Garden Ideas on a Budget

Are you wondering how to give your garden a makeover without forking out thousands of pounds on renovations? With the right tools, a few key techniques, and a bit of imagination, you can refresh your garden for less than you might think. 

Our guide is here to show you that yes, you can revamp your garden on a budget! From simple weeding tricks and adding some colour with low cost plants to upcycling, we have techniques you can put into action — all with a bit of help from the best outdoor power tools.

  1. Clear the Clutter: Start with Weeding and Cleaning

Before you start constructing and decorating your garden, it’s worth giving the space a good tidy. This is the most affordable way to breathe new life into your outdoor area and it will highlight what you have to work with. 

Weeding

If your garden is overgrown with weeds, removing them will immediately improve the aesthetic. Remember, weeding is an ongoing task, so after the initial tidy, you’ll need to regularly tackle the growth. It’s also a wise move to invest in an effective weed killer.

Weed forks, spades, and rakes can all speed up the job and ensure you remove all those pesky weeds, no matter how well rooted they are.

Trimming

Trimming back hedges and overgrown trees can also have a remarkable effect on your space. Not only will it improve the look, showing that your space is cared for, but it can also create extra space. Overhanging trees and shrubs can soon take up precious space and block light. 

We recommend investing in a high quality hedge trimmer so you can continue to keep overgrowth in check beyond the initial tidy up. Cordless hedge trimmers are incredibly useful for large gardens or spaces where there’s no easy access to plug sockets. They also tend to be an affordable option, particularly if you choose a body-only model and use an existing compatible battery.

Cleaning

Once you’ve swept away the weeds and hedge trimmings (a leaf blower can make short work of creating easy to scoop piles), it’s time to consider a good clean. You can remove any dust and cobwebs from your patio or decking area, and a pressure washer can bring dirty paving back to life in no time. 

To keep your budget very low, you could consider borrowing or renting a pressure washer. Alternatively, you could invest in a reliable model, knowing that you can keep your patio or paving looking fresh for years to come.

While you’re tidying, why not listen to some music to keep your motivation going? With a DeWalt radio or Makita radio, you can enjoy your favourite tunes without worrying about damage, these durable radios are built to handle messy tasks and a bit of garden debris.

  1. Add Colour with Paint and Plants

Another low cost way to refresh your garden is to add a splash of colour. Paint and plants can instantly uplift your space, creating a welcoming, flourishing environment.

Painting your fence, shed, and garden furniture will get them looking as good as new and it doesn’t need to be expensive. You may have leftover paint stashed away or you could pick up some small tester pots ideal for smaller areas that require a lick of paint. With a few affordable decorating accessories, such as paintbrushes and paint rollers, you’ll be ready to go.

Another way to update timber items is to sand them back and then add a coat or two of protective oil. DeWalt sanders, like the DWE6423 240v 125mm Random Orbit Sander, can quickly strip away old paint and any imperfections to reveal a smooth surface. 

Have you got some metal furniture that’s looking worse for wear? Rather than replacing your bistro set or swing chair, which can be expensive, remove rust and damage with a Makita angle grinder. 

When it comes to plants, we recommend choosing perennials and wildflowers, which will flower year after year, offering long term savings. If you’re planting them in a flower bed, remember to leave enough room between each plant so they have space to grow and spread healthily. 

For gardens with limited lawn or flower bed space, potted plants can be just as eye catching. Place them on your patio, decking, or around the edges of your lawn for a burst of life. You could even use colour coordinated pots to create a truly stylish space.

  1. Repurpose and Upcycle for Stylish Features

When your budget is limited, a bit of imagination can pay dividends. From empty paint tins to wooden pallets, you can take seemingly old and unusable items and turn them into chic garden furniture and decorative centrepieces. 

Need a bit of inspiration? Here are some ways you can give unused, broken, or waste items a brand new lease of life:

Create a rustic sofa using wooden pallets

With a Makita jigsaw and DeWalt drill in your toolkit, you can transform old delivery pallets into a sofa. By fastening several pallets together, you can create easy seating and adapt it to any size you like. Add more pallets as back rests, and then smooth the timber using a Makita sander. 

If you have existing outdoor cushions, you can use these to add comfort. Alternatively, if you’re a keen sewist, you could upholster the pallet sofa from scratch - this can be a great way to keep costs down.

Go all out with big furniture builds

If you’re feeling ambitious or you’re a seasoned DIY enthusiast, why not use pallets or other waste timber to build other types of furniture? From outdoor dining tables to pergolas, you can create seating areas, furniture and shelters — all without the price tag of buying new.

Learn more about making DIY garden furniture in our comprehensive guide, and don’t forget to invest in the right power tools to ensure the best results. A Makita circular saw is a wise choice for accurate cutting, and a combi drill — like the DeWalt DCD996N 18v Brushless Combi Drill — will help you fasten your furniture together for durability. When ultimate strength is required, consider a Makita impact driver.

Upcycle household items into planters

You can use pretty much anything as a planter, creating an ideal space for flowers to grow, without having to buy expensive plant pots. If you have any of the following lying around (or you can get some through local ads and forums), you can go wild and get creative!

  • Old sinks — especially Belfast sinks
  • Old bathtubs
  • Large glass jars
  • Stacked tyres
  • Wooden crates
  • Unused watering cans
  • Vintage teapots
  • Barrels
  • Wheelbarrows
  • Buckets

Whichever items you go for, make sure you clean them out thoroughly before planting. You’ll also need to add drainage holes and may want to include liners, depending on the planter’s construction.

Add colour with mosaics

Have you got some old tiles from your bathroom renovation? Mismatched, chipped, or simply not your interior decor style — it doesn’t matter. You can break tiles into small pieces and create a fun mosaic around paths and planter edges or on sundials, bird baths, and decorative centrepieces. 

Broken crockery can work, too!

  1. Add Life with Soft Furnishings

Whether you’re building your own furniture or upcycling existing pieces, add colour, texture, and comfort with soft furnishings. Rugs, throws, and cushions can create an inviting space for relaxing, and you can also reuse indoor textiles.

Here are some of our favourite garden soft furnishing ideas on a budget:

  • Turn old curtains into cushion covers
  • Make a rag rug from strips of clothing, bed linen, or any other fabric
  • Create a waterproof picnic rug from an old tablecloth

When upholstering pallet furniture with your DIY cushions and soft furnishings, a nail gun or staple gun can be incredibly useful. 

  1. Use Lighting to Add Atmosphere

From creating a cosy aesthetic in the winter to illuminating the way on long summer evenings, you can add instant magic to your garden with lighting. Lights can add a big impact at a low cost.

Solar lights are ideal, as they can soak up the sun’s rays in the daytime and then add a beautiful glow at night without using excessive electricity. Position small solar lights along the edge of your garden path or around plant beds for functional lighting that looks great. You can also add solar string lights along fences or your property walls.

For a fun craft, you can upcycle jam jars into lanterns. Decorate them with glass paint and add twine so you can hang them from garden stakes or tree branches. Place battery powered candles or small solar tealights for a beautiful glow. Another option is to use real candles or tealights — just ensure these are never left unattended.

  1. Grow Your Own: Veggies and Herbs in Small Spaces

We’ve already looked at creating larger planters, but you can also use small containers to grow vegetables and herbs. 

Old mugs, buckets, and clean yoghurt pots can all make ideal starting planters for seeds and seedlings. If you’re short on space, you might also want to consider vertical planting or using hanging planters.

You can construct a vertical garden for next to nothing with the right materials and tools. An upcycled pallet can act as the backdrop, with planters (or containers of any form) fastened to it. 

If you prefer, you can install planters directly to your garden or property walls. Working with masonry can be tricky, so make sure you use the right tools to complete the task safely and effectively. A hammer drill has the strength and power to tackle brick and similar materials, and you’ll also need wall anchors or masonry plugs to hold the screws securely.

Top tip: Herbs like rosemary, thyme, and mint are very low maintenance. Plus, they add an invigorating aroma.

  1. Lawn Care and Garden Maintenance

A neat lawn can make all the difference to your garden’s aesthetic. Whether you want a manicured look or areas of long growth for added biodiversity, regular maintenance and upkeep will ensure it thrives. 

If there are patchy areas, reseeding will restore uniformity — just bear in mind that you’ll need to be patient and avoid stepping on the area while it grows.

Regular mowing will mean the grass looks great all year round, so we recommend investing in a quality lawn mower from a trusted brand. With a Makita lawn mower or a DeWalt lawn mower, you can feel confident knowing your garden will be neat and tidy with minimal hassle. Both manufacturers are renowned for their reliability, durability, and long term, cost effective nature. What’s more, with a cordless lawn mower, you can benefit from an energy efficient tool that’s lightweight and easy to manoeuvre.

Why not add timber edging around your paths or flower beds? This can make mowing the edges easier and add a touch of sophistication to your garden. Make your own upcycled edging with old timber, and use a Makita planer to get a smooth, elegant finish.

  1. Budget Friendly Decor Ideas

Once all the major elements have been sorted, you can have some fun with custom decor, bringing a personal touch to your garden. Some of the best garden decor ideas on a budget can also be the most engaging to create.

Make a bird bath

Encourage wildlife with a bird bath. From old sinks to vintage dishes and unused plant pots, a wide range of household items can make the perfect watering hole for garden birds. 

Embrace reflection with mirrors

As well as bringing a whimsical ‘wonderland’ feel to your garden, mirrors can add depth to small gardens. The reflection can make compact spaces feel bigger and create visual intrigue. Why not look in charity shops and antique retailers to find decorative mirrors and then place them strategically around the garden? 

Add flair with bunting

Ideal for garden parties and gatherings, bunting adds colour and texture to any garden. Sew your own with scraps of fabric — either by cutting out classic triangles or going for a more rustic look with strips of fabric tied to rope with lark’s head knots.

The small touches

Sometimes it’s the little details that have the most impact. Painted stones, driftwood mobiles, and quaint fairy doors placed at the bottom of tree trunks can offer a playful edge. If you’re looking for garden ideas on a budget that the whole family can get involved with, these types of crafts are perfect.

  1. Final Tip - Invest Wisely in Power Tools

We know that keeping costs down when updating your garden can be tricky. But while you may be able to borrow tools for one off tasks, it’s well worth investing in reliable equipment if you want to keep your garden looking its best for the foreseeable future. 

Combi drills, lawn mowers, and sanders are household essentials that can save you time, money, and effort in the long run. It’s also a good idea to get a robust Makita tool bag or DeWalt tool box to keep your smaller tools in top condition.

Put your garden ideas into action with ToolStore UK

Refreshing your garden doesn’t need to be an expensive overhaul. Small changes, additions, and updates can make all the difference, helping you create a welcoming space without going over budget.

Why not pick one project to try this weekend? You might be surprised at how a single task or craft can revitalise your space and get the ball rolling for bigger changes. 


Whichever project you choose, you can find the tools and equipment you need at ToolStore UK. From outdoor power tools from reliable brands like Makita and DeWalt, to hand tools needed for smaller tasks, explore our collection and get ready to update your garden.

18th July 2025

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