Cape Cod Inn with New England Stone Cladding, Retaining Walls, and Water Feature

Cape Cod is a vacation hot spot due not only to its vicinity to amazing beaches and seafood, but also because of its historic seaside charm. The Winstead Inn & Beach Resort located in Harwich, MA, is the perfect place to enjoy everything Cape Cod has to offer. If you are lucky enough to stay in the "Commodore's Quarters" prepare to be greeted with the soothing sounds of moving water and the rich textures of historic natural stone. This charming getaway reminds you of years past with STONEYARD® Boston Blend™ Mosaic, a local natural stone that was used as cladding, on retaining walls, stair risers, and in a water feature. Corner stones were used around the top of the retaining walls and water feature to maintain the look and feel of full thickness stones. Visit www.stoneyard.com/winstead for more photos, info, and video!

Clovelly

Harrison's Landscaping

Courtyard style garden with exposed concrete and timber cabana. The swimming pool is tiled with a white sandstone, This courtyard garden design shows off a great mixture of materials and plant species. Courtyard gardens are one of our specialties. This Garden was designed by Michael Cooke Garden Design. Effective courtyard garden is about keeping the design of the courtyard simple. Small courtyard gardens such as this coastal garden in Clovelly are about keeping the design simple. The swimming pool is tiled internally with a really dark mosaic tile which contrasts nicely with the sandstone coping around the pool. The cabana is a cool mixture of free form concrete, Spotted Gum vertical slats and a lined ceiling roof. The flooring is also Spotted Gum to tie in with the slats. Photos by Natalie Hunfalvay

Olde Maine

Amy Martin Landscape Design

Location: Cohasset, MA, USA When my clients purchased this historic house, they saw that this garden held great potential, even though the property had been somewhat neglected. They wanted the new landscape to evoke the feeling of an Olde Maine house that time had forgotten. Sitting on the front veranda in the shade of the treasured Horse Chestnut and Maple trees that flank each side of the house, we explored the possibilities together. The front yard sloped a bit too much for comfort, so we determined that building a stone wall in the middle would create a terrace, making both parts of the lawn more usable. Visions of parties and children's weddings came to mind. We put a set of elegant arching steps in the middle, leading down to the sunken garden. Large, mature Rhododendrons were planted at the base of the Horse Chestnut and Maple trees just off the front veranda. Boxwoods undulate beneath the trees with Vinca as a ground cover. Ticonderoga stone was used for the walls and steps, which was the closest match to the existing stone foundation. The exquisite masonry by Doug Brooks Masonry makes this staircase as elegant as a tiered wedding cake.

Beautiful Gardens

Elise Landscapes & Nursery, LLC

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional courtyard garden in New York with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Hummingbird House

Stonecreek Building Company, Inc.

Timmerman Photography Sculpture by Mayme Kratz This is a home we initially built in 1995 and after it sold in 2014 we were commissioned to come back and remodel the interior of the home. We worked with internationally renowned architect Will Bruder on the initial design on the home. The goal of home was to build a modern hillside home which made the most of the vista upon which it sat. A few ways we were able to achieve this were the unique, floor-to-ceiling glass windows on the side of the property overlooking Scottsdale, a private courtyard off the master bedroom and bathroom, and a custom commissioned sculpture Mayme Kratz. Stonecreek's particular role in the project were to work alongside both the clients and the architect to make sure we were able to perfectly execute on the vision and design of the project. A very unique component of this house is how truly custom every feature is, all the way from the window systems and the bathtubs all the way down to the door handles and other features.

GREYDON™ SHORE

ORIJIN STONE, LLC

This landscape design seamlessly blends architecture with the land while reflecting the grey waters of Lake Minnetonka. Featuring ORIJIN STONE's exclusive Greydon™ Sandstone Paving, Alder™ Limestone Wall Stone & Veneer and our Hudson™ Sandstone Wall Caps. DESIGN & INSTALL: Yardscapes, Inc. ARCHITECT & BUILDER: Charlie & Co. PHOTOGRAPHY: Landmark Photography

Marrying Elegant Design & Sustainability

Julie Moir Messervy Design Studio (JMMDS)

Featured in Feb/Mar 2013 issue of Organic Gardening Magazine, this Boston-area courtyard functions as an entryway, parking space, driveway turnaround, and outdoor room. New York bluestone planks set into a sea of pea gravel can bear the weight of vehicles while allowing rainwater to permeate the ground, preventing run-off. Curving 7-foot-high green walls of shade-loving native plants create privacy and beauty, while native birch trees (Betula papyrifera) in the entry planters provide a handsome complement to the four-story Silver LEED-certified house by Wolf Architects, Inc. Landscape Architect: Julie Moir Messervy Design Studio Landscape contractor: Robert Hanss, Inc. Green wall: g_space Photographed by Susan Teare for Organic Gardening Magazine.

Topanga Retreat

Campion Walker Landscapes

In this extensive landscape transformation, Campion Walker took a secluded house nestled above a running stream and turned it into a multi layered masterpiece with five distinct ecological zones. Using an established oak grove as a starting point, the team at Campion Walker sculpted the hillsides into a magnificent wonderland of color, scent and texture. Natural stone, copper, steel, river rock and sustainable Ipe hardwood work in concert with a dynamic mix of California natives, drought tolerant grasses and Mediterranean plants to create a truly breathtaking masterpiece where every detail has been considered, crafted, and reimagined.

Moraga Country Club Small Frontyard

Garden Lights Landscape and Pool Development Inc.

Steve Lambert,Winner Beautification Award for Small Landscape Design - Build Small Country-club Project, with courtyard deck, low maintenance, Bitter root walls,

Courtyard Garden

Karen O'Keeffe Garden Design

Karen O'Keeffe
Design ideas for a small contemporary courtyard partial sun garden for summer in Manchester with a retaining wall and decking.

Contemporary Landscape

Design ideas for a small contemporary courtyard garden in Other with a retaining wall and decking.

Садовое кресло Адирондак XL (Adirondack Chair XL)

HANDCRAFTED ADIRONDACK FURNITURE

Садовые кресла Адирондак XL, производство мастерской HANDCRAFTED ADIRONDACK FURNITURE Автор ландшафтного дизайна Светлана Чижова
Photo of a small contemporary courtyard full sun formal garden for summer in Moscow with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Residential Projects

LandZen Landscape Design & Construction

This is an example of a mid-sized arts and crafts courtyard partial sun formal garden in Other with concrete pavers and a retaining wall.

Retaining wall and paver patio on the beach

Yardworks, Inc.

Sound front property in need of an updated retaining wall system, patios and stairs down to the dock
Inspiration for an expansive beach style courtyard partial sun garden for winter in Other with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Recent Landscape Projects

Brier Hill Architectural Landscape and Design

Design and Construction by Brier Hill Architectural Landscape
Traditional courtyard garden in Detroit with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers for summer.

Chestnut Hill Residence

CBA Landscape Architects, LLC

Stone steps lead up to the pool and hot tub
Inspiration for a large traditional courtyard partial sun garden in Boston with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Ein Einklang von Farben und Stil - Der mediterrane Eingangsbereich.

Rinn Beton- und Naturstein

Bayfield Mauer rustica Beige-Braun. • Stützmauersystem für höhere Ansprüche, zur Befestigung von Geländesprüngen, Hängen und Böschungen • Natürliche Optik mit gebrochenen Kanten und bossierten Sichtseiten • Patentierter Haltesteg • Konische Form, einfache Gestaltung von Innen- und Außenradien • 90°-Ecken möglich • Mauerneigung ca. 11°

Installing a Grey Concrete Driveway in Del Mar

Landscape Logic

Landscape Logic is installing an entire driveway of natural grey concrete with an etch finish. All of this was designed by Tony Vitale.
Mid-sized beach style courtyard full sun formal garden in San Diego with a retaining wall, concrete pavers and a wood fence for summer.

Red Twig Farms

McCullough's Landscape & Nursery

Modern courtyard garden in Columbus with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Balmain

On Common Ground Landscapes

Gavin Muir
Photo of a mid-sized modern courtyard partial sun formal garden for spring in Sydney with a retaining wall and decking.

Courtyard Garden Design Ideas with a Retaining Wall

Get Inspired by 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 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 Garden for Your Home

Depending on which style you’re going for, be sure to know what makes a 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 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 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.