Over the last few months, we've really come to appreciate the great outdoors. From large lawns, to teeny balconies and concrete courtyards, having an outside space has become a must-have for many. Yet not all backyards are made equal. Once shabby, dysfunctional or downright ugly, these gardens have all been completely transformed on a shoestring budget, thanks to some rather creative DIYers. Pretty and imaginative, these bargain glow-ups are sure to add fuel to your next project.

Hayley Jenkins and her family benefited from a good sized back garden, but the space was lacking any sort of excitement. Residents of North Wales, Hayley and her husband decided to create the perfect alfresco beer garden, where they could relax and unwind during the summer months. For the task, they chose to extend the decking that they already had, before making furniture from leftover pallets that they sourced for free from a local building site.

The pair used their spare time during lockdown to sand and paint their creations, but it wasn't until they were finished that Hayley’s partner decided he wanted to build a matching bar. “The worst part was painting the furniture," says Hayley. "It seemed to take forever and was really awkward. We learnt our lesson with the bar and painted the majority of it before we put it together.” Taking just over five weeks to create, the bar cost less than £200 ($250) and has helped make this garden truly envy-inducing.

During lockdown, Paula realised her children had nowhere to play in their hometown of Barnoldswick, Lancashire. Restricted to a single hour's exercise a day, she knew it was time to turn her redundant driveway into a space the whole family could enjoy. "The boys needed a nice, safe place to play," says Paula. "And I needed somewhere private where I could sit outside." 

The project was straightforward yet effective and her cramped and boring driveway is now a chic and stylish 'yarden' that oozes Scandinavian appeal. Paula bought some faux turf and a pastel lounge set, adding lanterns and plants to her newly decorated space. She also installed new fencing and painted it in a cool slate tone. As for Paula's children, they love their new outdoor space. "Hearing the boys giggle and laugh as they play out there genuinely brought me happy tears," she says. 

Nathan Paget’s garden was in need of a major spring clean, after the harsh winter weather left it looking tired and grubby. With a £250 ($308) budget, Nathan and his partner Jason knew that lockdown was the perfect time for them to leave their mark on the space, creating somewhere they could relax and enjoy some much-needed time outside. They began by clearing the area of broken plant pots and old furniture, before borrowing a pressure washer to clean everything down.

Serene, cosy and surprisingly simple, Nathan and Jason's yard is unrecognisable. They bought patio slabs and slate chippings from B&M, costing just £21 ($25), and decorated the space with upcycled lanterns that they already had to hand. They sprayed them with silver paint, something that Nathan does every year: “They come out brand new," he explains. For those balmy summer outdoor movie nights, the pair purchased a projector for £150 ($185), and finished the space with a rug, a coffee table and some candles.

To keep themselves occupied during lockdown, Jemma Evans and her partner decided to take on a DIY project that would see them transform a vacant and rather uninviting space in their back garden. Usually used for family barbeques, Jemma wanted to turn the small patio area into the ultimate alfresco kitchen.

Costing around £300 ($370) to create, Jemma's partner took on the construction work using posts and joists from a previous project. The pair already had a small decking area, so they simply expanded it to make room for a barbeque and a pizza oven. Since shop-bought pergolas can cost thousands, Jemma's partner decided to make one from an old sail. A bamboo furniture set from Argos finishes the space beautifully.

Diane Wightman's compact backyard was once plain and uninteresting, until she decided to use some DIY magic to completely reinvent the space. With a few tins of paint, some new plants and a rather surprising bathroom accessory, Diane has created a beautiful and vibrant garden that is truly one-of-a-kind. Taking three years to complete, doing the work gradually as and when she had time, Diane spent just £300 ($370) on the transformation.

Diane took inspiration for her backyard makeover from the Facebook group, Gardening on a Budget, where several members had utilised a shower curtain to dramatic effect. Diane purchased a shower curtain decorated with a woodland scene and added it to her painted vermilion red walls, to create a real focal feature. Diane was lucky enough to be gifted some accessories, while others were reclaimed from a skip. She also built a water feature from scratch, to complete her rainbow courtyard.

Levi Horton and her partner Tom Chamberlain wanted to spend more time outdoors during lockdown, but their rather unsightly backyard didn't make the prospect very appealing. Luckily for Levi, Tom knew just how to transform the space on a shoestring budget. Over the course of three weekends and with less than £500 ($627) to play with, Tom managed to pull off a truly remarkable facelift...

Bespoke and beautiful, the yard is romantic and perfectly suited to the couple's needs. Tom built borders and wall planters from reclaimed pallets and sourced furniture paint, decking, plants and outdoor lighting from discount stores such as B&M and Lidl. The couple were also gifted some artificial turf, while soft furnishings and pretty touches elevate the space. Tom loved the challenge so much that he's now started his own business, BEST Bespoke, helping others to transform their gardens on a shoestring.

If anyone knows a thing or two about dramatic, low-budget transformations, it's award-winning interiors and DIY blogger, Hayley Stuart. Based in Hampshire, UK, Hayley's garden was in a dire state. Knowing it was a big project that could quickly add up, Hayley decided to take on the job herself and with time and plenty of elbow grease, has radically improved her garden. Her first job was to replace all the paving, in order to make the space safe for her children. 

Once the slabs were down, Hayley decorated the path using a stencil. She bought masonry paint for £14 ($17) and Wickes patio and paving seal for £18 ($22), before painstakingly dabbing on the pattern. To add boho vibes to the space, Hayley created a side table and plant stand from a concrete bird bath and terracotta pots, which cost just £4.99 ($6) each. Taking inspiration from high-end designer items, Hayley used Cuprinol outdoor paint to decorate the pots and bought a solar powered fountain pump from eBay, to complete her freestanding water feature. Her garden is now the ultimate staycation spot!

Upcycling addicts Vicki and Matt Westwood decided it was high time to do something about their dilapidated garden shed, which was making their outdoor space look old and tired. "We initially intended to take the shed down and build a seating area in its place," says Vicki. "But instead we decided to make the most of what we already had." After a lot of hard work, the pair has managed to build the summer house of their dreams, all for just £900 ($1,114).

Talk about dreamy garden room! To achieve the look, Vicki and Matt scrubbed the shed’s walls and sanded the floor, which was no easy task. They decorated the inside with leftover paint from B&Q and used Frenchic’s Swanky Pants on the exterior. They replaced the windows with Perspex and made new folding doors from scrap shed wood. Matt also built a bar, a seating area, a table and a window ledge from salvaged wardrobe timber. Gorgeous and made entirely from recycled items, this stunning garden shows that anything is possible with a little imagination. 

Interiors and DIY fan Dani had a fairly ordinary garden and while not in need of a total overhaul, she decided that the space needed to make the most of the sunshine. "The rays hits the bottom of the garden all day long," she explains. Positioned on a slight slope, Dani decided to hire a builder to level off the ground, so she could install a patio – the perfect spot for her morning coffees, family picnics and afternoon tipples.

Once the ground was level, Dani removed the footpath and border plants which ran down to the shed, selling the paving slabs on a local buy and sell forum and using the cash to revamp the space. She bought a second-hand paving circle for just £40 ($50) and extended the diameter by cutting up a cobble carpet from B&Q (£29/$36). The surrounding slate chips were reused from the original border and Dani created two raised beds out of leftover decking timber. Total spend? £800 ($1,000).

Cory and her husband had a simple and compact back garden, until they decided to make use of every inch of space by creating the ultimate play area for their son, Sebastian. The couple, who live in Northern Ireland, worked as a team on the project. Cory took on design duties, while her partner was given responsibly for the construction work. Simple yet extremely effective, their hardwork has added wow-factor to their garden.

Costing just £350 ($432) to build, this amazing children's climbing frame is the ultimate retreat for Sebastian. Cory and her husband created the play area's walls and floor from old pallets, buying the remaining structural items from DIY store, B&Q. Complete with a slide, a climbing wall and plenty of spaces for hide-and-seek, this outdoor oasis has quickly and cheaply added character to Cory's garden.

As an eco-warrior, Jen Helen Perry is all about living sustainably and always wanted to have a space to grow her own vegetables. So this year, Jen and her partner decided to finally tackle their blank canvas garden and create the ultimate allotment patch in the suburbs of Pennsylvanian, USA. The pair saved up for six months, in order to be able to afford all the materials they needed for the project and spent just £1,043 ($1,295) on the transformation.

They started by preparing the soil, before building four raised beds from cedar and filling them with compost from a local farm. Wanting to add some quaint English flair to the space, Jen added a trellis, some stepping stones, pinwheels and planters. They grew veggies and flowers from seeds, and took on all the work themselves, in order to save extra pennies. “My toddlers love it,” Jen says. “I’m hoping it will inspire them to weed one day!”

Rebecca Anderson lived in a Victorian cottage in Scotland, before buying the house next door and beginning a major renovation project. Still working on improving the property, Rebecca and her partner recently decided to tackle their scarily overgrown backyard. A hot mess of weeds, broken fencing and shabby furniture, the pair opted to make their project super affordable, by upcycling what they already had to hand.

Spending just £110 ($135) on decking boards and spray paint, they built their own table and chairs by stripping their old rattan furniture and reusing the frames, which were in perfect condition. They removed the staples and wire brushed the metal, before covering the frames with black PlastiKote spray to give an even finish. Decking boards became bespoke seats, some of which come with cut-out wine glass holders. To complete their garden upcycling, they made a handmade wall-mounted gin bar, created from surplus pallets.

Kelly Boness is a dedicated DIYer who's renovating her house in Bedfordshire, UK, one project at a time. Her latest scheme saw her totally transform her ugly 90s courtyard, with its now iconic pink and cream patio slabs. “We knew we had an unusual space to work with,” says Kelly. “It’s a 'secret' side garden, so the aim was to bring the inside out and create a cosy yet functional space for entertaining.” Not only has Kelly achieved this, but she's done so on a shoestring budget.

Kelly wanted to achieve a Mediterranean finish, since her holiday had been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. She started by pressure washing the patio to remove grime, then applied an off-white base colour from B&Q. Kelly sponged on a Moroccan stencil pattern, bought from Etsy, in order to achieve a subtle, rustic finish. Lastly, Kelly applied a patio sealer to protect the paintwork and finished the space with bamboo furniture. Total spend? Just £350 ($432).

Jessy and Josh have been gradually transforming their property in Derby, UK, working around baby naps and dog walks with their fox terrier, Walter. The inside of their home is chic and playful, with mid-century furnishings and pops of colour. As for their garden, it was in need of a complete overhaul. Josh tackled the project and started by removing the shabby wooden gazebo that was making their garden look old-fashioned.

Josh built a new gazebo from bamboo for just £450 ($555). “We built it initially for shelter, but then realised we wanted to create an outdoor area that felt cosy,” says Jessy. Josh then set about creating a lounge area from old pallets and Jessy added an outdoor rug, a pizza table and a cinema screen, spending £200 ($246) on the finishing touches, including cushions, blankets, lanterns and plants. A chic and stylish bohemian space, this alfresco lounge is the only place we'd want to be on a warm summer's evening.

After his Mediterranean holiday was cancelled, Chris Ryan decided to create his very own piece of paradise at home. His large back garden, located in Wigan, UK, was the perfect blank canvas and while it lacked personality, it had plenty of potential. Using the Greek islands as inspiration, Chris turned his bland yard into a sun-soaked staycation destination, all for less than £500 ($617)!

Chris’s Grecian oasis instantly transports you to a coastal paradise. He took on the project during lockdown, sticking to a blue and white colour scheme using Cuprinol garden paint. He created planting beds, bought a tiled table, a chiminea and a bargain rug from Lidl. Other accessories include lights, dreamcatchers, grapevine bunting and hanging baskets, which help create a cosy and sophisticated Mediterranean atmosphere.

With plenty of spare time on their hands during lockdown, Amy Peck and her partner decided to tackle their rather uninspiring back garden. Wanting to keep most of the grass at the centre of the space, they decided to focus their attentions elsewhere, in order to create a calming focal feature that would encourage zen vibes. Costing just £130 ($162), Amy has proved that you don't need to spend a fortune in order to achieve something dramatic.

From nasty to namaste, the pair started by digging a hole in the ground, where they installed a large plastic tub. They then built a frame for the feature from redundant wood pallets and turned an old piece of metal into a blade for the water to cascade off. They then ran a hose from the tub to the metal plate and attached it to a cheap pond pump. They screwed some decking boards to the front of the frame and used chicken wire to cover the plastic tub, topping it with pretty pebbles.

Gemma of Caffeine and Cacti is all about budget makeovers. Her new-build home in Southampton, UK, lacked personality, until Gemma transformed it into a bohemian oasis on a shoestring. Her clever design skills extend into her beautiful garden, which was once an uninspiring blank canvas. Spending just £580 ($733) and utilising second-hand materials, Gemma and her husband have turned their boring yard into a picture-perfect paradise.

For the transformation, Gemma reclaimed old decking boards from her in-laws and sourced additional wood for the joists from her local builder’s merchants. She bought extra matching patio slabs from Gumtree and her husband built surrounding planters, completing the space with bamboo furniture sourced from a thrift shop. The couple then finished the stylish deck with Frenchic paint and splashed out on some artificial grass, which means they never need to tend to the lawn again. Bonus!

With a love of boho and Scandi design, Negi decided to transform her unloved back garden into a sophisticated oasis for unwinding after a long day at work. Her 120-year-old Victorian house, located in Birmingham, UK, benefited from a traditional narrow yard, that with a little time and attention, could become something really special. Negi splashed out on a local landscape gardener, to help her redesign the space effectively and for a reasonable price has achieved a great deal...

For just £3,000 ($3,781), including all labour, Negi has created a breathtaking monochrome space that oozes sophistication. The garden now features chic mint sandstone paving, new fencing, a log store and built-in planters that frame the space. Negi finished the yard with a peacock chair from Facebook Marketplace, which cost just £20 ($25). Worthy of the pages of any glossy magazine, Negi's now elegant English garden blends bohemian coolness with Scandinavian minimalism.

Kate Heath and her neighbours share a communal yard in a quiet terraced street in Liverpool, UK. During lockdown the neighbours struck up a conversation over the garden wall and discussed how special their quiet cobbled yard could be with a little care and attention. “We thought it would be great if we could make use of the wasted area and turn it into a green, useable space for us all to enjoy,” says Kate. To transform their alleyway, Kate and her neighbours upcycled whatever they could get their hands on, only spending money on paint and the odd accessory. 

Now, their communal yard offers pretty bunting, planters made from old tyres, seating areas for social distanced chats and even artwork handmade by each homeowner. The ultimate example of how a global pandemic can bring people closer together, Berrington Community Gardens is as heartwarming as it is inspiring. "It’s amazing what you can do with a bit of time and imagination," says Kate.

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