This award-winning design epitomizes luxury and formal Italian garden elegance, with natural decomposed granite walkways leading through meticulously arranged parterre gardens. Adhering to a sophisticated white, purple, and green color palette, these gardens bloom with carefully selected roses, irises, and geraniums. Celebrated annually on upscale garden tours, this project has become a beacon of design excellence, capturing the traditional Italian style with unparalleled sophistication.

Atherton Complex

Blue Sierra Landscape Construction

New landscape remodel, include concrete, lighting, outdoor living space and drought resistant planting.
Photo of an expansive modern backyard full sun xeriscape for spring in San Francisco with a fire feature, decomposed granite and a wood fence.

Hillsborough Estate Garden

Kristen Rudger Landscape Design

Design ideas for an expansive backyard full sun xeriscape in San Francisco with decomposed granite.

Del Mar, CA

Dagos landscaping

One of our many project we execute through out the years.
This is an example of an expansive tropical backyard full sun xeriscape for summer in San Diego with with rock feature, decomposed granite and a wood fence.

Salt Lake City Landscapes

Second Nature Landscapes

Scott Poderick
Design ideas for an expansive contemporary front yard partial sun garden for summer in Salt Lake City with decomposed granite.

Country Hill

User

Pathway connecting driveway to backyard surrounded by drought tolerant shrubs and grasses
This is an example of an expansive country side yard full sun xeriscape in Portland with a garden path and decomposed granite.

Rock-Filled Rain Garden

FormLA Landscaping

This expansive, rock and riparian native-filled rain garden (aka bioswale) will drain quickly, refueling Sierra Madre's water independence.
This is an example of an expansive traditional courtyard shaded xeriscape for winter in Los Angeles with a garden path and decomposed granite.

Grace Design Associates

Margie Grace - Grace Design Associates

Lovely built dream home on a bluff overlooking the spectacular Santa Barbara coastline. Distinctly different gardens reading as a harmonious whole-was our mission! The owners had defined ten distinctly different gardens to be installed across the almost three-acre site. How were these to be woven together into a cohesive whole, which in turn would compliment the Italianate façade of the 10,000 square foot house? The gardens rendered as a string of pearls -- Each of the ten gardens was separately designed to be its own special jewel. And yet, when viewed from afar or from the grand terrace above, several of the gardens and numerous garden elements are "Linked Together as a String of Pearls" -- the White Garden, the Christmas Tree (a large deodar underplanted with white foliaged "snow"), the Theater Garden, the Perennial Border (mandated by the coastal commission to protect the bluff top from failing), the Koi pond, the Queen's Garden, the Pergola and the Herb Garden all flow in a loose chain around the perimeter of a central back lawn. This design concept drove many of the other design decisions and specific design techniques. ** Builder of the Year: Best Landscape and Hardscape, Santa Barbara Contractors Association

Bohemian Canyon House

Studio Connate

Design ideas for an expansive and desert look eclectic backyard full sun garden in Los Angeles with decomposed granite.

Hillsborough Estate Garden

Kristen Rudger Landscape Design

Design ideas for an expansive backyard full sun xeriscape in San Francisco with decomposed granite.

Enumclaw Residence

Lifestyle Landscapes, Inc

Gravel garden path going under the arbor planted with wisteria.
This is an example of an expansive country backyard full sun garden in Seattle with a garden path and decomposed granite.

Rancho Santa Fe, Parterre Gardens

Jesse York, Landscape Designer

Vibrant, Heat and Drought Tolerant Foliage

FormLA Landscaping

The garden's native plants retained their vibrant colors and textures through the water-restricted summer of 2022. The sturdy and resilient foliage featured here includes (California native) Oregon Grape, Deer Grass, Juncus Patens, Hummingbird Sage, Dwarf Coyote Bush, and Santa Cruz Island Buckwheat.

Atherton Complex

Blue Sierra Landscape Construction

New landscape remodel, include concrete, lighting, outdoor living space and drought resistant planting.
Inspiration for an expansive modern backyard full sun xeriscape for spring in San Francisco with a fire feature, decomposed granite and a wood fence.

Danville Backyard

Susan Friedman Landscape Architecture

Drystack Calistoga retaining walls with built-in slab seating, and California Gold D.G. hillside pathways. Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' performing well into August. Photo credits: Tom Minczeski

Rancho Santa Fe, Parterre Gardens

Jesse York, Landscape Designer

Newport Coast Mansion

SoCal Contractor

Interior Design By LoriDennis.com
Photo of an expansive traditional backyard full sun outdoor sport court in Los Angeles with decomposed granite.

Hillsborough Estate Garden

Kristen Rudger Landscape Design

Expansive backyard partial sun xeriscape in San Francisco with decomposed granite.

Tuggle Residence : Sawgrass Country Club

Serenoa Landscape Design

Inspiration for an expansive modern backyard full sun xeriscape for spring in Jacksonville with with flowerbed, decomposed granite and a metal fence.

Unique rock Veggie Boxes

JLM Construction

Veggie boxes shown aren't usually made of stone, but as this is a rustic/contemporary styled project, it works perfectly! Showing: *Elevated planters made of the same stone used for the garden walls used on throughout the property. *Decomposed Granite (DG) path for access to all the planter boxes in the area. *All the planters are irrigated on their own system, through drip.

Expansive Garden Design Ideas with Decomposed Granite

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.