We have been spending all our at-home days in the garden this Summer, and I can't tell you how joyful it has been to watch Isaac run around on the grass and having a blast on his tuff tray. Our garden needed so much work done to it when we moved in and it has taken us a few years to do bits and bobs to it.

G and I are really not much of a DIY'er and now that we have Isaac to look after, it's even more impossible for us, so the majority of work that has been done in the garden was with hired help. When I first called around for garden quotes, the amount was beyond ridiculous and I almost threw in the towel and accepted living with a crappy outdoor space that I'd never enjoy. Luckily, I eventually found a gardener who could help transform my ideas for the garden that didn't cost me the earth. If you are planning on transforming your own garden and sticking with a tight budget, try and do what you can by yourself and it doesn't have to be a lot of work at all. Here are some of my top tips for doing a garden renovation on a tight budget.

Wash The Floor
You'd be surprised at how much better the garden floors and tiled areas can look after a good wash. We bought a jet wash that uses high water pressure to really blast off stubborn dirt on the our tiled area. You can easily hire one to save some money.

Think of your outdoor space like a room in your house and work with a blank canvas. Rip down and take whatever clutter you don't need in the garden to the dumpsite/recycle centre. Now is the time to dump all the scraps of wood laying around and get rid of tired out garden furniture and toys.

Paint The Fences
Painting the fences give the garden an instant facelift. We have a small garden and I wanted to open up the space so I chose to use an ash-grey white which I picked up from B&Q. Colours like seagrass green and stone grey are great colour options too. Just use a broom to give the fences a quick sweep down and paint away. 2 coats should be sufficient.

Returf The Grass
If you have a grass area, consider re-turfing it all or laying down artificial grass. Often, weed-filled and dying patches of grass can really ruin the aesthetics of your garden (see the first photo at the top of the post!). The cheapest way to re-turf is to dig up all the grass, rake away all the roots, evenly flatten out the area, spread some new compost on top, and sow grass seeds. If your budget allows, use ready rolled turf or premium astroturf.

New Garden Furniture
And lastly, adding a new piece of garden furniture to the garden can really complete the look! You can start off with a lounge chair, a small table with chairs to getting a full dining set or garden sofa set. There are often deals as we approach the end of Summer when companies need to get rid of stock, so it's the best time to pick up a bargain then.
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