Top woodworking projects to enhance your garden
Creating something uniquely yours can be satisfying beyond measure. Spending time being purposeful and using your hands is a welcome antidote to today’s fast-paced culture, where you’re more likely to be tapping away at a keyboard than with nails and a hammer. And building something for your garden is doubly beneficial, bringing long-term benefits as you enjoy the fruits of your labour for many seasons to come. We’ve put together a list of a few of our favourite products using woodwork machinery to help you enhance your garden. We hope you’ll enjoy them.
Bird box
A relatively simple project and one that can be made inside with relatively little space, a bird box is great for novice woodworkers. You’ll find a wealth of templates and example designs online, with many experienced woodworkers even offering tutorials on streaming platforms. Choose your favourite design, start building, and once you’ve completed the first stage, why not get creative with colour or wood staining? If you’re lucky enough to have a tree or table on which to place your bird box, check the dimensions before you build to make sure it fits. If not, it’s easy to build a simple stand using a post and flat base and top.
Bench
A bench is one of the most rewarding garden furniture items you can build (or, for that matter, buy!). Whiling away hours with a good book whilst surrounded by nature is wonderful and what could be better than doing so on a bench you’ve built yourself? Choose between a straightforward slat design or more ornate designs. As well as the initial build stage you’ll need to factor in time to smooth your bench to perfection, for ultimate comfort. Choose a wood that suits your garden and stain it to blend in or (if you dare!) stand out.
Side or coffee table
You’ll want somewhere to rest your coffee on whilst you sit back and relax on your new bench. A side table is convenient and doesn’t take up too much space – perfect for storing away until the sun comes out (and you do too!). For a more permanent feature why not build a rectangular coffee table? Our favourite of these is a table which doubles up as a planter. Build a deep trough and fill with compost and then add herbs or flowering plants. A lid (one with an inner lip works best) transforms the planter into a table for morning coffee or afternoon tea. Just don’t forget to open it back up when you’ve finished!
Patio sofa
A simple patio or balcony sofa can be constructed using reclaimed pallets and adding cushions for comfort. We love this project as something for beginner woodworkers – it’s simple and fairly quick, but looks super effective.
Planter
One of the most popular woodworking projects, planters come in all shapes and sizes so there are plenty to choose from, whatever your taste. Low planters can be used to add colour and flavour to your garden or balcony, whilst higher planters, perhaps with multiple levels, can help to create sections in a large garden space, or build a gentle divide between a patio and garden space. Tall planters are also much easier to fill and maintain, avoiding the need to bend and kneel low to the ground. They make a great gift for elderly relatives who still love to use their garden.
There are so many things you can build for your garden with woodwork machinery – with a little hard work and imagination you can transform your space into a relaxing oasis of calm and serenity. Happy woodworking!