July 28, 2014

Photo Gallery: 40 Gorgeous Gardens

Inspiration for your yard.

Plants define eating and lounging spaces.

In this luxe Toronto yard, eating, lounging and entertaining spaces are delineated using plants. A relaxed dining table occupies one corner of the paved patio, separated from the grassy area by a low-key water feature. Right outside of the house, another paved terrace is bordered by lush trees and climbing roses, which soften the effect of the red brick walls.

For more outdoor ideas, see our gallery of gorgeous gardens.

Source: House & Home May 2013 issue

Climbing hydrangea balances a mostly stone space.

Climbing hydrangea softens the effect of hardscaping while amping up privacy. One sun-soaked corner of the space is devoted to relaxation, with Belgian sofas made of sturdy teak and cosy, colourful pillows. A koi pond separates that corner from the rest of the yard, which is devoted to dining and entertaining.

For more outdoor ideas, see our gallery of gorgeous gardens.

Source: House & Home August 2013 issue

Designer: Terry Ryan

Use layered river rocks for visual interest.

Layered river rocks populate the bottom of this low-maintenance water feature, more than making up for the absence of koi or aquatic plants. Easy-to-grow Siberian iris borders the feature, adding to the lush feel and providing a natural screen.

Source: House & Home May 2013 issue

A rustic, wooden trellis adds visual interest.

A rustic, wooden trellis and large stone feature add visual interest to this verdant, lakeside yard. A small patio is the perfect spot to relax and watch the sun go down over the lake, while abundant flowers add a splash of colour and fun.

Designer: Karen Cole

An elegant pond muffles city noise.

An elegant pond with a fountain helps mask the sound of cars, making this city backyard feel like a true urban escape. Beautiful hydrangeas and verdant boxwoods add another layer of lushness to the stone patio, while a rundown garage was transformed into an indoor-outdoor entertaining space thanks to 20′-wide accordian doors.

For more outdoor ideas, see our gallery of gorgeous gardens.

Source: House & Home July 2013 issue

Casual landscaping doesn't distract from the view.

The owners of this Sunshine Coast getaway went for casual landscaping, dominated by indigenous grasses and pretty flowers, so as not to distract from the gorgeous ocean views. A rustic, zinc-topped table is the perfect spot for a lingering dinner party, while twinkling outdoor lights set the mood for a laid-back soiree.

For more outdoor ideas, see our gallery of gorgeous gardens.

Photographer: Heather Ross

Source: House & Home July 2013 issue

Products: Table, chairs, Pottery Barn; lights, Restoration Hardware; lanterns, HomeSense.

Sandstone pavers keep the yard low maintenance.

Designer Terry Ryan transformed a weedy backyard into an outdoor lounge by laying sandstone pavers in a variety of sizes, which immediately made the space low maintenance without sacrificing texture or visual interest. A towering magnolia tree is the only remnant of the old space.

For more outdoor ideas, see our gallery of gorgeous gardens.

Source: House & Home August 2013 issue

Designer: Terry Ryan

Cover different areas in the same flagstone pavers for continuity.

Designer Terry Ryan of Cubic Yard Design worked with the homeowners to create this low-care modern yard defined by its hardscaping and classical elements. He used the same square-cut flagstone pavers in all three zones (barbecuing, lounging and dining) to create flow from one area to the next.

See more Gorgeous Gardens in our photo gallery, plus take a tour of another yard by Terry Ryan.

Source: House & Home September 2012 issue

Products: Dining table, chairs, Gloster.

Designer: Terry Ryan

Anchor the end of a garden with a functional greenhouse or shed.

In this lush Toronto yard, a classic circular fountain creates lively sound and movement, and lends visual interest to the conservatory entrance. A ring of potted boxwoods emphasizes the air of theatricality.

Source: House & Home May 2013 issue

Horizontal planks lead ones gaze around the yard's periphery.

A long planter that sits atop a concrete retaining wall is filled with grasses, softening the lines of the fence. A modern steel container planted with a birch tree offers a touch of nature in this backyard.

See more before and after photos of this makeover in our photo gallery.

Source: House & Home April 2012 issue

Products: Architect, Gillian Green; table, chairs, Fresh Home & Garden; plants, Sheridan Nurseries; fence stain, Behr's Coffee (DP-358), The Home Depot.

Designer: Gillian Green

This was inspired by the cottage gardens of Europe.

The hedges mark out a spot for rose bushes and waving patches of lavender. In the background, a willow mingles with an ash tree, a smoke tree, a catalpa and a variegated maple. A riot of Spanish lavender spills over the sides of the table.

Source: House & Home October 2011 issue

Products: Bistro set, Putti.

Purple and red blooms pop nicely against the greenery.

Landscape designer and artist André Boisvert designed this meandering stream, fed by recycled water, that links two ponds. "It's so natural, it looks like it's been on the property for 100 years," says homeowner Mike Lawrence. Local designer Brian Grubert built the aluminum bridge.

Get more landscaping ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens gallery and Gardening & Outdoor Living guide.

Source: House & Home October 2011 issue

Designer: André Boisvert

Purple plantings lead the way to a feature fountain.

The crumbling ruin of a warmly-hued, original stone barn wall adds texture and romance to this section of a 15-acre country garden, just adjacent to the pool.

See more Gorgeous Gardens in our photo gallery.

Source: House & Home July 2011 issue

Products: Landscaping, Van Ryn Brothers Landscaping & Construction.

Designer: Sheilagh Crandall of Gardens by MSPlants

Play with different varieties of flowers and shrubs to create varying heights.

This lush garden has a symbiosis between formal and natural elements — symmetrical planters and a casual mix of flowers work in perfect harmony. Boxwood-enclosed gardens are filled with foxglove, allium and roses, adding colour to the stone exterior of the home.

See the interior of this home in our photo gallery, plus see more inspiring backyards in this photo gallery.

Source: House & Home July 2011 issue

Products: Garden and landscape design, Sheilagh Crandall, Gardens by MsPlants, Caledon, Ont. (905) 880-4616; hardscape and landscape construction, swing set, Van Ryn Brothers Landscaping & Construction, Lisle, Ont. (705) 466-2717.

Switch them up from season to season with local varieties.

At this historic Muskoka lodge, the manicured gardens are made even more colourful with hanging baskets and planters on the steps and along the pathway. They're easier to care for than the garden, and can be transported back to the city at the end of the summer.

Get more landscaping and garden design ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery.

Source: House & Home May 2011 issue

Products: Siding colour, River Rock (2139-10), trim colour, Durango (2137-10), Benjamin Moore.

A quaint rural cottage in a storybook setting.

Located near the Shlei fiord, this romantic home's main entrance is sheltered under the balcony off the principal bedroom. Homeowner Monique Waqué planted the boxwood-edged garden with poppies, carnations, succulents, peonies and Siberian iris.

See more great cottage and country rooms in our Cottages & Country Houses gallery, Traditional Cottages gallery, plus see more cottage photos.

Source: House & Home May 2011 issue

All-white hydrangeas make a statement.

Reams of snowy-hued hydrangeas blend well with the white trim of this quaint Caledon, Ont. home. For a simple facade, plant flowers in one colour along the front of a house.

Photographer: Donna Griffith

Source: House & Home April 2011 issue

Products: Windows, Marvin Windows and Doors.

A checkerboard lawn offers a graphic look.

Just steps from the main house, this tranquil garden cottage in Toronto makes a perfect city retreat. The owners designed this low-maintenance lawn ? made of alternating squares of grass and flagstone ? after they came across a similar rooftop garden in Paris. It's also perfect for entertaining, and large enough to accommodate a tent for summer soirées. Architect Anthony Belcher planted the yard with a tasteful mix of white and green shrubs and perennial flowers, including clipped boxwood hedges, climbing hydrangeas, roses and English ivy. Use your own inspiration to create a unique yard like this.

Get more landscaping and garden design ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery.

Photographer: Mark Burstyn

Source: House & Home April 2011 issue

Products: Doors, Tradewood Windows & Doors; siding, Goodfellow; sconces, Union Lighting and Furnishings; bollard lights, Mille Luce Designs.

Designer: Architect, Anthony Belcher.

Instead of a cottage, splurge on a backyard.

The fences in this urban backyard have latticed panels to encourage the growth of climbing flowers between classically detailed pilasters. Teak benches are reproductions of a design by the British architect Edwin Lutyens. The raised stone terrace is planted with graceful linden trees, forming a hedge on stilts and a backdrop to the view from the terrace. Clipped boxwood shrubs and climbing hydrangea bushes bring structure to the space.

See more of this yard in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery, plus see more Inspiring Backyards.

Photographer: Mark Burstyn

Source: House & Home April 2011 issue

Products: Perennials, shrubs and vines, O.J. Muller Landscape Contractor Ltd.; teak bench, Eddo Pollak Design.

A myriad of colourful flowers makes for an enchanting garden setting.

Suited to the age and elegant rusticity of an original stone farmhouse, lush plantings and understated stone elements help make a new part of this home look like it's been there for centuries.

Source: House & Home October 2010 issue

Designer: Landscape design, Shelagh Crandall; landscape contractor, Van Ryn Brothers.

Add living roofs to awkward structures.

A mechanical building for the pool blends into the surrounding landscapes with a green roof. The plantings were done in a checkerboard to complement the yard's geometric lines.

Photographer: Ted Yarwood

Source: House & Home October 2010 issue

Products: Renovation architectural designer, William Mockler, Drawing Room Architect; general contractor, Farshad Mohammadi, Solutions Build Design Engineering; landscape architect, Rob Holbrook; Henry Hall Designs furniture, Primavera; blue cushion fabric, Télio.

Designer: Landscape architect, Ron Holbrook.

Add greenery without the upkeep of a garden.

English ivy is a great option for yards with large trees and shaded areas. You can still enjoy a lush backyard without the work of gardening every weekend. Groundcovers are easy to care for if you're going to be at the cottage every weekend and can't commit to a high-maintenance garden in the city.

Get more landscaping and garden design ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery.

Photographer: Ted Yarwood

Source: House & Home September 2010 issue

Products: Table, chairs, Kiosk.

Designer: Landscape architecture and design, Janet Rosenberg and Glenn Herman.

Plant beds to separate sections of a garden.

This secluded plot of land in Quebec's Eastern Townships used to be a stretch of black asphalt that wound its way up a hill and around to the back of a house. The owners planned the gardens as a serene view from the home and an area to relax and entertain. Beds of boxwood balls and pachysandra define this dining area, while a 75-year-old white pine provides shade from the sun. If you're lucky enough to have a large tree like this, consider positioning a dining area below it for comfortable shade from the summer sun. Neat beds define and envelop different areas of the garden.

Get more landscaping and garden design ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery.

Source: House & Home July 2010 issue

Designer: Garden design assistance, Stuart Webster Design.

Take time to plan a garden.

This Japanese garden is rich with plants like mini dogwood bonsais, weeping larch, rhododendrons, hostas and Japanese junipers, but they're all positioned and used in a way that allows each its unique moment and purpose.

Photographer: Donna Griffith

Source: House & Home June 2010 issue

Products: Black pedestal planter, Regal Florist & Garden Centre; stone, Allen's Half-Way Sand Pit; Buddha, Mori Gardens.

An Asian-inspired home carries the design to the backyard.

This tranquil oasis draws its inspiration from the Asian interiors of the home. Keeping colourful flowers to a minimum, the homeowner, filmmaker and writer Mona Zaidi, opted for a neutral outdoor palette to blend in with the fence and reed matting covering the garage. To make the small yard look larger, mirrored windows on the garage reflect the garden and sunshine. Tree-hung lanterns mimic Japanese garden lighting, and invite guests into hidden corners of the yard. For such a small, established backyard, limit patio furniture and let the trees be the focal point.

See more pools, patios and gardens in our Inspiring Backyards photo gallery. Plus, get more landscaping and garden design ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery.

Photographer: Rob Fiocca

Source: House & Home May 2010 issue

Layer history into exterior structures by using natural local materials.

This guillotined limestone wall offers a French Provençal aesthetic, while concealing a pool. The striking statement wall overlooks a wild ravine, as well as the kitchen garden and a pond.

Photographer: Ted Yarwood

Source: House & Home May 2010 issue

Products: Design, Anthony Belcher Architect; masonry, Walter Campbell; stone, Amsen Quarries; wall coping, Arriscraft.

Anchor your garden paths with metal arches.

This gravel and basalt stone path is flanked by boxwood, Japanese irises, hellebores and red masterwort. Black metal arches add height and gravitas to the path, which leads to the secluded patio beyond the hedges.

Photographer: Janis Nicolay

Source: House & Home May 2010 issue

Designer: Landscaping, Ron Rule.

Use hedges and paths to blend garden styles.

A five-foot high, sculpted yew hedge divides the formal country garden in the foreground from the casual garden room tucked behind. Tiers of plantings step up from the reflecting pond by the house to a studio beyond the hedge, creating a sense of flow through the garden. The use of gravel and stone throughout the various garden rooms visually connects the different spaces, creating a sense of unity.

Get more landscaping and garden design ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery.

Photographer: Janis Nicolay

Source: House & Home May 2010 issue

Designer: Landscaping, Ron Rule.

Create a fun, eclectic look in your garden with large pots.

For maximum flexibility, combine container planters and flower beds when planning a garden. Container planters are easy to maintain, portable, and great for adding seasonal accents to your garden. Mix and match container sizes and shapes for a pleasing vignette.

Get more landscaping and garden design ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery.

Photographer: Ted Yarwood

Source: House & Home May 2010 issue

Turn a pretty old birdbath into a garden focal point.

Add interest to your garden with unexpected container planters. Here, a stone birdbath is planted with trailing flowers and placed at the end of a garden path. For a more casual feel, old kitchen pots, serving bowls, bicycles with baskets and even rain boots can be used as planters.

Get more landscaping and garden design ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery.

Photographer: Janis Nicolay

Source: House & Home April 2010 issue

Designer: Landscaping, Ron Rule.

Combine hardscaping with garden areas.

A wrought-iron fence sections off a special garden for the kids with a playhouse, butterfly bushes, and edible berry trees. The waterfall, pool and flagstone lounging area are separate from the garden, creating the feel of distinct vignettes.

Photographer: Donna Griffith

Source: House & Home June 2009 issue

Products: Playhouse, Flamborough; flagstone and brick, Beaver Valley Stone; salt water pool, Custom Pools; lanterns, HomeSense; chaises, Restoration Hardware.

Use hedges and trees to define spaces.

Borrow a few ideas from this gorgeous backyard in Montreal. Gardening guru Marjorie Harris loves the idea of a path that leads to an open tapis vert, or green carpet. Line the path with boxwood hedges and a mix of annuals and perennials, and surround the "carpet" with taller bushes or trees for privacy. Invest in a rustic wooden dining set and let the summer entertaining begin!

See more pools, patios and gardens in our Inspiring Backyards photo gallery. Plus, get more landscaping and garden design ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery.

Source: House & Home May 2009 issue

Designer: Carol Papich

Bright colours define an Okanagan patio.

Artist Bobbie Burgers sets the table in anticipation of an outdoor feast. Symmetrical planters offer pretty greenery, herbs and salad fixings. The property — to which Burgers and her family escape all summer each year — also boasts a small vineyard and personal orchard.

See more photos of Burgers' country house.

Photographer: Kim Christie

Source: House & Home May 2009 issue

Choose open structures that offer both shade and views.

Don't just dine alfresco, cook alfresco with a barbecue station. If you entertain large groups, invest in a large table, too — this one seats ten! A sleek pergola overhead ties the two areas together, while slim stone pillars keep the views to the garden open.

See more pools, patios and gardens in our Inspiring Backyards photo gallery. Plus, get more garden ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery or Smart Looking Sheds photo gallery.

Source: House & Home April 2009 issue

Products: Dining set, Richard Schultz furniture, Kiosk; plates beside barbecue, Wedgwood; pool, Paradise Pools; lanterns, Fresh Home & Garden.

Tuck pretty plants into a shady corner to create an inviting space.

Plantings of different heights give this garden a loose, organic look, as do the climbing plants up the pergola columns. The addition of a small garden path, which disappears behind the plants, produces the illusion of a larger yard.

Photographer: Ted Yarwood

Source: House & Home June 2008 issue

Choose plantings that mimic an enchanting, English-country garden.

Running along the side of the house, a wide flagstone path is softened by moss growing in its crevices. The plants appear to grow uninhibited and wild, but the low boxwood hedges and careful dispersion of colour throughout the greenery hints that things are actually well-controlled.

Get more landscaping and garden design ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery.

Photographer: Ted Yarwood

Source: House & Home June 2008 issue

Tackle awkward landscaping areas with brightly-hued blooms.

Rising up from the flagstone pool deck, a sloping garden is home to a showy and sweetly scented mock orange shrub, daisies and lilies, as well as a terraced rock garden where more daisies, roses, gold-hued alyssum and a variety of perennial geraniums bask in the sun, creating a sense of tamed wilderness.

Get more landscaping and garden design ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery.

Photographer: Ted Yarwood

Source: House & Home May 2008 issue

Plant a shade garden to add interest to all areas of your yard.

Take advantage of every square foot in a garden with a variety of plants for sun, shade and everything in between. Nestled alongside a 12-foot-high granite outcropping, this shade garden is a tranquil oasis that features a cloak of lush greenery, punctuated by fuchsia and white accents.

Get more landscaping and garden design ideas in our Gorgeous Gardens photo gallery.

Photographer: Janis Nicolay

Source: House & Home May 2008 issue

Designer: Home design, garage design, Grant + Sinclair Architects; landscaping, Ron Rule.

Delicately scented flowers delight all the senses.

Perfumed by dianthus, lavender and roses, this pretty pea-gravel pathway leads from the main house and winds among rockeries and an old stand of cedars before arriving at this 170-year-old guest house.

Photographer: Ted Yarwood

Source: House & Home May 2008 issue

Products: Roses, Pickering Nurseries.

A sunken area offers up a different look at every turn.

In this leafy backyard by landscape architect Ron Holbrook, formal paving and hedging balance the virtual forest of trees and drifts of euonymus and cedar. A painted bench blends into the greenery, offering a quiet spot to enjoy the outdoors.

See more of Holbrook's landscaping projects in our photo gallery.

Photographer: Ted Yarwood

Source: House & Home July 2004 issue

Products: Pillows on bench, Restoration Hardware.

Designer: Landscape architect, Ron Holbrook