If you don’t have the time or the space to maintain a large flower garden, you can enjoy the beauty of the flower blooms and the aesthetic the colorful blossoms and greenery bring to the lawn also with a small garden island.
The ideas we offer you here are for how to Create An Amazing Island In The Garden: 16+ Charming Inspirations. The flower beds can be formed in the front yard or in the backyard.
1. Masonry Work Spiral Garden
The spiral shape of this island instantly grabs the attention. It is created with various large and small rocks arranged like masonry work. There is no need for grout as the soil makes the bonding.
The spiral shape allows the creation of a layered structure of the garden bed. When the right plants are picked up, the final effect is amazing- a harmonious colorful waterfall or a green flow.
2. Centerpiece Of The Yard With A Wheelbarrow ![]()
You can repurpose any kind of old items to create a focal point of your island in the garden. From old suitcases and chairs to wheelbarrows, they will help you add character to the small colorful garden in your yard.
In this idea for an island in the garden, a wheelbarrow is placed in the center of the flower bed to create a tiered interest with the vivid lilac petunias planted in it.
Surround the wheelbarrow with different kinds of flowers aiming to keep the lowest ones at the front and the highest at the back of it.
3. Pea Gravel Island With A Log Fence
This island is created around a tree to grab the attention and lead the eye to the fence landscape and the tree itself. River rocks and pea gravel are great to differentiate the zone for the raised garden bed around the tree. They will stop the growth of weeds and will also create an aesthetic highlight of the garden bed. The bed itself is in a square shape ensured by wood logs stained dark to let the red geranium flowers stand out.
4. Island Around A Vintage Bird Feeder ![]()
This is a wonderful round garden bed that combines evergreen and blooming flowers. The varieties are symmetrically arranged featuring short boxwood shrubs in the periphery and rose shrubs in the center.
Two evergreen shrubs shaped as spirals are planted at both sides of the circle to coordinate with the height of the focal point- a vintage bird feeder.
The garden island interrupts a perfectly maintained lawn with its edge from river rocks. This border creates a natural transition between the grass and the flower garden.
5. An Island With Reused Wine Barrel ![]()
This is another great idea of a garden island with a focal point from a reused farmhouse item.
The old wine barrel is placed in the middle to hold red geraniums which coordinate with the red flower band of petunias in the ground.
White petunias are also part of this beautiful landscape idea to add a delicate contrast to the dramatic red flowers.
6. Island With A Bird Bath Centerpiece ![]()
The small island in your backyard can be used not only to beautify with colorful blooms but also to attract wildlife. For that, a bird bath on a pedestal is inserted in the center of the raised garden bed.
The edge of the bed is made with stone pavers that fit the vintage concept of the landscape idea. The plants in this photo are dahlias but you can replace them with other medium-high flowers or combine short with high varieties.
7. Irregularly Shaped Island With A Wagon Wheel ![]()
This is a great inspiration for an island with an irregular shape and interesting decorations. An old wagon wheel, an earthen jug and a wooden butter maker.
They are positioned on a rock bed with stone pavers. Gaps between the pavers are filled with a climbing plant on one side and seasonal mums in pots on the other. All elements of this landscape idea have a farmhouse appeal which gives the island a charming countryside look.
8. Island With A Fountain
The edge of the island is an important part of its overall look and style. Flagstones and pavers are great for a farmhouse-inspired island while river rocks and pea gravel can be used to create a more modern landscape design.
In this garden island idea, the garden bed is outlined with shaped stones which make a perfect semi-circle where the garden bed will fit in.
The focal point is a fountain consisting of four containers arranged in height to reproduce the downfall effect of the water. The flower bed consists of evergreen shrubs and seasonal blooms planted around the water feature.
9. Island With A Combined Fountain And Bird Bath ![]()
It can be a small island in the garden but with a great appeal. As you can see from this example, the garden bed is created around a fountain acting also as a bird bath.
Two rows of petunias surround the vintage fountain to create a pop of color and let it stand out. Small tortoises figures crawl on the paver edge to give the arrangement a cute character and to make it look entirely finished.
10. Round Flower Bed Gathering Plenty of Plant Varieties ![]()
If you want to show off your gardening skills despite the small footage of the island in the garden, do it with this lovely garden bed idea. It inspires with a perfectly round shape highlighted by rocks and gorgeous and diverse plant varieties.
Lavender, mums, daisies, dahlias and other seasonal flowers fill thickly the space creating a cascading landscape.
11. Layered Island With Rock Edging ![]()
This is an easy island-in-the-garden idea that will create a unique outdoor appeal.It features three raised garden beds at different heights. The plants are grouped in each bed and create a textured natural mass of leaves and blooms.
The beds are united by their edging made of pavers. The location of the island is interesting, next to the lamp which is used also as a trellis.
12. Rock Garden With Potted Plants ![]()
When it comes to easiness and convenience, the faux rock garden is the best. How to make it? Arrange stones in the desired shape- round, kidney, square or irregular shape.
Don’t leave any space uncovered as you won’t be planting any plants in the ground. Instead, you will add potted plants to create your unique rock garden.
13. An Island With A Visual Appeal For All Seasons ![]()
Depending on what visual idea you have for the island in the garden, you may plant seasonal flowers to enjoy only in the warm months or go for evergreen varieties to please your eyes all year long.
This idea features a combination between seasonal and evergreens which is also great because when the blooms fade away, the shrubs remain to fill the island with their green foliage.
14. Garden Island Around A Tree With Seasonal Flowers ![]()
A popular location for the islands in the gardens is around trees to accentuate them. Usually, these zones are difficult to mow and maintain, hence a garden is created.
The island around a tree should be either round or square. The shape can be defined with a liner, pavers, old tire stones, bricks, and roof clay tiles.
15. Kidney-shaped Island
This is an attractive island in the garden that fascinates with its original shape and flower varieties.The kidney shape is outlined with large river stones.
The visual attraction is enhanced by filling areas of the bed with gravel alternating with dahlias and other seasonal flowers.
16. Round Flower Bed With Lining
If you want to make sure that the perfectly round shape of the island is always maintained and there aren’t any weeds to stand in the way of the growth of your plants, add a liner to the garden bed.
To hide its sides, use large flagstones positioned upright or stacked as a band. The focal point of this island is ornamental grass dangling its leaves down to beautiful petunias.
