When one of our clients approached us with a unique request—to design a landscape so timeless that no one could guess the year it was installed—we knew we had a challenge worth sinking our teeth into. A truly timeless landscape design doesn’t chase trends or scream a particular decade; instead, it remains elegant, functional, and beautiful over time. So, we did some deep digging to uncover the principles that create a landscape that transcends the passage of time.

The answer? Balance, intention, and adaptability.

With the help from our professional landscape designer, Britt, let’s break it down, detail by detail, so you can create an outdoor space that looks as stunning today as it will 50 years from now.

The Power of Symmetry in Landscape Design

Symmetry is one of the hallmarks of timeless design. It creates a sense of harmony, balance, and structure, making an outdoor space feel intentional and well-organized.

It doesn’t mean everything has to be a perfect mirror image, but a symmetrical layout can guide the eye and help tie together different elements, ensuring that everything—from plantings to hardscapes—feels cohesive rather than random.

How to Achieve Symmetry in Landscaping:

• Start with a 2D design from a bird’s-eye view. This allows for efficient space planning and ensures that the layout is balanced from the start.
• Use 3D renderings to visualize the space. This step helps you see how your design interacts with your home’s architecture and natural surroundings.
• Incorporate symmetry through plantings and hardscapes. Pathways, garden beds, retaining walls, and even lighting can be arranged in a way that reinforces balance by aligning key elements and repeating shapes or materials.
• Create focal points. Whether it’s a central water feature, a fire pit, or a statement tree, symmetrical designs benefit from strong focal points to anchor the space.
• Balance soft and hard elements. Pairing structured elements like stone patios or pergolas with lush, flowing plantings keeps symmetry from feeling too rigid.

Timeless Planting Design: Perennials, Textures, and Seasonal Interest

Plants are the soul of any landscape, and their selection determines whether a yard feels perpetually fresh or dated after a few years.

Key Guidelines for Timeless Plantings:

• Perennials over annuals: Less maintenance and a more sustainable approach.
• Neutral color palettes: Whites, greens, and soft pastels never go out of style. Mix in different textures to add depth and add plants that bloom at different times so there’s always color!
• Layering for depth: For a timeless, layered garden design, focus on a three-tiered approach that ensures beauty from spring through winter.
  • Start with a low-growing ground cover like geraniums, which provide lush greenery and seasonal blooms while helping to suppress weeds.
  • In the middle layer, medium sized perennials such as Summer Beauty Allium offer soft texture and movement. These plants resemble grass for most of the year, but come late summer to fall, they burst into stunning purple blooms—plus, their onion-family lineage makes them unappealing to deer and rabbits.
  • The showstopping top layer belongs to hydrangeas, which bloom from summer through fall and remain a striking feature even in winter with their dried flowers. Their abundant, long-lasting blooms bring color and structure to the garden, ensuring year-round visual interest.

• Vines! As Britt says, “Vines are timeless and underrated.” They add charm and create that lush, inviting feel.
• Consider yard size for trees: For smaller yards, opt for skinnier, deciduous trees like oaks or arborvitae that keep to themselves. If space isn’t an issue, honey locusts and large maples provide excellent shade. “Honey locusts have beautiful leaves that dapple in the sunlight,” says Britt.

Layering Lighting: The Secret to a Welcoming Glow

Lighting is the magic that brings a landscape to life after the sun goes down. But the trick to timeless outdoor lighting is warmth and subtlety.

How to Get it Right:

• Use soft illumination path lights to create an inviting walkway.
• Tree uplights add drama and highlight architectural features.
• Choose fixtures in neutral tones (metal, black, or bronze) to avoid looking outdated.
• Install dimming capabilities to create ambiance and highlight focal points at all times of the day and night.

A timeless landscape should feel as beautiful at night as it does during the day. Harsh, cool-toned lights? Those can stay in the 2000s.

Hardscape & Softscape

Timeless landscapes strike the right balance between hardscape (patios, walkways, retaining walls) and softscape (plants, trees, lawns). The goal is to create a space that evolves over time, rather than one with a rigid, single-use purpose.

A Flexible Outdoor Space

Rather than designing a patio with a single built-in seating area, consider a larger communal space with smaller gathering nooks. One year, you might need an outdoor dining area; a decade later, a fire pit lounge might make more sense. The key is adaptability.

Common mistake: Creating spaces that are too niche. A built-in bar with an ultra-trendy backsplash might be in today, but if it doesn’t transition well over time, it could become an expensive remodel down the line.

Ensuring Your Landscape Complements Your Home

A timeless landscape should feel like a natural extension of your home, not an afterthought. Consider the home’s facade: Color, style, and materials should flow naturally into the landscape. Also keep neutral hardscape materials. Planter beds, window boxes, and stone accents should feel cohesive with the home’s overall aesthetic.

The Best Timeless Materials for Landscaping That Age Gracefully

Certain materials stand the test of time better than others. Here’s what we swear by:

Patios:

Brick clay pavers (limestone or sandstone) – age beautifully and retain color better than concrete. Though they might be a bigger investment, these are easy to replace if needed. They also leave room to add unique design interest to the space. “We at Mom’s Design Build have used these forever!”

Avoid plain concrete – Concrete absorbs and retains heat, making it uncomfortably hot during Minnesota summers. It’s also highly susceptible to cracking due to the region’s freeze-thaw cycles. Once cracks form, repairing or replacing the entire patio can be a challenging, labor-intensive process. They’re also not as intricate and beautiful as clay pavers!

Pathways:

Pavers and gravel add character but keep gravel to accent areas, as it moves too much for high-traffic spots.

Pergolas & Awnings:

Cedar is a classic. It weathers well and looks stunning with vines growing on it.

Retaining Walls:

Natural ledge stone stacked walls double as seat walls and add longevity to the design.

Decks:

Tropical hardwoods like IPE or teak weather beautifully and last for decades.

Use a neutral color palette while selecting materials that blend well together rather than compete for attention. Our landscape designer, Britt, emphasizes the importance of “picking your moments”—focusing on features that hold real value to you.

“Adding features that enhance the main purpose of a space—whether it’s a social gathering area, a lounge, or an outdoor kitchen—creates a purposeful and well-thought-out design,” Britt explains. “Rather than constantly updating and reworking your landscape, it’s essential to plan ahead.”

Choosing low-maintenance materials and considering how plants will mature over time ensures a space that remains beautiful and functional for years to come.

Trends That May Stand the Test of Time

Some trends come and go, but a few feel like they’re here to stay:

• Concrete fire features: Sleek, durable, and endlessly customizable.
• Multi-functional spaces: Think lounge areas that transition into dining spaces.

Tailoring Timeless Design to a Client’s Style

One of our favorite examples? A client who was colorblind and could only see blue and yellow. We customized his landscape by incorporating blue and yellow flowers and a bluestone pathway, ensuring it looked stunning to him while maintaining classic appeal for anyone else.

Personalization can (and should) be incorporated into timeless design—as long as it’s done thoughtfully.

Final Thoughts: Designing for the Long Haul

A timeless landscape isn’t about resisting change—it’s about embracing a foundation that gracefully evolves. By focusing on balance, intention, and simplicity, you create a space that looks just as breathtaking decades from now as it does today.

Looking to create a timeless landscape of your own? Let’s talk. At Mom’s Design Build, we have a passion for crafting nationally-award winning outdoor spaces in Minnesota that stand the test of time (and a few design fads along the way).