4 Ways to Add Whimsy to Your Garden Using Natural Materials

As well as filling garden spaces with gorgeous flowers, trees, shrubs, and veggies, lots of people also like to put their own personal stamp on the area by adding ornaments, statues, flags, and even the odd garden gnome.

While this is all fine and dandy, there are other ways to add whimsy and personality without going out and buying stuff to bring back to your yard.

Bring some creativity to your garden using natural materials or items found in nature. This way, your creation can go back to the earth once you have finished with it. Some creations can act as a piece of artwork whilst having a practical use, as well.

Take a look at these ideas for bringing personality and flair to your yard using natural materials that celebrate the outdoors.

1. Garden Gates

Unless you have something really serious you need to keep in or out of your yard, the garden gate can be a really good place for having some fun.

You can make a garden gate from sticks and branches. It gives a very rustic vibe and doesn’t involve buying any expensive timber. You can find branches that have points of interest, like a wobble or a twist. This adds more charm to the final project. You can trim the branches of their smaller twigs or keep them attached for a wilder look.

The branches and sticks need to be cut to size and can be fixed together using screws or even tie wire. Normal hardware can be added to the hinge and hole the gate shut.

2. Wreaths

Source: This Middle-Sized Garden/YouTube

Wreaths don’t have to remain in or on your house. Imagine a beautiful natural wreath hanging on your garden gate, on a tree trunk, or on the shed door.

You can use twigs and vines that you have access to make your wreath and use natural twine to secure any ends so that it remains completely compostable.

You will need to start with a wreath base. This can be made from vines wrapped around and around themselves to create a hoop. Then, you can leave the wreath very simple, or you can start to push twigs and sticks into the gaps to create something a little wilder. You could attach different foliage and flowers throughout the year to reflect the seasons.

3. Dreamcatchers

Source: Our Raw Beauty/YouTube

Rather than making a dreamcatcher fit for your bedroom, imagine making an enormous one that you can hang from a tree branch or fence.

Use only natural materials to make your dream catcher. A long green stick can be manipulated into a hoop for you to start your weaving. Just secure the hoop with a piece of natural twine. You don’t really have to make a ‘traditional’ dreamcatcher, you can just take the hoop and some string and start wrapping. You can still tie dangling strings from your hoop and attach pinecones, small pebbles, or leaves.

Alternatively, you can follow a ‘regular’ dreamcatcher pattern and just scale it up to create something that really makes a statement in your garden.

4. Pallet Wood Pathway

Source: Garden Answer/YouTube

If you have access to a bunch of pallet wood, then this could be a great project for you. Making a garden path from pallet wood is a really cheap and easy project. First, you need to pull the pallets apart and have a big pile of plants at the ready.

Next, you will have to level and tamp down the area where you would like the path to be as best you can. Perhaps putting down a layer of mulch would be a good start to help with leveling.

Now, simply lay your pallet plants down to create a path. You don’t have to make the planks the same length or even have them line up perfectly. A few twists and turns will add to the fun.

Finally, you will need to anchor the planks to the ground with landscaping nails or pins. Drill a hole at each end of the plank and drive a nail through it to secure the plank to the ground.

Note that this path isn’t going to last forever. The pallets, being on the ground, will eventually rot and go back to the earth. Just keep a close eye and simply replace the ones that are on their way out.

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