Ok, so you have the plants picked out, the hardscape in place, and even some evening lighting, but you still feel something is missing from your garden. Chances are, it’s a little bit o’ character, and a smile! The garden is meant to be a soothing place, but we must never forget, it’s also about affirming life. And what is life without laughter and fun? Learn how to add whimsy to your garden to take away the boring blahs, and to make your garden a place people want to come back to.
Keep in mind though, adding garden whimsy is like anything else in life… it’s all about balance. While we love a smirking smile on our garden visitors, we try to steer away from things that are over the top cutesy. But honestly, whimsy means different things to different people. It’s your garden! If you want ten pink flamingoes, well then… ahem… go for it!
Here is some inspiration for you to get you started making your outdoor space a place of whimsy. (No flamingoes on our list, though!)
Our first inspirational idea, is from ‘Interiorholic‘. This “spilled” flower pot is the perfect touch of make believe. Love the blue lobelia spilling out the idea of rushing water. Easy instructions on how to make this work in your garden!
From ‘Crafts by Amanda‘, this watering can that pours out crystals is a really clever take on garden whimsy… This is simply old chandelier crystals attached with a piece of wire. Longer crystals could also create sounds in the wind, like chimes. Loving’ this!
So I love this idea from ‘Jennifer Rizzo‘… These are just vintage teacups hung from sisal twine in a tree. What about vintage flatware? I can just hear these clinking in a summer breeze, too!
From Kathy Hutchison at ‘Picasa’, this whimsical garden lawn shape doesn’t take any more than the desire to make it! Use a sharp garden knife to cut through the sod to make your shape, then peel away the sod on the outside. Keep well watered until roots on the edge of the sculpted sod take good root.
‘Earth Shapers‘ created this pebble mosaic for a walkway instead of just plain concrete… I would sure rather walk up this path of garden whimsy!
‘Lin Wellford‘ is a rock painter who made these simple stepping stones into a charming point in the garden. You could do something simpler, or just make the occasional stone a painted one.
You can easily purchase whimsical garden art, like these beaded sting stakes from ‘Gardener’s Supply‘. Just remember here, it easy to get too cute! So make sure you want to be known around the neighborhood as “the lady with all the smiling frogs”, or “that family who loves gnomes” before you go crazy with it!
Another choice from ‘Gardeners‘, this LED fairy dust ball is a cool way to add whimsy for your night time garden whimsy!
‘Judy Sturman‘ created this pink tricycle planter from an old trike, some spray paint, and wired on some old planter pots. This is so vintage whimsical!
Etsy is a great place to find whimsical garden art… ‘ToriArt‘ made these abstract garden art stakes that would take no effort to install in your garden, but looks like “The Good Ship Lollipop” to me!
Last, these garden art plant sticks from ‘AllegraArt‘ can bring a little happy color and form to any corner of your outdoor space. So add some garden whimsy!
If you enjoyed learning about garden whimsy, then we think you will love our posts on DIY Projects with Rocks or DIY Garden Trinkets! Don’t forget to Pin for later!
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I purchased a wire and beaded sculpture for my garden at a plant and craft fair. We live on a barrier island so by the end of summer the plastic beads had been bleached clear by the sun and by the second year the steel wire had rusted away in the salt air. I looked for solid copper whimsies to replace it, but could find none, it was all copper plated. I made a trip to my hardware store and came home with a length of copper pipe and a selection of different gauges of copper wire. (They have up to very heavy bare copper wiring for lightening systems.) I ordered glass beads, a glass butterfly and humming bird from Etsy, and some little copper bells (plated, unfortunately) as embellishments and set to work. I have a beautiful, unique sculpture that will last.
Thanks for sharing your story about the pink flamingos. In a world of troubles, that would be the least thing that should irritate someone. Maybe if the neighbors had all gotten together and helped them landscape, it would have been happier with the outcome. Many times, people just don’t know what to do. I saw one yard, next to where one of our Master Gardeners lived. They put plastic flowers all along their walkway. I’m sure it was because they didn’t know how to grow them.
Lovely ideas. When hubby was in the army, we bought a house in a lovely neighborhood. At one point, the owners of the local biker bar bought a house behind us. They were delightful people who probably had more money than ANY of the rest of us, but some of the uppity neighbors didn’t want “their kind” in our neighborhood. They purchased an entire flock of pink flamingos and set them up as if they were running down the slope from their back yard across their front yard. I’m not a pink flamingo gal, but as flamingo decor goes, this looked kind of cute.
It got to the point where some neighbors were actually passing around a petition to ban flamingos. I told them I didn’t think it appropriate to legislate taste and that I thought they should keep their nose out of the neighbor’s business.
One morning, the flamingo neighbors woke up to find somebody had taken all their flamingos during the night, ran them through wood chipper and tossed flamingo chips across their lawn. Ever since, I have always had a pink flamingo in my yard as solidarity for my former flamingo-loving neighbors. The great flamingo massacre has become family lore and an object lesson…gotta be aware of who your neighbors are if you’re going the cutsey route in your yard!
All are too clever! Especially love the tricycle.
I love the fairy dust balls. Very whimsical indeed.
Espectacular
Gracias. Bello y Espectacular. Saludos desde Pedraza-Barinas-Venezuela.
Thank you so much for using my beautiful tree and my Kathy Curl:) in your blog. What a pleasant surprise:)
Kathy, what a great design! Thanks for sharing it for everyone! Gorgeous!
Your tree is beautiful. What kind of tree is it?
Thankyou for some great ideas. The watering can looks great and I will definitely be adding some whimsy to my garden as soon as I am able.
Those art stakes are right up my alley!! I tried painting rocks bright colors to add some personality to my garden, but the paint is just peeling off and laying in the dirt under the rocks. I would love to make my own ceramic decor. My neighbor does glass blowing classes and makes some really fun stuff. And I really like the swirls of colored stones!!
I do painted rocks but i use pledge floor wax to see them its in liquid form….. FYI
Use a top coat of “outdoor” modpodge or protectaclear.