Scandi Country Landscape Design
- Jul 18, 2025
- 9 min read
You go for welcoming vibes but with a fresh, clean look in neutrals, black and white, while providing contrast with rugged fabrics and textures in muted hues.
You crave a practical gathering space where light oak furniture and clean-lined details create an inviting atmosphere for meals and entertaining.
A mix of elegant, rustic and practical, you are drawn to the Scandi country landscape design philosophy as it prioritizes minimalism, natural materials, and a focus on creating spaces that are both beautiful and functional.
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THE VIBE
Start by laying out where you want your hardscape (the patios, decks, trellises, paths, walkways, etc) to be in your landscape.
Curved gravel walkways lined with river birch trees create natural pathways that make your Scandinavian garden feel more organized while maintaining its organic character.
A combination of durable metal seating and cozy wool throws addresses the practical needs of outdoor living, even as temperatures shift throughout the day.
Strategic placement of weathered wooden benches and copper lanterns transforms these paths into functional spaces for both transit and peaceful breaks, with the scattered pine canopy above providing just enough shade to keep the area comfortable throughout the day.
A streamlined teak lounger and modern bistro set, provide comfortable spots to relax while maintaining an uncluttered environment, while thoughtful touches like a potted birch tree and neutral outdoor rug add texture and warmth without overwhelming the peaceful atmosphere.
Sleek concrete outdoor fireplaces serves as both a functional heat source and striking focal point in a Scandi country landscape setting, with its clean lines and minimalist white bench seating creating an inviting gathering space that can be used well into cooler evenings.
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OUR SUGGESTIONS
Maintain the clean lines and functionality that define Scandi Country Landscape design with the combination of glass railings and low and sleek teak furniture which allows unobstructed sightlines without sacrificing comfort.
The strategic placement of iconic Scandi birch trees provides natural shade and repeated vertical elements of the trees' white paperbark while maintaining clear sightlines throughout the space to enjoy unobstructed views from inside your home.
The same minimalist principles that make Scandinavian kitchen designs so efficient can transform your outdoor space into an organized sanctuary, where carefully chosen elements like metal lighting fixtures and simple wooden benches serve both practical and aesthetic purposes while requiring minimal upkeep throughout the seasons.
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FEATURES
Materials: Minimalist concrete stepping stones add visual rhythm and practical stepping points, in the Scandi landscape, making the garden more accessible even after rain.
The combination of light grey stone blocks with white crushed stone or gravel paths not only provides excellent drainage, preventing muddy spots during wet weather, but also brightens the space during shorter winter days.
The thoughtful combination of natural wood accents, geometric textiles, and soft wall lighting transforms this outdoor area into a minimalist garden retreat that feels like a natural extension of your indoor living space.
A sleek glass rear door with black metal framing serves as a natural gateway between your Scandinavian garden and interior spaces, effectively doubling your living area during pleasant weather.
Understanding the principles of hygge - which focuses on fusing wellness and feelings of ease and contentment into the home - means creating spaces that seamlessly blend indoors and outdoors, flooding your home with natural light and providing unobstructed views of the garden throughout the year.
Plants: A Scandi Country garden approach uses clean lines and raised stone beds to create structure and make maintenance significantly easier throughout the year.
Using an all-green palette of mostly evergreen bushes and shrubs, looks best when there is a variety of textures to keep the interest high. A built-in herb garden puts fresh ingredients within arm’s reach during meal preparation.
Carefully selected plants like lavender and peonies add bursts of colour without overwhelming the serene design. Think: fescues (Festuca), Thyme, Oatgrass (trisetum), sedum varieties, and sage for the silver-blue tones that look so refreshing with a black background, while the wild grass patches soften edges and support local wildlife.
Elements: Simplicity and subtlety is the cornerstone of Scandi Country design, and this includes its colour schemes as well.
A neutral, muted colour palette is a key element of Scandinavian design - by using a range of whites, greys, and warm neutrals, you can create a calm and serene atmosphere that is both inviting and sophisticated.
Opt for all-season, sun-resistant fabrics in the same colour for each seating area.
Containers: Following the Swedish motto lagom which means 'just right', organically-shaped containers made of wood and concrete sync well with Scandi design. Woven baskets made of jute and seagrass, old pewter tubs and steel watering cans distill a casual vintage ambience.
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SUMMARY
Scandinavian design loves to incorporate the natural world into its residential spaces.
The serene beauty of Scandinavian gardens are due, in part, because nature and design blend seamlessly to create spaces that feel both structured and wonderfully wild.
A Scandinavian-styled garden perfectly balances form and function with its clean lines, native plantings and thoughtful organization that creates a low-maintenance outdoor retreat.
A seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces forms the heart of a successful Scandinavian garden, where large glass sliding doors blur the boundaries while maintaining the clean lines and minimalist aesthetic central to Nordic inspired stress free living.
Intentionality is at the cornerstone of the Scandinavian aesthetic where there is a place for everything and no excess. So think of smart but attractive storage, comfortable yet durable outdoor furniture and a functional, weather-proof kitchen & dining area connected to the inside of the home with floor-to-ceiling folding glass panel doors.
A thoughtfully planned Scandinavian garden becomes truly magical after sunset when layered lighting transforms the space into an intimate outdoor retreat.
The combination of overhead pendant lamps, subtle landscape spotlights, and strategically placed wall sconces creates distinct zones for dining, relaxing, and gathering, letting you use your garden well into the evening hours.
Take it to a whole another level by adding faux fur and candles to all your outdoor areas. Modern plastic chairs and hints of black in steel-framed everything, from outdoor dining tables to greenhouses!
Don't get caught up in the details, keep it pared down and simple. Favouring minimalist design where less is more is the driving principle of Scandinavian architecture and design. Clean lines and organic shapes complement the rest of the natural elements of the home.
Make sure that the plants are robust and hardy so that you can enjoy them for longer and have to put less effort into caring for them. Think hardy evergreen plants and lush yet textured greenery throughout the space.
Build multi-functionality into your landscape design Scandinavian houses keep everything minimal in part due to building multi-functionality into their designs. This can be included in the furniture, design accents, or architectural components of the home.
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~
OUR SUGGESTIONS
Maintain the clean lines and functionality that define Scandi Country Landscape design with the combination of glass railings and low and sleek teak furniture which allows unobstructed sightlines without sacrificing comfort.
The strategic placement of iconic Scandi birch trees provides natural shade and repeated vertical elements of the trees' white paperbark while maintaining clear sightlines throughout the space to enjoy unobstructed views from inside your home.
The same minimalist principles that make Scandinavian kitchen designs so efficient can transform your outdoor space into an organized sanctuary, where carefully chosen elements like metal lighting fixtures and simple wooden benches serve both practical and aesthetic purposes while requiring minimal upkeep throughout the seasons.
~
SUMMARY
Scandinavian design loves to incorporate the natural world into its residential spaces.
The serene beauty of Scandinavian gardens are due, in part, because nature and design blend seamlessly to create spaces that feel both structured and wonderfully wild.
A Scandinavian-styled garden perfectly balances form and function with its clean lines, native plantings and thoughtful organization that creates a low-maintenance outdoor retreat.
A seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces forms the heart of a successful Scandinavian garden, where large glass sliding doors blur the boundaries while maintaining the clean lines and minimalist aesthetic central to Nordic inspired stress free living.
Intentionality is at the cornerstone of the Scandinavian aesthetic where there is a place for everything and no excess. So think of smart but attractive storage, comfortable yet durable outdoor furniture and a functional, weather-proof kitchen & dining area connected to the inside of the home with floor-to-ceiling folding glass panel doors.
A thoughtfully planned Scandinavian garden becomes truly magical after sunset when layered lighting transforms the space into an intimate outdoor retreat.
The combination of overhead pendant lamps, subtle landscape spotlights, and strategically placed wall sconces creates distinct zones for dining, relaxing, and gathering, letting you use your garden well into the evening hours.
Take it to a whole another level by adding faux fur and candles to all your outdoor areas. Modern plastic chairs and hints of black in steel-framed everything, from outdoor dining tables to greenhouses!
Don't get caught up in the details, keep it pared down and simple. Favouring minimalist design where less is more is the driving principle of Scandinavian architecture and design. Clean lines and organic shapes complement the rest of the natural elements of the home.
Make sure that the plants are robust and hardy so that you can enjoy them for longer and have to put less effort into caring for them. Think hardy evergreen plants and lush yet textured greenery throughout the space.
Build multi-functionality into your landscape design Scandinavian houses keep everything minimal in part due to building multi-functionality into their designs. This can be included in the furniture, design accents, or architectural components of the home.
FEATURES
Scandi Country design is defined by simplicity, warmth, and practicality—where clean Nordic structure meets relaxed, nature-first planting and a strong sense of everyday livability.
Materials & Surfaces
You can’t go wrong with honest, durable materials that feel at home in a working landscape.
Gravel, compacted fines, wood decking, and simple poured concrete create a functional, understated base. Surfaces should feel softened by use and climate, not pristine.
Aim for a balanced composition: 50% planting, 30% functional hardscape, 20% flexible open space
Light woods, weathered grey tones, and muted stone reflect the Nordic palette—bright but grounded.
Eco-tip: Use permeable gravel, planted joints, or reinforced grass paths to keep water on-site. Direct runoff into native planting zones with grasses, shrubs, and moisture-tolerant species.
Install tips:
4–6” compacted gravel base
Durable, low-maintenance surfaces
Gentle slopes for drainage
Let edges soften naturally over time
Choose practical, comfortable furniture—wood benches, picnic tables, simple loungers. Think everyday use, not display.
Layout & Structure
This style balances order with informality.
Simple, legible layouts
Mostly straight or gently curved paths
Functional zones (gathering, growing, relaxing)
Subtle asymmetry
Spaces should feel open and usable, not overly designed.
Unlike Japandi, this style welcomes a bit more flexibility and overlap between areas—less “composed,” more lived-in.
Key Elements & Features
Function and comfort come first.
Outdoor dining areas or long tables
Fire pits or wood-burning features
Kitchen gardens or herb beds
Simple pergolas or shade structures
Storage that blends in (sheds, wood piles)
Decor is minimal but warm—think lanterns, textiles, and natural materials.
Planting: Native, Edible & Relaxed
Planting is grounded, useful, and regionally adapted—with a strong emphasis on PNW natives (≈75%+) blended with a few edibles or heritage plants.
Build structure with:
Native shrubs and small trees
Edible or medicinal plants
Grasses and perennials for softness
Rules to hold the look:
Keep plant groupings simple and readable
Mix ornamental + edible seamlessly
Allow a bit of looseness, but not chaos
Prioritize resilience and low maintenance
Shrubs, Trees & Layering (PNW Native Core)
Foundation Shrubs
Salal (Gaultheria shallon)
Evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)
Red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)
Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)
Design tip: Use broad drifts that feel natural but intentional, and planting l
Trees (Light Structure + Use)
Vine maple (Acer circinatum)
Paper birch (Betula papyrifera)
Crabapple or apple trees (for food + seasonal interest)
Pacific dogwood (Cornus nuttallii)
Layout tip: Space trees for light, openness, and usability underneath.
Perennials & Ground Layer
Perennials (Soft + Functional)
Yarrow
Lupine
Western columbine
Bee balm
Grasses (Deschampsia, Festuca)
Planting tip: Use loose drifts, but keep edges somewhat defined.
Ground Layer (Durable Living Surface)
Clover (great lawn alternative)
Kinnikinnick
Woodland strawberry
Native sedges
These create a soft, usable ground plane that can handle foot traffic.
Colour Strategy
Keep it light, fresh, and nature-inspired.
Core palette:
Greens (fresh to deep)
Soft whites and creams
Pale blues and lavenders
Light wood tones
Accents:
Warm reds (currant, berries)
Soft yellows
Occasional deeper tones for contrast
Rule: Colours should feel sunlit and slightly faded, never heavy.
Containers
Containers are simple and practical.
terracotta, wood boxes, or metal tubs
Neutral or natural finishes
Often used for herbs or edibles
Placement is casual—near doors, tables, and gathering areas.
Ecological Integration
Scandi Country landscapes are naturally sustainable:
75–80% native planting
Integrated edible gardens
Reduced or no traditional lawn
Rainwater absorbed through planting zones
The goal is a working landscape that supports both people and ecology.
Maintenance Strategy
Keep it manageable and seasonal:
Light pruning and shaping
Seasonal cutbacks
Divide and refresh plantings as needed
Let some areas naturalize slightly
This is a garden that should feel easy to live with, not demanding.
Final Design Principles
Simplicity + function: beauty you can use
Warmth + restraint: minimal, but not cold
Order + looseness: structured, yet relaxed
Native + edible: ecological and practical
Livability first: designed for daily life
The result is a landscape that feels bright, grounded, and welcoming—simple, functional, and deeply connected to both place and everyday living.
For more of our Scandi Country Landscape Style suggestions, download our fully-detailed and specific Design Guide
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