Garden Makeover

I was not financially compensated for this post. I received various samples for review and custom content purposes.  The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

Spring is the perfect time to tackle outdoor projects! In today's post, I'm sharing all about our garden makeover and six easy DIY ideas. 

Before

This view was from late February. Our shed for the farm animals is directly to the right and each time I came out to feed them on cold winter mornings, I would look at this space and dream of spring. We planned to add raised garden beds and a new walkway to the front of our barn. 

DIY 1: Raised Beds 

We started our project with adding raised stone beds. We found all the old foundation stone last year locally on Facebook Marketplace. You could make your own raised beds out of wood or add a raised bed planter from Tarter USA. We recommend adding weed barrier to prepare for new soil.  

DIY 2: Pea Gravel

Once we had the foundation laid for our raised beds, we used old edging we had on hand to line the new walkway. We also purchased rail road ties to line the outer edge of our garden area. While we hadn't planned to add pea gravel to the entire space, it ended up being the best option for us. I don't know about you, but many times the design evolves once we start a project. We had 3 tons of pea gravel delivered and spread it ourselves. This was the best option so we wouldn't have to try to mow around our DIY stone beds. 

DIY 3: Trellis and Obelisk 

We always have scrap wood on hand and we ended up creating our own garden trellis and obelisk for our new garden area. For both projects, we used 1x2's and custom fit to size. The lean-to on the right of our main barn has always looked a little awkward since we added the metal, but the new trellis helps disguise it and will be perfect for our climbing roses. 

For now, the obelisk is purely decorative, but as the garden grows, I plan to use it as a surface for climbing plants. To add a bit of French elegance, we added a Fleur-de-lis topper. Either of these options would be an easy DIY that would add architectural interest to your garden area. 

DIY 4: Garden Fence 

If you've been following along on Instagram stories, you know I started planting a little early and had some rabbits get a few vegetable plants. I asked for feedback on the best way to keep animals out of the garden and while there were several ideas, the most practical was to add a small garden fence.

We already had chicken wire and garden stakes, so one afternoon I put up this basic fence. I purchased toppers for the tops of the stakes for safety purposes and love how it turned out. So far, the fence has served its purpose and kept animals at bay. 

DIY 5: Pergola & Firepit Addition 

After adding the pea gravel, we knew we wanted to create a sitting area in the garden. We partnered with Sunjoy to add an 8'x8' steel pergola with a sunshade. The pergola complements our garden space and I love the sunshade will keep us cooler during the summer months. The material is breathable and has already been able to withstand strong spring winds. We had a lot of people ask how long it took to put together - honestly, it did require two people, but it went up very quickly. The instructions were very straight forward and all the parts were clearly labeled. 

Sunjoy also sent over one of their firepits and we can't wait to enjoy it as well! 

DIY 6: Twinkle Lights 

My last idea for a garden makeover is to string twinkle lights (see photo above)! They add the perfect bit of ambiance and one of our favorite brands is Brightech. We added one of their 48ft strands to our pergola. The vintage Edison string lights give off a warm, nostalgic glow so that you can enjoy your very own retreat. The best part? The are commercial grade and weather proof. They also offer a full 3 year warranty! I'm planning to add two more stands to surround our entire garden. 

I hope this gives you some easy garden makeover ideas! Our garden is still a work in progress, but the entire family loves it! As you can see, it is adjacent to our farm animals and we love to gather here as a family. 

As always, thank you for following along!

Bonne chance (Good luck),

Amy