25 Ways to Beautify Your Yard Without Planting a Thing

You can bring color, charm, and personality to your yard without planting a single flower. Check out these 25 gardening-free ways to make your property more beautiful.

By Jennifer Noonan | Published Jul 01, 2019 06:58 PM

Hummingbird Feeder

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Add Hummingbird Feeder to the Yard

Not only can a hummingbird feeder (like this one on Amazon) itself be beautiful, the sight of those delicate, flittering creatures in your yard will buoy your spirits and delight anyone who passes by.

Related: How to Attract Hummingbirds

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Stepping Stones

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Add Stepping Stones to the Yard

If you choose the right stepping stones, you can transform a humdrum path into an appealing garden feature that does more than just get you from point A to point B.

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String Lights

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Add String Lights to the Yard

Cast a romantic glow on your nights with a string of lights (like these from Amazon). The subtle, soft illumination encourages relaxation and conversation, and it looks spectacular both close-up and from the street.

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Sundial

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Add Sundial to the Yard

Displaying an attractive sundial (like this one on Amazon) in your yard can be both practical and pretty—and it's also a great conversation starter.

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Birdbath

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Add Birdbath to the Yard

Birdbaths come in many shapes, sizes, and styles, and if you don't find one you like, you can always DIY one to suit your needs. As a bonus, the birds it attracts will bring life, color, and a little entertainment to your yard. 

Related: Wing It: 14 Approaches to a DIY Birdbath

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Landscape Edging

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Add Landscape Edging to the Yard

Decorative edging around your beds will define them and make them visually pop, and it may also make your lawn maintenance a little bit easier.

Related: On the Edge: 16 Garden Borders You Can Make

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Fountain

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Add Fountain to the Yard

A backyard fountain is a feast for the ears as well as the eyes. The soothing sounds of babbling water will bring a sense of peace to your property.

Related: 10 Inventive Designs for a DIY Garden Fountain

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Container Plant Arrangement

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Arrange Container Plants in the Yard

Display your potted plants in a visually pleasing tableau to give them greater impact.

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Fire Pit

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Add Fire Pit to the Yard

A backyard fire pit establishes an attractive focal point and provides a gathering place where you can make precious memories with friends and family.

Related: 9 Safety Rules You Should Always Follow Around the Fire Pit

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Garden Sculptures

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Add Garden Sculptures to the Yard

A tasteful sculpture nestled in with your landscaping plants can add depth, whimsy, color, and visual interest to your outdoor design.

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Pergola

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Add Pergola to the Yard

The dappled shade of a pergola provides the perfect spot for relaxing on a summer day. This beautiful architectural feature can also help define functional space in your yard. 

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Seating Area

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Add Seating Area to the Yard

A comfortable, well-placed seating area can serve as the inviting centerpiece for a landscape design. Attractive in every meaning of the word, it's aesthetically pleasing and draws people toward it.

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Fresh Mulch

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Add Fresh Mulch to the Yard

Like a fresh coat of paint in a room, a fresh load of mulch spread over your landscaping beds instantly makes your yard look crisp, clean, and beautiful.

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Hammock

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Add Hammock to the Yard

No one can resist a shady backyard hammock, strung between the trees. The mere sight of a gently swinging hammock (like this one from Amazon) brings to mind long, leisurely summer afternoons.

Related: 9 DIY Ideas for a Summery Backyard

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Banners and Flags

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Add Banners to the Yard

Quickly add color and style to your outdoor spaces with decorative banners or flags. Here's a chance to let your colors fly, whether you're supporting your favorite team, celebrating your heritage, or just displaying a cheerful design. 

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Solar Lights

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Add Solar Lights to the Yard

Solar lights let you create a little mood lighting without having to deal with electricity or wires. Arrange a set (like these from Amazon) around your porch or along a path, and it will be easier to stretch your summer evenings into summer nights.

Related: 9 Super Practical Products You Can Power with Sunshine

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Wind Chime

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Add Wind Chime to the Yard

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it can also be in the ears! Hang a set of wind chimes (like this bamboo option from Amazon) to let beautiful sounds ring out in your yard. But be sure to choose carefully, because those chimes will quickly become part of your—and your neighbors'—soundscape. 

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Butterfly House

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Add Butterfly House to the Yard

Butterfly houses are a charming decorative addition to any backyard, but it’s the butterflies themselves that will really bring you joy all season long.

Related: How to Make a Butterfly Garden

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Plant Markers

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Add Plant Markers to the Yard

Pretty up your vegetable or flower garden with decorative plant markers. Whether you buy them or DIY them, they're a practical accessory that adds a little beauty to your beds.

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Transform Your Pots

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Paint Plant Pots in the Yard

Give your pots and planters a makeover with a fresh coat of paint. Choose the trendy colors of the season, or go with something artsy. Whatever you decide, you'll bring a pop of freshness to your yard.

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Outdoor Umbrella

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Add Outdoor Umbrella to the Yard

An outdoor umbrella can add a burst of color to your landscaping and create a shady destination for rest and relaxation. You can even choose one with lights on its frame—or hang your own string lights—to give it purpose and beauty when you're out at night under the twinkling stars.

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Luminarias

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Add Luminarias to the Yard

It takes just a little bit of light to enhance your yard at night, and luminarias provide a particularly lovely glow. Outdoor luminarias come in all shapes and styles, and cast a warm light over your yard in the evening hours.

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Colorful Furniture

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Add Colorful Furniture to the Yard

Any furniture you add to your outdoor space can improve your yard's functionality and design, but why pass up the chance to inject a little liveliness into the design scheme? Whether you opt for brightly colored cushions or painted furniture, the result is the same: an eye-catching scene.

Related: The Best Outdoor Furniture for Under $100

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Ornaments

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Add Ornaments in the Yard

Lawn ornaments like orbs and wind spinners bring personality to your property and give you a chance to celebrate your own style and interests.

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Birdhouse

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Add Birdhouse in the Yard

Birdhouses come in every variety and size imaginable. Mount one on a pole or on the rail of your porch, or hang one in a tree. This is another twofer: You'll have the beautiful birdhouse and the beautiful birds to boot.

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Do a Little Landscaping

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landscaping without plants

You don't necessarily have to get dirty to beautify your yard.

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Don't Miss!

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