Boho garden decor ideas - 10 ways to create holiday vibes to last all summer

Boho garden decor is big news. And it's no surprise, who wouldn't want to make that holiday feeling last for longer at home?

Whether it's from the Balearics or Bali, boho style feels instantly laid-back and fun. And it's not difficult to achieve at home! Garden ideas range from building pergolas and converting sheds into garden bars, to easier wins such as bagging a swing chair or hanging a hammock.

There's no need to splash lots of cash either. With Aldi's latest range of garden furniture selling out at the first sign of good weather, and prices rising rapidly, it's time to get inspired and inventive.

'If you’ve trawled all the major retailers and just can’t find anything you like, it’s always worth checking out your local second-hand sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and even charity shops,' says a spokesperson at Coupon Ninja. 'You’ll likely find a bargain, and be the smug neighbour who is prepared for the Spring sunshine.'

Boho garden decor ideas

First decide how you like – or would like – to use your garden. If it's for socialising, consider how often you have people over and how many you'd like to be able to host. Do these occasions roll on into the night? Or do your friends tend to take off early with little ones, as soon as it's dark?

Perhaps enjoying family mealtimes outside during the warmer months is your priority? Or having a quiet space to lounge in the sun on the best outdoor cushions? Once you've decided what's important, you can find which boho garden decor ideas are right for you.

1. Build a pergola and deck it with lights

Building a pergola creates a focal point in your garden for lounging, dining or socialising. Timber structures often come with fixings for installing onto a hard surface, such as a tiled patio, path or terrace. Many are self-assembly, although putting one together tends to be a two person task. 

If you want your pergola over a patch of grass, a metal structure is better, as wood could rot if it's secured below ground.

Once it's secure, painting your pergola matt black will make it a stand out feature. Then it's perfect for offsetting rattan furniture, macrame hanging baskets and strings of lights for fun evenings outside.

2. Bag a swing chair

Bagging a rattan swing chair is one of the simplest ways to introduce boho vibes to your garden throughout the summer. Find a suitable spot in the sun to hang it and make sure it's suspended securely from a sound and safe structure.

'Always choose materials that are suitable for the weather,' says Coupon Ninja's spokesperson. 'Rattan looks stylish, but you’ll want to opt for a good quality rattan that uses high-quality resin, as it'll stand up to the elements better.'

Placing a lightweight rattan stool nearby that's easy to move around and store, will ensure a refreshing cordial or cocktail is on hand when you need cooling down or livening up.

3. Convert the shed to a garden bar

One lockdown trend that's showing no signs of disappearing anytime soon, and will add a boho garden decor vibe, is the garden bar. In fact, according to garden retailer, Primrose, a garden pub is the most wanted outdoor feature for Brits in summer 2022, with searches up by 494%.

To discover this, they analysed the number of Google Searches for 53 popular garden products over the space of three months, revealing which products have risen the most in interest.

'At the moment, gardens are home to wacky and wonderful features like never before,' says Evie Lane, gardening expert at Primrose. 'The shift to utilising our outdoor spaces for something other than gardening has accelerated at an intense rate.'

4. Lay patterned tiles on your patio

If you're paving your patio, consider patterned tiles rather than plain. Many prints available are reminiscent of historic European paths and pavements, or offer an updated modern spin on them. This will immediately inject a laid-back holiday flavour to your outside space.

Dark shades like charcoal grey or black also provide a beautiful backdrop for lush plants and foliage. Greenery not only looks gorgeous, it's good for our health and wellbeing too.

5. Hang out in a hammock

What better way to while away a hot and sunny summer's afternoon, than hanging in a hammock? Most of us, only do this on holiday though. Leaving aside the never-ending to do list and possible rain showers, it's something we'd do well to embrace at home.

Those with a mature tree to hang a hammock from are in luck. But even if you don't there are plenty that come with their own frames. It's a simple way to de-stress and sneak off for a snooze.

6. Cover your walls with lush foliage

Dining under the stars boho-style doesn't have to be limited to holidays. Many of us enjoy eating al fresco in a cottage-style garden when the weather allows too. The only downside is that often lawn and trees are sacrificed for paving which means a loss of greenery and nature.

A great way to replenish it is with a vertical garden. Planting a living wall doesn't need to be difficult. Simply choosing climbing plants, such as scented jasmine or grape vines, which will trail over your walls is a great option. The addition of raised beds filled with ferns and easy to grow foliage will make your garden feel like a lush tropical oasis.

7. Create a drop-down serving station

Converting the garden shed into a bar may not be an option for you. If that's the case, consider a drop-down serving hatch instead. One like this can be created with a recycled delivery pallet and a rope chain, if you're handy with a power tool, or know someone who is.

The row of planting at the top, is not only a charming touch, it helps the serving station blend with the garden wall when it's closed. Then come cocktail hour, voila, aperitifs at the ready!

8. Add a garden hide-out

Garden office ideas may be all the rage, but an artist's studio or chill out room is far more fun. It's somewhere you can afford to be bolder with colour if you don't use it all the time too. Barely black will look striking inside and out but make sure your garden room gets some shade as it will absorb the heat.

Introduce vintage pieces and favourite photos or artworks to personalise the space. Adding a hanging egg chair on the terrace could make it the best place to be this summer.

9. Paint your pots

There's no denying that plain terracotta pots look lovely but if you want to give your garden a laid-back look that hints of long lazy summers overseas, give your pots a whitewash. Better still add painterly brush strokes as a decorative touch.

Reminiscent of Mediterranean homes with chalky exteriors, white pots will reflect the sun and keep the insides cool, so your plant's roots will cope better if there's a heat wave. They'll make a lovely feature for your foliage too.

10. Make entertaining easy with an outdoor kitchen

A modular outdoor kitchen will make entertaining a breeze when you have friends and family over. With space for plates, glasses and cutlery, guests can help themselves to what they need. So you're free to chat and socialise with them and they can relax and have fun.

Keep the look informal with seagrass baskets, rattan placemats and wooden chopping boards.

What is boho style?

Boho style is a relaxed bohemian way of dressing and decorating that harks back to hippie culture and the hippie trail from the 60s and early 70s, which included Ibiza. It became popular again in the early noughties - and with the seventies revival in interiors has made a comeback.

How do you decorate a boho patio?

White-washed walls and rustic textures, such as aged timber, reclaimed brick or pretty patterned tiles with a worn patina. Plus bamboo and rattan fencing with plenty of plants.

What colours are good for a boho garden?

Earthy colours of nature, such as rust, ochre and sun-worn shades of blue or green, against white washed walls with trailing plants.