Lake House Landscaping Ideas

Choosing what to plant outside your lakehouse is a big decision. Most lake home owners want to create a visually stunning landscape to complement their house, but aside from visual appeal, there are two key traits your lakehouse plants should have: low-maintenance upkeep and erosion control.

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Low-Maintenance Lake House Greenery

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Bushes and shrubs that grow at a slow rate of speed may be ideal in order to prevent constant pruning. While fast-growing bushes and shrubs are not necessarily a bad choice if you love gardening, they can present an issue if your lake home isn’t your primary residence.

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In that scenario (or if you just don’t want to prune your bushes weekly), slow-growing bushes and shrubs prevent you from having to hire a landscaper to visit your property when you’re not there.

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Flowers are a must-have for most lake home owners because they add an influx of color to your lakehouse backyard and truly enhance the tranquility of nature around your home. But, flowers require a lot of care and effort to maintain, making them a distraction from your peaceful relaxation at the lake.

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If you love flowers but don’t want the hassle or expense that comes with constant watering, there are many types of bushes that flower at various seasons. Small decorative trees can also provide flowers or color at various times of the year.  Depending on the type of tree, they rarely require a lot of time and attention. This chart shows several options for flowering shrubs and trees.

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Planting For Erosion Control

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One of the biggest mistakes lake home owners make is not accounting for the water drainage pathways inherent to their backyard. Water will naturally flow to the lake when it rains, putting your lakefront landscaping at risk of being swept away.

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For this reason, it is important to plant erosion-resistant plants in your lakehouse backyard. These types of plants have very strong root systems and do an excellent job of stabilizing the other plants around them. They also naturally soak up a lot of water, helping the soil dry out faster and preventing loosening of surrounding plant roots.

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Below is a list of several types of erosion-resistant plants to consider for your lakefront landscaping:

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• Switchgrass: This type of grass has exceptionally deep roots and is perfect for preventing erosion on sloped backyards

• Cattails: Known for their strong leaves and thick, dense roots, these plants help bind soil during heavy rainfall and thrive in wet environments

• Blue Flag Iris: A flowering plant with very strong roots, effective at preventing soil erosion

• River birch: This tree is known for its peeling bark and very strong roots, excellent for planting close to shorelines for erosion control

• Buttonbush: Perhaps the perfect lakefront shrub, known for its erosion control and beautiful flower clusters

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There are many options for your lakehouse landscaping that provide the best of both worlds in terms of visual appeal and functionality, and with a variety of plant types, you’re sure to find the perfect combination to suit your taste.

Effective use of hardscaping elements in your backyard lakefront landscaping can do wonders for enhancing its visual appeal. Pathways, retaining walls, and lighting are excellent options to consider for your property.

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Pathways

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A path leading from the front to the back of your property or from the backyard down to the shoreline can make for beautiful and functional additions to lake houses. Pathways not only add elegance to your backyard, they can also serve as an anti-slip safety feature of your lake home during trips down to the dock or waterfront.

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There are many types of paver materials to choose from for lake house pathways, such as natural stone, concrete, porcelain, and more. For a lake house, one of the most functional types of paver design is called permeable pavers.

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Permeable pavers are designed and laid with a gap between the pavers, allowing for water to drain and eliminating puddles on the pathway. You can fill the gap with gravel or grass for a beautiful natural aesthetic.

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Besides the visual appeal, cost can be a determining factor in the type of paver material you choose for your lake house pathway. Below is a guide showing the avg cost per square foot of popular paver materials.

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Retaining Walls

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One of the most functional hardscaping elements is a retaining wall. These structures do more for erosion control than any other element you could add to your lakehouse backyard.

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If you have a steeply sloped backyard, retaining walls may even be a necessity to prevent severe erosion. The good news is that, when done correctly, retaining walls can be gorgeous additions that can be used to highlight featured areas of your backyard.

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Consider planting a beautiful garden surrounded on one side by a luxury stone retaining wall. For materials, you can choose from one of many types to perfectly blend in with your overall backyard design:

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• Stone: You can go for an all-natural look with irregularly shaped stone, or use cut stone to create a streamlined look.

• Timber: Either the traditional railroad tie look or the stacked log look works well.

• Brick: Offers a classic look, and can be done using bricks with multiple color tones to make it pop.

• Boulders: One of the more unique options, large boulders give a dramatic look to your retaining wall.

• Concrete: A simple yet effective material, able to be textured or stamped to provide a textured look.

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By adding a retaining wall to your lakehouse backyard, you can instantly solve erosion problems while beautifying your space.

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Lighting

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Perhaps the best way to elevate your lakefront landscaping to a luxurious level is to incorporate well-placed lighting. Lighting not only brings a backyard to life at night during parties and gatherings, it also functions as a safety feature for pathways.

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Pathway lighting can be used in a variety of ways to enhance the walk and prevent slips, trips, and falls. Consider these types of elegant pathway lighting for your backyard:

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• Post Lights: These fixtures stand 2-4 feet tall, and in some cases taller, and provide a broad range of lighting across the entire pathway.

• Recessed Lights: As the name suggests, these lights are flush with the ground, creating a modern look and perfect for minimizing the appearance of the light fixture itself.

• String Lights: If you’re going for a dreamy look, string lights overhead create a magical vibe for your pathway stroll.

• Lantern Lights: Offering a vintage ambiance, lanterns will forever be a lakehouse icon.

• Paver Lights: Similar in concept to recessed lights, paver lights are embedded directly into the pathway for a streamlined look.

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Not only do you have a multitude of lighting styles to choose from, but many of these styles can also be offered in a solar-powered version, allowing you to prevent high electric bills. Each of these choices offer an opportunity to bring vibrance and life to your lakefront landscaping.

Of course, the main draw to a lake home is the outdoor environment it offers. Whether you want to entertain friends and family or just enjoy the peaceful outdoors, these features elevate your lakehouse outdoor living space in style.

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Patios & Decks

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No lake home is complete without a patio or deck. These structures offer an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful outdoors in luxury and comfort, and they can be designed with functionality in mind.

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If you’re designing a custom lake house, be sure to plan your deck or patio during this phase of the project. If you already have a lake home and you want to do a deck remodel or patio remodel, be sure to choose a builder with experience designing and building specifically for lake homes. Builders with this experience can offer valuable insight into the types of decking materials and styles that are best suited for lake homes.

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A lakehouse deck or patio should be designed with its intended use in mind. If you plan to do a lot of entertaining, you’ll want to consider the size of the deck or patio and be sure to include enough room for ample seating.

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Perhaps your primary use for the deck or patio will be for relaxing and enhancing your view of the lake. In that case, consider a wraparound style that allows you to take in the view from all angles.

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Regardless of your intended use, a luxury deck or patio is a must-have for most lake home owners and offers endless benefits, not the least of which is enhanced lake home value, so be sure to devote some attention to the material selection and style of your deck or patio.

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Functional Entertainment Pieces

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You’ve planned your backyard planting, you’ve incorporated hardscaping features, and you’ve designed the perfect deck for your lake home. Your lakefront landscaping is done, right? Not so fast. Now it’s time to put the icing on the cake and add some functional entertainment pieces to your backyard.

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Regardless of whether you plan to hold large gatherings or if you just want to relax alone at the lake in peace and quiet, these functional pieces are excellent complements to your lake home landscaping:

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• Fire Pits: If you’re looking for ideas for a centerpiece to top off your backyard lakefront landscaping, look no further than a firepit. They’re perfect for relaxing under the stars on a cool Fall evening or roasting marshmallows with the kids on a Summer weekend.

• Hot Tubs: Let’s face it, life on the lake can beat your body up. From water skiing to tubing, aches and pains are part of lake life. What better way to soothe your back and knees after a fun-filled day on the lake than to relax in a steamy hot tub on your deck?

• Outdoor Kitchens: Providing the pinnacle of lake home luxury, outdoor kitchens allow the party to flow without any disruption. No need to trek back to the house, simply visit the patio bar to get a refill.

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Last but not least, while not technically an entertainment piece to your backyard, you may want to consider a storage shed for your lake gear. When designed with elegance in mind, storage sheds can be a complementary piece to your landscaping without appearing out of place, and they come in hand for floats, fishing gear, and dock furniture.