Garden glow-ups don’t have to be expensive, complicated or unrealistic, despite what social media may try to convince us. The good news is you don’t need to call in landscape gardeners, have an entire makeover film crew arrive on your doorstep unannounced, or spend loads of money to make a meaningful impact.
You also don’t need a huge garden to create a space that feels inviting and somewhere you actually want to sit, relax, and spend time in. Even the smallest and simplest changes can make a big difference. By adding a few thoughtful touches, you can breathe new life into your outdoor space and transform it into a functional extra room and extension of your home.
With a few easy steps and a little help from Very.co.uk and their stylish, affordable garden furniture and accessories. I’m on a mission to give our garden a quick, budget-friendly glow-up, just in time for those long-awaited spring and summer days that are on the horizon.
Our new-build garden didn’t even have grass when we first moved in (you can read about that here), so over the years we’ve taken on plenty of DIY projects to slowly transform it from a mud pit into a welcoming space with different zones. Last year we built a wooden pergola and swing seat area, so I’m excited to bring those spaces to life with a few small, purse-friendly additions. Ready for sun drenched afternoons in the garden, and cosy candle-lit sunset dinners as the sky turns fiery orange.
Here’s some simple steps and additions to give your garden a quick and easy, budget friendly glow-up this spring.
Garden Glow-Up at a Glance 👀
- Never underestimate the power of a tidy up
- Add solar lights for a cosy vibe
- Split your garden into different areas
- Add practical furniture
- Make it fun with garden decor
In this article...
Step 1: Tidy up and declutter
First things first, give your garden, balcony or patio a quick tidy up. Move those ugly half-used compost bags and broken pots you’ve been ignoring for months, pull up dead plants and tackle any pesky weeds that have crept in. A quick clear-out instantly makes your garden feel more put together, plus it costs nothing but a bit of time. Never underestimate the power of a quick garden clean up!
Step 2: Add ambiance with solar or battery powered lighting
Adding lighting is one of the quickest (and easiest) ways to elevate your garden, and you don’t need to fork out on an electrician for it to be effective or to look good. Solar-powered lights are affordable, easy to install and don’t increase your energy bills (that makes a nice change). There’s so many options when it comes to solar or battery powered lighting too, you could line your pathways, drape fairy lights along a fence, or place lanterns around seating areas for a cosy evening glow.
We’ve added lots of accent lighting around our garden and it makes such a difference when it turns dimpsy-dark. From the festoon lights in our pergola, to the fairy lights in the olive tree and the newly added lanterns from Very. Everything works together to create a warm, inviting atmosphere. I especially love that lanterns are easy to move around, so you can pick them up and take them wherever you plan to sit for the evening. We’ve added these pretty battery powered candle lanterns, along with this lovely solar lantern which gives off the most beautiful starburst effect in the evening.
Step 3: Create defined spaces and different zones
Even the smallest gardens feel more stylish when they’re broken into zones. You can use outdoor rugs, gravel, decking or planters to create separate areas for dining, relaxing, planting or playing.
We’ve kept part of our garden as grass for the boys to use as their football pitch. But we’ve also created a few more relaxed spaces, like our hanging egg chairs for reading and a dedicated dining area for family time and entertaining. Having these different zones gives the garden structure and makes it feel much more intentional.
Step 4: Add a dining space for alfresco dinners
If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen us building our garden pergola. It’s been our biggest DIY to date! Although it’s not quite finished yet (we’re planning to add sides for extra privacy and to cover up the ugly fence panels), but adding this dining set has completely transformed how we use the space. It’s funny how as soon as we added this dining set, our pergola looked less like a stage and transformed into a functional part of the garden that we can actually use and enjoy as a family.
The furniture set fits perfectly, and with a couple of extra chairs it’s ideal for hosting friends too. I’ve added cushions for comfort and to bring a pop of colour, and I love that I can dress it up differently depending on the occasion. Whether it’s a BBQ, birthday, or a simple midweek dinner outdoors purely because the suns out.
Step 5: Create a comfortable reading area
I love getting lost in a good book, so having somewhere comfortable to sit outside in the sunshine is a must! We built the frame for our swing seats using left over wood from the pergola build, then added some cosy egg chairs and planted a star jasmine to climb up it (I wanted something evergreen, and star jasmine turns the most beautiful deep read in autumn). The end result turned out better than I imagined, and it’s quickly become one of my favourite zones within our garden. Very have a great selection of garden furniture to pick from, including some rather lovely egg chairs so you can create your own cosy reading space too.
I love this little quiet sunny corner to unwind, soak up the sunshine, and properly switch off.
Step 6: Add interest with plants and garden décor
Plants and garden décor really bring everything together. Whether it’s adding trees for privacy, flowers for colour, or decorative pieces for a bit of fun and personality. These fun finishing touches make all the difference to your garden glow-up and it’s chance for you to get creative.
We’ve added a few statement decorative pieces, like garden spheres which add interest and shape without feeling too overpowering, and we did a simple DIY to make a little bird bath. A lot of our plants are still in bud at the moment, but I can’t wait for them to all bloom. The star jasmine will soon be covered in loads of tiny white flowers and our flower boarder will be full of fragrant lavender, pink clematis and bright pink azaleas.
Final thoughts
Creating a garden you love doesn’t have to cost a fortune. It just needs a bit of creativity, some simple additions and a focus on how you actually want to use the space. Living in a new build home has taught me that gardens take time and patience to mature into something beautiful, especially when you’re doing it on a budget. But small decorative additions, practical furniture and watching your plants flourish brings so much joy (welcome to your 30’s!)
I’m looking forward to slow mornings on the weekends, and long summer evenings enjoying this space.
Thank you to Very for sponsoring this post x
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