Create A Beautiful Hanging Decoration For Your Garden With A Fun DIY

One way to gain more room to decorate your garden is to consider the vertical space as well. Decorations for the areas at or above eye level can be so much more than just hanging baskets and party lights. They don't have to be expensive, either: A few hula hoops, faux flowers and fairy lights come together for a stunning outdoor chandelier that can be hung anywhere in your garden! An electrical outlet isn't necessary either, as this is powered by batteries. While you're planning the perfect place to hang your creation, consider whipping up this Dollar Tree hack for some light-up hanging spheres that pair well with your homemade hula-hoop chandelier.  Add these DIY copycat stone planters, too, fitted with similar real or faux plants, to replicate the style of the arrangement hanging from your chandelier.  

To make the chandelier you'll need three hula-style hoops of the same size, such as these by Poen, plus gold spray paint, a clear plastic cake plate, battery-powered fairy lights, floral foam, and faux plants such as wisteria flowers and eucalyptus leaves to make an arrangement. You'll also need nuts and bolts, hot glue, and some contact adhesive. 

Start by drilling a hole through all three of the hula hoops. Line the holes up by forcing the hoops inside one another; this could be easier with a friend's assistance. Push a narrow bolt through all three hoops, starting from the outside hoop. Tighten a nut over the bolt to secure the hoops, then drill a hole through the exact opposite side of each hoop. Secure those with a bolt and nut as well. 

Fan the hoops out a bit to make a sphere, then paint the structure gold (or a color of your choice) with a spray paint designed for plastics. Spray on a clear coat after the paint dries for added protection. When that dries, prepare a clear cake plate to sit inside the bottom of the spherical chandelier. Use the tip of a hot tool such as a soldering iron or hot glue gun to poke a hole through the center of the plate, then remove the nut from the sphere and secure the plate to the bolt and reattach the nut. Hot-glue some floral foam to the center of the plate, then arrange the battery packs for the fairy lights around the foam on the plate, securing them with clear tape. Wrap the fairy light strands around the hoop, including the bottom area so that the full sphere will light up at night. 

Arrange the faux plants to create a lovely grouping with flowers that drape down between the hoops. Secure the bottom ends of each faux plant in the floral foam. A sturdy S hook, such as these by Hotop, makes it easy to hang the top of the hula hoop chandelier from a pergola or even a tree branch. For an added garden upgrade, place a water feature within view, such as this DIY garden fountain on a budget.