Make the most of your outdoor space this summer with these easy DIY garden projects

Summer has officially arrived and here at Ideal Home we’re in full outdoor-living mode. With the good weather set to continue, and the trend to hang out and entertain at home showing no signs of slowing, now’s the time to make sure you're getting the most out of your outdoor space and it's looking its best. 

And the good news? Whatever space you’re working with, from small patios to large gardens, there are simple updates and projects that you can take on yourself – whatever your DIY skill level – that are guaranteed to take your garden from ‘meh’ to wow! 

Whether you need to entertain the kids, host overnight guests or just want to create an outdoor space that’ll make you happy every time you step out the back door, we’ve rounded up our favourite projects to transform your home. Make the Bosch Home & Garden’s range of DIY tools your go-to when planning your next home project, with everything from air pumps to circular saws to help you out.

4 easy DIY garden revamps

1. Build raised beds

Whether you’re keen to join the ever-popular grow-your-own movement with some easy-to-grow veg to save on your weekly food shop, want to create a herb garden close to the kitchen, or you just fancy a look-at-me spot for summer bedding plants, raised beds or planters are your answer.

When it comes to lining your beds, you can’t go wrong with Bosch’s UniversalTacker 18V-14. The bottom fire feature can be set to deliver up to 30 shots a minute, so you can get the task done in no time, and a convenient staple reload indicator means you won't run out of staples halfway through. Making easy work of staple and nail application, we reckon the UniversalTacker is a must-have for your toolbox. You’ll use it for everything from reupholstering the furniture or recovering seat pads to fastening roof insulation ready for the colder months.

2. Make pallet garden shelves

Pallet shelves are great for indoors or out, but we love this easy way to update a bare wall and add interest and some extra greenery in your garden. Pallets are a great budget option for building with – whether it’s shelving or furniture – plus you score extra points for sustainability by using reclaimed materials. If you fancy something a little larger than shelves, why not go all out and build a pallet bar to serve cocktails from at your summer soiree.

The easy-to-use AdvancedDrill 18 from Bosch is a highly adaptable cordless drill that’s perfect for large and small projects. The intuitive selection modes and automatic gear changes mean it’s a great choice for everyone, novice DIYers included! The gears automatically adjust according to the working mode selected to perfectly fit each job. The AdvancedDrill is compact and comes with QuickSnap angle and eccentric adapter attachments, which mean you’ll be grabbing it for all your drilling jobs, even in hard-to-reach areas and tight spaces.

3. Create a play area for the kids

Creating a fun zone in your garden is a great way to keep kids (and parents!) happy during the holidays. Paddling pools filled with pool toys are always a winner, or if you’re expecting guests and want some extra entertainment there’s a host of inflatable garden games out there. But the last thing you want to be doing on a hot summer day is spending hours pumping up the paddling pool or an inflatable mattress for overnight guests. 

This is where the EasyInflate 18V-500 from Bosch Home and Garden comes in. With this handy air pump, you can even inflate larger items such as air mattresses or boats quickly. It’s compact and cordless (perfect for inflating anything on a camping trip or day out) and boasts a maximum airflow of 530 l/min to make easy work of large-volume items. Got your hands full? Use the EasyInflate hands-free by connecting the 50cm hose, then press the on-off switch and the air pump will pump by itself.

We’re always on the lookout for space-saving tricks, and you can use the simple attachment to the deflation port for vacuum to squeeze more into your suitcase when packing clothes for holiday, or for packing away out-of-season clothes for storage. 

4. Lay garden decking

There’s nothing better than a cold drink in the sun at the end of the day, and a decked terrace is the perfect spot. If you’re a reasonably confident DIYer, then laying decking yourself is definitely a job you could take on to revamp your outdoor space for the summer. One essential tool to speed up this project is a circular saw such as Bosch’s UniversalCirc 18V-53. With an impressive 33m cutting capacity per 2.5 Ah battery charge (19mm chipboard), you can crack on with the project quickly. And when it comes to cleaning up, the UniversalCirc has a handy vacuum cleaner connection for removing more than 90% of dust, so your garden won't be full of sawdust.

A circular saw is a great addition to your toolkit, as it’s useful for a whole variety of DIY woodworking jobs, especially ones that require making long straight cuts. It’s compatible with the Bosch Home & Garden guide rail system, to ensure perfectly precise straight and bevel cuts. 

Bosch Home & Garden's 18V tools are compatible with the single 18V POWER FOR ALL battery system which allows you to switch between tools for your DIY jobs and garden projects. The system includes Bosch's Home & Garden's range of garden tools so alongside DIY tasks, so you can use the same battery for mowing your lawn, strimming, hedge-cutting and more. 

And the POWER FOR ALL ALLIANCE goes even further! The one 18V battery can be used for more than 100 different tools across 11 different partner brands. This will speed up whatever nifty DIY project is on your to do list this summer, so you can spend more time enjoying your garden.