor space
GUESS what? Gardening is officially glam. Celebrities upscaled their back yards to replace favourite haunts during lockdown. Kelly Brook, Liz Hurley, Zoe Ball and Nigella Lawson are just a few of the famous faces giving us garden envy. Statistics show 60 per cent of millennials enjoy gardening and it need not cost the earth to […]
GUESS what? Gardening is officially glam.
Celebrities upscaled their back yards to replace favourite haunts during lockdown.
Kelly Brook, Liz Hurley, Zoe Ball and Nigella Lawson are just a few of the famous faces giving us garden envy.
Statistics show 60 per cent of millennials enjoy gardening and it need not cost the earth to upgrade your own green space.
Today, ABBY McHALE asks gardening influencer Rachel Barclay – who has 45,000 followers and posts as @thegoodlifeainteasy – for her tips on how to transform a garden on a budget.
Palletable
PALLET FURNITURE, free: Use wooden pallets to make your garden furniture.
They can be made into chairs, tables and even planters.
Rachel says: “We made our garden sofas and outside table from them, and I’ve seen some wonderful planters made use them too.
“If you ask at your local garden centre they’re normally quite happy to keep some aside for you.
“There are lots of free tutorials online if you’re not sure where to start.
“Add a coat of paint and a few cushions to take your pallet sofa to the next level.”
Sowing Seed
GROW FROM SEED, £3: Buying already potted flowers and plants from the garden centre can be costly.
But for a few pounds (pack pictured, £3 from wilko.com) you can pick up a pack of seeds and enjoy watching them grow.
Rachel says: “Without a doubt the cheapest way to grow plants is to start from seed.
“In some packets you’ll get hundreds for a couple of pounds, so why not seed swap with a gardening friend?
“Save seeds to grow next year or let your flowers self-seed so you get bonus plants in spring.”
- Easyflower original mix, £3, Wilko – buy now
Rugged
OUTDOOR RUG, £14.95: Add some style to your garden with an outdoor rug such as this one for £14.95 from Kukoonrugs.com.
For under £20 you can find outdoor rugs in most homeware stores such as Next, Wayfair and Dunelm.
They are usually wipe clean and can endure any weather.
Rachel says: “The garden is another room in our house and an outside rug can really brighten up any dull decking.
“You can get so many colours and designs which can be easily wiped down. We picked ours up for less than £20 and our little boy loves to sit and play on it.”
- Outdoor rug, £14.95, Kukoonrugs.com – buy now
Water Works
ADD A POND, £25.99: While Michelle Keegan’s example might have come with a hefty price tag, they don’t have to.
Pond liner can cost from around £25.99, like this item from screwfix.com, and then all you need is to add water.
Rachel says: “Adding water to your garden will help encourage wildlife, but you don’t need to install a big pond for impact.
“You can use a barrel container for a feature or even just dig a hole and line it.
“Collect any rocks, stones and pebbles and use these to hide the edging.”
- Pond liner, £25.99, screwfix.com – buy now
Switch On
OUTDOOR LIGHTING, £10.99: According to AO.com 38 per cent of people said fairy lights were part of their dream garden space, and you only need to look at Nigella Lawson’s garden to see how they can transform the space so magically.
In shops like B&M and The Range you can pick up a string of lights for less than £15.
Pictured are fairy lights for £10.99 at Lights4fun.co.uk.
Rachel says: “Lighting can take your space from day to night.
“We have some fairy lights that are weaved through the flower borders and around where we eat.”
- Fairy lights, £10.99, Lights4fun.co.uk – buy now
Repurpose
UPCYCLE, free: Use items from the house. Old wine and spirit bottles with fairy lights inside make great decorations.
Or bring an old mirror outside to open up your garden.
Rachel says: “You can create so many beautiful displays using items from the house. Drawers can be repurposed as vegetable beds and tin cans can be painted and hung as quirky planters.
“Cups and saucers can be hung from trees as quaint bird feeders.
“Don’t forget to check out Freecycle and Gumtree for items such as sinks or any furniture that could be used.”
Plant It
POTTED PLANTS, £5: If you don’t have the patience for seeds you can create beautiful displays using an array of pots filled with flowering plants.
Pictured is a lovely pot for just £4.99, from Hortology.co.uk.
According to Psychology Today flowers can trigger happy chemicals in our brain too.
Rachel says: “I love growing flowers in pots because you can move them around to create different displays.
“Plant pots with spring-flowering bulbs this autumn for colour next March.
“Just remember pots need regular watering and good drainage.”
- Flower pot, £4.99, Hortology.co.uk – buy now
Re-root
DIVIDE AND CONQUER, free: Many plants – called perennials – keep blooming year after year.
Great examples include geraniums and primroses.
You can divide the plants by digging up clumps and loosening the soil.
Make sure each section has roots attached before replanting.
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Rachel says: “Nothing transforms a garden more effectively than plants, but you might already have some which can be divided.
“Many which grow in a dense clump can be split up and replanted elsewhere.
“This is a nice way to share plants with a friend.”
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