10 Woodworking Project Ideas for the Garden
By Alan & Gill Bridgewater in Woodworking Projects for the Garden
Whatever the size of your garden or its situation, a well-thought-out woodworking project will undoubtedly make it a more exciting and dynamic place. You don’t have to have loads of experience as a woodworker in order to follow our projects successfully: If you have the correct tools, choose your wood with care, and spend time carefully designing and planning the whole exercise, you will be sure to get good results.
When you have decided what you’d like to build, the next step is to consider the project in terms of the site you have in mind. Is your chosen project perhaps too large for the site? Will you have to move a drain? Will the project upset the way that you and the family currently use the garden? So, before going ahead and enjoying the building experience, our advice is to choose your projects with great care and to involve your family (and neighbors if the projects could conceivably affect them; for example, the height of your planned structure may obstruct their views) in the decision-making.
In our Woodworking Projects for the Garden book, we not only walk you through 16 different projects but our book serves as a guide to plan your garden’s layout and materials such as stains, tools, and fasteners. Below are 10 projects to adapt to your personal oasis!
Woodworking for The Garden
Woodworking for the Garden‘s authors, Alan & Gill Bridgewater, share with you all the delights of working with wood to build beautiful creations for the garden. Each project follows the steps of gathering together tools and materials, considering the design, and building. With 16 detailed projects, each page takes you through all the stages of designing, making, and finishing.
Wheeled Garden Bench
Transitioning from basking in the warm summer sun to a cool and shaded area is made easy this summer with this wheeled garden bench. Get the full woodworking plan in Woodworking for the Garden.
Potting Table
Forget stooping to dip into massive bags of compost, or fumbling around looking for a level surface to work on with this potting table. Keep everything you need comfortably on hand and Make your own wooden potting table with these plans.
Tiered Patio Planter
If you have ever stared enviously at the stunning displays of flowers exhibited at professional flower shows, and wondered how the designers manage to achieve such beautiful cascading tiers of blooms, this project tells you how. To create a similar effect, you need to display flowers on a purpose-built tiered planter.
Classic Pergola
Establish a focal point and invite visitors to wander under the merits of your very own pergola. From providing respite from the warm summer sun to a safe spot for children to play or a cozy spot to snooze on a warm summer’s day, this versatile project will prove to be a memory-making machine. Bonus Tip: for a touch of whimsy add a host of vines or flowering climbers. Get your copy of Woodworking in the Garden for detailed Pergola plans.
Classic Wooden Arbor
Functional, practical, and BEAUTIFUL an arbor provides for the perfect summer escape nook. Use it as a quiet place to read a book, or make it a corner for a romantic rendezvous—it’s up to you. When paired with climbing plants, particularly scented varieties such as jasmine and honeysuckle, you can create the ambiance you choose. For a detailed arbor tutorial, check out Woodworking for the Garden.
Decorative DIY Picnic Table
Make all your meals this season a guaranteed relaxed affair with this stunningly functional picnic table. Build it with the pattern from this book.
Flower Bed Fence
Avoid damage to your plants from knocks and spills and arrange them in this planter for an enviable patio feature that keeps your garden tidy and displays the plants attractively. Learn how to create this flower bed fence within a weekend.
4. FAIRYTALE PLAYHOUSE
Built like it came straight from Grimm’s Fairy Tales, this playhouse will fuel your child’s play and imagination for years to come. Grab the directions here.
Romantic Garden Arch
When positioned at the entrance point to a garden area, this arch will frame the vista behind it with a romantic touch. This project really comes into its own in summer—there is something gloriously exciting about a wooden arch heavy with clematis and honeysuckle, and it makes a really beautiful feature.
Picketed Fence & Gate
Of all the projects in the book, the picket fence and gate are great for beginners or advanced woodworkers alike who are looking for a quick and easy weekend build. Transport your guests from your garden to a traditional cottage plot with this stunningly beautiful project.
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