Spring is upon us, and with it comes the urge to spend more time outdoors, soaking up the sunshine and fresh air. For those with a green thumb, this might also mean the desire to beautify their outdoor spaces. But professional landscaping can be expensive, and not everyone has the budget for it. Luckily, there are plenty of DIY garden projects that can help you transform your yard without breaking the bank.

One of the easiest and most affordable ways to add color and life to your yard is to create your own flower beds and borders. Choose a sunny spot in your yard and use edging stones, bricks, or even a simple trench to create a defined border for your flowers. Fill the bed with a mixture of perennial and annual flowers for a burst of color that will return year after year. Perennials such as black-eyed Susans, coneflowers, and daylilies are low-maintenance and long-lasting, while annuals like petunias, marigolds, and zinnias add bright pops of color for the season.

Build a simple arbor or trellis to add vertical interest and a sense of height and proportion to your garden. These structures can be purchased affordably or even built from scratch with some basic woodworking skills and inexpensive materials like wood posts, lattice panels, and screws. Climbing plants such as roses, clematis, or morning glories will transform your simple structure into a stunning focal point.

Water features are incredibly popular in landscaping, and for good reason; the sound of running water is incredibly soothing and can help create a sense of tranquility in your yard. But pre-made water features can be extremely expensive. A DIY solution is to build your own pond or waterfall feature using a pond liner, some river rocks, and a small recirculating pump.