At Scott Byron & Co., we believe every season has a story to tell. Spring brings renewal, summer brings vibrancy, autumn brings richness—and winter brings something surprisingly elegant: brown.
For many homeowners, the shift from green to brown can feel unsettling at first. But in the world of luxury landscape design, brown is not only normal—it is deeply intentional, profoundly beautiful, and essential for creating a truly four-season landscape.
Here’s why.
1. Brown Is a Luxury Aesthetic in the World’s Finest Gardens
Across Europe, some of the most celebrated gardens embrace the soft neutrals, dried grasses, and sculptural silhouettes of the winter season. These gardens show that brown—along with warm golds, tans, and silvery grays—is not a “dead” color but a refined, natural palette.
If you’d like to see this style in action, here are a few examples:
- Oudolf Garten at Vitra Campus (Weil am Rhein, Germany)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oudolf_Garten - Winter interest and naturalistic perennial gardens by Piet Oudolf
https://www.gardenista.com/posts/10-garden-ideas-to-steal-from-superstar-dutch-designer-piet-oudolf/
These landscapes are admired worldwide for their quiet beauty, especially in winter. Their designers celebrate brown for its texture, movement, and serenity—qualities that feel timeless, elegant, and perfectly at home in luxury environments.
2. Brown Means Your Landscape Is Healthy and Resting
In the Midwest, plants naturally enter a dormant period in winter. This is not a sign of decline—it’s a sign of strength.
- Brown stems and seed heads protect root systems.
- Dormant grasses and perennials add insulation through cold spells.
- Plants store energy now so they can return stronger in spring.
Think of this season as the garden’s “reset,” a necessary and restorative pause that prepares your landscape for exceptional performance in the year ahead.
Brown isn’t the end of beauty. It’s the beginning of next season’s success.
3. Winter Landscapes Are About Texture, Not Color
When leaves fall away and flowers fade, something special emerges: the architecture of your garden.
This is where expert design shines.
Winter reveals:
- sculptural grasses that sway with the wind
- elegant, textural seed heads
- beautiful contrasts against evergreens and stone
- the true form and structure of your outdoor spaces
These elements create a peaceful, understated landscape that feels luxurious in its simplicity—much like a cashmere sweater or a minimalist interior.
4. Reframing What Beauty Looks Like in Winter
We often remind our clients:
- “Brown is the winter palette of a healthy Midwestern landscape.”
- “Winter is not the absence of beauty—it’s beauty in a quieter form.”
- “This is the season when structure takes center stage.”
Luxury isn’t always bold. Sometimes it’s subtle, sculptural, and serene. Winter invites you to experience your landscape in a way that is calming, textural, and deeply intentional.
5. A Perfect Fit for Our Art in Harmony Philosophy
Brown aligns beautifully with the heart of the Art in Harmony campaign, which celebrates landscapes as living compositions—changing, maturing, and finding balance throughout the year.
We design for all four seasons.
We steward your land through each natural rhythm.
We honor the beauty that appears when nature takes the lead.
Brown is part of that harmony. When embraced, it completes the story your landscape tells from season to season.
Final Thought: Brown Is Part of the Masterpiece
Your landscape doesn’t lose its beauty when it turns brown. It simply shifts into a different kind of elegance—one defined by texture, structure, and quiet sophistication.
In the right hands, brown becomes a color of intention.
A color of balance.
A color of resilience.
A color of beauty.
And in winter, it’s the color that reminds us: nature always knows what it’s doing.