3) Change Your Wicker Ways You can also breathe new life into older wicker furniture with a little paint and some creativity (or failing that, some pre-made patterns). Start by spray-painting your wicker chairs or tables in bright tones. You can dress the furniture up even more by adding patterns with acrylics paints (whether freehand or with stencils). Protect your creation from the elements by adding a layer of spray varnish.
4) Pond in a Box Adding water elements to a backyard or garden is attractive from an aesthetic standpoint, but can be something of a logistical nightmare (especially for those who try to go the Do-It-Yourself route). Water features require a certain amount of space, money and effort. Consider a lower impact alternative: a deck-top pond. If you're the least bit handy with a hammer, you can fashion your own miniature water garden using a handful of materials from the nearest home and garden center.
Most deck-top ponds are constructed with a distinct garden area (an arrangement of soil, rocks and plants) and a larger pond section that features submerged plants (which do not need soil), marginal plants (planted a pot which is then sunk) and "edge" plants (which are planted along the pond's banks). You can tailor the size of the water garden fit your needs, the materials and surfaces to match your dcor and the plant choices to the amount of light available.