While it’s easy to admire a formal garden, there is nothing more homey than a rustic garden. With an undone quality that looks organic and unplanned, rustic gardens have a relaxing and nonchalant quality that makes them perfect for your backyard, front yard, side yard or even city terrace.

Whether it’s a DIY herb garden planter made from recycled wood palets, a set of vintage garden furniture, or a painted birdhouse, check out these simple ideas for adding some effortless rustic charm to your outdoor space.

• 01of 15Incorporate Vintage Furniture Lobster and SwanThis rustic English cottage garden from Lobster and Swan has a greenhouse at the center outfitted with weathered vintage metal furniture and accessories that lend it a timeless quality.Continue to 2 of 15 below
• 02of 15Raise the Vegetable Garden My 100 Year Old HomeRaised planters made from natural wood add a rustic touch to this Southern California backyard vegetable garden from My 100 Year Old Home. For DIY garden projects, consider using affordable and eco-friendly repurposed wood palets.Continue to 3 of 15 below
• 03of 15Follow the Garden Path Design by Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-TrampOne way to add rustic notes to the backyard is to embrace asymmetry and imperfection rather than formal landscaping. This backyard from Emily Henderson Design has a winding stone path that leads to the play area, lined with a random assortment of grasses, plants, and flowering bushes of varying heights and volumes that add texture and enhance the natural feel.Continue to 4 of 15 below
• 04of 15Use Natural Landscaping Around the Pool Design by Leanne Ford Interiors / Photo by Amy NeunsingerThis rustic California canyon home from Leanne Ford Interiors is made from rough wood and stone, with an organic stone-lined pool in the garden that is surrounded by a variety of lush green plants of varying shapes and sizes that perfectly complement the rustic architecture of the home.Continue to 5 of 15 below
• 05of 15Use Mismatched Pots Lobster and SwanNothing says rustic garden like a bunch of weathered, mismatched plant pots lined up on an old stone wall, like this English cottage garden from Lobster and Swan.Continue to 6 of 15 below
• 06of 15Transform a City Terrace Fantastic FrankYou don’t have to live in the countryside to create a rustic garden effect. This city terrace on the Spanish island of Mallorca from Fantastic Frank is transformed into a rustic garden with a stone floor and generous plantings of potted greenery at varying heights around the periphery that create the illusion of a slightly overgrown backyard oasis. Comfortable modern indoor outdoor furniture adds contrast without detracting from the natural feel.Continue to 7 of 15 below
• 07of 15Add Hanging Planter Baskets My 100 Year Old HomeRustic wire hanging baskets planted with begonias and petunias add height to this backyard green space from My 100 Year Old Home that is inspired by the undone charm of an English garden.Continue to 8 of 15 below
• 08of 15Install a Bench Design by Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-TrampTo help you and others admire your handiwork, be sure to install seating in the garden, like this rustic painted bench in the front yard of this home from Emily Henderson Design that complements the architecture of the house.The 14 Best Places to Buy Outdoor Patio Furniture of 2024Continue to 9 of 15 below
• 09of 15Repurpose Galvanized Stock Tanks Most Lovely ThingsRepurposing industrial pieces, whether new or vintage, is an easy way to add rustic notes to your garden. This home garden from Most Lovely Things was built using repurposed galvanized stock tanks filled with tomato plants, herbs, and flower seeds that keep plantings safe from wild rabbits and require minimal weeding.Continue to 10 of 15 below
• 10of 15Add a Fountain Fantastic FrankA rustic patterned tile fountain and a pair of ornate vintage metal garden chairs creates a dreamy backyard escape in this historic Spanish home from Fantastic Frank. Vintage fountains of all sizes and styles make a perfect addition to a rustic garden, whether functional or simply decorative. To find one, try a local architectural salvage company.Continue to 11 of 15 below
• 11of 15Dine in the Herb Garden Most Lovely ThingsBlogger Annie Diamond of Most Lovely Things likes to host dinners by setting a garden-inspired table and serving dishes that showcase the bounty of her galvanized stock tank herb garden in the background.Continue to 12 of 15 below
• 12of 15Add a DIY Weathered Finish My 100 Year Old HomeUsing weathered terracotta pots is a sure way to add a rustic feel to your garden. But if you can’t get your hands on some, you can also add a weathered patina to new terracotta pots to lend them some vintage cachet using garden lime, like these DIY aged garden pots from My 100 Year Old Home.Continue to 13 of 15 below
• 13of 15Add Woodland Whimsy Design by Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Tessa NeustadtTo add some rusticity to a backyard patio garden like this one from Emily Henderson Design, simple touches like adding a pair of mushroom statuettes adds some woodland whimsy that will delight kids of all ages.Continue to 14 of 15 below
• 14of 15Plant the Staircase Thistlewood FarmsIf you have a wide enough front staircase, you can treat it like an extension of the garden by lining it with potted plants or flowers in vintage urns, and layering in vintage objects and hurricane lanterns to create a weathered look, like this front staircase from Thistlewood Farms.Continue to 15 of 15 below
• 15of 15Add a Backyard Birdhouse Design by Becca InteriorsIn the lush green backyard of this Colonial home along New York’s Hudson River from Becca Interiors, a two-story birdhouse painted in the same colors as the main house adds charm and helps keep feathered friends and neighbors fed and happy.