Ideas for a Decorative Garden Wall

An outdoor garden wall can be an eyesore or a focal point, depending on how you address the design. Enhance the wall with decorative elements such as the rustic features of natural stone or the soothing effects of a water fountain. Whether the wall is concrete or wood, you can tile or paint designs onto the surface to cover it completely and create a one-of-a-kind art piece for your outdoor space.

Water Features

An outdoor water feature on a garden wall is an attractive way to enhance the space. You can hang a single wall fountain made with a variety of decorative tiles on the garden wall, or you can make the entire length of the wall a water feature. Water walls or fountains in the garden add an air of serenity to your landscape.

Murals

Paint a decorative mural onto a garden wall to camouflage unsightly concrete blocks. You can also paint a mural onto a wooden garden wall. Trace a pattern or freehand a design to create the outline for your mural. Make sure to use acrylic or exterior paint that is rated for outdoor use to fill in the colors of the design. Coat the finished mural with a layer of exterior polyurethane to protect the design.

Mosaic Tiles

Cover your garden wall with mosaic tiles to create a colorful ceramic wall feature. Attach the tiles to the wall with thinset so that the adhesive will hold up in outdoor conditions. If you prefer not to cover the entire garden wall with a mosaic tile design, you can attach a few decorative tiles to the wall in a random or sporadic pattern to decorate the space. You can use waterproof construction adhesive to attach a few tiles; it will hold up in the elements and is easier to apply in small areas than thinset.

Planters

Planters filled with flowering plants and trailing vines can also add color and design features to a garden wall. Attach outdoor shelving to the garden wall and place the planters on the shelves, or hang the planters from decorative hooks.

River Rocks

Create a rustic river rock feature on your garden wall using pebble tiles. If you cover the concrete or wood wall with pebble tiles, it will appear as if the wall was made from stone. Pebble tiles interlock so that there is not an obvious seam in the finished design.