A country garden for a Willis Polk classic in Atherton

This is the old tennis court reconfigured as a French country garden.A French limestone carved fountain is centered within the new garden space. The sound of falling water follows down the decomposed granite paths through a series of rose arbors from Walpole Woodworkers.

Landscaping Highlights

Sisson Landscapes

Framing a contemporary fountain with a boxwood parterre.
Photo of a large traditional front yard full sun formal garden in DC Metro with a garden path and gravel.

Fencing and Gates

Prodigy Design

Los Felize Entry Gate with an Asian twist!
Photo of a large asian front yard partial sun formal garden in Los Angeles with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

The Baystone Custom Home

Alvarez Homes

Photography by Jorge Alvarez.
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary side yard partial sun formal garden for summer in Tampa with a garden path.

Completed Projects

Peninsula Building Materials

Interlocking Paver pathway photo courtesy of Calstone
Photo of a large traditional backyard partial sun formal garden in San Francisco with a garden path and brick pavers.

Mill Valley- Loft meets Ranch

Integrated Design Studio, Inc.

photo credit: Bob Morris
This is an example of a large contemporary front yard partial sun formal garden in San Francisco with a garden path and concrete pavers.

Garden

Warren Claytor Architects, Inc.

With the inspiration of a charming old stone farm house Warren Claytor Architects, designed the new detached garage as well as the addition and renovations to this home. It included a new kitchen, new outdoor terrace, new sitting and dining space breakfast room, mudroom, master bathroom, endless details and many recycled materials including wood beams, flooring, hinges and antique brick. Photo Credit: John Chew

Frame For A Garden

Garden Structures & More

I am very proud of the total outcome of this project.
This is an example of a mid-sized asian side yard partial sun formal garden for spring in Minneapolis with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

Edinburg Residence

MMD Construction

Mid-sized contemporary backyard partial sun formal garden in Other with a garden path and concrete pavers for summer.

Malvern, PA

Fine Garden Creations

Elizabeth Haegele
Large traditional backyard shaded formal garden in Philadelphia with a garden path and natural stone pavers for summer.

Curb Appeal

Crescent Hill Home Staging & Design LLC

Inspiration for a small transitional side yard full sun formal garden in Other with a garden path.

Laurelhurst Modern Garden

Northwest Native Landscapes LLC

Dramatic plant textures, modern hardscaping and sharp angles enhanced this mid-century modern bungalow. Soft plants were chosen to contrast with the sharp angles of the pathways and hard edges of the MCM home, while providing all-season interest. Horizontal privacy screens wrap the front porch and create intimate garden spaces – some visible only from the street and some visible only from inside the home. The front yard is relatively small in size, but full of colorful texture.

Valley Club Mid-Century

DD Ford Construction

Jim Bartsch Photography
Large midcentury backyard full sun formal garden in Santa Barbara with a garden path and concrete pavers.

Modern Urban Warmth, Capitol Hill

SCJ Studio Landscape Architecture

Our client built a striking new home on the east slope of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. To complement the clean lines of the facade we designed a simple, elegant landscape that sets off the home rather than competing with the bold architecture. Soft grasses offer contrast to the natural stone veneer, perennials brighten the mood, and planters add a bit of whimsy to the arrival sequence. On either side of the main entry, roof runoff is dramatically routed down the face of the home in steel troughs to biofilter planters faced in stone. Around the back of the home, a small “leftover” space was transformed into a cozy patio terrace with bluestone slabs and crushed granite underfoot. A view down into, or across the back patio area provides a serene foreground to the beautiful views to Lake Washington beyond. Collaborating with Thielsen Architects provided the owners with a sold design team--working together with one voice to build their dream home. Photography by Miranda Estes

Richards Residence

Foch Family Landscape Architecture

This landscape of this transitional dwelling aims to compliment the architecture while providing an outdoor space for high end living and entertainment. The outdoor kitchen, hot tub, tiered gardens, living and dining areas as well as a formal lawn provide ample space for enjoyment year round. Photographs courtesy of The Richards Group.

Scandinavian Farmhouse

Amy Martin Landscape Design

www.jfaynovakphotography.com
Large scandinavian side yard partial sun formal garden in Boston with a garden path and concrete pavers for fall.

Patios and Landscapes

Ryback Landscaping LLC.

Mid-sized traditional front yard full sun formal garden in New York with a garden path and concrete pavers for spring.

Rancho Santa Fe, Parterre Gardens

Jesse York, Landscape Designer

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.

Formal Front Entrance Project – Vineland

LandArt

Slate grey Banas flagstone walkway laid in herringbone pattern, decorative brick pillars, Flamboro dark armourstone placements, and gardens.
Photo of a mid-sized traditional front yard full sun formal garden in Toronto with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

Beckenham Place Park

Farlam & Chandler

Harriet Farlam
Large contemporary backyard full sun formal garden in London with a garden path and natural stone pavers for summer.

Formal Garden Design Ideas with a Garden Path

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.