12 Creative Garden Obelisk Ideas — Empress of Dirt (2024)

Garden obelisks are tall structures with pyramid tops used as garden decor and plant supports. These photos come from home gardens and show a variety of DIY structures from rustic to classic.

For more ideas, also see10 Outstanding Vertical Garden Ideasand theArbors, Trellis, and Obelisk Idea Gallery.

Garden Obelisk Ideas

These ideas come from my own garden as well as gardens I have visited. Some of the photos are quite old (as you’ll see) but the ideas are worth sharing.

There are many variations of obelisks. The common denominator is, they are all structures with some legs (usually four) with a wide base and a narrow top. Classic obelisks often have some sort of sphere at the top, but, really, anything goes, as you’ll see below.

I you want to make your own, see this tutorial:
How to Make a Garden Obelisk from Wood.

1Blue Wood Obelisk

This is my obelisk. Instead of creating a pyramid top, I cut off the corner posts and created an area for a flower pot or garden art up top.

I covered the sides of my obelisk with chicken wire to accommodate the tendrils of the watermelon vine. It’s a nice, strong structure for a heavy plant like this. I’ll add some nylon stockings to support the fruit as it grows.

If you’d like to make one like this, I’ve shown how I built it here:Garden Obelisk Tutorial.

2Basic Garden Obelisk

A design like this one is a good starter project. The top of the obelisk is a prefab fence post cap. The orange paint makes the whole thing sing in the garden. You can see the gardener has added twine for the bean vines to grab onto as they grow.

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3Classic Plain Obelisk

It’s worth a trip to a home improvement store to find the right top to your obelisk. Look for turned wood handles, orbs, and fence post tops.

Notice how they’ve added a few vertical bars to the basic obelisk structure. The chicken wire at the bottom is probably there to stop animals from nibbling the vine.

If you want to purchase on obelisk, you’re probably better off shopping in-person at a good garden nursery, but I did find a few on Amazon:

If you get one by mail-order, check the height! I’ve noticed they look tall in the photos but can actually be quite small.

4Garden Tool Obelisk

I don’t know if you can really call this an obelisk but I’m pretty sure the Garden Police are off-duty today so, why not?

This is a fun idea for old garden tools:

I have a few old tools that work so well, I swear they may last for hundreds of years. And those that have earned their retirement make great plant supports and garden art.

Related: Garden Tool Art Idea Gallery

5Obelisks on Flower Planters

This is a good idea: make companion planters to fit the base of your obelisks. Here, they hung hanging baskets inside the obelisks. Climbing vines would also look great, of course.

Related: Plant Ideas for Beautiful Patio Containers

6Turquoise Wood Obelisk

This was in the same garden as the orange obelisk (above). You could make a bunch and paint them various colors, or pick a theme color and repeat it. Endless possibilities. All in the name of having fun getting crafty outdoors.

Related: 22 Creative Wagon Planter Ideas + Whiskey Barrels and Wheels

7Rustic Star Obelisk

I love this one. I photographed it at a garden nursery. It’s rustic and lovely. There are four main posts (probably cedar) and simple criss-crossed twigs all the way up.

See how they put a simple round disk of wood at the top? That’s an easy finish idea. Top it with whatever you like: star, birdhouse, orb, watering can….

8Wide Base Obelisk

This one is a bit different. The base of the obelisk is a cube with a traditional obelisk structure on top. Great idea if you want to place it over a large plant in the garden. I’d be tempted to put one over a peony that tends to sprawl and would benefit from some support.

9Peeling Blue Obelisk

I took this photo many years ago. It’s got that familiar over-exposed look! This obelisk looks like it was made from hardwood and painted blue. The paint has almost all peeled away but the structure remains. Perfect for those of us who love a weathered patina.

10Veggie Garden Obelisks

Again, obelisk may not be the right word for these, but it’s the same idea. As a fallen branch hoarder, I love any idea like this for repurposing tree branches in the garden. These ones will support peas and beans behind the onion patch.

Related: Weekly Seed Starting Plan for Vegetable Gardens

11Trellis Obelisk

Here’s another one that makes use of shrub or tree twigs or slim branches. This one is more like a trellis, but you could also build it with four main legs (each one made from several pieces) like an obelisk.

12Classic White Obelisk

Here’s another classic one. In this design, the four legs meet at the top, coming to a slender point, with a spire on top.

And that’s it!

I hope you’ve found some ideas for your garden. Whether you buy one or make one, obelisks look great in just about any growing space.

~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛