What We Can Learn From Friluftsliv – The Scandinavian Outdoor Living Secret That Will Transform Your Garden

In Nordic countries winters are long, hard and extremely cold but this doesn't mean they don't continue to get outside and use their gardens. Instead they view their gardens as an extra room to be used all year round, learning to embrace the weather, and appreciate the health and wellbeing benefits being outside offers. This Nordic design idea reveals how to treat your outdoor space so it feels like a true extension of your home.

The secret is friluftsliv, the Scandinavian philosophy of open-air living that means enjoying nature all year round not just during the warmer months. There is conclusive evidence that being outside in nature is good for our health and wellbeing so perhaps it's time for the rest of us to embrace this Nordic concept and start using our gardens on a daily basis too.

If you want to find out how to create a Scandi-style garden start by working on designs with the weather in mind to make every season enjoyable and get the most out of your outdoor space. Now find out what our experts have to say as they share their inspirational tips on how to tap into Nordic garden design ideas.

What Is Friluftsliv?

Meaning 'open air living', friluftsliv is all about reconnecting with nature and encouraging you to embrace the outdoors, irrespective of the season. It’s not just a trend but a way of life, spending time in nature for your spiritual and physical health, and learning to appreciate the beauty of the natural world.

'Friluftsliv is a 19th-century Nordic philosophy and lifestyle that revolves around connecting with the natural and cultural landscape in everyday life,' explains Linda Åkeson McGurk, Swedish-American author of two bestselling books about friluftsliv: There's No Such Thing as Bad Weather, available from Amazon, and The Open-Air Life, also available from Amazon.

Linda loves the idea of a friluftsliv-inspired garden, especially since over the years she's been working on making her own yard more conducive to this. 'It's about finding joy and balance outside, regardless of the season or the weather. In its essence, it's about restoring our relationship with nature and boosting our physical and mental health in the face of industrialization, urbanization and digitalization.'

Now find out what you can learn about this Nordic garden design principle with our expert suggestions.

Linda Åkeson McGurk

Linda Åkeson McGurk is a Swedish-American speaker and bestselling author who believes life is better outside, and her books have inspired readers all over the world to embrace nature as a way of life. Linda is a sought-after podcast guest, and her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and TIME Magazine. Whether she’s writing, speaking or just exploring the pine forests of western Sweden, where she lives with her family, Linda’s mission is to make sure her generation won’t be the last one that remembers playing outside.

1. Blur The Line Between Indoors And Outdoors

'I live in a mid-century modern glass house set in woodland on a private pond, with floor-to-ceiling windows,' says Shane Pliska, a recognized expert in biophilic garden design trends who designs and builds gardens.

'It’s a home designed to create a year-round connection to nature. In that sense, I genuinely live the philosophy of friluftsliv every day, experiencing the changing seasons from both inside and out.'

This is part of the architectural design of Shane's home. However, anyone can extend their living space seasonally with the Nordic garden design concept of indoor-outdoor living that includes seating, lighting, and styling ideas that make the exterior feel like another room.

Shane advises thinking about the view of your garden from indoors just as much as the experience of sitting outside in summer. 'Layer evergreens, ornamental grasses, sculptural plants, lighting, and garden structures so the space has beauty and interest in winter as well as summer.'

Shane Pliska

Shane Pliska is a leading authority on biophilic design and the practice of integrating living plants and green walls into the built environment to improve human health. Shane is a recognized expert in biophilia, the science-backed principle that humans are innately drawn to nature. A sought-after speaker, Shane has presented to architects, corporate real estate leaders, and wellness professionals on the business case for biophilic design. He serves on the board of the National Horticulture Foundation, and is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston.

2. Design A Functional Outdoor Space That Works For All Seasons

A cozy outdoor area such as a covered patio, balcony garden, or courtyard garden ideas acts as an extension of the home, featuring fire pits, ambient lighting, and blankets that make the space ready for year-round use.

Start by creating a snug and dependable outdoor living zone close to the house, because convenience drives frequency. 'Choose all-weather furniture that can stay outside without constant maintenance, using durable outdoor materials such as powder-coated aluminum, teak, or quality resin wicker with UV protection,' says Brady Bartlett, co-founder of Madbury Road.

'For comfort, quick-dry foam and performance fabrics that resist rain and mildew matter more than decorative cushions that need bringing in every time the sky changes.'

In Nordic garden design layout also extends the season. Modular seating allows space optimisation, shifting between sun and shelter. 'Create spaces for spending time together outside, for example a fire pit with seating,' suggests Linda Åkeson McGurk.

'A patio area with lighting and roof allows for outdoor gatherings regardless of the weather, while a grill is an invitation to eat outside.'

Brady Bartlett

Brady Bartlett is co-founder of Madbury Road, an outdoor furniture company known for designing high-quality, accessible products and shipping directly to customers nationwide. With years of experience in product development, sourcing and large-scale retail partnerships Brady brings deep expertise in the outdoor living and home furnishings space. He is passionate about helping customers elevate their outdoor spaces with furniture that's built to last.

3. Include An Abundance Of Layered, Textural Planting

Careful garden planning enables a striking display that can be enjoyed throughout the year not just in the summer months. This connects neatly with the friluftsliv concept of using your outdoor space all year round.

In cities, gardens may contain a lot of hard landscaping, and ornamental grasses provide contrast, looking light and relaxed, while also looking natural in a garden in the country, as they make a connection with the surrounding landscape.

'Ornamental grasses are among the most versatile plants in Scandinavia and there are many reasons to use them,' says Annika Zetterman, landscaping expert and author of New Nordic Gardens: Scandinavian Landscape Design, available from Amazon. 'Grasses exude simplicity in their plumes and their color, and seem somehow close to our roots. The lightness they possess connects us to nature.

'Some grasses look as novel in summer as they do in winter, maintaining the upright vitality and vertical interest in the garden from early spring and through winter.'

Annika Zetterman

Annika Zetterman is one of Scandinavia's most influential landscape designers. She creates captivating gardens with a love for the land. Annika is the author of the bestselling book New Nordic Gardens, published by Thames & Hudson.

4. Include A Welcoming Space To Cook And Eat

Outdoor cooking and eating is a way of life in Nordic countries. Ideas can range from a full outdoor kitchen with all the extras to a simple pizza oven, BBQ or even an open fire with a tripod set over the flames.

This friluftsliv design (above) is an elegant way to make the most of spending time outside in the garden. It features a stylish geometric outdoor kitchen and a snug seating area with an exterior fireplace, enclosed by a pergola made of hardwood iroko.

This design can easily be switched up to a year-round space too. 'Comfort in cool months is mainly about warmth, shelter and light,' says Brady Bartlett. 'Gentle heat, such as an electric infrared heater positioned under cover, can make a cool evening feel usable. A fire pit can work if clear distances from structures and planting are maintained.'

Finish the dining area with layered, warm-white, outdoor-rated garden lighting ideas so the space works after dusk, including wall lights for general glow, rechargeable table lamps for a lived-in feel, and low pathway lights to guide the way.

5. Let Your Garden Fully Relax Into Nature

Research shows that the more biodiverse a green space is, the more beneficial it is to our health. Including wildlife garden ideas like pollinating plants, bird baths, and bee hotels in Nordic garden design ideas will turn your outdoor space into a welcoming haven as well as make it a more fulfilling place to spend time.

'Birdsong is one of the most therapeutic sounds there is,' says Linda Åkeson McGurk. 'With this in mind, a friluftsliv-inspired garden is one guided by rewilding, where both people and wildlife thrive.

'It's a garden where we hold off on mowing in the spring, to ensure pollinators have something to eat, and let the leaves stay on the ground in the fall to create habitats for butterflies and other critters.'

Planting is important too, and sustainability is intrinsic part of Nordic garden design ideas. 'We plant wildflowers to attract even more pollinators and have our own berry bushes to bring foraging – one of the most popular friluftsliv activities – to our own doorstep,' says Linda.

'Rock gardens, frog baths and bird feeders are other ways to attract wildlife. To ensure you'll always have a reason to spend more time outside, I also recommend growing some crops. Potatoes are my favorite, since they have a high yield and don't mind a little neglect.'

Incorporate friluftsliv principles into everyday outdoor living by making it effortless with this final tip from Brady Bartlett.

'Build simple rituals that fit real life, such as morning tea outside, a short stretch in daylight, or an evening check-in with the garden after work. Over time, those small, repeatable moments are what turn a garden into a true year-round extension of home rather than a fair-weather feature.'

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