25 Easy Do-It-Yourself Garden Projects to Make Your Life Greener

Concrete Table

Not only are concrete tables stylish, but they're also well-suited to the elements. Sturdy and resistant to moisture, this do-it-yourself garden table has a strong cedar base and a tinted concrete top that will last for years to come.

• See how to make an outdoor concrete table.

Miniature Succulent Garden

Bring the desert to your garden in miniature form. For this tiny succulent garden, we included an arbor, a chair, a cat, and a wheelbarrow to add whimsical charm, but feel free to use whatever figurines you please.

• Learn how to make a miniature succulent garden.
• Here's everything you need to know about succulent care.

Tool-Cleaning Station

Pack away dirty gardening tools, and you may discover rusted spades and shovels come spring. Eliminate the hassle of the annual end-of-season clean-up with a bucketful of sand and oil. This DIY tool-cleaning station requires just three materials and ensures clean tools without a whole lot of scrubbing.

Terrarium

We love terrariums for their ability to bring green to any indoor space—no matter the season outside. Make your own to adorn a desk, serve as a dining table centerpiece, or bring life to any spot in your home, so long as it's well-lit and away from a major heat source, like a radiator or fireplace.

• Learn how to make a terrarium.

Miniature Evergreen Garden

Mini conifers and perennials make for a perpetually green and adorably petite landscape. In this square garden, we used three conifers: Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Tsukumo,' Picea glauca 'Jean's Dilly,' and a Valley Cushion Mugo pine. A dwarf Heuchera brings perennial chartreuse color. Once finished, cover the soil with gravel and sheet moss to keep moisture from evaporating too quickly. Use Superthrive vitamin solution to keep your miniature garden healthy.

Concrete Paver Planter

Casting concrete can be tedious. So why not skip that step and use pavers instead? With our easy tutorial, you'll learn how to make inexpensive concrete planters that bring clean lines and modern style to your garden.

• See how to make a concrete paver planter.

Outdoor Gardening Station

If you need a storage solution for your gardening gear, transform an old china cabinet into your very own outdoor station. Paint a secondhand piece in a fun color (hint: use a durable exterior paint), then stow your tools, pots, and garden knickknacks inside the cabinets and drawers. Decorate flat surfaces with pretty tiles of your choice.

Bottle Bird Feeder

Bottle-feed your favorite winged friends. Instead of tossing glass bottles, save them to create a simple bird feeder, which you can dress up with a charm or bracelet hanging off of the copper wire wrapping. Fill it with safflower seeds or black-oil sunflower seeds.

• Check out this DIY guide to making a bottle bird feeder.

Living Succulent Picture

Bring living art to your interior with a framed succulent installation. This vertical garden requires very little water, making it an easy piece to maintain, and you don't have to worry about your artwork becoming overgrown or unmanageable, since succulents are slow-growing.

• Learn how to make a living succulent picture.

Log-Slice Steps

Utilize a fallen tree trunk or buy precut log slices to make this pretty path for your garden. If you're going the precut route, use different colored wood stains to give your walkway some natural-looking variation.

Hanging Wooden Basket Container Garden

Love the look of a hanging plant, but don't know where to start? A hanging wooden basket container garden like this one can be made in any size and with your choice of plant. A layer of moss keeps the soil from falling through the bottom.

• Find a beautiful hanging basket plant combination here.

Dogwood Garden Orb

If you have leftover dogwood branches from pruning, we have a creative way to put them to use: Turn them into garden orbs. These easy natural garden ornaments make beautiful decorations and require minimal supplies. Our orbs were built with red twig and yellow twig dogwood branches.

• Learn how to make dogwood garden orbs.

Chalkboard Plant Markers

As the seasons change, so do our plants. Sometimes it can be difficult keeping track of what sits where in your garden or seed-starting pot. Distinguish your plants with colorful markers like these, which are coated in chalkboard paint for easy use and identification.

Pond Box

Enjoy all the benefits of an in-ground water feature with a pond box, which can fit in smaller spaces like patios, balconies, and decks. Once you're finished making your pond box, decorate it with ornaments and water-loving plants.

• Learn how to make a pond box.
• Discover the best plants for water gardens.

Miniature Herb Garden

You can make this miniature herb garden in under an hour. It's super easy: Fill a wooden box or seed flat with soil, plant the herbs of your choice, and finish the garden off with mini pebbles for decoration.

• Choose from the 15 easiest herbs to grow.

Rain Barrel

Did you know that for every inch of rain that falls on 500 square feet of roof, you can collect 300 gallons of water? Making your own rain barrel means saving water and money. Our DIY rain barrel (made from a garbage can!) even includes an attachment for your hose.

• Learn how to make a rain barrel.

Concrete Balls

Concrete balls bring a playful element to your garden design—and they're inexpensive to make. When casting the concrete or mortar mix, use household items, like a glass globe from a light fixture or a glass Christmas ornament, as molds. Once they're dry, dab on a little paint if you want to create a mossy look.

• Learn how to make concrete balls.

Terra-Cotta Pot Makeovers

Tired of the same old orange terra-cotta pots? If you want to upgrade your garden containers, borrow some makeover tips from Stephanie Rose of Garden Therapy. Your pots will look like pieces of art rather than boring basics.

• Find her tips for terra-cotta pot upgrades here.

Potting Bench

Turn recycled wood pallets into a functional outdoor work station. Our do-it-yourself garden potting bench is totally customizable, whether you want to stain or paint it, add hooks, or stow freestanding containers.

• Learn how to make a potting bench.

Pallet Garden Organizer

Upcycle a cast-off pallet into a garden tool organizer to hang in your garage or shed. Simply stain the pallet with your choice of color, mount it securely to a wall, then attach pegboard wall hooks to hold your tools.

Compost Bin

Helping the environment has never been simpler. Use a drill with a paddle bit to make several rows of holes on an empty trash can for a DIY compost bin. The holes let air in to enable your compost to break down quickly.

• Learn how to make a compost bin.
• Check out our step-by-step guide to composting.

Marbleized Pots

The best part about these DIY marbleized pots is that every one will have a unique look. Lightly swirl paints to create a marble pattern on a terra-cotta pot and saucer, then fill with soil and your favorite container flowers.

Vertical Herb Gardens

Vertical gardens are the ideal solution for expanding compact gardens or adding greenery to a porch or patio. Kate Richards of Drinking with Chickens designed nine eye-pleasing—and space-saving—ways to grow your herbs upright.

• Try her DIY vertical herb garden ideas.

Raised Bed

Not only do raised beds make it easier to control soil conditions, but your back will thank you when you don't have to bend over as far to tend to your plants. You could buy a raised bed kit, but why not give our inexpensive (and easy) DIY version a try?

• Learn how to make a raised bed.
• Read our tips for growing vegetables in raised beds.

Succulent Wreath

A succulent wreath suits any season, requires little water, and adds unexpected texture to your door (or even the gate of your garden). You can also refer to our tutorial to create a succulent bouquet or centerpiece.

• Learn how to make a succulent wreath.