Photo of a mid-sized contemporary side yard partial sun garden in Orange County with a container garden and concrete pavers.

Planters and Containers

Yard Art, Inc

These Round GFRC Planters are modern and sleek. Made of GFRC they are lightweight and quite durable.
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary front yard partial sun formal garden for fall in San Francisco with a container garden and concrete pavers.

Bowden House

Aralia: Innovation in Landscape Design

A courtyard garden in Cheshire. The garden features rendered walls with raised slatted cedar fencing, box balls, modern planting in a contemporary design, differing levels and climbers. The garden is used to relax and to entertain.

Browns Point Residence

Urban Oasis Design & Construction LLC

This new construction home was in need of a complete landscape design and installation. All details were considered to create intimate spaces as well as a sweeping backyard landscape to compliment the views from the home. The home sits on two lots which allowed it to be built at the desired size. The front yard includes a modern entry courtyard featuring bluestone, decorative gravel and granite sculpture - as well as decorative concrete planters. The backyard has several levels. The upper level is an expanse of lawn with hedging. The middle tier planting softens the poured concrete wall. A steep slope descends to the street below. The homeowners wanted to create access from parking below to the home above, so a series of pavers and granite risers was designed to create a comfortable pathway that also forms the focal point of the backyard. Ecoturf lawn was installed on the slope to minimize the need for water and mowing. Concrete edging deliniates the lawn from the beds where a mixture of evergreen and deciduous plants create year-round interest. The overall result includes modern details and some sweeping curves that draw the eye up to the home from the street below Wiilam Wright Photography

Southwestern

AquaTerra Outdoors

Daniel Driensky
Photo of a small transitional front yard partial sun garden for summer in Dallas with a container garden.

Landscaping

Good Earth Water Gardens

Perennial hillside.
This is an example of a small eclectic front yard full sun xeriscape for spring in Kansas City with mulch and a container garden.

Slim Rear Garden

Garden Club London Ltd

Garden Club London | Tony Woods
Design ideas for a small modern backyard shaded garden for summer in London with a container garden and natural stone pavers.

Urban Meadow

The Ardent Gardener Landscape Design

A boring front lawn transformed into an explosion of color with drought tolerant perennials and grasses and an Idaho Fescue lawn. Warm, welcoming entry in this Urban garden. Timber retaining walls, stone path and patio and metal arbor create interest.

Living Table

Equinox Landscape

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary backyard partial sun formal garden for spring in San Francisco with a container garden and gravel.

Residential Tuxedo Park

Karen Arent Landscape Architects

Design ideas for a large arts and crafts backyard partial sun outdoor sport court in New York with a retaining wall.

Modern carpentry - hot tub enclosure

Horvath Landscapes

plutadesigns
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern backyard full sun formal garden for summer in Toronto with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Terraced Patios & Planting Beds

Sundance Landscaping Limited

A walk to the back passes border beds and raised planting beds.
This is an example of a mid-sized modern backyard garden in Calgary with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Window box with annuals

Bay Avenue Plant Company

Window box planting
Photo of a beach style front yard partial sun garden for summer in New York with a container garden.

Contemporary Landscape

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary backyard partial sun formal garden for summer in San Francisco with a retaining wall and decking.

Guest & Pol Houses- PA, MA,NJ

Peter Zimmerman Architects

This is an example of a large traditional backyard full sun formal garden for spring in Philadelphia with a container garden and natural stone pavers.

Terraced front garden

Mierop Design, FAPLD

Lisa Mierop
This is an example of a large traditional backyard full sun garden for spring in New York with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Vegetable Gardens

Maher & Greenwald Fine Gardens

Design ideas for a large traditional backyard partial sun formal garden in New York with a container garden and mulch.

Montpelier Resident

Definity Landscape Group, LLC

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary front yard partial sun garden for summer in Richmond with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Hillsboro Front Garden

Celilo Gardens

B. Bruce
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary front yard partial sun formal garden in Portland with a container garden and concrete pavers.

Flatirons Terrace

TLC Gardens

Photo of a large traditional front yard garden in Denver with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Garden Design Ideas with a Container Garden and 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.