Turn garden into a holiday, our Sun Gardening editor explains how to create zones

The Sun

22-05-2025

NOWADAYS it's perfectly normal to consider your outside space as an extra room of your house.
Not only does a fabulous garden add value to your property, it can improve your mental health and help you keep fit.
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It is a place where you can relax, play, work out and party — all without leaving the boundaries of your property.
And with a few clever additions — along with a bit of elbow grease and bargain buys — you can transform your outside space in time for summer, with minimum spend.
We've got enough tips and tricks to make sure that every moment outside will feel like a little holiday . . .
One way of making the most of your garden is by creating various zones, each bringing a different vibe.
Something as simple as a line of large pots brimming with tall, structured flowers can partition an area off with minimal effort.
And one of the best things about late May is that for the vast majority of the country the chance of any frost has generally passed.
So you can go full steam ahead with planting.
An easy and cheap way of filling your outside space with colourful blooms is by using summer bulbs.
Zoe Claymore, who has designed a garden at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show, told me: 'You can plant bulbs now to fill gaps in your borders.
"You don't need a large garden to plant them.
"If you rent or garden on a balcony you can simply pop them into a pot, and within a few months you will have gorgeous blooms.
They are also a win for the sustainable gardener.
"By buying bulbs you are saving money compared with potted perennials but also they have a comparatively low footprint on the planet — lower transport haulage because their weight and size is less, and there is no worry about what type of compost they are planted in or the plastic pot.'
She added: 'My top three bulbs include dahlias — technically it's a tuber but still a summer classic; crocosmia — I've planted them in drifts in my own garden; and gladioli — fabulous cut flowers, and my allotment neighbour steals the show with them.'
To keep costs down, go for a big bag of mixed summer bulbs as opposed to buying lots of different packets.
You can usually find big bags of them in the entrance to most Lidl supermarkets.
And it's easy to grab a bargain online.
B&Q is currently offering a YouGarden bag of three hundred bulbs of seven mixed varieties for £14.99.
When it comes to making a planting plan, it's important to remember that summer bulbs like lots and lots of sunshine.
But if you're limited on space, they look great in containers, which you can move around the garden as and when you fancy.
Use in a cluster to bring light and colour to a corner.
Or try lines to zone off an area of your garden.
You can repurpose all sorts of old items to create planters — think old buckets, saucepans, watering cans, even wellies and old tins with the labels off.
All can be filled with soil and flowers.
Just make sure they have drainage holes at the bottom.
But if you don't have time to get creative, Home Bargains is selling 30cm Venetian square planters for £1.99.
Fill a few of those with colourful blooms, put them in a line and you've got the perfect privacy fence.
You can also zone off areas with Poundland's £2.50 metal flower climbing aids.
Put one in a pot and grow sweet peas up it for a metre-high, fragrant barrier.
So all it takes is a few choice items and a bit of imagination — and there's no limits to where your garden can take you.
8 TIPS FOR FAB DAYS OUT AT BARGAIN PRICES
ENTERTAINING the kids over the May holiday costs parents £323 on average, according to credit reporting agency Equifax.
But few of us have that kind of cash to spare.
So here are eight easy ways to keep your costs down this half-term . . .
HALF-PRICE AND CHEAP DEALS
1. ON Universal Credit?
You're entitled to tickets to top attractions such as the Eden Project and the Tower of London from just £1.
Search netmums.com for a full list.
2. ENJOY a very mini mini-break with a Butlin's Day Pass.
Valid at Skegness, Minehead and Bognor Regis, prices start at £19 for kids and £27 for adults, with under-twos free.
See butlins.com/discover-butlins/day-visits.
3. EAT out for less.
Farmhouse Inns is offering a half-term deal where up to two kids get a free small main plus a scoop of ice cream when you buy an adult main.
See farmhouseinns.co.uk/deals/kids-eat-free.
4. TAKE advantage of National Rail's Days Out two for one deal with up to half-price entry at top attractions, hotels and theatres around the UK.
See daysoutguide.co.uk.
FREE ACTIVITIES
5. ORGANISE a clear-out for cash.
Spend the first weekend of the holiday decluttering.
Get the kids to sort out old toys, books, games and clothes.
Sell what you can in a yard sale then list the rest on Vinted or Facebook.
Use the cash you make for a day out at the end of the holiday.
6. CHECK out your local council's clubs and activities.
Most councils put on free or low-cost activities, from sports clubs to arts and crafts or theatre workshops.
Visit your council website for up-to-date information.
7. SET up a toy swap shop.
Invite friends round for a big playdate.
Everyone should bring at least one item they'd like to swap, so each child gets a 'new' toy for half-term.
Set rules on whether you keep the new toy or return it once the holiday is over.
8. GET into more than 200 leading attractions for free with a Blue Peter badge.
Find out how to earn one at bbc.co.uk/cbbc/joinin/about-blue-peter-badges.
All ready for your day out? Find the full list at bbc.co.uk/cbbc/attractions.
GROW ZONE
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YOU can dedicate an area solely for growing fruit and veg, which will also save you money on your supermarket spend.
And because your soil will now be nice and warm, you can plant seeds straight into it instead of faffing around with transplanting seedlings.
Vegetables including sweetcorn, carrots, courgettes, runner beans and beetroot are all good to get in the ground now.
When you're digging out an area for growing, it's worth adding some compost to improve your soil quality.
Most Lidl stores will have packets of seeds on a stand, at a very reasonable £1.49 per pack.
Just make sure you read the instructions.
And their compost is really reliable, too.
It's always worth checking local social media sites for seed-swapping events as well.
And you never know what you'll find on Facebook Marketplace, shop noticeboards or car boot sales.
There's often people giving away plug plants after they've grown so many seedlings in their greenhouses that they've got nowhere to put them.
Plug plants are established plants that are ready to transplant into larger pots or directly into your garden.
Growers often have too many tomatoes and courgettes and are willing to part with them for practically pennies.
Facebook and car boot sales are also great places to pick up second-hand garden equipment super cheap.
Fruit trees are another perfect addition to any garden.
Not only will they save you money on supermarket offerings, but once established you can use them to help with zoning.
Dwarf varieties of apples, pears, cherries, plums and peaches are particularly well-suited to pots, as are fig trees and blueberries.
And never underestimate how tall a banana tree can grow in your garden.
It's highly unlikely you'll get any fruit, but they're the perfect way of bringing a touch of the tropical to your outside space.
Online plant outlet Dobies is selling Musa Basjoo banana plants for £12.99.
HOLIDAY ZONE
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IF you fancy splashing about like you're on holiday, why not grab a paddling pool for your outside space?
Place it on top of an outdoor rug if your area is paved to prevent any chance of punctures.
Argos is selling a 7ft long Bestway rectangular pool for £20.
The British weather isn't always the most reliable, so a great way of creating a sheltered corner is with a canopy, overhead awning or parasol.
To keep costs down try a shade sail.
These three-cornered covers can be tied to existing structures in your garden or on to bamboo or sticks in the ground.
B&Q has a 3m grey shade sail from GoodHome for £15.
Another way of zoning your garden while also creating some serious holiday vibes is by stringing up solar lights.
Use them to brighten up a shadowy area of the garden, to highlight a particular corner or simply to surround an eating area.
Not only are they free to power, they really can whisk you away from the day to day.
Lidl's Livarno range is great, but you can also get bargains from B&M, Poundland, B&Q and Homebase.
I bought B&M's £12 solar-powered curtain lights three years ago – and they're still going strong.
To create a French feel, plant vines to grow up a pergola or poles stuck in the ground.
You can use wire strung between and on top of them to create a frame for the vines to grow up.
Try Himrod grape plants for £5.99 from Wilko.
Chuck in a cheap bistro set and before you know it you've created a chic Provencal corner to escape to.
The Range is selling a black Pisa Bistro set for £49.99.
If you want a truly relaxing oasis, think about a garden fountain.
The sound of running water can aid rest and relaxation and definitely brings some island vibes to your outside space.
Hydria has a really classy chargeable fountain set that can be put in any pot, which means you can move it around the garden as you see fit.
You get months of tinkling water, with no solar panels, cords or plumbing required.
The Hydria Leaf Cascade is currently on sale for £132, which is 26 per cent off, with free delivery.
CHILLOUT ZONE
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IF you are creating a chillout area in your garden, consider an outdoor rug.
They've gone up in quality and down in price – and are the perfect way to bring an attractive soft texture to your outside space.
Temu's extra-large reversible outdoor mat in black and white is a great buy at £12.63.
Then chuck a few brightly coloured outdoor cushions on any garden furniture and it will brighten up that spot no end.
Dunelm has got some swanky, silky-looking numbers for £3.
FITNESS ZONE
CREATING a simple workout space – with a yoga mat surrounded by pots of flowers to provide a relaxing corner to do your exercises in.
When you're stretching on the floor and the flowers are at nose height, it's easy to imagine you are elsewhere.
Decathlon is selling a Comfort Fitness mat for £3.99
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [e-mail].