Brilliant Winter Patio Ideas

Natural Winter Patio Decorations

The cold has officially arrived here in my Kentucky garden. It’s now time to share some winter patio ideas with you.

With the summer containers tucked away and the last leaves finally dropped, the patio was looking a little bleak. It’s in need of some winter cheer. I didn’t want to wait until spring for the patio to feel alive again.

So this year, I set myself a challenge: decorate the patio for winter and the holidays using only what I could forage from the garden or already had on hand. I think that nature is the best decorator, and this project reminded me just how true that is. So let me share some winter patio ideas.

Clearing The Space

Before any decorating stared, I gave the patio shelves a good end-of-season cleanup. Freshly cleared surfaces are such a simple thing, but they make any decorating project feel new. The perfect blank slate.

Because I knew I wanted to make wreaths, I did treat myself to one bunch of arborvitae from Lowe’s—my temporary garden doesn’t have any yet. But everything else featured in this makeover was foraged either here at home or at our Sugar Hill property.

A few leftover Mondo grass plants also stayed out to add some winter green. Eventually, the terracotta pots will need to head to the garage, but for now they’re adding a welcome touch of life.

Moss – The Unexpected Winter Hero

One of my favorite things to forage is moss. Back when I lived in Michigan, I used to harvest moss from the grass, and I worried I wouldn’t find any here in Kentucky. I was thrilled when I spotted a velvety patch growing on a tree in the backyard.

I gently harvested some and planted it into a shallow bowl—instant winter décor. Moss has such a rich color and texture; even the smallest mound looks like a tiny forest on display. It’s perfect for a patio in the colder months. Another great winter patio ideas.

Foraging at Sugar Hill

A trip to our Sugar Hill property provided a bounty of red cedar branches—beautiful, fragrant, and perfect for winter arrangements. But the real treasure was the wild grapevines.

At first, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to wrangle them out of the trees, but with a little persistence (and help from my husband, Tom), we managed to pull down a fantastic long vine. That vine became one of my absolute favorite decorations of the season. A star decoration that was the perfect winter patio idea.

Wild Grapevine Stars & Wreaths

I cut a thick grapevine into five equal pieces and tied them into a rustic star, later wrapping it with lights. It turned out so beautifully that I ended up making two—one for the front and one for the back patio. Best of all, they’re sturdy enough to reuse for years to come.

The remaining vines were twisted into wreaths. Most of the time, brute force and patience were enough to get them shaped, though I used a little wire here and there. I filled each wreath with evergreens and pine cones for an all-natural winter decoration. One now sits with the containers on the back patio, and another went on the front door adorned with a maroon ribbon.

You don’t need a sprawling estate to achieve this. Whether it’s a patio flowing from your living room, a balcony garden for an apartment, or a window lined with potted plants, you can create spaces that invite nature in, making your home feel more expansive and serene.

Creative Winter Arrangements

I also used grapevines as makeshift supports for sticks I found scattered around the yard. Once secured inside an urn, I added pine cones and hung delicate glass ornaments from the branches. Simple, charming, and made entirely from what I had.

You can watch my YouTube video if you want more details about how I created these decorations.

A packet of green ornaments came out of storage and found a new home on the patio trees—here they are shining on the dogwood. And I couldn’t resist creating a small faux Christmas tree by tucking juniper branches into an urn and adding lights. A few ornaments later, and it became one of my favorite accents.

Nature’s Touch (and a Hungry Robin)

One last wreath, hung on the door to the patio, was decorated with holly from the front garden. The next morning, I heard a curious sound outside. It was a robin—happily perched inside the wreath, eating every holly berry I had added. Proof that nature appreciates great winter patio ideas too!

A Patio to Enjoy All Winter

This project reminded me why I love using foraged materials: they’re free, abundant, beautiful, and deeply connected to the land right outside our door. I loved wandering the garden and Sugar Hill, discovering textures and greenery that would bring life to the patio through the winter months.

Now, instead of a bleak outdoor space, I have a cozy, nature-filled patio that I get to enjoy until spring returns.

I hope this gives you a few winter patio ideas for your own winter decorations. And I’d love to hear yours—how do you decorate with what nature provides? There’s nothing better than looking out the window and seeing a little something beautiful to carry us through the cold season.