Every once in a while I’ll come across a garden decor or design idea that makes me think “Why didn’t I think of that!” Usually it’s an idea that’s shockingly simple yet brings on loads of drama. View-framing wreaths are one of those ideas. I love plain old door-hung wreaths, of course. They’re so cheering; the very essence of celebration. And they’re also a real attention-getter. So why not highlight a special view by encircling it with a vibrant wreath? Here are a couple of fun examples.

A bull’s eye piercing in a wooden lattice is framed by a wreath of variegated vine at RBG Hamilton.

A trellis covered in a leafy, climbing vine always makes a great addition to a garden and usually multi-tasks as privacy screen, outdoor room delineator and plant support. The vined trellis seen above took the vine-covered lattice idea a bit farther by training and trimming the vine to encircle the bull’s eye window built into the trellis. The resulting effect spectacularly draws the eye to the welcoming seating beyond.

A store window in Morrow Bay, California, USA, gets the full framing wreath treatment.

This store window, seen above, does exactly what it’s supposed to do–lure passers-by closer to take a peek through the window and (hopefully) be tempted to take a look inside. But it does all that in the most charming way. I love how the design incorporates a window box for small ornamentals as well.

Ivy-covered exterior walls on a home are not new and endure as a classic element for that English country garden look. In these cases, the only pruning done is usually to keep the windows clear to optimize the views out from within the home. But pruning wall-covering ivy to create a thick border around a window is something that I hadn’t seen before. I love the idea that keeping the ivy to a thick frame around the window makes the views both from the outside and the inside especially enchanting.

A hole pierced through a thick evergreen hedge at Butchart Gardens, Vancouver Island, allows for a peek at the picturesque shoreline beyond.

Of course, you could just hack a hole into a hedge to accommodate a view. It’s not quite the same thing but you still get a lush green frame highlighting a point of interest in the distance. The hole in the hedge seen above just seems to beg for some fun embellishments, though, like a a flowering clematis trained to encircle the hole. Just think of the possibilities.