Top five tricks to make DIY a breeze this bank holiday…

With two long weekends ahead of us and a so far so sunny spring in full flow, it is time once again to ditch the laptop and don the dungarees for a spot of DIY.

Image credit: focusdiy.co.uk

However if you were planning to use the good weather as an excuse not to get to it, think again, because the DIY that I’m talking about can all be done in the great outdoors. If the idea of potting, pruning and painting still doesn’t make your green fingers tingle, help is at hand with our top five Do It Yourself tricks to make this Easter weekend’s work less of a chore.

1. Build your own shed

There is no better way to prepare your garden for the summer ahead than with a declutter. But if you can’t face getting rid of those broken plant pots and the old wheelbarrow quite yet, a garden shed is the ideal storage solution for all of your tools and more.

Image credit: shedblog.co.uk

A flat pack assembly shed is as close as you can be to not actually having to do much whilst still claiming the DIY credentials. These days flat packs can be very simple and easy to put up… (I said can be…), are cheaper than their ready-built counterparts and are easier to get home.

The Rowlinson Premier Garden Shed is a flat pack big enough for all your baggage from garden furniture to broken lawnmowers. For anyone working with limited space, a more economically sized shed – such as the Forest Garden Overlap Shed from Argos – provides the perfect solution to storage problems in a smaller garden.

2. Paint your garden pretty

Sometimes all that a garden needs is a lick of paint to spruce it up come spring. Windows, trellises, fences and sheds can all be revived with a fresh coat of paint. You can take this as far as you want with available colours extending from neutral browns, greys and greens to blocks of bright colour bang on trend for this spring and summer.

Dulux has a huge range of exterior emulsion and gloss paints varying from the most vibrant blue right down to more subtle greys and white. Wood stains and varnish can also revive fences and sheds, and are a good way to refresh your garden furniture without having to spend a lot of money year after year.  The DIY garden painting moodboard above illustrates some really colorful takes on exterior decoration.

3. DIY plant pots

Before you bin those broken vases, cracked china, old shoes and leaking watering cans consider how they may be recycled into garden ornaments and plant pots.  A beautiful broke vase with overflowing latifolius or sprouting passion flowers can add an interesting quirk to a conventional flower bed and will only get better over time as it becomes a natural part of its surroundings – which means less work for you next year.

Check out some creative examples on my DIY plant pots moodboard below for some potting inspiration.

4. Tackling the lawn

While you might think your overgrown lawn looks wild and exotic, to everyone else it just looks chaotic. No one relishes the thought of puffing and panting around their garden with a heavy lawnmower in tow, but nowadays it does not have to be such an chore.

Image credit: automatckasekacka.cz

The Robomow RL550 Robotic Lawnmower does all the hard work while you sit back and relax.  Pushing and pulling can be replaced with snoozing and sipping as this little mower zig-zags around your garden controlled by a simple wire perimeter.  With this handy helper there is no excuse for having an overgrown garden – and a good excuse to relax in the sunshine as you monitor its progress.

5. DIY decking

Decking or paving can transform an otherwise simple garden into a fantastic outdoor dining, entertaining and relaxation area during spring and summer, and it has never been so simple to construct your own decking area, paving platform, or stepping stones.

A decking extension kit is an easy way to DIY a platform for your outdoor furniture and can look really stunning with colourful creepers growing up its railings.  They can be standalone like the Focus Patio Deck Kit, or can be made to look like an extension of your house like Amazon’s Easy Deck Patio Kit. Either can be achieved without too much hammering or hassle.

Paving and stepping stones can be bought in bulk or as standalone slabs and come in a variety of different types and shades to suit any garden landscape.  Why not get creative and experiment with different stone patterns and paths? Use mydeco’s 3D tool to test out what products and design might look best for your garden.

My Easter DIY folder has all this and many more ideas on how to get your garden looking spring clean this weekend.

And once all the DIY is done and dusted it’s time to relax – it is the weekend after all! Soak up the sun with dinner outdoors and make sure to check out our folder on easter table decorations for fun ideas for a festive bank holiday.