It was only a few months ago that I wrote a post on Creating a Garden Entrance that outlined a few ways to actually make an entryway into your garden. Now that you've gone and created yourself one it's time to decorate it and make your garden entryway a highlight - a masterpiece beckoning visitors to investigate your yard.

Sure, if you don't want people to come and admire your garden or you prefer to keep your garden as a resident of 'Hermitville' then trying to attract visitors is probably not your scene. In that case, make sure your entryway has a big, solid gate and a large lock to keep everybody out.

However, if you find just as much enjoyment from showing people through your garden as you do creating the garden itself then there are a few ways to highlight your entryway.

1. Use bright colours - these could be from plants and flowers that decorate your entryway to whimsical ornaments and sculptures. Even the gates could be painted with bright colours - not lairy, but bright enought to be atractive and enticing.
2. Use spot lighting - if your garden entryway is accessed at night then you want to make sure that it's illuminated enough for your visitors to enter and exit safely. Even if it's not used primarily for entering your garden, using outdoor garden lights will create a nice highlight anyhow.
3. Add a fence - if your entryway is just an arbour or a set of gates then try extending your fence either side of it. This will define the entryway so that visitors aren't guessing where the access point is - and won't step on your precious plants in the process.
4. Put up a sign - a directional sign may seem a little gaudy and even pretentious but if crafted well, both in design and the words used, can certainly be a useful way to highlight your garden entrance.
5. Add a path - a path to your entryway is about as defining as it can be. Obviously this may depend on how much available space you have in front of your entryway but even a paved square directly in front of the entrance can help immeasurably.

Highlighting your garden entryway is only limited by your imagination and can certainly create a focal point for your visitors and an easy way to navigate their way into your yard.

Take a few moments to analyse your current entryway to see if it;

• Can be found in the dark


• Is easy to discern where it is


• Is not obstructed by other features, plants or ornaments, and


• Is impressive and makes your neighbours completely jealous.

If you can tick them all off then your entryway is probably highlighted enough. Happy gardening.