Home Improvement Ideas Outdoor Structures 26 Garden Gate Ideas That Add Charm and Functionality Good gates make good gardens. Get inspiration for picking the right gate for your space. By Leanne Potts Leanne Potts Leanne Potts is an award-winning journalist who has covered home design and shelter topics for three decades. She's an expert on everything from choosing a color palette for a room to growing heirloom tomatoes to the origins of Modernism in interior design. Her writing has appeared in or on HGTV, Parade, BHG, Travel Channel, and Bob Vila. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on May 29, 2024 Close Photo: John Granen The right garden gate can make a powerful first impression, enhancing the aesthetic of your property. They can frame the view, or add architectural details that complement your design style. Garden gates are functional, too: They provide security, keeping your plants safe from deer and protecting your garden against neighborhood kids and dogs. Choosing the right garden gate will depend on your style and what you need the gate to do. If you want charm and curb appeal, a simple white picket gate might be all you need. If you need added privacy or security, a solid heavy-duty gate might be a better pick. To inspire your next garden refresh, we're sharing our favorite garden gate ideas to help you pick a style that's just right. 17 Stunning Front Yard Fence Ideas for Any Architectural Style 01 of 26 Courtyard Garden Gate John Granen An oversized wooden garden gate can provide privacy for a driveway or courtyard. Here, an old driveway and parking area at the side and rear of the house has been upgraded with pavers, lined with lush plantings and turned into a wide garden path and outdoor room. 02 of 26 Spanish Colonial Gate Ed Gohlich An iron garden gate with a wide metal grid decorated with ornate medallions gives passersby a tantalizing peek into this Spanish colonial-style courtyard. The spikes on top of the gate tie to the shapes of the light fixtures on either side of the outdoor fireplace and lend a fashionably medieval aesthetic. The barrel tile roof, stucco walls, and stone patio complete the look. 03 of 26 Gothic Arch Garden Gate Emily Minton-Redfield An arched top gives this garden gate a Gothic revival feel. The aesthetic is heightened with the brick wall, rustic wood fence, and lavender spilling over the stone walkway. The dowels on the gate have been painted deep red to repeat the deep red tones in some of the bricks of the wall, creating continuity. 04 of 26 Dramatic Garden Arch Matthew Benson A tall, curved arbor paired with gates with curved tops creates a circular opening when the gates are closed for dramatic effect. Containers planted in blooming flowers placed atop the river-rock pillars on either side of the gates add to the drama. 05 of 26 Minimalist Garden Gate Tria Giovan A metal garden gate with sleek, simple lines turns a side shade garden into a private, secret space. Here, the black gate, gray walls, and stone walk create a neutral backdrop for the palette of greens in the shrubs, trees, and grasses. A vine trained onto an arbor over the gate softens the hard lines of the gate and adds to the privacy. 06 of 26 Statement-Making Garden Gate John Granen A grand double garden gate made of solid panels of wood creates an impressive entrance. The massive brick arch and walls and the oversized lantern-style light are the same scale and style as the large house behind them. Large beds of mixed plantings along with vines that look like they’ve covered that wall for a century complete the estate-level curb appeal. 07 of 26 Cottage Garden Gate Kritsada Panichgul This white picket fence adds to the classic cottage garden aesthetic of this wooden garden gate. Fence posts have been used in the construction of the gate to create a decorative top and tie it to the rest of the fence, creating visual harmony. Why an English Cottage Garden Might Be the Secret to Better Curb Appeal 08 of 26 Elegant Privacy Gate John Granen An oversized double garden gate creates a regal entrance to this property. Paired with oversized wall-mounted lights, giant planters stuffed with plantings, and a grand arch covered in mounding vines, the majestic entrance creates a warm welcome and doubles as a privacy fence. 09 of 26 French Country-Inspired Garden Gate Emily Followill This brick wall is laid in the hit-and-miss pattern, a style traditionally used in garden walls to let light and air through. The diamond square garden gate’s open geometry contrasts with the solidity of the bricks and frames a view of the pathway into the garden and peaked-roof outbuilding. 20 French Country Homes with European Elegance 10 of 26 Modern Garden Gate James Nathan Schroder A metal garden gate set between white brick walls gives a clean, classic look to this house and garden. A vine has been trained to grow on the simple metal arch over the gate in hopes of making this garden gate look grand once the vine is established. The curved tops on the walls on either side of the gate echo the round window on the house, tying the hardscape to the dwelling. All About Modern Landscape Design and How to Create the Look 11 of 26 Cozy Cottage Aesthetic Matthew Benson A white lattice garden gate surrounded by billowing blue hydrangeas creates the perfect cottage garden entrance. The gate’s straight, simple lines contrast with the soft, mounding shapes of the shrubs and container plants. The lattice strip top continues along the fence, making a crisp backdrop for the hot hues of the flowers. 8 Surprising Hydrangea Facts You Probably Didn’t Know 12 of 26 Craftsman Garden Gate Edward Gohlich A wood garden gate in an Asian-Craftsman fusion pattern pairs well with this bungalow-style house. The gate matches the fence, and their earthy brown hue blends with the landscape, creating a lovely backdrop for flowers and foliage in the yard. Sheets of bamboo fencing have been attached to the gate and fence to increase privacy. 20 Craftsman-Style Homes with Timeless Charm 13 of 26 Romantic Garden Gate Lynn Karlin A white picket fence, white picket garden gate, and a peak-roofed arbor create a romantic boundary to this garden. A huge, rambling lilac and mixed borders planted with hostas, shrubs, peonies, ornamental grasses, and annuals create an unfussy, natural-looking garden and yard. 14 of 26 Natural Privacy Fence Matthew Benson Make a living fence by planting a privet hedge, the classic natural privacy screen. Privet hedges are made by planting a variety of Ligustrum close together and letting them grow into a tall and dense wall of limbs and leaves. This privet hedge has a small, wooden garden gate opening onto a walkway through the yard and garden. The hedges on either side of the gate have been allowed to grow taller and shaped into pillars that frame the entrance. 15 of 26 Rustic Weathered Gate Lynn Karlin This wood garden gate has been weathered to a rustic shade of silver, along with its accompanying picket fence. The muted tones let the subtle palette of greens in the hostas, tulips, grass, and evergreens pop in this shade garden. 16 of 26 Antique Garden Gate Werner Segarra This antique garden gate pairs well with the rustic stone columns on either side of it and the arch overhead. Lantern light fixtures and a stone pathway complement the vintage look, while a mound of roses adds a pop of color. 17 of 26 DIY Garden Gate David Tsay This rough-hewn, unpainted garden gate contrasts beautifully with the delicate bamboo fencing that surrounds it. The timbered frame above the gate gives passersby a peek into this lovely private outdoor space with paver stones and lush tropical plantings. Mounding vines atop the fence and gate make add privacy and make them look anchored to the landscape. 18 of 26 Poolside Garden Gate John Granen This minimalist wood garden gate has a concave top that echoes the arches of the back patio. The curves tie the gate to the arches and contrast the straight lines of the brick wall. Painting the gate black gives it subdued elegance and lets the surrounding lush plantings be the star of the landscape. The gate has a doorknob that can be locked to keep the pool area secure. 35 Pool Deck Ideas for the Ultimate Backyard Summer Retreat 19 of 26 White Picket Fence Brian McWeeney Few looks are as classic as the white picket fence. Here, the white fence and garden gate pop against a red paver brick walkway in front of a colonial revival house. The paver walkway matches the edging on the bed in the front yard and the white pickets of the fence and garden gate match the house siding. 20 of 26 Vine-Covered Garden Arch Laurie Black A wooden arbor covered in vines creates a shaded entry over a double garden gate made of white pickets, all weathered to a perfect patina. Stone pavers set into pea gravel lead one off into the garden. 12 Garden Arch Trellis Ideas to Add Charm to Your Landscape 21 of 26 Simple Garden Gate Hector Sanchez A simple wooden garden gate with a wide lattice pattern blends with the midcentury modern-inspired potting shed nearby. A grouping of raised beds is surrounded by wire ranch fencing that appears nearly invisible at a distance, making the gate look more like a free-standing sculpture than a door to an enclosed space. This simple garden gate isn’t about privacy; it’s for keeping critters out of the garden while letting people in. 25 Raised Garden Bed Ideas for Growing Veggies and Flowers 22 of 26 Rustic DIY Garden Gate Dana Gallagher Thin slats of wood nailed to a garden gate frame in a ray pattern dress up a simple garden gate. The entrance is framed and topped by posts made of debarked branches with a vine growing up and over them to create the effect of a wild garden. 23 of 26 Ranch Fencing Kindra Clineff Ranch fencing and a simple picket garden gate weathered to an earthy brown hue make an unobtrusive addition to this landscape. They define the spaces in the garden without standing out, letting the plantings be the star of the landscape show. 24 of 26 Vine-Covered Arbor John Bessler A mounding vine covers the arbor over this simple wooden garden gate. The arbor creates a spot of shade along with a dramatic entrance to the grouping of raised beds beyond the fence. 13 Rustic Arbor Ideas to Add Romantic Charm to Your Garden 25 of 26 Classic White Garden Gate Jay Wilde An arbor draped with vines and roses frames a view of the harbor beyond the garden and patio. A classic white picket fence and garden gate make this a picture-worthy outdoor space. 26 of 26 Garden Gate Duo Rob Cardillo An arbor covered in vines frames the street entrance to this garden, while a pair of white picket fence garden gates allows entry into a fenced area of flower beds. A low, secondary row of pickets at the bottom of the fence keeps small animals out of the garden. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit