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Are you a lover of vintage gardens? Well, you’re not the only one. Vintage gardens are a favourite among many of us across Britain, and it’s easy to see why. Like a country-style garden, the rustic, shabby chic charm of a beautiful vintage property is irresistible. Fortunately, turning your own garden into a vintage paradise is super fun – and super easy! Here are some of our favourite vintage garden ideas to help you transform your property into an antique haven.
Get Your Hands On Some Antique Garden Furniture
Nothing screams vintage like an actual vintage piece. Fortunately, getting your hands on some antique garden furniture doesn’t have to break the bank. Keep your eyes out for car boot sales, antique fairs, auctions or even local charity shops – you’ll be surprised where you can find beautiful vintage furniture pieces!
Iron furniture is perfect for creating a vintage garden atmosphere and is strong enough to endure all weathers. On the other hand, for a more intimate feel, include a beautiful wooden couple’s bench surrounded by flowers to create the perfect romantic escape.
Although buying second-hand antique pieces allows you to fulfil your vintage garden ideas for a fraction of the price of buying them brand new, you could get crafty with the garden furniture you already own. A simple coat of chalky white paint can transform that old furniture into a beautiful vintage addition to your garden with only a few pounds and a bit of time.
Upcycled Planters
Vintage is all about giving older things a new lease of life, and this is almost the perfect definition of upcycling. Unique upcycled planters fit seamlessly into a vintage garden, oozing an antique charm that doesn’t feel cluttered or messy.
Reuse your old teapots, jugs and jam jars for a shabby chic herb garden that adds a certain charm to your vintage appeal. You don’t have to worry about matching colours or patterns; mismatched pots make for a diverse antique look.
Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to an upcycled herb garden – you can use upcycled planters for almost all of your plants. Here are some of our favourite ideas for unique upcycled planters to add to your list of vintage garden ideas:
- Old boots
- Tin cans
- Watering cans
- Plastic bottles
- Paint cans
- Chairs
- Oil cans
- Tin baths
- Wooden boxes[i]
Take a look at some more unique upcycled planters.
Try Some Shabby Chic Décor
Shabby chic is a beautiful design style that welcomes a used, lived-in look. It already sounds like the perfect addition to a vintage garden, doesn’t it?! To add some shabby chic décor to your space, look for vintage-inspired pieces that add a touch of tranquillity and sentimentality. For example, shaped rustic pot stakes or small stone statues look brilliant in a vintage garden.
Alternatively, you could make your own vintage garden décor! One of our favourite D.I.Y vintage garden ideas is beautiful mason jar fairy lights. These twinkling little lights illuminate your garden with a soft glow thanks to the mason jars, the perfect vintage aesthetic. And they’re so easy to make.
Simply upcycle some old fairy lights and enough mason jars for each light (or buy new if you don’t have any to hand), then drill a hole just big enough for the lights in the top of each mason jar. Finally, add the lights inside the jars, then hang your complete lights from a rail, awning or pergola.
Decorate The Table
Dining al fresco is a great experience, but it’s even better in a vintage garden. So invest in a beautifully rustic wooden outdoor dining set and get ready to decorate it the old-fashioned way!
Cover your dining table with a crisp floral table cloth – pastel colours look fantastic – and add some chic jugs full of beautiful flowers. Pair them with a candelabra or two for some lovely soft light as you dine. Then, choose your crockery and glassware. Mismatching vintage china, cut glass wine glasses and engraved metal cutlery are perfect for a vintage garden table.
Finally, throw some florally patterned cushions onto your seats or benches for guaranteed comfort, and keep blankets on hand in case it gets chilly. All you need now is some delicious food to put your incredible table to good use!
Help The Wildlife
Just because you’re bringing your vintage garden ideas to life doesn’t mean you should abandon visiting wildlife. In fact, they’ll fit right into a vintage garden. Hearing birds singing as you stroll through your nostalgic space will only enhance the experience. So, use your vintage garden to create a haven for wildlife.
You can attract birds to your garden by hanging feeders around the space, preferably near cover, so they can fly for shelter if necessary. Also, include a bird bath or some water source so they can bathe and drink. Finally, hang some nesting boxes to add to your garden’s rustic vibe.
Another perfect visitor to a vintage garden is bees and other pollinators. To encourage pollinators into your garden, make sure to include plants that attract bees and butterflies in your planting scheme.
Lastly, open your garden to any wildlife hoping to walk through. Including a small, cut-out square at the bottom of your fence is the easiest way to create a ‘hedgehog highway’. This small space will easily let hedgehogs and other wildlife slip in and out of your safe garden.
Go Rustic
The rustic style is all about embracing natural materials, an easy-going design that pairs perfectly with vintage. Finding rustic decorations and focal pieces for your garden will help connect the sitting and working areas of your garden together with the wild parts, creating a harmonious finish.
To add a rustic touch to your garden, consider how you use it. For example, if you’re an avid gardener, include rustic wooden trays or small boxes to keep your markers and seed packets in. Also, invest in some classic metal gardening tools with wooden handles. Not only are these strong enough to last, but they also look incredibly homespun.
On the other hand, if you want your garden to be a little more low maintenance, stand some rustic enamel buckets on an old stepladder and fill them with fresh flowers. Or, to add some much-needed flowers to a vintage garden without having to earn your green fingers, buy some easy-to-grow plant pots and spruce up their containers with some patterned fabric. Old tea towels, scraps of floral fabric or neutral textiles secured around the pot with twine or string are fantastic for vintage gardens.
Add A Romantic Touch
The vintage aesthetic is brimming with romance and nostalgia, and vintage gardens should be too! Create the right atmosphere by adding a couple of loveseats or a wrought iron dining set for two. Adorn these with plenty of comfy cushions, freshly cut flowers and even a candle or two to set the romantic mood in an utterly vintage atmosphere.
Of course, flowers are one of the most romantic things you can find in a garden. Planting plenty of beautiful flowers is perfect for both a romantic and vintage atmosphere, but certain flowers are a cut above the rest.
Fill your vintage garden with layers of some of these romantic plants for a charming space:
- Red roses
- Dove orchids
- Bleeding hearts
- Dancing lady orchids
- Lavender
- Anthurium[ii]
Use Neutral Textiles To Soften Your Garden
Neutral colours, like whites, beiges and creams, look beautiful in a vintage garden. They are calming, unintrusive and offset any bright colours and patterns perfectly. So, try to incorporate them into your vintage garden ideas. Whether you choose neutral-coloured decorations, throw cushions or tableware, they’ll add a mellowness to your garden.
To really style neutral colours, choose soft textiles in those shades. For example, cotton hammocks, cushions and umbrellas look incredible, surrounded by colourful flowers and rustic decorations. Linen, canvas, chenille and gingham will also fit seamlessly into the vintage style.
Hang A Sign
A wooden sign, complete with a beautiful calligraphy message, is sure to raise a smile with your visitors. The intricate handwriting paired with the rustic wood fits right in with the vintage garden style and welcomes any guests readily.
Of course, the benefit of using a wooden sign is that you can make one yourself! All you need is a bit of wood, paint and patience. Plus, you can choose the design and message of your sign. For example, you could go for the simple ‘Welcome To Our Garden’ or craft a sign that’s more personal to you.
Alternatively, you could hang a chalkboard sign. That way, you can have even more fun with your message by individualising it to whatever you’ve got going on in your garden that day.
Bring Your Vintage Garden Ideas To Life
Hopefully, your head’s bustling with vintage garden ideas now! There are plenty of ways to transform your property into an incredible vintage paradise you’ll enjoy every day. Now, it’s up to you to choose your favourite vintage garden ideas, and get in the garden.
Do you have any vintage garden ideas you’d like to share? Let us know!
Sources
[i] https://upcyclemystuff.com/47-upcycled-planter-ideas-that-are-easy-to-make/
[ii] https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/most-romantic-plants
Anna is the marketing and office manager for Garden Benches – a premium supplier of high-quality wooden benches and other outdoor furniture.
