Garden idyll was painted during the summer 1882 at the castle Château de Maisons outside of Paris. The painter Gunnar Berndtson was invited to stay at the castle by the owner W.T. Grommé with his colleagues Albert Edelfelt and Adolf von Becker. The artist painted small romantic scenes in the rooms and grounds of the château. The castle can be seen in the background of the painting. Alfred Jacobsson bought the painting in 1910 from the Turku Art Association exhibition.