Being a homeowner is a big responsibility, and while there’s plenty to take care of inside you home, don’t forget about the outside, either. If you’ve ever looked into the cost of hiring a professional landscaper, you know they’re not cheap.
Fortunately, there are a slew of inexpensive and affordable DIY landscaping ideas you can tackle in a weekend, so long as you’re willing to get your hands a little dirty.
From the front yard to the back, barbecue pits to bistro lights, here are 59 DIY ways you can affordably improve your outdoor space.
Table of contents
Front Yard Ideas
When it comes to DIY front yard projects, there are numerous ideas that can help transform the front of your home into an inviting space that will welcome visitors to your home.
1. Use large containers
To create dynamic visual impact with little long-term commitment, try using large containers to add color and texture to your front yard. These low water, drought tolerant succulents are perfect for warmer climates. You can even make your own large scale modern concrete planters with this tutorial.
2. Layer your plants
Add drama by layering the height of your plants. Big in the back, small in the front.
3. Use Rocks
Have a section of your front yard that’s too awkward to mow?
Fill it with rocks.
Problem solved.
4. Window Boxes
Take the DIY landscaping ideas off the ground and to the house by installing a few window boxes (they’re surprisingly easy to build).
You can even make your own DIY planter boxes with this tutorial.
5. Outdoor Shelving
Instead of window boxes, try an outdoor shelf instead.
6. Boulders and Rock
If you have a large front yard with little dynamism, add large boulders and rocks for variety.
7. Create a berm
How about creating a berm?
What’s a berm, you ask?
It’s when you transform your totally flat yard by creating mounds of interest.
Easy, and totally affordable.
Be sure to do your research first before create a berm around the base of any tree, as too much dirt can suffocate the tree.
8. Build a trellis
No trees on your lawn? Build a trellis or two for your front yard flowers to climb.
9. Border your walkway
Looking for inexpensive ways to create borders or edging? Border your walkway with plants and flowers to to add texture, color, and styles to your front walkway.
10. Brick edging
DIY landscaping ideas don’t get much more affordable than this: install brick edging to outline areas of your yard using salvaged or recycled brick.
11. Stone Edging
Go for a more natural look by using stone to edge your plants.
12. River Rock
Edge flower beds with river rock. How easy is that?
13. Ground Cover Plants
If you want to keep your yard tame but still want contrast, consider a ground cover plant. Add a few of these low-growing ground cover plants to add variation and color.
14. Flowers in containers
Display flowers in containers along steps, walkways, or on ledges. This is a great way to add visual interest if you have a lot of brick or asphalt in your front yard.
15. Paver walkway
You don’t need a professional for pavers and pathways – learn how to make a stepping stone paver walkway that leads right to your door from Better Homes & Gardens.
16. Create illuminated borders
Using rope lighting to create illuminated borders to your front yard for a bright footpath at night is an inexpensive and easy DIY landscaping project. The rope lights make it easy to light paths with curves and other twists and turns!
17. Stone cliffs
Have a steep front yard? Try creating cliffs with stone and native flowers to eliminate the need to mow.
Backyard Ideas
When it comes to DIY backyard projects, the possibilities are endless for creating a personalized and inviting outdoor space.
Whatever DIY backyard project you choose, it’s a great way to unleash your creativity and enhance your outdoor living space to suit your unique preferences and needs.
18. Layer fences with plants and shrubs
Ugly or boring fences no more!
Create layers of plants and bushes to frame out the edges of your backyard.
19. Steel Edging
Forget about straight lines! This weathering steel edging from Henderson Garden Supply has so many uses. Great for flowing lines, raised curved feature gardens, terracing a gentle slope and created curved step faces. Bonus – no sharp edges!
20. Raised Gardens
Create a raised garden bed to grow your own veggies (or buy an inexpensive one). It will add visual appeal, and you’ll be able to reap the benefits of your labor.
21. Raised beds on top of gravel
Give your back yard some interest and purpose by building raised garden beds and using low maintenance gravel around the beds.
22. Add a Pergola
A bigger back yard project, but much more affordable if you do it yourself.
23. Outdoor string lighting
Hang some outdoor bistro lights on these easy-to-build light stands to illuminate your yard and add a little ambiance to your next backyard gathering.
24. The secret garden
Get ready for backyard inspiration straight out of childhood. Why not create a secret garden in your back yard? We love this tutorial from Anita that takes a very small outdoor space and transforms with some careful planning, layered greenery and a variety of textures.
25. Flower filled pathway
Create a flower-filled path like this example from The Creativity Exchange, bursting with purples and greens.
DIY Fire Pits You Can Create
26. Simple and Easy DIY Fire Pit
First time fire pit builder? Here’s how to make this one in four easy steps.
27. Modern Fire Pit
Follow this tutorial for a more modern fire pit.
28. Upcycled Fire Pit
If you have an old washing machine lying around, you can create this one-of-a-kind upcycled fire pit.
29. Cinder Block Fire Pit
Would you have guessed that this fire pit was initially made out of cinder blocks? Learn how to skim-coat to create this clean look.
30. Minimal Fire Pit
If you’re handy with a welding torch, you can make a minimal fire place from metal.
31. Glass Fire Feature
Maybe you don’t want a whole fire pit, but a little glow would be a nice touch to your back yard. Here’s how to create a mini glass fire feature.
32. Terra Cotta Pot Fire Pit
No back yard to build a fire pit? No problem. You can still toast marshmallows in a terra cotta pot.
Water Features to Add Appeal Outdoors
33. Bird Bath
Water features don’t have to be complicated, or even powered. They can be as simple as a bird bath. Build your own, or purchase an inexpensive one. Give your yard something of interest, and beautiful song birds, too.
34. Urn Water Feature
Create visual appeal in your yard by building your own urn water feature from a ceramic vase.
35. Multi Level Water Fall
Stack ’em up! With a little extra effort, you can transform the previous project on this DIY landscaping ideas list into a multi-level water feature.
36. Bamboo Stock Tank
Knock their socks off with this cute, bamboo framed stock tank swimming pool from Cuckoo4 Design! Perfectly nested into the corner of the yard.
37. Stone Fountain
This is one of those DIY landscaping ideas that is going to require the help of a friend, but if you’re into drama, consider building a stone pond fountain.
38. Low Ground Stone Fountain
Don’t you love this low-to-the-ground look of this stone fountain?
39. Waterfall
Big impact at a little cost! Check out this tutorial for making a waterfall wall for under $300.
40. Outdoor Waterfall
For the ultimate “wow factor,” accent your outdoor space with an outdoor waterfall.
Hedges, Fences, and Other Privacy Features
41. Plant shrubbery
Add privacy by planting some shrubbery yourself. It’s as easy as digging a trench, dropping the plants in, teasing out the roots, and watering.
42. Build a Fence
Nothing beats the backyard privacy of your own fence.
Before you begin the building process, you’ll need to be sure of a few things: Verify your property line, check with your city or township about the limitations and height-restrictions of your fence, have someone from the city come and check for gas lines, and have a neighborly chat with anyone you’ll be sharing the fence line with.
43. Floating Garden Wall
Need just a bit of privacy? Build this floating garden wall. It comes complete with shelving for plants.
44. Trellis Wall
For natural privacy, build a trellis wall out of copper pipe to create a green barrier over time.
45. Mod Trellis
Create a visual divide and build a mod trellis.
46. Shou Sugi
Transform your privacy wall using shou sugi – the process of burning wood, making it water-resistant. Side effect, the shou sugi treatment transforms wood to a beautiful, rich black color.
47. Create an implied wall to divide your yard using small trees or shrubs.
48. Trees, Trees, and More Trees
Need lots and lots of privacy? There are cheap trees you can buy that over time will block out the neighbors, like the inexpensive Leyland Cypress.
How to Create Shade in Your Yard
49. No shade? Create an outdoor hangout space by getting an affordable fabric gazebo.
50. Or sew curtains to hang from your pergola to block a little light when needed.
51. Add a sun sail for immediate shade (bonus if you hang it over your own trampoline lounge!).
52. Grow shade by planting rhododendron in your yard. They’re a dense evergreen with broad leaves, and the flowering in the springtime is lovely.
53. Grow Chinese Wisteria on an existing structure or trellis to block light (be mindful – this plant is known as an invasive plant in some areas).
Creating Visual Interest Around Trees
54. Add mulch to cover the most shaded parts of your lawn.
55. Another genius (and affordable) of the DIY landscaping ideas: Add ground cover plants to hide gnarly roots.
56. Or, opt to grow some moss instead.
57. Use stone to edge the area around the base of your trees.
58. Or build a raised flower bed at the base of the tree (be careful not to add too much dirt around the base of the tree, as you could hurt or kill it).
59. For an extra seating area, create a one-of-a-kind tree bench.
Want more DIY landscaping ideas? Here are 13 more tips for landscaping on a budget.
Clayt and Jenae’,
This site had a lot of cool ideas for a lot of spaces in your yard as well as some very build-able planter/fences etc…
Beautiful landscape ideas. I love all of them—especially No 36. That pool is a dream