Photographer: Tom Crane Made of 300, 10-foot steel blades set upright 8 inches apart, the award winning Cor-Ten Cattails Sculptural fence was designed for a home in Berwyn, Pennsylvania as a yard sculpture that also keeps deer out. Made of COR-TEN, a steel alloy that eliminates the need for painting and maintains a rich, dark rust color without corroding, the fence stanchions were cut with a plasma cutter from sheets of the alloy. Each blade stands 8 feet above grade, set in concrete 3 feet below, weighs 80-90 pounds and is 5/8 inch thick. The profile of the blades is an irregular trapezoid with no horizontal connections or supports. Only the gate has two horizontal bars, and each leaf weighs 1200 pounds.

Backyard Bliss

Shambhala Landscapes

This classic San Francisco backyard was transformed into an inviting and usable outdoor living space. A few steps down lead to a lounging area, featuring drought-friendly and maintenance-free artificial grass as well as a cozy, custom-built natural gas fire pit surrounded by a Redwood bench. Redwood fencing, low-voltage LED landscape lighting, drip irrigation, planting and a water feature completed the space.

Glass Link

Remick Associates Architects + Master Builders

Paul Dyer
Photo of a contemporary garden in San Francisco with a retaining wall.

Contemporary Outdoor Living Cabinteely

LandArt

This garden showcases the amazing results you can achieve if you design your kitchen extension and garden together at the same time, especially if you will have large glass sliders looking at into the garden. This garden’s transformation started as bare bones block-wall & dilapidated fence. Designed for a young family in Cabinteely. The small footprint is tasked with serving multiple roles: from kids play areas to evening entertainment space, storage shed, privacy buffer to the surrounding houses as well as being the aesthetic backdrop to a new glass-wall extension. Bearing in mind the compact area the privacy screening is selected as slimline evergreen Espaliers along the back wall, effectively blocking out all onlooking windows to the rear. This drastically improves the privacy of not just the garden but also the client’s kitchen & family area. Living with kids through the Irish seasons means that the lawn is not just essential to keep in place for play but to also ensuring it is usable throughout the year. A space like this justifies the use of artificial lawn so come rain, hail or shine the garden is never off limits. To achieve multiple uses within the garden we have carefully set the size of the terrace. The terrace protrudes into the lawn just enough to feel generous without compromising the overall balance. By keeping the levels of the lawn & terrace flush with one another allows them be treated as one continuous surface. A limestone border draws the eyeline around the overall perimeter of this compact space. To ensure that the hard landscaping does not dominate we have foliage between each surface, slim flower beds in front of the shed & freestanding pots of luscious evergreens by the floor-to-ceiling windows. This ensures a lush view onto the garden throughout the year.

Plusen Landscape Architects

Photo by: Danielle Quigley Photography
Contemporary sloped garden in DC Metro with natural stone pavers.

debora carl landscape design

Inspiration for a contemporary full sun garden in San Diego with a metal fence.

Eleganter Stadtgarten

besgen Landschaftsarchitektur

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary side yard partial sun formal garden for summer in Bonn with with lawn edging, natural stone pavers and a metal fence.

The Lodge, Fulham Cemetery (Grand Designs)

Harry Holding Studio

Planting in the back garden for an innovative property in Fulham Cemetery - the house featured on Channel 4's Grand Designs in January 2021. The design had to enhance the relationship with the bold, contemporary architecture and open up a dialogue with the wild green space beyond its boundaries. Seen here in summer, the planting is a base of evergreen textures punctuated with long flowering perennials.

Back Garden Retreat

Kath Baggaley Garden Design

The gloriously soft burgundy grass on the right is pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'. The tree on the left is a Jacaranda which was planted as an advanced tree at around 2m tall and has filled out beautifully.

Sage-Scented Spa

FormLA Landscaping

A little splashing is a good thing here, as fragrant White Sage and delicate Lilac Verbena will enjoy the drink!
Inspiration for a large contemporary backyard partial sun xeriscape for spring in Los Angeles with with waterfall, concrete pavers and a stone fence.

Barnes Garden & Outdoor Kitchen

Olea Landscapes Ltd

cedar fencing, garden lighting, porcelain paving with bullnose steps. outdoor kitchen with granite worktop, cedar gate and bin store
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary backyard full sun garden for spring in London with a wood fence.

Hurlisano

Banyon Tree Design Studio

A super small side yard garden measures 30' long x 8'wide, and incorporates, a raised ipe deck, raised custom steel planters, paver patio, custom sliding gate, new fence, an inground fire feature, and grill. North facing next to a three-story condo

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.

JARDINES VERTICALES

NIZA JARDINERIA

Photo of a small contemporary full sun garden in Madrid with a vertical garden and concrete pavers.

Luxury penthouse on The Strand by Peek Architecture

Alex Maguire Photography

Alex Maguire
This is an example of a contemporary courtyard garden in London with a vertical garden.

Formal Structural Garden

Charlotte Rowe Garden Design

Charlotte Rowe Garden Design. View across water rill and 'cloud' planting of clipped Buxus sempevirens to lawn and petanques court planted with Amelanchier lamarckii trees and bordered at the end with pleached Hornbeam trees.

Lotus on Orange

Josh Wynne Construction

Ryan Gamma
Photo of a large contemporary courtyard full sun formal garden in Other with a water feature, concrete pavers and a wood fence.

Contemporary Eichler Backyard

Land Studio C

Inspiration for a contemporary garden in San Francisco with a vertical garden.

Lawn Area

Terra Ferma Landscapes

The upper lawn for the kids to play with a vegetable garden on the side
This is an example of a small contemporary backyard partial sun garden for summer in San Francisco with a vegetable garden, natural stone pavers and a wood fence.

Contemporary Key West

Craig Reynolds Landscape Architecture

Inspiration for a contemporary front yard garden in Miami.

All Fence Materials Contemporary 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.