diff --git a/src/app/garden/containers/[id]/page.tsx b/src/app/garden/containers/[id]/page.tsx
index b9ebdab..7b05381 100644
--- a/src/app/garden/containers/[id]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/garden/containers/[id]/page.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import { notFound } from "next/navigation";
-import { getContainer } from "@/modules/garden/server/queries";
-import { ContainerDetail } from "@/modules/garden/components/container-detail";
+import { DetailBackLink } from "@/components/detail-back-link";
 import { getShareLinksForEntity } from "@/modules/_core/share";
+import { ContainerDetail } from "@/modules/garden/components/container-detail";
+import { getContainer } from "@/modules/garden/server/queries";
 
 export default async function ContainerPage({ params }: { params: Promise<{ id: string }> }) {
   const { id } = await params;
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ export default async function ContainerPage({ params }: { params: Promise<{ id:
   if (!container) notFound();
   return (
     <div className="page-content">
+      <DetailBackLink href="/garden" label="Garden" className="mb-4" />
       <ContainerDetail container={container} shareLinks={shareLinks} />
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/src/app/garden/containers/new/page.tsx b/src/app/garden/containers/new/page.tsx
index 996a2ca..d83a76b 100644
--- a/src/app/garden/containers/new/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/garden/containers/new/page.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { redirect } from "next/navigation";
+import { DetailBackLink } from "@/components/detail-back-link";
 import { createContainer } from "@/modules/garden/server/actions";
 
 export default function NewContainerPage() {
@@ -14,21 +15,8 @@ export default function NewContainerPage() {
 
   return (
     <div className="page-content max-w-lg">
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-3 mb-1">
-        <a href="/garden" className="btn btn-ghost btn-icon" aria-label="Back to garden">
-          <svg
-            width="16"
-            height="16"
-            viewBox="0 0 24 24"
-            fill="none"
-            stroke="currentColor"
-            strokeWidth="2"
-            strokeLinecap="round"
-            strokeLinejoin="round"
-          >
-            <polyline points="15 18 9 12 15 6" />
-          </svg>
-        </a>
+      <div className="mb-1 flex flex-col gap-2">
+        <DetailBackLink href="/garden" label="Garden" />
         <h1 className="page-title">New container</h1>
       </div>
       <form action={handleCreate} className="flex flex-col gap-4 mt-4">
diff --git a/src/app/garden/plants/[id]/edit/page.tsx b/src/app/garden/plants/[id]/edit/page.tsx
index 84da193..4a28732 100644
--- a/src/app/garden/plants/[id]/edit/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/garden/plants/[id]/edit/page.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { notFound } from "next/navigation";
-import { getPlant, listContainers } from "@/modules/garden/server/queries";
+import { DetailBackLink } from "@/components/detail-back-link";
 import { PlantForm } from "@/modules/garden/components/plant-form";
+import { getPlant, listContainers } from "@/modules/garden/server/queries";
 
 export default async function EditPlantPage({ params }: { params: Promise<{ id: string }> }) {
   const { id } = await params;
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ export default async function EditPlantPage({ params }: { params: Promise<{ id:
 
   return (
     <div className="page-content max-w-xl">
+      <DetailBackLink href={`/garden/plants/${plant.id}`} label={plant.name} className="mb-3" />
       <h1 className="page-title">Edit Plant</h1>
       <PlantForm existingPlant={plant} containers={containers} />
     </div>
diff --git a/src/app/garden/plants/[id]/page.tsx b/src/app/garden/plants/[id]/page.tsx
index 46a49df..3310c84 100644
--- a/src/app/garden/plants/[id]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/garden/plants/[id]/page.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import { notFound } from "next/navigation";
+import { DetailBackLink } from "@/components/detail-back-link";
+import { getShareLinksForEntity } from "@/modules/_core/share";
+import { PlantDetail } from "@/modules/garden/components/plant-detail";
 import { listCalendars } from "@/modules/garden/server/calendar-bridge";
 import { getCareLogs, getCareSchedules, getPlant } from "@/modules/garden/server/queries";
-import { PlantDetail } from "@/modules/garden/components/plant-detail";
-import { getShareLinksForEntity } from "@/modules/_core/share";
 
 export default async function PlantPage({ params }: { params: Promise<{ id: string }> }) {
   const { id } = await params;
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ export default async function PlantPage({ params }: { params: Promise<{ id: stri
 
   return (
     <div className="page-content">
+      <DetailBackLink href="/garden?tab=plants" label="Plants" className="mb-4" />
       <PlantDetail
         plant={plant}
         careLogs={careLogs}
diff --git a/src/app/garden/plants/new/page.tsx b/src/app/garden/plants/new/page.tsx
index 401a04c..ebe2bf0 100644
--- a/src/app/garden/plants/new/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/garden/plants/new/page.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-import { listContainers } from "@/modules/garden/server/queries";
+import { DetailBackLink } from "@/components/detail-back-link";
 import { PlantForm } from "@/modules/garden/components/plant-form";
+import { listContainers } from "@/modules/garden/server/queries";
 
 export default async function NewPlantPage({
   searchParams,
@@ -11,21 +12,8 @@ export default async function NewPlantPage({
 
   return (
     <div className="page-content max-w-xl">
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-3 mb-1">
-        <a href="/garden" className="btn btn-ghost btn-icon" aria-label="Back to garden">
-          <svg
-            width="16"
-            height="16"
-            viewBox="0 0 24 24"
-            fill="none"
-            stroke="currentColor"
-            strokeWidth="2"
-            strokeLinecap="round"
-            strokeLinejoin="round"
-          >
-            <polyline points="15 18 9 12 15 6" />
-          </svg>
-        </a>
+      <div className="mb-1 flex flex-col gap-2">
+        <DetailBackLink href="/garden?tab=plants" label="Plants" />
         <h1 className="page-title">Add Plant</h1>
       </div>
       <PlantForm containers={containers} defaultContainerId={params.containerId ?? null} />
diff --git a/src/app/settings/household/page.tsx b/src/app/settings/household/page.tsx
index cd9fd76..059db6b 100644
--- a/src/app/settings/household/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/settings/household/page.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import { eq } from "drizzle-orm";
-import { db } from "@/lib/db";
-import { getCurrentSession } from "@/lib/session";
-import { householdMembers, users } from "@/modules/_core/schema";
+import { DetailBackLink } from "@/components/detail-back-link";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle } from "@/components/ui/card";
+import { db } from "@/lib/db";
+import { getCurrentSession } from "@/lib/session";
+import { householdMembers, users } from "@/modules/_core/schema";
 import { renameHousehold } from "./actions";
 
 export default async function HouseholdSettingsPage() {
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ export default async function HouseholdSettingsPage() {
 
   return (
     <div className="container max-w-2xl py-8 space-y-6">
+      <DetailBackLink href="/settings" label="Settings" />
       <h1 className="text-2xl font-semibold">Household Settings</h1>
 
       <Card>
diff --git a/src/components/detail-back-link.tsx b/src/components/detail-back-link.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..959c500
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/detail-back-link.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import Link from "next/link";
+import { ArrowLeft } from "lucide-react";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+type DetailBackLinkProps = {
+  href: string;
+  label: string;
+  className?: string;
+};
+
+export function DetailBackLink({ href, label, className }: DetailBackLinkProps) {
+  return (
+    <Link
+      href={href}
+      aria-label={`Back to ${label}`}
+      className={cn(
+        "inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-sm text-muted-foreground transition-colors hover:text-foreground",
+        className,
+      )}
+    >
+      <ArrowLeft aria-hidden="true" />
+      <span>{label}</span>
+    </Link>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/src/modules/lists/components/list-detail.tsx b/src/modules/lists/components/list-detail.tsx
index 6d26f09..7c9eef6 100644
--- a/src/modules/lists/components/list-detail.tsx
+++ b/src/modules/lists/components/list-detail.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
 import { Archive, Plus, Trash2 } from "lucide-react";
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState, useTransition } from "react";
+import { DetailBackLink } from "@/components/detail-back-link";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { ShareButton } from "@/components/share-button";
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ export function ListDetail({ initialList }: { initialList: ListDetailDto }) {
 
   return (
     <div className="mx-auto grid w-full max-w-3xl gap-4">
+      <DetailBackLink href="/lists" label="Lists" />
       <header className="flex flex-col gap-3 sm:flex-row sm:items-center sm:justify-between">
         <div className="min-w-0 flex items-center gap-3 flex-1">
           <Input
diff --git a/src/modules/notes/components/note-editor.tsx b/src/modules/notes/components/note-editor.tsx
index 4f5cc61..468c4d5 100644
--- a/src/modules/notes/components/note-editor.tsx
+++ b/src/modules/notes/components/note-editor.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import { useRouter } from "next/navigation";
 import { Pin, PinOff, Save, Trash2 } from "lucide-react";
 import { useState, useTransition } from "react";
+import { DetailBackLink } from "@/components/detail-back-link";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
 import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ export function NoteEditor({ note }: { note?: NoteDto }) {
 
   return (
     <div className="mx-auto grid w-full max-w-6xl gap-4">
+      <DetailBackLink href="/notes" label="Notes" />
       <header className="flex flex-col gap-3 sm:flex-row sm:items-start sm:justify-between">
         <div className="flex items-center gap-2 min-w-0 flex-1">
           {pinned && <Pin className="size-3.5 text-[var(--accent)]" />}
diff --git a/tests/e2e/navigation.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/navigation.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6dab795
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/e2e/navigation.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test";
+
+test.describe("detail page back navigation", () => {
+  test("plant detail returns to plants tab", async ({ page }) => {
+    const suffix = Date.now().toString();
+    const plantName = `Back Nav Plant ${suffix}`;
+
+    await page.goto("/garden?tab=plants");
+    await page.getByRole("link", { name: /add plant/i }).click();
+    await page.getByLabel("Name").fill(plantName);
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: /create/i }).click();
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/garden\/plants\//);
+
+    const backLink = page.getByRole("link", { name: "Back to Plants" });
+    await expect(backLink).toBeVisible();
+    await backLink.click();
+
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/garden\?tab=plants$/);
+    await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Garden" })).toBeVisible();
+
+    await page.getByText(plantName).click();
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: /delete/i }).click();
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: /confirm/i }).click();
+  });
+
+  test("note detail returns to notes index", async ({ page }) => {
+    const suffix = Date.now().toString();
+    const title = `Back Nav Note ${suffix}`;
+
+    await page.goto("/notes/new");
+    await page.getByLabel("Title").fill(title);
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Save note" }).click();
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/notes\/[0-9a-f-]+$/);
+
+    const backLink = page.getByRole("link", { name: "Back to Notes" });
+    await expect(backLink).toBeVisible();
+    await backLink.click();
+
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/notes$/);
+    await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Notes" })).toBeVisible();
+
+    await page.getByRole("link", { name: new RegExp(title) }).click();
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Delete note" }).click();
+  });
+
+  test("list detail returns to lists index", async ({ page }) => {
+    const suffix = Date.now().toString();
+    const listName = `Back Nav List ${suffix}`;
+
+    await page.goto("/lists");
+    await page.getByLabel("Type").fill("task");
+    await page.getByLabel("Name").fill(listName);
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "New list" }).click();
+    await page.getByRole("link", { name: new RegExp(listName) }).click();
+
+    const backLink = page.getByRole("link", { name: "Back to Lists" });
+    await expect(backLink).toBeVisible();
+    await backLink.click();
+
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/lists$/);
+    await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Lists" })).toBeVisible();
+  });
+});