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

Skagit Valley Farmstead, Mt Vernon WA

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

Sitting in the garden. Photography by Ian Gleadle.
Design ideas for an eclectic garden in Seattle.

Southwestern Landscape

This is an example of a xeriscape in San Diego.

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The Camberwell House

Fraher & Findlay Architects Ltd

Garden in London.

Western Exposure

TLC Gardens

David Winger
Large modern front yard full sun formal garden in Denver with concrete pavers and with rock feature for summer.

Lafayette 2

Envision Landscape Studio

Photo of a large modern sloped full sun xeriscape in San Francisco with a retaining wall and gravel.

Lytle Road, Bainbridge Island - Shaded Creek

Bliss Garden Design, LLC

Bliss Garden Design
Design ideas for a contemporary backyard shaded garden in Seattle with gravel.

Coastal Knoll - Hingham, MA

Sean Papich Landscape Architecture

Photography by Sean Papich and Monty & Nan Abbott
This is an example of a beach style garden in Boston with natural stone pavers.

An East Bay Garden

Simmonds & Associates, Inc.

This property has a wonderful juxtaposition of modern and traditional elements, which are unified by a natural planting scheme. Although the house is traditional, the client desired some contemporary elements, enabling us to introduce rusted steel fences and arbors, black granite for the barbeque counter, and black African slate for the main terrace. An existing brick retaining wall was saved and forms the backdrop for a long fountain with two stone water sources. Almost an acre in size, the property has several destinations. A winding set of steps takes the visitor up the hill to a redwood hot tub, set in a deck amongst walls and stone pillars, overlooking the property. Another winding path takes the visitor to the arbor at the end of the property, furnished with Emu chaises, with relaxing views back to the house, and easy access to the adjacent vegetable garden. Photos: Simmonds & Associates, Inc.

Planting Beds

NatureWorks Landscape Services, Inc.

Photo of a traditional backyard full sun garden for summer in Boston with with flowerbed.

Elegant Simplicity

Land Plus Associates, Ltd

Inspiration for a garden in Atlanta.

Modern Backyard Oasis in Moorestown, New Jersey

Techo-Bloc

This backyard landscape design is inspired by our Blu Grande Smooth patio slab. Perfect paving slab for modern poolsides and backyard design, Blu Grande Smooth is a large concrete patio stone available in multiple colors. It's smooth texture is sleek to the eye but rougher to the touch which avoids it from getting slippery when wet. The large rectangular shape works as an easy add-on into Blu 60 regular modular patterns but can also work as a stand-alone to create a very linear look. Check out the HD2 Blu Grande Smooth which is all about seamless looks with a tighter/poreless texture and anti-aging technology. Check out our website to shop the look! https://www.techo-bloc.com/shop/slabs/blu-grande-smooth/

LONDON Hammersmith Grove

Cityscapers

Nigel Gomme
Photo of a contemporary garden in London.

Romantic Tarrytown Terrace

Westover Landscape Design

Often, less is more. Take this landscape design composed of climbing roses, hydrangeas, and lilies surrounding a bluestone terrace. This small, suburban garden feels both expansive and intimate. Japanese forest grass softens the edge of the terrace and adds just enough of a modern look to make the garden’s owners, urban transplants, happy. “My husband and I were looking for an outdoor space that had a secret-garden feeling,” says homeowner Anne Lillis-Ruth. “We’ve had fun adding furniture, antique planters, and a stone fountain to [landscape designer] Robert Welsch’s beautiful landscape. The white and green plantings provide the perfect backdrop to my collection of colorful table linens, glassware, and china. We love our garden!” Dean Fisher loved it, too. “The setting is so lovely and relaxed. It evokes the south of France, with its intimate scale and the integration of house and patio through the use of the vines and other plantings.”

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.

A Country Place

Milieu Landscaping

Traditional garden in Chicago with natural stone pavers.

Bayside Project

C.O.S Design

Our latest project combines a modern resort style with contemporary hard structures that deal with the sites steep topography. Incorporating the pool as part of the retaining has helped create a stunning landscape to live within. Steve Taylor

Contemporary Landscape

Janice Parker Landscape Architects

A stepping stone path with grass joints lead to the lower fire pit circle. Photo credit: Neil Landino
Mid-sized contemporary backyard full sun garden in New York with a fire feature and gravel for summer.

Haslemere Garden

Rebecca Smith Garden Design

A mown path through bluebells and trees lures on a sunny day.
Design ideas for a large traditional backyard partial sun garden in Dorset with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

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.

Hill Place House, Nashville Tennessee

C Kevin Coffey Dwellings | Design

Photo by Leslie Brown Landscape Architecture by Duke Design Group
This is an example of a garden in Nashville.