Hardscaping Ideas To Make A Garden Look Old: 5 Ways To Make Your Yard Look Centuries Older

Modern gardens can be beautiful, but there is something so charming about a garden that has been growing for centuries. You don’t have to be a landscaping professional to try some of our favorite hardscaping ideas to make a garden look old. You don’t need lots of money, either – some of the most effective and simplest hardscaping tricks can be tried without breaking the bank.

Get inspired by vintage garden ideas to bring the same charm (if not the actual age) to your outdoor spaces. Whether you also implement planting ideas to make a new garden look mature, these hardscaping strategies are a fun and satisfying way to add character and maturity to your plots. Discover some of the best hardscaping ideas to age a yard.

Choosing Hardscaping Ideas to Make a Garden Look Old

What makes a garden look older? You want the vintage look, but what does that mean? Do some brainstorming and field work before you make major changes to your yard. Visit old estates or gardens in your area or peruse historic gardens online for ideas. Many of the best hardscaping ideas are grounded in local inspiration – public gardens, courtyards, walled estates or the grounds of a lucky neighbor.

Many elements of a garden can make it look old or vintage. Sometimes nature will do the hard work for you. Large, majestic trees obviously help to convey a certain longevity and maturity – but you can’t accelerate the growth of an oak or maple! A more practical option is to fake old age with hardscaping elements. And the good news is that there are hardscaping ideas to make a garden look old on a budget.

Adding or amending hardscaping materials is a good workaround. You can either change the appearance of what is already there, or add elements that look older. There are some very convincing ways to cheat the aging process with stones, wood and other materials. Here are some ideas to get you started…

1. Build an Old Stone Wall

Stones are some of the oldest things on the planet, so they definitely have a place in your vintage garden or aged garden aesthetic. Ever wondered, how do I make a garden wall look older? Picture an ancient stone wall in an English cottage garden. It might be a little crumbly or have moss growing in the crevices.

Building a stone wall may not be one of the most low-maintenance hardscaping ideas to age yards, but it’s doable and well worth the effort. If you can source rocks for free, or at a discounted price, this can also be a low-budget build. Look for free rocks online. People often list them for free after doing yard work. Construction sites also often turn up stones that get in the way. You could ask permission to take them off their hands. Once you’ve built the wall, place plants and moss between the stones for an instant aged effect.

2. Create Cobble Pathways

Another way to use stones to age your yard is by creating DIY garden paths. Paths of stone give a sense of permanence, of having been there forever. This is especially true if you encourage grass and moss to grow between the stones. Some of the best low maintenance front yard landscaping ideas involve stones at ground level to link parts of the garden and make them easier to reach.

Pieces of slate can be pricey, so try going for a more cobbled look. Source inexpensive or free rocks and bury them deep into the soil for an embedded path that looks like ancient cobbles.

3. Age Your Bricks

Bricks, like stone, give an old feel to a space as long as they aren’t brand new or at least don’t look brand new. Whether you already have a brick structure (whether that’s a patio, wall or well) or you are planning to construct one, you can take some simple (and reasonably cheap) steps to make it look older than it actually is.

The easiest way to get an aged brick look is to start with old materials. Look for reclaimed bricks from landscape suppliers or homeowners looking to get rid of them after a renovation. Reclaimed bricks may not age that well, so also consider aging new bricks. Use whitewashing paint (white acrylic paint and water), wood stain and paintbrushes. Get a few extra bricks to experiment on to find a technique that gives you a look you like.

4. Distress a Wooden Bench

An old wooden bench is a must in a vintage yard, cottage garden or antiquated space. It’s easy to age a new, inexpensive bench to give it the appearance of having been around a lot longer than it actually has. All you need are some tools to distress the wood and an appropriate stain to get the ideal aged color.

Of all the hardscaping ideas to age a yard or yard-based item, this one might be the most fun. Use a sander, drill, saw and other tools to make dents, rounded edges and even holes in your bench to give the appearance of woodworm burrows. Stain the bench once you have the right distressed look. This hardscaping idea can also be used in an urban garden or contemporary theme where upcycling is a feature.

5. DIY a Vintage Fountain

Even if you don’t have space for a garden pond or grand water feature, you can make a space look a lot older with a well appointed fountain. Look for an inexpensive plastic fountain at any garden center and age it as a fun craft project.

Prime and spray paint the fountain black to start. Apply a whitewash paint and use a rag to strategically wipe it off. This will leave behind what looks like an aged film. The effect is of aged stone, and it can add years, decades or even centuries to even a humdrum style of fountain. Spray the entire fountain with a clear protective material so the effect lasts for as long as possible.

Other Landscaping and Hardscaping Tips and Tricks

• Want to accelerate the age and character of your yard with ‘old-timey’ plants and vintage flowering ideas? Try our old-fashioned plants and flowers to add age and class.
• Yearning for a big change in your backyard and not sure where to start? Don’t do anything until you’ve checked out our garden makeover do’s and don’ts for painfree planting & design.
• Worried about common landscaping and hardscaping pitfalls and traps to avoid? Our overview of mistakes that make a garden look cheap will save you pain, time and money!
• Looking for landscape design ideas that are going to be big this year? Check out our key garden trends for ways to hone your landscaping and hardscaping horizons.