This fountain is a great addition to a front yard entry. Clean and simple with a subtle water noise for visual and auditory interest. The fountain is surrounded by boxwood hedges, Mexican Beach cobble, and white precast concrete.

Dramatic Streetscape Planting

Eden Garden Design

Striking Texas native botanical design with local river rock top dressing. Photographer: Greg Thomas, http://optphotography.com/

Contemporary yard for a contemporary house

Blue Hibiscus Gardens

IPE wood at installation has the redder color.
Mid-sized contemporary front yard partial sun xeriscape in San Francisco with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

Highlands #2

Bloom Concrete & Landscape Design

Inspiration for a contemporary front yard garden in Denver with a retaining wall.

Marquette | 2017

Coats Homes

Inspiration for a large contemporary front yard full sun garden in Dallas with a container garden.

Walkway Lighting

High Quality LED Lighting

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary front yard xeriscape in San Francisco with a garden path and concrete pavers.

Contemporary Landscape - Dramatic Transformation - San Rafael, CA

Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

This San Rafael front landscape has been dramatically updated with a welcoming concrete pathway entrance, and complimented by a variety of architectural plants, hardy succulents, textural grasses and a majestic, fruitless olive tree. The dramatic transformation is enhanced by a raised corten steel planter at the pathway entrance with gravel and succulents. Two horizontal ipe wood structures provide contemporary accents. New raised concrete planters alongside the new concrete driveway define the property and showcase more colorful succulents. A beautiful gray house paint color and ipe accents complete the remodel. Drawings, Design and Photos © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design SEE PHOTOS AFTER 2 YEARS.

Hazlewood

Green Care Project

An urban oasis blends indoor and outdoor living, grounded within a diverse landscape. In this inner-city home, we sought to defy the boundaries of the urban context, using landscape at every opportunity to cultivate a sense of privacy, seclusion, and comfort for our clients. At every point of the site, greenery interacts with the house - vines climbing columns, groundcovers cascading over walls, the dense foliage of screening trees brushing through battens - to soften architectural lines and blur the connection of indoor and outdoor spaces. The immersion is enhanced with intimate tactile interactions, the textural contrast of smooth stepping stone pathways, soft foliage, and pebbles. Integrated seating invites rest within the greenery, under the filtered sunlight. Stepping through the gardens we experience a shift from a sunny coastal heath to a deep layered subtropical alcove. This shift in palette is responsive to the microclimatic conditions of the site, and further complements the architectural transition from public to private spaces.

Pavers In Front Yard

Big Rock Landscaping

These contemporary pavers in the front yard are a perfect walkway to the front door.
Inspiration for a contemporary front yard garden in Salt Lake City with with path and concrete pavers.

Beach House

Sodder Studio

Inspiration for a contemporary front yard garden in Los Angeles with concrete pavers.

Walkways and Garden Paths

Cherrywood Landscaping

This is an example of a contemporary front yard xeriscape in San Francisco.

High Desert Fade Residence

Andrew Goodwin Designs

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary front yard garden in San Luis Obispo with a fire feature.

Un chalet para confinarse

INteriors by Alicia Clariana

Jardin moderno con 2 zonas verdes delimitadas separadas por la piscina: camino hasta el jardín trasero
Inspiration for a large contemporary front yard partial sun garden in Madrid with with path and river rock.

Allergic to Bees Detail

Winston Fayer Landscape Design

The backyard was small and uninviting until we transformed it into a comfortable and functional area for entertaining. The front yard was leveled and converted into a play area for two small children and two large dogs. The client is very allergic to bees, so plants were selected with great care.

Dramatic Streetscape Planting

Eden Garden Design

Striking Texas native botanical design with local river rock top dressing. Photographer: Greg Thomas, http://optphotography.com/

Surrey

Ed Oddy Garden Design

Photo of a large contemporary front yard driveway in London.

Caladium

AquaTerra Outdoors

Large contemporary front yard garden in Dallas with with path and concrete pavers.

Berkeley Slope Transformed

Sarah Herman Landscape Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary front yard partial sun xeriscape for summer in San Francisco with decking and a wood fence.

Renovation Sensation Homes Tour

Smith Brothers Lawn & Tree

Contemporary front yard full sun formal garden in Kansas City.

Designer Drainage Dare

Prestige Landscaping

This picture shows the usefulness of Outdoor Lighting. It both beautifies and is a practical addition to any landscape for security and safety.
Inspiration for a small contemporary front yard driveway in Charleston with a retaining wall.

Contemporary Front Yard Garden Design Ideas

Get Inspired by Contemporary Gardens on Houzz

A lot of the time when you get home from a long day at work, all you want to do is wind down. Where better to do this than in your very own contemporary garden at home? If you do it right, a great garden design can send you right into holiday mode. But where to start? There’s so many styles to choose from when it comes to garden design. Whether you want to create a tropical, modern, contemporary, beach style or country garden - or something else entirely - the large garden image gallery on Houzz has got you covered. Get inspired and collect your ideas to narrow down your desired garden style and features.

How to Create a Contemporary Garden for Your Home

Depending on which style you’re going for, be sure to know what makes a contemporary garden and if it’s appropriate for your climate. You may want to consider adding a deck or other landscaping features, but the plants you choose will mostly dictate your style and what kind of ongoing maintenance is required. Don’t worry if your backyard isn’t very spacious - there are many plants that can thrive even in a small space and allow you to turn your space into a little paradise of your own, regardless of size.

Decide which plants to use

The greenery you choose is critical to your look. For example, if you’re trying to create a tropical garden palm trees and bamboo are your go-to options. Other popular options are golden cane palm trees and fern for ground cover. From there you can add some colour with bright flowers like frangipani, hibiscus or bromeliads. All these are actually quite hardy plants, so once established, your tropical garden is actually quite easy to maintain. Use this structure and apply it to your style. Research which plants you need to set your base for a contemporary garden and go from there.

Add some decor

If the plants don’t quite do it for you yet, or if you want to add some extra wow-factor, consider adding some extra features. Even if you can’t accommodate a swimming pool, hot tub or pond, you could look at smaller water features. Simple rocks can also have a great effect, while statues and gnomes will add some extra character. Don’t forget to add some furniture so you have a nice place to sit and enjoy your garden!

Need some help?

Once you know what you want your garden to look like, it may be hard to make it a reality on your own. If that is the case for you, consider consulting a professional to help you with your contemporary garden design. Every photo you find on Houzz will lead you to the local pro that did the job, so you won’t have a problem picking the perfect person to help! Whether you need a gardener in Brisbane, a landscape architect in Melbourne or a fireplace installer in Sydney, you can be sure to find one on Houzz.