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Decking plant ideas


Deck planting ideas – using beds, planters and living walls |

If you want a seating or dining space that blends into your backyard, beautifully then great deck planting should be high on the agenda. Whether it’s a question of building beds into the overall design, adding planters, or opting for living walls, the best ideas will harmonize hard and soft landscaping to wonderful effect.

See: Deck ideas – creative decking ideas for your garden, patio or terrace

‘Plants are one of my favorite elements of designing a deck,’ says Karl Harrison of Karl Harrison Landscapes . ‘Think decking and plants at the same time to create a seamless garden design.’

Deck planting ideas

To inspire your deck design, or bring flowers and foliage to an existing space, take a look at our wonderful deck planting ideas.

1. Opt for architectural plants

(Image credit: Future / Alisdair Mcintosh)

With fabulous spreading fronds and a thick trunk, tree ferns are a deck planting option that will draw the eye. Build a bed into it or locate it alongside, and when you plant the tree ferns ensure there’s room at the top for their fronds – which can reach a length of 6 feet (2m) – to spread into. 

Tree ferns are very slow growing, so invest in plants of the height that suits the deck now unless you’re prepared to wait over years for them to create the spectacular display the examples in this garden do.

2. Build in planters

(Image credit: dSpace Design Studio)

Incorporate planters into the deck design, and you can add a living element to the area without compromising the space available for lounging or positioning a dining set. You could opt to put in evergreens for year-round interest. 

Here, space has been left in the middle of the structure for seating – all that’s necessary to make it a comfortable perch is to add a seat pad. If you follow this example, bear in mind that you’ll need to keep up with pruning to stop the plants growing into the bench area. 

3.

Go contemporary  

(Image credit: Havwoods)

Looking for deck planting ideas that have contemporary style? Design in beds with geometric lines to complement the deck. Shapely evergreen shrubs are the ideal choice for a modern structural scheme, and beds can be top dressed with slate chippings to complete the look and keep the space low maintenance by suppressing weed growth.

See: Deck color ideas – how to choose the color to paint your deck

4. Grow a living wall

(Image credit: Future / Veronica Rodriguez)

If space is limited, you can’t build in beds, and even containers would take up too much of the area, a living wall is a brilliant deck planting idea. It transforms a boring vertical expanse into something impactful without intruding on the deck itself.

Choose annuals, perennials, and even herbs or vegetables as part of a living wall design. Just make sure they’re compact, or they won’t suffer if you prune them to keep the wall in shape.  

5. Follow the curve

(Image credit: Future/Leigh Clapp Photography)

Complement a curved deck design with an adjoining bed following the same curve that will make any planting feel like an integral part of the whole. ‘Curved edges can be used to soften the look and feel of an outdoor space,’ says Charles Taylor, Director of Composite Prime .

‘Circular fire pits in the centre of composite decking is a trend we're seeing in new garden renovations, and bay trees and ornamental topiary are also popular to prevent straight lines.’ Or, you can copy the look above, with a circular deck around a  water feature, complemented by circular deck planting around it.

6. Work with the landscape

(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton)

You might be able to add a deck to the planting rather than adding the planting to the deck in some landscapes. Located by a river, the deck in this backyard is cantilevered over the water and is set amongst the plants that grow there naturally so it’s immersed in greenery. It’s been designed around the tree that was already there, too, with a hole cut for the trunk to emerge through the deck opposite the built-in seat.

7. Dress it like indoors

(Image credit: Future / Manolo Yllera)

A covered deck creates a fabulous outdoor room, and deck planting that echoes what you might choose indoors can be a great option for an area like this. In this comfortable seating area, palms set in wicker planters add to the cool shady feel and introduce organic color and shape. 

Follow this deck’s example of choosing tall plants to make an impact and position them to echo the symmetry of the furniture. They can be combined with smaller planters at eye level from the seating.

8. Create a green canyon

(Image credit: Future / Franchie Cristogatin)

Soften a deck that’s surrounded by high walls whether of the house or the garden’s boundaries with planting that extends from the deck to the highest level. Layering the plants can maximize the feeling of being surrounded, so fill borders even if they’re narrow, grow climbers behind, add trees in containers rather than smaller plants, and plant up any balcony space, too.  

9. Enjoy color

(Image credit: Photography © Jonathan Buckley)

Containers filled with flowers are a lovely planting idea for a deck, as well as a fantastic way to bring color to other parts of the garden. ‘If I had to name one thing I’ve increasingly enjoyed in my garden over the last few years, it would have to be our ever-burgeoning tribe of pots and containers,’ says gardener and writer Sarah Raven.

‘They’re a powerful strand of color that draws lines, creates groups, curves and circles, highlights layers and steps, but most of all gives the Perch Hill garden crucial dollops of full-on painterly color.’

‘For smaller pots I love pelargoniums,’ Sarah adds. ‘Most flower without cease, with little water and almost no dead-heading. My top all-round favourite variety is the scented-leaved Attar of Roses, but this soft pink flowered pelargonium couldn’t be claimed to be a full-on color merchant. For bold and brilliant color you want Pink Capitatum (syn. P. caprifolium), P. Clorinda, or Lara Starshine, all three bright, breezy, easy to look after and always flowery.’

Find the products shown above at Sarah Raven .

10.  Scale deck planting to the size of the backyard

(Image credit: Laara Copley-Smith Garden Design)

Bear the proportions of the backyard in mind when planning deck planting. ‘To maximize light and space in a tiny basement yard, the planting for the
deck had to be minimal,’ says designer Laara Copley-Smith of this London garden. ‘Bamboo was a must on the client brief and I advised this must be contained to avoid it spreading and so planters for it were built into the design.

‘Two multi-stem Acer palmatum were planted alongside the deck for their shape, form and foliage with a Trachelospermum jasminoides on a stainless-steel trellis bringing scent and flowers to the garden.’

See: Small garden decking ideas – clever ways to enhance your space

11.

Overlook blooms

(Image credit: Composite Prime)

A bed at the immediate edge of a deck can allow you to plant flowers in the foreground of your view, as well as enjoy the vista over the length of the garden. Choose scented blooms and you can take advantage of the fragrance as well as the shape and color of the deck planting. 

Take note of the eventual height of what you plant in this scenario, which will be influenced by the height of the deck above the garden beyond. The blooms should be easily visible but not grow so tall as to obscure the outlook.

12. Edge the deck with planting

(Image credit: Sadolin)

Build beds into the deck’s structure that can create living borders in glorious color. For small flowers a narrow channel is all that’s required. A single flower choice can create a ribbon of color that makes a splash, while a pair of different colored plants is a pretty alternative.

These mini beds can be combined with other built-in planting as in this design. They’re especially effective positioned alongside steps to create a direct view of the planting as you climb.

13. Match planters to the deck

(Image credit: Ronseal)

Go for planters that match the color of the deck boards for an easy deck planting solution that ensures the look is pulled-together. Groups of odd numbers like the three gray planters here look best for a casual scheme, while symmetrical positioning will suit a formal entertaining area. But if the latter’s the case, size up the planters chosen so they don’t look lost on the expanse of the deck. 

You can find more deck color ideas in our dedicated gallery of inspiring images.

14. Grow climbers between the deck and house

(Image credit: Ikea)

If the deck sits right up against your house, planting between the two can soften the boundary – and growing leafy, evergreen climbers are a clever way to add greenery without taking up floor space, ideal if you are looking for small garden decking ideas.

15. Suspend the deck above the planting

(Image credit: Jay Graham Photographer)

This deck planting in this Californian backyard is the focus of the entire home, with the deck itself suspended up in the tree canopy. Created by Gary Marsh Design, the whole design concept aims to make the deck blend into the planting surrounding it, with a slim railing to allowing the view to be the focal point.

You can see more deck railing ideas in our dedicated guide.

What can I plant next to my deck?

What you plant next to your deck should complement the rest of the planting in your backyard. In other words, if the space has contemporary style, you’ll want to continue this theme alongside the deck, likely with sculptural foliage plants. Likewise if the back yard is full of cottage-style flowers, stick to similar choices, and so on.

Start by picking out the larger plants you want to include: shrubs or even small trees can suit if the deck is raised so there’s plenty growing at eye level from the deck. Ornamental grasses are also ideal alongside a raised deck.

If you want a great show of blooms, pick some perennials to go in next to the deck. There’s a world of choice, but you might go for tall bold cannas or day lilies for summer color. Want fragrance and a sea of color? A bed of lavender is hard to beat.

If there’s a wall or fence near your deck make sure you put in some climbers, too. Star jasmine and Clematis montana can create a wonderful display next to a deck.

What to put under pots on a deck?

Put pot pads or risers or planter feet under pots on a deck. They’ll lift the pots a little way off the deck so water doesn’t collect under them. This could stain the timber and even eventually rot it, and it creates a situation in which mold and mildew thrives.

If planters are light enough, you could move them around instead. Don’t keep swapping them to the same spots, though. It’s worth putting smaller planters away in winter, too, if they were home to summer blooming plants.

How can I make my deck look good – with planting?

To make your deck look good consider setting the deck planting against the color of the decking. ‘Decking – like Trex – has many different color combinations which makes the planting even more exciting,’ advises garden designer Karl Harrison.

‘Living walls are in vogue at the moment and you can create a similar effect by asking your decking designer to incorporate some stainless steel trellis cables,’ Karl adds.

‘If you wanted a less architectural look and a more natural effect, try wild flowers. There are many companies that supply wild flower mix, and you could also buy wild flower turf which helps to attract a whole plethora of bees, butterflies and the like.

‘When it comes to container planting on a deck, an idea is to design the decking frame to accommodate the planter. Once the decking frame has been constructed simply place the container into the slot. Now you can fit the decking up to the planter.

‘The cherry on the top would be to place lighting in the planters, a few uplighters or an LED strip hidden under the lip of the planter will add a romantic warm glow in the evenings. Be sure to use warm white for the best effect.’

How can I make my deck more inviting – with planting?

To make your deck more inviting with planting there are a whole host of options. ‘Go for impact,’ suggests garden designer Tracey Parker of Tracey Parker Landscape Design . ‘Large feature planters filled with evergreen architectural foliage such as fatsia underplanted with trailing plants will create a year-round focal point.’

Evoking a vacation mood with planting can also make a deck inviting. Try just a few planters filled with large colorful flowers and tropical leaves, Tracey suggests.

See: Decking design mistakes – the common errors to avoid

Shelter around the deck can turn it into a cocooning space. ‘Use deep trough planters filled with tall grasses such as Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’ to filter the wind and create a sense of enclosure whilst seated,’ says Tracey.

A touch of hotel style could also be a winning strategy to make a deck inviting. ‘Cut a hole in the deck to grow a specimen tree through; one with multi-stem trunks or interesting bark will give the feel of a luxury hotel,’ Tracey advises.

8 deck planter ideas for a seamless planting scheme

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These deck planter ideas will help you integrate plants into your deck without needing to get lots of small pots. Whether built-in or freestanding, planters work very well for smaller decks in particular and can often double up as seating, storage, and even backyard screening, complementing any of your favorite patio furniture and the like.

Easy to incorporate into your deck ideas, these planters will suit backyards of all styles and sizes. We've also selected options for a wide range of budgets – from permanent built-in designs created by landscape architects to freestanding planters you can buy online for a couple of hundred dollars. 

1. Combine planters with built-in seating in small spaces

(Image credit: On Common Ground Landscapes)

One of the most satisfying deck planter ideas, this gorgeous design by  On Common Ground Landscapes features concrete planters along the perimeter of a small urban backyard with seating attached. A great space-saving, contemporary design that city dwellers with small decks will appreciate. 

2. Alternate planters of different heights for a playful effect

(Image credit: Amber Freda)

If you want a movable solution for a decked terrace or balcony, containers are your best bet. Choose sleek geometric shapes for a more streamlined look. You can also play with color for more design impact, as in this playful alternating container arrangement on a decked roof designed by Amber Freda .

3. Consider vertical planters

(Image credit: On Common Ground Landscapes)

Vertical garden ideas are worth exploring if your outdoor space is really tiny. Mounting wooden raised beds onto a wall is the easiest – and most impactful – option, and the wood of the beds will harmonize with the wood of your deck.

4. Pick slimline planters for small decks

(Image credit: Reveal Design)

Typically, decked outdoor spaces look better with taller and slimmer designs rather than squat and sprawling ones. The slim planters on this rooftop deck by Reveal Design Chicago create an unobtrusive lining of plants, keeping the center free for the furniture. 

5. Invest in a planter with trellis

(Image credit: Wayfair)

Need to conceal a neighboring backyard? You need to look into trellis ideas. Installing a separate trellis to your existing planters is an option, but it's much easier to get a planter that already has a trellis attached to it. For best results, choose a finish that matches your deck. The Wood Planter Box with Trellis is from Wayfair . 

6. Improvise a raised bed 

(Image credit: Gay Bumgarner / Alamy Stock Photo)

Raised beds are a must if you're considering a veggie garden, but damp wood will not be kind to your deck. Fortunately, there is a simple solution – prop up yours with terracotta pots to help preserve your deck. Or you could attach castors to the bottom and make your raised bed mobile. 

7. Get a planter that doubles up as storage

(Image credit: Wayfair)

Need clever garden storage ideas for a compact deck? Your planter could provide the solution. In smaller spaces, all items, including planters, need to work harder, so why not pick a design with an additional shelf for storing your tools and wellies? The Ashok Wood Planter Box is from Wayfair .  

8. Choose a bicycle planter for an elegant look

(Image credit: agefotostock / Alamy Stock Photo)

One of the main concerns when exploring deck ideas with planters is whether your chosen planters could eventually damage your deck. To prevent rotting or splitting, always go for a slim, lightweight design that will make a minimum of impact on the wood. Why not consider a delicate wired design? A bicycle planter can be bought from Amazon . 

What can I put under planters on a deck?

If you are going for a heavier option and are concerned about stains and/scratches and splitting, you can attach pot feet to your planters. Pot feet can be bought on Amazon and work in much the same way protectors work on your indoor furniture. Pot risers can also work quite well. You can also, as a last resort, line the bottom of your planters with plastic sheeting cut to size. 

How can I attach a planter to deck railings? 

If you really don't want to put anything on top of the deck itself and have deck railings, you have a great alternative location for a slimline planter or trough. Deck plant hooks can be bought from Amazon and don't involve any drilling – you just clip them on. Of course, you will need to measure your planter and make sure it's the right size for the hooks. You can actually buy planters with hooks, also from Amazon , which makes the job even easier. 

115 photos of garden and plot design ideas

Decorative flowers, plants - one of the main details of the interior of a house or garden landscape. They are grown and bred, not so much for practical purposes, as for decorating, ennobling the site, dwelling. Ornamental houseplants Euphorbia mile perfectly complement the design of the house. These two species have a large number of different variations, modifications, shapes, colors, dimensions.

In this article we will find out in more detail and consider photos of various ornamental plants, get acquainted with their varieties.

Brief content of the article:

Ornamental plants for the plot

Any owner dreams of an evergreen garden that plays with colors at any time of the year, be it winter or summer. Yes, and it is stupid to use such a space for fantasy, only as a site for collecting and planting the future crop.

Having a small land area, you can create a cozy corner for family relaxation, build a gazebo or bench, make flower beds and plant them with greenery. The range of plants for the garden is large enough, so it will not be difficult to choose them according to the size of the free territory, weather conditions, and of course - your preferences.


Garden plants include: shrubs, trees, perennial or annual flowers and herbs.

Shrubs and trees

By planting these plants, any dead earth or construction site will turn into an evergreen island. The main condition is to study their resistance to frost, sudden changes in climate, the need for a certain acidity and quality of planting land.


The following bushes and trees are distinguished: evergreen (spruce, pine, thuja cedar), deciduous, ornamental flower plants.

Flowering bushes

Well-known ornamental shrubs such as lilac, white locust, wild rose need no introduction.

Let's get acquainted with the names and features of ornamental plants of more exotic species:


Camellia (tea bush) is an evergreen, thermophilic shrub. Blooms only in autumn. The plant has glossy dark green leaves, pink or red flowers, which provide the bush with highly decorative properties.

Rhododendron. It does not tolerate temperature changes; in winter, most species freeze. It is preferable to grow in the southern regions. The flowering period is spring. It blooms in clusters of bright flowers, the color of which depends on the variety you choose.

Tamarisk is the most unusual shrub: in early spring it will bloom with a scattering of pink small flowers, resembling frost on the grass. It is recommended to form a bush after it has faded, and in late autumn to cut off dry or diseased branches.

Spiraea is a dense flowering ornamental plant (branches completely covered with color). Each variety has its own flowering period, which will give a chance to observe this play of colors from spring right up to autumn.

Evergreen trees

These include coniferous plants - ornamental spruce, pine, dwarf pine, etc. Even if they do not bloom, but for a whole year they will delight you with their coniferous smell and green branches.

Pine, spruce trees are suitable for large areas, dwarf or slow-growing trees for tiny areas.


Yew is an excellent tree for a small area. Features - slow growth, feels comfortable in the shade. The plant is quite thermophilic, prone to death due to high soil moisture.

Mountain pine is a low tree that does not require special care for its care. Feels great even on poor, unenriched lands with useful substances.

Hemlock is a tree with an original (in the form of umbrellas) crown shape. By cutting old, diseased "umbrellas", you can keep them in a neat, attractive form. Has the best growth in the district protected from wind.

Deciduous bushes and trees

Evergreens are valued for their smell and greenery, which lasts throughout the year, flowering shrubs - for the abundance and density of flowers, and deciduous - for the unusual leaf plate and color. Properly selected varieties will turn a nondescript area into a wonderful garden, even in the absence of flowers.

White sod - differs from other bushes by the presence of a white border along the edge of the leaf. Handles circumcision comfortably.

Barberry has beautiful red leaves, ruby ​​berries, which creates a contrast against the background of greenery in the mixture.

The leaves of the winged euonymus acquire a red color by mid-autumn, and in early spring they are covered with inflorescences collected in a brush.

Maple - a tree 1. 5-2.5 m with leaves of a believable shape and dark red color. For planting, choose a sunny place with acidified soil. Young seedlings are insulated and covered in winter.

Garden herbs, flowers

Trees are nice, but you want to pamper your soul with ornamental herbs and flowers.

The best choice would be perennials - they do not require special conditions of detention, do not cause trouble with cultivation. Also, for decorative purposes, the garden can be decorated with some cereal crops.

Choosing perennials

Flowers and herbs need proper soil composition, lighting. When choosing herbaceous plants, you need to pay attention to the following nuances:


Flowers that love and need a lot of light, choose an open area that gets enough sunlight.

For plants that are not afraid of shade, flower beds near tall trees, east or west side of buildings are suitable.

Shade-loving flowers feel comfortable under the crown, tree branches, on the north side of buildings.

Another of the main criteria for selecting plants is its size. Tall ones are suitable for decorating unremarkable buildings, fences. Ground cover plants will look good under the trunk of trees, near their base (trunk circle), they will create a harmonious composition mixed with decorative stones.

Cereals require due attention, when buying them, it should be taken into account that not all species feel comfortable in a harsh, cold climate, and they will also require special care. For example, brown sedge, blue fescue, cortaderia.

There are more unpretentious varieties that will easily become the highlight of your garden, and they include - drop seed, feather grass.

Conclusion

Floriculture is an art created by man together with nature. It must have a soul. It is complex and you learn it all your life. A great love for nature and a desire to make your garden perfect will help you achieve your goal.

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130 photos of garden and plot design ideas, varieties and differences, what types are there, how to choose the right one

Reviewed by: Terrari Design School

Any plants, regardless of whether they are flowers, trees or shrubs, are always grown on household plots, not only for the purpose of landscaping.

Some species are planted as a decorative design for summer cottages, houses, for example, for arranging alpine slides, rockeries, flower beds. Spectacular hedges are also considered.

Review Content

How to choose the right plant

In order to be able to admire the planted ornamental garden plants in your summer cottage, you must initially choose them correctly. The fact is that:

  1. Some of them can grow only in the southern regions, while others are able to withstand more severe climatic conditions. For example, frost, sudden changes in temperature.
  2. Many species need a lot of sunlight, and some can grow in partial shade. But there are plants that prefer to choose a place for planting in shaded areas.
  3. There are also ornamental shrubs, flowers and trees that require a lot of moisture for normal growth and development, while for others, on the contrary, excessive soil moisture will be fatal.
  4. Equally important is the rules of care. If you do not take into account the peculiarities of growing, the chosen ornamental plant for the garden, then it will not be able to please with its beauty.

It is imperative to take into account the compatibility of crops. The fact is that some plants can oppress neighbors in the garden, for example, shade them or displace them with their root system.

Important to know! Before buying seedlings for landscaping, you must first look at the photos of ornamental plants and be sure to familiarize yourself with their characteristics.

What are the varieties

First of all, it must be said that in nature there is simply a huge number of plant species that are decorative. These can be trees, shrubs and flowers, as well as herbs and cereals, which in turn are deciduous and flowering.

As an example, several names of ornamental plants that are of particular interest to both landscape designers and amateur gardeners should be noted:

  1. Among shrubs, not only different types of lilacs are popular. Often on personal plots you can find hydrangea, Syrian hibiscus, forsythia or barberry.
  2. Climbing flowering ornamental plants are mainly represented by flowers of clematis, magnolia vine, climbing roses.
  3. For landscaping the garden, such herbs and cereals as lightning, heather, fescue, sharp-flowered reedweed are used.

Separately, it must be said that among the varieties of ornamental plants, there are species that are intended for decoration of reservoirs. Some of them grow directly on the surface of the water, such as duckweed, pistia, azola or floating riccia. But, for example, Indian fern, dwarf hemianthus, are strengthened at the bottom.

Indoor flora

It should be noted that ornamental indoor plants are considered no less interesting. There are also many varieties of them. The most popular are:

Each marked decorative flower differs from each other in the form of leaves and flowers and their color.

When choosing indoor plants, it is also important to consider the characteristics of their cultivation. This mainly concerns lighting and watering.

This is due to the fact that it is not always possible to provide the flowers with the necessary amount of sunlight, for example, if the windows of the house are on the north side. In this case, you will need to use special lighting fixtures.

Decorating Tips

Today there are quite a lot of trends in landscape design. Each of them has its own characteristics and rules. The main ones are:

  1. Sense of proportion. The main thing is not to overdo it with plantings. A large number of plants in one place can make the interior heavy, cluttered and not natural.
  2. Adhering to the style of the chosen direction of landscape design. This does not mean that everything should be strictly maintained in the appropriate style, but sometimes such experiments make the overall decor catchy and daring.
  3. It should be said that all decorative plants used, regardless of the chosen direction of landscape design, should create a unity of the exposition, or rather complement each other.
  4. It is also important that when decorating all the elements are harmonious, look as natural as possible and create comfort.

As for decorating the room, you need to select plants that can complement the overall interior, and not become a single decoration.

Interesting! Thanks to the right color, you can visually control the space of the infield. For example, warm tones bring closer, and cold tones, on the contrary, create remoteness.

Benefits of using

The presence of plants on a garden plot or premises is not only beautiful. Thanks to flowers, trees and shrubs, you can create a pleasant and cozy atmosphere, as well as improve the environmental performance of the air.

As for ornamental plants, they additionally make the interior brighter, more colorful and interesting.

Learn more