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Easy Summer Outdoor Decorating Ideas You’ll Love

When the lazy days of summer arrive, it is fun to decorate accordingly. There are many ways you can decorate outside for the hot summer season. Oftentimes even small touches can make for lovely decorations. Here are just a few summer outdoor decorating ideas you could try this summer.

Outdoor summer decorations

Porch and Patio Summer Decorating Ideas

Sitting on the porch in the summer evenings can be a lot more enjoyable if your porch is cozied up with a few decorations. Here are a few ideas you can try. 

1. Plant flowers in Mason jars 

Environet Hydroponic Herb Growing Kit, Self-Watering Mason Jar Herb Garden Starter Kit Indoor, Windowsill Herb Garden, Grow Your Own Herbs from Seeds (Lavender Munstead)

This is such an easy way to bring color into the summer months! You can use mason jars, vases, or even old wine bottles that have been painted white. Fill them with colorful blooms like gerbera daisies, sunflowers, zinnias, marigolds…the possibilities are endless!

2. Add colorful planters

a porch planter filled with colorful flowers

Want to add a pretty display? Consider adding a planter filled with flowers or herbs. They’re inexpensive and add instant curb appeal.

3. Hang up some curtains

a romantic patio setting with a small table for two and white curtains

A simple curtain rod will do wonders when it comes to bringing some style to your porch or patio. Choose curtains made out of natural fabrics like cotton or linen. Or go bolder and choose brightly colored ones. The options are limitless!

A set of ivory linen curtains creates a romantic atmosphere on the back patio above. 

4.  Add a few plants with pretty foliage

potted plants with colorful foliage

Nothing says “summer” quite like pretty green or variegated foliage. Add a few containers around your porch for a cozy feeling.

5. Install a gazebo

black iron gazebo on a patio

For a more permanent solution, install a gazebo over your existing deck or patio area. These come in many styles and sizes so there’s sure to be one perfect fit for your home.

6. Create ambient lighting

ambient lighting

Lighting fixtures can really change the look of any space. Add a few small lights in the corners of your porch/patio, and maybe add a focal light in the center for a very pleasant ambiance.

Summer Outdoor Decorating Ideas

Plant summer flowers

There are many beautiful flowers that bloom nicely during the summer months. A nice way to decorate for the summer would be to plant many different and vibrant flowers for this season. Petunias will bloom all summer long if you take care of them. Check out this gorgeous window box filled with vibrant colored petunias: BEAUTIFUL!

Happy pink petunias cheering up a window

If you want to get into the spirit of the season quicker, you might want to use colors like yellow, orange, pink and red. 

Summer flowers in shades of yellow, pink and orange

There are many different ways that you can use flowers and greenery to make a beautiful summer garden.

Need some inspiration? Go visit a botanical garden, or your local park. Or, find your favorite comfy chair on the porch and flip through some landscaping books.

Book cover for a cut flower garden bookCut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, & Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms Amazon buy buttonMartha's Flowers: A Practical Guide to Growing, Gathering, and EnjoyingMartha’s Flowers: A Practical Guide to Growing, Gathering, and EnjoyingAmazon buy buttonThe Flower Gardener\'s Bible Book coverThe Flower Gardener’s Bible: A Complete Guide to Colorful Blooms All Season LongAmazon buy button

Use pretty stepping stones

There are many decorative stepping stones that can make very nice decorations for the summer. They make them with all different designs. You can get one with flowers, butterflies or something else that might remind you of the summer.

You can even get one custom made that has a name or a saying on it, which you can relate to the summer. 

Suunflower stepping stone

Decorate with a flag

There are many fun flags that you can put up. They sell a wide variety of flags, some of which are related to the summer. These are often colorful and bright. They may have different characters on them or have the sun or something else related to the summer.

Garden flag with a summer imageSummer Double Sided, Sunflower Mason Jar Burlap Garden Yard Decoration Amazon buy buttonLAYOER Home Garden Flag 28 x 40 Inch Decorative House Double Sided Banner (Flowers Butterfly Welcome)Home Garden Flag 28 x 40 Inch Decorative House Double Sided Banner (Flowers Butterfly Welcome)Amazon buy buttonBriarwood Lane Welcome Summer Lemonade House Flag Mason Jar Ladybugs 28Briarwood Lane Welcome Summer Lemonade House Flag Mason Jar Ladybugs 28Amazon buy buttonToland Home Garden 109993 Adirondack Arrangement 28 x 40 Inch Decorative, House Flag (28Toland Home Garden 109993 Adirondack Arrangement 28 x 40 Inch Decorative, House Flag (28Amazon buy button

Decorate for the holidays

One nice way to decorate during the summer is to decorate for the summer holidays.

The biggest one during summer is the Fourth of July. There are many different decorations that you can put up outside for the holidays:

  • put up a flag
  • find some lit displays that look like flags
  • put up some sort of sign on decoration on your front door that says “Happy Fourth of July.”

There are many different decorations, which you can buy at a variety of places including party supply stores, general stores with a seasonal holiday selection and many places on the Internet. Oriental Trading Company is an online and paper catalog with a lot of such items.

LHSION 4th of July Patriotic Garden Flag 12.5 x 18 - Independence Day Memorial Garden Flags Decorative Double Sided Flag for Anniversary Décor Patriotic Garden Flag Amazon buy buttonAlpine Corporation ZEN126S Americana Saluting Gnome w/Flag, 12 Inch Tall, 12 Americana Saluting Gnome w/FlagAmazon buy buttonFox Valley Traders 315356 Patriotic Set of 2 Pinwheel, One Size Fits Gallon MulticolorPatriotic Set of 2 PinwheelAmazon buy buttonHappy Independence Day garden flagJuly 4th Garden Flag USA Amazon buy button

Decorating outdoors for the summer can be a lot of fun and can create a very lovely seasonal look to your home. I hope my summer outdoor decorating ideas got your imaginations going. Have fun adding a bit of summer flair around your yard.

A peaceful sitting spot in the garden

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Adriana Copaceanu is a passionate nature lover living in the country on her dream property where she grows vegetables, lavender, and wildflowers that she shares with the wildlife they attract. When she's not in the garden, she loves spending time with her chickens and planning her next nature project. Check out her books below:

How to Grow Lavender for Fun and Profit: Lessons Learned from Planting Three Hundred Lavender Plants

How to Raise Chickens for Eggs: A Guide to Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens for Nutritious, Organic Eggs at Home

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