Small outdoor room with a green wall in Kensington

Pro Colour Photography
Small contemporary backyard partial sun garden in London with a vertical garden and natural stone pavers for summer.

Dining in style

greencube garden and landscape design

Outdoor kitchen, vertical living art panels and sunken garden. This small rear garden won a prestigious national award from the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI). We have used sustainable Larch cladding on the retaining walls, a combination of granite plank paving and decking, softened with a mixed palette of shrubs, grasses and perenials to create a multi-purpose family garden used for cooking, entertaining and play.

Stillwater Residential Landscape Project

User

This landscape project includes a "Living Wall." Metal framework planted with a variety of grassy vegetation and succulents .Steve Silverman Imaging. Design by: Mom's Landscaping

Wooten Backyard Living

Native Edge Landscape

These homeowners were looking to up their hosting game by modernizing their property to create the ultimate entertainment space. A custom outdoor kitchen was added with a top of the line Delta Heat grill and a special nook for a Big Green Egg. Flagstone was added to create asymmetrical walkways throughout the yard that extended into a ring around the fire pit. Four rectangular trellises were added along the fence and shed, with an all metal pergola located at the back of the pool. This unique structure immediately draws the eye and adds a playful, artistic element to the rest of the space. The use of various sized rocks, gravel, and flagstone give a rough texture that creates a symbiosis with the metalwork. Silver Falls Dichondra creates a beautiful contrast to the rocks and can be found all over the property along with various other grasses, ferns, and agave. A large area of gravel rests on the side of the house, giving the client room to park a recreational vehicle. In front, a privacy fence was added along one of the property lines, leading into a drought resistant, eco-friendly section of yard. This fence, coupled with a giant boulder, doubles as a safety precaution in case drivers miss the turn and run into their lawn. This updated landscaping adds an effortless flow for guests to move from the front yard to the back while creating a very open, welcoming feel to all who enter.

A Stunning Front Entry

Eden Garden Design

Custom steel pergola in pea gravel entry courtyard. Photographer: Greg Thomas, http://optphotography.com/

Love-on-the-Rocks

Rusnak Gallant Ltd.

Rockery staircase stamped concrete patio in foreground. Mixed tree shrub and perennial plantings for seasonal interest. Photos by Josh Leslie
This is an example of a small contemporary sloped partial sun garden for summer in Vancouver with a vertical garden and natural stone pavers.

Beach Contemporary

Living Gardens Landscape Design

Beach contemporary design featuring custom succulent wall planters, drought tolerant plants, permeable paving, fruit trees and outdoor rooms
Mid-sized contemporary backyard partial sun garden in Orange County with brick pavers and a vertical garden.

Star Jasmine Vine

Eden Garden Design

Fragrant, spring-blooming star jasmine vine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). Photographer: Greg Thomas, http://optphotography.com/

Fulham Garden 2

Tom Howard Garden Design and Landscaping

Mid-sized contemporary backyard full sun formal garden in London with a vertical garden and natural stone pavers for summer.

Wandle Road Garden

Vistafolia

Installation of a Vistafolia artificial green wall as part of a garden redesign project by Garden Builders.
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary backyard full sun garden in London with a vertical garden.

McKinnon Project

Boodle Concepts

Garden design & installation in McKinnon by Benjamin Carter from Boodle Concepts, Melbourne. Featuring vertical mesh trellis sections for Star Jasmine to cover, plus Pyrus 'Capital' pear trees to screen out the neighbours. Low maintenance gardening which includes programmed night lighting & automated irrigation. Set and forget!

Silo Drive Project

Blue Sky Agriscaping

Inspiration for a small contemporary side yard partial sun garden in Phoenix with a vertical garden and mulch.

Sichtschutz Manufaktur

Gärten von Heininger

Stefan Heininger
Photo of a small contemporary side yard partial sun formal garden for summer in Frankfurt with a vertical garden and natural stone pavers.

San Francisco Outdoor Living Spaces

Artisans Landscape Inc

San Francisco Bernal Heights landscape designed and installed by Artisans Landscape. This elegant backyard features a living wall, a stone patio, and a hot tub. For before pictures: www.artisanslandscape.com/beforeafter

gardencrest

debora carl landscape design

section of succulent living wall
This is an example of a contemporary garden in San Diego with a vertical garden.

Small outdoor room with a green wall in Kensington

The Garden Builders

Pro Colour Photography
Inspiration for a small contemporary backyard partial sun garden for summer in London with a vertical garden and natural stone pavers.

Contemporary Landscape Design for a Narrow Back Yard in Napa, CA

Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Napa, CA Residence. I designed a triangular-shaped pergola with decorative panels from "Parasoleil" that serves as an artful focal point while providing interesting shade patterns that cast a shadow along the fence and the built-in bench below it as the position of the sun changes throughout the day. I designed a contemporary redwood horizontal fence to also help screen the view of the hillside with arbors for vines and to break up the long narrow space. The landscape design includes angular planting beds, concrete pavers surrounded by gravel and a small lower-water lawn for the family to enjoy. Low-water plants, vines and olive trees are planted throughout the space. Drawings, Design and Photos © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Alexandria House

Angus Mackenzie Architect

Photo of a small and australian native contemporary front yard partial sun xeriscape for summer in Sydney with a vertical garden, natural stone pavers and a wood fence.

Wildlife Garden

Fenton Roberts Garden Design

Mid-sized contemporary backyard shaded garden in London with a vertical garden and natural stone pavers for summer.

Subiaco 3

Tim Davies Landscaping | Perth

GRAB Photography
Design ideas for a small contemporary backyard shaded formal garden for summer in Perth with a vertical garden and natural stone pavers.

Contemporary Garden Design Ideas with a Vertical Garden

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.