Charming Garden Signs (DIY and some to Buy)

Here at Gingham Gardens we’re all about flower gardens and adding charm to them with fun decorative pieces. Even if you’re not into adding lots of garden decorations, a cute garden sign can be a great way to add charm and personality to your gardens, or outdoor areas.

As you will see from some of the ideas below, garden signs can look good either by themselves as a focal point in your garden, or together in groupings with other garden decorative pieces.  We’ve included easy instructions for making your own DIY Garden Sign and we’ve included links to lots of cute and fun garden signs that you can purchase. There are also lots of pictures of garden signs to give you some ideas of what you can add to your flower garden, vegetable patch, front porch or patio.

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Garden Signs To Buy

These super cute garden signs are perfect if you don’t have time, or don’t want a DIY project. Many are handmade and will add all kinds of charm to your garden. Plus, it’s a good thing to support small businesses and many Etsy sellers are just that.

A few questions to ask yourself before making or purchasing a garden sign:

• Where you are going to place your garden sign?
• Does your sign need to be on a stake, or will you be hanging your sign?
• Will your sign be nailed to a garden post or fence, or do you need a stake to put it in the ground?
• What size do you want your garden sign?
• Is your sign going to be placed in a flower pot, or in a large garden bed?
• What style garden sign do you want – rustic, farmhouse, classic, cutesy, a funny sign, etc.
• Do you want a wood sign, or a metal sign?

A few tips for buying garden or yard signs online:

• Read reviews.
• See if there are shipping costs.
• Check measurements.
• If you have questions, contact the seller.

Garden Sign Ideas for Flower Gardens

I kind of go overboard with garden signs, but I have lots of garden space and lots of fence space, so I can get away with it. Some of the signs are DIY Signs and some have been purchased.

The Nana’s Garden sign below was made by my daughter and son-in-law. It sort of drives me crazy that they didn’t use an apostrophe in Nanas, but I’m trying to let it go. Maybe someday, I’ll fix it with a magic marker. They used wood slats from an old pallet. See the general DIY outdoor sign directions below.

The picture below is from one of my gardens. The “I’m in the Garden” sign is from End of the Rainbow Farms Etsy shop. I thought it would be a cute idea to hang the sign on an old rusty rake that I had in my stash. Old rusty shovels make really cute vintage garden signs too. 

There’s nothing quite like a Welcome sign in your garden to invite visitors in and make them feel at home. 
Another cute little sign hanging on my old garden fence. I believe I purchased this metal sign at Walmart a few years ago, and it was part of the summer Pioneer Woman collection. This little vignette is a great example of how to use a garden sign in a grouping, or even in a small space.

This Potting Shed sign adds so much character to my old potting shed. It’s made of metal and has a wood frame.

Creative Signs for Herb and Vegetable Gardens

There are lots of ideas for vegetable and herb gardens too. These simple, little herb garden signs, likely made with scrap lumber, are crude, yet so quaint.

How cute is this sign made for Grandma’s vegetable garden!  If  you have wooden slats, this would be so easy to make. See the DIY sign instructions below.

Another whimsical sign for the vegetable garden – Welcome to my Veggie Patch. I love how it’s hinged with rusty wire.

Fall Garden Signs

This Welcome Fall sign is such a fun sign. I’ve used it in my fall yard scenes for a few years now and it’s held up quite nicely. If you’re into rustic garden or yard decorations, be sure to check out The Birdhouse of Orange Etsy shop, a favorite Etsy seller of mine. They have the cutest, rustic things for your garden. 

Another outdoor sign that says, Happy Fall Ya’ll , adds to this whimsical setting on my little front porch.

More Ideas for Garden Signs

Do you shop at flea markets, estate sales, or garage sales? They are great places to find garden signs of all types. The chippy, rustic signs and letters are the best! 

You can’t get much more vintage or rustic than the barn wood sign pictured below.

DIY or Homemade Garden Signs

It’s so easy to make a garden sign yourself (even if you have no creative talents whatsoever) and an inexpensive, perfect way to add charm to any garden area.  Homemade garden signs make a great gift too. Below are some easy instructions and tips. It’s even possible to make a vintage garden sign like the flowers sign in the picture below.

Supplies for a Homemade Garden Sign:

• Wood – any scrap wood pieces will work. Big box hardware stores sell scrap wood. We have a big pile of old cedar fence wood that I go through and that’s what I used for the flowers sign in the picture below. If you can get your hands on some old barn wood that’s even better. You can even get reclaimed wood on Amazon for a decent price. Pallet wood works great for outdoor signs too.
• Paint Markers – if you have a steady hand, go ahead and free hand write what you want.
• Stencils – In the garden sign above, my daughter and I cut out a stencil on our Cricut. If you don’t have access to a die cutting machine, here are some really cute stencils you can purchase and use for many garden signs.
• Stencil Brushes – I’ve tried using paint markers with stencils, but I much prefer using a stencil brush and paint. There is less bleed through this way.
• Paint – Works best with stencils, if you decide not to do free hand signs.
• Mod Podge – This is optional, but I find when using stencils it helps to keep bleed at a minimum.
• UV Resistant Clear Coat Spray – Don’t skip this. I use this spray on pretty much all my outdoor garden decor, even signs I purchase. It really protects your project and keeps it from fading from the weather and sun.

Instructions for a DIY Garden Sign:

1. Lightly sand and clean your board.
2. Coat the board with Mod Podge and let it dry according to the directions on the package.
3. Spray your stencil with repositionable adhesive and adhere your stencil to the wood. You can also use painter’s tape, but I really recommend using the spray.
4. Squirt a small amount of paint onto a paper plate. To stencil the sign, dab your stencil brush in a little paint. Stenciling takes very little paint, so if you’ve never stenciled before, less is more. You can always add more paint. Simply dab the paint onto the open areas of the stencil, using an up and down pouncing motion. Do not use stroking motions at all. Fill all the open areas in until you are satisfied with the coverage. Remember to go light because you do not want the paint to peel when you lift the stencil.
5. I don’t wait for the paint to dry, because that can cause peeling. Carefully peel or lift the stencil off your wood, admire your work and set it aside to dry.
6. When your sign is dry, take it outdoors and spray it with the UV protective spray.
7. You can drill holes a few inches from each end and thread wire or jute cord through to create a hanger. Or, the sign can be glued and nailed to a wooden stake.
8. Easy, peasy! And, so gratifying to make a homemade sign.

A Few More Ideas for DIY Garden Signs

If you decide to make the investment and purchase the supplies for making garden signs, they can also be utilized to make stencil sayings on a flower pot, or vintage items like an old chair, a toolbox, an old fence, galvanized buckets, or really anything you have. Just remember to always use a uv protectant on any items you make to go outdoors.

• Use a chalk board and chalk marker to make a cute garden sign. 
• Another way to make a cute little garden sign is to use a wood burning kit, which make it easy to burn the words into your sign.

If you love what you see here and would like to see more ideas for decorating your gardens, check out:

Garden Vignettes Using Flea Market Finds
Upcycled Vintage Garden Decor
Creative Container Flower Gardening
Shade Border Junk Gardens

Garden signs can make a great addition to your flower bed or veggie garden! They are such a wonderful reminder to you and anyone who enters your garden that your garden is a place to relax, an oasis of sorts and a place to enjoy the beauty of nature. I hope you found a decorative garden sign idea for your garden.

Happy gardening,
Joanna

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