NZ Gardener project ideas

Rustic garden stools
This simple, quick project creates a stylish outdoor seating option...

Distressed terracotta pots
Give beautiful antique character to brand new terracotta pots!...

Ornamental garden globes
Add interest and colour to your backyard...

Terracotta fountain
This impressive-looking garden decoration is surprisingly simple...

Tabletop tiki torch
This is a great way to keep the mosquitoes and bugs away...

Concrete plant pots
It’s surprisingly easy to make your own bespoke containers...

Christmas light boxes
A seasonal project to hang in your garden or by your front door...

Day bed
This project is a perfect addition to any outdoor seating arrangement...

Tiered plant stand
A great summer project for your deck, balcony or outdoor space...

Mini water feature
A great project for your outdoor deck, patio or balcony...

Solar floor lamp
Enjoy your outdoor areas even after darkness falls this summer...

Hanging circle planters
This is an inside project for these colder winter months...

Plant ladder
Make your own custom shelf for those precious potted treasures...

Plant pot trellis
Learn how to make a plant pot trellis for your garden...

Timber hooks
These simple, stylish and colourful hooks are easy to make...

Pebble plant pots
Here’s how to make these stylish and striking plant holders...

Address planter
Make your own modern house number planter box...

Hive stand
Jacob Leaf buzzes with excitement over a foldaway double hive stand...

Outdoor pendant lights
These quick and easy hanging lights are a great way to brighten...

Balcony planter
This easy project is great for keen gardeners with limited space...

Garden archway
Jacob Leaf makes an archway from re-mesh...

Boot scrub
Make this simple but useful door-stopper with this step-by-step guide...

Dahlia stand
Learn how to make a dahlia stand for your garden...

Whare wētā
Learn how to make a whare wētā for your garden...

Bird feeder
Learn how to make a bird feeder for your garden...

Hanging tool rack
Learn how to make a hanging tool rack for your garden...

Hanging herb planters
Learn how to make this hanging herb planter for your garden...

Stump lamp
Jacob Leaf takes a log and turns it into a lamp...

Ply trestle table 
Make a stylish ply trestle table for a Matariki celebration...

Hanging wooden planter
Make a cube-shaped planter with a Jenga aesthetic...

Pallet seed box
Jacob Leaf upcycles a pallet into a vintage-style seed box...

Foldaway potting bench
Upcycle a pallet into a thrifty space-saving potting table...

Vertical garden
Jacob Leaf shows you how to maximise your growing space...

Plywood bunting
Decorate your garden for the holiday season with this festive bunting...

House of birds
Jacob Leaf makes a home for the birds out of a $5 fence pail...

Chevron trellis
Help your climbing vines reach heights with this easy-to-make retro trellis...

Firewood stacker
Jacob Leaf builds a cinder block wood stand...

Basket plant stand
Turn a humble basket into this stylish pot holder for indoor plants...

Harvest basket
An easy DIY basket for harvesting or carrying tools...

Propagation station
Grow stem cuttings in water with Jacob Leaf’s simple hanging propagator...

Privacy screen planter
Jacob Leaf builds a living wall that doubles as a privacy screen...

Rhubarb leaf birdbath
Jacob Leaf sculpts a birdbath out of a humble rhubarb leaf...

Sun lounger
Jacob Leaf shows you how to build a stylish sun lounger...

Spherical planter
Jacob Leaf sculpts a ball-shaped planter out of mortar and a balloon...

Zinnia pinecone wreath
Jacob Leaf turns tradition on its head and makes a summery...

Wooden butterfly
Learn how to recreate a Kiwiana classic with this butterfly template...

Foldable climbing frame
Jacob Leaf constructs a colourful climbing frame for upwardly...

Pallet tray
Upcycle a pallet into a cheap-as-chips multipurpose tray...

Upcycled glasshouse
A bespoke glasshouse made from upcycled windows...

Crate chair
Embrace a Modernist aesthetic with this simple chair...

Upcycled chandelier
Up your potted plants game with this easy recycling project...

Upcycled crate planter box
Rose Hughes’ latest project gives an old wooden crate a charming second life...

Outdoor furniture
Rose Hughes upcycles pallets into stylish pieces for your deck or patio...

Garden trellis
Mark the entrance to your special spot in the garden...

Garden obelisk
This easy-to-make climbing frame adds height, structure and style....

Bin storage
Form meets function in this stylish bin storage and planter combination...

Concrete planter
A modern, stylish planter is a great option to show off a statement plant...

Insect house
Learn how to build a cosy bug hotel to hang in a quiet corner of your garden...

Tipsy pot tower
Plant up the pots with perennial herbs or cascading flowers...

Diy cold frame
Learn how to easily make a cold frame to start seedlings early...

Garden bed frame
Perch this frame over a garden bed, and drape it with shade cloth...

Bat roosting box
Provide a roosting and resting site for a rare and threatened native bat...

Rustic twig coat rack
Rose Hughes shows how to make this stylish hallway hanger...

Triple-bay compost bin
Use one bin for fresh scraps, one for decomposing material and...

Light fantastic
Rose Hughes shows how to create this original, upcycled light feature...

Hurricane lanterns
Rose Hughes’ outdoor lamps are super stylish and surprisingly easy to make...

Flamingo hoopla game
A novel – and pink! – way to throw even more fun into the garden...

DIY upcycled Christmas tree
Rose Hughes turns an old pallet into evergreen festive trees...

DIY self watering planter
Rose Hughes’ latest project will make container growing easier than ever...

DIY rope ottoman
Upcycle an old tyre into this super stylish outdoor footrest...

Hexagon planters
Learn how to make hanging honeycomb wall planters...

Make a gutter garden
Turn a simple piece of PVC spouting into a pretty planter...

Windowsill herb planter
Keep your favourite herbs at hand with Rose Hughes’ handy indoor planter...

Easy upcycled potting bench
Transform an old barbeque into a useful piece of garden gear...

Jenga planters
Rose Hughes takes a playful approach to displaying potted plants...

Upcycled birdfeeder
Rose Hughes comes up with the picture perfect project for bird lovers...

Sandpit and Cover
Rose Hughes has a project for gardeners with young children...

Native bird whirligigs
Rose Hughes re-imagines the classic flying bird whirligig...

Festive lights
Rose Hughes gets into the Christmas spirit with these festive lights...

Colour-coded seed spacers
Create a ruler and a square to perfectly space the crops...

Windowsill planter boxes
Learn how to make portable planter boxes to sit prettily...

Upcycled pots
Create a range of colourful flower pots, in both fun and funky style...

Stylish storage in small spaces
Rose Hughes upcycles old doors into a splendidly useful shed...

Hanging herb planter
Rose Hughes’ hanging planter can be used to grow an assortment...

Sweet pea tunnel
Give your plants something to climb with Rose Hughes’ DIY sweet pea tunnel...

Shady planter
A dual-purpose planter, the perfect pretty-yet-practical accessory...

Cool cubes
Rose Hughes creates a striking home for your favourite cacti and succulents...

Native bird feeder
Serve up a buffet for our nectar, fruit- and seed-eating native birds...

Game on
Rose Hughes shows how to make a Scrabble set for use outdoors...

Sweet retreat - pergola
Rose Hughes shows how to build a shady pergola...

Retro planter
Rose Hughes makes pretty planters for showcasing your favourite blooms...

Outdoor shower
Rose Hughes shows how to cool off al fresco – and protect your modesty...

Winter DIY bench seat
Learn how to make a winter DIY bench seat...

Garden bug home
Learn how to build a house fit for all kinds of beneficial bugs...

A neat seat
Create a cool outdoor bench with a twist – check out the ceramic planter legs...

Garden mirror
Add colour and create the illusion of space: upcycle or build one...

Take a seat
Restore some cast iron to give a garden seat some gravitas...

Rotating compost bin
If you want a faster composting bin you might give this clever...

Flower press
Preserve your favourite petals in style with this flower press...

Deck pond and planter
Rose Hughes constructs a compact, colourful aquatic feature...

Play tent
Rose Hughes designs a delightful retreat for little ones to enjoy...

Lawn games
Build a quoits set and outdoor noughts and crosses for outdoor family fun...

Climbing frame
Make a simple structure to support climbing beans, peas or sweet peas...

Hypertufa planters
Learn how to make honeycomb shaped planters...

Planter table
Learn how to create a clever space for succulents and edibles...

Build a child's bench
Build some cute, colourful garden furniture for the children in your life...

Build a wood shed
Rose Hughes shows how to keep your logs dry for warming fires this winter...

Build a tree planter box
Learn how to make a modern wooden planter box...

How to build a compost bin
Speed up the composting process with this easy-to-build, well-aerated...

DIY garden bench seat
Place this charming outdoor seat in the most picturesque corner of your garden...

How to build an obelisk
Give your garden a designer look with this stylish obelisk...

How to build a herb tower
Build this pyramid planter and take your herbs high rise...

Create a pot bench feature
Tidy up your garden shed – build this nifty potting table...