Gardens and green spaces can be like rooms; expansions of the home that serve as lively entertainment spaces or comfortably cloistered retreats. With gazebos set amid shady groves, orangeries overlooking quiet copses, or pavilions sporting sunny pools, there’s no end to the built features that can factor into a property’s natural environment.
So with the spring season around the corner, here is inspiration on how best to turn a home’s vegetation into its most enjoyable and enviable areas, and create verdant living spaces that are genuinely alive.
Greenery From Ground to Sky
Michael Pallier and Clint Ballard – Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty
An overhead trellis for climbing plants is a beautiful way to accentuate an external seating or dining area, as there’s no better canopy than a canopy of leaves. For a perfect example, look at the al fresco patio at this resort-like residence, where vines help form a lush and vibrant bower for outdoor relaxation.
Placing Planters and Pergolas
Despina Laou – Greece Sotheby’s International Realty
Covering part of a terrace with a sumptuously overgrown pergola is a great way to create a truly immersive green space, as demonstrated by this epic estate poised above the Sea of Crete. It extends from the home to create continuity between indoor and outdoor spaces, while lending visual dynamism and character.
Perfecting the Art of the Arbor
Mariano Iacono – Italy Sotheby’s International Realty
While pergolas tend to extend directly from the home, free-standing arbors support plants across their latticed structures to serve as picturesque archways. It can be quite majestic, as attested by this 19th-century mansion. The landscaping here is second to none, with flowerbeds that flourish in the Mediterranean warmth, ancient trees that have stood guard over the grounds for centuries, and a stately glass veranda with views of the water.
A Bounteous Botanical Garden
Shawn Perez and Mary Rose Perez – Atlanta Fine Home Sotheby’s International Realty
Nothing combines interior and exterior design quite like a greenhouse, where a fully enclosed space is dedicated entirely to the flora that defines its colors, textures, layout, and decor. Just look at how effortlessly this idyllic property has added climate-controlled conservatories to its yard, which is contiguous with a miles’ worth of walking and riding trails. Spread across the nearly nine acres of pristine nature, there are also 10 serene gardens, three tranquil ponds, and four fabulous waterfalls.
Greenery brings so many benefits to a home, from its calming hues and soothing fragrance to the way it freshens the air and serves as a natural buffer against heat and noise. And springtime is the best time to nurture new growth—so take advantage of the changing seasons and breathe new life into your surroundings.
Looking for ways to complement the splendor of your greenery? Browse some outdoor living spaces with bespoke wood features.
