Do you have a space that you’d like to transform into the home of your dreams? It is conceivable. You can make your own quirky garden with just a little imagination and a dash of whimsy!
There are no strict rules to follow when coming up with great garden ideas. So while brainstorming DIY garden ideas, you can soar high into the sky or plunge deep into the deepest nook of the ocean. And the greatest part is that adding a whimsical touch to your landscape does not have to be expensive. You might even have the materials you need to stash somewhere away in the corner of your house.
You can make your own wacky garden out of virtually anything, from broken birdcages to wheelbarrows to tire planters. All you need is a little nudge to get your imagination going.
Whimsical Garden Ideas
If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, here are a few of our favorites. These suggestions will pique your imagination and bring a touch of whimsy to your garden.
1. A Wood Log Sidewalk
Wood logs or fallen tree trunks could just be the material for you to start your creation.
Wooden logs can be used to make unusual sideways structures. To do so, you’ll need to clear the area of any debris first. The next step should focus on removing the sod, raking the area, and leveling it. After you’ve cleared off the area, split the logs into discs. The discs’ diameter would be determined by the space and the style you desire. After that, cart the discs and set them where you want them. The larger discs should be used to make the major stepping stones, while the smaller ones should be used as fillers.
Fill in the gaps between the discs with dirt once they’re all in place. You can accomplish this in the following manner.
2. Broken Pots and Containers
Do not throw away broken containers or pots if you want to save your money and still want to create a whimsical garden. You can use broken pots to create spilling planters like the following.
It doesn’t matter if the planter is broken because the fractured side can be buried in the soil. To make the spilling garden planters and add a touch of a whim to your garden, you may use any shaped and sized container or pot.
3. Landscape Lighting
Adding landscape lights can be another great idea to add a whimsical feel to your garden. To create a magical environment, use fairy lights around pots or fences.
Alternatively, solar pathway lights, which are incredibly charming and may add whimsy and ambiance to your gardens at night, are a great option.
4. A Wheelbarrow Garden
Do you have a broken wheelbarrow garaged at a corner of your garden shed? If yes, it’s time to take it out and give it a makeover.
It’s simple to make a wheelbarrow planter. Cleaning the wheelbarrow, filling it with potting or garden soil, and planting your favorite plants are all that are required. Then, voila! The planter’s rustic appearance will lend a traditional appeal that harkens back to bygone ages.
And if you do not have a wheelbarrow, don’t worry. You can use an old bicycle as well in the following way.
5. Add Pergolas and Arbors
This idea can give your yard a bit of fairytale fancy, but it will cost money and time to implement.
An iron pergola costs between $300 and $1500 and can be purchased locally or online. For a garden aesthetic, a wrought iron pergola is the finest option. Plant a couple of Eden Roses on it and place it wherever you wish. The roses climbing the iron pergola will add a magical alluring touch to your yard.
6. How About a Pond?
A little pond in the corner of your lawn can provide a refreshing sight and a quirky mood. Grow calla lilies along the bank of your pond and stock it with goldfish or koi pond fish. Landscape statuary and ceramic planters with draped succulents can also be used.
7. Add Figural Planters
To enhance the overall appeal of your garden, use wall-mounted figural planters. To achieve a stunning effect, put a vining plant that will overflow the planter.
8. Decorating Fences
Do you have an old fence that you’re unsure what to do with? We recommend that you renovate it.
Fences protect your yard and offer a touch of flair to your home.
Paint your old fence a bright color and add some pots to it. You may also wrap art pieces around fairy lights and hang them with pots.
Another alternative is to add climbing plants or vines to your antique fence to give it a romantic and timeless aspect.
9. An Upcycled Vintage Garden
Upcycling old materials to create a vintage garden could be a fun way to add some whimsy to your yard. There are no restrictions on what you can include. For example, you may make planters out of an old, broken chair, old ladders, milk cans, trash cans, and even bathroom fixtures.
Just give your creative juices a boost and start churning out DIY ideas.
Here are some photos to help you get started.
10. Go Bonsai
Bonsai gardens, which originated in China, are now popular worldwide. Bonsai is a Japanese word that loosely translates to “plant in a pot,” representing harmony and balance.
We do not imply that establishing a bonsai garden is difficult, but it takes time, patience, and focus. And the best part is that your investment will pay off in the end. In this gardening approach, frequent pruning and small planters are two key mantras that must be followed.
Another thing to keep in mind is the location of the bonsai trees. Your trees will thrive outside when the evening temperature is above 40 degrees. Bonsais can be grown on patios or in hanging planters along the fence.
11. Birdcage Succulent Garden
Succulents are a popular type of plant in the garden. They have a fantastic appearance, require minimal upkeep, and maybe propagated in various ways. Planting succulents in hanging birdcage planters adds a new depth to your succulent landscape. In addition, you can buy a new birdcage or repurpose an older one.
Pro tip: If you’re going to use an old birdcage, paint it white. It will add to the overall attractiveness of the planter.
In the birdcage, you can also grow vines. The vines and succulents peeking out from behind the cage would be a nice addition and provide a 3D appearance. The placement of the planters will be crucial. So you can either put them on a garden seat or hang them from tree limbs.
12. Gnome Garden
Let’s stop the clock and travel back in time to our childhood to create a charming gnome garden. To begin, you can select gnomes that are appropriate for your landscape. Next, concentrate on the gnome placement.
That said, a tire planter with gnomes and succulents or vines might offer a whimsical touch to the landscape.
You can even pick a spot and turn it into a miniature gnome garden. On the other hand, this concept may be complex to realize and will necessitate patience and time. A gnome cottage, cobblestone road, a miniature waterfall, and other accessories can be added.
You may even invest in a large gnome statue in the middle of your yard. Use professionals to assist you in putting your plan into action.
13. Go Creative with Mulching
Experiment with mulching to add some color to your garden. Mulching does not have to be a chore. In reality, pebbles, multicolored ceramic balls, marble chips, and stones can all be used as mulch.
Note: While inorganic mulch gives color to the garden and protects the roots, it might cause the plants to overheat. Also, if the plants require acidic soil, avoid using marble chips.
However, if you don’t want to use inorganic mulch, you can still experiment with organic amendments. You can use the following to bring color to your landscape in a natural way:
- Shredded bark: Brown
- Grass clippings: Green
- Old leaves: Yellow and Brown
- Pine straw: Golden yellow
14. Hanging Tea Cups
The use of cups to drink tea may be traced back to the 10th century BC in China. And in this contemporary world, you can use teacups to decorate your garden. How? By hanging them!
Tie the handles of assorted cups together with ropes and suspend them from a tree in your landscape. The hanging cups will create chiming noises every time they are shaken by the breeze and add an oriental flavor to your landscape.
You may also use larger cups as planters for cacti and small succulents if you have them.
15. Origami
Origami, or folding paper art, is a terrific way to bring whimsy to your yard sustainably. Infusing origami into your garden would bring an oriental touch to it and let you learn the craft. You may produce various vivid paper flowers, birds, animals, and objects to hang in your garden or paste on fences with this simple paper art.
There are a plethora of videos to choose from on YouTube. All you need to do is fold the origami and hang it from tree trunks with strings. Then, create larger origami pieces and stick them on garden seats, fences, and other surfaces as an alternative.
Another option is to build origami lanterns for a relaxing evening in the garden, like the one seen below.
Note: this idea is not suitable to be implemented during rainy months.
16. Boot Planters
Do you have an old pair of boots that you don’t know what to do with? Then, bring your ear closer because we will tell you how to make a secret garden DIY project!
Joke apart! This project is for anyone who enjoys repurposing old items rather than tossing them away- make boot planters. You can make beautiful boot planters with an old pair of boots, some paint, garden soil, and your favorite plants.
You can use various-sized boots to give the whole landscape an eclectic look. Hand them along the fence or tuck them into a corner—anything will suffice!
17. Vertical Tire Garden
By stacking tires together, you may make hanging planters and vertical planters. If you only have a small area to set your planters, the vertical tire gardening idea is also a good option. To obtain a sense of how to stack tires together, look at the images below.
18. Cycle Rim Flowers
Making creative cycle rim planters for your yard is a great idea.
Even though these flowers aren’t real, they can add a lot to the overall appearance of your garden. Before placing the bicycle rims on a post with huge fake petals and leaves affixed, you can paint them in the pop-up and bright colors. Then, to create a contrast, place the arrangement behind shallow flower beds.
Summary
This brings us to the conclusion of our whimsical garden idea post. We hope you like our top-18 whimsical garden ideas. This article was written with the budget and ease of execution in mind. That being said, if you have any additional ideas, don’t hesitate to share them with us.