Garden Bridge Ideas (8 Cute Bridges For Any Garden)
Have you been searching far and wide for a cute new garden bridge — or at least some clever new ways to dress up an existing garden bridge?
Well, you’ve most certainly landed on the right article — because today, we’re going to talk about 8 of my favorite Garden Bridge Ideas.
I’m so looking forward to *crossing this bridge* with you…
So, without further delay, let’s get started!
8 Cute Garden Bridge Ideas
- Tree Branches & Logs
- Wood Pallet
- Grass On Top
- Colorful Flowers
- Trellises On Either Side
- Vines On Railings
- Planter Box Railings
- Wagon Wheel Railings
While looking over this list, be sure to remember that you don’t necessarily have to have a pond or stream in your backyard in order to add a bridge to your garden!
In fact, some of the most adorable bridges I’ve seen simply connect one area of the yard to another, one hill to another, or one garden row to the next (in order to prevent stepping on and damaging plants).
Tree Branches & Logs
If you’re going for that natural, outdoorsy vibe, this idea will work quite well in your garden.
Using branches & logs (with the bark still on) to construct your garden bridge will not only save you a trip to the home improvement store, but also allow you to maintain that simple and rustic look that you’re going for.
I actually prefer this look over the traditional wooden plank bridges. I think it adds an untouched feel to any outdoor garden or pond oasis.
Another thing I truly love about this idea is the simple fact that your bridge will stand out from most of the other bridges anyone has seen — especially if you leave the bark on your wood branches.
Oh, and don’t forget — you’ll definitely want to properly treat and seal your wood branches to ensure they can take some heat, cold, wind, and moisture. Weather-proofing is particularly important with a bridge because people will be stepping on these logs.
So, the last thing you want is for the your branches to rot — or worse, for someone to get hurt while trying to stand or walk on logs that crumble or break under pressure due to wood rot!
As long as you take the necessary precautions, though, this could be your proudest DIY project yet.
Wood Pallet
Here’s another simple, but effective way to create a bridge or walkway from one garden row to the next.
One or two pallets and some wood finishing products and you’re ready to go.
When reclaiming old wood pallets, it’s absolutely critical that you inspect the pieces to ensure sturdiness and safety. Using pallets with nails sticking out is going to be a big no-no.
Similarly, using pallets that are unable to withstand added weight won’t be a good idea either.
So long as you choose wood pallets that are strong, sturdy, and safe — you’ll be able to level up your garden space both structurally and functionally.
Grass On Top
Whether you’re in the market for a new bridge or you have a lovely garden oasis bridge already — it can never hurt to add even more of that natural touch.
Seriously, you have the green thumb — so put it to good use!
All you need to do is line your bridge (if it has cracks or isn’t already solid), lay six inches of topsoil over the bridge, plant grass seed, and grow your bridge grass the same way you would your lawn.
Your vibrant green bridge will be envied by any and every garden-loving neighbor.
…but, of course, don’t do it for them — do it for you.
Seriously, you deserve a beautiful garden bridge and a gorgeous lawn — so why not feed two birds with one berry?
Colorful Flowers
You can never go wrong with a rainbow of stunning flowers surrounding every side of your bridge (the left, the right, the front, and the back)!
Seriously, the most memorable bridges I’ve seen are the ones that feature a kaleidoscope of flowers.
Imagine a technicolor world of florals that look like something out of the most vivid dream.
That’s exactly what you should be going for here. The more colorful — the better.
Not to mention all the lovely fresh floral scents that you’ll be bringing to your garden.
Oh, and here’s my favorite part of all —you’ll be encouraging plenty of friendly and much-needed pollinators to become regular visitors to your garden.
Trellises On Either Side
If you grow nasturtiums, raspberries, peas, cucumbers, or any other plants with vines that climb, you may want to consider building a bridge made with trellises on either side.
Two of the coolest and most functional features you can add to a garden are bridges and trellises — so it only makes sense to combine the two in order to create the mother of all garden bridges (and trellises)!
You can pick out some lattice wood pieces at your local home improvement store, but you could also repurpose other items as you see fit (like window frames)!
So, don’t be afraid to get creative.
& more importantly — just have fun with it.
Vines On Railings
I love this one.
Training some plant vines to wrap around the hand railings of your bridge will add a delightful touch of class and old-time charm.
You know the feeling you get when you see a lovely old stone building or castle with ivy climbing up the sides?
Wouldn’t you love to add that type of sophistication and character to the railings of your garden bridge?
If you’re nodding your head “yes”, then all you have to do is train a couple of plants to climb and wrap around the rails of your bridge.
That’s it!
Planter Box Railings
This is definitely one of the most unique garden bridges I’ve seen.
Basically, in order to take full (functional) advantage of their garden bridge — there are people building bridges with planter boxes instead of hand railings.
I know — brilliant, right?
I’ve always known the more obvious purpose of a bridge — to provide a way to get from one area to the next or to walk through and over a spot that is less-than-ideal to step into. However, I never thought of bridges as additional planters or trellises (or both)!
I’ve got to say, though, I am a fan of this idea!
Wagon Wheel Railings
Ahh, this brings me back to the old Oregon Trail.
…Well, the computer game, at least.
I was exploring through Pinterest the other day when I saw a cute, tiny garden bridge that was made using just some wood plants and a single wagon wheel.
Basically, the wagon wheel was sawed into two D-shaped halves and the flat sides were arranged face down into the soil to create uniquely rustic sides to the garden bridge.
Genius, right?
By the way, if you think it’s difficult to get your hands on a wagon wheel — think again.
You can buy wagon wheels all over the internet. Just make sure you pick one that’s the right size and diameter for your needs and for the project you’re looking to tackle.
If you’re fascinated by the idea of reclaiming an old, used wagon wheel — but you don’t have one yet — here’s a wagon wheel listing from the amishwares shop on Etsy!
Oh, and just in case you’re more interested in using a wagon wheel to simply decorate your garden bridge – I wanted to share these gorgeous walnut wagon wheel wreaths from MagruderFarmhouse!
I wish you the best of luck on your pursuit toward the most fabulous backyard garden bridge you could ever ask for!
Conclusion
Now you have some cute and clever ideas for your wonderfully unique garden bridge setup!
I hope you enjoyed this guest post by LMadGz.
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like this post about unique and unusual garden trellises OR this post about creative raised bed ideas and alternatives.
You might also like this post about unique and unusual garden furniture ideas.
You can also read about our Rustic Garden Arbor Ideas here.
You may also enjoy this post with our Vertical Herb Gardening Ideas.
If you’re interested in learning more about pergolas, you’ll like this article about the purpose of pergolas as well as this article about the differences between pergolas, trellises and arbors.
I wish you a lifetime of happy planting, happy bridge-crossing, and bountiful harvests!