apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

• Choose a color palette to work with, be it an array of bright colors or a strict monochromatic scheme, and start repainting old terracotta pots. This gives a unifying theme to your garden, even if you only have a few potted plants. We also love the idea of using old tin cans, like the one picture above, for a more rustic look.

• Got old wood patio furniture? Set aside a weekend to clean it up and reseal it. It's recommended that you treat and seal it once a year to maintain it. If your teak has gone silver, and you're hankering to get it back to that golden-brown finish, you can use Golden Care 3-in-1 Teak Kit to bring it back to its former glory. Another way to spruce up your patio furniture? Picking up some inexpensive cushions at Ikea or Target.

• Add some lights. From expensive silver lanterns to $1.99 Christmas lights, lighting instantly makes an outdoor space seem inviting once the sun begins to set. If you have steps that lead out to the backyard, you could utilize that area by adding a small light to each step or wrapping a string of lights underneath the railing.

If you like a neater look to your flowerbeds, you can push decorative edging around the perimeter to tidy it up. We also love this idea for decorating a garden wall: Hanging potted plants from a trellis. Want to try it? HousetoHome.co.uk has a tutorial here. Don't have a garden wall? You can do something similar even on a balcony: Grab a few of Ikea's Asker containers and some S hooks, plant a few herbs in the containers, and hang them from the balcony railing.

Got your own tips on quick garden makeovers? Share it with us in the comments!