DIY Features To Turn Your Backyard Into A Secret Garden Oasis

Frances Hodgson Burnett's book "The Secret Garden" has captured the imagination of many. It's no surprise that the secret garden trope serves as inspiration for many home gardens. Cozy and charming, there are a lot of design features that can make your yard feel like a magical hideaway. We've rounded up some DIY projects to help you achieve your perfect private oasis.

One of the main features of a secret garden is that it's hidden, or at the very least, feels tucked away. If you don't have a hidden part of your backyard, you can create one with landscaping (tall, draping, and overhead plants are perfect) or with fences and screens. Taking inspiration from the famous story, secret gardens also tend to have an English cottage garden feel. They are a touch overgrown and untidy, but in a charming, delicate, and natural way. Think along the lines of ivy-covered walls, rambling roses, lush shrubs, dainty colorful flowers, and plenty of visiting wildlife. The more whimsical it feels, the better. Repurposed and vintage décor add even more character.

You don't need a large outdoor area to get a secret garden vibe going. In fact, sometimes small backyard spaces feel the coziest and are easier to make into your own little escape, but it is possible to divide up a large yard. On this list, we've included a variety of projects, from privacy walls to start your secret garden to handcrafted outdoor décor for finishing touches. Create your secret garden sanctuary with these DIY projects.

One of the key features of a secret garden is that it feels private. Creating privacy isn't always an easy feat, but it's made a little simpler with an outdoor screen. This one is made of trellis pieces, joined together with outdoor door hinges. Choose a wooden trellis with a frame, so you have a sturdy surface to screw into. Attach pots using a product like these Iron Art hanging baskets ($23.99 on Amazon). The bushier the plants, the better the privacy. The finished project is movable and renter-friendly, so it's suitable for any yard.

Overhead plants make a secret garden feel even more like a private nook. You can buy a range of arched trellis options at your local garden store, but they're usually pricier and smaller than this DIY option from @carmonaacres. This project uses wood posts and PVC pipe to anchor the trellis and create the arched shape. It's covered with flexible garden fencing (like the Tenax garden fencing for $14.99 on Amazon), which provides a surface for climbing plants. You can even build a few of these trellises directly beside each other to create a beautiful tunnel entrance to your secret garden.

A well-styled secret garden should feel magical to step into, and you can create that aura with some whimsical touches, such as a fairy-inspired garden feature. This DIY is a kid-friendly and adorable way to make a secret garden feel like it's tucked away in another world. Create the scene in a planter, placing a house garden statue amongst the plants. An option like this mushroom garden statue from Teresa's Collections costs $26.99 on Amazon. Adding some mini fairy figurines is totally optional — you can omit them if it's not your style.

A secret garden always needs a comfortable spot to sit and pass the time. You can make your own seat with an easy garden bench DIY. This project only requires a few planks of wood and some concrete blocks. You can adjust the dimensions according to your needs and the finished project is easy to take apart and move around. This bench is simple, so it should blend right into a leafy backdrop. If you want to add a bit of character, you can paint or stain the wood to your liking.

If you live in an area where you have access to lots of fallen branches and old vines, this has to be one of the cleverest garden fence ideas. The DIY uses roughly 1-inch diameter branches as the fence posts, then strings flexible English ivy vines between them. The end look is beautifully rustic. You can adjust the height of this fence according to your needs; keep it low to the ground to line pathways, or bring it higher up to use as a traditional fence around the garden. If you don't have vines, supple, thin green branches can also work for this technique.  

Twittering birds make a secret garden feel even more like an oasis. This DIY birdbath is extra charming since it's built from vintage thrift shop finds. You just need a large bowl and a stable stand. The DIY from @vrabn uses a thrifted serving dish on top of a table lamp base. To make the bath more bird-friendly, add a solar-powered water pump to circulate the water, like the Mademax solar fountain pump ($16.79 on Amazon). Once in place, here are a few tricks for keeping your birdbath clean. 

Do you have an old wooden step ladder that you're not sure what to do with? You can place it in your garden to make a tiered plant display. The more distressed the wood, the more it fits in with a cottage-inspired secret garden look, but you can paint the ladder if you'd like. Place potted plants on each tier: trailing and extra lush plants can also help improve privacy if you place the ladder along your garden perimeter. Top the ladder with a cottagecore decoration or your favorite potted plant.

Upcycling items is one of the easiest ways to create vintage garden décor that's perfect for a secret garden. For an eco-conscious and incredibly affordable upcycle, turn your empty cans into a charming plant wall. An electric drill or a hammer and nail is all you need to create the holes to turn a tin can into a planter, then you can attach it to a trellis or a fence using screws or nails. The finished project is an adorable vertical plant wall (perfect for growing herbs), that costs near to nothing. You can also place small flowering plants or trailing species in the cans. 

With this DIY, you can make your own tall privacy screen, and since it uses a climbing plant to offer privacy, it fits right in with an overgrown aesthetic. Using T-posts, PVC pipe, paracord, and twine, this DIY creates an extra tall trellis for plants to climb up and provide much-needed coverage from neighbors. Even better, this project is much more affordable than getting professionals to install a fence. Choose between covering it with flowering or food-bearing plants, like beans or morning glory creepers. Just be aware that annual species like runner beans will die back.

If you want to mark the entrance of your secret garden with a statement arch, this project from @sunshineandthrifty is the perfect pick. The DIY uses a couple of 8-inch by 10-inch masonry reinforcement ladders ($4.39 from Menards), joined together with zip ties to make an arched shape. String vines and branches through the wire mesh to create a circular wooden arch. To make the arch more sturdy, use zip ties as needed to attach the branches and anchor the entire structure securely into the ground with a few tall wooden stakes. You can also grow flowering plants like climbing roses over the structure for an extra dose of charm. 

Winding pathways make a secret garden all the more beautiful, and it's even better if you make the path with repurposed items. This DIY from @oldtownhome is made using salvaged bricks and has a charmingly mismatched look. The brick is held in place with tamped-down sand, which makes it very DIY-friendly. You can use this method to make as long of a path as you'd like, or even to create a patio seating area to place outdoor furniture on: you'll just need enough bricks and a flat surface.

A homemade tree swing fits right in with the whimsical secret garden aesthetic. This video from @shannonsegala shows you how to make a simple tree swing out of a plank of wood and some rope. It looks adorable hung on any sturdy branch and will definitely be a hit for kids (but is just as fun for adults too). Safety comes first, and one of the most important tips for safely adding a tree swing to your yard is to select a branch that's at least 8 inches thick. To protect the tree from damage, hang your swing using straps instead of rope or chain at the top. 

The lush green cover of moss contributes to the overgrown, old-world feel of a secret garden. If you plan to add a statue or bust to your garden, you can leave it there to grow moss over the years. However, if you want that look sooner, this project helps hurry things along. Start with a statue made of concrete (this wall plaque for $46.99 on Etsy has a similar aesthetic to the decoration in the video from @fleur_harris) then create a "moss smoothie" by blending some moss with yogurt, milk, or plain water. If you don't have any existing moss, you can also buy live moss slurries from vivarium shops.

Modern gates look sleek but don't fit the vibe of many secret gardens. If you want a truly one-of-a-kind gate, make your own using branches tied together with twine. If you have small pets that you need to keep contained, you can make the gate a little more sturdy and cover gaps by installing a layer of chicken wire onto the finished gate. You can grab a roll of steel poultry netting for $16.84 at Home Depot and make it blend in by painting the mesh black or brown so it's less noticeable.

Trellises are a must-have in a secret garden; it's the best way to get that trailing, lush look, especially around a garden's perimeter. A hidden trellis is even better, to make it look like your plants are climbing up a wall. This easy-to-install hidden trellis is an ideal choice if your secret garden is against an exterior wall of your home or garage. By creating a grid using garden wire wrapped around stucco anchors, you can give your climbing plants a spot to call home, and make the wall totally secret garden-themed by covering it with foliage. Or, skip the trellis and plant something like a climbing fig. 

This is another hidden trellis project, but this time, it's an option for growing climbing vines across a fence. This trellis is also incredibly easy to install on most wooden fences. For new DIYers, it's even less intimidating than the last project, since you just drill into the wood of a fence rather than have to anchor the wires into a wall. Even if a fence already gives you enough privacy, this project idea is an excellent way to give your backyard some secret garden flair.

Repurposing an old wheelbarrow into a planter is a fairly easy project that rewards you with a statement piece for your backyard. For a secret garden aesthetic, a rusted old wheelbarrow will fit right in, so you don't need to clean it up too much (though you can paint it if you'd like). A drill will help you make drainage holes in the bottom. With drainage holes in place, you can plant some blooms inside the wheelbarrow, treating it like any large planter. Choose a few trailing plants in your assortment to give your wheelbarrow a lived-in look.

If your property has a chain link metal fence, you might be wondering how to make it more rustic. This renter-friendly project shows one fabulous way to do so, using bamboo fencing. A great example of such fencing is the Vigoro carbonized bamboo garden fence which costs $99.97 from Home Depot, is easy to install, and provides excellent privacy. Just attach it to the chain link fence using zip ties — it's that simple. If you're a renter, you can cut the zip ties and take down the bamboo fencing when it's time to leave.

A broken old chair isn't only good for the garbage. If the frame is intact, you can use it to make a character-filled planter! This looks gorgeous with wooden chairs, which fit nicely with a rustic secret garden theme. Use chicken wire (like the galvanized poultry netting for $16.84 at Home Depot) to create the base of the planter. Then add a layer of coconut coir liner (like this sheet for $9.59 on Amazon) which allows for drainage but keeps the soil contained. For extra longevity, you may also wish to protect the chair with an outdoor sealant, but this is optional.