9 affordable garden decor DIY hacks

If you’re hosting outdoor parties and get-togethers over the next few months, or if you simply want to make the most of the summer sunshine, you’ll want to ensure your garden is looking its very best.

Remember, sprucing up your outdoor areas doesn’t have to be an expensive job.

Read our handy tips, as well as our independently tested Best Buy and Great Value product recommendations, to help you use your budget wisely and put the 'great' back into your slice of the great outdoors.

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1. Pressure wash your patio

Patio or decking looking a bit shabby? Make old surfaces look new again with a thorough pressure washer clean. 

Clear the area by sweeping first, then test the pressure washer and work from one edge or corner of the patio, blasting the dirt away from you.

Discover our best pressure washers

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2. Get out your paintbrush

It’s worth sprucing up your decking with a new coat of paint. If your decking is quite old, you'll need to remove any loose paint and lightly sand the deck to prepare the surface before you can apply more paint. 

Before applying new decking stain or paint, make sure the decking is clean, free of dust, and dry. Most paints and stains recommend two or three coats, with four hours between applications so make sure dry weather is forecast before you begin.

Get great results with our Best Buy decking stains and paints

3. Refresh your fence

This is a relatively quick and simple task that can make a big difference. Use a fence paint to protect it from the elements, or even try repainting your fence a new colour. You can use colour to give the illusion of a larger garden. 

Light colours tend to reflect daylight to make the space feel bigger, while dark colours can also enhance the sense of space by making the fence recede into the surrounding plants and detracting your eye from the boundary.

Try one of our Best Buy fence paints

4. Repurpose old items

Look in your shed and garden for items you could re-use in novel ways, for example a old pallet could be used to wooden shelving or even a compost bin. 

Facebook Marketplace can be a great place to find inexpensive pots and containers – drill some drainage holes if they don't already have them. Pinterest is full of imaginative ideas to get you inspired.

Grow herbs in your garden

5. Add plants

It’s too late to grow your own from seed by July but garden centres, supermarkets and DIY stores will stock a huge array of mid-to-late summer blooms, some of which will go on flowering into mid-autumn. 

Make sure you water them thoroughly when you first plant and whenever we get a dry spell of weather.

Get fantastic pots by planting in a Best Buy compost

6. Invest in your garden furniture

Having spruced up your patio, the last thing you want is a heap of rusty old garden furniture to sit on. If you plan to invest in new furniture, make sure it will last you for many years to come. 

Think about the look of your furniture will tie in with the rest of your garden. If your garden is quite a contemporary space, you can complement the look with sleek, simple metal furniture. For a more natural look, think about using soft, rustic timbers and softer colour palettes. 

If you buy metal furniture, check it comes with an anti-rust sealant, while if it’s wooden, staining and oiling it will protect it from mildew and mould. Try to store your garden furniture in a shed in winter or, if that’s not an option, invest in a cover for it.

Learn how to clean outdoor furniture

7. Add a pop of colour

Upgrade your patio by introducing some eye-catching colours and patterns. 

Try adding colourful outdoor rugs appropriate for all types of weather, garden furniture pillows, or even throws and blankets for when the temperature drops in the evening. Dress your outdoor setting with some brightly coloured picnicware.

8. Pop-up a gazebo

A gazebo is easy to pitch and will keep you protected from unpredictable weather. 

If you’re looking to host large gatherings and don’t necessarily have the space indoors, a gazebo can be a good way to let the party spill into the garden, regardless of the weather. Some of the best ones are more of an investment, but we found a Great Value one for less than £100.

Discover our Best Buy gazebos

9. Light up your space

Solar fairy lights are an easy way to ensure the party doesn’t stop when the sun sets. However, if you don’t invest in the right ones, you could end up frustrated as one set after another stops working. 

Be careful as the beautiful pictures can make it appear as if there are more lights to a pack than there are. And if you are opting for solar lights, the key is to ensure your solar panel is big enough and correctly positioned. 

Our rigorous tests have found the lights which can be left outside all year round so there's no need to mess around taking them down and putting them up again.

Add some magic to your garden with Best Buy solar lights