57 Garden Decor Ideas to Update and Accent Your Space

Whether you're an avid gardener or a novice, your garden may need some extra pizzazz by adding some garden decor ideas. Decor is the icing on the cake for your garden. While the main event is obviously the flowers and foliage, adding some attractive and functional touches will make your garden more usable and appear more finished. Garden decor can range from small touches, like little statues and planters, to larger pieces like fire pits, furniture sets, and umbrellas.

From stunning garden sculptures to DIY greenhouse decor, we share a variety of garden decor ideas that will fit any design style and garden size.

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Designate a Relaxing Spot

@afrobohemianliving / Instagram

Build a wall to partition off a spot in your garden to kick back in. The recessed, white garden wall stretches across the entire backyard. The wall is simple yet elegant, with a sleek finish that contrasts beautifully with the lush greenery. A simple wooden bench situated in front of the garden complements the clean lines of the garden wall and is the perfect spot to sit and enjoy the tranquil backyard.

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Add Pops of Color

Dazey Den

Use PVC piping as a budget-friendly decor option to incorporate into your yard. With a little paint, PVC piping can take on the look of metal or clay. These PVC pipes have been cut diagonally and painted in various shades of bright orange to create a stunning addition to this front garden.

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Make Zones

Emily Henderson / Design by Emily Bowser / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

Divide your garden into separate areas to enjoy each area to the fullest. These antique room dividers separate the sitting area from the garden just beyond. Not only does it help create zones but it is also a stylish addition that draws the eyes up.

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Bring Inside Decor Outside

Ursula Carmona by Home Made by Carmona

Spruce up your shelves of potted plants with some decor items from around your home, like a gold picture frame and candlesticks. It's a free way to add your personal aesthetic to your outdoor space.

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Create a Passageway

@ladylandscape / Instagram

Add a passageway to separate your garden from the rest of your yard. As soon as you step through this moon gate, you'll be surrounded by the raised veggie garden beds. The passageway to the veggie garden is not only a stunning decor piece but it helps make the garden stand out.

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Designate a Focal Point

Maite Granda

Use a statue to easily create a focal point that can act as an inspiration piece to help plan out the rest of your garden. This spiritual Asian-inspired statue sits behind a modern gas fireplace and is surrounded by bamboo, which sets the tone for the rest of the garden.

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Light Up Your Garden

COTTAGE + SEA / Instagram

Add a weather-proof neon sign to yoru garden for a funky and functional touch. The potted succulents give this outdoor seating area a lush, refreshing look, while the growing vines on the fence truly immerse you in nature. A neon sign at the center of the sitting area that reads "It's mint to be" is a bright, eye-catching sign that pops against the dark colors of the surrounding plants. It's a playful touch that adds a sense of whimsy to the space.

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Make a Plant Cover

Ursula Carmona by Home Made by Carmona

Opt for a pretty plant cover. If you've taken the time to create the perfect garden aesthetic, a plant cover can ruin the look. Instead, make your own plant cover that's as stylish as it is functional.

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Display Potted Plants

Dazey Den

Line your garden path with pots for added planting space and an attractive decor touch. For a one-of-a-kind way to display your container garden, look to your backyard's walkway. The stepping stones are the perfect spots to place a variety of potted plants for an aesthetically pleasing look.

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Use Minimalist Vessels

Mindy Gayer

Bring it minimalist, modern pots for an elegant and modern look—you don't even have to fill them with plants. This minimalistic garden needs simple decor to match. The oversized, rustic clay pots keep with the minimalistic look while bringing texture and interest to the backyard.

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Try a Black Wall

Mindy Gayer

Add a black backdrop for your garden to really help your plants stand out. This black privacy wall helps the green and red colors of the garden to pop instead of blending in with the trees beyond the wall.

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Skip the Plants

Mocha Girl Place

Use rocks in a variety of colors and patterns to create a one-of-a-kind feature to add to your garden, especially if you don't want the maintenance of a traditional garden. Plants aren't the only way to create a visually-appealing garden.

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Add a Hammock

Dazey Den

Bring in a hammock—especially one in a bright hue like this one—to create a cozy corner and bring a pop of texture. At the center of the backyard is a bold-striped hammock that stands out against the neutral tones of the surrounding landscape. The bistro lights hanging above the hammock cast a warm glow that makes this spot the ultimate place to take a nap.

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Display Tools Like Art

Ursula Carmona by Home Made by Carmona

If you have pretty garden tools, display them on your shed or greenhouse wall. Not only does this make the perfect garden decor, but it also makes your tools easily accessible and will encourage you to keep your tools clean, too.

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Incorporate White Accents

@ladylandscape / Instagram

Add white accents like trellises to your garden, as the color really does pop against a lush green garden. Whether you choose to plant white flowers or incorporate white decor items, the contrast will create a stunning visual impact. This backyard features an intricate gate that acts as a simple accent piece that makes a big statement.

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Customize With Signs

Ursula Carmona by Home Made by Carmona

Give your garden a custom look with DIY signs. And, if you have a cutting machine that can cut wood, you can make as many signs as your heart desires. This Herb Garden sign is a stylish way to differentiate all the plants in your garden.

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Add Shade and Style

Ursula Carmona by Home Made by Carmona

Hang a shade cloth over a portion of your garden. Not only is a shade cloth essential for providing shade during hot summer months, but it can also act as a design detail. This greenhouse gets an update with some draped burlap that brings rustic charm to the space.

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Create an Inviting Ambiance

Ursula Carmona by Home Made by Carmona

Add taper candles in a covered garden seating area for some cozy ambiance. What's cozier and more welcoming than the warm glow of candlelight? This greenhouse gets some personality with a variety of thrifted items, from the candle holder to the patterned saucer plate and glass cloche.

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Paint a Concrete Slab

Dazey Den

Give your garden a splash of color by adding painted concrete accents, like in this desert garden. What was once a plain concrete slab is now the focal point of this backyard. The bright orange color is seen throughout the backyard, from the tabletop planter to the fire pit and chairs just beyond the sitting area.

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Decorate Your Greenhouse Walls

Ursula Carmona by Home Made by Carmona

Use your greenhouse walls to hang some decor if you want to keep your garden shelves free for more plants, a. This fun neon sign adds some whimsy and humor to the space.

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Add Patterned Flooring

Design by Emily Henderson / Photo by Tessa Neustadt

Make a garden patio area patterned to act as a visually pleasing base for additional decor. From the potted plants to the rose bush, this outdoor deck is filled with lush plants. The deck is painted in a refreshing blue and white pattern that breaks up the monotonous color of the surrounding garden.

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Add Plant-Like Sculptures

Dazey Den

Use sculptures in your garden beds that mimic the shapes of your plants. This succulent garden features cacti at varying heights to add visual interest. PVC piping, painted in a variety of bright shades of orange, spruces up one part of the garden that also features cacti at the same height and shape. This brings a cohesive look while adding a contrast of color.

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Make a Stylish Trellis

Ursula Carmona by Home Made by Carmona

Build a DIY trellis in a unique shape and color scheme to add height (and in this case, a little sparkle) to your garden. Every climbing plant needs a trellis, but it's hard to find a stylish trellis at your local store. Instead, make your own using copper piping and stained wood.

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Add String Lights

@ann.living / Instagram

Stretch a strand or two of string lights across any area of yoru garden that you might enjoy after sunset. This backyard is designed for the ultimate spot to relax and enjoy fresh air—from the comfortable lounge chair to the above-ground pool. The garden just beyond has an area you can dine al fresco and bistro lights that hang among the tree branches so you can stay out even after the sun goes down.

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Display Your Container Garden

dmf87 / Getty Images

Display your abundant container garden vertically on a garden gate or lattice to help draw the eyes up while saving room for more plants.

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Make Upcycled Plant Tags

sub buzz / Getty Images

Save the cork of your next bottle of wine to use as a plant label. Wine corks are an easy, budget-friendly way to label your edible garden while adding a cute design.

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Add Varying Planters

@s.u.s.a.p / Instagram

Opt for a combination of planters in the same color family to add a cohesive look while bringing texture and interest to a wall of trees. The color of the planters is carried through to the outdoor seating nearby.

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Build a Fairy Garden

The Spruce / Meg MacDonald

Assemble a fairy garden underneath a small tree, bush, or in a separate planter for a whimsical addition to your garden decor. You can purchase a kit or curate your own collection of fairy figurines, miniature houses, tiny twinkle lights, and petite toadstools. Don’t forget to surround your fairy garden with colorful flowers and lush foliage.

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Upgrade DIY Planter Beds

Mary Patton Design

DIY some raised planter beds out of reclaimed wood, then kick their silhouette up a notch by arranging them artistically. Instead of sitting in rows, the raised beds in this garden are positioned around a water feature, with two additional trellises for climbing plants and extra decoration. You can also add a few funky terracotta pots near the beds to soften their edges.

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Assemble a Living Room

Ursula Carmona of Homemade by Carmona

Designate an outdoor living room with a floating deck and a pergola. Opting for a comfy sectional couch and matching ottoman rather than chairs provides an extra-cozy seating nook in the middle of your garden that you can treat as another room in your house. Add an outdoor rug and a few decorative pots to anchor the space.

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Install a Flagstone Fire Pit

Design by Chelius House of Design / Photo by Amy Bartlam

Build a matching fire pit if you have a flagstone walkway near your garden for a cohesive look. A pair of chairs anchor the area, while a white Japanese garden stool makes for a handy side table for s’mores supplies and a beverage. A small flower vase atop the table brings a kiss of color.

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Nestle a Bird Bath

Jacky Parker Photography / Getty Images

Place a bird bath to fill in a bare spot between your flowers. It is a classic piece of garden decor that will also invite avian visitors to your garden. Choose a dainty iron bird bath with a thin column, or a sturdy stone design as seen here for a more earthy feel.

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Try a Bar Cart

Design by Emily Henderson / Photo by Tessa Neustadt

Bring in a bar cart to make your garden space function for entertaining. This one is fully equipped with wine, a cutting board prep station, and a basket of flatware, but you could also keep the top shelf for cocktails and the bottom shelf for additional garden tools. The copper lanterns, planters, and concrete mushroom decor help frame the area.

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Build a Cozy Pergola

Laquita Tate

Build a pergola to anchor an area of your garden and draw the eye toward it, whether it is a seating area or dining area. Another great garden decor idea shown here: clusters of wicker lanterns. Hanging lights from a pergola feels so cozy, and these mismatched wicker pendants bring in a natural boho aesthetic.

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Try a Fence Fountain

KG Designs

Install a fountain on or near your fence or separating wall for some built-in garden decor. The concrete blocks of this one complement the thin, uneven stones of the adjacent wall well, offering a subtle difference in texture. Place a bench nearby to enjoy the soothing sound of rushing water.

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DIY Vertical Herb Gardens

Ursula Carmona of Homemade by Carmona

Make use of vertical space by hanging pots of different herbs. This is a great idea if you would like to separate your herbs from the rest of your flowers and plants as well as place them closer to the kitchen. Plus, it doubles as a decor piece.

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Install a Living Wall

Lisa Stokes / Getty Images

Surround yourself with greenery by installing a living wall. Whether it is covering your fence or the side of your home, this planting style brings a secret garden-like feel. Consider varying the textures of the plants on the living wall to make it look more intentional and provide visual interest.

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Bring in Lawn Games

Milan_Jovic / Getty Images

Make your lawn games do double duty as activities and decor by painting them in an attractive way—like the simple stripes shown here. Cornhole is a classic game option, but an attractive croquet or bocce set that is able to be displayed near the garden can function in the same way.

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Try Black Wicker

Design by Emily Henderson / Photo by Tessa Neustadt

Opt for black wicker furniture for a more modern take on the classic garden-furniture material. This dining set stands out against the romantic, cottage-y decor of this area. Soften the silhouette with blankets and textiles.

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Add Window Box Statues

Grace Cary / Getty Images

Add a whimsical statue to your window box garden to create a unique vignette. Don’t feel like you can’t accessorize your garden if you lack yard space, a window box definitely counts as a petite garden.

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Install a Classic Fountain

Design by Emily Henderson / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

Place an elegant fountain in your garden to bring to mind estates and castles. This one has a unique base shape of rounded edges and angles, which gives it a medieval/Tudor look. Plant a ring of small plants around the edges to anchor it and make it a focal point.

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Nook Your Dining Area

Christopher Lee Foto

Tuck your dining area behind a row of fluffy bushes for some privacy and a cozy feel. This works especially well if the seating area is adjacent to a small guest cottage or garden art studio or office. Be sure to vary the texture of the bushes for a more natural look.

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Anchor With Rocks

@cottageandsea / Instagram

Lay down an area of small rocks to anchor a designated seating or lounge space in your garden, if you don't want to fuss with building a floating deck. This brings in a different texture and provides ample opportunity to add more plants: frame the area with foliage around its border.

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Create a Reading Nook

Dazey Den

Position a chair and small side table underneath some overgrown foliage in your garden for a private space to kick back with a book. If you have small trees in your garden, this is an especially fun idea.

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Form a Floral Tunnel

@kshandesign / Instagram

Make your flowers work as garden decor by coaxing them into a lush arch or tunnel shape using an arbor, pergola or other method. This one is covered in white jasmine blooms. Tuck some ground lighting and a rustic bench in the covered area for an extra touch of decor.

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Display Platters and Bowls

@milkandhoneylife / Instagram

Build an outdoor kitchen area if you’d like your garden to function as a true additional room in your home, plus have the ability to accommodate more decor like platters and serving bowls. You don’t have to overboard, either. A simple sink area where you can wash vegetables and produce from your garden before you bring it inside will add extra function and style if you opt for pretty gold fixtures like these.

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Embrace Retro Furniture

Dazey Den

Choose showpiece furniture, like this retro cluster of chairs, for a garden seating area that stuns. For even more variation, select a pair of shorter chairs and one showpiece chair to sit in the middle. A funky watering can sitting off to the side is another unexpected garden decor item.

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Add Spherical Sculptures

@thomasguyinteriors / Instagram

Turn your garden into a sculpture garden by placing some modern sculptures in the grass. Garden sculpture usually brings whimsical motifs like frogs, turtles, and gnomes to mind, but this cluster of spheres feels elevated and unexpected.

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Opt for Stylish Storage

Lucy Gleeson Interiors

Place an ornate shelving unit with a rustic finish somewhere against a fence or wall in your garden as a functional decor piece. You can stack pots on the shelves, add potted plants, or even style them with statues, watering cans, and other small decor items.

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Bring In a Bathtub

@milkandhoneylife / Instagram

Add a bathtub to your slate of garden decor—it’s unexpected and can serve multiple functions. Here, it functions as part of a luxurious outdoor shower corner, accessorized with wicker baskets, a wood side table, and terracotta pots. But you can also use it as a funky, upcycled planter.

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Disperse Glass Sculptures

KG Designs

Add durable glass sculpture to your garden—they will catch the light and contrast with the feathery textures of your foliage. If you are unable to find weather-friendly sculptures to place on the ground (or lack substantial ground space between your plants), you can hang glass orbs from your tree branches for a similar otherworldly look.

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Add a Garden Gate

House Nine Design

Install a cute garden gate somewhere along your garden’s border. Even if it doesn't mark a designated entry point, it can act as a decor piece to surround with plants and provide a trellis for any climbing vines.

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Hang Lanterns In Trees

Design by Emily Henderson / Photo by Sarah Tramp

Make your garden feel like a magical woodland hovel by hanging lanterns from your tree branches. If your trees are situated near a path, you could add additional lanterns flanking its sides to complete the look.

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Try a Fringed Umbrella

@kshandesign / Instagram

Stick up a fringed umbrella over your garden seating area for some style and shade. This fringe style is a staple of Hollywood Regency design and it reads equal parts whimsical and upscale.

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Lay a Little Path

Stephanie Perez

Plop down a few flagstones in your garden to designate a walking path. Though it doesn’t take much effort and the result is relatively subtle, just a few flagstones make a walkway feel more intentional.

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Use a Serving Table

Design by Emily Henderson / Styled by Emily Bowser / Photos by Sara Ligorria-Tramp & Veronica Crawford

Nestle in a rectangular serving table nearby a garden dining area to serve as a buffet when you enjoy meals outdoors. The piece is a decor element on its own, but you can also style it with interesting bowls, vases, candles, and planters.

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Hang a Sailcloth Cover

Jessica Nelson Design

Stretch some sailcloth over any area in your garden where you would like a little shade. It’s a more modern option versus a pergola or covered pergola and can take some interesting geometric shapes.

How can I decorate my garden on a budget?

Decorating your garden doesn't have to break the bank. First, look around your home for items you may already have that will work in your garden. Think, picture frames, candlesticks, glass decor items, etc. You can also visit your local thrift shops for garden decor, or you can make your own decor by looking up how-tos online. These will help you save on items that can make a big design impact.

What types of lighting can I add to my garden?

Hanging bistro lights are one the trendiest ways to add lighting to your garden and outdoor space. Other stylish lighting options include lanterns, outdoor pathway lights, LED strips, and candles.

How do I decorate my garden with statues?

Start with a theme: Is your personal style Asian-inspired, Victorian-inspired, whimsical, or elegant? From there, select a size. You don't want to pick a large statue if you have a small garden and vice versa. Once you pick out your statue, decide where you want to place it. You may want to place it slightly higher than the rest of your garden, like on a stand or large stone to help it stand out. Once you've picked your statue and where you'll place it, you can build the rest of your garden around it.