A Backyard Getaway That Lives Outside the Box

Chantal and Ryan, the garden innovators behind The Horticult blog, transformed their rental cottage's ho-hum patio into a DIY oasis complete with a rolling wall of flowers. Choose some large, singular plants, and line them up using three-tiered planters. To fully embrace the natural setting of your backyard, accent it with rustic or wooden furniture in browns, greens, grays, and other wood shades.

Convenient Kitchen Access

All food and drink prep for parties can be completed at this convenient 12-foot outdoor counter. A chalkboard makes keeping track of projects and plans a breeze, while the wooden countertop complements the natural elements around it. Cabinets below guarantee the hosts will have plenty of room to store drinks and snacks for entertaining all night long.

The Dining Hub

This arbor was made from two repurposed industrial ladders and is perfectly in sync with the couple's DIY backyard. The dining set is portable, with LED lights built into the overhang to illuminate the gleaming wood table at night. If you have a few social hot spots in your backyard, consider getting a dining set that's on wheels—your guests will appreciate having a place to gather.

Outdoor Entertainment Center

Industrial-style custom-made furniture and a pulldown screen make this outdoor theater perfect for family movie night or game-day parties. Patio furniture is an easy shortcut for a customized look—just don't forget the projector! Family and friends alike will be happy to cozy up and watch their favorite flicks under the stars on a warm summer night. Decorate with your favorite plants from the garden to incorporate nature into your home theater haven.

Midcentury-Modern Meet-Up

Plush seating, a restored midcentury-style fireplace, and a hanging rattan chair keep the patio prepared for lounging. With its high privacy fence and distinctive lack of screens, guests can focus on conversation and connecting by firelight late into the evening. Thanks to wood, brick, and metal accents, the industrial theme stands out in this cozy and clandestine hangout.

Hammock Hideaway

Greenery and natural colors fill the patio, while a pop of orange in the throw pillows shakes up the scenery and complements nearby marigolds. For this look, decorate your patio with colors you find in your garden, and pick out accent pieces that highlight the rustic nature of the outdoors. Artificial turf keeps the patio from looking drab, and a hammock creates a tranquil atmosphere.

Basin Bucket

A whiskey barrel was easily repurposed and turned into a side table while maintaining its rustic aesthetic. A tabletop like this is cheap and easy to make, as well as incredibly customizable. Choose a wood or metal bin, a favorite plant, and a surface material, and you're on your way to wowing guests with your resourcefulness. Pick a neutral plant or some brightly colored wisteria to add a splash of vibrancy to your setup.

Easy-Access Herbs

Hanging in surplus ammunition boxes, herbs are ready to be picked and plucked whenever they are needed—an undeniable perk of having herbs planted at eye level instead of in the dirt. If industrial-chic isn't quite your style, opt for some terra-cotta planters that you can string up in your own backyard. Fill them with your favorite herbs for cookouts and parties.

Succulent Centerpiece

Succulents are eye-catching, durable, and low-maintenance—perfect for busy DIYers. Pick out your own variety of succulents and cacti (aloe vera is both striking and useful), and compose your own arrangement. These plants flourish with only 3-6 inches of soil, so you can feature a lot of succulents with just a little maintenance and plenty of compliments.

Outside Shower with Tropical Flowers

Even this outdoor shower is submersed in nature, with tropical plants suspended around the showerhead. Its simple silver tone complements the industrial theme elsewhere in the backyard, while the plants add an element of whimsy and connect it to the other greenery throughout the space. Purchase some favorite water-loving plants and experiment with arranging them around an outdoor shower. If brushing up against leaves while you rinse off doesn't sound appealing, space them out so you have room to move.

Concrete Flower Clusters

This raised-bed flower garden stays organized and striking thanks to concrete slabs that keep the flowerbeds neat and separated. The flowers give the garden all the color it needs, while the concrete blocks echo the industrial theme and match surrounding patio furniture with gray tones.

Simple Cinder Block Bench

Create a simple and clean-cut bench composed of only cinder blocks and wood planks. Elk horn ferns look natural and wild coming out of the wall and framed in a warm, red wood. The difference is striking—and the design is easy to emulate. If you like the look of plants growing out of a wall, get creative. Elk horn ferns are great, but also consider campanula, which will add a pretty splash of purple to your setup, and stonecrop, which offers a yellow or white hue that looks good against stone walls.

Flower Wall

Rigged flowers are bright, beautiful, and a sneaky way to create a sense of privacy between your home and the neighbors. To re-create this look, pot your favorite plants in hanging baskets that are already linked together—a three-tiered set would do the trick.

Workout Wonderland

Turn your patio into a makeshift workout space for when you're feeling too lazy to head to the gym. Place your yoga mats outside to enjoy achieving peace by the sunset, or rig up a suspension trainer for a full-body workout. Keep the mood of your yard consistent with twinkle lights laid across tree branches.