diff --git a/packages/grafana-ui/src/themes/GlobalStyles/dashboardGrid.ts b/packages/grafana-ui/src/themes/GlobalStyles/dashboardGrid.ts
index aa243c17c68..80c55673bcd 100644
--- a/packages/grafana-ui/src/themes/GlobalStyles/dashboardGrid.ts
+++ b/packages/grafana-ui/src/themes/GlobalStyles/dashboardGrid.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ export function getDashboardGridStyles(theme: GrafanaTheme2) {
 
     '.dashboard-canvas-add-button': {
       opacity: 0,
+      transition: theme.transitions.create('opacity'),
 
       '&:hover': {
         opacity: 1,
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-responsive-grid/ResponsiveGridLayoutManager.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-responsive-grid/ResponsiveGridLayoutManager.tsx
index 0885e481c69..85d295e19d6 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-responsive-grid/ResponsiveGridLayoutManager.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-responsive-grid/ResponsiveGridLayoutManager.tsx
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ export class ResponsiveGridLayoutManager
     vizPanel.clearParent();
 
     this.state.layout.setState({
-      children: [new ResponsiveGridItem({ body: vizPanel }), ...this.state.layout.state.children],
+      children: [...this.state.layout.state.children, new ResponsiveGridItem({ body: vizPanel })],
     });
 
     this.publishEvent(new NewObjectAddedToCanvasEvent(vizPanel), true);
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-responsive-grid/ResponsiveGridLayoutRenderer.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-responsive-grid/ResponsiveGridLayoutRenderer.tsx
index a3976fec4dc..12db3889148 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-responsive-grid/ResponsiveGridLayoutRenderer.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-responsive-grid/ResponsiveGridLayoutRenderer.tsx
@@ -2,21 +2,23 @@ import { css, cx } from '@emotion/css';
 import { useEffect } from 'react';
 
 import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
-import { LazyLoader, SceneComponentProps } from '@grafana/scenes';
-import { useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
+import { LazyLoader, SceneComponentProps, sceneGraph } from '@grafana/scenes';
+import { Button, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
 
-import { getDashboardSceneFor } from '../../utils/utils';
+import { getDefaultVizPanel, useDashboardState } from '../../utils/utils';
 
 import { ResponsiveGridLayout, ResponsiveGridLayoutState } from './ResponsiveGridLayout';
+import { ResponsiveGridLayoutManager } from './ResponsiveGridLayoutManager';
 
 export function ResponsiveGridLayoutRenderer({ model }: SceneComponentProps<ResponsiveGridLayout>) {
   const { children, isHidden, isLazy } = model.useState();
   const styles = useStyles2(getStyles, model.state);
-  const { layoutOrchestrator } = getDashboardSceneFor(model).state;
+  const { layoutOrchestrator, isEditing } = useDashboardState(model);
 
   const { activeLayoutItemRef } = layoutOrchestrator.useState();
   const activeLayoutItem = activeLayoutItemRef?.resolve();
   const currentLayoutIsActive = children.some((c) => c === activeLayoutItem);
+  const layoutManager = sceneGraph.getAncestor(model, ResponsiveGridLayoutManager);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (model.containerRef.current) {
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ export function ResponsiveGridLayoutRenderer({ model }: SceneComponentProps<Resp
   }
 
   return (
-    <div className={styles.container} ref={model.containerRef}>
+    <div className={cx(styles.container, isEditing && styles.containerEditing)} ref={model.containerRef}>
       <div
         style={{
           gridRow: model.activeGridCell.row,
@@ -72,6 +74,18 @@ export function ResponsiveGridLayoutRenderer({ model }: SceneComponentProps<Resp
           </Wrapper>
         );
       })}
+      {isEditing && (
+        <div className={cx(styles.addAction, 'dashboard-canvas-add-button')}>
+          <Button
+            variant="primary"
+            fill="text"
+            icon="plus"
+            onClick={() => layoutManager.addPanel(getDefaultVizPanel())}
+          >
+            Add panel
+          </Button>
+        </div>
+      )}
     </div>
   );
 }
@@ -89,7 +103,6 @@ const getStyles = (theme: GrafanaTheme2, state: ResponsiveGridLayoutState) => ({
     alignItems: state.alignItems || 'unset',
     justifyContent: state.justifyContent || 'unset',
     flexGrow: 1,
-
     [theme.breakpoints.down('md')]: state.md
       ? {
           gridTemplateRows: state.md.templateRows,
@@ -101,6 +114,16 @@ const getStyles = (theme: GrafanaTheme2, state: ResponsiveGridLayoutState) => ({
           justifyContent: state.md.justifyContent,
         }
       : undefined,
+    // Show add action when hovering over the grid
+    '&:hover': {
+      '.dashboard-canvas-add-button': {
+        opacity: 1,
+      },
+    },
+  }),
+  containerEditing: css({
+    paddingBottom: theme.spacing(5),
+    position: 'relative',
   }),
   wrapper: css({
     display: 'grid',
@@ -108,6 +131,18 @@ const getStyles = (theme: GrafanaTheme2, state: ResponsiveGridLayoutState) => ({
     width: '100%',
     height: '100%',
   }),
+  addAction: css({
+    position: 'absolute',
+    padding: theme.spacing(1, 0),
+    height: theme.spacing(5),
+    bottom: 0,
+    left: 0,
+    right: 0,
+    opacity: 0,
+    [theme.transitions.handleMotion('no-preference', 'reduce')]: {
+      transition: theme.transitions.create('opacity'),
+    },
+  }),
   dragging: css({
     position: 'fixed',
     top: 0,
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-rows/RowItemRenderer.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-rows/RowItemRenderer.tsx
index 4e6eb2df022..94835c1dd2b 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-rows/RowItemRenderer.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-rows/RowItemRenderer.tsx
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ export function RowItemRenderer({ model }: SceneComponentProps<RowItem>) {
               )}
             </span>
           </button>
-          {!isClone && isEditing && <RowItemMenu model={model} />}
+          {/* {!isClone && isEditing && <RowItemMenu model={model} />} */}
         </div>
       )}
       {!isCollapsed && <layout.Component model={layout} />}
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-rows/RowsLayoutManagerRenderer.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-rows/RowsLayoutManagerRenderer.tsx
index 390d7a824a5..108438ee400 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-rows/RowsLayoutManagerRenderer.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-rows/RowsLayoutManagerRenderer.tsx
@@ -2,12 +2,15 @@ import { css } from '@emotion/css';
 
 import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
 import { SceneComponentProps } from '@grafana/scenes';
-import { useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
+import { Button, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
+
+import { useDashboardState } from '../../utils/utils';
 
 import { RowsLayoutManager } from './RowsLayoutManager';
 
 export function RowLayoutManagerRenderer({ model }: SceneComponentProps<RowsLayoutManager>) {
   const { rows } = model.useState();
+  const { isEditing } = useDashboardState(model);
   const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
 
   return (
@@ -15,6 +18,20 @@ export function RowLayoutManagerRenderer({ model }: SceneComponentProps<RowsLayo
       {rows.map((row) => (
         <row.Component model={row} key={row.state.key!} />
       ))}
+      {isEditing && (
+        <div className="dashboard-canvas-add-button">
+          <Button
+            aria-label="Add row"
+            title="Add row"
+            icon="plus"
+            variant="primary"
+            fill="text"
+            onClick={() => model.addNewRow()}
+          >
+            Add row
+          </Button>
+        </div>
+      )}
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-tabs/TabItem.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-tabs/TabItem.tsx
index 6bef7c0bf8d..ff9473de2a1 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-tabs/TabItem.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-tabs/TabItem.tsx
@@ -95,6 +95,10 @@ export class TabItem
     this._getParentLayout().addTabAfter(this);
   }
 
+  public onAddTab() {
+    this._getParentLayout().addNewTab();
+  }
+
   public onMoveLeft() {
     this._getParentLayout().moveTabLeft(this);
   }
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-tabs/TabItemMenu.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-tabs/TabItemMenu.tsx
index aee83633b9a..eb3c0c3b51c 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-tabs/TabItemMenu.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-tabs/TabItemMenu.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
-import { css } from '@emotion/css';
-
-import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
-import { Button, Dropdown, Menu, ToolbarButtonRow, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
-import { t, Trans } from 'app/core/internationalization';
+import { Button } from '@grafana/ui';
+import { t } from 'app/core/internationalization';
 
 import { TabItem } from './TabItem';
 
@@ -11,80 +8,19 @@ interface Props {
 }
 
 export function TabItemMenu({ model }: Props) {
-  const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
-
   return (
-    <ToolbarButtonRow className={styles.container}>
-      <Dropdown
-        placement="bottom-end"
-        overlay={() => (
-          <Menu>
-            <Menu.Item
-              ariaLabel={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.add-panel', 'Panel')}
-              label={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.add-panel', 'Panel')}
-              onClick={() => model.onAddPanel()}
-            />
-            <Menu.Divider />
-            <Menu.Item
-              ariaLabel={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.add-tab-before', 'Tab before')}
-              label={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.add-tab-above', 'Tab before')}
-              onClick={() => model.onAddTabBefore()}
-            />
-            <Menu.Item
-              ariaLabel={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.add-tab-after', 'Tab after')}
-              label={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.add-tab-after', 'Tab after')}
-              onClick={() => model.onAddTabAfter()}
-            />
-          </Menu>
-        )}
-      >
-        <Button
-          aria-label={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.add', 'Add tab')}
-          title={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.add', 'Add tab')}
-          tooltip={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.add', 'Add tab')}
-          icon="plus"
-          variant="secondary"
-          size="sm"
-        >
-          <Trans i18nKey="grafana-ui.tags-input.add">Add</Trans>
-        </Button>
-      </Dropdown>
-      <Dropdown
-        placement="bottom-end"
-        overlay={() => (
-          <Menu>
-            <Menu.Item
-              aria-label={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.move-left', 'Move tab left')}
-              label={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.move-left', 'Move tab left')}
-              onClick={() => model.onMoveLeft()}
-            />
-            <Menu.Divider />
-            <Menu.Item
-              aria-label={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.move-right', 'Move tab right')}
-              label={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.move-right', 'Move tab right')}
-              onClick={() => model.onMoveRight()}
-            />
-          </Menu>
-        )}
+    <div className="dashboard-canvas-add-button">
+      <Button
+        aria-label={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.add', 'Add tab')}
+        title={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.add', 'Add tab')}
+        tooltip={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.tab.menu.add', 'Add tab')}
+        icon="plus"
+        variant="primary"
+        fill="text"
+        onClick={() => model.onAddTab()}
       >
-        <Button
-          aria-label={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.menu.move-tab', 'Move tab')}
-          title={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.menu.move-tab', 'Move tab')}
-          tooltip={t('dashboard.tabs-layout.menu.move-tab', 'Move tab')}
-          icon="arrows-h"
-          variant="secondary"
-          size="sm"
-        />
-      </Dropdown>
-    </ToolbarButtonRow>
+        New tab
+      </Button>
+    </div>
   );
 }
-
-function getStyles(theme: GrafanaTheme2) {
-  return {
-    container: css({
-      gap: theme.spacing(1),
-      flexShrink: 0,
-    }),
-  };
-}
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-tabs/TabsLayoutManagerRenderer.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-tabs/TabsLayoutManagerRenderer.tsx
index 624b772db37..edf3f2eb94f 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-tabs/TabsLayoutManagerRenderer.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/scene/layout-tabs/TabsLayoutManagerRenderer.tsx
@@ -47,11 +47,16 @@ const getStyles = (theme: GrafanaTheme2) => ({
   }),
   tabsBar: css({
     overflow: 'hidden',
+    // ':hover': {
+    //   '.dashboard-canvas-add-button': {
+    //     opacity: 1,
+    //   },
+    // },
   }),
   tabsRow: css({
-    justifyContent: 'space-between',
     display: 'flex',
     width: '100%',
+    alignItems: 'center',
   }),
   tabsContainer: css({
     display: 'flex',