15 Ways To Decorate Your Garden Arch For An Elegant Ambience

Are you looking for a way to enhance your garden with something a little more outside the box? You could add decorative planters to a patio or boxes to your backyard-facing windows, but that seems too simple. It's easy to feel your opportunities for sprucing up your yard are limited, especially if you're dealing with an outdoor space on the smaller side. Consider incorporating a garden arch into your yard. Then make it your own by adorning it with trailing roses, clematis, or star jasmine; multicolored LEDs or cute fairy lights; or weatherproof fabric in pretty patterns. Install multiple arches to make a covered pathway, or vary the arch materials like wood or metal.

Whether decorating something you already have or adding a completely new structure, garden arches are an ideal way to transform the entire look and feel of your backyard. Once you've done the hard work of installing the arch, you have a blank canvas to add whatever embellishments you wish. In some cases, you can take your garden from drab to elegant in less than a day. There are numerous types of garden arches available, from decorative wooden arches with a flat top resembling a terrace to rustic metal arbors with lots of space for plants or lighting. Some garden arches, particularly in small gardens, can even sit flush with the wall of your home to take up less space. Others span pathways or connect disparate areas of a large garden.

Flowering vines, such as the climbing roses, will improve even the most boring garden arch. These flowering vines grow up to 14 feet long. Their tendrils happily curving around the poles of an arch. You'll be able to find something for gardens in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 10, depending on the cultivar. Tips for growing climbing roses for gorgeous towering blooms include giving them space for good airflow and a strong structure. Some other types of popular flowering vines include clematis and star jasmine.

Want to add dramatic nighttime flair to your garden arch? Ditch living decor, like climbing vines or plants in hanging baskets, even if they're the first things that come to mind. Instead, opt to add a few lengths of weatherproof LED rope lights. Rope lights are affordable, easy to wrap around the arch structure, and will brighten up your backyard at night. For example, Minetom Color Changing Outdoor Rope Lights come in different lengths — 33 to 99 feet — and can be connected to create rainbow displays or cover large arches.

While a garden arch is a great statement piece for a property, adding a hanging wind chime is a great way to amp up the relaxing vibes. They are visually appealing and provide beautiful sounds every time a breeze rolls through. DIY enthusiasts can even repurpose household items into functional wind chimes that are affordable and help give new life to old pieces you might throw out otherwise. Stick with a traditional wind chime, or use something outside the box, like forks and spoons, to keep things fun.

Fabric is commonly draped over arches for weddings. Bring that elegance to your home garden, either for a special family event — a holiday-themed backyard BBQ, for example — or daily, by adding some type of fabric to your garden arch. You'll transform your yard from drab to elegant in a matter of minutes. Keep things DIY friendly by using old bed sheets or scrap fabric as a template for your new garden decor. For something more permanent on a rectangular arch, hang a single panel ShadeMart 300 GSM Waterproof Outdoor Curtain in blue, beige, white, gray, or brown.

If you want to give your outdoor space a fairy tale feel while helping your feathered friends, consider hanging a birdhouse from your garden arch. A structure like an arch is one of the best places to install a birdhouse, thanks to its height, and it can also be a visual point of interest. Be sure the arch structure is stable before hanging a birdhouse, as it's important that they do not swing in the wind or move too much.

If you want to enjoy your outdoor space as much in the evenings as you do during the daytime hours, you'll need some lighting. That's where carriage lanterns come in. Hang a single lantern on one side of the arch or cluster them in twos or threes for a fairytale vibe — since they hang individually, the layout is highly customizable to your needs. If you already have some glass and metal candle lanterns, upcycle them for this purpose using battery-operated waterproof candles. Alternatively, buy some new WdtPro Outdoor Warm Light Solar Lanterns.

Those who are just getting started with decorating their garden arch have the freedom to choose which materials they'd like for any decorations. Some garden decor is made from wood, while others can be made from metal and offer a sleeker appearance. If you're looking for art or different embellishments you can add to your arch, consider that metal may have better longevity than traditional wood. Steel can also have a more elegant finish than wood and create a more polished final look. Consider hanging decorative signs or metal sculptures.

Including a bird feeder in your garden is a great way to provide nutrition for the birds, especially during the colder months. But did you know you can also hang a bird feeder from a garden arch as a way to make it look more elegant? There are several ways you can approach the actual hanging process, ranging from using a simple hook to cable ties. Once hung, you'll be able to watch the birds enjoy their meal from season to season while out in the garden.

Consider adding additional arches to complement the one you already have. You could scatter the new arches throughout your garden haphazardly for a wild cottage garden aesthetic or arrange them in a row over a pathway, creating a garden tunnel covered with climbing vines. If you have a series of garden areas, position arches at either end to define the spaces and lead visitors through. The possibilities are pretty much endless when it comes to designing a garden using arches.

Those with an existing wooden arch might feel stuck on how they can switch up its design outside of simply growing a vine up it. How boring! If the finish on the arch has seen better days, but it's structurally sound, consider painting it a fun color or staining it in a hue that complements your garden aesthetic. Depending on the condition of the wood, you'll probably need to clean it, sand it down, fix any breaks, and replace lost nails or screws before painting on that new color.

While solar lights and battery-operated decor are great for helping illuminate the space on a daily basis, what do you do when you want to make it a bit more elegant for a get-together? Whether you're hosting a seasonal party or just having guests over, changing up the look of your garden can make a world of difference. One solution is to add a tealight candle in a small mason jar before hanging from the arch or decorating around the structure. Be sure to supervise the candles while burning and put them out at the end of the party.

If you're just diving into incorporating wooden decorations like signs and want to get really hands-on with the project, try working with your own wooden materials. You can follow standard plans for constructing your favorite type of garden sign, which allows you to experience every step of the process. Not so comfortable working with wood? Opt for an already constructed base and just focus on the installation and design choice. Pick out your favorite stain and bring your creative vision to life.

Every season has its unique decor, but the holidays seem to have endless opportunities for adding new pieces in varying styles. Some people like to go all out with their outdoor decorations, while others prefer to add just a few touches to their space to create a festive atmosphere. Regardless of your style, a garden arch is the perfect blank slate to add holiday decor to and create your ideal look. Some fun ideas include hanging mistletoe or DIY oversized ornaments for the arch.

Where an arch adorned with LED rope lights creates a bold statement in your garden, fairy lights will add an ethereal glow. This type of lighting has tiny bulbs that glitter like stars at night, embodying a more delicate aesthetic. Look for fairy lights that are battery-operated — or even solar-charged — and designed for outdoor use all year round. Make sure, too, that they're long enough to cover your entire arch. This will simplify installation and maintenance. A 7-foot-long stretch of Btfarm Battery Operated Waterproof Fairy Lights costs about $15.

There's no doubt that front doors and porches are prominent spots for styling fall decor like pumpkins and seasonal flowers. Adding these elements to your home is a great way to make your space feel like autumn and get ready for the cozy months. Instead of just sticking to your front entryway, why not incorporate those items into your garden decor? Try styling them around or even on your garden arch for a seasonal flair.