We started by levelling the top area into two terraced lawns of low water Kurapia and more than doubling the space on the lower level with retaining walls. We built a striking new pergola with a graphic steel-patterned roof to make a covered seating area. Along with creating shade, the roof casts a movie reel of shade patterns throughout the day. Now there is ample space to kick back and relax, watching the sun spread its glow on the surrounding hillside as it makes its slow journey down the horizon towards sunset. An aerodynamic fan keeps the air pleasantly cool and refreshing. At night the backyard comes alive with an ethereal lighting scheme illuminating the space and making it a place you can enjoy well into the night. It’s the perfect place to end the day.

A Curved Edge

The Narrow Lane

This is an example of a small country backyard partial sun garden for spring in Boston with a retaining wall, natural stone pavers and a wood fence.

Low Voltage LED's Illuminate Drought Tolerant Planting

Mediterrasian Landscapes

Terraces with drought tolerant plants
Mid-sized mediterranean backyard full sun xeriscape in San Francisco with a retaining wall, mulch and a wood fence.

Wood Fences

Dakota Unlimited

This is an example of a large transitional backyard partial sun formal garden in Minneapolis with a retaining wall, natural stone pavers and a wood fence.

Retaining Wall Construction

All One Landscape, Inc.

Newly built retaining wall with new fencing
Photo of a large modern backyard full sun garden in San Francisco with a retaining wall and a wood fence.

Retaining Walls

Spartan Landscapes

The brief of this project was very clear and simple. The clients wanted to transform their overgrown and non functional back yard to a usuable and practical space. The location is in Rye, Vic. The solution was to build tiered retaining walls to stabilize the slope and create level and usuable platforms. This proved challanging as the soil mostly contains sand, especially here on the lower end of the peninsula, which made excavating easy however difficult to retain the cut once excavated. Therefore the retaining walls had to be constructed in stages, bottom wall to top wall, back filling and stabilizing the hill side as the next wall got erected. The end result met all expectations of the clients and the back yard was transformed from an unusable slope to a functional and secure space.

Laurelhurst

Banyon Tree Design Studio

Modern farmhouse gets a new entry to the sunken front door. Custom concrete board-form walls, stone veneer, bluestone inlay, custom floating benches, and wood fence screening all installed in the courtyard space. Existing planters replanted, and a new driveway round out the complete change in the front yard.

Garvin

Design Focus International

© www.laurendevon.com
This is an example of a small traditional backyard full sun garden in San Francisco with a retaining wall, natural stone pavers and a wood fence.

Kitchen island Front View

Landscape Logic

This BBQ island was designed to showcase a few different materials. There are many options when deciding on what materials to use. On this one, we chose to use a stone veneer on the base that matches the stone veneer on the front of the house and the chimney. The back drop has a deco panel called Outdeco which is a hard wood material from Australia. The blue and gray tile on the pedestal is glass and comes from Spain; it matches the same tile on used on the spa.

Patio staircase

studio dre

This is an example of a contemporary garden in Other with a retaining wall, with waterfall and a wood fence.

Gwel-An-Mor

Contec SW Ltd

Design ideas for a traditional full sun garden in Cornwall with a retaining wall, gravel and a wood fence.

Blackburn

Inspiring Landscape Solutions by Parveen Dhaliwal

View of the front garden pathway, from the new aggregate driveway. 6 months from completion. For more pics, refer also to the Blackburn album.
Design ideas for an expansive contemporary front yard full sun garden for spring in Melbourne with a retaining wall, a wood fence and brick pavers.

Taliesen Park

HINISH Design Collective

Small midcentury backyard partial sun xeriscape in Portland with a retaining wall and a wood fence for winter.

Terraced Garden Cala

Gardens & Projects

The Lower Area surrounding the new conservatory will be a patio with an ample dining table and pathway using Global Stone Porcelain. The Middle Area of the garden will be terraced with brushwood sleepers and wide format steps. It will be leveled with turfing sand and turfed with field drainage and with zones for sitting and enjoying the silence on a sunny afternoon. Upper Area - along the fence line, white birch multi-stemmed trees that can cope with the harsh windy environment, give aesthetic value, and also help with drainage. The very top corner of the garden becomes a small patio with features to enjoy the views.

Keith

Blue Bear Landscape Construction

Modern backyard landscaping. Porcelain slab patio and walkway, fire pit, poured concrete retaining wall and stairs, paving stone driveway, custom privacy screen and planting

San Rafael Eichler - Mid-Century Modern Back & Front Landscape Remodel

Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

The front and back areas surrounding this Eichler home were updated with the mid-century modern design aesthetic in mind. The back landscape includes concrete retaining walls and pathways and the "Gracie Modern Arbors" (by TerraTrellis) provide eye-catching focal points, three installed to bring interest and needed height over a long pathway ramp with grape vines. Another frames a stairway to the hillside with a flowering Passion vine. The sloped hillsides were revamped to include low-water and low-maintenance plants that include CA natives, flowing grasses, other Mediterranean plants and several succulents. The Front landscape takes on a minimalist design with architectural Barrel Cactus, Artichoke Agaves, stately Thatching Reeds, a Blue Palm (Brahea 'Clara') a Mediterranean Fan Palm and other easy-care plants. The corten steel sculpture offers a striking focal point adjacent to the front doorway.

Sunnyvale Mediterranean & Native Plant Restoration

Taproot Garden Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary backyard partial sun xeriscape for spring in San Francisco with a retaining wall and a wood fence.

Keith

Blue Bear Landscape Construction

Modern backyard landscaping. Porcelain slab patio and walkway, fire pit, poured concrete retaining wall and stairs, paving stone driveway, custom privacy screen and planting

Modern Address Marker - Fox Point, WI

Ginkgo Leaf Studio

We designed an address marker constructed with cedar and natural stone. Slate chip mulch surrounds the plans and lannon stone boulders.
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern front yard full sun driveway in Milwaukee with a retaining wall, gravel and a wood fence.

Hurlisano

Banyon Tree Design Studio

A super small side yard garden measures 30' long x 8'wide, and incorporates, a raised ipe deck, raised custom steel planters, paver patio, custom sliding gate, new fence, an inground fire feature, and grill. North facing next to a three-story condo

Garden Design Ideas with a Retaining Wall and a Wood Fence

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.