Garden Plans for Decks and Patios

Add a raised garden to create a wall of color along one of the sides of your deck or patio. Colorful annuals and tender perennials like nasturtium, bidens, and snapdragons ensure a no-maintenance show all season long. Garden size: 12 by 4 feet.

Free Garden Plan
Our free Planting Guide for this garden includes a larger version of the illustration, a detailed layout diagram, a list of plants for the garden as shown, and complete instructions for installing the garden. (Free, one-time registration allows unlimited access to Planting Guides for all garden plans.)

This small-space garden is perfect for planting next to your deck or patio where fresh produce is just an arm's length away. Garden size: 8 by 6 feet.

Soften the edges of a deck of patio with this easy fall-focused garden. Ornamental grasses are the stars here, with mums and asters playing supporting roles. Garden size: 14 by 7 feet.

This gently curving bed is perfect border for a patio. The plantings are low-maintenance, so the eye-popping impact of salvia, canna, and zinnias survives even the worst summer heat. Garden size: 14 by 9 feet.

This narrow bed is a perfect complement for any deck or patio. Easy-growing plants like 'Knock Out' roses, boxwood, and peonies create a big show you don't have to slave over. Garden size: 18 by 4 feet.

Dot the edge of your patio with orange nasturtiums and white osteospermum in this pocket-sized garden. The annuals can be swapped out each year for a new color scheme. Garden size: 6 by 10 feet.

This long, narrow bed is an ideal way to add interest to the end of a deck or patio. As the spring stars fade, fill in with your favorite summer-flowering annuals to extend the show. Garden size: 15 by 6 feet.

Turn a partly shaded patio into a restful retreat with this cool garden. Devout shade mavens like coleus and hosta team up with sun lovers like daylily and phlox to create a garden that thrives in a mixture of both conditions. Garden size: 13 by 8 feet.

This extra-easy-care garden is the perfect way to dress up a deck or patio under the shade of towering trees. Garden size: 18 by 8 feet.

This low-growing garden is filled with the flavor of Victorian England. Add it to your deck or patio and create a romantic theme. Garden size: 25 by 17 feet.

It may be small, but this deck- or patio-ready summer garden is not afraid to think big and bold. And it's as low-care as it is beautiful. Garden size: 27 by 8 feet.

Enjoy your patio or deck all the more with this aromatic garden. This fragrant garden includes dianthus, phlox, and nicotiana, along with a variety of other plants that enliven your yard from spring until fall. Garden size: 22 by 6 feet.

The regularity of paving stones cries out for an equally formal garden. This patio garden does just the trick, softening the stone to create a relaxing retreat. Garden size: 25 by 16 feet.

This city-style garden is ideal for any space where you want to combine hard-surface comfort with eye-appealing plantings. Garden size: 25 by 40 feet.

Grasses are a perfect pick for deck and patio plantings because they don't attract bees. Enjoy their beauty and texture all through the year. Garden size: 10 by 8 feet.

Flowering shrubs are a great way to give your deck or patio a little extra privacy. Plus, if you site the bigger shrubs right, they can help cast a little extra shade at the end of the day. Garden size: 10 by 12 feet.

When you work long days, it's great to be able to enjoy the yard at night. This garden is perfect for planting along your deck or patio because the light-colored flowers shimmer in the moonlight and many are fragrant when the sun goes down. Garden size: 7 by 21 feet.

An arbor is an ideal way to add drama and beauty to a deck or patio. Decorate the arbor with this garden plan. Garden size: 16 by 15 feet.