Scandi Gardens special with tips from Annika Zetterman

As one of Scandinavia's most influential garden designers, Annika Zetterman's gardens are characterised by a Nordic simplicity, function and grace

In Vol 18 Summer, we chat to Annika, who's gardens are characterised by simplicty, functionality and grace. She uses natural materials and Nordic flora to create gardens that are enhanced by the enchanting northern light.

Where do you start when designing a Nordic garden?

I strive to make anyone feel a sense of belonging and connection with the space. I start by observing the topography and the home, as well as the space beyond. I look for rhythms and imagine the landscape as a whole in order to then break it down into sections, finding primary and secondary areas as arranged spaces. I view the garden from an aesthetic point of view, where I picture colours, textures and shapes as well as the connection to the house and any buildings. 

What are your top three must-haves in such a space?

Choose the natural: parts of a garden can be – and sometimes have to be – left untouched due to complex terrain and topography. These wild and natural areas look very at ease in gardens. Arrange the space with large boulders, natural gravel or a meadow patch to enhance the genuine feeling, celebrating the natural landscape. Next, light should be embraced. Use light and neutral colours, leaving wood unpainted, with pale coloured flowers and graceful plants, such as ferns, small grasses, perennials, shrubs and trees. Finally, think about the seasons – they are strongly attached to our mindset and how we live in the Nordics. We experience the full ‘circle of life’ every year, with vivid summer light and compact winter darkness. For any Nordic garden, seasonal interest gives us joy and comfort and helps us to be in tune with nature and ourselves.

Describe your own Nordic garden…

It’s a ‘survival’ garden on an island in the Stockholm archipelago, very much my special place during weekends and in summer. It’s remote, where I have allowed meadow planting to blend into the natural landscape of sculptural pine trees. I grow much of what I eat, with my vegetable patch sitting naturally in large pockets of bedrock, filled with soil and surrounded by traditional wooden fencing to protect from reindeer that are on the island. It’s a great place to be active with both body and mind, where I can be present and observe the now. After a day in the garden, it’s a real luxury to go for a swim in the Baltic Sea and enjoy a wellness sauna ritual at sunset. A garden has so many elements, but ultimately it should give you a lifetime of memories.

New Nordic Gardens: Scandinavian Landscape Design by Annika Zetterman (Thames & Hudson, £25)

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