Photo of a mid-sized traditional backyard full sun formal garden in Grand Rapids with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

Traditional Garden

Landscaping Solutions

Inspiration for a small traditional backyard shaded formal garden in London with natural stone pavers and with raised garden bed.

Gates & Fences

Monarch Gardens, Inc.

Inspiration for a large transitional backyard full sun formal garden in San Francisco with a vegetable garden and gravel.

Gamble Garden Spring Tour 2014: Webster

Hoi Ning Wong

Hoi Ning Wong
This is an example of a traditional full sun formal garden in San Francisco.

Highgate Garden

London Garden Designer

The clients of this Highgate Garden contacted London Garden Designer in Dec 2011, after seeing some of my work in House and Garden Magazine. They had recently moved into the house and were keen to have the garden ready for summer. The brief was fairly open, although one specific request was for a Garden Lodge to be used as a Gym and art room. This was something that would require planning permission so I set this in motion whilst I got on with designing the rest of the garden. The ground floor of the house opened out onto a deck that was one metre from the lawn level, and felt quite exposed to the surrounding neighbours. The garden also sloped across its width by about 1.5 m, so I needed to incorporate this into the design.

Raised Bed Vegetable Garden

Casa Smith Designs, LLC

This veggie bed is accessible from every angle and easy on the back - everything grows right in front of you...no bending over required. Photo Credit: Mark Pinkerton

Japanese Garden in Manhattan

New Eco Landscapes

Japanese courtyard garden in NYC. This garden was built in a dark courtyard on top of a roof. All plants are real and had to be planted within the mounds.

Frame For A Garden

Garden Structures & More

P.S. In the photos at the beginning of this tour you will not see this fountain it was added later.
This is an example of a small asian side yard partial sun formal garden for summer in Minneapolis with a water feature and gravel.

Landform Consultants - Project Value £35,000 - £60,000 - Winner

The Association of Professional Landscapers

Inspiration for a small contemporary backyard full sun formal garden for summer in Berkshire with decking.

Modern Landscape

Design ideas for a small modern backyard partial sun garden in Denver with natural stone pavers and a water feature.

Traditional downtown front yard landscape

Executive Landscape

Traditional front yard formal garden in Detroit.

Union Street

ballonSTUDIO interiors & remodeling

Our San Francisco studio designed this beautiful four-story home for a young newlywed couple to create a warm, welcoming haven for entertaining family and friends. In the living spaces, we chose a beautiful neutral palette with light beige and added comfortable furnishings in soft materials. The kitchen is designed to look elegant and functional, and the breakfast nook with beautiful rust-toned chairs adds a pop of fun, breaking the neutrality of the space. In the game room, we added a gorgeous fireplace which creates a stunning focal point, and the elegant furniture provides a classy appeal. On the second floor, we went with elegant, sophisticated decor for the couple's bedroom and a charming, playful vibe in the baby's room. The third floor has a sky lounge and wine bar, where hospitality-grade, stylish furniture provides the perfect ambiance to host a fun party night with friends. In the basement, we designed a stunning wine cellar with glass walls and concealed lights which create a beautiful aura in the space. The outdoor garden got a putting green making it a fun space to share with friends. --- Project designed by ballonSTUDIO. They discreetly tend to the interior design needs of their high-net-worth individuals in the greater Bay Area and to their second home locations. For more about ballonSTUDIO, see here: https://www.ballonstudio.com/

Flagstone Front Walkway in Herringbone Pattern

THE KING'S MASONS

Flagstone Front Walkway in Herringbone Pattern
Photo of a small traditional front yard partial sun formal garden in DC Metro with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

Cedar Cold Frame w/Temperature Sensitive Piston

Homefront Farmers

Cold frames are a terrific way to extend the growing season on both ends; serving as mini-greenhouses they allow your garden to keep producing in cold weather months when growing would otherwise be impossible. These beautiful, locally made cedar cold frames measure 24″x 44″ and slope from 5″ in front to 24″ in back (custom built sizes are also available). A temperature sensitive piston automatically opens and closes the lid as-need to create a perfect climate for your plants.

debora carl landscape design

A once forgotten side yard turns into a charming gravel garden Martin Residence Cardiff by the Sea, Ca
Small mediterranean side yard formal garden in San Diego.

Contemporary Townhouse Garden

Plantology Ltd

Contemporary townhouse wildlife garden, with meandering gravel paths through dynamic herbaceous planting with corten water features.
Mid-sized contemporary backyard full sun formal garden in West Midlands with with flowerbed and river rock.

G A R D E N - Pacific Northwest

Lore Patterson

Island Garden Designed by : Bliss Garden Design
Design ideas for a modern shaded formal garden in Seattle.

Southfields Garden

Tom Howard Garden Design and Landscaping

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

A Split Level Garden

Kate Gould Gardens

Copyright of Nicola Stocken
This is an example of a large tropical backyard formal garden in Hertfordshire with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Townhouse garden

Neil Jones Design

Using a refined palette of quality materials set within a striking and elegant design, the space provides a restful and sophisticated urban garden for a professional couple to be enjoyed both in the daytime and after dark. The use of corten is complimented by the bold treatment of black in the decking, bespoke screen and pergola.

Formal Garden Design Ideas

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.