16 easy ways to transform your garden on a limited budget

A heady mix of sunshine and RHS Chelsea flower Show excitement has got us all wanting to get out into the garden and try something awe-inspiring.

Making a garden look fabulous can often cost a small fortune, but it doesn't always have to be that way. If you're looking to transform your plot or make your garden look expensive on a budget don't think you're limited because there are plenty of ways to make a significant improvement without overspending.

Here are our expert tips and tricks for transforming a garden without having to buy excessive amounts of expensive new plants and landscaping materials.

How to transform your garden on a budget: 16 expert tips

Gardens are an ever-evolving landscape, with seasonal planting and garden trends and design projects to inspire a new style direction. But sometimes even the smallest of jobs can feel overwhelming, especially when you consider the rising cost of plants and materials. 

However, in the same way you make your home look expensive on a budget, there are plenty of brilliant budget garden ideas to improve outdoor spaces too.

From freshening up your layout for free to making your planting scheme go further by propagating from cuttings, these are our top tips for improving gardens on a budget.

1. Carry out a thorough clean and tidy

The best place to start for improving any space, indoors or out, is to spend dedicated time to ensure it's clean and tidy. Use the same professional decluttering principles as when decluttering your house to remove unnecessary clutter so the space feels more streamlined and presentable.

Thoroughly cleaning patio slabs or cleaning the decking is an easy yet effective way to begin transforming your outside space. Mow, water, and fertilise your lawn to keep it looking its best, especially if the grass is the main aspect of your garden.

Craig Morley, a gardening expert from Budget Seeds agrees, saying: "Perhaps the most cost-effective way to transform your garden is by simply remembering to keep on top of maintenance. This means regularly mowing your lawn, trimming hedges and ensuring plants are regularly watered so they look green and healthy."

2. Maximise coverage with evergreen planting

If you are investing in new plants for your plot be sure to maximize the impact by investing more of your budget on evergreen plants. These will continue to grow with your garden throughout the seasons, as opposed to the summering flowers that die off.

"There are a number of tough evergreen shrubs that can be purchased small, that grow quickly and that can be pruned to different sizes and shapes," explains Marlene Lento, a landscape designer with over 25 years of experience and founder of Marlene Lento Design Studio.

"These include Prunus Lusitanica (Portuguese laurel), Elaeagnus Compacta, and Pittosporums. Repeating the same variety of evergreen shrubs in several locations around the garden creates a cohesive picture and makes a backdrop for perennials and bulbs throughout the year."

Marlene Lento

Marlene Lento designs bespoke gardens that encompass every aspect of today’s outdoor living space including outdoor entertainment areas, lighting and planting schemes, and natural swimming ponds. Marlene has a special interest in sustainable design,  reconnecting her clients with nature and creating a positive impact on biodiversity and the environment.

3. Take cuttings from trusted sources

You may not have the budget to buy huge amounts of new plants to transform the planting scheme, because plants can be surprisingly expensive, but that's where cuttings can save the day. 

Cuttings are super easy to start and while waiting for them to establish themselves might take some time, it's a fantastically affordable way to introduce plants to your space without spending a lot of plants.

"My best advice for improving your garden on a budget is to chat to your neighbours who garden," suggests gardener designer Eliza Gray. "Anyone who has been gardening for more than a couple of years will have a host of ‘spares’ in the form of self-seeded annuals, vigorous perennials, or plants that they have no room for in their garden. 

The added bonus of being given plants by your neighbours is that you know that they will thrive in your garden climate."

"One word of warning," says Eliza, of some of her best pollinator plants, "freebie plants are often very vigorous and will need tough love to keep them in check – culprits in my garden include Crocosmia, Loosestrife, and Echinops Ritro – fabulous for bees but a bit of a thug."

Eliza Gray

Eliza Gray has been designing gardens across the Westcountry since 2006. With experience across a wide range of spaces, Eliza has helped to achieve beautiful gardens, from city centre courtyards through to sprawling country plots.

4. Cover the boundaries

When planting on a budget and wanting to improve the overall look of your garden aim to maximise coverage to make your efforts go that little bit further by framing the space with foliage.

"Fences and vertical boundaries enclosing a garden represent a large part of the field of vision as you look out on a garden, particularly if the garden is small," says Marlene.

"Evergreen climbers such as Trachelospermum transform a sunny wall, while common ivy is unbeatable for difficult and shady positions. 

The latter is free and easy to propagate by taking cuttings from any ivy plant and putting them into the ground where they will quickly take and grow. There are more and less vigorous varieties and while all require pruning, ivy is otherwise maintenance-free."

Ensure you stay on top of maintenance with climbing plants – so pruning roses, pruning Clematis and pruning hydrangeas for instance.

5. Welcome a splash of colour

Who needs plants to transform a garden when you have paint? If you're looking to make a style statement look to incorporate a splash of the latest interior paint color trends.

"Rather than re-painting your fence, with a boring brown or plain grey, try adding more vibrant colours around the fence or maybe even paint some patterns to make it look like art," suggests Sarah Lloyd, Valspar Paint's interiors and paint expert.

You can repaint fences and boundary walls, or alternatively, give your outdoor metal garden furniture a freshen-up with a coat of metal paint in a bright shade inspired by one of the latest interior paint colour trends.

"It’s important to keep in mind the type of paint you’re using outdoors," advises Sarah. "With a masonry paint perfect for walls or concrete, compared to a regular emulsion that would tarnish and flake easily if open to the elements."

6. Seek cheaper materials for hard landscaping

Hard landscaping can be one the most expensive elements when designing a carpet, much like choosing the best flooring trends for your interiors – it's an investment. But there are numerous ways to transform your plot without blowing the budget, by simply thinking outside the box when it comes to materials. 

Making a path using stones or shells is a fantastic way to offer plentiful coverage without the expense of tiles and mortar. But it's also an easy enough job to do yourself which also saves costs on labour. 

You will need to invest in a layer of landscape fabric to prevent weeds from sprouting up because how to get rid of weeds in the lawn is problem enough without having to worry about your garden paths too.

7. Bulk out borders and beds with alternative materials

Cut down on the costs of plants, soil, and fertiliser by bulking out your beds and borders with alternative materials. Stones, slate, gravel, and other natural materials are cheap to source from your local garden centre to provide generous covering to perk up your flowerbeds. 

You can plant more scarcely safe in the knowledge that your beds and borders will still prove captivating thanks to the decorative stones in place.

Placing gravel and stones on top of the soil is also a great way to prevent weeds from sprouting up and also deters animals from using your beautiful borders as a place to go to the toilet. You can also try using eggshells in your garden for the same effect.

8. Double your planting with bountiful bulbs

Bulbs are the smart move when it comes to planting on a budget. "Bulbs not only start the garden year with much-anticipated colour, but they can also be a cheap way of creating interest if the bulbs chosen are good for naturalizing, which means they will increase in number every year," explains Marlene.

"Some bulbs such as Alliums, even provide a second season of interest through their seedheads. Other bulbs that increase in number every year are Crocus, Snowdrops, Narcissi, and certain varieties of Tulips."

Master what to do with daffodils after flowering and what to do with tulips after flowering and the bloom will return in abundance next year also.

"For summer and autumn interest, Rudbeckias, Asters, and Creeping Campanulas, to name a few, will happily spread," says Marlene. 

"While annuals should represent the smallest proportion of plants in your garden, choosing annuals that like to self-seed and then allowing them to do so, is another approach to getting free plants. Try Nigellas, Aquilegia, Marigolds, Foxgloves, and Euphorbia Oblongata for many months of acid green and yellow flowers."

9. Get creative with potted plants

Make your plants go further by choosing potted plants that can be moved around to populate key areas. If you are hosting a BBQ you may want to cluster your pots closer to the patio area where you'll eat. You can then move them back into different locations to fill any empty areas that feel sparse. 

The best container plants can really brighten the space not only thanks to the flowers but also the pots themselves. 

"Experiment with an assortment of pots containing shrubs, herbs, and even trees," suggests Mike Head, an interior expert at outdoor flooring experts Atlas Ceramics. 

"It’ll make your outdoor space look much more welcoming with some pops of colour, and it’s inexpensive to do. You don’t have to go all out, a hanging basket or a few pots of flowers by the front step will do the trick."

10. Elevate pots and planters

With your field of vision in mind another easy way to transform a garden on a budget is to utilize vertical space to elevate the overall planting scheme by hanging a few simple planters around the periphery of your outdoor space. 

From hanging baskets to window boxes, elevating colour and greenery is a brilliant way to transform your space. 

The good news is that you don't have to wait for the plants to grow because both are made up of annual plants that are already in season, so you can make them up in a day to enjoy them instantly.

Also framing your windows with colourful plants is a great way to enjoy the garden from inside too, creating a view to look out onto your wildflower garden borders beyond.

11. Add an outdoor rug

An efficient way to make a huge transformation with next to no effort is to add an outdoor rug to your garden. Just like with your indoor furnishings there will of course be expensive options but there are also cheaper designs that are just as stylish, to cater to every budget. 

"When picking a rug consider the size and pattern to complement your furniture and tie the overall aesthetic of your outdoor space," suggests Cassandra Leisz, Sr, creative director at innovative interiors brand Ruggable. "A patterned rug can really open up a space and make a small patio feel bigger."

An outdoor rug is not only great for adding colour and pattern to your outdoor area, but it is also a fantastic way to cover a patio or decking area that may be in need of some TLC. Just be sure to clean your outdoor rug to ensure it looks its best at all times.

12. Incorporate DIY raised beds

Raised beds and borders are the ideal way to make your garden design look more considered. 

They also help to keep them contained, giving your plot more structure which is an essential small garden tip. To keep costs low look for large wood offcuts or railway sleepers to construct your raised beds in style.

"Raised borders are a great way to add depth and texture," says Mike. "incorporating a seamless pathway from the patio to the rest of your garden using raised borders will tie everything together." 

13. Maintain a luscious lawn

Most lawns form the centrepiece of the backyard meaning it's imperative to keep them looking in tip-top condition to elevate the overall look of the space.

Avoiding common lawn care mistakes is key to helping your grass grow to full health. Watering your lawn at the best time of day, aerating your lawn, and mowing the grass often are all easy maintenance tasks that will keep your grass green and glorious to enhance your garden.

14. Zone the layout

Welcome a sense of structure to your outdoor space by create zoned areas that will help to give the garden more purpose and change the overall perspective without having to do very much in terms of spending budget.

"I’d suggest dividing your outdoor space into different functional zones according to your needs and preferences, such as dining, lounging, cooking, and gardening" says Cassandra Leisz. 

"Then, plan the layout of each area considering the flow of traffic according to how the space will be used. For example, I recommend setting dining areas closest to the entryway to the house in order to reduce the path of travel from the kitchen to the table."

15. Spruce up garden structures

If your garden building or shed is the main attraction in your plot it has to look its best, therefore if it's looking a little dishevelled give it a new lease of life with a fresh coat of paint. 

"Garden rooms and sheds are blank canvases, and choosing what colour will depend on the design of your garden and your personality," says shed expert Sam Jenkinson at garden building retailer Tiger. 

"If you’re stuck deciding what colourway to choose, think about matching the colour scheme with other tones in your garden, such as plants or garden furniture to fit in perfectly. Or if you want something bolder, do the opposite.

You can create further cohesion by extending the colour used on your garden structure to paint your fence panels too. 

"And don’t forget the inside of your garden room either. To create a welcoming space, you can carry the colour from the outside of your shed, or you could paint the outside in a subtle shade and then go for a bold colour on the interior for an energizing welcome as you enter.

16. Welcome a water feature

A body of water is a great way to create a focal point in any garden. It doesn't have to cost a fortune, you can source water features at all ends of the budget scale. 

A running water feature is a dreamy way to appeal to the senses as you enjoy the calming sound of trickling water as well as the reflective appearance of the water's surface. 

Likewise, a simple static pool provides the calming presence of water to aid in the wellness element of any space. Just be sure that you have some oxygenating plants in place to prevent the water from turning stagnant - a common problem if there's no movement and flow.

With the rise in popularity and awareness of sustainable gardening ideas, it's no wonder there are so many thoughtful ways to make a big difference with little impact on your spending.

The best budget garden ideas are not all about aesthetics either, so remember you can transform your outside space by adopting the latest rain harvesting ideas and mosaic gardening trend practices.