9 Budget-Friendly Garden Features That Make A Powerful Impact
Saving some room in your wallet doesn’t have to mean skimping on aesthetics and functionality while bringing your dream garden to life. From rustic designs, to dollar store dupes, I’ve rounded up a list of my favorite DIY garden features that will spark your creativity and inspire motivation to bring in your next best harvest.
1. Twine Garden Trellis
Twine is fantastic in the garden. I especially love the durability of tarred twine, and there are so many uses for it. When it comes to making a trellis, twine is hands down the most affordable purchase.
With a few branches and some twine you can make beautiful, sturdy supports for all of your plants. From Florida weaves, to A-frames, twine does it all. It’s quick to put up and is great for creating tensile strength for climbers. Check out how my family used twine to build a massive walk-through trellis, dirt cheap.
2. Trash Bin Irrigation
It’s such a wonderful feeling to experience the gift of abundance in the garden. What makes this even better, is finding ways to use natural resources while saving money in the process. Once this system is set up, it’s as easy as turning on and off. We’re excited to give this a try in our garden.
Inspired by @subversive_living on IG.
3. Fence Picket Raised Garden Bed
The cool thing about these beds is they’re not only inexpensive, but they are moveable. We decided to try them out in our garden this year, and since we’re not quite seasoned pros, this option gives us the wiggle room we need to experiment.
They’re super easy to set up. All you really need are retaining wall blocks and fence pickets. However high you want to go, just stack up the blocks. Both are very inexpensive and you can play around with the size. If you decide to go higher than two blocks, which is about 12 inches, I’d recommend adding rebar for support.
4. Upcycled Strawberry Planters
I was looking for an inexpensive alternative to growing strawberries off the ground. After I discovered the viral Dollar Tree vertical planters aren’t the most reliable method, I did a bit more research. I came across an easy and super cheap way to grow these delicious, but fussy fruits.
The best part is, I can finally give a second life to milk jugs. As much as my son loves strawberries, he loves his milk, so this method is a win for both of us. For the planter, cut a juice or milk carton in half, poke some drainage on the bottom and one hole on each side near the first cut, and fill with soil. Cut 4 pieces of twine for each side hole, then pull all four strings together and tie into a loop to hang anywhere you like.
Inspired by @baganrbagan on TikTok
5. Cinderblock Keyhole Raised Garden Bed
My first idea for a raised bed was cob. After some discussion and a bit more research, we discovered it wouldn’t last long enough to be worth the effort since cob has to be protected from rain and groundwater to prevent erosion. In my search for an alternative bed, I found this incredible design.
Around here, cinderblocks are two dollars and fifty cents each, so this bed might come in around one hundred-fifty dollars without the soil, which is not bad for its size. What’s truly awesome about it, is that it saves us the argument of who gets to take the kitchen scraps to the woods where our compost pile currently is. This raised bed includes a built-in composting shoot that adds nutrients directly into the bed. How cool is that?
6. Bamboo and Twine Teepee Trellis
I wouldn’t attempt growing it, but dried bamboo is very affordable. Make a teepee with the sticks and tie them together with twine. Tie some lines of twine starting from the base and working to the top, leaving as much or little space as you’d like. I’ve also seen this done with branches and it’s such an adorable and natural feature in the garden. A teepee trellis is also quick and relatively easy to build.
7. Gutter Planter
This is a pretty cool idea growing around. You can find gutters at your local home improvement store for cheap. We pulled some out of the dirt last year and while most were broken down, one was just long enough to try this.
I think this planter will eventually make it onto our tunnel trellis as we build, but this looks absolutely stunning along a fence if you have one. Otherwise, there are plenty of options including hanging tiers and A-frames. Just drill some holes in the bottom of the gutters for drainage and add soil. Tuck in your strawberry plants and you’re good to grow.
8. Wattle Garden Fence
This is a fun and ancient idea, but also a very time consuming project that works best with two pairs of hands and a whole lot of patience. Sturdy branches are spaced vertically along the ground in a zigzag pattern. Smaller branches are woven in and out of the vertical branches. It makes a gorgeous rustic look in the garden. If you have some time to spend outside with a loved one, this is definitely a great project to bond over.
9. Hanging Jar Lights
I have a pretty healthy obsession with jars. They don’t break, unless there is some good force involved, and they aren’t great at bio-degrading either. We also paid for them. Jars often cost more than the products they contain, so yes, I will defend my jar hoarding. A great way to use these up in the garden is turning them into pretty lights and it’s very simple.
Grab your jar and some twine, of course! Jute would be beautiful in the garden, but it will quickly weather, so I’d recommend using it on a covered patio, or inside where it won’t get wet. Add an LED tea light to the jar. Check out the quick tutorial below for a gorgeous and strong macrame style hanger.
These are just a few budget friendly features I personally love for the garden and I can’t wait to try them all. These features are either free or affordable and can be an inspirational catalyst for your own garden projects. If you love this list be sure to share it with a friend, or loved one. I’d also love to hear your thoughts on these projects, as well as any other ideas you have for the garden. It would really make my day! Thanks for reading and happy growing!