Tidying the garden and planting a few pots is all well and good, but some of the most satisfying weekends we've had at home have been spent actually building things.

Over the years we've built a pizza oven station, an outdoor sink, a covered veranda, a corner bench and raised beds, and each one has changed how much we use our garden. Here are the DIY garden projects we've done ourselves, plus a few more fun ideas if you fancy a challenge.

DIY garden projects we've built ourselves

1. A pizza oven station

Difficulty: Medium

We bought a clay pizza oven rather than building one from scratch, but the oven is only half the project. We built a wooden cupboard underneath for it to stand on, with storage inside for wood and tools, and a worktop next to it made from a large rectangular porcelain garden slab.

Because a wood-fired oven gets extremely hot, we couldn't sit it straight on the wooden cupboard. We added a layer of fireproof cement board, then firebricks on top to make a heatproof base for the fire inside the oven, and cemented it all together at the bottom so it's solid and safe.

The porcelain slab was a brilliant idea too. It's tough, it copes with the heat and the weather, and it gives you somewhere to prep and rest pizzas straight out of the oven. If you're buying a pizza oven, think about where it'll live and build a proper heatproof base for it. It makes the whole thing feel like part of the garden rather than something plonked on the patio, and it's much safer.

2. An outdoor sink with hot water

Difficulty: Hard

This is one of my favourite things we've done. We built an outdoor sink area to go with our outdoor cooking space, and hooked it up to the hot water in the house too!

It makes such a difference in summer. You can wash up after a barbecue, rinse veg from the garden or clean muddy hands without traipsing back and forth through the house. If you're not confident with plumbing, it's worth getting a plumber to do the connection, but the sink unit and surround are an easy enough build. We attached ours to the house, the other side of the kitchen sink, so it made for an easy connection which my husband was competent to fit himself. 

3. A covered veranda for all weathers

Difficulty: Hard

We wanted to use the garden in all weather, not just on the handful of sunny days a British summer gives us, so we built a covered veranda. Now we can sit out in the rain, eat outside on drizzly evenings and use the garden well into autumn and winter.

It's a bigger project than most on this list, so plan it carefully and check whether you need planning permission before you start. For more ideas on enjoying your outdoor space when it's cold, see how to use your garden in winter.

In total, across our houses, my husband has built three covered verandas, all slightly different.  You can see the exact covered veranda build process here.

4. A built-in corner bench

Difficulty: Medium

Rather than buying garden furniture that never quite fits, we built an L-shaped bench to fit a corner of our garden perfectly. Add some outdoor cushions and it works like a corner sofa, seats far more people than separate chairs, and makes the most of all of the space, some that was otherwise wasted.

Built-in seating is one of the best value DIY garden projects, as made-to-measure outdoor sofas cost a fortune to buy.

We simply ordered some foam covered outdoor sofa cushions for the base, and as it's under cover I've added throws and nicer cushions to look more appealing. I think I'll add another throw to cover the bright blue and tone it down and paint the rest of the veranda above dark grey to make it complete.

5. Raised beds for bamboo privacy screening

Difficulty: Easy to medium

Bamboo makes a fantastic fast-growing privacy screen, but some types spread everywhere if you let them. We built raised beds to plant ours in, which gives us the privacy we wanted and stops the bamboo growing out into the rest of the garden.

For more ideas, see my post on garden privacy ideas.

6. Raised wooden veg patches

Difficulty: Easy

At our old house, we built raised wooden veg beds. They're one of the easiest garden builds, and they make growing your own so much easier, with better soil, fewer weeds and less bending down. Here are more benefits of gardening in raised planter beds.

More fun DIY garden projects to try

7. A treehouse

Difficulty: Hard

A treehouse is the ultimate family garden project. Kids love having their own den, and with a rope ladder, a slide or a walkway between trees, it can become the centre of the garden for years.

As long as you have a sturdy, healthy tree, a treehouse is achievable for keen DIYers, but it's worth getting expert advice on the trickier parts. Specialist firms like Ormiston Wire can advise on features such as walkways with wire balustrades, so it's safe for kids of all ages.

8. A fire pit

Difficulty: Easy

A fire pit is one of the quickest ways to make your garden feel cosy, and it extends your evenings outside well into autumn. You can build a simple one from bricks or stone, or use a kit. Add some seating around it, and you've got the perfect spot for toasting marshmallows.

9. A swing seat

Difficulty: Medium

A sturdy wooden frame with a swing seat or hanging chair is a lovely place to relax with a book. Make sure the frame is properly anchored, and use outdoor-rated timber and fixings.

As we already had the wooden veranda frame, we've simply added a macrame double swing seat to this.

10. A mud kitchen for kids

Difficulty: Easy

A mud kitchen keeps kids busy for hours. A few pallets or offcuts of wood, an old washing-up bowl as a sink, and some old pots and pans are all you need. It's a great way to use recycled materials too.

11. A bug hotel or hedgehog house

Difficulty: Easy

A great project to do with the kids, using bits of wood, bricks, pine cones and sticks. It's fun to build and good for wildlife too. See more ways to attract wildlife to your garden.

12. An outdoor cinema

Difficulty: Easy

A simple frame with a white sheet or screen and a projector turns your garden into an outdoor cinema for summer nights. Pair it with a corner bench or fire pit and plenty of blankets.

Tips before you start a DIY garden project

• Plan around how you use your garden. Our pizza oven, sink and veranda all work together as one outdoor kitchen and dining space, which is why we use them so much.
• Use outdoor-rated materials. Treated timber, outdoor fixings and weatherproof finishes will save you rebuilding in a couple of years.
• Think about heat and safety. Anything involving fire, like a pizza oven or fire pit, needs a proper heatproof base and space around it.
• Check planning rules for bigger builds. Verandas, large decking and some outbuildings may need permission.
• Get help with plumbing and electrics. It's worth paying a professional for any connections to the house.

For more outdoor ideas, see how to design an outdoor space for cooking and entertaining and my cheap DIY garden ideas.

Final thoughts

The garden projects we've built ourselves are the ones we use and love the most. There's something really satisfying about sitting on a bench you built yourself, or eating pizza from an oven station you made. Pick one or two that suit your garden, and enjoy the process!