Decorating & Design
30+ Things That Make Regular Gardens Look Luxe
Published on May 25, 2022
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!
Dramatic Oversized Lighting
Fairy lights are pretty, but don’t skimp on making a major statement when it comes to illuminating a backyard. A large rattan pendant shines a spotlight on this sunken dining area to perfection, and adds intriguing texture to mimic the chairs and wood slat screening.
Raise The Pool
Elevating the pool to eye level creates a whole new level of viewing enjoyment in this Toronto backyard. Adding an inset planter above the fountain helps integrate plant matter, like hardy sea oats grass.
Specimen Trees
A lilac tree that gently bends near the sofa on this Toronto deck by designer Sarah Keenleyside offers shade and softens the hardscaping.
Outside The Box Fountains
This Vancouver garden has a row of playful downspouts that shoot directly into the pool to help muffle city traffic and create a zen-like moment of reflection.
Artisanal Masonry
This fieldstone wall are the remains of a former barn on a country property in Erin, Ontario. Mimic the timeworn effect with with an artisanal wall for a look rich in character and history. The pergola is crafted from the barn’s original beams for an authentically heritage look.
Corten Steel
In this Montreal backyard, a Corten gas steel firetable ages gracefully thanks to its no-fuss, oxidized finish. The natural fiery texture of the steel is played up with a contrasting base of black slate stones.
Symmetry
Classic and visually soothing, symmetrical elements create order in a garden and accent the architecture of this Nantucket beauty. Matching trees, beds, and plantings in this home’s backyard play up the timeless Cape Cod style.
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.
Gorgeous Outbuildings
In this Muskoka cottage, a bright white garden shed is sited near 12 raised beds that grow fruits and vegetables. The shed matches the architecture of the main cottage, and is a pretty focal point that’s practical as well.
Outdoor Fireplaces
In this home in Eagle Harbour, in West Vancouver B.C., the backyard lounge area seems to be carved out of the rock face to create a cool niche. The fireplace is built directly into the retaining wall and is a great spot to roast s’mores.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Elevated Patio Furniture
Flimsy plastic lawn furniture can ruin the prettiest patio. This trio of luxe loungers around the pool invite total relaxation, and there are plenty of low woven tables nearby to hold drinks, sunscreen or the latest bestseller. For smaller patios, sets of outdoor furniture can create a cohesive effect.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Built-In Seating
As well as making great use of space, built-in seating also looks luxe because it’s a custom solution that’s streamlined, as well as welcoming. A custom limestone sofa with a romantic patinated base frames this intimate dining area. Topped with plush cushions and throw pillows, it’s both comfortable and supremely practical.
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.
Designated 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. Pick complimentary furnishings and a palette for a cohesive look. Divide up outdoor spaces so it doesn’t feel like one large square, sectioning off a place to dine and a comfy and intimate seating area for conversation. Create flow and continuity among these sections with similar colors, textures, patterns and lighting.
Black Structures
Fashion editors know the power of a little black dress, but you can borrow some of that instant panache in the garden as well. A black house is a striking backdrop for greenery and flowers, and painting a fence black can help make it visually quieter, putting the focus on colorful plant materials.
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.
Arbors
Whether it’s trained with vine or kept bare, an arbor frames a garden view without sacrificing precious space.
Grass
Nothing looks more luxe than a well tended carpet of grass that butts right to the pool coping. It feels cool underfoot and creates a very English look. Here, an allée of crabapple trees and rows of cedar enhance the effect of calming repetition.
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.
Shade Structures
Gardeners are obsessed with how much sun their plants receive, but humans know that when it’s high noon, they would rather find a cool place to retreat. Structures like pergolas provide some respite from the summer heat where visitors can lounge and grab some shade (and feel the breeze through trellises). The cushions stay clean and fade-free beneath the cedar-shingle roof of this chic pergola.
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.