One of the things I wanted in the garden was a place to stand and look back across the planting. In many gardens, the best view is often the one you can’t easily reach. In our case, the best vantage point was along the fence line, but getting there meant creeping behind plants and squeezing through foliage. For years we never really saw the garden from that angle.

This year we decided to change that by building a small lookout platform, almost like a little crow’s nest, where we could step straight off the patio and onto a raised walkway that feels a bit like walking into a jungle path.

Just as importantly, I wanted to build it as cheaply as possible.

Starting With a Free Pallet

The project began with a pallet. I asked around and one of our customers kindly gave me one for free. It was a long pallet that had previously carried a skylight, so it was a good size and fairly solid.

Rather than using it as it was, I split the pallet apart using a crowbar, which gave me usable timber for the decking surface. Pallets can be very useful for small garden projects like this, as long as the wood is still sound.

Finding Strong Posts

For the supports I bought some posts from Aylett Nurseries.

They had some second-hand posts available for about £5 each, which was perfect for what I needed. The posts were 100 mm across, so they were strong enough to support a small platform and walkway.

Using reclaimed or second-hand materials is often one of the best ways to keep costs down while still building something solid.

Adding the Joists

Once the posts were in place, the only new timber I really had to buy was a few decking joists. These were used to span between the posts and support the pallet boards that form the walkway surface.

With the joists fixed in place, the reclaimed pallet timber could then be laid on top to create the decking.

I finished it off with some rope netting from Temu for under £20

A New Perspective on the Garden

The aim of this small structure isn’t just practical access — it’s about changing the way we see the garden.

From this raised position we’ll be able to look right across the planting and take photographs from a completely new angle. In a garden with large foliage and dense planting, a slightly raised viewpoint can transform how the whole space feels.

I’m hoping that this simple jungle-style walkway will become a real feature of the garden and a place to pause, look out, and enjoy the planting from the best vantage point we’ve never been able to reach before.

And the best part is that most of it has been built using reclaimed materials and a bit of ingenuity, proving that interesting garden features don’t always have to cost a fortune.