Fun family evenings around a fire make this DIY project a winner. It will enhance the look of your backyard, too. Here are the step-by-step instructions. We have printable instructions you can download, too.
Skill Level: Advanced
Time: 2 days
Cost: $1200 (for an appox. 15×15-foot patio with a 66-inch fire pit)
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We were ecstatic when Liz and Doug of Hoosier Homemade agreed to share this succulent garden how-to guide with us. In their blog, they share everything from fun and practical DIY projects to cupcakes. And by cupcakes, we mean amazing, out-of-this-world cupcakes. This succulent garden is the kind of project we cover in our monthly free Do-It-Herself Workshops at The Home Depot. Creating a succulent garden is one of the easiest do-it-herself projects for the home. Succulents are some of the most beautiful plants that you can use to create an indoor or outdoor planter. Spend a relaxing afternoon creating your own Succulent Garden. Let us show you how easy they are to put together.
Succulents are a diverse category of plants. There are over 20,000 varieties throughout the world. Cacti, aloes and Agave make up the most of them.
Planting your garden takes just a few minutes, but the enjoyment lasts a long time.
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Chances are there’s a shady spot or two somewhere outside your home begging to be filled in with a little color and texture. If so, why not consider planting a shade garden? Shade gardens are the perfect solution for areas that receive little to no sunlight — beneath trees, alongside a building or fence, or in any sun-starved patch of your landscape.
A surprising number of flowers, shrubs and trees grow well in the shade. Maureen from The Home Depot Community Forums has prepared this short video to show you a few of the many varieties you can plant in your shade garden for season-round color and ground cover.
From perennial favorites like the endless varieties of hostas, and the airy, delicate maidenhair fern, to the remarkably colorful foliage of the heuchera, you’ll discover new ways to add shape and texture to your shaded garden. Maureen will also introduce you to evergreen, shade-loving shrubs like the broadleaf andromeda with its diminutive bell-shaped flowers, and the brightly colored azalea.
If you have more questions about shade gardens or anything else garden-related, take some time to browse our Garden Club, where you’ll find the right answers to all your gardening needs. And for everything else outdoors, from patio furniture and grills to outdoor power equipment and more, you can find it online or in-store at your local Home Depot.
Check out more DIY and home improvement videos here on the Home Depot blog and on The Home Depot’s YouTube channel.
This paver stone garden path is easy to build, and will enhance the look of your yard. Just follow the easy step-by-step instructions. We have printable instructions you can download, too.
Skill Level: Beginner
Time: 4 to 5 hours
Cost: $380
Tools and Materials
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We just couldn’t get enough of Jocie Hagan’s succulent garden ideas so she’s back with even more creative ways to bring your decor to life with three crafty succulent arrangements. Her blog-within-a-blog at One Project Closer (OPC) is all about thrifty and fabulous DIY decor and crafts. And there’s definitely a crafty element to her latest projects. Read on for the complete DIY tutorial.
I have admittedly gone succulent crazy! I am not a gardener and struggle to keep any plants alive, whether it’s indoors or outdoors. But I have found my gardening niche with succulents. They are fabulous plants because they are so hardy, low maintenance, and lend themselves to creative DIY projects! I first made a mason jar mini-succulent garden, but had a hard time stopping with just one garden. So, I kept going! Lol.
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If you have come to think of the gazebo as some small ornamental structure stuck in a remote corner of the garden where the occasional wedding is staged, you might want to rethink that. A gazebo can certainly provide an idyllic view of the happy couple on their special day and make a nice backdrop for pictures of the newlyweds and their retinue. But gazebos can also be enjoyed for so much more. Thomas Jefferson often referred to the gazebo as the summerhouse. They are the perfect spot to get away, sit, relax, unwind and enjoy the wonders of nature. And if the Hamptons, Martha’s Vineyard or Kauai are out of the question this year, here are a few ideas for summer homes within reach of your own backyard.
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Healthy, fertile soil and lots of TLC are the keys to productive gardens and lush lawns. That’s why it’s important to test your soil every two to three years. Soil testing provides essential information about your soil’s pH (its acidity or alkalinity) as well as a measure of other nutrients essential for plant growth.
The soil tests will also indicate the type and amount of feeding or fertilization your soil may require. With this knowledge in hand, you’ll be able to add the proper soil amendment, in the right amount, to keep your plants and the environment healthy and thriving.
Many local extension services offer free or low-cost soil testing. But if you’re like many of us and don’t want to wait on the test results, you can do your own lab work with an inexpensive soil testing kit.
To show you how easy soil testing is, we asked Coach Dave from The Home Depot Community Forums to demonstrate how it’s done. All you need is the soil test, a little distilled water and some dirt from your lawn or garden. In probably less time than it will take you to watch this video, you will have your results.
Here’s a piece of advice Coach Dave left out: Take your soil sample from a depth of at least 4 inches for the best results.
So, before you go adding fertilizer and other amendments willy-nilly in preparation for the planting season, get to know your soil. Giving your soil the right kind and amount of nutrition will yield healthier plants – too much can lead to problems in your garden and for the environment.
We have a lot more DIY, home improvement and gardening videos for you. Check out the videos here on The Home Depot Blog and on The Home Depot’s YouTube channel.
