Fast and Fabulous Garden Decor Ideas to Upgrade Your Home's Look

Spruce up your landscape and improve your home's curb appeal with these easy tips.

Utility Box Cover

Whether you're a DIY pro or an amateur looking to better your skills, here are our favorite garden design ideas to give your landscape a pick-me-up. These are fast, fabulous, and (mostly) budget-friendly tips that will give your back or front garden an extra oomph, perfect to improve your home's curb appeal in no time.

01 of 31

Spring Fiesta

Floating Flowers

Add easy flair to your spring alfresco dining. Here's a super simple decoration: Drop a peony bloom into a margarita glass and top it with a tea light.

Don't want to bring your favorite glasses outside? Just pick up some inexpensive glassware at your local dollar store.

02 of 31

Second Life for Tools

Tool Teepee

Well-worn garden tools find new life when fastened together into a teepee for climbing plants. This inexpensive trellis instantly adds country charm to any garden.

03 of 31

Papasan Oasis

Garden Room

Instead of a tree swing, how about hanging something more grown up (but equally fun)? This inverted papasan chair base serves as an innovative place to hang curtain panels, so you can create a sweet, shaded garden getaway.

04 of 31

Into the Looking Glass

Garden Mirror

Add an optical illusion to create depth to your garden room by nestling a mirror in between plants. Just fasten it on a fence and watch how your space seems to double.

05 of 31

Alter Your Angle

Scoop Candleholder

Look at everyday objects from new angles. Feed scoops turned upright, paired with candles in hurricane globes shed new light on garden illumination.

06 of 31

Y'all Come Back Now

Doorknocker

Garden-themed pieces such as this trowel doorknocker add charm and interest to your landscape. Watch for great deals at antique stores and flea markets.

07 of 31

Frosty Luminaries

Ice Luminaria

These wintry votive holders are easy to make and add light to a snow-covered landscape. Created with flexible plastic bottles, poinsettia leaves frozen in the form give holiday color and offer a welcoming glow to guests.

08 of 31

DIY Cold Frame

Cold Frame

Salvaged windows become a charming cold frame with a little DIY ingenuity. Use reclaimed wood to complete the sides and keep your costs down—then protect tender sprouts with style.

09 of 31

Hovering Saucer

Birdbath

A large terra-cotta saucer sits atop a tomato cage serving double-duty as a birdbath and trellis for climbing vines. To create an even more vibrant focal point, paint the saucer in your favorite color, or tie it into your garden's color scheme.

10 of 31

Revive a Garden Bench

Planted Bench

Give an old, worn bench new life as a planter. Here, a simple shelf built over the seat is a perfect place for a collection of container plants.

11 of 31

Revitalize a Path

Rebar Arbor

Rebar (or another heavy-duty metal rod) creates an uncommon archway entrance and gives climbing plants an unusual lift up. Think outside the arch for inexpensive materials at yard sales, Re-Stores, or from the depths of your garage.

12 of 31

Driftwood Delight

Arbor

Make a statement with uncommon materials in your garden. Some driftwood and DIY handiwork crafted this spectacular arbor.

13 of 31

Make Your Own Table

Home-Made Table

This big container cracked. Instead of throwing it away, a resourceful homeowner turned it into a table, topping it with a concrete circle (though you could do the same with wood or flagstone).

Watch for deals on big pots like this—retailers often mark them down dramatically or give them away when they break.

14 of 31

Throw Tiebacks to the Wind

Tiebacks

Decorative curtain tiebacks find a new purpose outdoors. Attach them to fences, gazebos, or decks to help direct your vines and climbing roses.

15 of 31

Decorate Your Fence

Flower Arrangement

Picket fences exude charm—but you can make them even better with a little garden decor. Hanging a bouquet on it is the perfect way to add more interest and create a welcoming feel at your next garden party.

16 of 31

Make a Living Gate

Garden Gate

Create the most interesting entrance on the block with a living gate. Here, a large feed tank on casters provides privacy without blocking off this gardener's driveway.

17 of 31

Up, Up, and Away

Trellis

Who says your trellis has to look like everyone else's? This creative homeowner took premade cedar fence panels and attached them vertically with matching cedar planks, tying the trellis in to match her fencing.

18 of 31

Textural Refinishes

Garden Art

Antique furniture pieces add quirky architectural interest to a country garden. This table and chair have been "refinished" in moss rather than fabric and provide plenty of dinner-table conversation.

19 of 31

Grate Ideas

Metal Grate

Antique metal vent covers, grates, and other indoor pieces move easily outdoors to add decorating interest to garden rooms of all types. This piece seems right at home hung on a wall of weathered paint.

20 of 31

Don't Fence Me In

Edging

This old wire garden fence moves up in life. By fastening it to the porch soffit, the fence serves both as a trellis for climbers and as an architectural interest in an older home.

21 of 31

Reuse a Fountain

Planted Fountain

Many gardeners think a fountain is a perfect garden accent—until it cracks or leaks. Then make it a charming planter for creeping plants such as sedum or thyme to spill over the edges and create the look of water.

22 of 31

Waving Whimsy

Garden Gloves on Fence

Gardens don't have to be serious—especially during special events such as parties and garden walks. Show your fun side with simple decorations like these colorful garden gloves that wave hello to visitors.

23 of 31

Ocean of Possibilities

Pocket Garden

Get your creative groove on with some precast edging and a little paint. This homeowner saw a fish just dying to get out in the edging, so gave it a dash of color and set it free.

Use waterproof paint or a sealer so your masterpiece doesn't run after the first good rain.

24 of 31

Tucked Away in a Drawer

Container Garden

Inside the house, things often get lost in drawers, but in the garden, they jump out. This old drawer attached to a bed footboard becomes an adorable "window box" planter with very little work or money.

25 of 31

Signature Touches

Fence Decoration

Add some little touches, like this well-worn watering can attached to the picket fence, to put your signature on your garden. It also allows you more display options for well-loved collectibles that have served their purpose.

26 of 31

Treasure Trove

Garden Tool Decorations

Don't limit yourself to "appropriate" garden decor. Feel free to use all kinds of amazing treasures such as this vintage umbrella stand holding hand tools. Unexpected finds help your garden stand out.

27 of 31

Keep It Simple

Formal Garden

A simple design makes this garden feel more sophisticated. Pavers serve as both practical stepping stones and architectural interest. The well-thought-out plan makes the most of the limited space.

28 of 31

Room With a View

Garden Room

Make a simple garden room with preformed garden arches and outdoor-friendly curtain panels. This getaway sports a bed for midday naps, but would also be comfortable with Adirondack chairs or a cafe table set for elegant picnics.

29 of 31

Secret Spaces

Side Yard Garden

This homeowner utilized the narrow strip of land between houses to create an adorable courtyard. Even small, unattended bits of yard can become stunning, secret gardens.

30 of 31

Showcase a Collection

Watering Cans

Garden collectibles need not be displayed behind glass. This watering can collection becomes a visual point of interest in this garden. It's a double-threat: pretty and practical!

31 of 31

Hidden in Plain Sight

Utility Box Cover

Since you're stuck with it, here's a smart way to disguise that ugly utility box. A simple slipcover box made of bead board and topped with a birdhouse covers up the eyesore and draws nature into your yard.

How to Add a Magical Touch to Your Garden

If you want to go above and beyond when it comes to having a fabulous garden, here’s an idea—transform your outdoors, regardless of its size, into a magical landscape, especially if you’re all for romantic garden styles. Fairy gardens and moon gardens that shine at night are two of the most coveted trends, not only because of their simplicity but also because of the whimsical flair they give to your home without breaking the bank. From figurines and statues to moody or fairy lights—not to mention an array of fragrant flowers and night-blooming moon-colored plants—creating an ethereal space to entertain or relax is as easy and attainable as other garden designs.

Was this page helpful?

Related Articles