14 Outdoor Easter Decorations That Celebrate Spring's Beauty

With spring weather finally upon us, it's easy to see why so many families are eager to host their Easter celebrations outdoors. The sun comes back out from hiding, the garden is green again, and flowers are in full bloom. The experience is akin to a renewal, which is what the Easter holiday symbolizes and is all about. It encourages us to get reacquainted with our patios, porches, gardens, and yards. Think about all of the beloved Sunday activities we enjoy year after year: Easter egg hunts, family picnics, and games like egg bocce, bunny tic-tac-toe, or cornhole—they all take place in the great outdoors. And even if you're socially distancing with your quarantine pod, why not give your home's exterior a refresh with tasteful décor? Since outdoor entertaining is still the safest way to see a few loved ones on the holiday, it's nice to decorate your space to speak to the occasion.

Embrace the natural beauty of the outdoors with your own creative touches, and you'll end up with the perfect, harmonious setting for enjoying quality time with the ones you love most. To help, we're sharing some of our favorite ways to brighten up your porch, backyard, and patio for the holiday. Pretty-in-pastel egg ornaments can add color to trees while cement bunny planters become charming motifs in your garden. On the front door, we suggest displaying a wreath arranged with dyed eggs or embellished with fairytale-like butterflies and blossoms.

These Easter décor ideas are sure to be a hit with your loved ones and neighbors, alike. And the best of all? These standout decorations are simple, quick, and affordable—ideal for even the last-minute Easter celebration.

Bunny Planter

Look who's hopped onto Martha's porch, having filled his basket with flowers and foliage. The bunny's stone-like look is actually courtesy of a coating of sand over a ceramic planter.

Shop Now: Ophelia & Co. Corisande Resin Statue Planter, $78.99, wayfair.com.

Basket Brimming with Beautiful Blooms

Spring flowers and foliage—their lush ruffles overflowing from an antique Japanese basket—make for an exuberant centerpiece. Against the green of the hellebores and geranium leaves, purple tulips, and sprightly fritillaria look all the more jewel-like. The flower stems are anchored in floral foam, which has been carved to fit inside a plastic liner in the basket. Kevin Sharkey often comes up early to help Martha with flowers, and this one was no exception.

Shop Now: Pottery Barn Natural Sabrina Small Basket, from $10.99, potterybarn.com.

Dyed Eggs in a Dramatic Display

A massive shallow basket (it's three feet long) filled with finely shredded paper is an expansive "nest" for circles of green and purple eggs. For the deepest shades, Martha started with dark-brown eggs. She also covered a collection of mismatched baskets with green spray paint; the children use them for gathering additional eggs hidden outside.

For all dye baths: Add two teaspoons white vinegar to one cup warm water, then add food coloring. Let each egg rest in the dye bath, turning it regularly, for the amount of time indicated, or until the desired shade is achieved. Use these dye baths and vary the amount of time submerged to achieve different gradations in color.

Shop Now: Olli Ella Handwoven Natural Seagrass Basket Tray, $70, food52.com; Terrain Natural Sisal Grass, $28, shopterrain.com.

Flights of Fancy Wreath

See how easily your front door transforms into a welcoming entrance with whimsical butterflies in beautiful, warm shades. It's a celebration of flight into brighter days and sun-bathing rays.

Linen-Covered Pots

You can dress up just about anything for a backyard party, and that includes your prized plants. Floral-themed linens can accent flowerpots to make every aspect of your festivities fresh and in season.

Easter Eggshell Baskets

The simple, humble egg is a continual source of inspiration, and we always search for fresh ways to celebrate it. Oversized eggs—like goose—make for an earth-friendly, show-stopping vase filled with spring blooms on the front porch or in the garden.

Using craft knife, pierce eggshell at one end: Poke through, then make a small cut and gently peel shell away in small pieces, to create an opening with a jagged edge. Add water to cup; place flowers inside, then hang with ribbon on your doorway or set in your front-yard garden.

Shop Now: Best Pysanky Hollowed Goose Egg, 3.3", $3.47, etsy.com.

Chalk-Painted Monogram Plaque

Welcome the season with a signature greeting, family monogram, or an elegant "E" for Easter. The matte-finish white chalk paint results in a clean, modern design and an understated front door display.

Moss Eggs

Moss is one of the many happy harbingers of spring. Use its bright color and soft texture by molding eggs in a variety of sizes from sheet moss. They will hold up to outdoor elements whether you're hosting an Easter picnic or looking to spruce up the garden.

Earthy Arrangements

Flowers this free-spirited call for an equally earthy vessel. We slid three grapevine wreaths over a round glass vase of water, then put a ball of chicken wire inside to prop up the wispy stems of hellebore, clematis, nigella, scabiosa, spirea, and garlic blossom. The result is a lush mini meadow in full bloom.

Shop Now: Ashland Grapevine Wreath, 14", $4.99, michaels.com.

Spring in a Pot Centerpiece

Celebrating Easter and the spring season doesn't always mean decorating with bright colors or pastels, and this breathtaking centerpiece is a fine example of that. By embracing natural tones and the classic egg motif of the holiday, you have a look that stands out from the rest in its own unique, subdued way.

Shop Now: Bergs Scallop Pot and Saucer, from $24 each, shopterrain.com.

Colorful Egg Ornaments

Every passerby, including a wayfaring rabbit, stops to admire this weeping cherry tree. With bright marbleized eggs suspended on yellow ribbons and a ring of golden pot marigolds around the base, it sets the stage for a lively egg hunt or a leisurely spring brunch among your quarantine pod. To make your own ornaments, thread a large embroidery needle with seam-binding ribbon, and draw it through a blown egg. Knot at both ends of the egg, leaving a shorter, notched length of ribbon at the wide end.

Shop Now: DMC Embroidery Needle, $2.49 for 12, michaels.com; Aleene's Fabric Fusion Permanent Fabric Tape, $5, michaels.com.

Dyed Wooden Eggs

For durability, eggs crafted from wood will last the season. The dyeing technique for these is almost identical to how you dyed traditional ones growing up—the only difference is we used liquid fabric dye and the pattern is its natural grain.

Egg Balloons

Hang one, two, or a few of these balloons along your patio. Inflated balloons have a natural egg shape, and when decorated with polka dot stickers, they make a fun display for your (socially-distanced) egg hunt.

Shop Now: Latex Balloons, in White and Sunshine Yellow, 30¢ each, partycity.com; Avery Color Coding Labels, $11.92 for 1000, staples.com.

Honeycomb Easter Eggs

These large Easter egg renderings certainly hit the mark on classic Easter décor. Simply trace an egg shape onto the backing of a honeycomb ball, use a craft knife with a steady hand to cut out the egg shape, and assemble the egg with double-stick tape. This paper project adds a gorgeous punch of color strung up on your patio or set out on an outdoor picnic buffet.

Shop Now: Unique Teal Tissue Paper Honeycomb Ball, $2.39, michaels.com; Scotch Double-Sided Tape, $3.29, target.com.