There are a lot of good reasons to grow plants in raised beds. The most important is that they give you more control over soil conditions. You can create the perfect blend and ensure good drainage. Raised beds are also easier to manage, especially if you have any mobility issues.

On the other hand, raised bed gardening has one major issue: water. Like containers, the soil in a raised bed will dry out faster than soil in the ground. This means you need to spend more time watering, unless you use one of these nifty strategies or easy-to-find tools and materials to create beds that are mostly or entirely self-watering.

Here are the four easiest and most effective ways to turn your raised bed into a self-watering garden that can withstand summer heat and drought or that you can leave for vacation and not worry about wilting.

1. Build a Wicking Reservoir

A water wicking reservoir is an underground irrigation system. The reservoir stores water at the bottom of the bed. A wicking material allows the water to move upward into the dry soil as needed.

With this type of wicking raised bed system, you only need to fill the reservoir every few days or weekly, depending on the weather. It prevents overwatering and encourages strong, deep root growth.

You can find self-watering raised beds on Amazon that already have a water reservoir built in, buy a self-watering insert from Gardener's Supply Company, or make your own water wicking system from simple materials.

Line the bed with plastic sheeting or a pond liner to make it watertight. Create a reservoir on top of the liner using large, clean rocks or perforated drainpipes. Cover this with landscape fabric to act as your wicking material.

Finally, you just need a vertical PVC pipe on the side of the bed that reaches down to the reservoir. You’ll use this to refill the reservoir as needed. The wicking material allows water to be pulled upward into the soil, but only when the soil is dry so overwatering isn’t an issue.

2. Use Watering Spikes & Olla Pots

There is an even simpler solution to creating self-watering beds that is best for small raised beds. Watering spikes, olla pots, and similar products are an easy way to let your beds water themselves. They work in a similar way to a wicking reservoir, but are easier to install.

These devices are made from unglazed terracotta. You fill them with water and bury them in the raised bed soil. The clay of the terracotta is porous, so moisture slowly seeps out into the dry soil around it. This is a low-tech, easy option for watering beds. The downside, however, is that each pot or watering spike only covers a small area of soil.

One olla pot, like this one from Amazon, will cover a growing area of 4 to 6 square feet (1.2-1.8 m), so it’s a great solution for small raised beds. Watering spikes, which you can get from IKEA, are best for individual plants. So if you have a few thirsty plants, like tomatoes, a handful of spikes can keep them happy and reduce the amount of time you need to spend watering.

3. Set Up a Drip Irrigation Kit

Adding a drip irrigation setup to your raised bed turns your garden into a self-sufficient system in just one afternoon. These kits come in a range of sizes and those designed for smaller areas, like raised beds, can be as low as $30, like this simple drip irrigation kit from Home Depot that Content Editor Laura has used in her garden for years.

The kits include a hose or pipe system with multiple holes. You’ll install this in a bed and connect it to a hose. A hose-faucet timer, like this one that Laura also recommends, allows you to set the system to water at regular intervals.

Once installed, this is a hands-off watering system, so convenience is one of the biggest benefits. With some kits, you can even connect to an app and control watering from your phone.

Drip irrigation kits are also highly efficient, so if water usage is limited in your area, they are a great option. You’ll use up to 70% less water than using a regular hose and nozzle to water.

4. Create a Gravity-Fed Drip System

Instead of the pressure from a faucet and hose, you can use gravity to water your beds through a drip hose. You need an elevated source, like a rain barrel, and some tubing. Water moves down under the force of gravity and into the raised bed.

Like a drip irrigation system connected to a faucet, you get the benefit of water conservation, but you don’t need the pressure of the faucet. This is a good DIY drip irrigation option for a bed that isn’t close to the faucet.

Start with an elevated rain barrel, like this one with a built-in stand from Home Depot. If you have taller raised beds, you will need to place your rain barrel even higher. You can use cinder blocks, bricks, or old pallets to build a simple platform to lift your barrel above the height of your raised beds.

Next, add a drip irrigation system to get the water to your beds. You can make your own drip irrigation system or use a premade kit. Just make sure the kit you buy will work in a gravity-fed situation. Some drip irrigation kits need water pressure from a faucet or hose to function. But this drip irrigation kit from Amazon works with low or no water pressure.

No single solution for creating a self-watering bed is perfect, but one of these ideas might be better than others for your garden. You can also combine strategies to make watering easier. For instance, use a wicking reservoir with mulch to keep moisture in the soil longer. Or use a drip irrigation system with watering spikes for your especially thirsty plants.

Whether you install a simple drip irrigation kit, build a wicking reservoir, or just add mulch and a timer, these upgrades can dramatically reduce maintenance while keeping plants healthier and more productive. With the right setup, you can spend less time watering and more time enjoying your harvest.

A great solution for heatwave summers, low-growing groundcover plants act as a living mulch to lock moisture into the soil and protect roots from extreme temperatures. And groundcover doesn’t need to be boring! These fabulously flamboyant flowering groundcover plants will bring months of beautiful blooms to borders, and keep your garden full of color into fall.

If it’s been a while since you looked at groundcover plants, you’ll be astonished to discover some dazzling new varieties that combine all the benefits of traditional groundcover with the ornamental delights usually only seen in far taller plants. There’s even a groundcover hydrangea for goodness sake!

So forget the usual fodder of forgettable groundcover and try a showstopper instead. Here’s my pick of the most eye-catching groundcover plants to keep your soil cool and your borders packed with blooms into fall.

1. Groundbreaker Hydrangea For a Sea of Blooms

• Zones 5-8
• Full sun to partial shade
• Grows 12-16" tall and 24-32" wide

Let’s start with the plant most likely to cause serious neighbor envy, shall we? Because if you plant this groundcover carpet of color-changing hydrangea blooms, expect everyone to ask what is! The fabulous new Groundbreaker series of hydrangeas brings all the beauty of the perennial blooms we all know and love to ground level. The world’s first-ever spreading groundcover hydrangea, this plant grows out instead of up, only reaching 12-16 inches high yet spreading up to 32 inches wide. Well-branched stems mean lots of conical flowers, and the blooming period lasts a whopping 100 days.

Launched two years ago, Groundbreaker hydrangeas only became available to buy in the United States in July 2026, and they’re proving hugely popular. And no wonder: growing panicle hydrangeas is straightforward to begin with, but these have been bred to be especially low maintenance.

So if you want one, you’d better be quick as these beautiful hydrandgeas are selling out fast. At the time of writing, all three Groundbreaker hydrangea varieties are available from Plant Addicts. Groundbreaker Blush Hydrangea has large white flower panicles in midsummer that gradually develop blush pink tones. Groundbreaker Ruby Hydrangea also blooms white but its flowers deepen to a rich ruby red, while Groundbreaker Greeny Hydrangea transitions the other way with blooms opening a bright lime green then gradually softening to a creamy white.

2. Drift Rose For Three-Season Color

• Zones 4-11
• Full sun to partial shade
• Grows 1-2' tall and 3' wide

The series of Drift roses are a cross between full-size groundcover roses and miniature roses, so while they’ll bring abundant color to a border, they won’t take over. These rebloomers produce wave after wave of flowers from spring till late fall and are self-cleaning, which means you don’t need to deadhead. They’re super-easy to look after, too, being highly resilient against common rose issues including black spot and powdery mildew.

There are all sorts of fabulous colors to choose from, and some have transitioning tones. In fact, the only downside to these low-maintenance roses is that they only have a mild scent, or no fragrance at all.

Nature Hills stocks a great selection of Drift roses. Popcorn Drift blooms a golden yellow and transitions to cream, while Coral Drift, Peach Drift and Apricot Drift also have color-shifting blooms in a variety of warm tones. Sweet Drift is a ravishing pink with around 30 petals on each flower, while Pink Drift has simple single blooms that are better for pollinators. Red Drift holds its bright scarlet color even in a hot summer.

3. Blue Waterfall Bellflower for a Designer Look

• Zones 4-8
• Partial to full sun
• Grows 6-10" high and 24-36" wide

There are lots of good things to say about this pretty plant, but perhaps its finest asset is that it’s often employed by landscape designers, so instantly brings a professional look. While Campanula poscharskyana ‘Camgood’ is typically housed in a pot or a hanging basket, its trailing stems make excellent groundcover, speedily spreading around larger plants.

And this little perennial is sure to attract attention with its ice-blue star-shaped flowers that last through summer into fall.

While this perennial grows quickly, it doesn’t run out of control, and happily thrives in pretty much any soil, as long as it gets at least 5 hours of sunlight a day. The small, bright green heart-shaped leaves are super-pretty, too. Blue Waterfall Bellflower plants are available from Plant Addicts.

4. Firewitch Dianthus For a Small Garden

• Zones 3-9
• Full sun
• Grows 4-8" high and 1' wide

Yes, small gardens need groundcover too! Firewitch dianthus makes for brilliant groundcover in a small garden as it’s incredibly well-behaved but works hard to form a dense, weed-blocking mat of pretty silvery-blue leaves. With a flurry of pink flowers all through spring and summer – and fall, if you shear off faded blooms – Dianthus gratianopolitanus was bred to give maximum color for minimum effort.

What’s more, the spicy, clove-like scent of the flowers is a wonderful addition to hot summer days, while the foliage is evergreen in most climates.

Each plant spreads to around a foot wide so, depending on the size of your border, you’ll need to add a few, and single and multi-pack Firewitch Dianthus plants are available from Fast Growing Trees.

5. Silvery Sunproof Liriope For Rippling Leaves

• Zones 6-11
• Partial shade
• Grows 1-2’ high and wide

This variegated monkey grass forms clumps rather than spreads, so it makes excellent groundcover to underplant a border of bigger perennials or shrubs where controlling a more vigorous plant would be tricky. This drought-tolerant plant can even cope in dry shade once established, so it won’t mind a jot that trees and shrubs are sucking most of the moisture out of the soil.

The striped leaves are evergreen in most climates and, in midsummer, purple flower spikes add to the show and last through fall. Liriope ‘Silvery Sunproof’ plants are available from Nature Hillsand are tolerant of pollution so will thrive roadside, and is even rated as Firewise in several states. While monkey grass typically needs partial shade to thrive, this variety tolerates sunlight far better than most others.

6. Cool Wave Pansies For Instant Cheer

• All zones
• Full sun or partial shade
• 6-8" high and 24-30" wide

These little gems light up a tired border and don’t be fooled by the dainty, delicate appearance – they're tough cookies and bloom for months on end. In fact, this is one of the longest-blooming pansies available. While pansies are typically planted in patio pots and hanging baskets, this is a trailing variety so spreads to form groundcover in a border and quickly but politely fills gaps between bigger perennials. Pansies can be planted in summer in zones up to 9, so put this on your list of July garden jobs.

How Cool Wave pansies behave will depend on your climate, but they’re an excellent way to bridge the summer-to-fall gap in all zones. In zones 5 through 11 they’ll survive the winter: in zones 5-6, they’re dormant through winter but bounce back in spring; in zones 7-9, they’ll bloom pretty much continuously through all four seasons; in zones 10-11, wait for the intense heat of summer to pass before planting for endless cool-season flowers. In cooler zones 4 and below, treat these beauties as annuals and plant afresh each spring.

Pansies prefer cooler conditions and will fade in hot temperatures so, in a hotter zone, plant in a partially shady spot that doesn’t bake in the midday sun; in cooler zones, it’s fine in full sun.

Pansies can be challenging to grow from seed so it’s best to skip straight to the good bit with young plants. Cool Wave Morpho pansy plants are available from Burpee in a striking purple-blue and yellow combo, and the color intensifies as temperatures drop. Cool Wave Raspberry Swirl pansy plants are also available from Burpee, with a pretty mix of rosy, golden tones.

7. SunSparkler Dazzling Dynamite Sedum for Low Maintenance

• Zones 4-9
• Full sun
• Grows 4-8" tall and 1-2' wide

If you want to add color to a border without upping the workload, Sedum ‘Dazzling Dynamite’ should be your go-to solution. This well-behaved low-growing perennial is extremely heat- and drought-tolerant once established, and while pollinators love it, deer typically don’t touch it. That burgundy-red foliage is vibrant enough on its own, but when topped with bright pink flowers through summer and fall, SunSparkler Dazzling Dynamite Sedum is a real showstopper.

Unlike some sedums that fade in summer heat, this keeps its color well, and Dazzling Dynamite plants are available from Nature Hills. The succulent leaves slowly spread to form a dense mat, even on poor soil, making this one of the most low-maintenance groundcover plants you can get.

The challenge a boxy backyard brings is that its square shape makes the garden feel even smaller than it already is. But steal a few tricks from landscape designers and you can manipulate the space to your advantage, and transform it into a super-stylish yard that appears larger and less enclosed. The trick is to see a square garden plot not as a hindrance, but instead as an invitation to get creative.

To draw all eyes away from the boundaries, and make the space within feel more expansive, landscape designers use a number of clever techniques. Plenty are DIY projects you can do yourself to make a small garden feel bigger. One such trick is to separate the plot into multiple areas, each with a clear function, that segue together beautifully into a whole. A lot can be achieved by utilising vertical space for growing, too, which increases planting options as well as leading the eye up to make your garden feel less cramped. Add in some curves and a focal-point feature, and suddenly you have a garden to be proud of.

A few well-chosen contemporary small garden ideas is often all it needs to add the standout factor to your garden design. Here are all the garden design ideas you need to get the transformation underway.

1. Divide the Plot into Geometric Blocks

If you have a small boxy backyard, you'll want to make the very best of the space by turning it into a stylish extension of your home. One of the easiest landscape designer tricks to tap into is reconfiguring the space using the 'rule of three' technique to carve up a square garden into separate yet harmonious areas.

This is a clever way of stretching a small garden and making it feel more spacious with clearly defined zoned areas, like this design (above). With separate spaces such as a patio for dining and a deck for lounging, plus a hidden destination point at the far end, this boxy backyard doesn't feel square any more.

Using planting such as evergreen boxwood cubes and ornamental grasses to create softly sculpted divisions between the spaces adds a high-end look, as does subtle uplighting.

2. Plant Immersive Boundaries to Distract from Dimensions

It might seem counter-intuitive to enclose a small boxy backyard with vertical planting taken to great heights, but green walls can in fact work to your advantage. Lushly planted boundaries help small gardens feel bigger by leading the eye upward to create an immersive feeling. And it needn't take forever, as there are plenty of fast-growing vines that won't scramble out of control.

Planting climbers also helps to blur the boundaries so you're not sure where the garden begins and ends. Covering solid features like walls and fences in foliage softens hard edges and tricks the eye, rather than immediately revealing the limitations of a small space.

Wrapping a garden in plants such as evergreen climbers takes the gray out of an urban space year-round, or add some standout color with a clematis. Another bonus is that this increases your privacy, especially helpful if your garden is overlooked by neighbors' windows. You can also used climbing plants to break up stretches of straight horizontal lines on the tops of fences and walls.

Climbing Plants for Boundaries

3. Create an Eye-Catching Centerpoint

Creating a standout garden feature in the center of a square garden distracts from the restricted dimensions. Adding a focal point is a great way to make a small boxy backyard feel bigger, as your eyes will be pulled away from the edges into the center.

A circular feature integrated into a square shape immediately stands out. This eye-catching design features a firepit sunk into a round deck, surrounded by wraparound planting.

Other ideas for a centerpoint include an elegant DIY water fountain, or there are plenty of water features you can install yourself, or a piece of sculpture. Adding a circular lawn in the center of a square garden will also transform the feel of the space. A circular design feature breaks away from the boundaries, helping your garden feel more intentional and aesthetically pleasing. Circles blur harsh boundary edges and pull together the space in a gently cohesive way.

4. Add a Dazzling Accent Plant

Another way to draw attention away from the outer boundaries is to add an accent plant that landscape designers love. As far as small backyard ideas go, this is such a quick and easy win but will have a huge impact. An ornamental multi-stem tree such as 'Little Gem' magnolia, available from Nature Hills, is perfect for small yards as it adapts well to being pruned to stay compact.

Cornus kousa 'Satomi', pictured above and available from Nature Hills, is another showstopper tree that commands attention but can be pruned to stay in shape.

5. Design a ZigZag Path that Tricks the Eye

Another way to disguise a square-shaped garden is to add a feature that forces your gaze to change direction, as this distracts from the standard boxy outline dictated by the boundaries.

It's time to forget boring straight lines and draw the eye with something clever. Setting paths at changing angles so they zigzag or have a dog leg makes a garden feel both wider and more interesting, as well as being a design feature in its own right.

This elevated decking pathway zigzags between landscaping elements such as a pond, carefully positioned boulders and decorative border planting, which combine to distract the focus from the limitations of the space and reinvigorate a small boxy backyard.

6. Banish 90° Angles For a Softer Look

Sometimes the smallest details can make a big difference when you're working out how to improve a garden. Obtuse angles like the one in the raised bed above create and optical illusion: because the line is longer than if a 90° angle had been used, the feature appears bigger. In an urban garden that has lots of hard landscaping, this is particularly effective trick.

A design like this also feels so much more relaxed than one that relies on sharp corners. Take a look at your small boxy backyard and it's likely that you'll spot myriad 90° angles. Banish them, and you'll make much more of the space.

7. Use Asymmetric Focal Points to Your Advantage

Asymmetrical garden design is a real asset if you need fresh ideas to make more of a small boxy backyard. This informal technique simply involves repeating one focal element around the garden, but staggering their position so the two sides are asymmetrical.

The aim is to deliberately create an imbalance that makes a garden layout more interesting, such as alternating trees along a path rather than placing them directly opposite each other, as would be the case in symmetrical garden design. In this design, small clipped evergreen trees are staggered along the path instead of opposite each other. The planting in the beds on either side of the path are similar but aren't an exact mirror of each other, either, a further example of how asymmetric planting can make a small garden more interesting.

In a small yard, this can be as easy as strategically placed pots, creatively planted with standout container ideas.

Asymmetric planting schemes tend to feel less predictable, another way of offering a visual distraction from less than ideal garden dimensions.

8. Interrupt Sight Lines

Designers use 'sight lines' to direct the gaze through a garden. A sight line is simply where most people might look when viewing a garden, the visual path from a starting point such as a patio. If the sight line in your garden takes you directly to the back boundary, then creating a longer, more meandering journey will make the space look far bigger.

It's easy to achieve by strategically placing an element that interrupts the sightline, and partially blocks the view. Your eye stops at this destination point, pauses, then looks past it, so the visual path is far longer. In the garden above, graceful ornamental grass Miscanthus sinensis intentionally interrupts the sight line.

The tall ornamental grass also prevents us from seeing what's immediately behind it, offering the possibility that the space may continue beyond what is immediately apparent, and there's more to the garden than is first perceived.

Tall Ornamental Grasses

9. Move Borders Away From Boundaries

The temptation with a square garden is to push the planting out to the edges of the plot in the hope that an expanse of lawn in the middle will make the space look bigger. But all narrow fence-side borders do is draw attention to the boundaries and emphasize the plot's square shape.

Instead, it's a good idea to shape deep flowerbeds that flow away from a boundary, such as the semi-circular bed in the garden above. This not only brings a more immersive – and professional – feel, but allows you to appreciate the planting from all angles.

Now get more insight on garden shape design to make sure you get the most out of your square garden.

Purple flowers lift a tired garden border from forgettable to fabulous, fast. By layering blooms with different shades of purple, contrasting flower shapes and foliage textures – a simple garden design trick that delivers maximum visual impact with minimal effort – you’ll quickly take your yard from lacklustre to lovely. No wonder, then, that purple flowers are an important part of how landscape designers use color in gardens..

Green and purple combinations alone provide a strong base for a border but one of purple’s greatest strengths is its unrivalled knack to harmonize with other colors. Purple flowers adapt to almost any garden mood from calming and elegant to bold and exuberant. Even better, many purple flowers are magnets for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making your yard feel as lively as it looks. So, whatever your garden palette, you really should be growing some purple blooms.

For a serene, cohesive look, purple combines beautifully with cool tones of blue, silver and soft pink to create borders that feel relaxed and dreamy. For stronger contrast and energy, purple appears vivid and luminous against yellow and lime green. Purple flowers threaded through warm orange, burgundy, or rich red blooms creates a dramatic, jewel-toned border, too.

So, whether you have a sprawling backyard or a compact urban plot, look no further for a curated collection of long-flowering, purple perennial plants that will help you build the most beautiful garden border yet. From tall, dramatic bloomers that add height and structure to easy mid-border plants that tie a look together, these purple picks will keep your beds bursting with color for months and, with a little TLC, well into fall.

1. Velvety-Spired Salvia

• Zones 3-8
• Full sun
• Flowers May-October
• Grows to 2' high and wide

Salvias earn their place in any garden by doing something many plants promise but few deliver: looking spectacular for months while asking for very little in return. Yes, salvia is one of those super-useful flowering plants that look like you spent hours gardening but practically grow themselves.

Our top pick of purple salvia varieties is May Night, and plants are available from Nature Hills. Electric violet-purple flower spikes rise like floral fireworks above tidy mounds of fragrant foliage, bringing bold color and a cool, saturated tone that makes neighboring plants glow. This bloom is especially gorgeous threaded through roses, coneflowers, catmint and ornamental grasses.

Pollinators absolutely adore it and, once established, May Night handles heat and dry spells with impressive resilience, making it perfect for sun-baked borders, cottage gardens, pollinator patches and low-water landscapes.

When growing salvias, well-drained soil and sunshine are a must. May Night starts blooming in late spring but snip off faded flower spikes after the first bloom flush and it will roar back for an encore throughout summer and into fall.

2. Fabulously Frilly Aster

• Zones 5-9
• Full sun
• Flowers July–October
• Grows to 1-2' high and wide

If your garden border needs long-lasting color and a lot less fuss, Honeysong Stokes Aster is an easy win. This compact perennial is beloved for its big, fluffy lavender-purple flowers that look like fringed pincushions that keep on coming through summer. The glowing blooms are powerhouses for butterflies and bees, making a border buzz with activity.

What makes Stokesia leavis ‘Honeysong’ especially handy in a border is its tidy, mounded habit. This aster stays nicely contained, slotting beautifully into the middle of a border without flopping everywhere or swallowing nearby plants. The soft green foliage also creates a calming backdrop that plays well with bolder flowers and ornamental grasses.

Honeysong Stokes Aster plants are available from Nature Hills. Surprisingly tough, this variety needs full sun and well-drained soil, and it’ll reward you with loads of flowers and very little drama. It handles heat and humidity better than many asters, and deadheading spent blooms encourages even more flowering.

3. Beautifully Scented Rose

• Zones 5-11
• Full sun
• Flowers May-October
• Grows to 2-3' high and wide

Roses are already garden royalty, but Ebb Tide is extra special on account of its deep, smoky purple blooms. Shifting between plum, velvet violet, and dusky magenta depending on the light, this rose variety also has an incredibly rich, spicy clove scent that drifts through the border, stopping you in your tracks every time you pass by.

But the biggest reason why Rosa ‘Ebb Tide’ is such a winner in a garden border is that it adds drama without stepping into high-maintenance diva territory. It stays relatively compact and, like most roses, mixes beautifully with perennials. Pop these dark blooming roses next to some contrasting silvery foliage or lighter flowers for a layered, designer look.

Like most roses, Ebb Tide loves full sun and appreciates good air circulation to keep foliage healthy. Water deeply rather than constantly sprinkling, and add mulch to keep roots cool and soil moist. Key rose-care tasks during the growing season, such as deadheading and a little feeding, will keep blooms coming. Ebb Tide roses are stocked by Nature Hills.

4. Oh-So-Purple Clematis

• Zones 3-9
• Full sun
• Flowers June-August
• Grows to 3-5' high and 2-3' wide

Huge star-shaped purple flowers with rich reddish-pink stripes down petal centers make Boulevard Olympia Clematis one of the best purple blooms to enjoy in your garden. Somehow managing to simultaneously pull off both elegant and dramatic, the blooms appear generously from late spring into summer, often with a later second flush.

Clematis ‘Boulevard Olympia’ is especially useful because of its manageable size. Unlike giant clematis varieties that seem determined to conquer the entire garden shed, this is a well-behaved climber that won't scramble out of control. It stays compact enough for smaller borders, patio trellises, obelisks and even large containers tucked into mixed plantings. It adds vertical interest without overwhelming nearby shrubs and perennials, which is incredibly handy when a border needs a bit of height.

Boulevard Olympia Clematis is available from Nature Hills. To keep clematis thriving, plant it where the vines bask in sun while the roots stay cool – use mulch or nearby low-growing plants to shade its base. It prefers rich, well-drained soil and regular watering, especially during hot spells. Choose the right support for this border plant to climb and give it a light prune in early spring, and it’ll happily spend the season covering itself in pastel-perfect, velvety blooms.

5. Super-Cute Hydrangea

• Zones 5-9
• Full sun
• Flowers June-September
• Grows to 1½-2' high and wide

Hydrangea serrata Tiny Tuff Stuff might be smaller than your average hydrangea but it absolutely delivers when it comes to color and charm. Its delicate lacecap flowers appear in soft pinks, purples, or blues (the exact bloom color depends on your soil), creating that dreamy cottage-garden look. And unlike some hydrangeas that bloom once and call it a season, this one reblooms, keeping your border looking fresh and flower-filled for months on end.

Thanks to its compact size, Tiny Tuff Stuff is a versatile cutie that's perfect for edging pathways, softening the front of shrub borders or filling awkward gaps where larger hydrangeas would take over. The smaller foliage and airy blooms also blend beautifully with ferns, hostas and ornamental grasses, giving borders a lovely layered, relaxed vibe.

This mountain hydrangea is tougher than it looks too. With excellent cold hardiness and better bud survival than many traditional hydrangeas, it's more likely to bloom reliably, even after harder winters. Give it morning sun or partial shade, keep the soil evenly moist, and add mulch to help retain moisture. A little compost in spring goes a long way toward keeping this tiny powerhouse happy, too. Tiny Tuff Stuff hydrangeas are available from Burpee.

6. Space-Saving Rose of Sharon

• Zones 5-9
• Full sun
• Flowers July–November
• Grows to 10-15' high and 2-3' wide

If you want a shrub that brings serious flower power without hogging all the space, Rose of Sharon Purple Pillar is a total garden-border superstar. Unlike traditional rose of Sharon shrubs that can be a little unruly, Hibiscus syriacus ‘Purple Pillar’ grows tall but relatively narrow, meaning you can tuck it into tight borders or add height at the back of a mixed border without elbowing out neighboring plants.

Rose of Sharon Purple Pillar is available from Nature Hills and the flowers are total show-offs! Just as many other shrubs begin to fade, ‘Purple Pillar’ bursts into bloom with rich lilac-purple flowers and dramatic red centres – a striking display that’s sure to become a favourite stop-off for pollinators.

This is another refreshingly low-maintenance plant. Give it full sun for the best flowering and plant it in well-drained soil. Once established, Purple Pillar is pretty drought tolerant, though it appreciates regular watering during hot spells. A light prune in late winter helps keep that neat upright shape looking sharp.

7. Shade-Loving Variegated Liriope

• Zones 5-10
• Partial shade
• Flowers August-September
• Grows to 1' high and wide

Variegated monkey grass deserves a lot more attention than it gets. While the flashy flowers and dramatic shrubs grab all the attention, this striped beauty slips quietly into a border with its arching green-and-cream foliage, adding brightness, texture and contrast all season long. In late summer, slender spikes covered in soft lavender-purple blooms dance above the green-and-cream leaves.

Liriope muscari ‘Variegata’ is brilliantly versatile, working beautifully along pathways, at the front of borders, or tucked around shrubs where it illuminates darker corners of the garden. Repeating it through a border creates little waves of color, texture and movement that help connect larger flowering plants.

Thriving in partial shade to full sun, it’s just as easy-going as it is attractive and handles heat, humidity, and dry spells with very little fuss. Plant it in well-drained soil, water regularly while it gets established, and then leave it to get on with life. A quick trim in late winter or early spring freshens up the foliage before new growth appears. Variegated liriope plants are stocked by Fast Growing Trees.

8. Star Performer Agapanthus

• Zones 8-11
• Full sun
• Flowers July-August
• Grows to 1-2' high and 2-3' wide

If you want a plant that instantly makes a garden border feel a little more polished and upscale, ‘Poppin’ Star’ Lily of the Nile absolutely delivers. This Agapanthus produces gorgeous clusters of violet-blue flowers striped with deeper indigo tones, held high above tidy green foliage like exploding fireworks. The blooms have a crisp, architectural look that adds plenty of cheerful structure to borders.

What makes ‘Poppin’ Star’ stand out compared to older Lily of the Nile varieties, though, is its compact habit and impressive flower production. This cultivar stays much more manageable in size, which means you can easily tuck it into mixed borders without sacrificing too much space. It’s especially effective repeated throughout a border because those upright blooms create rhythm and movement, guiding your eye through the garden.

Growing agapanthus couldn't be simpler. This perennial thrives in full sun and well-drained soil and is surprisingly tolerant of heat and dry conditions. Regular watering during the first growing season helps it settle in, but after that, it’s pretty self-sufficient. A little cleanup of spent flower stalks is usually all it takes to keep ‘Poppin’ Star’ looking fresh and ready for its next performance. Poppin Star Lily of the Nile plants are available from Nature Hills.

9. Popping Purple Phlox

• Zones 4-8
• Full sun
• Flowers July-September
• Grows to 2' high and wide

Big on color and low on maintenance, Grape Lollipop Phlox is about to become your new favorite border buddy! This cheerful perennial produces clusters of vibrant grape-purple flowers that glow in the summer sunshine and, unlike some older phlox varieties, keeps a neat, compact shape that doesn’t flop halfway through the season.

Also known as Phlox paniculata ‘Ditomsur’, Grape Lollipop Phlox plants are available from Nature Hills. This easy-to-grow plant is perfect for the middle of the border where it can knit together taller shrubs and shorter edging plants. The bold purple blooms pair seamlessly with pinks, whites, silvers, and ornamental grasses, giving borders that lush, layered cottage-garden feel.

Thankfully, this variety has much better mildew resistance than many traditional garden phlox, so the foliage keeps on looking good. Prioritize full sun, decent airflow and consistently moist but well-drained soil when growing phlox, and you'll be rewarded with months of color.

10. Repeat-flowering Azalea

• Zones 4-8
• Full sun to partial shade
• Flowers July-September
• Grows to 4-5' high and 3-4' wide

Some plants give you one glorious moment and then quietly fade into the background. Autumn Color Encore Azalea is not that kind of plant! This hardworking shrub pulls off the rare gardening trick of blooming not once, but multiple times a year, with waves of vibrant flowers appearing in spring, summer, and again in fall. In a border, that kind of repeat performance is pure gold.

And yes, this beauty is right at the pinker end of the purple spectrum, its vivid violet petals light up any bed. This incredibly color makes deeper purple blooms pop, too, which is why it's one of the most popular flowers used by garden landscapers.

But what really makes this Encore variety shine is how dependable it is. The evergreen foliage keeps the border looking full even in winter, while the compact, rounded shape makes it easy to weave into a mixed border without being unruly. It works beautifully alongside hydrangeas, ornamental grasses, hostas, or dark-leaved shrubs, adding bright punches of color every time it blooms. Which, being a member of the 'Encore' series of azaleas, is often!

Plant this amazing azalea in partial sun or a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade, and make sure the soil is well-drained and slightly acidic. When growing azaleas, a layer of mulch helps keep the roots cool and happy, especially during hot weather. Then occasional watering during dry spells and a light feed for acid-loving plants is all that's needed to keep this azalea looking energetic and flower-packed for months on end. Autumn Color Encore Azalea plants are available from My Perfect Plants.

Homespun water features made with a floating solar fountain and a container are a huge trend this summer – but add some plants and you'll create a garden highlight that’s even more of a showstopper. It’s quick and easy to do and, by getting clever with the containers you use, budget-friendly, too. The water spray naturally cools the air, and the gentle splashing makes for a soothing soundscape in your outside space. And when there's no telling how long this heatwave summer will last for, that's just what your too-hot garden needs right now.

Solar fountains have taken water features out of the realm of expensive, professionally landscaped gardens and put them firmly within reach of us everyday gardeners. DIY microponds are fast replacing trad water features as the must-have garden feature for 2026, and there are so many creative ways you can use a floating solar fountain to make one. There are even solar fountains with colored LEDs so you can DIY a stunning water feature to light summer evenings in your garden.

A water feature with plants, however, tops them all and, as quick and clever container gardening ideas you can DIY on a budget go, you can’t beat it! Here’s exactly what to do so you can make one this weekend.

1. Choose Your Containers

You’re going to need two containers, one larger than the other.

The central water bowl needs to be at least 12 inches wide to contain most of the fountain splashes, though obviously the wider and deeper it is, the less frequently you’ll have to top it up. You don’t need to buy an expensive purpose-made water bowl, as planters intended for succulents don’t usually have a drainage hole and make a stylish alternative at a fraction of the price. It’s easy to seal the drainage hole of other planters with a marine silicone sealant like this from Amazon. Just don’t use terracotta pots as the clay is porous.

The outer planter needs to be at least six inches wider than the water bowl that will stand inside it, to leave enough space for plants to flourish. That means you need a pretty big outer container – but that needn't come at a cost. Resin (also called polyresin) or composite plastic planters commonly mimic the look of stone, metal or wood and are far cheaper than the real thing. This material is lightweight, too, so it’s often used to make big, wide planters.

Have a hunt around your local hardware store in your search for a suitable container as well. Animal drinking troughs and utility tubs are typically robust and relatively inexpensive, and it’s a quick task to drill drainage holes.

Container Pairings At Sensible Prices

Budget Combo

Designer Look For Less

Rustic Charm

2. Pick a Suitable Floating Solar Fountain

The amount of energy the solar panels of a floating fountain are capable of generating is measured in watts, which you’ll typically find in product descriptions as ‘W’. Many 1W fountains are designed for use in birdbaths so only produce a gentle water spray when the sun is shining directly on the solar panels. If you're using a similarly small, shallow container, that's fine. However, for a fountain that’s powerful enough to provide a decent-height fountain and a good flow of water in a larger container, look for a product that’s at least 2W.

If you want a fountain with LEDs, then the lights will use more power, so 3-4W is better. Don’t be tempted by more powerful 5-6W solar fountains when you're installing a water feature yourself, though, as these are more suited to bigger bodies of water. Too powerful, and the spray pattern will fall outside the container and you'll be forever topping up water levels.

A design with stabilising arms that prevent the fountain floating close to the container rim also helps minimize water loss.

If you want the fountain to operate on cloudy days and after dark, or if you want to position your water feature in partial shade, you’ll need a product that has a battery. A fountain with a 2000mAh battery will typically run for 3-4 hours without sun on a full charge.

For increased longevity, look for a fountain with run-dry protection so it automatically shuts down when there’s insufficient water, and a filter to prevent debris from entering the pump.

Our Pick of Floating Solar Fountains

3. Position Your Planter

Position your water feature before you begin planting. Any small body of water will heat up and evaporate more quickly than a larger area, so while you need sunlight to charge the solar panels and fuel plants, a little shade is a good idea. Around 6 hours of sunshine a day is the ideal compromise.

Consider what plants will be around and above your water bowl planter too, because you don’t want to be fishing out fallen leaves. Work out where your water feature will bring you the most enjoyment, too, to listen to as well as look at.

4. Plant Up The Outer Container

Because the plants are likely to get splashed, use a moisture-control potting mix such as Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix, available from Walmart. If you’ve already got some potting mix, simply add some water-storing crystals such as these from Amazon or coconut coir, also available from Amazon, to enhance its ability to regulate moisture levels.

Position the water container as you’re filling the outer planter, making sure its rim is at least an inch higher than that of the outer vessel. It’s a smart move to put at least a thin layer of the potting mix beneath the base of the inner container, to give roots maximum growing room.

Then plant up the outer container, being careful to finish with the water bowl level. Any bedding plants suitable for hanging baskets are perfect for this project as they’re typically heat-tolerant low growers that bloom abundantly and enjoy sunny conditions. See what your local garden center has in stock, or you can plant pansies and violas in July that will last all through fall, and some are hardy enough to keep blooming in winter, too. Burpee currently has an excellent selection of pansy and viola varieties as young, ready-to-flower plants for a fast result.

A few easy-grow plants with trailing stems will add to the display.

Whatever you choose to plant, water them well, until it dribbles from the drainage holes, to settle the soil around the roots.

5. Fill With Water and Enjoy!

Now all that’s left to do is fill up the inner container with water, pop in the floating fountain, and enjoy your dazzling new water feature.

To enhance ripples and reflections, add a drop of pool colorant like this black pond dye from Amazon to the water.

If you have a long, narrow garden, it's likely that your outdoor space feels as if you have far less square footage than you actually do. While the planning stage is important when designing any outdoor space, it's especially important when you're working out how to make the most of a plot that's far longer than it is wide. Because there are plenty of clever ways that landscape designers use to make these corridor backyards feel far larger, that you can achieve yourself.

The challenge with this yard shape is to interrupt the view that runs down the garden to the end of the plot, so everything isn't seen immediately. By not revealing the whole of the garden as one continuous design, you add elements of exploration, surprise and mystery, making a garden more interesting and distracting from the plot's shape.

Reconfiguring the space creatively to offer partial glimpses beyond with carefully conceived sight lines is just the first step. Visual tricks that distort perspective to make the garden feel wider, and draw the eye across the space rather than straight down it, are also key. Using airy plants to create natural screens bring movement as well as staggering views, and dividing a long garden into distinct areas with different purposes brings outdoor living benefits, too.

So, if you're wondering how to design a long narrow garden to make the most of your space, here's all the inspiration you need.

1. Zone the Space to Distract From its Shape

Landscape designers often break up a long narrow garden into separate spaces or 'rooms', each with a different purpose such as a dining space and outdoor kitchen (like this design by Will Williams), relaxation area, zone for quiet contemplation, or utility space for tools and a shed. The size and shape of each 'room' should support and reflect the importance of the purpose it will be used for. Alternatively, the different areas can be compartmentalized according to what you grow in them, such as a vegetable garden, shade garden or wildflower patch.

With this style of design, it's really important that you don't fully enclose each 'room' but give a hint at what's going on further down the garden. The open-slat pergola defining the cooking and dining space in this garden is a perfect example. The idea is to create anticipation and offering a distraction from the narrow dimensions, without giving it all away at once.

2. Use Curves to Create a Meandering Journey

Another way of breaking up a long narrow plot is to introduce curves like this garden created by landscape designer Tom Hoblyn. An offset winding path in a pale sand or gravel tone is a great way to draw attention away from the linear boundaries and create more of a meandering journey through the garden. The curved theme in this design is continued with flowerbeds and raised beds.

An offset path is an easy idea to replicate, and one of the most effective landscape design tricks for a long, narrow garden. Think about adding a curving path to your garden together with raised beds and flower beds that have curved edges too, so they smudge the straight lines and layer up interest with grasses and tall, airy flowering plants.

Curves slow down movement through any space and create a more naturalistic, fluid, explorative feel compared to a straight view of the garden, too. They work particularly well in a long, narrow garden because your eye will naturally follow the curves from side to side, creating the illusion of wider plot.

3. Repeat Circular Shapes to Bounce the Eye Around

Circles are often used in rectangular, square and long plots to soften linear boundaries and introduce flow to the design. You can test this out for yourself by looking at this garden for a few moments: it's likely that your gaze from sphere to sphere. You probably looked across the image from fence to fence, too, rather than focusing on the summerhouse at the end of the garden first.

To create this effect in your garden, simply place multiple circular features so they overlap. Incorporate landscape features such as circular lawns, island flowerbeds, dining circles and round patios into the design, then add plants and accessories with circular or spherical shapes. Here, the table and hanging chair add to the strong circular look that's picked up in the planting by globe alliums and clipped evergreen balls.

Stylish Circles

4. Downplay Boundaries with a Dark Color

When it comes to color ideas for a long narrow garden, consider dark shades for boundary walls and fences, like the one featured in this design by Angus Thompson. Disguising a boundary with dark paint is just one of many clever tricks landscape designers use to make a small garden yard look bigger that you can DIY yourself.

Dark colors absorb light rather than reflecting it, so black or other dark colors visually push back the boundaries of your yard, making the space feel more open. Dark foliage will also contribute to this effect, tricking the eye into thinking a space is bigger than it really is, and this is such an easy way to bring depth and spaciousness to any garden. As well as retreating into the background, a dark boundary will highlight planting, too. For a durable black paint that delivers long-lasting color and protection try Evolve Barn and Fence Black Paint, available here at Amazon.

While black fences blend into the background shadows, making it difficult to see exactly where the garden ends, by contrast light-colored fences clearly define the perimeter of your garden, and draw attention to any limitations. So, by using a lighter tone for the end boundary at the bottom of your garden, too, you'll magically make a long plot appear squarer.

6. Stagger Planting to Create Natural Screens

Using planting as a screening device on alternating sides of the garden obscures the line of sight, causing the boundaries of a long narrow garden to disappear. It's a form of creative screening that has multiple uses, and no one will have a clue where the garden starts and stops.

It's a case of thinking diagonally. The idea is to alternate wide, generous planting beds with lavish planting on each side of the garden, so your attention moves from side to side. Staggered planting beds will also blur hard boundary edges and restrict views down the garden. It's a good way of including natural landscaping ideas, where everything can become a little more relaxed. Tall but airy plantings of ornamental grasses and flowering perennials such as Gaura 'Whirling Butterflies' will let light pass through so the garden doesn't feel blocked in.

Another method of adding planted dividers to the garden is with trellis ideas that cut across the width of the space. Clothed with fast-growing vines that won't scramble out of control like jasmine and honeysuckle, they'll create leafy screens.

7. Place Containers Strategically to Play With Scale

Pushing plants out to the edges and leaving an elongated rectangle of lawn down the center of the garden simply emphasises its long, narrow shape. Instead, try drawing attention away from the boundary with supersized containers, strategically placed away from the garden edges. Potted up with big shrubs or small multi-stemmed ornamental trees such as Japanese maple, these will be become focus garden features.

There are many beautiful drought-tolerant perennials that thrive in containers, too, or ornamental grasses typically do well in large pots. As they mature, the stems will help to obscure the sight line too. Or how about combining the two, with a small tree underplanted with smaller perennials? Containers are a great opportunity to add plants that you might not want to plant in the ground in a smaller garden, such as this clumping bamboo from Nature Hills. It grows up to 10 feet tall, making it perfect for screening, but flourishes in a container.

Do go big though, as a big plant in a big container plays with the sense of scale in a narrow garden, bringing the vibe of a much larger plot.

Another landscape-designer trick with containers in a long, narrow garden is to place a second pot that's smaller but of the same design closer to the house. Your brain will presume the containers are the same size and your garden will instantly feel shorter and wider.

Small Trees That Are Happy in a Large Container

8. Create an Inviting Destination Point

A common design trick with this shape of garden is, rather than positioning the focal-point outdoor living patio or deck directly next to the house or at the end of the plot, locate it two-thirds of the way down. As well as encouraging your gaze to stop travelling down a long garden at this point, positioning a main seating and relaxation area here, with a comfortable outdoor sofa and a fire pit to gather round, allows you and your family and guests to enjoy several different views of your backyard – all of which are shorter than if you were sitting at either end of it.

Frame the space with a pergola, add a DIY water feature or choose a wow-factor accent plant that landscape designers love, and the destination seating area becomes even more of a garden focus.

The stunning planting and curved seating area in this design by Tina Worboys is the perfect example of how to create a destination seating area that doubles as a garden feature.

It's a good idea to add a further, smaller destination point at the end of the garden, and perhaps one just outside the house, too. These should be quiet, cosy spaces to linger and relax. Think of a nook where you can get away from it all and enjoy a moment's solitude, a surprise element in your garden design that is slowly revealed.

9. Use Repetition to Pull the Design Together

Repeating planting, colors, shapes or landscaping materials adds cohesion to any garden, but that's a particularly important factor in a long, narrow garden design, especially if you're compartmentalising it into different zones or 'rooms'. Planting with repetition brings harmony, and is a trick that landscape designers use in practically every garden to pull the design together.

Planting with repetition also punctuates the garden, especially if you combine it with the new color rules used by landscape designers when choosing a planting palette. This encourages you to make connections and pause on your journey through the garden, again creating a meandering path rather than a linear one. As garden design tips go, it's a super-easy technique to capitalise on that will add a professional looking finish, too.

Now find out about the key garden trends for 2026 to give your refreshed garden design the edge.

Plants are no different to people: some put the effort in day in, day out with a smile on their face and zero complaints; others require fulltime management if they’re to function at all. And while there’s no escaping the full spectrum of humankind, you can sure fill your garden with low-maintenance plants that thrive on neglect, producing months of cheery flowers with hardly any help from you.

What makes any garden look truly amazing – and makes you look like an awesome gardener, too – is an abundance of flowers. And that doesn’t need to come at the cost of an equally high level of hard work from you. I only grow plants with a magic ratio of maximum blooms in return for minimal effort, and here I'm sharing some of the very easiest flowers to grow. They're all perennials so they’ll reliably return year after year, so you only need plant them once. And they’re all pretty drought tolerant so, while you’ll need to keep them well watered at first, until they grow their roots deep enough into the ground to find their own source of water, long-term they’ll thrive on neglect.

When I say I grow all these plants in my garden, what I should really be saying is that all these plants grow themselves in my garden. Apart from cutting down the old stems and pointing the hosepipe in their direction if there’s a prolonged spell of really hot, dry weather in summer, I very much leave them to their own devices. Do they sulk? Never. Do they keel over and die when I go on holiday? Nope. Can you plant them all now for easy color that'll last into fall? Hell yeah! Welcome to the world of star-performer plants that are perfect for low maintenance gardens and time-poor gardeners…

1. Salvia ‘Caradonna’

• Zones 4-8
• Full sun
• Grows 2 feet high and wide
• Flowers early summer to early fall

Purple is one of the best colors to have in your garden palette. It’s bright without being gaudy and makes the colors of all the flowers around it – blue, pink, yellow, red or orange – appear more vibrant. And Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ is one of the very best best salvia varieties to bring purple into your borders. As well as violet-blue spires of flowers, its stems are a wonderfully dark purple, and its aromatic foliage grows into a compact mound.

Pollinators adore the nectar-rich flowers, but not as much as landscape designers! And no wonder – this hard-working beauty works in all color palettes and is simple to care for, even by beginner gardeners, yet brings such a modern, stylish vibe to any garden. Deer and rabbits tend to leave it alone, too, so it really is an easy win.

This perennial sage flowers from late spring into summer – and if you trim off the spent flower spikes with a pair of hedge shears, it’ll rebloom all over again. For maximum flowers and the strongest tones, if you like to use color in your garden, just give it a sunny spot with at least 6 hours of sunshine. And the secret to keeping Salvia ‘Caradonna’ performing well for years without much input from you is simply to ensure it has good drainage, easily achieved by mixing soil improver and a handful of grit into the ground when planting.

Salvia 'Caradonna' is available from the Perennial Farm Marketplace Store via Amazon, and is also stocked by Woodies Garden Goods.

2. Geranium ‘Rozanne’

• Zones 5-8
• Full sun or partial shade
• Grows 1-2 feet high and wide
• Flowers May to October

Here’s another purple beauty that brings abundant blooms to your garden for next-to-no effort. Geranium 'Rozanne' grows a profusion of violet-blue blooms veined with purple all through summer and autumn, which pollinators love. The great thing about this hardy cranesbill is that it’ll grow pretty much anywhere, in any soil, as long as it gets a little sun. It puts up with everything the weather can throw at it, too, so this tough cookie is a great way to fill a tricky spot.

But the best thing about Geranium 'Rozanne' is that it doesn’t produce seeds. Being sterile means it puts all its energy into producing flowers from spring to fall, and also doesn’t gift you a gazillion seedlings to pull up in spring.

A perennial, it tends to grow out rather than up, but it’ll happily weave its way through other plants without smothering them. I’ve paired it with ornamental grasses in a front yard bed that gets baked by the sun all morning then is cast into deep shade all afternoon, that I very rarely water (just once so far this summer!). And honestly, it’s effortless. Its informal habit also makes Rozanne one of those easy-breezy plants often used by landscape designers to soften hard landscaping.

Proven Winners Rozanne hardy geraniums are available from Nature Hills.

3. Gaura lindheimeri ‘Whirling Butterflies’

• Zones 5-9
• Full to part sun
• Grows 3-4 feet high and 1-2 feet wide
• Flowers May to October

Here’s a plant that we should all grow more of, because it will flower from spring through fall even if you ignore it entirely! What’s more, pollinators flock to Gaura lindheimeri 'Whirling Butterflies', and its thin stems shift on the slightest breeze, bringing so much movement to any border. I have three plants and while they’re not the main focus of the beds, the white flowers brushed with blush pink add real depth, whirling about just above the main flush of perennial blooms.

The stems naturally form an open, airy shape, so this is a wonderful plant to bring a more romantic, informal vibe to your garden. But be warned, everyone who visits your garden will want to know what it is!

This is another sterile plant, which is why it continually flowers from late spring through fall. Gaura is super-easy to grow, and to take cuttings from, even if you’re a beginner gardener. Because this fabulous variety is relatively uncommon in the US, it sells out quickly. Plants are currently available from RedCrocus via Amazon, and are usually stocked by Woodies Garden Goods. If you’re searching for this plant at your local nursery or online, it’s useful to know that it’s recently been reclassified as Oenothera.

4. Lavender ‘Grosso’

• Zones 5-9
• Full sun
• Grows 2-3 feet high and wide
• Flowers July to September

So many of my neighbors have asked me what I do to grow such big, healthy lavender in my front garden. You see, they think I’m just growing a regular lavender and it’s my green fingers that are making it grow so tall and aromatic. And yes, it’s true that I always give lavender a gravel mulch to get more flowers, but my other secret is that this is Lavender ‘Grosso’.

This hybrid variety is a cross between English lavender and Portuguese lavender, and it produces very large, plump flower spikes on tall stems. Lavandula x intermedia 'Grosso' has a far higher concentration of essential oils – three or four times as much as English lavender – which means it’s incredibly fragrant too, which is why it’s often grown commercially.

The more sun Lavender 'Grosso' gets, the happier it is, and as long as it has well drained soil, it pretty much looks after itself. I occasionally throw the plant a bucket of water at it but more often than not, I forget. Grosso lavender is another sterile plant, so it flowers all summer long, and doesn’t produce any unwanted seedlings. Its nectar-rich flowers are adored by pollinators, too.

Lavender 'Grosso' plants are available from Burpee.

5. Japanese anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’

• Zones 4-8
• Full sun to partial shade
• Grows 3-4 feet high and 1-3 feet wide
• Flowers August to October

Yes, it’s true, a lot of Japanese anemones can be thugs in the garden, but ‘Honorine Jobert’ is perfectly polite and well behaved. It does still spread through underground rhizomes but far less vigorously than most other varieties, and has shallow roots so it’s easy to pull up if it wanders too far. Put it in a spot that doesn’t give it optimum conditions to spread – rich or loose soil – and it’s not any trouble at all.

However, ‘Honorine Jobert’ still has that wonderful wish to live that all Japanese anemones possess, making this perennial very easy to grow. Its elegant petals, a fresh white softened by the faintest touch of pink on their undersides, will refresh a tired, heat-baked garden in late summer, year after year, and continue through fall. I particularly love how the flowers dance on their wiry stems as summer draws to a close and the wind picks up. The buds are perfect little spheres, too, adding to the joy.

While this plant copes fine in full sun, because it prefers consistent moisture, it’s more low-maintenance if you grow it in a partially shady spot. Its fresh green foliage and white fall flowers brighten up the shade a treat, too.

Japanese anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ plants are available from Woodies Garden Goods.

6. Hardy Sedum Autumn Joy

• Zones 3-9
• Full sun or partial light shade
• Grows 1-2 feet tall and wide
• Flowers August to November

I grow this hard worker in a front-yard bed that I haven’t watered for two years now, and it’s thriving. So, other than cutting back the old stems, which takes about a minute, Sedum Autumn Joy takes up none of my time or effort – but it still puts on a bobby dazzler display. Its flat-topped clusters of star-shaped flowers start a pale pink in late summer, morphing into a rich raspberry then to a copper-red tone over a couple of months, bringing a heap of easy fall color. That’s a lot of flower power already, but if you want even more, you can cut a third of the stems back in May, which gives you two tones of blooms at any one time.

The stems and seedheads of sedum Autumn Joy are really robust, too, so you can leave them standing through winter. Deer and rabbits don’t touch the succulent leaves, which are a vibrant fresh green tone. Bees and butterflies love it, and it’ll grow pretty much anywhere as long as it has good drainage – while it will still grow fine in partial shade, full sun brings super-sturdy stems and the strongest color.

Generally sold as ‘Autumn Joy’, this plant goes by a handful of other names, so if you want to check you’re buying what you think you’re buying, it’s good to know that this hybrid stonecrop’s official name is now Hylotelephium x mottramianum ‘Herbstfeude’. Sedum 'Autumn Joy' plants are available from Nature Hills.

7. Aster ‘Raydons Favorite’

• Zones 3-8
• Full sun to light shade
• Grows 2-3 feet high and wide
• Flowers September to October

All aster varieties generally thrive on neglect, and ‘Raydons Favorite’ is particularly so. A lot of asters grow tall and, while they produce lots of flowers, those sprawling stems can get pretty untidy. Turns out that this aromatic aster is a little different, too, as it’s recently been reclassed as Symphotrichum oblongifolium – and thankfully, it’s a whole lot easier to grow than it is to pronounce.

What I love about this plant is that it peaks just as many other flowers in the garden are starting to fade, and powers through fall in a blaze of lavender daisies with cheery yellow centres. Deer and rabbits dislike its aromatic leaves, yet it’s a valuable source of late-season nectar for pollinators. It forms a neat, bushy mound that doesn’t need staking, and as long as it has good drainage so its roots aren’t sitting in soggy soil all through winter, will reliably return year after year.

Aster ‘Raydons Favorite’ plants are available from Woodies Garden Goods.

It's no coincidence that all these plants are commonly used by landscape designers. While their clients may have the money to pay for a swish garden design, they don't always have much gardening knowledge, so designers often reach for low-maintenance, highly tolerant plants that will survive, no matter what. So the added bonus of adding these hard-working flowering plants to your yard is that they'll bring a designer look without the associated cost.

All these low-maintenance plants can be planted now, and will bring color to your late-summer garden and into fall.

Whatever the size of your backyard, it's time to take a fresh look at the garden color palette you're using. Using color strategically is a staple of good garden design, making the very most of any plot. The right color combination can completely change your garden, making it less chaotic and more considered. So if your backyard feels cramped or cluttered, listen up! These new color rules are the solution you need.

The new color rules for landscape design are moving away from bold, contrasting tones and shifting towards calmer, more curated palettes that feel very modern. These color-based planting solutions work equally well in sunny and shady gardens, and are particularly useful for making a small garden feel bigger and drawing disparate parts of a bigger backyard together.

So, if you're looking for new ideas to make your garden design feel fresh and intentional, and are interested in ways to maximise your space, these modern designer tricks with color will set you on the right path. They're a great way to achieve a designer-look garden for less, and easy to implement yourself. Which new color rule will work best in your yard?

1. Prioritise Greens

We're often guilty of skipping straight past foliage tones to get to flower colors. But get the greens right first, and whatever the rest of your chosen color palette is made up of, your garden will feel calming, immersive, and continuous.

"Green is emerging as the defining color story of 2026," says Kevin Lenhart, landscape architect and design director at Yardzen. "Designers are layering tones from soft sage to deep forest across planting, materials, and furnishings to create depth and cohesion. Pops of color from flowering perennials, containers, and soft furnishings add moments of delight that echo the way color appears in nature: surprising, seasonal, never dominant."

Fabulous foliage was one of the biggest trends at this year's world-famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show. And no wonder, as research shows that exposure to the color green can soothe, heal, and rejuvenate our mental and emotional wellbeing. Make green therapy, also known as ecotherapy or nature therapy, central to your design ideas, and add sense-soothing elements to your garden, and you'll tap into the power of the natural environment to promote wellbeing.

2. Create a Monochromatic Base

A monochromatic color palette uses just one color, but many shades of it so it doesn't become monotonous. For example, if were to choose purple as your base tone, you would use multiple shades from palest lavender to deepest plums. And while it's perfectly possible to create an entire monochromatic color garden using just one tone, most modern designs simply use this rule as a starting point to ensure cohesion.

Designs with a monochromatic base shine in both compact and expansive plots. In an enclosed courtyard garden, the cohesion that using a base tone brings ensures a small area appears uncluttered. In a bigger garden, that base tone ties the various parts of a design together.

Taking advantage of different plant heights, shapes and structures as well as various shades lets you create depth and movement in the planting scheme. You can also use the various shades to create some clever optical illusions, such as planting lighter tones at the edges of borders to make beds seem bigger.

Your paving, fencing and garden furniture should fit into your monochromatic base, or at least have a neutral palette of cool cream and charcoal gray to keep the focus firmly on the plants, rather than opting for bright or warm colors that deflect attention.

3. Color-Drench For Impact

With the basics of your color palette established, it's time to build some highlights to create impactful garden moments. Layering up lots of different plants in the same bold, saturated shade by color drenching is a hugely effective way to make a focal point in your planting. It adds a very modern touch to a garden design, too, especially if the chosen tone extends beyond the planting with cushions, throws, and painted details such as accent walls. You don't need to use this rule across your whole garden, but perhaps color drench one central border, then use another rule to echo that tone elsewhere.

How landscape designers use this rule to garden with color in a contemporary space is far from dull. To add depth and interest to this one-color palette, they use a variety of contrasting flower shapes such as spheres and spires, and textures, too. The current color-drenching tone of choice is purple, which offers a wonderful array of textural blooms to choose from.

Essential Color-Drenching Purple Blooms

4. Chroma Layering to Create the Illusion of Space

Although it might sound like a technical concept, chroma layering is in fact the pretty straightforward practice of using colors of differing intensities to give the illusion of more depth. You can use this with varying colors, placing vibrant tones like orange, yellow and hot pink at the front of a border, and less intense shades like pale blue, white, gray and silver towards the back. You can also use chroma layering with a monochromatic palette, placing bolder, brighter shades at the front and calmer tones at the back.

Whichever, the more intense colors feel closer while the less intense shades appear further away, which has the effect of lengthening the view and making the space feel bigger than it is. As well as making a garden feel more spacious, this also creates a very modern look.

Chroma layering relies heavily on foliage as well as flowers. Darker purple foliage such as Smokebush 'Winecraft Black', available from Nature Hills, can be used at the back of a border, while leaves in a brighter zingy green such as those of Coral Bells 'Lime Marmalade', also available from Nature Hills, are placed towards the front.

5. The 70/30 Harmonious Living Rule

The 70/30 harmonious living rule has been big in interior design for a while now, used as a way of curating a more visually appealing space. Now the idea is shifting outside, and the principle works equally well when using color in a garden. The idea is that 70% of your color (plants and other design elements such as painted fences) forms a calming, harmonious backdrop for the remaining 30% of bright, bold color.

Sticking to this ratio means you can still use bright, impactful colors, while ensuring the garden remains calm, cohesive and considered. Using the 70/30 rule is also a great way to make your money go further, placing a few choice accent plants beloved by landscape designers among less expensive foliage plants.

6. Color Echoing For Continuity

Garden designers love to repeat color, form, or texture through a landscape to provide rhythm and unity. Color is an especially powerful tool when used in different parts of a garden as a linking device to create visual cohesion. This is one of the easiest garden design tips to put into practice, but also one of the most effective. It's known as color echoing, and involves choosing foliage, flowers, hardscaping or garden accessories in colors that mirror each other.

Weaving one color (or all the various shades of it, such as all the tones from deep magenta to palest blush pink) throughout your design leads your eye smoothly through a space, making a garden feel larger and more intentional. In this design, the color of a distinctive purple-leaved beech is picked up and echoed throughout the rest of the garden by dark purple granny bonnets, plum poppies, and Jerusalem Sage 'Amazone'.

Using the same tones in plants that soften hard landscaping is a particularly effective trick that landscape designers use. Another clever pro move is to use foliage for color echoing, as it's a more constant source. Unlike most flowers, foliage holds color all season long, sometimes even year-round. Plus of course, there's such diversity of foliage tone to draw on to play around with color echoing.

7. Color-Matching Tone and Aspect

There's a fine line between cohesion and monotony, so it's important to vary the moments of intensity in any garden design, to create a rhythm. Color matching tone and aspect is one way to achieve this. It involves positioning plants with bright, vibrant, warm colors like orange and yellow in sunny areas, and placing those with cool pastel tones such as white and pale blue in shady areas. You can also use it in conjunction with the monochromatic base rule, using brighter, bolder tones of a color in sunny areas and paler, lighter shades of the same color in shady areas.

This has the effect of creating an airy, open ambience, as the contrasting warm-colored sunny areas will feel further away from the cool-colored shady areas.

Use hardscaping to add to this rule, too. Sun-loving drought-tolerant plants like red hot pokers and gaillardia daisies in a hot, dry area pair well with gravel. In a shady area, a dark mulch will make ferns, hosta and astilbe appear lusher.

8. Color Wheel Asymmetrics For Balance

Modern garden design still pairs tones on opposite sides of the color wheel, but does so in a far more intentional, asymmetric fashion. Using opposite colors such as purple and yellow, blue and orange, or violet and lime green to make both shades appear more vibrant is one of the oldest garden design rules in the book. However, employing an equal level of the contrasting colors means they will all compete for your attention, which can feel overwhelming. For still-bright results with a soothing rather than stressful vibe, the new rule dictates we use an uneven split of 80% of one color and 20% of the other.

The idea behind this ratio is that it lets you create visual tension, depth, and highly intentional focal points, without overwhelming the senses.

Red Flowers to Pop Against Green

Whatever palette you choose, mix and match these new color rules to create a cohesive garden design that looks like it was created by a professional landscaper. Remember that there are many different ways to add more color to any garden, such as clothing a bare wall with a stunning clematis, or painting your patio pots in a shade to match your planting palette. Or how about sowing some pretty groundcover to keep weeds out of your borders, or adding a color-pop patio table?

We’re seeing a huge trend in container ponds this heatwave summer, and no wonder! Floating solar fountains have made it so cheap and easy to create a stylish water feature that brings cooling sound and movement to our too-hot gardens. And now, next-gen solar fountains lit with LEDs are allowing us to take DIY microponds to the next level, with illuminated cascades of water that will pretty-up any patio, looking beautiful at night as well as bringing a cooling soundscape by day.

Making your own micropond with a watertight container and floating fountain is so quick to do, yet the soundscape and soothing water movement can transform a garden, creating a focus to make small gardens feel bigger or adding a pleasing detail to a larger backyard. As container garden ideas go, it’s a winner for sure! Water features you can install yourself without calling in a plumber or electrician are so cost-effective, too. And there are lots of clever ways to get creative with a cheap floating solar fountain, so you can fashion a unique feature bespoke to your garden style.

You can even make a budget water feature planter with a $25 fountain, adding beautiful blooms to the water show!

Not all LED solar fountains are created equal, though, so it’s good to understand a few basics before you start to DIY your cooling cascade of water. Luckily, everything you need to know to get a great result is right here, so you can get cracking and DIY an illuminated water feature this weekend. I've included plenty of product links so you know exactly what I'm talking about, but do support your local retailers too. Here’s exactly what to do, if you want to make a stunning water feature this weekend…

1. Choose a Watertight Container

Any container will work for a DIY water feature, as long as it’s wide enough to contain most of the fountain splashes, though obviously the bigger it is, the less frequently you’ll have to top it up. Containers purpose-made for a garden micropond are often expensive, but there are plenty of more budget-friendly options to try.

Pots intended for succulents don’t usually have a drainage hole, and a wide bowl planter such as this from Amazon makes a stylish alternative at a fraction of the price. It's also worth looking at planters intended for both indoor and outdoor use such as this well-priced half-barrel from Lowes, as they often don't have drainage holes either.

If you’ve already got an old plastic, resin or metal planter then it’s a quick and easy job to seal the drainage hole with a marine silicone sealant like this from Amazon. The same goes for repairing patches of damage on a vintage vessel to make it watertight. Being able to seal drainage holes and seams also opens up the world of resin containers such as this amazing urn that's on sale at Target. Have a hunt around your local hardware store, too: this steel tub from Ace Hardware would make an awesome micropond, as would this utility bucket from Home Depot.

2. Work Out How Powerful Your Solar Water Fountain Needs to Be

A floating fountain is powered by its solar panels and there’s a huge range in terms of quality and capability. The amount of energy the solar panels are capable of generating is measured in watts, which you’ll find in product descriptions as ‘W’ and it’s important to match this, which governs the force and shape of the spray, to the size of the container you're using.

While you want to enjoy a decent water flow and fountain height, it’s also vital to also think about minimizing water loss so you’re not forever having to top up your micropond. Water loss happens when the spray pattern is wider than the container, but also because of wind, so is affected by the height of the fountain, too.

A 1W or 1.5W solar fountain is typically designed to operate in a birdbath so will produce a pretty gentle bubble. If that's what you want, great. But because there are LEDs as well as a water pump to power, an illuminated fountain rated around 3.5W or 4W is best for most patio-sized containers. You’ll also find fountains at 5.5W and 6.5W which suit a larger diameter vessel if you're making a sizeable water feature.

Look at what material the solar panels are made of too. Glass panels are far more efficient than plastic, so will still generate plenty of energy on a partially cloudy day.

Best Solar Fountains For a Great Light Show

Most solar fountains come with a handful of interchangeable nozzles that create different spray patterns in varying heights and widths, too. By combining a powerful energy rating with a nozzle that gives a narrow spray, you can enjoy maximum water flow without too much water loss.

In a small or shallow container, it's also worth looking for a design with stabilising arms. These prevent the fountain floating close to the container rim, and so help to reduce water loss. While you're reading the small print, check the fountain has run-dry protection so it automatically shuts down if there’s insufficient water, and a filter to prevent debris from entering the pump.

3. Check the Fountain Has a Battery Before You Buy

Some solar fountains have a battery to store the energy generated by the solar panels so it can still operate when the sun isn’t shining, whether that’s because it’s nighttime or simply a cloudy day. Some fountains don’t, which means they’ll only operate when sunlight hits their solar panels. You would think that all illuminated solar fountains are fitted with a battery as they’re intended for use after dark, but that’s not the case.

So, do check the solar fountain has a battery, and that the battery's capacity is relevant to its wattage and number of lights, as this will dictate how long it will run for after dark. Depending on how many LEDs it has to power, a typical 3.5W fountain with a 2000mAh battery will likely run for around 3 hours after sundown, after a full charge on a sunny day. If you want a fountain with a lot of lights, or one that runs for a long time, look for a higher-capacity 3000mAh or 4000mAh battery.

Best Solar Fountains for Battery Capacity

4. Position Your Water Feature Well

Depending on the size of your water feature, it’s a smart move to position the container before filling with water. You’ll need a fairly sunny spot to ensure the solar panels get fully charged, but most quality fountains with a battery fitted only need 4-6 hours of sun for a full charge.

Choosing a position which gets a little shade for part of the day will reduce evaporation and the frequency your water feature needs topping up. It’s also a good idea to position your feature away from overhanging trees or plants that may drop leaves into the water.

Consider other light sources, too, as the darker the area is, the more the illuminated water cascade will stand out.

5. Add Some Decor, if You Fancy

How you choose to pretty-up your water feature is entirely up to you – and honestly, a container with a floating fountain is simply lovely as it is. But you could add a compact water plant such as lesser spearwort (Ranunculus flammua) or water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides), both available from specialist supplier Pond Plants of America. How about adding a few rounded pebbles such as these from Amazon to the container itself, or around its base? And you’ll find all sorts of cute pond ornaments such as these floating faux water lilies from Amazon or this fishing tortoise figurine, also from Amazon, to add charm to your water feature.

A small wildlife ramp to ensure critters can climb out of your micropond, should they fall in, such as this from Amazon, is a must.

6. Fill With Water and Enjoy!

Now fill the container with water, pop the floating fountain in, and wait a few seconds for the sun to power it up. If you’re growing aquatic plants or want wildlife to use your micropond, it’s best to use harvested rainwater, otherwise tap water is fine. To enhance the reflections of the lights in the water, you can add a drop of black pond colorant like this from Amazon.

Then the only job left to do, once the sun starts to set, is to pour yourself a cooling drink, pull up your favorite patio chair, and enjoy your beautiful new garden water feature.

Crikey it's hot in the garden – which is why you should make a mini water feature for your patio or deck this weekend. Moving water brings soothing sound and movement to any backyard design, adding a tranquil element to your outside space. And a floating solar fountain powered by the sun doesn't require plumbing or electricity, cutting the hassle as well as the cost of this quick garden project. Installing a DIY water feature yourself couldn't be easier, and there's no better time to add one to your backyard.

A floating solar-powered fountain, like this top-rated Outdoor DIY Solar Bird Bath Fountain with Multiple Nozzles from Amazon, makes it feasible to have a small body of water in your garden as mosquitoes – who prefer still water – are discouraged. This means you can squeeze a stylish micropond into a tiny garden as well as add a beautiful detail to a bigger backyard. Making a container micropond is a huge garden trend for 2026, and no wonder: the rising quality and dropping prices of solar fountains means you don't have to spend much to get a sleek finish, especially when they're on sale!

You could simply drop a floating fountain into a tub of water – honestly, that would be fabulous by itself. But you could also enlist your imagination and use a solar fountain to make a striking water feature that suits your garden style perfectly. Got a cottage garden? Then set up a splashpark for birds or a drinking bar for pollinators, or upcycle a vintage container. More of a modern mood in your yard? Then a water feature in a sleek bowl planter is a must, or how about a rain chain micropond or a chic stone fountain? Whichever you choose, creating such an eye-catching focal point will have the effect of making your garden feel bigger, as well as adding a soothing soundscape.

Take your pick from these 10 inspirational ideas, and enjoy the calming joys of a garden water feature without spending a fortune. As far as container gardening ideas that you can DIY on a budget go, this is a no-brainer!

1. Upcycled Container Pond

Any container can be repurposed into a micropond as long as it’s watertight, and reusing a vintage vessel will add heaps of character to your garden. Drainage holes in old plant pots and small areas of damage are easily fixed with a silicone sealant. Just ensure you use an exterior marine sealant that’s suitable for submersion such as this silicone sealant from Amazon.

Have a look in your shed to discover a forgotten tub that could become your new micropond, or head to the global Salvo directory to find your nearest salvage yard.

2. Birdbath Splash Park

Add a solar fountain to a birdbath and your garden birds will get up to all sorts of bathtime fun for your patio amusement.

The combination of a solar fountain and splashing birds means water will inevitably be lost, so choose a low-powered fountain (under 2W) and a birdbath with as wide and deep a bowl as possible. A pedestal birdbath with a sturdy base will stand firmly on patio paving, and this polyresin design from Amazon with a 20” bowl will accommodate a fair flock of your feathered friends. On a lawn, a design with a pronged base such as this bird bath with a deep 17.4-inch bowl from Amazon is better.

3. Rain Chain Micropond

Floating solar fountains without a battery only work when the sun is shining on the panels. Add a rain chain to your container pond, however, and you'll nearly always be able to enjoy the soothing sight and sound of moving water. Rain chains are fixed in place of a downpipe to guide rainwater to ground level, so in rainy weather, water will cascade down into the container. Then when the sun reappears, the solar fountain will take over, bringing a bubbling stream of water to the container instead.

For a stylish result, match the tone of your rain chain to your watertight container. This copper rain chain with metal hummingbirds from Amazon would work so well with this galvanised copper ice-bucket tub, also from Amazon. Or how about pairing this pretty rain chain with metal leaves from Amazon with this stone-look composite no-hole planter, also from Amazon?

Shop Floating Solar Fountains

4. Bubbling Border Pool

Installing a water feature in a border not only brings sound and movement, but the change in texture provides a backdrop to highlight planting. The visual depth it creates will also make the bed appear bigger, and the rippling water will reflect any overhanging plants, especially if you add a few drops of black pond dye such as this from Amazon.

Planters are typically far cheaper than water bowls and, if you look for containers intended for succulents, you’ll find plenty that don’t have drainage holes. Products made of composite materials – often a blend of recycled plastic and stone powder – will give you the look of expensive materials at a budget price. This 16-inch round planter from Amazon comes in four fabulous faux finishes including terracotta and concrete, and has a curved rim that would work so well in a water feature. For a modern square container, this 16-inch planter is available from Amazon in the same materials.

5. Modern Bowl Micropond

A bowl fountain couldn’t be easier to make, or more lovely to look at. Shallow bowl planters are a huge trend this year so there are plenty to choose from, and if you choose one that’s intended for succulents, it typically won't have a drainage hole. This 12-inch recycled bowl planter from Amazon in four faux-natural finishes would fit the bill nicely, or there’s a slightly deeper 15.8-inch model.

Pop in a rock for a Zen vibe, fill with water, add your solar fountain and you’re done!

6. Bee Bar

If you're already growing nectar-rich flowers for pollinators, then providing a safe drinking place for them to rehydrate is one of the best ways to support wildlife in your garden, and it’s so easy to do. Put rocks and pebbles in a shallow container and keep filled with water to a level that leaves the stones semi-submerged. This gives bees and butterflies a safe place to land and drink from without drowning. Why not make a puddling pool for butterflies alongside, too?

Ensure you choose a low-powered solar fountain suitable for use in shallow water. It's best to keep your pollinator drinking station topped up with harvested rainwater rather than tap water, which is easily collected with a water butt.

More of the Best Solar Fountains

7. Dog Drinking Fountain

Do you share your outside space with your dog? Then make your pooch a backyard drinking fountain. Most dogs prefer drinking from moving water as it signals it’s safe and clean, so this is such an easy way to encourage your dog to drink more during the hot summer months.

You'll need a deep plant-pot saucer such as this from Amazon, as well as a floating solar fountain. If your dog is elderly and you plan to position the drinking fountain on a low stool or plant stand, adding a couple of stones for stability is a smart move.

8. Chic Stone Fountain

Submerge most rocks and they'll reveal a rich range of colors, so a container filled with stones makes a stylish patio feature. Using multicolored rounded stones such as these river pebbles from Amazon bring a dynamic yet natural look.

Any strong watertight container will work, but a dark-colored vessel will leave the limelight to the stone tones. It's worth visiting your local hardware store in your search for a well-priced container: this black three-gallon livestock feeder pan from Ace Hardware would give you a sizeable water feature for minimal outlay, as would this half-barrel planter, also from Ace Hardware. If you need to seal any drainage holes, use a marine-grade exterior silicone sealant such as this from Amazon.

9. Rainwater Dipping Tank

Another way to get creating with alternative containers is to make a dipping tank from a livestock watering trough such as this galvanised steel tank from Lowes. Garden dipping tanks are a big trend in Europe, and deep troughs positioned beneath downpipes to harvest rainwater. Because the troughs are big enough to dunk a watering can in, this is a fast, easy way to irrigate with harvested rainwater.

Add a floating solar fountain and the rainwater dipping tank becomes a pretty garden feature as well as a practical solution.

More Great Solar Fountains

10. Sunken Pond

Creating a micropond can be as simple as digging a hole in your backyard and sinking a sturdy tub so its rim sits at ground level. Disguise the edges with plants or create an appealing border with reclaimed clay bricks; this pond edge has been hidden with flat stones planted with low-growing evergreen perennial, heath pearlwort (Sagina subulata).

As well as adding the floating solar fountain, do fashion a ramp over the pond rim to provide a way for wildlife to exit safely from your pond. It's easily done with a log, a stack of stones, or a small pond ramp such as this from Amazon.

Adding a water feature to your garden is such a great idea in this heatwave summer, and if you need any further inspiration, how about creating a budget water feature planter that brings colorful blooms as well as cooling sound? Or using an LED solar fountain to make a water feature that lights up summer evenings? Whatever you choose to make, it's quick, easy and you'll be so glad you did.

Good garden lighting is a vital addition to any backyard, turning it into a welcoming evening haven as well as adding safety and security. Solar lighting is a cheap, sustainable and easy option over wired-in or battery-operated lighting when creating a nightscape garden but boy, do you need to know a few facts before you shop, if you want to skip past a heap of sub-standard, short-lived and over-priced products. And that's what this guide is here to do.

As a gardening editor for well over a decade, I’ve tried and tested more garden solar lights than I care to remember. Some have lasted for years and are still brightening up my backyard; others barely lasted half a summer. I soon realised that what products died and what survived had nothing to do with the pricetag, but that their performance was entirely predictable – once I figured out what all the ratings in the packaging fine print meant.

These solar lighting ratings can tell you precisely how much light the product will throw out, so you can choose the exact right spot on the spectrum from inviting glow to can-see illumination. They also tell you how weatherproof – or otherwise – the product is, which is a pretty good indicator of where you can use it, and how long you can expect it to survive. Understand the very basics of materials used to make solar panels and batteries, too, and you'll know how efficient and long-lasting the light will be.

Armed with these basic facts, you'll be able to buy solar lighting far more wisely – and that's a gamechanger because, while there are loads of great products on the market, there's also a lot of tat that's not worth your money. Ready for the low-down before you get started on putting your outdoor lighting ideas into reality? Here’s exactly what you need to know to get yourself a great deal on solar lights for your garden.

The 5 Solar Lighting Facts You Need To Know

Sure, we all buy solar lights because they’re pretty. But if you want them to be practical, too, here are the facts that should guide your buying decision, too.

1. Weatherproof Rating

How long garden lights will last outside, subjected to everything the weather can throw at them, depends on the Ingress Rating (IP). This measurement shows how well protected an electrical or mechanical product is in its environment. An IP has two figures: the first relates to solid matter, such as dust, on a scale of 0–6; the second relates to liquids, scaling 0–8.

Many solar lights are rated IP44, and the first number indicates that solid particles smaller than 1mm can’t penetrate, and the second number shows it’ll cope with splashes of water. So, an IP44 lantern such as this Boho Wicker Lantern from Amazon will be fine in the garden in dry weather, but leave it outside permanently and it’ll quickly fail once fall arrives. An IP54 rating, like this Handwoven Wicker Lantern from Amazon has, sounds like a much higher rating, but while it's a little more dust-proof, it's only as water-resistant as the last lantern.

If you want a product that's rain- and dust-proof, that you can leave outside more permanently, you need to look for a minimum rating of IP65, like this similar Solar Rope Lantern from Amazon has. There's not a huge difference in style or price between these three products, but I know which one I'd buy.

For long-term use, a second digit of 6 means it’ll withstand the heaviest rain, 7 indicates it’ll cope with temporary submersion, while 8 shows it’s fine to be permanently submerged. Even if you’re not planning to submerge a lamp, a maximum IP rating of 68 is a real asset for a permanent light in an exposed position. So, these IP68-rated Nymphy Pathlights from Amazon and these IP68-rated Solar Deck Lights from Amazon would both a good buy. No rating? You can safely presume it's IP44.

If you simply want a product to style up your garden for the summer, and turn your patio or deck into an outdoor living room, however, don't waste your dollars on durability you don't need.

Best Prime Day Deal Lanterns Rated IP65

2. Light Output

The other figure you’ll spot when you’re shopping for solar lights is the number of lumens (LM), and this is a measure of how much light the product puts out. If you want to add some garden ambience with a soft glow, then look for a light with a rating less than 100 lumens. However, if you want enough light to enable you to actually see your way around the garden after dark, you need a product with at least 200 lumens.

Say you want to buy some path lights. If you wanted to simply pretty up the path after dark, these Dimmable Solar Pathway Lights from Amazon with a rating of 10-40 lumens would be a great buy. But if want to illuminate that path so you don't break a leg carrying the shopping in after work? These Bobcat Solar Pathway Lights from Amazon with 300 lumens would be a better buy.

Some solar lights carry a super-high lumen rating, like these Motion Sensor Floodlights from Amazon boasting 3,000 lumens. If you're looking for security lighting, these would do a brilliant job – but if you're simply wanting to light your patio post-dusk? You'll be wearing sunglasses as you sip your sundowner.

Bear in mind, too, that this lumen rating is dependent on how much energy those solar panels are able to generate. So, if you're looking for a high lumen output, solar panels that you can adjust to point towards the sun's position at midday will be better able to deliver the top end of that rating.

Best Prime Day Deals With Lots of Lumens

3. Bulb Warmth

As well as the lumen rating showing how much light a product is capable of delivering, the bulb color also matters. Light is delivered along a spectrum from warm to cool and while warmer yellow-toned white light delivers a welcoming, cozy ambience, cooler, blue-toned white light illuminates better. So, choose a bulb color to match the light's intended purpose.

If you were shopping for a lantern to bring a warm glow to your patio coffee table, you'd want to look for a warm white light like that given by these Nfever Lanterns from Amazon. If you wanted a lantern to hang outside the back door so illuminate the step, however, you'd be better off looking at products with blue-toned white light like this UBright Lantern, also from Amazon. Using cool-toned lighting around your boundary and warm-toned lighting on your patio to create a focal point is a great way to make a small garden feel bigger as well.

If you enjoy sharing your garden with wildlife, then it’s good to know that a warm-toned light distracts critters far less than cold-toned light. There's plenty you can do to limit the effect of lighting on wildlife, too.

Best Prime Day Deals With Warm Tones

4. Solar Panel Material

Don't worry, we're not going to delve deep into the complexities of solar panel mechanics – but there are a couple of facts that are well worth knowing, if you want bright solar lights that will still work well in cloudy conditions or on short winter days, or to position one in partial shade.

Solar lights work by using a solar panel to harness the power of sunlight and convert it into electricity. These panels are typically constructed from silicon-based photovoltaic cells – but not all are created equal. You’re likely to find polycrystalline panels on cheaper products, and these absorb less sunlight than more expensive monocrystalline panels. If you live in a sunny climate, or if the product isn’t emitting a high level of lumens, then a polycrystalline panel is perfectly adequate. But if you want lights with a high lumen output to work well when there's less sunlight available, it’s worth paying the extra for a product with a more efficient panel made from monocrystalline.

If you're planning to position the solar light where it only gets sun for part of the day, investing in mono panels is a good idea, too.

The best garden solar lights with monocrystalline panels will state this fact as it's a strong selling point. However, if there’s no indication, you can take an educated guess by the color: poly panels often have a blue hue, while mono panels tend to be black. Poly panels may also carry the abbreviation PET.

Best Prime Day Deals With Monocrystalline Solar Panels

5. Battery Capacity

If you're concerned about your lights still working on cloudy, short days, it's worth knowing the basics of solar light batteries, too. Almost all solar lights now have batteries to store the electricity generated from sunlight and power the lamp after-dark. However, the battery type and its capacity has a big impact on the light’s long-term performance.

Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries: this is the battery type used in most solar lights. They give a good balance of capacity, cost and lifespan, and are – as far as batteries go – environmentally friendly to produce.

Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) batteries: older, cheaper solar lights are often fitted with these batteries that are less efficient and less eco-friendly.

Lithium-based batteries: offering greater capacity and a longer lifespan, this premium option often comes with a price tag to match. There are two types. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4 or LFP) batteries are now beginning to supersede Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) technology; the former are more expensive, but they last longer and tolerate extreme hot or cold temperatures better.

If you need a solar light that's going to be fixed in place and used for prolonged periods over several years, if you live in a zone with extremes of temperature, or if the light level requires a significant amount of energy (such as a floodlight), then a product with a lithium battery is worth the splurge. If you need a solar light that caters for all those criteria, don't bother looking at any products without a lithium battery. Otherwise, a NiMH battery will do its job just fine.

Check the battery capacity when you're comparing top-end products, too. It's measured in milliampere-hours (mAh) and ranges from 300mAh to 1000mAh-plus and the higher the number, the greater the capacity.

Best Prime Day Deals With Lithium Batteries

If it’s already feeling too hot in your backyard with summer barely started, a garden water feature will bring the cooling sound of a babbling stream to your yard. Our brains are deeply encoded with the love of moving water because, once upon a time, we humans depended on it for survival. So hearing that trickling noise instantly makes us feel safe, and we relax. Research proves that the sound of moving water makes us feel calm, lowering heart rate and reducing blood pressure – which makes us feel cooler.

So if you're looking for ideas to turn your patio or deck into a comfy outdoor living area without spending a fortune this summer, a water feature is a great place to start.

There are now many different types of water feature you can easily install yourself, without the expense of calling in a landscaper or plumber. Some barely take five minutes to set up, while other let you get creative and put your DIY skills to good use.

I’ve broken down the various water feature options that you can easily install yourself, both powered by electricity and solar power, so you can decide which will work best for you. There are four types to choose from, catering for all budgets and backyards, as prices have plummeted as these soothing garden features have become more popular. So, by next weekend, you can test out that research for yourself, relaxing beside your new water feature.

Which Water Feature is Best For Your Garden?

The exact right type of water feature for your garden will depend on your budget, and how handy you are. But don’t fret: Even if your budget is $20 and you’re a rookie when it comes to DIY, you can enjoy the sound of babbling water in your backyard.

1. Solar-Powered Microponds

Petite DIY water features made with a container and a solar-powered floating fountain are a huge trend this summer, and no wonder. Making a solar-powered micropond is cheap and easy to achieve, yet can be an absolutely magical garden addition. You simply need a watertight container, and using a marine sealant such as this from Amazon means you can plug the drainage hole in an old planter or fix a damaged vintage vessel, opening up a world of creative possibilities. Fill with water, add a floating solar fountain, and you’re done!

You can dream up all sorts of clever ways to incorporate a solar-powered micropond into your garden, from a sizeable mid-border water feature to a fresh drinking fountain for your dog. Or how about fashioning a splash-park for your garden birds?

2. Plug And Go Water Features

Your second option for a near-instant water feature is to buy a plug-and-go design. You'll need an outdoor plug socket as they're powered by electricity, but then all you need do is fill it with water and switch it on. A plug-and-go water feature can be placed in sun or shade, and be switched on and off as you wish.

If you don’t already have an outside electricity socket, this is a relatively cheap job for an electrician, especially if it's positioned on the other side of a wall to an indoors socket.

Do check the length of the cable before you buy, and ensure it allows you to position the water feature where you want it.

3. Standalone Solar Water Pumps

If you like a little DIY project and fancy creating a one-off water feature, unique to you, then a standalone solar water pump allows you to magic up all sorts of ideas. All you need is some sort of watertight container and your imagination! Standalone solar water pumps typically come with a separate solar panel which needs to be positioned to absorb maximum sunshine, a pump, tubing and a fountain head with various nozzles.

It’s important to choose the right level of power to suit the size of your water feature, and solar pumps range from around 12W to well over a whopping 55W. Most of these pumps don’t have a battery back-up, so water only flows when sunlight is hitting the solar panel.

The large solar panel creates more energy for a higher water flow, so you can use these pumps as fountains or water bubblers in larger containers such as these corten steel troughs.

The separate parts and length of tubing also allows you to create more complex water features. Put simply, this type of pump allows you to move water from one place to another. Armed with a drill and the right bit (a diamond tile-cutting bit such as this from Amazon is best for drilling ceramic) and marine sealant like this from Amazon, you can create all sorts of water features where one vessel empties into another.

How about using reclaimed materials with a pipe emptying into a metal trough, like this?

Perhaps you could utilise a slope and a pond liner and pebbles to make a natural stream-like feature, pumping water from a small pond made from a sunken tub back to the top.

The other benefit to having the fountain head separate to the solar panel is that you can position a water feature in a shady area, with shade-loving plants.

You can also sink a base container so it's flush with the ground, for a sleek look.

If you choose a solar fountain without a battery that only works when the sun's out, a neat tip is to add a drop of black pond colorant such as this from Amazon. The harmless dye makes the water surface far more reflective, creating appealing images of reflected cloudscapes or overhanging foliage. The darker color will make the ripples more obvious when the pump is running, too.

4. Plug-In Water Pumps

If you want to make your own water feature but don’t want to rely on the sun being out for it to work, an electric pump is a better choice. There are all sorts to choose from, starting with basic water pumps which simply suck water in and power it up through a spray nozzle to create a fountain, such as this from Amazon. There there are more complex pumps such as this, also from Amazon, with tubing that enables you to move water from one vessel into another.

Whatever you choose, make sure the pump is for outdoor use, as many designs are for indoor aquariums. Do check the length of the cable, too, as this will dictate how far away from an outside plug socket you can position the feature.

You'll also find lots of plug-in kits that provide the pump and fountain parts to be used with a container of your choice. This is a great half-way house, letting you add a customized water feature to your yard with hardly any DIY.

Moving water is a glorious addition to a garden in summer. It refracts sunlight for pretty ever-moving patterns and its bubbling sound instantly makes you feel calmer and cooler. Once upon a time, if you wanted a water feature in your garden, you had to call in a plumber – and we all know how expensive that is. Then plug-and-go water features were invented, and employing an electrician was a little cheaper. But now? You can install a water feature all by yourself, for minimal expense.

Microponds are a huge garden trend this year, and no wonder. They’re quick and easy to create, and add so much charm to your outdoor aesthetics. Because they're powered by a solar fountain, these water features can sit pretty much anywhere in your garden that gets some sunshine. What’s more, you can reposition your micropond to switch up your garden, and even take it with you if you move house – because the core element of this water feature is that it’s created in a container. As far as quick and clever ideas for container gardening go, it's a winner!

Whether you want your DIY water feature to support wildlife, allow you to grow aquatic plants, or simply to decorate your deck or a border of blooms, this is such a versatile project. A quick search on socials and you’ll see gardeners are dreaming up all sorts of innovative ideas to add a solar micropond to a garden, so let your imagination run riot. But first, here's all the information you need to create the must-have water feature of the summer.

1. Choose a Container

You can make your water feature as big or small as you wish, though obviously the more mini your micropond, the more often you’ll need to top it up with water. If it's purely decorative, the container simply needs to be wide and deep enough for the solar fountain to work. To function as a living pond and sustain plant- or animal life longterm, however, it’s best to go bigger with a container that's at least 24 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep.

As long as the container is watertight, you can use anything you like, and many folk choose to upcycle a container they’ve already got. You can patch up holes in a vintage vessel or fill drainage holes in a planter with marine-grade silicone sealant such as this from Amazon. If you’re using an old Belfast or Butler (farmhouse) sink, use the sealant to fix a universal bathtub plug such as this from Amazon in place.

If you need to buy a container, then planters are often a far more cost-effective buy than purpose-made water feature bowls, and those intended for succulents typically don't have a drainage hole. Have a look at resin or plastic planters which mimic natural materials such as stone or slate, and are typically far cheaper than the real thing. Hunt around in your local hardware store for good-value animal waterers or sturdy utility tubs that would serve as containers, too.

Unglazed terracotta pots are porous, so they're not suitable.

2. Position Your Micropond

Any small body of water will heat up and evaporate more quickly than a larger area, so it’s important to choose the right levels of sun and shade. Most aquatic water plants need some sunshine to thrive, more pollinators will visit a sunny spot, and your solar fountain obviously needs sunlight to function. However, too much sun creates ideal conditions for algae.

The ideal spot will get 4-6 hours of sunshine in the morning or evening (or a mix of both) but be shaded through the hottest part of the day.

Consider what plants will be around and above your micropond too: you don’t want to be forever fishing out fallen leaves. Work out where your water feature will bring you the most enjoyment, too: would you like to see it mid-border, surrounded by blooms, or enjoy the bubbling soundscape next to your favorite patio armchair?

3. Make it Safe for Wildlife

Whether or not you want wildlife to use your micropond, some will inevitably visit, so it's important to ensure critters can safely climb in and out. Add a stack of clean rocks, bricks or a log at an internal edge of your micropond, or a small wildlife ramp such as this from Amazon.

4. Fill With Water

If you’re growing aquatic plants or you want wildlife to use your micropond, it’s best to fill it with rainwater collected in a rain barrel or water butt.

5. Add Some Plants, if You Want

You don't need to add plants to your micropond, but if you do, choose wisely as pond plants tend to grow quickly, and it's best to leave at least part of the water's surface area clear. So, just as you choose plants that are the right size for your patio pots, you need to pick your micropond flowers and foliage to suit your container.

It’s best to buy water plants from a specialist supplier such as Pond Plants of America. Lesser spearwort (Ranunculus flammua) and water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides) – available in pink as well as blue, are all great compact choices for a micropond, and are stocked by Pond Plants of America.

Another option is to DIY a budget water feature planter with your micropond sitting in a wider container planted with flowers, bringing color as well as cooling sound.

6. Create Water Movement

A floating solar-powered water fountain will add soothing sound as well as appealing movement. It has practical benefits, too, oxygenating the water which prevents it from stagnating. And, because mosquitoes lay their eggs in still water, a water fountain means you won’t inadvertently be providing skeeters with a breeding ground in your garden.

Another benefit is that, by making a water feature with an LED solar fountain to light up summer evenings, you add an after-dark focus.

When you're making DIY water features with solar fountains, it's important to choose the right level of power for the size of your container, as a high-powered fountain in a small container will splash water over the rim and you’ll have to refill more often.

7. Keep Your Micropond Topped Up

Depending on the size of your container, you’ll need to top it up regularly, especially in hot weather. It's best to use rainwater if you can.

8. Accessorize!

Don't miss the opportunity to dress your micropond, inside and out. Rounded river pebbles strewn around the base grounds the container if it's standing on paving or decking. Add some personality, too, even if it's just while you're waiting for those pond plants to grow or critters to naturally find their way to your new water feature. After all, this is your new favorite garden feature!

Warning: Any body of water, no matter how small, poses a drowning risk to young children.

Creating shade in the garden is essential in summer. Whether you love to entertain outdoors or simply want to relax outside with a book, these stylish ideas for patio shade will make the experience so much more enjoyable once the weather heats up.

However big or small your backyard and your budget, you'll find patio shade inspiration here. There are quick, affordable fixes such as stylish parasols and decorative screens for a DIY transformation, as well as high-end additions like a louvred pergola or elegant pavilion to take your garden design to the next level.

Don't forget the power of plants as a natural shading device, either. Growing a beautiful botanical screen over a pergola, adding flowers and fragrance as well as shade from the sun, is just one of many contemporary patio ideas. Which idea for patio shade will you choose to try, to make your outdoor space more liveable this summer?

1. Keep it Simple with a Parasol

If you want to add shade to your garden, a parasol should be top of your list. There is a lovely simplicity to opting for a parasol, especially as you can move it around to customise your shade requirements. As well as being a flexible choice, there are so many beautiful parasol options available that you don't have to sacrifice design for function, either.

A simple garden parasol is both decorative and practical. They come in all shapes and sizes, and in every color imaginable. Most are adjustable in height, and many have stands that can be angled to easily customize exactly how much shade it throws. Some can be dismantled and packed away once summer comes to a close, too.

The 'patio culture' trend that's big news this year is all about extending your living space outdoors. So, if you want to turn your patio into an outside living room without spending a fortune, a parasol is a smart choice.

Pretty Parasols

2. Hang a Shapely Shade Sail

A sail is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to shade a patio. Simple to set up and offering a sleek unobtrusive element, shade sails are designed to be fixed to a house wall or sturdy fence post or pole.

Giving durable coverage, a shade sail can be put in place in an afternoon, making this a great option for pretty much any garden space. It's a good idea to look for styles that also repel water, so you can stay outside during a shower too.

Also known as sun canopies, shade sails come in various materials and sizes. As well as using one large sail, you can hang several smaller shades to extend the coverage while creating an appealing design feature. This is the perfect choice if you're looking for small patio ideas, for example if you have a courtyard garden, as close boundaries make it easier to fit, and you don't lose any precious patio ground space.

3. Invest in a Modern Louvred Pergola

"Pergolas offer an aesthetically pleasing way to create shade in your outdoor space," says design expert Joe Raboine, vice president of design at Oldcastle APG. "The traditional overhead beams and open lattice structure allow sunlight to filter through while providing partial shade underneath. This can significantly lower the ambient temperature, making the space more comfortable, especially during hot summer days."

You also have the option of adding a roof, or sections of fabric or curtains for additional shade, which will also enhance your garden privacy. If you can stretch your budget, there also are louvered pergolas available with retractable coverings, allowing you to adjust the level of shade according to your needs.

Alternatively pergola kits offer ease of installation, particularly for DIY enthusiasts. Recommended kits come with pre-cut, pre-routed, and pre-riveted parts, requiring only simple assembly and eliminating the need for specialist installation skills.

4. Extend your Space with a Shady Veranda

A permanent feature, a veranda will create a seamless indoor-outdoor space and transform your patio into an extension of your home, as well as adding a shady retreat where you can escape from the sun. It's the next step up from a pergola, as it can be used year round, offering a more sheltered area that protects garden furniture and accessories as well as shielding you from the sun.

An informal veranda such as this works well with wooden and rattan furniture, combined with natural-looking accessories in earth tones and textures. It's always a good idea to think about lighting and heating options too, which will further extend the time you can spend outside.

Do check your local municipality's building codes and permits to ensure your planned structure meets required guidelines before starting construction work.

5. Install an Automated Patio Awning

An awning is a smart option if your patio is positioned directly outside your home, as it can easily be fitted to an exterior house wall. The latest models add a stylish design element as well as being functional and durable. Most are easy to operate at the touch of a button, rather than the older-style winch handles.

"The biggest trends we're seeing in outdoor shades right now are to build socializing and living areas outdoors," says Jason Turner, co-founder at PowerShades. "There is a significant trend in people enclosing their outdoor kitchens and living areas with motorized shades. In the warmer months, these help keep the patio shaded, and coupled with fans, can make the patio far more bearable through the hot months."

There are many smart ideas for patio shade available that allow you to design your space as you wish. Due to their sturdy construction, this type of awning is suitable for covering larger patio areas. They can also be equipped with extra options such as wind protection and extra privacy, light or infrared heaters.

6. Add a Stylish Pavilion

If you like the idea of retreating into the garden on hot days, consider creating a covered patio area away from the house, surrounded by immersive planting. While this is a more expensive option, a permanent structure like a garden pavilion allows you to use the space all year round, as well as offering a shady sanctuary in summer.

The elegant pavilion in this design (above) has a series of pivoting translucent screens that can be opened or closed as required, making it a versatile outdoor living space. A pavilion offers privacy, too, and brings appealing year-round structure to your garden.

7. Plant a Natural Canopy of Climbers

Using climbing plants to form a canopy on a pergola is one of the best ways to add shade to a patio. Train fast-growing plants to climb over an existing structure and it's quick and affordable, too. Use trellis or wires that complement the structure to train the vines up the pergola posts and to support the additional weight of the foliage as it grows.

A natural screen of foliage and flowers is a visually stunning and eco-friendly option that will change with the seasons. To cloak a whole pergola, choose climbing flowering plants to grow together such as jasmine, honeysuckle, wisteria, roses or bougainvillea. Another option is to simply fill the south-facing pergola side using vertical wires and fast-growing vines that won't scramble out of control.

If you're restricted to growing your climbing vine in a planter, then clematis is a good choice, and there are clematis varieties to suit every space. As you'll only need the shade in summer, growing annual vines is another good option.

Climbing Plants

8. Use Decorative Screens

A quick solution to block sunshine without enclosing a space is to add strategically placed timber or metal screens. This not only offers dappled shade, but is a smart way to add privacy to your garden, too.

Fix screens to pergola sides to create an outdoor living room, or choose affordable standalone privacy screens that you can move around your patio to give just the right level of shade you're after.

Many ornamental metal screens have laser-cut patterns that add a unique design element as well, and a wide variety are available so you can choose one that segues seamlessly with your outdoor aesthetic.

Landscape designers always use plants to blur the harsh, geometric lines of a garden’s structural features, whether that’s a patio or path edge, retaining wall or side of a raised bed. And not just any plants! Garden professionals purposefully choose plants with particular characteristics such as slender flower spires, ruffled foliage, creeping stems, and wiry stalks that move in the slightest breeze. Why? Because these aspects create a hazy margin between areas of hard and soft landscaping. And this merging of living and innate is a vital element of any garden design, and one of the primary factors that gives professionally designed gardens their cohesive, put-together look.

Once you know which plants to use, this blurring of boundaries is easy to achieve yourself, and will transform your garden. Blending hard and soft landscaping is a must if you want to make a small garden look bigger or pull the many parts of a large backyard together. As path or patio ideas go, it's a must. But the best bit? You will enjoy these benefits without the hassle of any more garden maintenance because all these plants are incredibly easy to look after.

It’s a fact that most folk who employ a landscape designer don’t have the time, or don't have the gardening knowledge, to do it themselves. Either way, to ensure their clients are happy long-term, as well as selecting for blending characteristics, the professionals choose plants that will survive without much care. Plants that are drought-tolerant, resilient through winter, and don’t need any more TLC than an annual snip to remove old growth. Plants that are tolerant enough to thrive in a pot as well as in the ground. Plants that perform for months on end. These plants, in fact:

1. Creeping Rosemary

Instead of growing into an upright shrub, creeping or prostrate rosemary spreads outwards, draping its 1-2 foot-long stems of pale blue flowers and needle-like leaves over pot rims, retaining walls and raised bed edges. Because it’s native to the Mediterranean, creeping rosemary is a highly drought tolerant plant, and its silvery leaves have evolved a waxy coating and tiny hairs to protect from heat scorching. This means Salvia rosmarinus ‘Prostratus’ can cope with growing directly against hard surfaces such as paving that can get extremely hot in direct sunlight.

In zones 8-11, creeping rosemary is an evergreen perennial. Do still grow it in cooler zones but house it in a planter so it can be overwintered in a sheltered spot as it’s only reliably hardy down to 15°F.

Creeping rosemary looks fabulous en masse so is often sold in good-value multi-packs of plants,

2. Coral Bells

With shapely, ruffled leaves, Heuchera is a fabulous plant to use to soften the line between hard and soft landscaping. Evergreen or semi-evergreen, the foliage looks great year-round, and plants require minimal maintenance. But the best thing about coral bells is the huge assortment of colored cultivars available, from zingy greens to warm reds and dramatic deep purples. There are speckled and veined leaves of contrasting tones, too.

This means you can match the hue to your hard landscaping, perhaps choosing a caramel cultivar to reference brickwork, or a variety with almost-black foliage to go with slate pavers.

Most coral bells do best in partial shade, so suit a wide variety of garden spots, and there are varieties that have been bred to cope with full sun and deeper shade, too. They’re mostly suitable for zones 4-9 and, as heuchera typically grow to a foot or two tall, are perfect for path and paving edges. And while the leaves are the main feature, flowers bring an extra bonus in summer.

3. Catmint

If you haven’t grown Nepeta for a fair few years, it’s time to take a fresh look at this low-maintenance lovely. Catmint earned itself a reputation for being an untidy plant with a tendency for stems to splay outwards and to self-seed rather too enthusiastically. But modern hybrids have been bred to form more compact mounds with stems that don’t collapse, while retaining catmint's unfussy, cold- and heat-tolerant nature. All our recommendations produce sterile seeds, too, so they can’t self-seed and will stay exactly where you put them.

A zero-hassle plant that softens any path or patio edge, catmint brings soothing color and plenty of pollinators to your garden. And while cats adore its scent, it repels deer and rabbits.

4. Muhly Grass

Also known as hairgrass, Muhlenbergia capillaris will have all your neighbors green with envy. What’s fabulous about this ornamental grass is that the leaves are only around a foot long, and naturally grow into a neat mound. Then in late summer or early fall, those tidy clumps explode with 3-4 feet-long stems clothed in spikelets, creating a pink haze that lasts all through fall into winter.

Unusually for a grass, pink muhly grass grows well in partial shade as well as full sun: as long as it gets at least four hours of sunshine a day, it’s happy.

This is a fast-growing grass so it establishes quickly, and it’s feasible to plant en masse using cheaper, younger plug plants to make your money go further, too, if you have the patience. Pink muhly grass is typically evergreen in zones 6-9, though a hard freeze can cause temporary dormancy.

As well as the pink variety, look out for the less well-known ‘White Cloud’ which, as its name suggests, isn’t pink! It grows to the same height but tends to flower a little later in fall and creates slightly narrower clumps.

5. Lavender

Lavender has a lovely habit of moulding to whatever spot it’s grown in, its stems gently spilling but never needing staking. Plant it in a corner of a raised bed and lavender will slowly mound over the sharp angles. Put it alongside a path and flower stems will lean over it but not fall. In a pot, the plant will billow into a cloud of scented blooms.

This is a super choice for a seating area or path because of its pleasant perfume. Give lavender a gravel mulch to get more flowers and stronger scent, and plenty of sun.

6. Sea Thrift

Not all boundary-blurring plants have to be big, as this little poppet proves. Armeria maritima is an evergreen perennial that only grows to a foot-or-so high and wide, but its clump-forming mound of dark green, needle-like leaves and pretty pompom flowers are so useful for breaking up big areas of hard landscaping. As its name suggests, sea thrift has evolved to grow in coastal environments and can often be found on cliff ledges, so it’s highly tolerant and will flourish pretty much anywhere as long as it enjoys some sunshine.

Landscape designers love to pop a few sea thrifts in place of a paver in a patio or a couple of cobblestones in a path, or use it as punctuation in a sweep of gravel. And don't worry, this robust, resilient plant can withstand the baking heat of being surrounded by hard landscaping. Its evergreen foliage means it looks good year-round, and the flowers keep coming for months if you deadhead.

Painting your plant pots is such a quick way to give your garden a quick upgrade for summer. Whether you’ve got a collection of mismatched planters you’ve accumulated over the years, or you simply fancy a new look for your patio, painting pots is an enjoyable job for a sunny afternoon. And don’t worry a jot if you don’t have an artistic bone in your body: you’ll find plenty of ideas here to paint plant pots that are easy to create but seriously stylish. You can paint planters made of terracotta, plastic, resin and metal, and wooden planters too, so this is a lovely way to create a cohesive look in your yard.

You can make your design as simple or detailed as you like. Perhaps you’d like to streamline your planters so they’re all the same color, or maybe you fancy adding a bright rim to your terracotta pots. How about giving your pots a pastel chalky finish, or making a smart house-number container for your front yard?

As patio ideas go, painting pots is such an easy win. Combine your newly fabulous containers with some quick and clever DIY planter ideas and some low-maintenance plants that thrive in containers, and everyone will be impressed! So let's get started, shall we? Here's how to paint plant pots and get a great result, step by step. I've added product links so you know exactly what you need, but do support your local retailers too.

1. Thoroughly Clean and Dry the Pots

Your first job is to give the pots a good scrub with warm soapy water and a stiff brush or scouring pad, then rinse. If pots have any white mineral deposits, use sandpaper first to smooth. Drying the pots is just as important. Terracotta is porous so it’s best to leave this to dry for at least 24 hours.

2. Prep the Pots for Painting

If your pots have a glossy finish, whether they’re made of plastic, resin or metal, lightly sand all over with 180 grit sandpaper, such as this from Amazon, and wipe off the dust. This creates a scuffed, slightly rough surface that the paint can adhere to.

Painting a terracotta pot? These don't need sanding but you must seal them inside and out. Terracotta is porous so if you skip this stage, moisture will seep from the soil through the pot walls and cause the paint to peel. Use FolkArt All-Purpose Sealer, available from Amazon, as it’s safe for use with plants. Using a flat synthetic brush such as this from Amazon, paint on two coats of sealer, inside and out, ensuring the first coat is dry before applying the second. Sealer can get sticky at it dries, so set your pot down on wax paper as you work.

3. Paint Your Pot

Use a product that’s a paint and primer in one, that’s suitable for exterior use. I recommend BEHR Premium Interior/Exterior Spray Paint and Primer, which adheres well to all sorts of surfaces including plastic, resin, terracotta, metal and wood. The standard paint is available in 38 colors and a range of finishes from matte to gloss. There are hammered, textured, metallic and faux stone options too, so you can find a paint that’ll perfectly match your garden style. The Home Depot has a great selection, priced $6.98 for a 12-ounce bottle, and $9.98 for a 11-ounce speciality finish.

This Oil Rubbed Bronze Satin finish gives a vintage look, or how about a Gold Gloss Hammered finish for a luxe vibe? If you want bright, then this Hidden Sea Glass turquoise is such a vibrant tone, or are you brave enough for Unmellow Yellow Gloss? Royal Purple Gloss will bring just as much drama but in a more subtle way, as will Ocean Abyss.

When spraying a pot, I find inserting a bamboo cane through the drainage hole saves me from getting a coat of paint too. Always spray outdoors, and protect the area well with an old sheet or cardboard. You’ll get best results with multiple thin coats, holding the spray can at 45° and constantly keeping it in motion – think about applying multiple short sweeps of color, rather than one long, continual spray.

Painters’ masking tape will help you create designs with different colors, but do use good-quality tape such as this from Amazon if you want clean, precise edges.

Check out all the ideas below for design inspo.

4. Add Details With Acrylic Paint

Acrylic paint designed for outdoor as well as indoor use can be used to add details. If you’re working with a terracotta pot, then you can apply acrylic paint directly to the pot without spraying it first. For other materials, it’s best to spray on an initial coat as the paint will act as a primer for the acrylic paint to adhere to.

Use synthetic or nylon artist's paintbrushes such as these from Amazon for best results.

An acrylic paint set such as this from Amazon with 18 59ml bottles of individual colors is an economical way to get a wide range of tones.

5. Apply a Protective Sealant

This step isn’t necessary if you’ve simply sprayed your pots with exterior-proof spray, but if you’ve used acrylic paint – especially if you’ve used it to cover the whole pot – then a protective topcoat of sealant will make your pots more durable. Use a spray-on clear acrylic sealant suitable for exterior use such as Aleene’s Acrylic Sealer, available from Amazon in matte, gloss and super-gloss finishes.

Apply two coats, ensuring that the first is dry before spraying on the second.

Leave your painted pot to fully cure for 48 hours before planting.

Paint-a-Pot Inspiration

All these 10 ideas are easy to achieve, even if you don't think you're much of an artist! Which one will suit your garden best?

Cohesive Color

Painting pots to match your garden furniture is such a great way to add a garden accent, especially if you also use plants like this fabulous geranium (pelargonium) in the same color. Or how about planting a clematis in a container painted to match the tone of its showstopper flowers?

House Number Planters

Making house-number planters to sit on your front step or outside your porch is both pretty and practical. These numbers have been marked out with masking tape, and the dainty flowers created by pressing a small artist’s paintbrush against the pot, so even if you don’t think you have an ounce of artistic ability, this project is easily achievable! This is a creative way to turn cheap bedding plants into a unique garden centerpiece and it's a quick job to switch in seasonal blooms so it always looks good.

Chalky Finish

Chalk-finish paint gives a wonderful textured matte finish that works really well to show off foliage and flowers, and brings interior vibes to help turn your deck into an outside living space without spending a fortune. BEHR Premium Interior/Exterior Spray Paint is available in a chalky super-matte finish and three tones from the range are suitable for exterior as well as interior use: Linen White, Chiffon Cream and Aged Grey are all stocked by The Home Depot.

Geometric Shapes

If you don't feel confident about creating a design with a paintbrush, then here's an idea that relies entirely on spray paint and masking tape. The geometric design is so striking and the trio of planters make a dramatic front yard addition.

Aged Effect

For an aged effect, apply a coat of a lighter tone paint over a darker toned paint. When fully dry, rub wire wool over the pot to remove some of the top coat. The key to getting a good result is to remove more paint from the areas that would naturally get more wear, such as the raised rim. Imagine using this technique to age a planter, then plugging its drainage hole with sealant to create a patio water feature with a solar-powered floating fountain: the perfect mix of vintage and modern.

Detailed Drawing

Acrylic paint pens make it easy to create more detailed patterns. Do make sure you choose markers that are suitable for outdoor as well as indoor use, though, such as these from Amazon. Acrylic markers make it straightforward to add words, too, so how about painting pots for your collection of herbs, each with the plant name written around the pot rim?

Bright Stripes

This stripy effect was achieved using masking tape. You’ll need to paint this in layers to get this overlapping effect, ensuring paint is fully dry before sticking tape on top. This would be a fun treatment if you're growing compact veggie varieties in containers, choosing colors that match the tones of whatever your harvest will be.

Paint Splatter Speckles

Try a paint-splatter effect by flicking paint from your paintbrush, with a solid band around the pot rim. This pretty effect would suit a solid-sided hanging basket so well, planted with trailing blooms.

Mosaic Effect

This mosaic pot is so appealing, yet it’s simple to achieve. The pot was given a coat of light-toned paint, then small blocks drawn on with pencil and filled in with paint. But what’s really clever is the addition of thin dark line along the base and right side of each ‘tile’, applied with a fine brush, to create a 3D effect.

Contract Pot Rims

Applying a deep angled band to the top of pots is such a simple idea, yet looks incredibly stylish. How about using this idea to turn that stash of old terracotta pots behind your shed into handy containers for gardening bits and bobs to DIY a garden storage upgrade?

Have fun painting your pots and creating a unique, characterful look for your garden.

"One man’s meat is another man’s poison." This old English idiom still turns up occasionally in conversation because the wisdom behind it holds. It suggests that what is beneficial or enjoyable for one person may be harmful or unpleasant for another. Keep this maxim in mind when you are thinking of adding a major outdoor feature to your home’s landscape. If you choose the wrong one, it can actually make your home harder to sell down the road.

Yes, you may adore the unique patio your cousin designed or the huge swimming pool that needs weekly maintenance, but someone else may not. Individual preferences can differ significantly, so it pays to look into the return on investment that you’ll get for different outdoor projects – especially ones that cost you lots of time and money.

Good landscaping can increase your home’s value, but investing in the wrong areas can do just the opposite. Wondering if the new outdoor feature you are considering will diminish your house’s market value and make buyers think twice? Take a look at this list of landscaping features that actually make your home harder to sell before you dive into your next DIY project.

Outdoor Features That Make Buyers Think Twice

Most of us design our landscapes with our own preferences in mind. We don’t think that we might sell the place in a few years or, if we do, we figure that the new pool, patio, or grove of trees we planted will increase our property value. But that’s not always the case.

New features that are unusual or unique might not please others as much as they please you. And even luxury features like big swimming pools or elaborate gardens may deter buyers, since they can be high-maintenance landscaping. Smart homebuyers may walk away from any feature that requires significant upkeep.

These outdoor features can negatively impact the marketability of your home, so think twice before you add them to your landscape – buyers certainly will.

1. Elaborate Gardens

Who wouldn’t like to stroll through gardens so glorious that they might have been part of a royal estate? Row after row of roses, an exotic fruit orchard…the list could go on and on.

If you are feeling flush, you might not care about the cost of upkeep for intricate formal landscaping. But in this day and age, you can’t assume that others have unlimited funds as well. Many homebuyers have to scrape together their down payments to purchase a new home. It’s hard to qualify for a good loan and interest rates keep rising.

That means that most buyers are looking for low-maintenance features, preferring meadow gardens that take care of themselves instead of grounds that need regular attention from a dedicated gardener. That means that an elaborate garden might put off potential buyers.

As an alternative, consider low-maintenance plantings. Meadows can be beautiful and don't require mowing, which is definitely a selling point.

2. Swimming Pools

If you live in a colder growing zone, putting in a swimming pool may not be a great idea. You can only use it for a month or two in the summer, making it a liability, rather than an asset. This is especially true for a potential buyer with small children because of the safety risks. Buyers may have to factor in removal costs.

Even in a hot climate, swimming pools do not take care of themselves, someone needs to maintain them, which can be an expensive and time-consuming job. A budget homebuyer might find the cost too much and prefer a place without a pool.

Consider reducing the size of the swimming pool you are installing or choose an above-ground pool, like this one from Walmart, that is easier to remove and move with you to your new house. This could tip a buyer in your favor.

3. Hot Tubs or Saunas

Every potential negative that applies to swimming pools is also a consideration with hot tubs or saunas. Sure, some people love them. But some people do not. Both hot tubs and saunas are a little “niche,” so if you put in a hot tub and happen to find a buyer who loves hot tubs, you’re in luck. But the odds are against you.

Hot tubs and saunas also require regular cleaning and maintenance. They can break down, requiring expensive repairs, and they have a "shelf life." Quality features can last for 15 years or more, but if you continue living in the house for a decade, new buyers might only have five years left before it’s time for replacement.

One great alternative to regular hot tubs and saunas is an inflatable hot tub, like this one from Walmart. Many of my friends in France have these. They inflate them during the summer, then store them away in winter. Inexpensive and practical.

4. Overly Customized Designs

We’ve all seen photos of the cool, outdoor features that people have designed and installed in their landscape. Our eyes may bug out at the Bridgerton-themed garden or the custom-built outdoor kitchen in the backyard of some high society person. But it’s a different matter to consider buying a house with heavily customized features like these.

First, the features won’t appeal to every buyer. And second, most buyers will not have a lifestyle that makes a customized outdoor kitchen useful. They may wish they were the sort of person who has large dinner parties on the patio, but most of us aren’t.

Reducing the size and impact of your outdoor kitchen or patio will go a long way to improving your home's salability. An outdoor grill and table – our Content Editor Laura loves the affordable patio table she just bought from Lowe's – might be all you really need. Plus, many more buyers will be able to imagine themselves using those instead of that wood-fired pizza oven you've been eyeing.

5. Fancy Children’s Playsets

Your young children may be clamoring to have a large playground in your backyard. There’s nothing wrong with indulging your kids, but playhouses can attract wasps. And, even more importantly, these larger structures and equipment may spook potential buyers.

Homebuyers without kids, or without the desire to have their backyard taken up by a big playset, may be put off by the idea. Removal costs are not cheap and then there’s the time and effort to replant the grass that died underneath the large structure.

Opt for a simple swing set like this one from Amazon, a home-built tree house, or a tire swing hung on the old oak tree. Your kids will get more exercise and more buyers will relate or be able to easily remove these structures. You’ll spend less money upfront and the removal costs will be minimal.

Other outdoor elements that can turn away buyers include sports courts, artificial grass, niche decor, unkempt landscaping, damaged fences, and areas with poor drainage. These problem features are either too high maintenance, cost too much, or create safety concerns. Keep landscaping simple, timeless, and affordable for the best return on your investment.

Grocery stores are stacked with bargain bedding plants right now. From petunias to geraniums, lobelia to busy Lizzies, these fast-growing annual plants are destined to brighten up hanging baskets and borders. And in gardens up and down the country, that’s where most of these little lovelies will spend the summer, the supporting cast in a garden of bigger, showier perennials. But with a little imagination, you can take advantage of bedding plants' easy-going nature and give them a moment in the limelight with a unique garden highlight that will delight for months to come.

Few plants are as tolerant as annual bedding plants. Bred to cope with life in the exposed environment of a hanging basket, and to carry on flowering even when everyone forgets to water, they’ll happily survive in all sorts of weird and wonderful containers. They don’t require deep soil – or even much soil at all – and don’t mind a jot about seriously good drainage. All this makes them very versatile to use in creative DIY garden projects.

Another benefit is their low cost: often sold in multi-cell plastic trays, you can often buy a dozen plants for less than the price of a coffee.

Most varieties have been grown to flower continuously and, as long as you keep deadheading, bloom to the first frost. This means they’ll produce far more flowers over the summer than most perennials, making for a dramatic display. And then yes, you’ll need to throw these annual plants onto the compost heap, but guess what? That means you can create a whole new garden centerpiece next summer! Which of these easy ideas will you try? As quick and clever planter ideas go, they're all winners!

1. Use a Basket as a Planter

This is such a simple, quick-to-do idea, yet it looks so stylish. Choose a bedding plant that loves the combination of sun or shade you have. One with spilling stems, such as this petunia, works well. Line your basket with sturdy plastic – an old potting-soil bag is perfect – and fill with an all-purpose potting mix such as this from Amazon. Add your bedding plants, water well, and enjoy!

2. Grow a Living Flower Wall

Many bedding plants grown to grace hanging baskets have trailing stems so they’ll quickly cover up the mechanics of a living wall to create a fabulously abundant flower wall. You’ll need plenty of plants, so stick with those at the cheaper end of the market, such as the aubretia and petunias in this fabulous living wall. The wall itself doesn’t have to be expensive, either, as you can use vertical felt grow bags with multiple pockets, such as this from Amazon, that are well priced and come in many different sizes. These wall planters typically have reinforced grommets, making them easy to attach to a fence or wall.

You’ll need plants that like good drainage for the top rows, though those in the lower rows will benefit from water dripping down from above.

3. Plant Cups and Mugs as Patio Table Accents

Here’s a quick upcycling project I completed just last weekend, using a couple of teacups and saucers that had sat in my kitchen cupboards, unused and unloved, for years. The idea would work just as well with mugs, too, and bring a cute interior vibe to a patio coffee table.

To drill a drainage hole in the base of a china or porcelain cup or mug, you’ll need a small dry diamond drill tile bit like this from Amazon. Support both sides of the surface with good-quality masking tape, and let the drill do all the work. If you want to see how I did it, here’s a closer look.

4. Make a Hot Air Balloon Planter

Here’s a clever idea that’ll work with any bedding plant that loves good drainage like these pretty geraniums (pelargoniums), and it’s such a cute way to decorate a pergola for a party.

Cover a blown-up balloon with papier mache (layers of torn newspaper mixed with wallpaper paste) and leave to fully dry. Use outdoor acrylic paint to decorate – a kit such as this from Amazon gives you multiple color options, or you can buy individual colors. If you want to leave your hot air balloon outdoors all summer, you’ll also need to protect it with a few coats of a multisurface exterior waterproofing sealer spray like this from The Home Depot, or hang it in a covered area.

Pop your plant into a pot with potting soil and use twine to fashion a holder, attached to your balloon.

5. Create a Cascading Flower Tower

How fabulous is this? And it’s quick and easy to create with stackable planters. Originally designed to grow strawberries, the great thing about stackable planters is that each tier is a single shaped pot. That means there’s a good volume of soil so it holds onto moisture for longer, reducing how often you need to water.

There are plenty to choose from, such as this five-tier planter with 20 planting pockets from The Home Depot. There are also stackable planters on wheels such as this from Amazon, to create a flower tower you can move around your deck or patio.

Annual plants that naturally grow into a mounded shape as well as have spilling stems – which many flowering hanging basket plants do – are perfect for this project, as they’ll quickly cover the planters.

6. Wrap a Plant Into a Mossy Kokedama

Kokedama is a Japanese gardening technique that wraps a plant’s root system in a ball of soil, enclosed in moss and bound with string. This ancient art practised for centuries usually uses ferns, but I’ve found it works really well with bedding plants, too.

I’ve made kokedama with pansies and violets, and currently have this little cutie hanging in the shade of my summerhouse. I used wire to bind the ball of soil and moss for strength, and it was surprisingly simple to do. They've lasted so well, too: I made these in November and they're still flowering away six months later! Take a closer look how I did it here.

7. Upcycle Old Gardening Equipment

If your shed is anything like mine, it has a corner filled with gardening equipment that’s no longer used. So how about upcycling any old kit that offers a planting pocket into a characterful container? These old watering cans create a fabulous trio of hanging planters and, as well as looking good, upcycling means you get to keep that trusty old gardening kit rather than consigning it to landfill!

Whatever you use, just be sure to drill drainage holes in the base.

Get Lush Results

Any plants in a container are reliant on you for food and water, and while bedding plants will tolerate pretty extreme conditions, keeping them consistently fed with nutrients and moisture will bring more abundant flowers. Adding a few magic ingredients to make containers low-maintenance is also a smart move.

8. Top Bamboo Poles With Drought-Tolerant Plants

I spotted this clever idea at a flower show earlier this year, where a line of planted bamboo posts had been sunk into the ground to create a screen. This idea would work just as well with plastic pipe bought from a hardware store, especially if you choose a diameter that perfectly holds whatever plastic plant pots you already have.

Rust-Oleum Universal Interior/Exterior Spray Paint transforms just about anything into an object of beauty, and adheres to most surfaces including plastic. Lowe’s has a great range, with many effects such as this bronze hammered finish that would make cheap pipes look like far more expensive metal.

While these poles are planted with succulents, any bedding plant that’s drought-tolerant would work in this elevated spot, such as geraniums (pelargoniums) or moss rose.

9. DIY a Vertical Pot Display

If you’ve got a stash of old terracotta pots, then here’s a super way to use them to create a vertical display spilling with bedding plants. You’ll need a steel rod, and the cheapest way is to buy one that’s meant for strengthening concrete and masonry from a hardware store, such as this 5’ Steel Works Rebar from Ace Hardware. Do check that its diameter will fit through the drainage holes of whatever pots you have, though terracotta is soft enough to easily drill with a masonry bit.

Start by pushing the rod into the ground by at least a foot, then thread on the pots, feeding the drainage holes over the rod. Arrange the pots to sit at different angles so the base of one rests securely on the rim of that beneath it. Then simply fill with potting soil and plants, and water well.

Because of the angled pots, trailing plants look particularly dramatic in this vertical display idea.

10. Have Plants Spill From a Fallen-Over Pot

This is a great way to use a broken terracotta pot, and it looks so effective on both a small and large scale. I’ve seen this idea used with petunias spilling from 10-inch pots in a small urban gravel garden to huge terracotta amphora cascading with lobelia in the landscaped grounds of a grand country house.

It’s easy to do. Simply scrape a shallow depression in the ground, as the pot looks more natural if it’s a little sunken. Lay your pot on its side and firm the soil around it. Add some potting mix inside the pot and pop your plant in. If you like, you can plant more into the ground, to accentuate the spilling effect.

Outdoor lights can add accessibility and beauty to your landscape, but they can also cause some serious problems as well. Many outdoor lighting fixtures waste energy and increase your utility bills, but the biggest drawback is light pollution.

Not only does light pollution ruin the natural beauty of the stars and other celestial bodies in the night sky, but it also has negative effects on both humans and wildlife – including plants. Artificial lights upset the circadian rhythms of many insects and animals. They can scare away beneficial wildlife, disrupt pollination of the plants in your garden, and increase the predation of key species. And while artificial lights may make certain beneficial wildlife leave your yard, they can also attract unwanted species like mosquitoes.

Outdoor lighting isn’t all bad, though, as long as you choose the right kind. The proper lights can make your landscape more usable at night and create a cozy outdoor space where you can spend summer evenings. I’ve dug into the best outdoor lights to reduce light pollution in your yard that still provide plenty of illumination for you to enjoy your landscape at night.

Why Light Pollution Is a Problem

All plant and animal life on earth evolved in sync with the natural rhythm of day and night. This is hardwired into every species’ DNA, including humans. Artificial light and the resulting pollution from it disrupts the natural pattern of day and night. This has far-reaching consequences for wildlife, plants, and humans alike.

Artificial lights can confuse the seasonal migratory patterns of many species of birds. It can make nighttime hunting more difficult for predatory species and make it harder for prey to hide in bright environments. Light pollution also disrupts the mating process of many animals and beneficial insects, like frogs that sing at night or lightning bugs that flash during summer evenings. Artificial lights at night can even mess with plants’ growth cycles, blooming, and dormancy.

Light pollution can also negatively impact humans whose circadian rhythms are also impacted by artificial light, especially blue light. We’ve all heard the advice to put our phones and devices away at least an hour before bed. Exposure to artificial light at night suppresses our body’s production of melatonin, which makes it harder to fall asleep.

Best Outdoor Lights to Reduce Pollution

You don’t have to eliminate outdoor lighting altogether to reduce light pollution in your yard, but there are specific kinds of lights that are much better than others. The best outdoor lights to reduce light pollution meet these three criteria.

1. Warm-Colored Lights

Never use blue lights in your outdoor space. Many LED lights come in cooler color temperatures (5000K-6500K), but warmer color temperatures are much less disruptive to wildlife. Look for amber or orange lights with color temperatures in the 1000K-2700K range.

Lights in this color temperature range are easier on humans’ eyes, create less glare, and are less upsetting to plants’ and animals’ natural circadian rhythms. They also attract less bugs, so that means less mosquitoes biting you on your lighted patio at night!

2. Shielded or Downward-Facing Lights

Another key way to reduce light pollution is to choose lights that are angled downwards and shield any unnecessary light from spilling out into the night. Uplighting is the worst kind of outdoor lighting, if you’re worried about light pollution.

Instead of putting spotlights on trees or other features in your landscape, utilize down-lighting in key positions. Add a shielded light, like the farmhouse style sconce below, to your front porch and illuminate walkways with covered path lights that direct light where it’s needed.

3. Dimmable, Motion-Sensor & Lights on Timers

Your outdoor lights should be as dim as possible to prevent any unnecessary light pollution. There are tons of dimmable outdoor lighting options available nowadays, many of which you can control via a remote or an app on your phone – if you’re the tech-inclined type. Lowe’s has thousands of dimmable outdoor lighting options that will suit any landscape.

If you can’t find dimmable outdoor lights that work with your landscape or you’re looking for something more hands-off, then motion-sensor outdoor lights are a great way to reduce light pollution. Motion-sensor lights only turn on when you are out moving around in your yard at night, which means they are only putting out light when it’s actually needed. Once you go inside for the night, they’re off and your landscape is back to its natural light environment.

Another good option is to use a timer. There are outdoor lights that come with a timer built in, but there are also timers for lights that you can buy separately and add to existing outdoor fixtures to reduce light pollution in your yard. Set your timer to turn off the lights when you go to bed at night to give both you and your local wildlife a good night’s rest.

Every so often, a fabulously stylish product drops into ALDI’s middle aisle, bringing that effortlessly elegant landscape-designer vibe on a bargain budget. And this Belavi solar light designed to look like a mini fire bowl, part of this week's ALDI's garden design finds range, is one of them. The colors are nicely understated, leaving all the glory to the floral laser-cut pattern and the flowery shadows they’ll cast. With a flickering flame effect that illuminates for up to 8 hours, that’s a lot of patio style for the price.

Two sizes are available. The standard weather-resistant metal bowl has a diameter of 7 inches and is 5½ inches high in a warm bronze, a bonny blue and a modern matte black, and is a snip at $12.99. The larger bowl brings a choice of a lustrous bronze-copper effect and that sleek black finish, and measures just over 9½ inches across and 7⅓ inches high, at $19.99. Personally, I’d play with the size difference and snap up one of each of the black designs. The dark colorway will also deliver the strongest contrast with the golden solar light shining through the cut-out motifs.

How to Light Your Outside Space

Lighting your garden is a must for the summer evenings to come, bringing a cozy ambience for evenings spent on the patio, and should be a core part of your garden design. Solar lighting is a quick and easy way to light your backyard, saving the expense of calling in an electrician, and it's worth understanding solar light ratings before you buy if you want products that will last longer than one summer.

Taking a layered approach to garden lighting is best, just as you would with interior fixtures, using a combination of strong overhead lighting with side or table lamps that give smaller, softer pools of light. In the garden, the warm illumination provided by a solar light such as this fire bowl will create an inviting glow at the center of a seating area, alongside more practical products that enable you to safely see your way around your outside space. Get it right, and it's a fast way to make a small garden feel much bigger.

More Fabulous Solar Fire Bowls

ALDI’s Belavi Solar Fire Bowl drops on Thursday, May 6, so don’t miss out on this stylish garden bargain. If you’re not quick enough to make it to the middle aisle, don't fret: here are some alternatives.

I first heard the term “defensive hedge” when I talked to Basque neighbors in the small town in France where I bought my little home. My land – at that time perhaps 5 wild acres – had exactly three trees on it, all 300-year-old oak trees. I wanted more trees, but every time I planted a young seedling, Basque ponies called pottoks that roam the hillside would hurry over and eat it!

For me, the issue of landscape design was completely interconnected to keeping pottoks out. I ended up installing stake and chicken wire fencing, but doubled up by planting defensive hedging along it, including shrubs with thorns. I have been told frequently over the years that the hedging is the reason I’ve never had any criminal mischief at my little house on the mountain.

But that is far from the only landscaping option that will help keep burglars far from your house. Here are five of my favorite landscaping tips to prevent burglars breaking into your home.

Landscaping Tips to Prevent Burglars

Good landscaping is about so much more than making your home look pretty. Yes, a well-groomed lawn and beds of bright flowers goes a long way toward winning curb appeal and kudos from neighbors. If you are selling your home, quality landscaping can up the sales price, raising your equity in the property.

But even if you don’t care much about popularity among neighbors and you aren’t selling your house, carefully considered landscaping can protect your property from intruders – whether it be Basque ponies seeking green shoots or burglars looking for jewelry. While a little creativity is your best friend in thinking of defensive landscaping, I’ve got some smart tips to get you started.

1. Grow a Defensive Hedge

Okay, why not start with my own greatest success? Pyracantha, also known as firethorn, has been my best friend when it comes to protecting the boundaries of my property.

Pyracantha are evergreen shrubs in the rose family. These shrubs can get to 10 feet (3 m) tall, although mine have stayed below 5 feet (1.5 m). Plant in full sun or part shade. Their leaves are tiny and deep green, and creamy white flowers appear in spring. Pollinators like bees flock to the blossoms.

By autumn, the shrubs are covered with bright red berries that help feed the wild birds well into winter. My bushes produce red fruit, but you can find cultivars with yellow or orange berries as well.

Pyracantha make great defensive hedges because the stems have thorns. They appear in dense groupings of long, spiny, needle-like thorns. The thorns make pyracantha a cheap and very effective barrier against any person or animal seeking to enter. On the other hand, wild birds slip between branches and thorns to build nests inside the hedge because it’s safe from predators.

You can get a red-berried pyracantha shrub from Amazon.

2. Plant Thorny Shrubs Under Windows

You may not want pyracantha under your lower floor windows because birds often leave unwanted droppings from the berries on your windows. But there are lots of other prickly plants to choose from that work well around the base of your house.

Think thorny rose bushes, prickly pear cacti, or even needle bushes as an armed guard to prevent anyone climbing in your windows. Pick plants that work with the sun exposure, soil type, and hardiness zone where you live.

Explore beautiful and protective thorny rose bushes from Jackson & Perkins.

3. Grow Trees That Are Hard to Climb

I love having tall, climbable trees peeking into second-floor bedroom windows like oaks, beeches, or even willows. But if burglars are on your mind, pick trees that are not made for climbing.

In my neck of the woods in France, holly trees grow wild. They flower late in spring, then fill their branches fill with red berries – another good source of food for birds when the worms and insects disappear in winter.

But holly has another great attribute: it is evergreen. Its spiny leaves never drop and they are not kind to animals who would like to eat them or to intruders who may try to climb these trees either. They are lovely and green, yes, but they’re also stiff and spiny. When my daughter was young, she tried climbing a holly and emerged with deep scratches on her arms, legs, and face.

Holly is not the only unwelcoming tree, however. Look for any unclimbable tree, like money puzzle trees or other evergreens with sharp needles and few low branches. California bay tree is another species that offers few low branches. Or try a palm tree, if you live where it is warm all year.

Fast Growing Trees is a great place to shop tons of different types of trees, including hollies.

4. Keep Shrubs Compact

Any burglar that sneaks past a defensive hedge and comes into your landscape will be looking for hiding spots. So it’s a good idea to keep your shrubs, bushes, and inside hedging to 3 feet (1 m) tall or less to make them harder to hide in.

This makes sense as most would-be burglars stand over 5 feet (1.5 m) tall and will have trouble using low-growing shrubs as cover. It’s also reassuring to be able to look over your landscape and feel confident that you can see anyone present.

You can prune existing shrubs to keep them compact, but the best option is to plant dwarf varieties that stay small. Shop a wide selection of dwarf shrubs from Fast Growing Trees to find the perfect one for your yard.

5. Light Up Your Landscape

Many of us like our landscapes natural, romantic, and old-fashioned. But if you don’t mind a little tech, outdoor lighting can work well to prevent home intrusion. Use a motion-activated light, like this highly-rated outdoor security light from Amazon, that is solar-powered for easy setup and good protection in your yard.

If you happen to come in at night, the lights are helpful as well, but criminals on the property will not appreciate suddenly finding themselves in the spotlight. Try one or, better yet, a combination of these smart landscaping tips to prevent unwanted visitors coming on your property without permission.

Another option is to consider a family dog with acute hearing. My own dog Delilah alerted me recently in the middle of the night to two intruders outside my door. Luckily, they were just wild hedgehogs eating the cat food outside my door.

The best garden lighting ideas are key to extending the use of your garden into the evening. At night, an ambient lighting scheme can be used to uplight planting, pergolas, sculpture and water features, creating interesting silhouettes and focal points so your garden becomes a more sophisticated space to enjoy.

Lighting can also be used to make your garden more user-friendly at night. There's a practical element to good lighting as it helps to make your garden a safer place, lighting the way and framing entrances. It can also help to zone different areas for relaxing and dining such as patios and pergolas, or enhance gathering round a fire pit.

Outdoor garden lighting techniques can be used to design a look for your garden at night that will turn it into an enchanting space. There are several tricks that are easy to master and they work by accentuating the features you want to draw attention to. Our expert garden lighting ideas will help you create a wonderfully lit night garden that's a real design feature by revealing how to use these particular effects.

1. Match the Layered Interior Lighting Look

The trend for outdoor spaces becoming extensions of the home means a shift towards intentional garden lighting ideas. An outdoor chandelier can serve as a stunning centerpiece to reinforce the indoor-outdoor link. This covered patio with its elegant overhead lighting fixture makes the space feel more like an indoor room. The fire pit adds another dimension to the lighting, with flickering flames introducing soft layers to the overall look.

Patio areas used for relaxation and entertaining can be lit in a similar way to indoor rooms with statement lighting to add a contemporary look that transforms the space. The trick is to use lighting effects to create an intimate, cozy feel that is an invitation to linger late into the night instead of retreating indoors once it gets dark. This will increase the usable hours of your outdoor living space.

2. Uplight Favorite Accent Plants

When you're looking for ways to enhance your garden plants with lighting the trick is to use the right technique to make it as effective as possible. If you want to draw attention to a favorite area of planting to create interesting silhouettes, copy the techniques used by lighting designers for a natural look that doesn't feel contrived.

Many of the latest ideas feature warm lighting to highlight planting in an elegant way. An effective technique is to illuminate from the base upwards. The technique of highlighting is a simple method that uses directional lighting to draw attention to key features, such as a favorite accent plant. This targeted lighting spotlights the features you want to show off.

Try incorporating strategically placed adjustable solar garden spike lights like these ones from Wayfair or spotlights like these ones also from Wayfair into flower beds or borders to highlight planting. If you choose adjustable heads, you can point the light to illuminate the precise part of the plant you want to show off.

3. Illuminate Rocks & Gravel

The many angles and edges of rocks and gravel create a wonderful range of shapes, shadows and stone tones when lit. Even small rock garden ideas can be transformed into a dramatic night feature by installing lighting. A few well-positioned spotlights will add a suprising new element to gravel landscaping, too.

One of the best ways to light up a rock garden is with solar garden lights you can install yourself. Modern styles like these Outdoor Globe Lights with remote control from Amazon look particularly effective for rock garden lighting.

4. Upgrade a Greenhouse Into an Entertaining Space

A greenhouse can be so much more than simply a growing space, especially if clever layered lighting is introduced to the mix. The current trend is to choose a larger structure that can be used as part greenhouse, part lifestyle space for hosting or relaxing. And what could be more lovely than turning a greenhouse into a dining space for special occasions at night?

Rather than using one or two strong lights, choose a soft and enchanting mix of smaller string lights, pendant lights and candles to maximise the additional illumination offered by reflections on the glass walls. Plus, of course, showcase any greenhouse plants you have growing in the space too. If you entertain regularly, try a voice control function through an app or Google Home Smart Lighting which lets you dim the lights easily to create the right mood for your party.

5. Illuminate Garden Steps to Add a Sleek Modern Accent

There's currently a strong trend for integrating lighting fixtures in steps, decks, retaining walls and other surfaces such as planter boxes. One of the more practical aspects of garden lighting ideas is focusing on paths, steps and any other changes in level to ensure that any routes through the garden routinely used after dark are safely lit. Choose low, directional lighting such as recessed step lights or small bollards to guide the way

This sleek design shows how recessed lights can be used to throw a pool of light across step treads to safely illuminate the surface. The light source may be attached to the step riser or the tread itself by using LED strip lighting like these solar step lights from Amazon. This is especially important if you're looking for clever ways to cope with a sloping garden that has multiple changes of level throughout, meaning it can be difficult to navigate at night.

6. Create an Enchanting Patio Nook

Choose creative garden lighting ideas and you can create an entirely different look for your garden at night that's warm and welcoming. Soft, subtle patio lighting is one of the easiest looks to put together, and will cast a gentle glow that will transform the space into a sheltering nook to share with family and friends at dusk.

The current trend for layering the lighting is essential to get the right feel. Fix easy lights to any overhead structures – you can't go wrong with these Twinkle Star LED String Lights from Target. Add low-intensity downlights, then fix up hanging lanterns to further illuminate your patio seating area for extra warmth and ambience. Subtle uplighting from carefully positioned planters will complete the look.

7. Make a Water Feature Look Magical

Underwater lighting can really help to elevate a water feature or pond at night and turn it into more of a designer feature that is especially lovely if you're entertaining as it adds a party vibe. Lighting also helps make natural swimming pools more visible so it doubles as a safety feature after dark.

If your water feature has fountains or waterfalls, underwater lighting is also effective for enhancing them, especially when used in conjunction with spotlights. Just make sure that any products you choose are designed to be used in water. To get a similar effect to the design above choose a submersible pond fountain light pump kit like this one from Amazon, which adds a warm white glow.

For a quick solution, it's simple to create a DIY water feature with a solar-powered floating fountain, and some have LED lights and a battery to store energy for an illuminated H₂O show come nighttime.

8. Put the Spotlight on Wall Lights

If you prefer a more traditional look, try elegant ideas like wall lights, or wall sconces which project light both upward and downward at the same time. These can be used to highlight architectural features such as porches and garden rooms, as well as planting displays. In this design an antique-inspired copper light enhances the wall-hung planter as well as generally illuminating the space.

Alternatively choose wall light fixtures with a minimalist feel and simple design like this modern Outdoor Wall Light from Amazon, which has warm white LED lights to create a welcoming atmosphere for patios, balconies, and porches.

9. Turn a Tree into a Sculptural Statement

Deciding to light a tree will be one of the best landscaping decisions you make. It's a quick way to bring drama to the night garden, plus it's so easy to do. Try uplighting from the base of the tree to highlight the trunk, which will cast interesting shadows. This idea will work especially well to enhance the sculptural outline of a palm tree.

Alternatively place a light high in the tree, facing downwards, so it casts gentle light through the branches. This is known as 'moonlighting', and gives a calm, dappled effect that feels natural and soft. An adjustable solar spotlight will work well as you can get the angle you desire exactly right. Using a lighting technique like this will have the effect of making your garden feel polished and professional.

10. Give a Seating Arrangement a Warm Glow

You may have heard about the positive benefits of biophilia but may not realise that biophilic lighting has also been shown to help reduce stress and create more inviting spaces. It translates as using the right light so your garden feels like a restful and soothing place.

The delightfully warm amber tones in this design makes it perfect for enjoying the sunset as the lighting imitates nature, feeling both natural and comforting to enhance the scene. You can find outdoor amber LED bulbs here at Amazon. This is also the perfect choice if you want to create a wildlife garden as amber LEDs are far less disruptive to insects and birds.

11. Draw Attention to Repeated Elements

Repetition is a key element in garden design for a cohesive effect. You can use lighting to carry this pulled-together vibe from day into night, by illuminating a regular feature such as a row of pleached trees.

Using the same tone of lighting in multiple spots around your garden will also do the trick. For example, you could use a warm tone to create an amber glow around a fire pit area as well as to enhance a piece of sculpture on a pedestal.

It might be tempting to try a RGBWIC lighting system, which is in effect a more sophisticated update on color-changing LEDs. Combing red, green, blue, and white channels, along with an independent white channel, with RGBWIC you get precise, consistent color.

12. Dress a Pergola with Lanterns to Throw Patterns

Enhance both the functionality and aesthetics of a pergola structure with lighting ideas that utilize the open roof pattern of the struts. Lattice-effect lanterns can be hung from the crossbeams to throw magical silhouettes across the space. Lighting techniques like this help to transform a hard structure into a welcoming focal point that invites people inside.

Use a layering technique, first draping string lights through the rafters for a soft overhead glow. If you have pergola pillars clothed in climbing plants, tuck uplights or spotlights into the base of each one to highlight their texture. Finally, add multiple lanterns, pendant lights or glass globes at different heights. The result? Your simple outdoor pergola becomes an enchanting destination, thanks to the latest garden lighting ideas.

3 of the Prettiest Pergola Lanterns

If you're a dog person, you aren’t likely to want a “no-dogs” garden. Dogs love to be in the backyard on a sunny afternoon, romping around while you pull weeds, or enjoying a nap on the patio.

Is it possible to build a landscape that will welcome your pet while keeping those flowers and shrubs happy as well? A dog friendly garden isn't an impossible dream, as long as you take time to think through the arrangement.

I’ve had dogs all my life and currently travel with my best girl Delilah, a 50-pound rescue pup who feels at home in both my backyard garden in San Francisco and my bigger landscape in Sare, France. I’ve got lots of ideas on how you can make it work.

Letting the Tail Wag the Dog

Some gardeners design their dream garden, then look for some small part of it that can accommodate their dog. Not me. I never make any garden plans without thinking through what will work for Delilah. Some of my friends call the way I garden “letting the tail wag the dog.” And I assure you, it’s easier that way.

That’s because dogs naturally need places to sniff and run and play. Since these pathways must be an integral part of the garden, it’s a lot easier to plan for them in advance.

Doggy Runways

Sometimes dogs amble down the garden pathway, stopping to sniff here and there, then flop out in the sun. But many times, especially first thing in the morning, your dog needs something akin to an airport runway that allows them to dash along and work off some of their energy.

Creating effective dog pathways will not only make the garden inviting to your dog, but it will also keep big paws and sniffing noses out of your herb garden. Make sure that the path is wide and made of tough, stable material. This is not the place to use a gentle groundcover like thyme plants. In San Francisco we installed a flagstone pathway that runs up to the end of the garden, then circles around and comes back on the other side. Compacted gravel or decomposed granite would work well too.

These spacious side paths work well for me too, since it’s easy to wheel up the wheel barrow up wide passage ways. The stone pathways stay cool for dog paws and also look elegant.

Pet Service Areas

One of the big “problems” cited for mixing pets and gardens is the fact that pets use the bathroom outside. You could keep your dog out of the garden completely... or you could set up service areas.

Find a good bathroom area for your pet, far from veggie and herb gardens. The spot should have good drainage and, ideally, slope down and away from irrigation or other water sources. Cover the area with materials that drain well, like gravel, then plant “screening” shrubs to give your pet some privacy. You’ll need to steer away from dog-toxic plants. You'll want something dog-safe with lovely flowers, like hydrangeas or camellias. Install a stepping stone path through the planted area for ease of doggy access.

Patio for Sun and Shade

I have a wooden patio in San Francisco, a stone patio in France. There is a comfy dog bed on each patio plus a bowl of water, and each offers areas of sun and shade. My dog loves to hang out on the patio, moving from sun to shade as the mood strikes her. Sometimes she changes lounging areas from sun to shade then back again every 10 minutes.

I’ve planted shrubs and also trees around the patios to offer natural shade, but even shade from a pergola or an umbrella will work. Both pergolas and gazebos can create lovely shade where dogs can keep cool on hot summer days. The overhead coverage (cover them with grapes, kiwis, or other vines!) give this backyard area a natural, airy atmosphere.

Play Areas for Bouncy Pets

My dog is happy to run up and down the doggy walkways and lounge on the patio. I installed a veggie garden in the center of the garden in raised beds and my dog never romps there or even steps into that area.

But Delilah is quite calm for a young dog, and other dogs can be bouncier. If this describes your doggo, you’ll want to consider creating a dedicated area for puppy to play. The bigger your backyard, the more space you can devote to a fenced play area. Even the smallest dog will need at least 200 square feet (18 square meters) and bigger dogs may need twice that space to exercise.

What to plant in the doggy play area? Use ornamental grasses – they're tough, drought tolerant, and look attractive as play area borders. I’ve seen dog areas rimmed in sunflowers. They also provide food for wild birds when they're mature. But don’t forget that this spot is for the dog, not for guests. So logs and rocks are even better than gorgeous flowers, since dogs can incorporate these natural elements into their play.

Other Great Additions

These are just a few great ideas to add to the “barkitecture” of a pet-friendly garden. But with a little more time and money, you can make the backyard a doggy Disneyland. Try one or more of these and see how happy your canine becomes.

• Water feature – add a shallow wading pool in the dog area. If your dog is anything like mine, they adore splashing and playing when the weather is hot. Some of my friends have put in fountains - elements that both give the dogs flowing water to drink and play in and add beauty to the backyard.
• Tough turfgrass – you can replace your tender green lawn with a tougher turfgrass like resilient bermuda grass. It's renowned for its ability to tolerate heavy use without dying back, so your dog can run and play there.
• Doggy herb garden – some herbs just smell so good that even dogs enjoy passing by. Mint is one such herb that dogs enjoy. Plant it near the dog pathway, together with other safe, aromatic herbs like lemongrass and rosemary.

Barkitecture Essentials

Forget dreaming of having a designer garden someday: it’s a straightforward task to add any of these striking centerpiece plants to your backyard and they’ll instantly turn your garden style dial from drab to fab. The beauty of accent plants is that they command attention, so have a huge impact on the overall vibe of your landscape design. Choose a feature plant that’s beloved by professional landscape designers and you can be sure that backyard vibe is going to be standout chic, sleek, and seriously impressive.

So, if you’re only going to add one plant to your garden this year, make it an accent plant that’s been tried, tested and approved by the professionals.

Landscape designers know that any plant used as a garden accent must ooze with charisma, invite all eyes with dramatic foliage, flowers or form, and perform for months on end. So while these plants aren’t cheap, when it comes to bang for your buck, they offer great garden value if you're landscaping your backyard on a budget.

Another common characteristic of accent plants favored by garden professionals is that they’re easy to look after, because not all folk who have their backyard landscaped are gardeners, so care must be simple. And, as many busy clients engage their landscapers to maintain the garden, it follows that the professionals will always choose low-maintenance plants.

Professional landscapers are in the know about new, improved cultivars, too, that not only bring heightened flower power and disease resistance, but plants not often seen in gardens so everyone will want to know what they are.

So, all these plants are straightforward to grow, and all are perennials to bring the wow factor to your backyard year after year. Which will dazzle best in your garden?

1. New Cascading Hydrangea

• Zones 5–9
• Part to full sun
• Flowers from late May throughout summer
• Grows up to 4' high and wide

Yes, you read that right: not a climbing hydrangea but a cascading one! Hydrangea Fairytrail Bride is a new hydrangea form, available from Proven Winners via Amazon. It won the coveted ‘Plant of the Year’ award when it was introduced at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2018, and it’s fast become a firm favorite with landscape designers. You too will doubtless love its elegant white lacecap blooms, yes, but you’ll adore that they flower along cascading stems.

Hydrangea Fairytrail Bride naturally forms a pleasing mound, as well as growing thrilling, spilling stems. And it does spill rather than trail, despite its name: its ‘Cascade Hydrangea’ classification refers to the fact that it flowers along its entire stem, rather than just at the tip as other hydrangeas do – which, of course, means lots more flowers.

This reblooming hydrangea doesn’t even need pruning! A perennial shrub, it’s best grown in a container to show off its spectacular form and flowing stems, and a large corten steel cube such as this from Amazon would make a dreamy backdrop to display its ice-white flowers to full effect. As patio ideas go, it's a showstopper!

You might also see this plant listed as Hydrangea ‘Runaway Bride’ as it was launched in Europe under this name, though it’s branded as ‘Fairytrail Bride’ in North America.

2. Lavender-Blue Rose of Sharon

• Zones 5–9
• Full sun
• Flowers from early summer to late fall
• Grows to 8–12' high and 4–6' wide but easily kept smaller

Oh, will you just look at the colors of this gorgeous rose of Sharon flower! This standout lavender blue shade is a rare joy in the hundreds of althea cultivars available, and is accentuated by painterly splashes of magenta.

Rose of Sharon Aruzzi Blue Satin, also called Hibiscus syriacus ‘DVPazurri’, flowers from July to October so you’ll get to appreciate these beautiful 3–4-inch blooms for months on end. And hummingbirds will love them them as much as you do! The reason why it blooms for so long is because this rose of Sharon variety is sterile (doesn’t produce seeds), so it’s not in a hurry to get on with the job of reproduction. That also means you don’t have to worry about unwanted seedlings.

While this perennial is a spectacular upright shrub, landscape designers love to use it to create a hedge. It’s a practical as well as highly aesthetic option, as this rose of Sharon from Proven Winners, available from Nature Hills, is deer-resistant and tolerant of salt as well as heat. For privacy, plant three feet apart or, for a looser, more natural screen, 4–6 feet apart.

3. Snowy-Leaved Hosta

• Zones 3–9
• Shade to partial shade
• Flowers early to late summer
• Grows to 20" high and 1" wide

Proving that a stunning accent plant doesn’t need to be big to be noticed, Hosta ‘White Feather’ brings foliage into the spotlight. These ribbed, wavy leaves emerge a light, white color in spring, then gradually deepen to green with white streaks as the seasons progress. In summer, pale lavender tubular blooms rise from the foliage, attracting hummingbirds with their plentiful supply of nectar. For a plant that only grows to 20 inches high, that’s quite a show!

As it’s a hosta, this variety loves dappled to full shade so you can turn a dark, forgotten corner into your new favorite garden feature. Hosta ‘White Feather’ is available from Jackson & Perkins and, because it’s most spectacular before many other accent plants get into their stride, it’s a great addition to any backyard design.

4. Showstopper Intersectional Peony

• Zones 3–8
• Full sun to partial shade
• Flowers May through June
• Grows to 2½ –3' high and 2–3' wide

Peony blooms are simply glorious – but they only last for a few short weeks, right? Wrong! Intersectional peonies, also known as ‘Itoh’ peonies, are a cross between herbaceous peonies (Paeonia lactiflora, she of the fabulous but short-lived flowers) and tree peonies (Paeonia x suffruticosa, which is a bigger, slow-growing plant). Itoh peonies have inherited the best from both parents, growing huge flowers up to 8 inches in diameter, that don’t need staking, over a much longer time period.

Intersectional peonies were years in the breeding – and it took a good few years more for their price to drop within reach of the average gardener – but now there’s a wonderful range to choose from. They're still considered fairly rare, prestigious garden additions however.

‘Bartzella’ is one of the most popular with landscape designers as its yellow blooms are an intense but fresh, lemony tone that’s simply sunshine on a stick in any backyard! The cupped flowers are lightly fragranced and the finely divided foliage is equally pretty, turning red before dropping in fall. This long-lived perennial is available as a mature plant in a 3 gallon pot from Fast Growing Trees, or if you’re patient enough to wait a couple of years for blooms, you can save money by buying a bare root Itoh peony ‘Bartzella’ from Burpee.

5. Incredible Flowering Japanese Dogwood Tree

• Zones 5–9
• Full sun to partial shade
• Flowers May–June
• Grows to 20–25' high and 15–20' wide

Can you imagine an ornamental tree growing in your front yard that's covered in these fabulous 5-inch fuchsia-pink jewels for nearly two months? Cornus kousa ‘Rutpink’ is genuinely traffic-stopping! Japanese dogwood trees have long been a favorite with landscape designers because of their many seasons of interest, but this new variety takes the show to a whole new level.

Those spectacular pink petal-like structures are actually bracts (the leaf-like organs that normally protect a bud), which is why they last so long in late spring. But there's more! The bracts give way to ornamental strawberry-like fruits that are a textural treat amid lush deep-green leaves tinged with purple. And just wait till you see the intense reds and oranges of this tree’s fall colors! Even in winter, the exfoliating tan and grey bark of this distinctive deciduous tree provides interest.

Although this accent tree eventually reaches a height of 20–25 feet high, it’s a slow grower, putting on 1–2 feet of growth a year. Also known as Scarlet Fire Japanese Dogwood, it’s available from Nature Hills. As well as being bred for its ornamental value, this cultivar has super resistant to common dogwood issues like powdery mildew, so it’s extremely easy to care for.

6. Stunning New Patio Clematis

• Zones 4–9
• Partial shade
• Flowers May–July, with a second flush in September
• Grows to 3–4' high

Clematis ‘Elpis’ is a new cultivar only introduced last year but it’s had a big impact on backyard design already. The reason why it’s proving so popular with garden professionals is the incredible ratio of flower power to its tiny footprint. Intentionally bred for small gardens, Clematis ‘Elpis’ only grows to 3–4 feet high but is smothered in enormous 4–5 inch flowers.

With petals in a knock-out deep red, velvety color that doesn't fade in the sun, and striking golden stamens, the blooms keep on coming from May through to July, and you’ll enjoy another flush in September, too. This amazing new cultivar, available from Jackson & Perkins, is happy in a container at least 18 inches in diameter – my pick would be this weathered concrete pot from Amazon in a tone that'll show off those ruby-red flowers a treat – so it’s perfect for a patio feature.

Perennial clematis are straightforward to grow and, however big or small your backyard, there's a clematis to suit every backyard spot. Clematis ‘Elpis’ is a particularly good choice for any garden site that enjoys a mix of sun and shade, and it's super-easy to care for: simply reduce all the stems to around 6 inches above soil level in late winter or early spring, every year.

7. Tropical-Scent All-Summer Rose

• Zones 5–10
• Full sun
• Flowers continually from spring through summer and into fall
• Grows to 3–4' high and 2–3' wide

We all love a rose, but with so many options available, garden designers only love a rose that works incredibly hard for very little input! The Bolero rose certainly fulfills those criteria. For a start, its apricot flowers are ravishing ruffles of petals that are effortlessly stylish. As this shrub is part of the Bloomables range available from Fast Growing Trees, it’s a repeat bloomer, so flowers from spring, all through summer, into fall. But what professional landscapers really value about this garden beauty is its enticing tropical fragrance that elevates the outdoor living experience in any backyard.

Choosing a rose with a scent you adore is just as important as selecting a color you love. And this sweet-scented variety won't disappoint: it has a strong floral and fruity fragrance that pairs sweetness with a lemon freshness and just a hint of spice so it's never cloying.

Also called Rosa ‘Meidelweis’, the perennial shrub is compact enough to live in a patio pot yet commands enough attention to stand out in a large backyard. Heat- and drought-tolerant, disease resistant and low maintenance, you can see why landscape designers agree that Bolero is a no brainer garden accent plant. So, if you're looking for a quick way to upgrade a border this spring, here's your solution!

8. Small-Space Astilbe Fireworks

• Zones 3–8
• Partial shade
• Flowers July–August
• Grows 1' tall and wide

Choosing an accent plant for a big backyard is easy: you’ve got room for two or three so each can have a shorter span of interest, options of sun and shade, and zero restrictions on size. In a compact garden, finding an accent plant is far more difficult because it needs to perform for months, stay compact and – because small backyards often come with shade-creating boundaries – cope with less sunshine.

Which is why landscape designers adore dwarf astilbe ‘Sprite’. Only growing to a foot high and wide, perennial Astilbe ‘Sprite’ brings floral fireworks all through summer, its sprays of shell-pink flowers on arching stems lighting up a partially shady spot. But leave those spent flower spires intact, and they'll bring architectural interest all through fall and winter.

Pollinators love the nectar-rich blooms, too, adding to the show. Using light-toned blooms is a clever way to make a small garden look bigger, and the finely divided deep-green foliage is just as pretty as the flowers, naturally growing into tidy mounds of lacy leaves.

This small-space stunner, available from Nature Hills, is super-easy to look after, like most astilbe. The key to success is regular watering and an annual layer of mulch, as it likes moist conditions. Then all you need do is remove stems and old foliage in early spring for a repeat show, year after year.

9. Standout Sculptural Maiden Grass

• Zones 5–9
• Full sun to partial shade
• Flowers late summer into fall
• Grows to 4–5' high and 2–3' wide

Professionally landscaped gardens need to look good year-round so designers always use autumn and winter stunners alongside centerpiece plants that peak in summer. Miscanthus sinensis ‘Adagio’ is a favorite because its soft, arching foliage quietly adds movement in spring and summer, but puts on a wonderful show and dance all through fall and winter.

And we do mean wonderful! For a start, the blades of this ornamental maiden grass turn a standout straw-yellow tone. Plus, the sculptural plumes it grows in late summer, emerging a burgundy-bronze color then bleaching to blonde, persist all through fall and winter to provide striking structure.

With an upright, clumping habit, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Adagio’ is a well-behaved backyard addition, and isn’t invasive like some Miscanthus grasses. It’s available from Nature Hills and is very low-maintenance: all the care it needs is to be chopped down to 3–6 inches above the ground in spring and, as this is a perennial grass, the show will re-run for years to come.

10. Architectural Silver Stems

• Zones 3–9
• Full sun
• Flowers July–September
• Grows to 30" high and 16" wide

Russian sage brings feathery silvery-blue foliage, spires of lavender flowers beloved by pollinators, and a pleasant woody scent, all through summer – but that’s not why landscape designers choose to use it so often in their garden designs. Yes, it absolutely adds to the mix of summer blooms, but it’s in winter that Russian sage steps into its role as a striking accent plant. The silvery well-branched stems shine out as temperatures tumble, standing up to all weathers to create incredible architectural structure that lasts all through winter.

To use Russian sage for this purpose, the ‘CrazyBlue’ variety from Better Versions, available from Fast Growing Trees, is your best bet as it’s a compact cultivar that’s been bred to have stiffer stems that interlock with one another, so it won’t flop no matter what winter weather is thrown at it. Once established, Perovskia atriplicifolia ‘CrazyBlue’ is very drought-tolerant and needs minimal watering, so all this low-maintenance perennial plant needs care-wise is for old stems to be removed in early spring to make way for new growth.

Choosing a color planting palette is one of the first tasks landscaping designers do when creating new garden design ideas. Whether you're planning a new garden, refreshing the planting in an existing backyard, or just reimagining a border, it's a good idea to know your way around color theory before you make any choices about this important garden design element.

When creating a planting palette, first look at the color wheel to see the relationships of colors and how they work together. Colors from opposite sides of the wheel such as yellow and purple, or red and green, create dynamic, contrasting combinations, whereas adjacent colors such as purple and blue are more subtle and harmonious.

Another way to create planting palettes is to choose just one favorite garden color, then use plants in all its various tones such as the full range of blues from dark navy shades to the palest sky blue. In addition to flower color, remember that leaves, bark, berries, and stems all have a role to play as well, when pulling together ideas for garden design planting palettes.

It's well worth learning a little about how different color combinations work in garden design, as you can planting palettes can make a small garden feel bigger, or light up a shady spot, as well as dictate your backyard vibe. Discover how plant color works in garden design, and how particular planting palettes can affect the overall feel as well as improve the look of your flowerbeds and borders. Which of these inspirational plant color combinations would suit your backyard best?

1. Harmonious Hot Tones Bring Warmth and Vibrancy

Choosing colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel results in some of the most harmonious combinations in garden design. Known as analogous colors, a mix of red, orange and yellow, for example, or blue, purple and lilac, brings a look that feels instantly curated.

If you love vibrant color, picking a planting palette based on a 'hot' theme will definitely give you a design that's a talking point. The usual combination is a mix of red, orange, and yellow flowers, but widen the spectrum by throwing in the occasional splash of hot pink and this palette instantly looks more contemporary. The hotter the weather, the better this color combination works.

This design features an intense mix of orange and yellow achillea (also known as yarrow) 'Paprika', dark red achillea 'Pomegranate', and yellow Helianthus perennial sunflower 'Lemon Queen', plus touches of pink from Veronica (speedwell) and Echinacea pallida.

Hot colors look best in sunny gardens as they encapsulate the very best of sun-baked days and fiery sunsets. As light intensity increases, stronger hues such as vivid red and orange appear more brilliant than muted colors. Opt for true colors that will stand out most, and choose pale foliage to fill in behind the blooms to further enhance this intensity.

2. Opposite Colors Can Lift a Gloomy Corner

Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel are called complementary colors. They bring out the best in each other, making each appear brighter and more vivid, so is a useful technique to lift a gloomy corner.

Purple and yellow work particularly well as a planting palette. Rich, dark shades of plum and aubergine are guaranteed to bring drama, and purple looks vibrant during the day and the color intensifies at dusk. Pair with easy-going yellow to create a sumptuous color combo.

In this planting design, dark spikes of purple-blue veronica (speedwell) add a punctuation note to the planting. Choose cultivars like Veronica ‘Purpleicious’ or Veronica 'Royal Candles', available from Nature Hills. The purple planting is enhanced by clusters of flat-topped achillea in a warm yellow shade for a contrasting sunny accent. Choose cultivars like Achillea 'Moonshine', available from Amazon or the equally stunning 'Cloth of Gold'. Both veronica and achillea are great choices for filling garden borders with stunning color.

3. A Single Color Creates a Soothing Statement

A monochromatic planting scheme uses just one color for a dramatic yet cohesive effect. Repetition of one particular color throughout the planting makes quite a statement, but the unity it brings adds a strong sense of calm to your garden design.

The trick is to use different tones of your chosen color to layer interest. If you choose purple, for example, look at adding the full range of tones to your design, from dark notes of plum, grape and eggplant to warm maroon and mulberry hues, as well as pale lavender and lilac shades to offer a cooler edge.

This is one of the easiest planting palettes to achieve. Simply pick your favorite color and work with the various tones it comes in throughout your garden. Do ensure you use the full range of shades available, though, or planting can look flat.

4. White Softens Bold, Brash Colors

White is a useful element to add to a bold planting palette as it softens the effect of bright, brash tones. This means you can use a dynamic combination of flower colors for a dramatic look, but sprinkling white blooms through it ensures it stays highly stylish.

Adding white to your planting palette also makes the garden design feel light and airy. It's an especially good idea if you use your garden mainly in the evening, as white flowers will add a luminous touch once dusk falls. If your backyard is shady, or has a shady spot, then white will bring its own light into a dark space.

In this garden design, red monarda (also known as bee balm) is paired with drifts of airy white gaura in a timeless, beautiful way.

5. Pops of Lime Bring Zing to a Planting Scheme

Bold and punchy lime green is a real asset in garden planting schemes. Lime flowers and foliage can be woven through many planting palettes to freshen it, and its repetition will pull a design together. As a neutral color, lime goes with everything, bringing out the best in other colors and making them appear more punchy. This vibrant color is a standout in shady gardens, too, where it adds brightness.

There's a big selection of lime green plants to choose from, including top picks of Hydrangea 'Little Lime', Echinacea ‘Coconut Lime’, Nicotiana ‘Lime Green’, Zinnia 'Green Envy', and lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis). Euphorbia is a go-to as well for its distinctive lime bracts. In this design, lime-green hydrangea 'Little Lime', available from Nature Hills, is paired with the tall spikes of purple Salvia ‘Amistad’, available from Amazon, to make their dark, inky color radiate more brightly.

6. Silver Foliage Illuminates Any Scheme

Silver-gray is considered neutral in planting palettes and can effectively be used to lighten any color combination. This illuminating tone also brings an elegant note, and creates a backdrop to show off bright blooms or shapely foliage. In the same way as white is used, silver foliage can be woven through planting to brighten shady areas of the garden, too. It also offers an interesting and welcome contrast to classic green foliage.

Pairing naturally with dry garden schemes, silver-leaved plants are often found in hot, sunny climates. In a sun-baked garden, silver foliage plants such as sea holly (Eryngium), Santolina, Artemisia, and lamb's ears make the hotter colors pop and help to pull the whole design together.

7. Neutral Tones Create a Naturalistic Aesthetic

Choosing soft, neutral colors such as cream, beige, soft taupe and earthy tones in the garden creates a tranquil, relaxing outdoor space that's subtle, understated and above all, naturalistic. Think of it as taking one of the all-time favorite indoor decorating themes outside into the garden, where it will work just as well. It's a look that stands the test of time, too, as you're unlikely to tire of it as you might a more vibrant trending color scheme.

A combination of neutral colors brings focus to texture and shape, rather than tone, so this is a great way to bring a different aspect to your garden design. You could use neutrals throughout your garden for a stylish, naturalistic aesthetic, or simply employ the earthy tones of ornamental grasses as a soft backdrop to a punchier palette. These tones are also really useful to tie hard and soft landscaping together for a seamless garden design. Think of it as an easy way to add harmony and tranquility, especially if you're looking for ideas for meditation gardens, courtyard gardens, and outdoor seating areas.

7. Matching Intense Colors Creates a Focal Point

Even if you're using an unusual color combination such as yellow and pink, it will work just as long as you pick equally intense shades of both. Do this, and they'll work happily together in planting palettes to add a focal point to the mix that interests the eye.

Because an intense color combo draws all eyes to it, be careful where you use it. Place it on a far boundary and it can have the effect of making a garden look smaller, as the plants seem closer; but use it near the house and it will make your backyard appear bigger.

Strong yellow flowers include day lilies, coreopsis (tickseed), and the yellow variety of red hot pokers. Flowers with an intense pink hue that can easily match them include bright pink dahlia, hot pink gerbera daisies and dark pink spiky veronica.

Intense Yellow Color Pops

8. Soothing Green Shades Make For a Contemplative Space

It's easy to forget that green is the main color in most garden planting designs! In the plant world, there are more shades of it than any other color, so do consider its effect in your planting palette. In addition to forming the backdrop of most garden designs, it has many positive associations in terms of health and wellbeing, and studies show it reduces stress. It's also a calming color that is easy on the eye.

Green can be used on its own in a monochromatic planting palette, and this is a great option for a small garden as green is a cool, recessive color so will make any space appear bigger. It's also a very relaxing color, so perfect for moments of garden contemplation. The focus in a predominantly green garden often becomes about the shape, texture and sculptural qualities of the leaves, in addition to the range of tones on offer. Interesting plants like ferns, hosta, New Zealand flax, euphorbia and bergenia (elephant's ears) add definition.

9. Cottagecore Pastels Bring a Relaxed Optimism

If you're dreaming of harmonious cottagecore planting featuring hollyhocks and sweet peas, first familiarize yourself with the signature colors of this look: a pretty palette of mossy green, dusky rose pink, and washed out lavender-blue. These faded petal colors are one of the big garden trends for 2026.

As you can see in this pretty design, the introduction of a pop of deeper red, burgundy or purple anchors the mix of lighter pastels. Here, pink coneflowers, pale blue scabiosa pincushion flowers, and green lady's mantle are punctuated by the darker notes of tall shaggy red monarda stems. A cottage garden planting palette such as this feels in harmony with nature and is the perfect recipe for creating a relaxing, quietly optimistic vibe. It will attract plenty of pollinators to your garden too.

Perfect Cottagecore Pretties

Most edging solutions start with a trip to the hardware store. The English edge doesn’t. It’s a hand-cut V-shaped trench dug directly into the turf where lawn meets bed ≠ no materials, no installation, no eventual cracking or heaving. What it produces is a shadow line so clean it reads as intentional from twenty feet away, which is about all anyone can ask from a garden border.

The technique fits naturally into any range of edging ideas worth trying, but it has a few practical advantages the others don’t. It handles drainage differently than hard edging, it’s easier to maintain long-term, and it costs nothing. That combination is hard to argue with.

How to Cut an English Edge

The cut itself is straightforward.

• Push a flat spade into the turf at roughly 90 degrees on the bed side and angle it back toward the lawn at about 45 degrees – that creates the V profile.
• Work in short overlapping strokes rather than trying to pull a long clean line all at once.
• The removed material lifts out in wedge-shaped chunks; shake the soil back into the bed and discard or compost the turf.
• What’s left is a defined inner wall on the bed side and a sloped face on the lawn side, with a channel between them around 2–3 inches (5–8 cm) wide and deep.
• Starting at a corner or a fixed point and working in one direction keeps the line from drifting.

The shadow that forms in that channel is what does the visual work. Light hits the raised lawn edge and drops off into the trench – the contrast reads as a hard line even though nothing is physically installed. Done right, it’s sharper-looking than most plastic types of edging and considerably sharper than the soft, undefined transition that builds up in unmaintained beds over a season or two. Clay soils hold the wall particularly well; sandy soils may need that edge reset slightly more often.

The Drainage Benefit

The trench isn’t just cosmetic. During heavy rain, surface water running off the lawn hits the channel first, rather than sheeting directly into the bed. Mulch that would otherwise wash out onto the turf stays put better, held back by the lip of the trench. The channel absorbs the initial flow and lets it disperse more slowly – useful in beds where compacted soil or slope makes drainage tricky anyway.

Grass roots are the other thing it manages. Turf spreads through stolons and rhizomes running just under the surface, and a physical gap interrupts that horizontal movement in a way that painted lines and shallow plastic barriers don’t. The roots reach the edge of the trench and slow down drastically from exposure. That alone saves real time – fewer hours pulling grass from the front of established perennial beds is a meaningful return on what amounts to a one-time digging job. In beds with aggressive turf varieties, the difference is especially noticeable by midsummer.

Why It's Easier to Maintain Than Hard Edging

Plastic and steel edging both develop problems over time. Plastic heaves in freeze-thaw cycles, cracks under string trimmers, and eventually sits at odd angles that take more effort to fix than to just remove. Steel holds up better but still needs resetting after a few seasons and tends to leave rust staining in lighter-colored mulches. The English edge has none of those failure modes because there’s nothing installed to fail.

Touching it up once or twice a season with a flat spade or a dedicated half-moon edger is a quick task. A long-handled half-moon edger from Amazon makes the maintenance pass faster and keeps the cut cleaner than working with a standard spade – very much worth having if there’s more than one bed to maintain.

The other practical upside: expanding a bed is just more digging. No hardware to remove, no new material to buy, no seam to manage where the old edging ends and the new section starts.

Keeping the Line Sharp Through the Season

Grass will eventually creep back toward the trench – that’s just what turf does. The maintenance pass is about resetting the V profile before that creep becomes visible rather than after it already has. Doing it in early spring before growth accelerates and again in midsummer covers most situations. In warm climates where turf stays active longer, a third pass in early fall isn’t unusual.

Mulch depth in the bed makes a difference here too. Keeping it at 2–3 inches (5–8cm) right up to the edge of the trench – without letting it spill over – reinforces the visual line and slows moisture loss from the border zone where beds tend to dry out fastest. A quality bow rake from Amazon keeps mulch distributed evenly and lets you pull it back cleanly from the trench edge without disturbing the cut. The line stays visible, the drainage channel stays open, and the whole bed looks maintained rather than just planted.

A mid-century modern home has a way of making landscaping look easy when it’s done right. The flat rooflines, strong horizontals, big windows can complement a well-designed landscape beautifully. But it can also create a mishmash that fights the design of your home, if you pick the wrong plants.

Good mid-century modern landscaping works with the clean lines of the architecture instead. It’s restrained, graphic, and plants are chosen for their silhouette as much as for blooms. The selections that tend to work well in contemporary gardens share a few qualities: clean form, year-round presence, and tough plants that stay sharp without much intervention.

The 8 mid-century landscaping ideas below span a range of zones and conditions, so there’s something for every MCM home regardless of climate or site. No matter where you live, you can create a cohesive contemporary aesthetic that enhances the beauty of both your home and landscape.

Mid-Century Modern Plants

These aren’t the only plants that work with a mid-century modern aesthetic, but they’re the ones that often appear in beautifully designed MCM landscapes. Structure is what earns them a spot first and foremost – color is just a bonus.

1. Japanese Maple

Japanese maples pull a lot of quiet weight in mid-century landscaping. Their branching is layered and architectural – even without a leaf on the trees – and fall foliage color runs from deep burgundy to fiery orange, depending on the variety.

This tree is tough to beat, honestly. Weeping or upright both work wonderfully. The choice mostly comes down to how much room you have. If you have a small landscape, you can even grow Japanese maples in pots.

Partial shade is fine, which makes them particularly useful on the north or east side of a house where most sun-lovers struggle. Consistent moisture and a good mulch layer through the first season are about all Japanese maples need – after that they mostly take care of themselves.

Explore an array of wow-worthy Japanese maples from Fast Growing Trees.

2. Feather Reed Grass

Feather reed grass is about as close to mid-century geometry as a perennial can get. It's tall, arrow-straight, and not inclined to flopping. This low-maintenance ornamental grass emerges upright in spring and holds that posture clear through winter, which is more than most other grasses can manage.

Plant feather reed grass in full sun and average soil. Heavy clay and dry spells don’t really faze it, once it’s had a season to settle in.

Mass plants in a border strip or repeat by planting along a fence line. Either way, the repetition is what makes this grass work in a contemporary landscape. Cut it back hard in late winter and it returns looking sharp, season after season.

'Karl Foerster' is a popular cultivar of feather reed grass that you can get from Nature Hills Nursery or Home Depot online.

3. Agave

Drop an agave rosette in a bed of decomposed granite and these mid-century modern plants basically take care of themselves. The geometry is almost too good. Their form stays sharp year-round and some species go weeks without water.

Hardiness varies a lot by species, though, so it’s important to read the tag before buying. Cold-hardy types of agave plants push into zone 5, but others need zone 9 or warmer.

Full sun and fast drainage aren’t optional with agave. Working a gritty cactus and succulent potting mix from Amazon into the planting hole sorts out drainage from the start, which is vitally important for these desert-dwelling plants.

A Century plant (A. Americana) from Fast Growing Trees looks sharp in a pot or planted in-ground, if you live in a warmer climate.

4. Muhly Grass

Come September, muhly grass turns into a cloud of pink-purple haze that stops people mid-stride. That’s the moment it’s there for. That delicate, hazy texture sits well next to harder materials – concrete, steel edging, board-formed walls – which are common in mid-century modern design.

The other ten months, muhly grass is a tidy mound of fine green texture, quiet and undemanding. Heat and drought don’t bother it and neither does sandy or rocky soil. A little neglect suits this ornamental grass just fine.

Get a 3-pack of pink muhly grass plants from Home Depot.

5. Bird of Paradise

In warm climates, bird of paradise is one of the defining mid-century landscaping plants. Those paddle-shaped gray-green leaves and bold orange blooms turn up in practically every California and Arizona mid-century restoration – and the reason isn’t hard to figure out. The form holds year-round, and really all it needs, once it’s settled in, is decent drainage and sun.

In cooler zones, a large container that comes indoors for winter works fine. The foliage is worth the effort on its own. Divide bird of paradise plants every few years to keep them from getting crowded, but otherwise they don’t ask for much.

Pick up a bird of paradise plant from Costa Farms at Home Depot.

6. Mondo Grass

For something low-growing and graphic that holds a planting in place visually, mondo grass does the job reliably. The black variety is especially striking. Its foliage is deep purple-black, especially in full sun to partial shade. Black mondo grass looks more like a design choice than a plant.

Foliage color holds year-round, the plant spreads slowly, and shade doesn’t bother mondo grass at all. That's more than most ground cover plants can say.

When grown between stepping stones or pavers, it fills gaps no other plant will fit. Water plants through the first season, then you can mostly leave them alone – they're not going anywhere.

Get an 18-pack of mondo grass plants from the Home Depot to fill in your landscape fast.

7. Yucca

For cold-climate gardeners who want something with a real desert silhouette, Yucca filamentosa is about as accessible as it gets. This hardy yucca variety can survive down to zone 4 in a lot of cases, which is pretty rare for a plant that looks this sharp.

The leaves push out in a stiff rosette that reads well against a flat mid-mod facade. In summer, it throws a tall flower spike and the rest of the time it just ignores drought, bad soil, and hard winters.

Full sun and fast drainage are the two elements that are necessary to get right. Wet feet from heavy clay soil in winter is a near-guaranteed way to lose a yucca. Avoid that and, otherwise, it’s hard to kill.

Hardy 'Adam's Needle' yucca plants are available online from Nature Hills Nursery.

8. Ornamental Allium

Ornamental alliums give mid-century plantings something most of the other plants on this list can’t – a seasonal moment of exceptional color and form. Those perfectly spherical heads that appear on bare upright stems in late spring look almost unreal, like a landscape architect put them there on purpose. After blooming plants disappear cleanly, which is useful in structured plantings.

Plant bulbs in fall, give them full sun, and make sure they have well-draining soil. Bury bulbs about three times as deep as the bulb is wide. A bulb planting tool from Amazon makes putting in a mass planting of alliums a lot less tedious. It's well worth it to plant en masse because alliums look most striking in groups of ten or more.

Shop spring and summer-blooming varieties of ornamental alliums from Burpee.

If you want to upgrade a garden border, there are lots of easy ways to introduce a new look without replanting and starting again from scratch. Small changes can make a big difference, as you'll see from these design ideas. You can quickly transform the look of a bed by adding a sculptural plant with eye-catching foliage, or planting a climbing vine to scramble up a stylish obelisk, bringing a vertical accent as well as filling a bare space.

One of the most important principles of border design is rhythm and repetition, which bring coherence. So, simply dividing some of your existing border perennials to repeat the plant through a bed will make the whole border look stronger and bolder – and all without spending a cent!

Another key border design concept is to plant in layers to give depth. If your border is small and narrow, layer plants vertically; if it's larger then use the space to plant horizontally. It's one of the easiest solutions to the question of how to create an eye-catching flower garden border.

Which of these quick ideas will help you transform a border in an afternoon?

1. Bring in Wildlife With a Bug Hotel

Any border full of nectar-rich plants is already a pollinator paradise, and adding habitat for bees and butterflies not only helps these critters complete their lifecycle, but adds a clear focus to your border, too.

A bee hotel adds nesting habitat for an array of solitary bee species, and you'll find plenty designed on stakes for pushing into a border. Or you can easily make your own bug hotel with a combination of materials like twigs, pine cones, leaves, terracotta pots and old bricks.

To add more nectar, plant tall and airy wild carrot (Daucus carota) and salvia varieties such as Balkan Clary Salvia 'Caradonna', foxgloves and creeping thyme.

Border Bug Hotels

2. Use Rocks and Gravel to Create a Xeriscape Border

The best border ideas for gardens in hot climates need to factor in plant resilience to cope with extremes of temperature and reduced rainfall. So, if you live in a warmer zone, your borders are likely already packed with drought-tolerant plants that occur together naturally in hot, dry regions.

To bring a new look to such planting, pinch this xeriscaping design idea using boulders and gravel to accentuate the dry garden idea. These pair so well with plants like acid-green euphorbia (spurge), starry blue eryngium, and pops of orange calendulas and daisies, providing a backdrop that makes their colors look even more vibrant.

3. Shape Border Edges With Soft Curves

Curved landscaping makes a garden feel bigger by helping to bounce the eye across the space. Organic shapes work well in contained spaces like borders as they create calm, harmony and flow, especially when you add a relaxed planting style into the mix. This combination gives borders a softer, organic, and more fluid shape.

The curvaceous border planting in this design adds movement and depth. A winding path takes you through the different curved borders so you can appreciate the flowers up close. The big-leaved ornamental rhubarb (Rheum palmatum) together with graceful fern fronds anchor the planting by adding structure, while dark blue iris, pale blue campanula, and pink anemone multifada add graceful touches throughout the border.

If your border sits next to a lawn, it's easy to add curves like this by reshaping the edge. Lay a hose to draw smooth, curving lines, then cut the turf to shape with a half-moon lawn edger such as this from Amazon.

4. Add Pale Blooms to Create a Naturalistic Vibe

Naturalistic border ideas are a big trend right now. A relaxed mix of favorite ornamentals and native plants, this style often conforms to a soothing neutral color scheme of greens, pastels and white.

You don't need to replant your entire border to achieve this look. Simply choosing one standout variety with stylish white flowers, and adding a few plants through a border, will bring a naturalistic vibe. Our pick is the stunning Echinacea cultivar 'Pretty Parasols', available from Burpee. With a long bloom time from mid-summer into fall, they deliver a huge amount of flower power with winsome, swept-back petals in white with a soft flush of pink.

5. Position Planted Containers as Statement Features

There's no rule that says planters must sit on hard paving, and the addition of a supersized container can take a garden border to the next level. It's a fast, easy way to get a layered planting design that looks professional, adding instant polish and making the space feel more intentional. If there are any bare gaps in your border planting, strategic container placement is a simple way to fill them, too.

For the strongest impact, use a tall, sculptural plant such as the small multi-stem Prunus serrula (Tibetan cherry) seen here. Then underplant with lady's mantle (Alchemilla mollis) for a layer of texture beneath. If your border isn't big enough for a huge container, use a tall planter with a small footprint and an architectural perennial such as Astrantia as the centrepiece.

Bold Border Statements

6. Add a Small Seating Area that Immerses You in Nature

If you love the idea of timeless beauty and elegance for border ideas, this design embodies the garden style of one of America’s founding cities, Charleston. A reclaimed brick pathway leads to an enchanting seating area enveloped by a border of beautiful planting, immersing you in nature.

If your border is big enough, adding a small seating area is straightforward to do yourself. This garden employs reclaimed bricks but you can achieve the same effect far more quickly by using landscaping fabric, a stabilizing ground grid such as this from Amazon and gravel.

This garden celebrates classic plants such as salvia, roses, hydrangea, and hardy palms. They were chosen for their historical resonance and ability to thrive in Charleston’s climate. The standout plant is Hydrangea 'Annabelle', available here at Nature Hills, which features white mop-head blooms all summer long. Pops of color are added by red Cosmos 'Cherry Chocolate' and purple Heuchera 'Palace Purple', available from Nature Hills. Graceful palms such as cycad (Cycas revoluta) and dwarf fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) fill out the layers with a sculptural note.

7. Introduce a Structural Plant For Focus & Definition

Structural plants form the backbone of any garden border design, providing a strong detail that enhances everything that grows around them. In this design, a sculptural cardoon (also known as artichoke thistle) grown for ornamental value adds shape, texture and height to the border design with its dynamic silvery leaves. It will grow up to 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide, so needs plenty of space to reach its full potential.

There are plenty of more slender architectural plants to choose from to create dramatic presence without losing so much growing space. Favorites include evergreen topiary and ornamental grass Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster' (feather reed grass) which reaches heights of over 6 feet tall but has a clump-forming, upright growing habit.

8. Add an Accent With a Sunny Mix of Yellow Flowers

Sprinkling yellow flowers through a border is an easy design trick, whether these cheery blooms work as a complementary color to join fiery reds and oranges, or a contrasting tone to make purple, pink and blue blooms appear brighter. There are plenty of unique yellow garden flowers to grow, and pollinators are attracted to this vivid hue, too.

Favorite flowers for a yellow border accent include lupines with striking spikes of bright golden-yellow flowers, the 'Moonshine' variety of achillea (also known as yarrow), with flat corymbs of lemon-yellow flowers from early summer to early fall, and golden garlic (allium Moly), with its umbels of golden star-shaped blooms on wiry stems in early summer.

9. Contain Your Border with Neat Evergreen Edging

The best creative border edging ideas are the finishing touch for your planting display. The cute mini hedge seen in this garden uses miniature boxwood plants to add a neat edge to a border brimming with hydrangeas, salvias and hostas. It's a little unexpected, set against the flower-filled border, but that makes it stand out all the better, serving as a formal element that accentuates the relaxed abundance of the looser planting behind it.

Low-growing clipped evergreen plants like boxwood and hebe are good for edging borders, plus they add year-round structure and interest.

10. Claim the Vertical Space with an Obelisk & Topiary

In grand classical gardens, topiary and obelisks have been employed as design features for centuries, and they work just as well in a smaller backyard to bring height and sculptural form to borders.

Large clipped evergreens act as a focal point, especially when sculpted into sleek shapes to lead the eye around the space. An obelisk also adds vertical structure and height and is an eye-catching feature in its own right but can also be used to support a well-behaved climbing plant such as a clematis or climbing rose.

One of the easiest ideas is to drop a planted pot with an obelisk like this woven willow one from Anthropologie into a border – literally the definition of an easy upgrade!

If you’ve got a small backyard or a compact urban garden, there are all sorts of clever ways to make it feel larger, many of which are fast and affordable enough to do yourself. Garden designers draw on a catalogue of tried and tested rules to make the very most of a petite plot, using simple illusions to turn the limited room available into an outdoor living space that appears far bigger than it is. Some of these garden design ideas involve days of digging but there are plenty more that are quick enough to DIY in an afternoon.

These eight simple ideas can all be done in a weekend, and one can be achieved in just five minutes! I’ve included some product links for inspiration, so you can start thinking about what would work best in your garden, and to show you how easy it is to put these smart design solutions into practice.

While there are plenty of creative ways to bring style and growing room to a small garden, such as adding an imaginative planter box or using your vertical space with a trellis, all these ideas rely on optical illusions that magically make your brain perceive the outdoor space as bigger. Trying just one of these small-space tricks will make an impact in a compact garden; do all eight and you’ll not only get a light and airy outdoor space, but a designer look on a budget. Which big idea for a small garden will you start with this weekend?

1. Soften Edges Where Hard Landscaping Meets Boundaries

Our brains are constantly churning in the background to work out our position in relation to the environment we’re in. Those points where horizontal ground meet vertical walls are particularly important to this spatial reasoning process. So, by softening that hard line with planting, we will become far less aware of those limiting boundaries.

This garden uses this design principle particularly well by also cloaking the boundary fence with climbers and a living wall, to further blur the distinction between upright and horizontal. You can achieve the same effect by pairing a fast-growing climber that doesn’t scramble out of control with a low-grower that spills and thrills. All Gold Japanese forest grass (Hakeonechloa macra ‘All Gold’) is a super choice for a fully or partially shaded spot (available from Nature Hills), while Feather Falls sedge grass is better for a sunnier spot (also available from Nature Hills). Both thrive in zones 5–9, form mounds of cascading foliage, and are well-behaved enough for a small garden.

2. Paint Fences a Dark Tone to Make Them Recede

It might feel counterintuitive to paint boundary fences a deep color, but creating a dark backdrop works wonders in a small garden. It has the effect of making fences seem further away, and also makes the lighter colors in your backyard seem brighter, whether that’s flowers or furniture as in this tiny outdoor living space.

BEHR Solid Color House and Fence Exterior Wood Stain gives great coverage on wooden fences and is available in many shades at The Home Depot. Espresso Beans is a deep but characterful brown, Slate is a short but stylish step away from black, while Equestrian Green is every bit as classy as it sounds.

Then add some bright, fast-growing annuals for a riot of colorful flowers – job done!

3. Link Your Interior & Exterior Spaces to Blur the Boundary

Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you fit a set of bifold doors – we can all dream, right? – but by linking your interior and exterior spaces, you make both appear much bigger. There are so many ways to achieve this effect, and employing two or three different ideas really amplifies the illusion. In this garden, the outdoor storage cupboards next to the barbecue line up perfectly with the kitchen units, while the top struts of the pergola perfectly match the height of the ceiling indoors.

A super-easy way to achieve this boundary-blurring effect is to choose plant pots that can be used both indoors and out, and fill a couple with houseplants indoors and a few with foliage plants for your patio. Take a look at these well-priced Sun Bleached pots from Threshold at Target and, while you're there, these fabulous modern terracotta planters. Both are effortlessly stylish for indoors and out, yet are distinctive enough to make a big impact and visually tie the two areas together.

4. Demarcate an Extra Seating Area With a Fence Detail

This small table, chair and stool take up hardly any space, yet by the clever use of trellis to frame the seating spot, a stylish new area brings another dimension to this garden. Adding another ‘room’ to your backyard is such a smart way to make a small plot feel bigger, turning an underused spot into an impactful, welcome destination that adds to your garden design.

Another savvy trick employed here is the choice of slight, open-framed garden furniture. Rather than using solid furniture that truncates your view, this bistro set allows you to see the paving continuing under and behind it, so you perceive there to be just as much room as if this seating area wasn’t here at all.

Expandable willow trellis such as this 3' x 7½' panel from Amazon is cheap to buy and simple to fit to a wooden fence. What makes it work so hard to define this seating area, though, is its stylish, eye-catching shape: that’s easy to achieve by snipping the trellis to size with secateurs. This bistro set of table and folding chairs from Ikea would afford the same optical illusion of more space.

5. Hang Up a Mirror to Bring the Illusion of Extra Space

Our brains process so many thoughts every second, we continually make automatic assumptions to make sense of our environment. So while we know this is a mirror hanging on the wall of this small garden, we subconsciously perceive that the garden continues into the space behind the wall.

To achieve the same effect, this shuttered, distressed garden mirror by Esschert Design via Amazon comes in a stylish blue or green finish, while this framed window mirror from MirrorOutlet, also via Amazon, would be perfect for a modern garden.

6. Add an Abundance of Spheres For an Airy Feel

Our brains love to look at spheres and, as you can see from this pretty little garden, an abundance of them makes your eyes bounce from one to the other, creating the impression of a much bigger backyard.

Wayfair has all sorts of spherical goodies at the moment, from fibrestone planters to garden gazing balls, and a fabulous rocking egg chair. And how about planting the biggest blooming balls in town with a Hydrangea Incrediball, suitable for zones 3–9 and available from Fast Growing Trees?

The bulbs you see in this garden are alliums, which are hassle-free to grow from bulbs. The time to plant them is September so pop a reminder in your calendar, and take a look at Burpee’s lovely allium range as motivation!

7. Set Furniture at an Angle to Make Your Plot Look Wider

Your eye naturally follows any straight line and, if you position furniture at right angles to, or aligned with, your boundary fences, that will highlight the shortest distance across your backyard. Move furniture so it sits an an angle to your boundary fences, however, and your eye will draw a line that’s far longer, making you perceive the space to be much bigger.

Sound too simple to be true? Take a look at this cleverly designed garden for a moment, and notice where your eyes travel. I’ll wager your eyes follow the diagonal lines of the seating area or table edge, rather than noticing the boundary fences. Take a second, more objective look and you’ll see that this garden is actually far narrower than you first thought!

8. Employ an Accent Color to Link Your Garden Together

This is such an easy trick, but it works a treat! Your eyes are naturally drawn to color, and we love to find patterns, so using a particular accent shade in various spots all around your backyard will mean your gaze travels between them, all around the garden. And yes, you guessed it, that makes it feel bigger!

Consider what the common colors are among the blooms you already grow, and choose one to be your accent shade. It doesn’t need to be the most abundant color, but opt for a brighter or contrasting tone that stands out. Then all you need do is add a few outdoor cushions, an inexpensive patio rug and a color-pop patio table, sow some quick-to-bloom annual flower seeds in the same color, and you’re done!

Suspending a hanging basket from your pergola is another fast way to add accent color. As well as selecting a variety in the right shade, pick the best fast-flowering hanging-basket plants for your conditions and you’ll get far more abundant blooms.

The standard advice for saving money on landscaping is to buy smaller plants, shop end-of-season sales, and do the labor yourself. All of that is sound advice. But there’s a second tier of savings that most people never tap into.

Many gardeners don’t realize that you can find free or near-free material sources, discounted plant inventory that performs just as well as full-price stock, and cheap and easy-to-grow seeds that make nursery starts look like a genuinely bad deal for certain plants.

Most of this is about legwork, not cost – which is really the whole point of backyard budget landscaping done right. I’ve compiled my top tips for landscaping any part of your yard for a high-end look on even the tightest budget.

1. Check Municipal Mulch Programs

A lot of cities and counties give away free compost or double-ground mulch through recycling centers or public works facilities. They collect the material from yard waste pickup and then process it on-site.

It doesn’t cost anything and quantities are often large enough to cover a full yard’s mulching needs in one trip. The catch worth knowing about, though, is that municipal compost sometimes comes out of the pile before it’s fully finished.

Incomplete mulch material can carry viable weed seeds, so let it sit in a heap for a few extra weeks before you put it anywhere near your beds. Seeds that are going to germinate will do so in the pile rather than your garden.

To find free mulch programs near you and whether they offer pickup or delivery, give your local public works or sanitation department a quick call or check your local city or county website.

2. Search Curbs & Plant Share Sites

Spring garden cleanup produces a staggering amount of perfectly healthy plant material that often ends up composted or curbside. Neighbors may be dividing overgrown hostas, thinning out daylilies, or pulling volunteer plants to make room in garden beds. This leaves mature, root-established stock that would normally cost money, but is now free for the asking.

Nextdoor and local Facebook gardening groups are where much of this free plant material surfaces. Low-maintenance plants like hostas, ornamental grasses, black-eyed Susans, and shrubs appear in a consistent stream, if you’re watching for them.

A plant dug up from a neighbor’s garden is often larger and better rooted than a quart pot from the nursery. That translates directly to faster establishment. The end of the growing season is a time worth monitoring too, not just spring. Fall garden cleanup moves a lot of free plants from neighbors.

3. Ask Landscapers for Leftovers

Landscaping and hardscaping crews end jobs with leftover material regularly. It could be partial sod pallets, extra stone, more mulch than the job used, or landscape edging they didn’t need. You can also find cheap, almost invisible landscape edging from Lowe's, if you're not able to find enough leftovers to surround your whole garden.

Getting it back to their business or to a disposal site costs money and time and a lot of crews would rather hand it off than deal with it themselves. If there’s a crew working nearby, asking about leftovers only takes a minute. The worst answer is no. The best is a pallet of free landscaping stones or a truckload of sod for free or close to it.

Bulk mulch jobs are especially reliable for free landscaping materials. Delivery quantities are rarely exact and disposal fees give crews real incentive to leave the excess behind. Larger hardscaping jobs – driveways, paver patios, retaining walls – are also good ones to approach, since they tend to involve a lot of leftover material as well.

4. Check the Nursery Back Lot

Many plant nurseries and larger retail garden centers keep a secondary section for trees and shrubs that don’t meet standard grading criteria. These plants may have slightly asymmetrical canopies, minor trunk lean, or a lopsided branch structure. These cosmetic issues affect the price significantly, but have little practical bearing on how the tree performs once it’s in the ground.

A tree with a lopsided canopy at purchase will often correct itself over two or three growing seasons as it responds to available light and fills in naturally. A minor trunk lean can frequently be staked and corrected during establishment and a set of tree stakes like these from Amazon make short work of it.

These clearance plants may not be in the main part of the nursery – some facilities keep it entirely out back and you might have to specifically ask garden center employees about it. But savings of 30-50% off top-grade specimens of the same species and size are common.

If you're not able to find what you want in person, look online for sales as well. Fast Growing Trees has a clearance nursery section where you can get high-quality trees and shrubs for great discounts.

5. Use Seeds for Filler Plants

Zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers, bachelor’s buttons, and nasturtiums. These are plants most people buy as starts even though starting flowers from seed is the better option.

A $3 to $5 packet of zinnia seeds has enough in it to plant a 20-foot (6 m) long row and produce dozens to hundreds of plants. The same coverage in nursery starts would run well over $100, with each individual plant costing the same as a packet of seeds.

These flowers germinate fast and reliably when direct-sown after last frost with no special treatment and no fuss. The only real trade-off is timing. Buying starts gets you blooms a few weeks earlier. But for anyone not working towards a specific date, that’s not really a big deal.

An assortment of seeds, like this pollinator-friendly seed mix from Amazon, covers several of these species in one purchase and costs a fraction of the equivalent starts.

Burpee has a huge array of perennial and annual flower seeds for just a few dollars per packet. You can find almost anything you want in their wide collection.

6. Buy Bare Root Plants

Late winter to early spring is when bare root plants usually show up in nurseries and from online retailers. You can find tons of trees, shrubs, and perennials sold dormant with no soil and no container – just the plant. That’s where the price difference comes from.

No pot, no potting mix, no greenhouse time can mean around half the cost of a container-grown equivalent of the same species and size. Bare root roses, bare root fruit trees, and bare root ornamental trees are quite common, but there are even a wide range of bare root perennials now, too.

Mail-order nurseries carry species in bare root form that local garden centers rarely bother stocking, which opens up your plant selection considerably. The window to plant is short.

Bare root stock has to go in the ground while plants are dormant, so you need to plan a season ahead. But establishment is comparable to container stock when the timing is right and, on a multi-tree order, the savings add up fast.

Shop a mix of edible and ornamental bare root plants from Jackson & Perkins.

The best sloping garden ideas use multi-level garden layouts to reimagine the space creatively and make it more useable as well as aesthetically pleasing. The key is to view any changes of level as an asset rather than a hindrance, using them to add interest and variety to your garden design as well as making the best practical use of the space.

A garden that is completely level is a rare thing. Some might have a slight slope while others lean towards much steeper level changes, plus there are varying degrees of gradient in between. But any incline is a real benefit to landscape design, as it immediately creates interest and expands possible views. Steps that link different levels can be used as a feature in themselves, while creating several tiered terraces in a steeper slope can bring separate yet cohesive spaces, each with its own function for outdoor living.

Which of these sloping garden ideas will inspire you to make the most of your multi-level backyard?

1. Step Down into a Secluded Seating Area

If your garden slopes downwards, the incline presents the perfect opportunity to create a secluded destination space that's not seen from the house, giving privacy and also a wonderful sense of reveal when you reach it.

The dream garden has plenty of interesting spots to pause or linger in, with different places to sit, eat and relax. This allows you to spend as much time outside as possible, enjoying moments of solitude as well as sharing time with family and friends.

This project features lushly planted herbaceous beds on different levels, creating a layered garden design effect. Inviting, curved steps descend to a sunken seating area enveloped in greenery. The bench offers a place to pause while admiring the beautiful planting.

2. Create an Elevated Focal-Point Patio

When landscaping a sloping site, you'll want to create at least one flat terrace garden area as a usable space for patio ideas, deck or outdoor dining area. While most gardens position the patio or deck next to the house, siting it at the end of a sloping backyard turns it into a statement outdoor living space that feels really special.

This contemporary design introduces a paved space into a multi-level garden, sheltered by a boundary hedge and fronted by beds planted in a muted palette of white, cream and green with just an occasional splash of color. An enticing plunge pool adds to this tempting backyard retreat.

You could attempt to take on a project like this yourself if you're a confident DIYer and have people to help you. But depending on the site and degree of difficulty, building a patio as part of your sloping garden ideas may need a professional construction team to deal with key issues like drainage and foundations (try the American Society of Landscape Designers Find a Firm guide).

3. Anchor a Slope with a Rock Garden

If you live in a mountainous region and you're looking for sloping garden ideas then hillside rock gardens are a natural choice. But for any sloping garden, this design idea can offer a more natural look than a retaining wall. This can be a low-maintenance option, too, as many drought-tolerant plants love growing in a stony environment, especially when rocks are paired with loose gravel. Rocks also provide basking spots for butterflies and other pollinators.

Creating a rock garden and including some steps and low-maintenance perennial planting will make the most of a slope. The key to a design like this is that the rocks balance the plants. Rocks add year-round structure whatever the season, and work like an anchor in your planting design.

It's also a great way to keep the soil where you want it and prevent it moving down the slope. You'll need to dig in any big landscaping rocks so that at least a third are buried in the soil. In this tiered space, stacked rocks offer strong structural appeal and are combined with a cascading waterfall and mixed perennial planting to create a naturalistic composition.

Good Plants for Rock Gardens

4. Build Affordable Gabion Walls

Filled gabion baskets are a cost-effective option to landscape a sloping garden and, if you're dealing with a gentle slope, can be installed yourself. This heavy gauge welded gabion basket from Amazon is a good place to start if you're looking for an easy way in. There is one proviso, however. The steeper the slope, the more likely the need for expert advice from a structural engineer, especially if the gabions will be used as a retaining wall.

As well as being a practical and affordable choice, gabion walls play a decorative role in the garden. They can be filled with a wide range of rocks, crushed concrete, slate or limestone, widely available from companies like Gabion Supply. Why not grow a well-behaved climber or a clematis vine up your gabion wall, or top a pair of gabions with timber to create an attractive bench?

5. Make a Statement With a Wide Sweep of Steps

Incorporating steps into your sloping garden opens up the space and adds visual drama, as well as allowing easy access. Steps should be designed in scale with the rest of the space so, if your garden is large, opt for wide steps to create a statement; narrower steps are better suited to a small garden due to practical restrictions.

Adding a gentle curve to steps lends an element of surprise to a design, and is a lovely way to stage a conversation pit or other relaxation area.

Try framing the steps with symmetrical planting either side, as has been done in this garden with Pink Moon Allium Plants available from Burpee: these have a long flowering season from July through September and are low-maintenance, always a plus on a sloping site. Find out more ideas for plants that grow on slopes too.

6. Plant Groundcover Between Terraces

If you're creating several level outdoor living spaces in a sloping garden, then a creative but extremely cost-effect way to add color and texture in between is to use groundcover plants rather than grass to cloak the slope. This also avoids the often tricky task of mowing steep inclines.

Many groundcover plants can be started from seed in spring, making covering even a big area an affordable job.

7. Hide a Secluded Nook

The sculptural walls in this design swirl through a sloping garden to enclose a calm seating area, sited against a backdrop of generous drifts of planting. A smooth bench carved from oak provides a quiet spot for contemplation and conversation.

The idea of creating a tranquil space works well in the context of a sloping garden, as you can use steps to add a sense of journey. Even better, site the seating area in the furthest corner of a yard with trees that to form a canopy overhead, and the space will feel immersed in nature for welcome garden serenity.

Wooden Benches For Quiet Nooks

8. Grow Layers of Tiered Planting

Another budget-friendly way to make more of a sloping garden is to use layered planting. This means creating a tiered, multi-level planting scheme to stage plants as if they're in a theatre. Use raised bed garden ideas to build up planting pockets to shape the slope and make it work in your favor.

In this design, a series of circular raised beds create a tiered effect. Made from perforated terracotta clay containers, they're filled with low-maintenance and resilient plants such as fragrant herbs, tactile foliage and edible plants. At the heart of the design is a seating area.

9. Integrate Multi-Level Water Features

A big advantage that sloping gardens bring is the possibility of moving water. By creating multiple features for water to drop down, with a pump installed to transport water back from the lowest to the highest, you can create spectacular effects even in a small space.

This is an excellent solution for a multi-level urban garden, which often present awkward small spaces that are difficult to design. Perfect for courtyard gardens and other town gardens that might be affected by noise from traffic and neighbors, integrating a beautiful pond feature with water spouts will add a soothing soundscape as well as being a visual treat.

Enveloped in lush planting, this water feature has transformed a tricky slope into the centerpiece of the garden. Surrounded by shade-loving plants like ferns, the cascading water that begins from a trio of antique waterspouts creates a lush, welcoming backyard retreat.

Feeling your space is your own is crucial to enjoying time spent in the garden. Backyard privacy screening can play a key role if you'd rather not be seen – or if there are things you yourself would rather not see! As well as being overlooked by neighbors, views to buildings or ugly structures can spoil your outside experience.

Creating privacy in your yard is important, especially if you don't want to feel the outside world is invading your space. From fast-growing hedges, layered climbing plants and clever use of trees to retractable roof covers, ingenious containers and inspired boundary ideas, there are lots of simple design tricks that help make your garden feel more peaceful and secluded.

As well as blocking an unwanted view by raising boundary heights or choosing to plant a privacy screen, shift attention to a more absorbing alternative such as an enticing conversation pit or enchanting water wall.

Which of our innovative garden privacy ideas is best for your backyard?

1. Raise a Fence-Line With Pleached Trees

Planting pleached trees along fence lines is one of the most elegant ways to screen your garden. As well as being aesthetically pleasing, it has the added bonus of being a great way to block any unwanted views. It also helps to muffle street sounds.

This type of leafy screen looks stylish as soon as it’s planted too. The lateral branches of pleached trees interlace to form a tall, narrow screen. The slender sculptural trunks and trained branches combine to create the effect of a tall hedge on stilts.

When selecting trees for pleaching, it's important to consider how they relate to the rest of the planting scheme in your garden. Choose trees with an upright habit and pliable branches for shaping. Popular choices of tree for pleaching include hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), beech (Fagus sylvatica), and lime (Tilia). You can also pleach fruit trees such as apple, pear and quince. Fast Growing Trees offers several apple trees that are perfect for pleaching.

The 'Lucas' hornbeam is a sleek tree with a vertical accent that's perfect for pleaching as it responds well to pruning. Find the 'Lucas' hornbeam here at Nature Hills.

2. Choose a Unique Decorative Screen

Careful placement of decorative panels is one of the quickest ways to screen your garden and make it feel more secluded. Choose a material like Corten steel with ornamental laser-cut patterns. The stunning sunburst motif pictured here adds a unique design element to this garden.

When positioned correctly, patio privacy screens can give you much-needed seclusion. It's best to opt for a lattice or fretwork style that allows light to filter through so the space doesn't feel too enclosed. Decorative panels can also double up as boundaries or to zone the garden, adding a creative backdrop that will look stunning paired with vibrant planting.

If you're looking for a more affordable way to add privacy without losing the essence of your space try screens made of natural woven textures like this bamboo fencing, or wicker. Alternatively, try freestanding panels, like this subtle white option from Amazon.

Decorative Privacy Screens

3. Adopt a Layered Planting Approach

The idea of layering a combination of airy privacy plants and materials is one of the cleverest ways to screen your garden. While all are see-through, together they're very effective at blocking a view.

Fast-growing evergreen climbing plants such as Clematis armandii and star jasmine can be used to scramble over a pergola, wall, fence or trellis to soften hard lines and add an extra element to help screen out unwanted views. An added bonus is that evergreen climbers offer year-round cover. Don't dismiss climbers if you have a small garden as there are plenty of pretty varieties that grow fast but never scramble out of control.

Tall multi-stem trees with slender trunks and airy canopies add another vertical screening element without overshadowing the garden. Elegant ornamental grasses are another great asset when finding ways to screen your garden. They can be used to fill in beds and borders, adding depth to the planting, creating a distinctive and attractive vertical accent, and introducing subtle layers that help garden boundaries fade away.

Clumping ornamental grasses like Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster' (which grows to over 6 feet) and Giant Miscanthus (over 10 feet) are a great choice if you want to create an informal screen.

Ornamental Grasses for Screening

4. Plant a Fast-Growing Living Screen

Planting a privacy hedge is a great idea if you're looking for affordable ways to screen your garden, especially if you want to attract more wildlife. The good news is you won't have to wait forever if you choose a fast-growing hedge variety. You'll soon be enjoying a lush green screen that blocks out your neighbors and makes your yard feel more secluded.

For fast results, look for hedge cultivars with rapid growth such as American arborvitae (up to 1–2 feet a year), Giant Green arborvitae (up to 3–5 feet a year), English laurel (up to 3 feet a year), and Flame Amor maple (up to 2 feet a year). Do bear in mind that fast growth may mean more trimming, so do check the eventual size of plants to ensure they're suitable.

Alternatively opt for instant hedge screening options that look good within a few hours of installing them. These pre-formed hedge plants are at least five years old and come with 90% of the roots intact, ready for slotting into your garden where they will quickly become established.

5. Sink a Cocooning Conversation Pit

One of the more design-led ways to screen your garden is by introducing an intimate sunken seating area for socializing. Known as a conversation pit, it typically includes features like a fire pit or outdoor coffee table surrounded by built-in seating with cushions.

A modern sunken feature like this is designed with privacy in mind. The idea is to create a comfortable space for gathering that's not overlooked by neighbors. The change of elevation means it will feel especially secluded as any surrounding screening such as trees or fences seem much taller. The seclusion is enhanced with a surrounding of tall delphiniums and lupines.

A simpler way to enhance privacy in a similar fashion is to use raised beds filled with plants as an edging device around a seating area. This will create a similarly immersive quality when you're relaxing.

6. Add Walls to a Pergola

With the addition of thoughtful materials, a pergola can be transformed into an integral design feature that works as a room within your garden. Giving your pergola 'walls' is one of the quickest ways to screen your garden successfully.

For a fast fix, opt for retractable screens that can be adjusted to suit the level of seclusion required. Adding dense vertical planting gives a sense of permanence to your design and lends a 'built-in' quality, especially when greenery is interspersed with bamboo panels or even bricks.

A hedging screen is a good choice for vertical planting. Choose a reliable hedging plant with a close growth habit which can be clipped into a neat architectural shape that doesn't encroach on the space. One of the top choices is privet like this North variety from Nature Hills, with hawthorn and viburnum both viable alternatives.

If the pergola is overlooked by high neighboring windows, a louvred roof that can be closed at the touch of a button is another option to consider.

7. Fill Moveable Planters for Flexible Screening

Lightweight planters on wheels are an inspired idea that lets you move privacy screens around easily according to where you most need them. They let you mask or block specific views to create privacy, in addition to holding the eye and attention within your garden.

Some movable containers come with integral trellises like this Metal Planter Box with Trellis Privacy Screen from Amazon. These are ideal for training easy climbing plants like Coral Star honeysuckle, available from Nature Hills, to give you vertical screening exactly where you want it. This variety has a compact climbing habit reaching 8-12 feet tall, making it a good choice for a vertical garden feature.

Growing graceful ornamental grasses such as Miscanthus sinensis and clump-forming bamboos in a planter add both height and movement, and will grow quickly to form a soft, natural screen.

8. Integrate Sound to Soften External Noise

The stunning blackened ash water wall in this contemporary garden design is a great idea to enliven boundary screening because it introduces an element of sound. Not only does running water help to immerse you in nature, its bubbling, babbling noise makes an effective acoustic barrier against any external din, whether that's traffic or squabbling neighbors. The movement also helps to divert your attention from unsightly views outside your garden by shifting your focus inside it.

The latest beautiful pond ideas can also be used as a way of drowning out the sound of the city and noisy neighbors.

TikTok user @Cherishmd87 recently shared her brave decision with the gardening community on the platform, and it quite literally stopped me mid-mindless scrolling. The video starts off with footage of her front yard, and I thought, “Oh, what a pretty garden!” However, I then read the caption: "Last year I tore out the grass in my front yard.” Wait, what? I was immediately intrigued.

It’s something I’ve fantasized about for ages, but never got around to doing: tearing out the grass in my front yard and replacing it with a beautiful, gently sloping, deer-resistant flower garden. The result was genuinely stunning, and she has the kind of yard that certainly makes people slow their cars down.

If you're in need of some garden gloves before you get started, Target sells these adorable sunflower patterned ones made from canvas.

Here's exactly what she planted, and how to recreate the look yourself.

The Plant List

1. Nepeta

Nepeta is doing most of the visual heavy lifting here. Also known as catmint, it’s a frothy, lavender-blue perennial that spills out softly and smells absolutely wonderful. Deer hate it, pollinators love it, and it looks basically the same all summer. Essentially, it’s a dream plant.

2. Golden Mop False Cypress

This is the structural star of a whole garden. It’s a light, feathery, golden-yellow evergreen shrub that gives your yard year-round visual interest, including in winter. Golden mop false cypress works perfectly on a slight slope as it grows slowly and softly into a rounded mound.

3. Red Creeping Thyme

As its name suggests, creeping thyme creeps along between other plants which fills in gaps that would otherwise need weeding. Even better, it erupts into tiny, deep-pink flowers in the summer. It’s walkable, smells amazing when you brush past it, and it’s completely drought-tolerant once it’s established.

4. Hyssop

Hyssop is highly underrated, and it’s an herb-meets-ornamental plant that seriously earns its place. It has blueish-purple flowers with tall spikes, and stands upright, which adds vertical interest to your yard without looking too wild. Bonus: Bees are absolutely obsessed with it.

5. Salvia

Salvia is the workhorse of the deer-resistant world, as deer seriously hate it and it blooms for several months. The deep blues and purples match perfectly with nepeta and hyssop, which will give your front lawn turned garden a cohesive color story rather than a jumbled mess of random plants.

6. Calendula

This is where some warmth and cheer come in with pops of orange and yellow that will stop your yard from looking too cool in tone. Calendula is old-fashioned in the best way possible, easy to grow, and re-seeds all by itself, meaning you will get more every year without the work or extra cost.

7. Peonies

Peonies are truly show stoppers. When put toward the middle or the back of the border, the big, fluffy blooms can be seen from the street. They only flower for a few weeks in late spring, but like any good love story, those few weeks are absolutely worth it.

8. Lamb's Ear

When I was a kid, I loved touching lamb’s ear due to its velvety leaves, and you’ve probably seen it without knowing its name. In the TikTok video, it’s creeping along the front edges of the sidewalk, and that silvery tone ties together all the different green, purple, and orange hues.

How To Get The Same Look

The reason this front yard is such a showstopper isn’t just the plants, but the layering and the mulch.

Here's the basic formula:

• Tall, structural plants should sit toward the back and middle (false cypress, salvia, hyssop, peonies), low and spreading plants at the front (creeping thyme, lamb’s ear, and nepeta spilling over the edges), with a generous layer of mulch between everything.
• In this case, mulch is doing some serious work. It makes the planting look intentional, suppresses weeds, retains moisture, and gives the whole garden a clean, professionally designed feel.
• This Premium Gold Wood Mulch from Amazon is the perfect color if you're going for the same look.
• The slope from the sidewalk to the house helps enormously here. It means the plants sit naturally at different heights, giving the whole border real depth without all that complicated landscaping.

How To Tear Up Your Lawn?

Obviously, before you plant even one peony, you need to get rid of the grass. Exactly how you do this depends on how much time and money you want to spend.

A budget friendly option is called "lasagna gardening," and it's also the easiest. Lay a piece of cardboard straight over the grass, wet it down, pile compost and mulch on top and let the grass die underneath. The only downside is that it will take a few months, which isn't ideal if you're short on time or not very patient.

You can also rent a sod cutter at Home Depot for less than $100 a day. It slices cleanly under the grass and lifts in up in strips which will give you a clean slate to work with. If you garden is quite large, you can also rent a motorized sod cutter (which will seriously save your back).

Ditching Your Lawn Doesn’t Have to Mean Chaos

This front yard is proof that ditching your lawn doesn’t have to mean chaos or a garden that looks half-finished for several seasons. With the right combo of structural evergreens, tall perennials, some ground covers, and a good mulch, you can create something beautiful.

Plus, no more mowing. Ever. I really can’t stress that part enough.

You’ve got your spring and summer flower beds growing nicely and what should appear but aggressive grass crashing the party. When I bought my first home a few years ago I wondered how to remove grass from flower beds, and I am here to share my secrets.

My front yard had two tiny little flower beds right up against the front porch and the lawn was rapidly encroaching on the plantings. I decided to remove the grass for a garden using the no-till method and plant a pollinator paradise.

However, much to my chagrin, simply removing the grass in the front didn’t mean that the neighbors’ grass on either side wouldn’t try to invade. The battle has been long and hard, but I finally won with the help of these methods. Keep reading to learn how to remove grass from your flower beds, too!

No-Till Removal

My personal favorite method of removing grass from flower beds uses some newspaper and mulch. Smothering grass is incredibly effective at eliminating large amounts of it in your flower beds. I have used this no-till method in my front garden to great effect; I killed my whole lawn and planted native perennials and annuals for my local pollinators. You can also use cardboard, paper grocery bags, or a product like Ram Board for the same process. Ram Board can be purchased from Amazon or your local hardware store.

Lay a few sheets of newspaper or a flattened cardboard box over the areas grass is growing and wet them with your garden hose. This will keep your newspapers from blowing away in the breeze. Then layer 2-3 inches (5-7 cm) of mulch on top and say bye-bye to the grass! Be sure to overlap your paper products so there are no gaps the grass can grow through. The grass will be smothered under the newspaper and mulch and break down into the soil.

Hand Weeding

It’s annoying, but if you have grass creeping into your flower beds in small amounts, hand weeding does a good job. Use a hand weeder or trowel to dig out the root system. If the roots are still underground, the grass will continue to grow and spread. A multipurpose hand weeder like this Corona one is available on Amazon and will make quick work of grass and other weeds.

Chemical Applications

If manual grass removal or smothering the grass doesn’t work for you, there are some commercial chemical options available for grass removal. Fertilome Over-the-Top II grass killer, which can be found on Amazon, is a selective herbicide that will not damage most other plants. It can be applied around vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs, and other ornamental plants safely when applied correctly.

Safety Note: As with all chemical applications, always be sure to thoroughly read the directions, wear proper protective gear, and do not use it on a breezy day. Always keep humans and animals away from chemical applications until they have dried.

Preventive Barriers

Now that you have successfully removed the invading grass from your flower beds, it is time to keep it out! A preventive barrier is your best bet at continued control. First, cut a nice edge around your garden bed with an edging tool like this one from Garden Weasel, available on Amazon. This will give you a nice edge for your new border. Then you can install plastic or metal edging to ensure the grass doesn’t grow back into your beds. Lowe’s offers a flexible edging kit with long stakes to easily secure the edging. If steel landscape edging is more your style, Lowe’s also has that.

Fill in your newly bordered garden bed with some fresh mulch to keep your plants happy and keep other weeds at bay. Keep an eye on your beds throughout the year to ensure the aggressive grass isn’t growing under or over your landscape edging. Like all things in gardening, maintenance is key. Use your edging tool in the fall to give your border any necessary touchups to keep the grass back.

Shop Flower Bed Essentials

Solar outdoor lighting has had a major renaissance recently. If you’re used to dim, unreliable garden stakes that barely last a season, let alone a day, then keep reading. Solar lighting has now evolved into a legitimate design tool that many landscape professionals are now incorporating into high-end projects. Who knew?!

Walk through any suburban neighborhood on a summer night, and you’ll notice strategically placed solar uplights that are being used to highlight trees, guide people on pathways, and transform dark corners. Of course, it’s all powered by the sun, so it has the added bonus of being environmentally friendly, which we love around here.

The improvements in this technology over the last few years have been astounding. Better solar panels, more efficient LEDs, improved battery capacity, and more weather-resistant construction mean today's solar lighting can actually perform like real lighting. And let’s just say, the design world has sat up and taken notice.

Why Solar Suddenly Works

Today’s solar fixtures are much more efficient. They have panels that charge faster, LEDs with brighter light despite using less power, and lithium-ion batteries that hold the charge for longer. On top of all that, the actual fixtures are built with better materials, including metal housings, tempered glass, and electronics that have been sealed and can withstand bad weather.

Elizabeth Przygoda, founder and designer at Boxhill Outdoor Furnishings, tells me what she values most: "What I love most about solar lighting is the flexibility. It's incredibly easy to install and just as easy to uninstall or reposition, which gives us a lot of freedom in design."

That flexibility is a game-changer. When you have a wired system, every fixture is essentially permanent (unless you want to go through a ton of work to move it). Solar fixtures can be repositioned depending on the season, moved when your plants get bigger, or relocated entirely if you decide you want a different design.

"I especially love incorporating solar uplights in large pots where we plant trees," Przygoda notes. "They're easy to pop in, and they instantly add depth to a dark corner or a grouping of containers. Uplighting within layered plantings inside pots creates beautiful dimension and shadow play that really elevates the space."

The Budget Reality

These days, any economic argument is highly compelling. Professional wired landscaping can set you back thousands, which can be almost impossible for most homeowners.

Przygoda shared a recent example: "We recently had a project that was quoted between $12,000 and $18,000 for a wired lighting system. By using solar fixtures strategically, we were able to achieve the look and function the client needed for around $1,200." That means you get the same functional results at just 10% of the cost, which is crazy.

She does acknowledge a slight downside, telling me, "You won't get the same longevity or smart-system control you would with a fully integrated wired system, but for the price point, it's hard to beat. It's a great way to get impactful lighting when budget is a primary consideration."

Where Solar Makes the Most Sense

"Solar is also ideal in areas where running wiring would be difficult, disruptive, or cost-prohibitive," Przygoda explains. "It gives us options in spots that might otherwise go unlit."

This can include gardens far from your house, areas where digging would destroy your established plant beds, container gardens, or spaces where electrical access is simply nonexistent.

Avoid the "Landing Strip" Effect

Przygoda told me one of the biggest mistakes homeowners tend to make, calling it a “landing strip.”

She explains, "Lighting should guide you – not overwhelm you or make your house look like a landing strip. Instead of rigid symmetry, stagger and offset path lights. Let the lighting feel more natural and organic. This approach creates movement and feels professionally designed rather than overly structured."

That one simple adjustment can make all the difference between an amateur and a professional-looking installation.

Design with Layers

Przygoda tells me that outdoor lighting often requires thinking in terms of layers. She says, "A combination of path lighting, uplighting, and wall washing creates depth and visual interest."

Each layer has a purpose. "Path lights and step lighting provide safety and function. Uplighting adds drama and highlights architectural elements or specimen plantings. Wall washing can soften hard surfaces and create an ambient glow,” she explains.

"Marking all paths, steps, and functional transitions with a subtle layer of ambient light ensures the space feels safe and usable," she adds. "From there, we build in accent lighting to create mood and dimension. When layered correctly, the garden feels intentional, dramatic, and welcoming – without being overlit."

The Shift

In the past, solar lighting for the outdoors was often thought of as a compromise, but now it’s seen as a legitimate design choice. The technology has become more reliable, aesthetics have caught up to the wired fixtures, and the cost-to-benefit ratio makes it accessible to homeowners who normally wouldn’t be able to afford outdoor lighting.

Professionals have started adding it into high-end projects, not due to the fact that it’s cheap, but because it gives them flexibility and solves problems that wired systems just can’t.

If you’ve been procrastinating on putting outdoor lighting in your yard simply because it seems too expensive or complicated, take another look at solar. It’s come a long way in the last few years, and what is on sale now has nothing in common with what was previously available.

A planter box is a beautiful way to add more plants to your garden. It gives near-instant results, and the style of planter you choose will add to your backyard vibe. And there are so many ways to use planter boxes creatively in your garden. Many planter designs are purpose-made to fit a particular spot such as a balcony or windowsill, letting you add color and texture to sparse areas of your plot.

Planter boxes can redefine garden areas, too, turning a forgotten patio corner into a lush sanctuary to relax in, or your front yard into a vegetable patch to grow your own fresh produce. Or do you want to add privacy to your patio, or more personality? A planter box is the simple solution.

Be inspired by these planter box ideas and give your garden a fast upgrade this weekend.

1. Create Patio Zones With Wheeled Planter Boxes

Let's start with one of the most useful as well as stylish patio ideas. Using a wheeled planter to define a temporary zone on a paved area, perhaps to outline a seating area when you’ve invited friends or family over, instantly makes your patio into a more versatile space. Or how about using a wheeled planter to grow herbs so you can move it alongside your barbecue or outdoor table to create a dining zone with fresh pickings when entertaining? With a mobile planter box, you can switch up the look of your patio week after week.

There are practical benefits, too. The wheels raise the base off the ground, improving drainage and, by moving the planter regularly, you won’t be left with stained paving.

A good trick to keep a deep planter as light as possible so it’s easy to move around is to put chunks of polystyrene in the base. This also cuts the cost of filling the planter with potting soil.

2. Add Personality With a Painted Wooden Planter Box

Give an old wooden planter box new life with a bold design based on your garden palette. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be creative, it’s simple to paint a design of undulating lines such as this. You’ll need exterior paint, and this DecoArt Patio Outdoor Paint Set, available from Amazon, has 24 small pots of color for a vibrant design. It’s suitable for metal, plastic, concrete and terracotta as well as wood, so can be used for lots of other garden projects.

3. Bring Color With Windowsill Planter Boxes

Windowsill planter boxes are so charming, bringing a touch of romantic whimsy or cottagecore vibes to any home. And don’t fret if you don’t have huge windowsills. All you need are some metal planter brackets like these from Amazon and you can fix a windowbox pretty much anywhere.

The trick to making these slim planter boxes low maintenance is to use a small evergreen like trailing rosemary for year-round structure, then swap in easy-going bloomers like violas, marigold and petunias.

4. Use Ornamental Grass to Create a Privacy Planter

If your patio is overlooked by nosy neighbors, add welcome privacy with a planter of ornamental grasses. The clever idea behind a grass-only planter is that it will give maximum privacy in summer, when you use your patio most, because the plants will be at their peak. In winter, even if you leave the flowerheads for structure, the planter will let more of that precious sunshine through. This also gives maximum shade in summer, and makes for an extremely low maintenance planter.

5. Grow Herbs & Salad Leaves in a Raised Planter

A raised planter doesn’t just make gardening more comfortable, it keeps plants better protected from slugs and snails. Because you can so easily feed and water in a raised planter, you can also pack plants really close together, reducing the back-splash from soil for cleaner leaves. For these reasons, many gardeners choose to grow herbs and salad greens in a raised planter for easy pest-free pickings.

6. Upcycle an Old Wooden Crate or Drawer

Vintage items will bring an authentic, earthy aesthetic to your patio and old crates such as these, stamped with lettering, make such characterful planters. Wooden drawers from unwanted furniture are another ideal option. A lot of vintage items are made from hardwood such as oak, which is a far more durable material than the softwood pine or cedar used to manufacture many modern wooden planters.

It's important to protect the wood from moisture before planting up your box. Drill several drainage holes in the base and apply an exterior wood sealant such as Garden Box Armor, available from Amazon. Then line with strong plastic to keep the soil away from the wood. An old compost bag turned inside out works well, and can simply be stapled to the wood. with holes poked in the base.

7. Claim Your Vertical Space With a Trellised Planter

A planter with a trellis lets you grow climbing vines to create an attractive wall of foliage and flowers. Choose to cloak it with a fast-growing vine that won’t scramble out of control, or why not try growing vertical veggies such as peas or butternut squash? Use the height of the trellis to disguise an ugly wall or to define a garden space.

8. Fill a Planter With Summer-Flowering Bulbs

There are heaps of summer-flowering bulbs that you can plant in spring, and many are wonderfully colorful. They tend to be tender, however, meaning you need to dig up the bulb (or tuber or corm) and store it in a frost-free space over winter, then replant the following year once the weather has warmed up. Growing these beauties in a planter makes it easy to lift them in fall. Some, like these color-pop oriental lilies, can be left in the planter once the soil has dried, and the container simply moved to a frost-free space.

9. Adorn a Balcony or Railing With Spilling Foliage

It takes seconds to cheer up a balcony or railing with a hooked planter box, and when it needs some TLC, it’s super-easy to hook off again. The elevated position offers the opportunity to grow trailing plants for a cascade of lush leaves, and it’s a quick task to swap low-maintenance annual blooms in and out if you want to add some color.

10. Plant-Block With One Species Per Planter

Garden designers love to create blocks of the same plant for a modern look, and this idea works just as well in planters as in the ground. It's extremely low-maintenance, too. Choose evergreen plants that will look good year-round for some of the planters. Broadleaf evergreens have wide, flat leaves that are often waxy so reflect light, for wonderful texture. Add in a low-maintenance flowering plant that has plenty of petite blooms, such as lavender or Erigeron, for a similar texture treat.

11. Make a Veggie Patch in a Forgotten Corner With a Metal Planter Box

Metal planter boxes without bases are cheap, cheerful, and allow you to create a productive vegetable garden in a small space. They look smart, too, so why not put your front garden to good use, and start growing the freshest veggies with zero air miles? Without a base, these planter boxes are positioned straight onto the ground, meaning plants can access the nutrients and moisture in the soil.

To cut the cost of filling a veggie bed with soil, put a layer of straw in the base. This will also provide plants with a steady supply of nutrients as it slowly rots down.

The best pond ideas will instantly command attention in your garden, yet create a soothing, calm ambience. Whether you're thinking about creating a new pond in your garden or enhancing an existing feature, perhaps by adding moving water such as a stream, we've gathered the freshest ideas to inspire you.

Generally speaking, pond ideas can be divided into two categories. More formal, geometric designs tend to be rectangular, square or circular. They make a strong design statement that works well in small urban gardens. Informal designs imitate natural ponds using free-form shapes, and blend seamlessly into the landscape design with surrounding planting, boulders, or pebbles.

There is something magical about adding water to your garden. No matter what shape or style you choose, a pond will take the design up a level as well as introducing a note of tranquility. Our pond design ideas range in scope from a simple water bowl to a landscaped swim pond, so there's something here for you, however big or bijou your garden is.

1. Create a Pond for Pollinators

Ponds are a great idea if you want to create a wildlife garden and increase biodiversity in your yard. This modern pond idea fuses design, function and wildlife-friendly values. It's the perfect place for you to relax and connect with nature too.

A shallow pebble-filled pond allows pollinating insects to drink safely. Surround it with suitable spaces for bees to inhabit, and you'll offer safe habitat, too. Here, the adjacent wall features sculptural honeycomb-shaped homes for bees, as well as plenty of sheltering nooks.

In the surrounding landscaping, focus on nectar-rich plants that feed pollinators including beautiful bee-friendly varieties such as Campanula, Astrantia, foxgloves and Achillea, all widely available to buy from garden centers and nurseries.

Stylish Plants for Pollinators

2. Design a Pond as a Surprise Reveal

Ponds are often a focal point in garden landscaping, but sometimes it's fun to use them as a destination point that's gradually revealed instead of immediately seen. Feed a rill into the pond and you can follow the gentle sound of running water until you discover a peaceful and private space to enjoy.

If you're interested in how to build a small pond without taking up a lot of room, consider integrating a design into a flowerbed. Enveloped in a soft planting mix of fiery colors used alongside softer pastel tones for contrast, this freestanding pond design draws the eye through the space and enhances the feeling of discovering a sanctuary.

3. Get Creative with Reclaimed Materials

Landscaping with railroad ties is a popular choice for many backyard projects, thanks to their naturally attractive aged appearance that brings a weathered look. They're a durable and affordable choice for pond ideas, and a way of using reclaimed materials that's both aesthetically pleasing and a sustainable option.

Inspired by inner-city green developments along disused urban railways such as the High Line in NYC, this project uses a series of ponds on different levels, with soft and naturalistic planting to soften the edges.

Be sure to choose railroad ties that haven't been treated with chemicals. While this project uses a thick pre-formed black pond liner like this one from Amazon it's best not to introduce chemicals of any type into your garden if you can avoid it.

4. Make a Small Pond a Garden Centerpoint

A small circular pond design that's integrated into the wider landscaping is a great use of limited space in any urban garden setting. This eye-catching hardscaping creates an enticing ripple effect with concentric circles that draw you in. It offers the opportunity to sit on a sun-warmed limestone bench and feel cocooned, surrounded by drifts of airy planting that enhance the feeling of being immersed in nature. It's the perfect place to pause for reflection while gazing on the water.

If your garden is on different levels or naturally slopes, pond ideas like this one work well as a neat design solution to turn a difficult space into a focal point. A change of levels adds visual interest, as well as offering an intimate space to gather round.

5. Consider Distinctive Edging

Bespoke pond edging can really make a difference and will help to give your pond a unique, customized look. This beautiful and sustainable rim creates a stylish finish, as well as making the wildlife pond easy for critters to climb in and out. It's a stylish take on the idea of a gravel 'scrape' pond that places gravel in a lined shallow depression to create a water feature.

Edged with landscaping rocks, it features pond plants like tall and shapely purple flowered pickerel weed (center), water lettuce (left), and the grass-like perennial sedge known as fiber optic plant (right). On the surface, the spreading oxygenating aquatic plant Myriophyllum rubricaule helps keep the water fresh.

This pond uses broken flint for a distinctive look, but there are many stone types readily available. Disguising a pond liner, stones and pebbles are an affordable way to give a home-built design a professional finish. Find Natural River Rocks here at Amazon for a distinctive edge.

6. Double-Up for Extra Impact

One of the easiest ways to add a pool of water to your garden is with a water bowl. In this cool and contemporary design, one corten steel water bowl overflows into another, positioned slightly lower, via a water chute, with both immersed in wrap-around planting. It's such a simple yet stylish idea.

Enhancing the effect, this garden design uses two further water bowls to lead the eye across the space. This is such a clever way to add a modern, spacious feel to a garden, however small its dimensions. Even the most compact plot can accommodate several small water bowls to layer up the effect and create a unique design.

Sleek Water Bowls

7. Add Flowing Water to a Naturalistic Pond

There is something so enchanting about the sound of trickling water. You can replicate the calming benefits of this in your own garden by adding a small stream that flows into a pond. The sound and movement of the water as it winds its way through the garden before feeding into a tranquil pond makes a soothing addition to any outdoor space.

For a stream feature, you'll need to create a lined, linear channel in addition to the pond, and install a water pump and hose to recirculate the water from bottom to top.

The joy of pond ideas like this is that they feel such a natural part of the garden. The combination of flowing water, a natural pond design and immersive planting to soften the look will bring nature firmly into the heart of your garden.

8. Splash Out on a Natural Swim Pond

The idea of a natural swim pond seguing harmoniously into your garden landscape is an enticing one. It offers the opportunity to swim in a more natural environment that is chemical-free, minus the routine maintenance of pumps, filters and water top-ups. The marginal planting, gravel edging and gently landscaped perimeter will provide eco-friendly habitat for wildlife, too.

Aim to locate natural swimming pools at the lowest point in your garden as this is where water will naturally accumulate. Choosing a sunny spot away from overhanging trees and falling leaves is also important to keep the water as clear as possible. It's always a good idea to consult a specialist about swim pond ideas as specific planting and design features are needed to naturally filter the water.

One final tip to consider. Moving water is a key way to take your pond ideas to the next level, so you may want to include garden fountains or pond waterfalls as part of your design too.

Landscape edging is used to add a decorative border round an area of hard landscaping or planting, or to separate two areas that would otherwise merge such as a planted area and a gravel path. The best edging ideas combine both these elements, offering practical benefits as well as aesthetic appeal.

A wide range of materials are available for landscape edging, from affordable pressure-treated timber and salvaged bricks to luxury stone and sleek corten steel. This makes it simple to find one to match your garden style, and edging a patio, path, flowerbed or lawn will give your backyard a professional finish.

You can easily install many types of landscape edging yourself, even if you have no DIY experience, making this a great weekend project. Which of these ideas will suit your garden best?

1. Decorative Paver Inlays

A popular edging option uses the same type of paver as your patio or path, but in a contrasting color or design. This is a subtle but stylish way to add a distinctive edge to a walkway or other hardscaped area, defining the edges but designed in the same material for a cohesive look.

"Landscape edging can make a significant impact on the look of your garden, and the materials you choose can ensure a polished, high-end look," says Joe Raboine, Vice President of Design at Oldcastle APG. "There are many options to add the right kind of edging that looks great and suits your space.

"If you want to add more visual appeal to your outdoor space, look at creative ways to use pavers. Adding two-dimensional separation, paver inlays can be used to create a visual border around a patio or other area, helping to define the space, in addition to offering color and texture to enhance the look."

2. Classic Granite Cobbles

"Granite cobbles create a substantial, high-end border edge that’s timeless," says landscape architect Tina Flint-Huffman of greenhousestudio.co. "They add a few inches of vertical reveal, which is especially useful for containing loose materials like bark or pea gravel that tend to migrate."

Elevating the cobbles adds visual impact in addition to structure. Beyond function, the weight and texture of real stone immediately signals permanence and quality. Granite cobbles can be used to define driveways, patios, paths and lawns for a high-end look. They are also one of the strongest options if you're looking for more traditional and permanent hardscaping ideas to make a garden look more mature.

3. On-Trend Curved Corten

Corten edging creates a very clean line that contrasts beautifully with natural landscaping including soft planting or loose materials like gravel or mulch. As it weathers, corten gets better, too, acquiring an attractive rust-colored patina over time. It needs minimal maintenance and is easily bent to create curves and custom shapes.

"Utilize edging to reinforce aesthetic themes established elsewhere in your garden design," says Kevin Lenhart, Design Director at Yardzen. "In dry regions or areas where warm tones are visible in native soil and stone, corten steel edging can look gorgeous."

The flexible nature of corten edging makes it ideal for defining clean lines around turf areas, shaping flowerbeds, edging curving pathways. Corten steel is strong enough to be used to create raised beds, too. While this material may have higher initial costs compared to plastic alternatives, corten steel's exceptional durability and longevity make it a cost-effective long-term investment.

A budget-friendly alternative is regular mild steel that is artificially rusted or chemically treated to create a patina that resembles corten.

Affordable Alternatives to Corten Steel

4. Composite Bender Board

Many of us work hard on choosing and placing the right plants for an area of the garden but often forget to frame them with an effective border. And a planted area without a border is like a picture without a frame.

"Borders for planted areas and lawn are often forgotten," says Jeromie Roberts, Turf Coach at Waterloo Turf. "Appropriate borders create separation between hardscape and turf or planted areas. They also prevent migration of materials from one space to another."

A popular and affordable option is composite bender board. "This type of product is made for longevity in the elements, and never warps or splinters," says Jeromie. "While being low profile and blending in, it also allows for freeform curves and shapes. It does the job without overpowering the landscape."

5. Contemporary Recessed Lights

Recessed lights dropped into decking planks to edge lawn or flowerbeds is a great way to add distinctive edging to a modern outdoor space. It's one of the easiest landscape edging ideas if you're on a budget, offering an fast solution to create a decorative border. You can also create garden lighting ideas like this in paved designs.

"Installing LEDs as part of a contemporary lawn edging idea will add a warm glow and have a stylish effect on curb appeal in the front yard or lift the overall look in the backyard," says Joe Raboine. "The latest LEDs offer designer looks, including lights that can change color, and systems that can be controlled via phone."

Find outdoor LED Ground Lights here at Wayfair, and similar Bright Blue Solar Pathway Lights here at Amazon to match the design in the photo.

6. Crisp Steel Edging

Steel edging lends a more architectural finish to a backyard landscape, one that offers longevity too. It virtually disappears once installed, leaving behind a crisp edge that feels intentional.

"If you want a polished, expensive look without spending thousands, go with thin metal edging," says JoAnne Loftus, President and Owner of Archival Designs. "Steel or aluminum edging gives you the razor-sharp lines you see in high-end landscaping magazines at a fraction of the cost."

Metal edging is nearly flush with the ground, so gives a nice line between a gravel walkway and flowerbeds for a sleek vibe. The material is easy to bend around curves, meaning that you can follow the natural flow of your yard rather than having to force everything into straight lines. This flexibility makes it look custom rather than DIY.

"You can use it anywhere, including lawn, patio edging and flowerbed edging, as well as mulched garden beds," says JoAnne. "It works equally well both for hardscaping and softscaping projects because the metal disappears visually while still doing its job."

7. Sustainable Reclaimed Bricks

Reclaimed bricks offer a heritage look that lets you get creative, as well as being easy on the budget. Salvaged brick edging can be slotted into contemporary landscaping designs or more traditional gardens, and both will look like a natural fit.

If you live in a hot climate like the SouthWest, pair bricks with gravel, river rocks and pavers for modern xeriscape design ideas to frame a display of succulents and cacti, as well as being mindful of firescaping schemes.

Find reclaimed bricks that have been cleaned and sorted from specialist dealers like these Old Detroit Reds from Historical Bricks, who ship nationwide and will help you find the perfect material for your project.

8. Cost-Effective Timber Boards

Wooden boards add a crisp edge and natural-looking finish and can be used to define lawns, flowerbeds and pathways. Pressure-treated timber is a practical and affordable alternative to brick or paving and is easily cut to size, offering a cost-effective and flexible solution for customised landscaping projects.

"Opting for simple edging helps to keep costs in control. I’m a fan of timber edging for the texture and warm coloring it brings to a garden design," says Yardzen's Kevin Lenhart. "As design trends move toward a greater embrace of warm neutrals, wood edging offers an easy way to add targeted warm accents to a design."

There are other landscape edging ideas in wood too, including timber stakes like this solid teak wooden edging from Wayfair, and decorative log borders like this one from Amazon for a natural, rustic look.

Find more inspiration with gravel garden ideas and using river rock mulch, as well as rock landscaping design to elevate your landscape edging ideas.

Patio ideas are very much in the spotlight in 2026. The 'patio culture' trend that's big news this year is all about extending your living space outside with the latest hardscaping and planting ideas. The focus is firmly on creating an elegant yet useful outdoor space you want to spend time in – and that's easily achievable, with options for every budget.

Establish a seamless flow between indoors and outdoors by using materials and colors for your patio that reflect your interior design choices. This will make it feel like a cohesive extension of your home. Whether you're looking for small patio ideas to switch up up your space or inspiration for a bigger project, our suggestions will help you on your journey.

All these ideas create a practical, beautiful area that's a joy to use, and maximise every square foot of your patio space. Which one will suit your garden best?

1. Fill One Side with a Sleek Outdoor Kitchen

There are few better ways to update your patio for summer than by adding an outdoor kitchen. A corner area of patio offers the perfect opportunity to tuck in an easy L-shaped design, or use just one side for a sleek line of cabinets. There are now so many clever design ideas that allow you to add an outdoor kitchen yourself, including budget-friendly options.

One of the most affordable ways to create an outdoor kitchen is to build a frame to house your barbecue, along with simple storage and food prep areas. Ikea offers a super-affordable range of modular mix-and-match outdoor kitchen combinations, making it easy to create a bespoke cooking area to fit your patio dimensions perfectly.

Build a Bespoke Kitchen on a Budget

2. Use Plants as Patio Sculpture

Instead of cluttering your patio with multiple pots, use two or three strategically placed plants in supersized containers to create more impact. This will highlight the plants' sculptural qualities and turn them into a focal point. Group plants purposefully so they become a key part of your patio decor rather than something added as an afterthought.

Large statement planters featuring architectural greenery always bring an intentional, confident vibe, and are especially effective if you have sizeable houseplants indoors as well. In summer, bring a couple of those big-leaved houseplants such as a fiddle leaf fig or rubber plant outside to add to the lush patio vibe. Your plants will thank you for the fresh air, too.

3. Claim Your Vertical Space with a Half-Pergola

A trick often used by landscape designers is to introduce vertical styling when patio space is limited, to encourage you to look upwards. It's one of the easiest patio ideas to transform your outdoor space into something spectacular. This is also a lovely way to create shade.

In this outdoor patio at his Montauk retreat, award-winning designer Vicente Wolf created a verdant cocoon by layering greenery both at ground level and overhead. A trellis above the bench, draped with flowering wisteria, acts as a half-pergola, blurring the line between nature and design and offering both tranquility and a sense of privacy without taking up a heap of space.

Flowering Climbers for a Half-Pergola

4. Get On-Trend with Earthy Minimalism

Warm minimalism is a key trend in garden design for 2026, one that works especially well for patios. While the look is still uncluttered, the use of earthy, sun-bleached tones means it's less stark and more inviting than many minimalist designs. The trick is to use fewer elements that work together to create a calming, timeless look.

Feel connected to nature by choosing warm earth-inspired colors such as sand, stone, clay, terracotta and sepia as part of your patio ideas to transform your outdoor space. This will help turn your patio into a soothing natural environment where you can relax in a space that feels like a sanctuary from the outside world.

5. Anchor the Space with a Fire Table

One of the most effective ways to elevate a patio is to think of it as an outdoor room and make your choices accordingly. Every room needs a focal point and this concept works for a patio too. Perfect for gathering around on cool evenings, a fire table delivers both warmth and an earthy elegance to patios, and design-wise is a step up from firepit garden ideas such as bowls and baskets.

Beyond warmth, fire creates atmosphere and naturally draws people together, turning your patio into a year-round gathering space. Positioning a fire feature centrally – or slightly off-center to create a conversational zone – instantly gives the patio purpose and intimacy.

Focal Point Fire Tables

6. Use Planting to Create a Secluded Nook

"If you want that nookish feel, use planting along the sides, and ideally something overhead like a tree canopy or structure," says Kevin Lenhart, Design Director at Yardzen. "Patios with a strong sense of enclosure tend to feel cozier, and removed from the rest of the landscape."

Use the best pergola planting ideas to create a green canopy overhead. You can use ideas like this to contrast your patio with the rest of your outdoor space. Strong garden designs tend to offer a variety of spatial experiences, with some spaces more enclosed, while by way of contrast, others feel more open and interconnected.

7. Add Geometric Style with a Shade Sail

There are so many shade options to consider for a patio, from wall-mounted canopies and simple pergola ideas. If you want to keep your patio feeling light, airy and connected to the rest of your garden, a sail shade is a good choice. They're affordable, available in all sorts of geometric shapes and provide shelter from the sun's rays while still offering sight of the sky.

Playing with sail proportions can impact on how your patio fits into the rest of the garden. If you want to define your patio space, match the size of the sail closely to the paved area. To better integrate it into the rest of your garden, choose a sail whose corners stretch beyond the patio edges. You can also use a smaller sail shade to turn a corner of a large patio into a cozy seating spot.

Simple Yet Stylish Sail Shades

8. Layer-up Lighting for Interior-Esque Style

If you're looking for ways to make your patio feel upscale then proper garden lighting is a must, especially if you're planning on regular night-time use. The right lighting visually expands the space as well as adding atmosphere, and layering it – just as you would an interior living space – is the key to a put-together look.

Carefully layered lighting is a trick often used by garden designers. Aim for a combination of ambient lighting for mood, task lighting such as low-level patio lights for practicality, and soft accent lighting to emphasise key features.

9. Banish Clutter with Multifunctional Furniture

Choose thoughtful, streamlined furniture designs when you're looking for patio ideas to transform your outdoor space. Multifunctional furniture such as sofas, coffee tables and ottomans that double as storage space encourage a clutter-free aesthetic that is especially important for small patios.

Look out for garden furniture designs that work harder and smarter by being dual-function. Modular furniture sets with integral storage, where seat cushions lift up to reveal storage areas beneath, can be configured to suit the layout of even the smallest patio. By incorporating corner and mid-sections, these sofas slot together seamlessly to create an elegant look without overcrowding the space.

10. Zone with an Inlaid Hardscape 'Rug'

“The biggest mistake I see with patios is opting for one massive slab of gray concrete or beige pavers,” says Halil Oguz, founder of nationwide tile specialists Mosaicenter. “To add a truly distinctive design element, instead of a uniform patio I recommend installing an inlaid hardscape rug."

This works by using a perimeter of neutral natural stone such as travertine or limestone, then an inlay featuring a rectangle of decorative, patterned porcelain pavers. This mimics the look of an outdoor rug , but because it's porcelain never fades or needs washing. It helps define garden zones and creates a cozy vibe to arrange your patio furniture around, and adds architectural weight to the space.

Now find inspiration for front yard patio ideas if you want to add curb appeal, and tips for urban patio gardens if you live in the city.

Exploring pergola ideas is a great way to expand your garden’s usable space and enjoy year-round outdoor living. In addition to practical considerations, a pergola also introduces a strong design feature to enhance the look of your outdoor space with a stunning focal point.

Functional as well as stylish, pergolas are ideal for zoning the space, too, as part of your backyard landscaping. You can use a pergola to add an outdoor room, either right up against the house or a freestanding one in a more secluded part of the garden.

Pergolas are also a great framework for climbing plants to make the space feel more private, as well as garden lighting to add a magical note at night. Available in a range of materials, including wood, metal, and PVC options, pergolas are one of the easiest ways to add a fast and easy designer touch to your garden. Now find out how to use the latest pergola ideas to enhance your space.

1. Create an Outdoor Room

"Pergolas have evolved from simple shade structures into fully realized outdoor rooms," says Anthony Musso, landscape designer at Hicks Landscape Design in New York. "In our landscape design-build projects, pergolas are designed as integral architectural features that shape how outdoor spaces are used and experienced."

Regardless of material or style, a successful pergola should feel cohesive with the home and landscape. It’s essential to consider how the space will be used, whether for dining, lounging, outdoor cooking, or as a focal point within the garden. This function-first approach should guide decisions around scale, placement, finishes, and features.

The joy of choosing a freestanding pergola is that it can be positioned wherever you want to enhance your outdoor living space. Accompanied by the right furniture and accessories, a pergola can become the go-to place to hang out all summer long.

2. Integrate Planting for Privacy

More of us are now designing our outdoor spaces as private retreats. Yardzen recently reported a 22% increase in privacy-driven features to create secluded outdoor zones. Pergolas can be a key component of this, as privacy can be easily achieved with a layered planting design that screens you from neighbors.

Choose beautiful pergola climbing plants as well as small trees arranged to form natural enclosures that also support biodiversity. "As traditional pergola roofs are open, they don’t block rain, but when thoughtfully paired with suitable climbing plants for pergolas such as wisteria, jasmine, or grapevines, they can evolve into a private space," says Anthony Musso.

Design pergolas with plant growth in mind, allowing the structure to change with the seasons. "As vines mature, they naturally increase shade, visual softness, and habitat value," says Anthony. "This creates a dynamic space that becomes even more beautiful over time."

3. Add a Louvred Pergola for Flexible Living

If you want to make the most of your deck year-round, adding a pergola creates a more sheltered space, especially if it’s partially enclosed by the back wall of your house or a boundary wall. Consider options like a retractable roof cover and sides to further enhance the ways you can use the space.

"A strong trend right now is louvered roofs and retractable canopies," says Henry Stoll, owner and founder of Enduria Structures. "These features offer you overall control in terms of the amount of sunlight and airflow you want. It creates a thoughtful design for your lifestyle, climate, and the space you want to adapt."

All it takes is a flip of a switch to create the cover you need. Constructed from aluminum and steel, this type of pergola is durable, low maintenance, and can be customized to suit your lifestyle with features like built-in lighting options, weather sensors, electrical outlets, and retractable side shades. They are the perfect fit for contemporary garden ideas, too.

Louvred Pergola Designs

4. Create A Secluded Space for Entertaining

This cool and stylish pergola set-up offers a separate area for lunch or drinks as the sun goes down. Surrounded by immersive planting featuring softly layered ornamental grasses planted in sleek raised beds interspersed with shrubs, this pergola design creates an ambient space for entertaining or relaxing.

Designed by Pennsylvania-based Lancaster County Backyard, it's a perfect example of how introducing a pergola can help to upgrade your space. This is both a design statement with its strong architectural lines, as well as having a practical purpose in offering a covered space for dining and relaxing.

A pergola can be left unplanted like this one to show off its bold outline, with lush layers of planting around the pergola to enhance the space. Alternatively, add climbers to create a screen, and introduce potted palms to layer up the look and add a vacation vibe as part of your pergola ideas to transform your outdoor space.

5. Define a Balcony Space

Adding a pergola to your balcony or terrace can help to create a more intimate space, especially if it's overlooked. It can also add a touch of luxe to the look by making the area feel more 'designed' without carrying out a major overhaul.

Choose a simple, contemporary pergola design that complements your home’s architecture. Aluminum pergolas have an especially luxurious appearance thanks to their sleek, contemporary profiles and high-quality powder-coated finishes.

Find a similar design to the one pictured with this stylishly designed aluminum pergola by Blue Elephant, available at Wayfair for an elegant addition to a balcony or indeed any other garden area.

6. Enhance a Forgotten Corner

If you're a small-space gardener, adding a pergola to an under-utilized corner is a great way to create an extra seating area or utilize it for another designated purpose, such as a dining area or yoga space.

This type of L-shaped set-up works well to make the most of a cramped space and is one of the latest contemporary small garden ideas to make every inch count. Fitting a pergola into a corner in this way is a fresh take on space-saving solutions that are easy to do, plus it's an inexpensive option too.

Using the area where your garden wall meets your house is the obvious choice, but alternatively, you could use a corner at the end of the garden. Cover the pergola with climbing plants if your garden is overlooked and you want more privacy, or alternatively, leave it exposed for more of a modern design statement.

7. Choose Bold Color for a Modern Look

Using color in the garden by introducing a bold pergola creates a strong focalpoint as part of your design. A pergola like this one helps to draw the eye and define the journey through the garden, as well as adding drama. Find a similar wooden pergola here at Lowe's, which is perfect for customizing in a bright color.

Choosing a combination of striking colors like the tangerine and rouge-pink used together here is one way of making a bold design statement with color. It's an affordable option, too, if you choose a basic wooden pergola and paint it.

When it comes to planting, you can surround your modern pergola design with loose, naturalistic planting to create a contrast or continue with the modern theme and choose a more structured, formal design. Using pergola ideas to transform your outdoor space can be as simple as that.

8. DIY a Shady Seating Spot

"Pergola kits offer ease of installation, particularly for DIY enthusiasts," says Joe Raboine, vice president of design at Oldcastle APG. "Recommended kits come with pre-cut, pre-routed, and pre-riveted parts, requiring only a simple assembly using tools like an Allen screw. This eliminates the need for special tools or installation skills."

Additionally, they can be completely customized to suit your backyard's size, shape, and style, so using pergola ideas to transform your outdoor space makes perfect sense, whatever the layout.

"People are viewing these as an opportunity to expand their homes," says Joe. "With the cost of new construction at an all-time high, consumers realize they can get a beautiful pergola at a fraction of the price of an addition. With features such as pergolas, they can create beautiful outdoor rooms that really enhance their yard."

This sounds like a great project to tackle on the next fine weekend.

Build Your Own

That's our round-up of pergola ideas to transform your outdoor space. Now find out about gazebos and garden rooms for more ideas how to max up your garden's potential.

Small gardens can be weirdly frustrating, and making them seem deeper can be even more frustrating. You move things around, swap plants, add a new pot or two, and when you finally stand back to admire a fuller spectacle, it can look… basically the same. Not bad, just not bigger or deeper. It’s that quiet moment where you start wondering why nothing you change seems to change how the space actually feels.

The thing is, the secret to making a smaller space seem deeper or longer isn't necessarily about manipulating the square footage itself – it’s in the science of perception. By treating your garden like a landscape painting, you can use color to create depth without moving a thing. This small garden idea isn't just a gardening whim; it’s a concept called atmospheric perspective, deploying a mix of hot colors and cold colors in particular places to convey the impression of distance.

Think about a mountain range in the distance – the peaks closest to you are vibrant and sharp, while the farthest peaks look hazy, pale, and blue. Brains are hardwired to associate "blue and blurry" with "far away" and by mimicking this in a 20-foot garden, you’re essentially hacking your brain’s depth perception. You’re painting a 3D landscape where the plants do the heavy lifting for you, making the fence line seem to melt away into a distant horizon. Here’s how this clever color trick can be used in your yard to create the impression of more depth and length.

Can Color Make a Yard Longer?

Small gardens don’t usually feel small simply because of measurements. They feel small because your eyes hit the edges of the boundary too fast and just stop. What’s interesting is that your brain is already used to reading color as distance, even when nothing is actually moving. Certain shades naturally pull forward, while others drift back, and that split-second interpretation shapes how big a space seems before you ever think about square footage. When it comes to small garden landscaping ideas, this is one of the easiest ways to make more of your space.

Cold and hot colorful plants tap into that instinct in a powerful way. By shifting where stronger and softer tones sit in the yard, you can stretch how far the garden appears to go, even though the fence hasn’t moved an inch. It’s the same visual shortcut your brain uses outdoors every day, just applied on purpose – so it is possible to suggest depth using perception instead of physical expansion. If you deploy a warm and cool palette in sequence, you manipulate how that space is interpreted and felt.