40 Original Garden Art Ideas

Garden art is extremely important if you want your outdoor space to become the envy of your neighbors. From traditional garden statues to modern art and everything in between, there are infinite solutions that will allow you to decorate your garden with style.

Nevertheless, if you’d appreciate some inspiration, check out these 40 original garden art ideas and use them to achieve an outstanding outdoor space.

1. Rusted Iron Art

Rusted iron decorations match well with rustic gardens but also with nonconformist environments. For such a décor, you can use old objects such as vintage irons or other household objects. If you like nonconformity, invest in some decorative objects made of junk iron, such as a flower or a nest of birds.

In the case of a traditional garden, use vintage objects to decorate a whole corner. In a modern garden, a single decorative object placed in the middle of the lawn will suffice.

2. Painted Garden Statues

The easiest way of decorating the garden is with garden statues​. On the market, there are countless models you can choose from, and you can match the statues either with your personal taste or with the surrounding environment.

Personally, I love to match the statues with the rest of the garden to create unique compositions. Moreover, this also gives a tidy aspect to the garden itself.

If you’re looking for a lovely idea, inspire yourself from the image above.

3. Modern Garden Art

If you are a lover of modern art, then you should also decorate the garden accordingly. A nice example of garden art is by creating a minimalist exhibition in the middle of the lawn.

Invest in a piece of modern art, such as a surrealistic sculpture, and place it on a pedestal on the lawn. If the sculpture is really large, you could even build a concrete support directly on the ground.

Place a single chair in front of the sculpture. To maintain the minimalist design, choose a simple chair made of wood or iron. For a more stylish effect, you can even decorate the chair with cozy cushions and pillows.

4. Glass Garden Art

If you have a large garden and a large garden fountain, you can choose unique pieces of glass decoration to create original garden art.

For example, you could decorate the fountain with a few tall kinds of grass and climbing plants. Succulents and evergreens can also work well in this context.

Choose a few glass garden sculptures representing stylized flowers or garden plants and place them next to the pots in the fountain. You can even choose a couple of large pieces of garden art and place them directly into the fountain. Without a doubt, this corner will become the center of attention of your property.

5. Water Can Tree Decoration

Garden art doesn’t have to be expensive. In most cases, you can transform everyday objects in decorations. Moreover, if you are a DIY lover, you can even transform junk into beautiful pieces of art.

If you love DIY, a nice idea is to decorate the trees in your garden with metal water cans. Add a touch of originality to the décor by painting the water cans in lively colors. If you are really talented, you can even decorate the cans with painted flowers or other motifs.

If the size of the water cans allows it, use the old objects as planters for perennials.

6. Garden Wagon And Metal Buckets Decoration

Wooden garden wagons can also be used to create original garden art. You can either transform a vintage wagon into a beautiful decoration or buy a new wagon from a garden decorations shop.

Once you positioned the wagon in the garden, you can use your fantasy to decorate it with other objects and flowers, to create unique compositions. For example, you could use the whole wagon as a planter for perennials or create an original square foot garden.

On the other hand, you can fix a few metallic bucket planters on the wagon and combine them with other original planters, such as reconditioned wine crates.

7. Vintage Garden Décor

Vintage iron objects, such as iron planters, balance weights, and even vintage irons, can all be transformed into beautiful garden art.

These objects can decorate with success a romantic or traditional garden but also find their place in shabby chic decors. For a flawless effect, place the objects next to a brick wall and decorate the rest of the perimeter with concrete blocks and stone decorations.

8. Wrought Iron Art

Wrought iron is usually seen as a noble decoration. Majorly used for garden gates or furniture, such as garden benches or tables and chairs, wrought iron is also used to create original statues and other garden art objects.

To decorate a modern garden, an original idea is to pick a few wrought iron statues that nobody would expect to see, such as the sheep in the image above.

9. Enamel Planter Decoration

A splendid garden art idea all shabby chic enthusiasts will love is to use enamel planters to decorate the outdoor space.

You can either choose new planters or, to recycle old objects, you could use some old kitchen enamel pots and transform them into planters.

A nice idea is to place the planters directly on the ground, next to your home’s wall or next to a fence. Regarding the plant selection, choose either small succulents or colorful annuals or perennials. If you are truly romantic, daisies and sunflowers are two inspired choices.

10. Old Chair Planter

DIY garden art is always original and easy to make, especially if you decide to transform old household objects into unique pieces.

From all the objects usually present in a household, the most neglected when it comes to DIY crafts are the chairs. Nevertheless, you can transform your old chairs into original planters to decorate the garden with.

To do that, remove the seat of the chair and keep the frame. Replace the seat with a custom-made planter and use it to grow short grasses and small succulents. Paint the frame of the chair in the desired colors and patterns, then use other DIY decorations to complete your work.

In a minimalist design, place the chair as unique decoration in the middle of the lawn. In the case of a romantic décor, surround the chair with other planters and various decorations.

11. Vintage Bicycle Garden Art

Vintage bicycles are alternative garden art solutions. You don’t really have to use a vintage bike. Many modern artists and shops propose ready-to-use garden decorations that resemble old-fashioned bikes.

Don’t worry whether the bike is functional or not. Place it in the desired spot in the garden and use it either as a support for flower pots or on its own to replace a traditional garden statue.

12. Car License Plates Fence

If you miss the spirit of the flower-power age, you can revive the period by using nonconformist, hippie decorations.

If fence art is what you’re looking for, do something different and decorate the whole surface of the fence with old car license plates.

Car license plates are available either at vintage shops, flea markets, or in kitsch souvenir shops. Moreover, you can even find them online, if you don’t want to leave the comfort of your home.

13. Wood And Stone Garden Décor

Both wood and stone are materials that will always be used to create garden art and decorations. When combined, the result can only be outstanding.

There are literally countless ideas to draw inspiration from. Nevertheless, wood and stone create with success the most beautiful oriental-inspired decorations. For a flawless design, choose a wood and stone statue and place it among tall grasses.

If the statue can also act as a planter, use it to plant short grass or thin and long succulents, such as Kleinia.

14. Stone Bird Feeder

Most of the times, garden statues and bird feeders go hand in hand. If made of stone, they are guaranteed to add a touch of style to your outdoor space.

Bird feeders should match perfectly with the overall garden décor. In the case of a shabby chic garden, for example, you should choose a stone bird feeder painted in white and with a simple design.

On the contrary, if you have a classic garden, you can choose a statue bird feeder in natural stone color. Depending on the décor of the garden you can either choose religious characters or statues inspired by the Asiatic culture. The latter pairs well with a Zen or Japanese garden too.

15. Boat Garden Art

If you have a pond, it would be a true pity to leave the water surface undecorated. Most gardeners and landscapers think of natural decorations such as lotus flowers, yet glass can pair perfectly with the glossy surface of the water.

In fact, if you want a different type of garden art, you can choose to decorate your pond with a boat planter placed in the middle of the water. Skip natural plants and flowers altogether and opt for stylized vegetation made of Murano glass.

The bright side of this decoration is that it will last indefinitely and you’ll only have to clean it regularly to maintain the beautiful aspect.

16. Old Appliances Creative Garden Art

A type of garden art DIY enthusiasts will love is creating original statues with appliances. Yes, you heard it right.

Simply create forms of wildlife, human silhouettes, robots, or whatever inspires you using old monitors, TVs, and keyboards.

On the other hand, you can literally transform any other old appliance into an original form of art. The only thing to pay attention to is the decoration of your garden. This type of art is difficult to pair with the décor, and unless you are a true artist, it is easy to transform your garden from an oasis of peace into a deposit of junk objects.

17. DIY Mural Garden Art

To give personality to a small garden, it is sometimes enough to add some colors to the walls or fences. Keep the garden decorations to a minimum and plant some thin shrubs in the edging between the pathway and the fence or wall.

Enhance the aspect of your minimalist décor with a mural garden art. There are no rules to follow and you can choose any design from street art to Art Deco or Neo-Expressionism.

18. Ceramic And Metal Garden Art

If stone and wood go hand in hand, the same is true for ceramic and metal. There are dozens of garden art ideas, but maybe the best solution is to create a garden art welcome sign by using ceramic tiles fixed to a metallic support.

To add some originality to the design, you could even fix the tiles on a garden trellis. Use the trellis for any climbing plants. For a romantic décor, ivy is the most inspired choice. Also, pay attention to choose the tiles of ceramic coated with intensely colored paintings.

Place the sign in a large flower pot next to the garden gate or install it in the ground, instead of a sign pole.

19. River Stones Garden Art

An inexpensive and original welcome sign idea is to use large river stones and decorate them with words and patterns.

Very large stones placed next to the entrance gate can be used as welcome signs. On the other hand, smaller river stones can also be used in the vegetable garden to identify the vegetable rows.

As garden decorations, you can write inspiring quotes or powerful words on river stones and place them next to flower pots or flower beds.

20. Cozy Corner Garden Décor

As highlighted above, mural art is a simple way of creating original garden art. If space allows it, you can enhance the idea by integrating mural art in a cozy décor.

Mural art, and especially the one inspired by the street art, goes hand in hand with the modern, minimalist, yet cozy environments. For example, you could install a couple of wooden benches along the wall on which you painted the art.

Decorate the benches with cozy cushions and pillows, then choose matching coffee tables to complete the design. A small glass vase with a few flowers can complete the whole décor with success.

21. Painted Window Welcome Sign

Make an original welcome sign by painting your welcome phrase on an old window with wooden frame. To give the sign a unique touch, paint the window’s frame in a bright color, such as intense blue, then give a vintage touch to it by scratching the paint with sandpaper.

Mount the window to a fence or wall, then write on the window a welcome word or the name of your garden. For a lovely effect, choose different bright colors for each letter and decorate the rest of the window with flowers or other patterns.

22. Flower Pots Garden Art

Terracotta pots can be used for much more than planting. In fact, you can transform a few terracotta pots of various dimensions into original forms of garden art.

For example, you can make two silhouettes by arranging pots one on top of each other. Place the silhouettes on a garden swing or wooden bench, in the middle of a colorful flowerbed. Without a doubt, your neighbors and guests will certainly appreciate your originality and style.

23. Vintage Bike Planter

If you have an old bike that you don’t use anymore, transform it into a shabby chic planter to place in a corner of the garden or in the middle of a flowerbed.

To transform the bike into an original piece of garden art you can either hang different pots and containers on it or place two large planters, one instead of the basket and one on the handlebar.

Hydrangeas, sunflowers, daisies, and other wild flowers pair perfectly with this type of décor. Regarding the bike, you can either paint it in bright colors or coat it with a paint resembling rust.

24. DIY Felt Flower Pot

Sometimes adding a little color to your flowerpots is enough to give a touch of originality to your garden. There are many ways to change the aspect of your flower pots, one of them being by making felt covers.

Felt is a great DIY crafts fabric, it can be used to make all types of containers and it maintains its beauty over the time.

You can make the pot covers by using green felt, then make decorative elements from felt of different colors. Use buttons to decorate everything and simply place the pots with colorful annuals or perennials inside the covers to change their dull aspect.

25. Rustic Corner

Garden art means much more than simple decorations. Sometimes, garden art means putting together a series of decorations and furniture elements to create cozy corners.

And in any garden, a rustic corner is always a way to manifest your personality. A beautiful example of decoration can be achieved with an old wooden table and a few rustic metal objects, such as a couple of buckets of various dimensions, a large bowl, and maybe a metal box.

Use the buckets as planters and place the décor next to the entrance stairs or next to a stone or brick wall.

26. Wheelbarrow Planter

Many landscapers recommend the use of vintage wheelbarrow as planters. Yet, who said that you couldn’t use a new one too?

To make a beautiful garden art object, just buy a small yet brand new wheelbarrow. Drill some holes on the bottom to make drainage holes, fill it with potting soil and plant hydrangeas and ivy. Hang a few metal bucket planters on a side of the wheelbarrow to complete the design.

The wheelbarrow makes a wonderful decoration either as the centerpiece of a flower bed or placed next to the entrance of a shed or house.

27. Iron Bird Feeder

Iron statue bird feeders are an excellent alternative to the stone ones if your garden is classic instead of rustic or oriental.

The models are literally countless, but if you wish to have something different, you could invest in a small garden fountain and bird feeder.

If you like the idea, choose a fountain with a character that stands on the edge of the fountain and that holds the feeder above the surface of the water. The best part is this feeder will not only feed the birds but it will also offer them water. As such, a similar object will certainly attract dozens of colorful birds to your property.

28. DIY Garden Flowers

A garden is usually full of natural flowers. But what do you think about making a field of DIY flowers instead of the natural ones? This idea represents a truly unique form of garden art. Moreover, you’ll end up with a flowered filed that requires little to no maintenance.

Use long iron rods to create the stems of the flowers. Make the actual petals from recycled wooden boards. Paint each piece in a bright color and use your imagination to decorate them with beautiful patterns.

29. Romantic Corner

A romantic corner is much more than a decoration. If designed well, this corner can transform into a true form of garden art.

For an original design that can be considered art, avoid using garden furniture. Choose instead a cozy sofa made of wood and rattan. Make sure the sofa has a comfortable cushion and cozy pillows covered in canvas. Regarding the color choice, ivory or light beige are the best.

Place the sofa in a corner of the garden directly on the grass. Make an ad-hoc coffee table from a flat, large stone, and use this corner as your personal oasis of peace.

30. Ceramic Planter Wall Art

For an original wall design, choose numerous small planters of similar dimensions and fix them on the wall of your house or on the wall of a shed.

It is a great idea to choose planters with a central theme, such as for example landmarks of a city, sea creatures, or funny characters.

Plant a succulent or cactus in each planter to give life to your colorful garden wall art.

31. Statue Planter Garden Art

Statues and planters are often seen as two separate objects. But when those two combine, they give life to unique garden art decorations.

This is the case of the wonderful statue planter in the image above. The statue’s hair is made of colorful perennials, while the choice of colors matches perfectly with a romantic garden.

32. Industrial Vertical Garden

Industrial art matches with all garden designs, from traditional to modern and everything in between. If chosen with care, an industrial garden art element can enhance the beauty of your space by adding a touch of originality to the style.

For example, you can build a vertical garden on a minimalist metallic support. For a modern décor, use the support to hold simple terracotta flower pots with green plants. In a traditional or romantic garden, use the support as a trellis for ivy or climbing roses.

33. China Planter

Your old china can be transformed into several garden art pieces. For example, a coffee cup can become an original suspended planter. On the other hand, soup plates and bowls can be used in the same way.

Besides china, you can use all dishes to make beautiful planters. For instance, a colander can also be used as a suspended planter, while other china objects can be used to hold small succulents or other types of plants. For the best effect, place these planters on and above a vintage chest of drawers.

34. Ancient Vase Planter

Ancient vases and urns are, without a doubt, beautiful examples of garden art. You don’t really need an ancient urn to achieve the effect. In fact, a new terracotta planter can work perfectly, but you’ll have to use a special technique to give it an ancient look.

To do this, simply use the moss graffiti technique to grow moss on the planter. Once moss has grown, fill the planter with potting soil and choose a delicate succulent to grow in it.

Place the urn on the lawn, ideally in a spot with tall grass, to maintain the ancient aspect of your brand new garden decoration.

35. Wood And Ceramic Art

Old wood pairs perfectly with glazed ceramic pots. The contrast between old and new is fascinating, while this type of decoration will transform your garden into a unique and original environment.

To achieve an attractive result, decorate your porch with a fence made of old wooden boards. The furniture, including garden benches, must be made of old wood as well.

Decorate everything with glazed pots in contrasting colors and choose a few colorful annuals to grow in the pots.

36. Gardening Shoe Planter

Next time you change gardening shoes, don’t throw the old pair away. Instead, use it to make original garden art.

To beautify the shoes, use the same moss graffiti technique mentioned above. Once moss starts growing on the shoes, fill them with potting soil and plant your favorite flowers.

Shoe planters are versatile, as they can be placed anywhere in the garden, on the porch, or they can even be used to decorate the shed or the potting table.

37. Original Truck Tire Art

Online, there are countless ideas that suggest the use of truck tires as planters. Or garden swings as a matter of fact. But if you want to use original garden art, use an old truck tire and shape it to make an original garden statue.

For example, you can use it to make a giant tea cup. Paint the cup in your favorite colors or simply leave it black. You can then decide whether you want to leave it empty or transform the cup into a planter and grow your favorite flowers inside.

38. Hung Metal Bucket Planters

Metal bucket planters are versatile, suitable to use in any context and they can be used either placed on a hard surface, suspended, or hung on a wall or wooden board.

Depending on the type of décor you have, you can use either grey planters or ones painted in various colors. Personally, I prefer to use grey planters in all contexts, as they will match the décor of your garden even if you want to change the style.

39. Oversized Cup Planter

In traditional or rustic gardens, or in gardens decorated in shabby chic style, oversized cups represent splendid forms of garden art.

In a traditional or rustic garden, place the planter on the stairs or on the pathway, next to the wall of your house. In the case of a shabby chic garden, arrange the planter on a white table made of wood or metal. In this case, use other decorative elements, such as water cans, metal buckets, and candle holders around the cup and next to it, to complete the décor.

40. Antique Hay Baler Art

Old gardening tools and antique machines are also original forms of garden art. In this case, it is advisable to avoid transforming them in planters. On the contrary, you should keep the vintage charm of these objects by leaving them as they are.

For a concrete example, an antique hay baler can beautify the empty space next to a garden fence with its simple presence. Don’t even try to remove rust from the object. This ancient look will enhance the beauty of the object, making it one of the most original forms of garden art you could use.