This is an example of a small contemporary backyard garden in London with a fire feature, river rock and a wood fence.

YardDoc designed and created multiple rock landscapes for customers in Austin, TX. These drought resistant landscapes liven up your yard with unique designs and individual beauty. While we craft every landscape to the yard and customer, we present examples here to inspire you. Working with the existing trees and plants, we built this landscape to match the wrought iron fence. First, we placed a limestone barrier in a design reminiscent of a lake emptying into a river. Outside the retainer stone, we laid larger, red river rocks. On the inside we placed smaller, black rocks to highlight the rest of our modifications. We built a stone fire pit in the center then crafted stone benches for seating around the campfire. We built a path our of large, flat stones that bring the different colors and textures together. Finally, we placed one last stone that, while decorative, can also be used as an end table, if necessary.

image: Travis Rhoads Photography
Design ideas for a small contemporary backyard partial sun xeriscape in San Francisco with a fire feature and gravel.

Gas fire place and modern sitting area
Photo of a large modern backyard full sun formal garden for summer in Los Angeles with a fire feature and concrete pavers.

Pathways paved with crushed stone meander through this incredible space. We planted drought tolerant perennials; nepeta, euphorbia, pittosporum tobira wheelers dwarf, dymondia and lavender. Olive trees and Oaks surround this lovely garden.

A stunning mountain retreat, this custom legacy home was designed by MossCreek to feature antique, reclaimed, and historic materials while also providing the family a lodge and gathering place for years to come. Natural stone, antique timbers, bark siding, rusty metal roofing, twig stair rails, antique hardwood floors, and custom metal work are all design elements that work together to create an elegant, yet rustic mountain luxury home.

The lannon stone fire pit overlooks Cedar Creek in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Westhauser Photography
Inspiration for a small country backyard partial sun garden for summer in Milwaukee with a fire feature and natural stone pavers.

Photo of a mid-sized modern backyard partial sun garden in DC Metro with a fire feature and concrete pavers.

This little, under 100 sq foot playhouse received a complete revamp inside and out. It had ton's of potential but had been long ignored. We decided to design a space that can be used now by the school age grand kids and that could transition to being a cool hang out for teens as well as adults. Without knowing that "She Sheds" would become a thing, we already had that in mind! Remodel by BC Custom Construction Steve Eltinge, Eltinge Photograhy

Inspiration for a large country backyard full sun garden for spring in Nashville with a fire feature, river rock and a wood fence.

This customer was looking to add privacy, use less water, include raised bed garden and fire pit...making it all more their style which was a blend between modern and farmhouse.

This space defines the hub of the garden, I placed it in the corner so it is central to the ADU and the dining area/access from the house. The BBQ is now part of the social space. The raised planter and walls all are functions of design but also reflect my solution for the many grading levels on the neighboring perimeter spaces as well as grading within the former space and act to create floating bench and BBQ moments I programmed in. The concrete plinth is for extra seating/food or plant displays.

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/

You can read more about the project through this Houzz Feature link: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/hillside-yard-offers-scenic-views-and-space-for-contemplation-stsetivw-vs~131483772

Courtyard - Sand Pit Beach House at Avoca Beach by Architecture Saville Isaacs Project Summary Architecture Saville Isaacs https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/ The core idea of people living and engaging with place is an underlying principle of our practice, given expression in the manner in which this home engages with the exterior, not in a general expansive nod to view, but in a varied and intimate manner. The interpretation of experiencing life at the beach in all its forms has been manifested in tangible spaces and places through the design of pavilions, courtyards and outdoor rooms. Architecture Saville Isaacs https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/ A progression of pavilions and courtyards are strung off a circulation spine/breezeway, from street to beach: entry/car court; grassed west courtyard (existing tree); games pavilion; sand+fire courtyard (=sheltered heart); living pavilion; operable verandah; beach. The interiors reinforce architectural design principles and place-making, allowing every space to be utilised to its optimum. There is no differentiation between architecture and interiors: Interior becomes exterior, joinery becomes space modulator, materials become textural art brought to life by the sun.   Project Description Architecture Saville Isaacs https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/ The core idea of people living and engaging with place is an underlying principle of our practice, given expression in the manner in which this home engages with the exterior, not in a general expansive nod to view, but in a varied and intimate manner. The house is designed to maximise the spectacular Avoca beachfront location with a variety of indoor and outdoor rooms in which to experience different aspects of beachside living. Client brief: home to accommodate a small family yet expandable to accommodate multiple guest configurations, varying levels of privacy, scale and interaction. A home which responds to its environment both functionally and aesthetically, with a preference for raw, natural and robust materials. Maximise connection – visual and physical – to beach. The response was a series of operable spaces relating in succession, maintaining focus/connection, to the beach. The public spaces have been designed as series of indoor/outdoor pavilions. Courtyards treated as outdoor rooms, creating ambiguity and blurring the distinction between inside and out. A progression of pavilions and courtyards are strung off circulation spine/breezeway, from street to beach: entry/car court; grassed west courtyard (existing tree); games pavilion; sand+fire courtyard (=sheltered heart); living pavilion; operable verandah; beach. Verandah is final transition space to beach: enclosable in winter; completely open in summer. This project seeks to demonstrates that focusing on the interrelationship with the surrounding environment, the volumetric quality and light enhanced sculpted open spaces, as well as the tactile quality of the materials, there is no need to showcase expensive finishes and create aesthetic gymnastics. The design avoids fashion and instead works with the timeless elements of materiality, space, volume and light, seeking to achieve a sense of calm, peace and tranquillity. Architecture Saville Isaacs https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/ Focus is on the tactile quality of the materials: a consistent palette of concrete, raw recycled grey ironbark, steel and natural stone. Materials selections are raw, robust, low maintenance and recyclable. Light, natural and artificial, is used to sculpt the space and accentuate textural qualities of materials. Passive climatic design strategies (orientation, winter solar penetration, screening/shading, thermal mass and cross ventilation) result in stable indoor temperatures, requiring minimal use of heating and cooling. Architecture Saville Isaacs https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/ Accommodation is naturally ventilated by eastern sea breezes, but sheltered from harsh afternoon winds. Both bore and rainwater are harvested for reuse. Low VOC and non-toxic materials and finishes, hydronic floor heating and ventilation ensure a healthy indoor environment. Project was the outcome of extensive collaboration with client, specialist consultants (including coastal erosion) and the builder. The interpretation of experiencing life by the sea in all its forms has been manifested in tangible spaces and places through the design of the pavilions, courtyards and outdoor rooms. The interior design has been an extension of the architectural intent, reinforcing architectural design principles and place-making, allowing every space to be utilised to its optimum capacity. There is no differentiation between architecture and interiors: Interior becomes exterior, joinery becomes space modulator, materials become textural art brought to life by the sun. Architecture Saville Isaacs https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/ https://www.architecturesavilleisaacs.com.au/

This is an example of a country backyard garden in Charleston with with outdoor playset.

Removing two old flagstone patios allowed us to install new, modern concrete patios. One included a trellis for a grape vine to grow up, as well as built-in bench seating around a firepit. The other had an outdoor kitchen with a grill for outdoor entertaining and a pergola overhead. Concrete paver steppers connect the two spaces and a grit path around the perimeter of the yard acts as a bike path. This project is located in Boulder, Colorado.

Landscape contracting by Avid Landscape. Carpentry by Contemporary Homestead. Photograph by Meghan Montgomery.
Mid-sized transitional backyard full sun garden in Seattle with a fire feature and gravel.

Marion Brenner Photography
Design ideas for a large modern front yard full sun garden in San Francisco with a fire feature and natural stone pavers.