Small budget, BIG IDEAS

Give your outdoor space a high-end look with low-cost ideas, speedy fixes and expert-approved advice

- LISA FAZZANI/TAMARA KELLY

1 ADD HEIGHT WITH A PERGOLA

One-level gardens can sometimes feel flat and lack visual interest, but building a DIY garden pergola is an easy way to remedy this and add 'wow'. Whether attached to a house or used as a standalone feature further along the garden, a pergola will bring instant height and structure to any outdoor space, and makes a fabulous focal point or shaded seating area with greenery trained around it. Attach hanging lights and festoon strings for some extra sparkle after dark.

Forest Garden Ultima pergola, £399.99, Robert Dyas

2 CREATE GARDEN ZONES

Dividing the garden into different areas can give it a better sense of purpose and structure, with spaces to sit and relax, prepare food and entertain, or for the kids to play in. Use hard landscaping to create paths and dividing walls for a permanent fix, or cut costs with strategic planting schemes that add height, screening and privacy. Furniture placement is another easy and inexpensive way of zoning the space, with seating positioned in sociable corner or U-shaped arrangements.

3 SPRUCE UP TIMBER

Paint is a speedy and budget-friendly way to rejuvenate a tired garden, and painting outdoor timber a uniform shade throughout looks much classier than weather-worn wood or a random assortment of colours. Make a statement by using darker shades - such as dusky charcoal, navy or dramatic black - to paint sheds, fences and trellises. Greenery will pop against a dark background, and it has the added effect of making boundaries recede so that the garden feels much bigger. Wood Stain and Protect in Gun Metal Grey, £13.86 per ltr, Protek