Decorating & Design
30 Things That Make Regular Gardens Look Luxe
Updated on November 13, 2024
Just as interiors can be upgraded by smart design moves, gardens can benefit from the same thinking. We’ve rounded up some spectacular gardens that are full of good ideas that can be adapted to just about any space. As these pristine yards, decks, pools and patios prove, some TLC and smart planning go a long way to elevating outdoor sanctuaries.
Read on to discover our best luxurious garden tips!
Accent Lighting
Don’t skimp on making a major statement when it comes to illuminating a backyard. Playful sphere-shaped lights are a magical touch on this contemporary patio and adds intriguing texture.
Outside The Box Fountains
Fountains punctuate a fieldstone wall inspired by a hotel in Italy, and create a soothing sound. The granite boulders look like they’ve naturally tumbled into the water, and were locally sourced for this weekend home.
Outdoor Fireplaces
Fire features are increasingly popular in gardens: they provide a warm focal point and draw people together. The impressive stone fireplace the the centrepiece of the outdoor lounge area in this stately Toronto garden, and extends the season.
Sleek Enclosures
Pool safety is important, and following city bylaws doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice aesthetics. The glass safety barrier is so sleek it’s practically invisible and doesn’t obscure the views of the pool.
Pretty Outbuildings
It’s easy to give hardworking utility structures an instant upgrade with a sharp coat of black paint and window boxes filled with trailing plants like ivy, potato vine and colorful blooms.
Sophisticated Flooring
Herringbone flooring has been a favorite indoors, but it’s less often spotted in garden settings. In this outdoor living space, sharp herringbone pavers are unexpected and fresh.
Symmetry
Classic and visually soothing, symmetrical elements create order in a garden. In this Toronto home, the furniture is divided into two zones clustered at either end of the pool. To keep the vistas clear, boxwood shrubs are sunken directly into beds inset into the pool’s sandblasted Algonquin limestone deck.
Specimen Trees
Two statement trees tower above a meadow-like planting in this Kitsilano garden, and soften the home’s contemporary, angular lines and add height to the plantings. As these trees mature, they will provide a canopy of shade to keep the garden cool.
Designate Zones
How do you use your outdoor space? Is it a spot to play with the kids, host a birthday or unwind — or all three? Approach the garden as you would a room, and clearly define outdoor entertaining zones. This Toronto backyard has a pizza oven and BBQ for outdoor cooking, with a dining table and comfortable lounge area.
Corten Steel
Corten steel is prized for the fact it ages gracefully thanks to its no-fuss, oxidized finish. The natural fiery texture of this firetable is substantial, and blends in with the warm wood tones of the deck.
Shaped Shrubs
A manicured shrub or hedge increases air flow and sunlight for healthier, lusher plants. Careful pruning also conveys a sharp, professional effect that looks high-end. A mix of Japanese maples and boxwoods soften the hard lines of this home, to form a gradual crescendo up to the front door.
Elevated Patio Furniture
Flimsy plastic lawn furniture can ruin the prettiest patio. The designers of this condo, Curtis Elmy and Trevor Ciona, kept the look tailored with dark stone tables and black upholstery accented by crisp white piping, to match the buildings’ sleek, mirrored exterior and railings.
Ivy
A lush wall of ivy conveys instant heritage and softens the look of hard structures. Quick growing vines like Virginia Creeper can envelope a wall in the summer.
Shade Structures
Even sun worshippers need a cool place to retreat at high noon. Structures like pergolas or umbrellas provide respite from the summer heat and let the breeze flow freely.
Parterre Paths
Crushed gravel pathways are a surprisingly affordable way to get the high-end European look of a parterre garden. At about $5 per square foot, pea gravel is budget-friendly yet looks elegant and adds a sensory element. The pebbles feel good underfoot and offer a satisfying crunch when strolling.
Manicured Lawn
A well tended carpet of grass feels cool underfoot and creates a classic, English look. This charming Connecticut home is surrounded by a generous carpet of emerald lawn. The crisp, freshly painted exterior sets off cottage garden roses and formal boxwood hedges.
Underplanting
Play up a standard with some trailing plants that create a luxurious, well considered look. These trailing annuals are prettily mounded and the white blooms accent the crispness of the wood planter.
Neat Boxwood Shrubs
Boxwood lends itself to being snipped into a variety of shapes easily and it’s slow growing, so it doesn’t require constant fussing. The plant gives a tailored, polished look to garden beds when planted in structured rows.
A Picturesque Entry
When it comes to creating a luxe effect, spending money on an impactful entry is a great investment. In this stately Connecticut home, an array of potted plants enhances the beauty. Designer Kimberly Jones (pictured) squared off the round columns, and added a bluestone tile floor and classic copper lantern. “We wanted to enhance the home’s traditional grandeur and mix it with elegant, laid-back comfort,” she says.
Mini Ponds
Whether it’s a small zen fountain or a shallow pond studded with aquatic plants, water features are soothing as well as beautiful. This Toronto garden proves they don’t need to be huge (or dug into the ground) either to recreate a luxurious look.
Smart Sightlines
Whether it’s a garden folly or petite sculpture, consider sightlines in a garden. The vine-covered walkway in designer Colette van den Thillart’s Toronto home perfectly frames the seating area, backed by trellis. “It’s laid out like a series of rooms, which is a very English way of gardening,” says Colette.
Prioritize Seating
Having spots to gather are key to a purposeful garden. In this Connecticut home, a charming wicker bench and armchairs allows meals to be enjoyed on the terrace.
Quality Stone
Natural materials elevate any garden. A range of sizes and types of stone will last for decades, and add texture and interest to hardscaping. In this chic backyard, architectural stone is used to form planter boxes and integrated benches.
Allées
To get the most bang for your buck, spend your dollars where they’ll make the most impact, such as the front entrance. Chanticleer pear standards create and allée (a path or a walkway that is bordered by trees, tall plants, hedges, or fencing) to this traditional home.
Detailed Fences
In designer Sharon Mimran’s formal garden, she turns the fences into a feature by varying the trellis-style criss-cross details with box panels, and painting the trim a creamy taupe for contrast.
Established Vines
This Palm Beach villa is blessed with the kind of tropical weather that makes fuchsia bougainvillea thrive, but there are many other flowering vine options that are suited to cooler regions. Flowering vines (like climbing hydrangea) are a low fuss way to amp up color.
Arbors
Whether it’s trained with vine or kept bare, an arbor frames a garden view without sacrificing precious space.
Plant Variety
Go beyond store-bought baskets of petunias or geraniums, and expand your horticultural horizons. Take a look at what perennials are thriving in your neighbors’ gardens for inspiration. Drifts of plants, like catmint (seen here with boxwood, Japanese irises, hellebores and red masterwort),can provide a backdrop for specimen trees and manicured shrubs, and groundcover plants, like Creeping Thyme, are prettier than mulch and attract pollinators.
Layered Containers
This urban Toronto garden is petite but it still looks lush. If you don’t have room for beds, create layers of container plants — it will give you the option to vary height of containers and allow you to move plants back inside in fall.
Outdoor Rugs
Give exterior spaces a finished look with outdoor carpeting to define an area. Natural materials, like coco matting, or synthetic versions made from recycled materials, offer lots of options and can withstand the elements. Keep them swept clean of plant materials and leaves.