Contemporary garden in Brisbane.

Templestowe

LBB Projects

Contemporary garden in Melbourne.

Brighton Residence 1

George Marks Design

Design ideas for a contemporary garden in Melbourne.

Find the right local pro for your project

Find top design and renovation professionals on Houzz

Contemporary Garden

Inspiration for a contemporary partial sun garden in Melbourne.

Contemporary Fountain w/ Cobble

Conscious Environments Inc.

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.

Hampstead Small Garden

Peter Reader Landscapes

A close up view of the semi-formal bed.
This is an example of a small contemporary backyard partial sun garden in London.

Very private backyard enclave

Morgan Howarth Photography

Very private backyard enclave waterfall with fire pit and screened in patio
Contemporary backyard partial sun formal garden in DC Metro with with waterfall and natural stone pavers for summer.

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Seattle Cozy Patio

SCJ Studio Landscape Architecture

In Seattle's Fremont neighborhood SCJ Studio designed a new landscape to surround and set off a contemporary home by Coates Design Architects. The narrow spaces around the tall home needed structure and organization, and a thoughtful approach to layout and space programming. A concrete patio was installed with a Paloform Bento gas fire feature surrounded by lush, northwest planting. A horizontal board cedar fence provides privacy from the street and creates the cozy feeling of an outdoor room among the trees. LED low-voltage lighting by Kichler Lighting adds night-time warmth . Photography by: Miranda Estes Photography

Mountain View Contemporary

Skyline design studio

Inspiration for a contemporary side yard garden in San Francisco.

Planters

BLUE Renovation & Landscape

Design ideas for a contemporary backyard garden in Austin with a container garden.

Belsize Gardens Projects

Belsize Gardens

Design ideas for a contemporary garden in Other.

Lincoln Park Herb Wall

Brent Riechers Landscape (BRL LANDesign)

Brent A. Riechers
Inspiration for a small contemporary rooftop full sun garden in Chicago with a vegetable garden.

Landscape Design

WINN Design+Build

This is an example of a large contemporary backyard full sun garden for summer in DC Metro with with path and natural stone pavers.

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.