10 Lake House Landscaping Ideas That Are Full Of Charm

Picturesque at every corner you turn, this uber-romantic getaway is all about cozying up with a good read, taking a chilly dip in the lake and warming yourself by the fire, digging into cheese boards on the front deck and of course, sipping wine while spending precious time with your family.

Yep, we’re talking about lake houses, a place that draws people in, wraps them up, and sends them off to a serene getaway.

Over the years, we’ve seen spectacular lakehouse landscaping ideas – but you know, you don’t need acres on acres to create a charming outdoor living space.

We’ve rounded up more than a few tips and ideas for your next landscaping project. Whether you want to green up the garden beds or add Scandinavian style to the backyard, these lakefront backyard ideas ensure your lake house spells out a fairytale.

1. Glow Up Your Lakefront Property

Nothing spruces up a front yard better than some beautiful hydrangea bushes. The South’s favorite flower has us counting down the days until white fences are bursting with blooms again. Or you can tuck them nicely into smaller fiberglass planters along the walkway, together with some maidenhair ferns.

Landscaping tip: Varying the heights of the planters can add another dimension to the porch and help frame the door. Plant large, eye-catching flowers that will grow up and around a fence to create an interesting shoreline walk to your lake house.

2. Fancy An Outdoor Spa-Worthy Oasis

If you spend a lot of time outside, an outdoor shower is good to have especially if you also own a pool. An outdoor spa-worthy oasis that rivals any indoor shower, creates a natural illusion of privacy with a wall of florals (or plants that don’t mind moisture).

Flowering shrubs like hydrangeas in the backyard can act as a living shower wall, plus they enhance the sense of romance in an already romantic setting.

To make a striking outdoor shower look even grander, lay stone tiles that lead the way. Then hang up wall hooks on the exterior wall so you can display your fancy towels.

Try adding plant pots with tall plants to act as a divider and create a secluded and private section for you to towel off from a dip in the lake, or pool. Plus using planters is a great way to bring in a variety of colors to your landscape without having to plant an entire garden.

3. Gather Around Fire Pit

A fire pit is the easiest way to ensure that your backyard is the talk of the town this summer. Your guests won’t be able to get enough! Nothing invites conversation and connection quite like a warm and inviting fire. All eyes will be on the roaring set up, at the center of the lawn’s circular tile island. The surrounding butterfly chairs introduce a laidback, California style, which is further accentuated by the tall palm trees and dreamy pampas grass.

The sleek fire bowl is a subtle standout: nestled in gravel, it’s an unexpected focal point among grasses and textural plantings. It’s also a satisfying counterpoint to the boxy, minimalistic modern home behind it.

Surround exterior furniture with planters to create a more intimate environment for conversation. Potted in cobalt blue containers, vibrant green garden plants add color to a complete chic-looking appearance, you can place them behind those chairs to enhance the privacy and intimacy of your entertaining space.

4. Serene Getaway With Water Features

Fountains, whether ornately tiled or designed with simplicity in mind, add both architectural intrigue and tranquillity to any outdoor living space—there’s something about the sound of burbling water that lulls the mind into a meditative state.

This one example showcases how incorporating the natural beauty of zen water feature can turn an outdoor area into a private paradise.

Though the extravagant fountain in this yard is the true statement piece, planters are used on the walls of the building to bring nature to hard-to-reach places.

Placing an array of planters along the entrance is a great tip to keep all eyes on your elegant fountain. You can even turn those large containers into the water feature themselves!

5. Inject Personality Into Your Windows

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the shoreline are one architectural goal but a window box full of spring garden can inject as much personality to your landscape design. Pick a box with the same or contrasts of the color of your window, and start filling it with your favorite plants or ornamental grasses.

Choose from fresh herbs to healing plants to trailing ferns that will cascade freely over the sides. Trailing plants and oversized floral arrangements are the perfect pairings to take your window boxes to the next level.

6. Celebrate Your Arrival With Driveway Planters

It’s not just the inside of your house that deserves stylish touches, an often-overlooked planting area alongside the walk way can provide an opportunity to increase your home’s curb appeal and help tie in a paved area to the rest of the landscape. 

If your decor is on the minimalist side, go with native plants or stately elegance with a combination of evergreens and white roses or hydrangeas bushes.

Celebrate your arrival home by rolling out the red carpet for yourself- starting with a few pairs of earth-tone planters. They create a naturalistic yet elegant effect that goes well with most landscaping.

The sizes of planters may vary depending on the length of the driveway and climate. Fiberglass planters are incredibly durable and can with all sorts of weather conditions. Plus, considering alternatives like handrails and retaining walls, planters are a much more attractive option. 

7. Chill In The Rustic Glam Gazebo

Admit it, gazebos have a nostalgic appeal and we’re all obsessed. Think of a hideaway where you can host every event, big or small from afternoon tea to dinner parties, or as an intimate outdoor space for reading or shelter from sun and bugs; that isn’t attached to the house.

This rustic glam gazebo is one of the most stunning lounge areas with a whitewash wood beaded chandelier, a cozy table set and chairs with white and neutral tones.

You can further give the gazebo an organic boost of ambiance by planting climbing vines, tropical shrubs and a few shade trees to help beat the heat during the summertime.

8. Line Your Stone Path With Flowers

There’s something about a path forged from stone that instantly brings to mind visions of enchanting gardens and cute cottages. A stone bridge and walkway nestled in the hill is one dreamlike fairytale.

With an old-world aesthetic and storybook charm, the hardscape addition doesn’t have to be big to make a big impact — even a small bridge or short stepping stone will add maximum charm.

Plant flourishing daisies or hydrangea bushes to blur the lines where paths end and the garden begins. The sweet honey fragrance of the tiny flowers is a bonus to passers-by. 

9. Renovate Your Favorite Potting Shed

If you’re green thumb homeowners, consider building (or refurbishing) a shed into a beautiful asset. Sheds have the advantage of moving the mess out of your main house and creating a comfortable workspace, providing a backdrop for prized plants, or delivering a destination where you can relax and entertain friends.

10. Freshen Up Planting Beds

In a small or narrow city yard, introducing greenery can be tricky. However, in lakehouse properties, it’s easy to spread out and plant whole displays of beautiful botanic color. Planting beds are a great tool to create multi-level displays with plenty of room for more than one plant. This means less plant and pot maintenance and a tidier landscape – perfect for when you have a large property that needs some creative features!

Why use planters?

If you’re looking for a place to decorate your lake house with plant pot containers, picture the transformation it could lend to porch, terrace, deck, patio, and balcony areas.

Too few gardeners consider using containers in their landscape design though they are one of the most effective elements. Large, colorful fiberglass containers add a bright splash, even without blooms, and are incredibly useful to create privacy borders.

With well-maintained planters, your landscape will look tidy and pristine. The bonus benefit of planters? You can move them around to highlight different parts of your lake house landscape design whenever you like!

Get Ready to Implement Your Lakehouse Landscaping Ideas with Planters Etc

We hope you enjoyed our ideas on how to have an awesome lakehouse landscape with marvelous plants and planters.

We can also help you with your landscaping needs – our high-quality fiberglass planters are made of durable, tough, and delightful fiberglass material. Choose from a variety of 18 stunning colors and as many as four textures to suit your design goals.

All our planters come with an industry-leading warranty emphasizing the commitment and value of our fiberglass planters.

Feel free to give us a call and our sales consultants will be more than happy to walk you through any outstanding questions or requests you might have. However, if you’re ready to transform your lakehouse landscape into a thriving piece of art, then get shopping!