Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary backyard full sun garden for winter in San Francisco with mulch.

Weeping redbud ( centered), Terra cotta shrub rose, golden false cypress, Fire Chief arborvitae. Designed by Carolyn Pipal
Inspiration for a mid-sized country sloped shaded xeriscape for winter in Chicago with a water feature and mulch.

Budget Friendly Lawn Replacement

Urban Oasis Landscape Design

A collection of exotic plants keep the front yard interesting year round. Coppertone Stonecrop (Sedum nussbaumerianum) make a pretty groundcover.
Small mediterranean front yard shaded xeriscape in Los Angeles with mulch for winter.

Tree Silhouette Screen

Dusil Design

Dusil Design and Landscape Inc.
Design ideas for a large modern backyard partial sun xeriscape for winter in Toronto with a garden path and mulch.

Berkeley Hills Midcentury Modern

Planet Horticulture

Hilltop home with sweeping views of San Francisco Bay. Open views surrounded by bold foliage dominated plantings.
Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury front yard full sun garden for winter in San Francisco with mulch.

McKinnon Project (new front yard)

Boodle Concepts

Curved contemporary garden beds featuring dry stone riverbed garden path, steel edging for longevity, Flapjack succulents, Poa grass clumps, Kangaroo Paw, Bottle Brush, and Lilly Pilly privacy screening. Garden design ideas and construction by Boodle Concepts in Melbourne

Glen Ellyn - Landscaping

Yorkville Hill Landscaping Inc.

This is an example of a small modern backyard partial sun garden for winter in Chicago with mulch.

Eugene Hillside Water Fall

Graham Landscape and Design

The waterfall feature starts at the top of the hillside and flows down into a small pool at the base. The plantings surrounding the feature adds to the Pacific Northwest feel of the landscape.

Back Garden Screening Stage 2

Nouveau Garden Designs

Inspiration for a small contemporary backyard full sun formal garden for winter in Perth with mulch.

Milwaukie

Clement Walsh Landscape Architect, Inc.

This hillside planting bed next to the driveway, includes accent boulders and retaining boulders to address the grade change on the property. Plantings featured include: Kaleidoscope Abelia (Abelia x 'Kaleidoscope), Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Kinnickinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) as the evergreen ground cover, Creeping Oregon Grape (Mahonoia nervosa), Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), and Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo).

Low Maintenance Driveway Landscaping with Bark Nuggets & Rock Features

SOLKOR | Creating Stunning Outdoor Living Spaces

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional front yard partial sun driveway for winter in Calgary with mulch.

Oak Tree Setting With Hillside Views, Landscape Renovation, Northern California

Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

APLD 2021 Silver Award Winning Landscape Design. An expansive back yard landscape with several mature oak trees and a stunning Golden Locust tree has been transformed into a welcoming outdoor retreat. The renovations include a wraparound deck, an expansive travertine natural stone patio, stairways and pathways along with concrete retaining walls and column accents with dramatic planters. The pathways meander throughout the landscape... some with travertine stepping stones and gravel and those below the majestic oaks left natural with fallen leaves. Raised vegetable beds and fruit trees occupy some of the sunniest areas of the landscape. A variety of low-water and low-maintenance plants for both sunny and shady areas include several succulents, grasses, CA natives and other site-appropriate Mediterranean plants complimented by a variety of boulders. Dramatic white pots provide architectural accents, filled with succulents and citrus trees. Design, Photos, Drawings © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

Christmas Lights Tree

Diamond Outdoor Lighting

Mid-sized front yard full sun driveway in Atlanta with a garden path and mulch for winter.

Budget Friendly Lawn Replacement

Urban Oasis Landscape Design

A collection of exotic plants keep the front yard interesting year round. Leucadendron 'Golden Tip's' interesting foliage complements the other plants in the front yard.

Hillside Garden Landscape with Water Features and Beautiful Plantings

Accent Landscapes

Planting a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and perennials, and including both deciduous and conifer specimens, ensures that a landscape will look stunning whatever the season.

McKinnon Project (new front yard)

Boodle Concepts

Australian native garden design featuring Bottle Brush, Poa grasses, Lilly Pilly privacy screening, and Kangaroo Paw. Modern rusted steel garden edging. Garden design ideas and construction by Boodle Concepts in Melbourne.

Australian Garden Show Sydney 2014

Earth Matters Consulting

This is an example of a mid-sized and australian native transitional front yard full sun garden for winter in Sydney with a container garden and mulch.

San Marco Residence

Ross Garden Design

Mediterranean side yard formal garden in Jacksonville with a garden path and mulch for winter.

Foliage color keeps your garden pretty in the winter months.

H2 XERO Landscape Design

Irvine, CA Recently planted, this garden looks beautiful year round, even when the leaves have fallen from the Crepe Myrtle trees and the flowers have stopped blooming. Our client selected dyed wood red mulch which accents the green plants. Be careful with red mulch. It can make pink, maroon, red, and magenta flowers disappear. The mulch color should not visually dominate the landscape. Notice how the brick pavers blend with the red mulch. Photo by Tina Cremer, h2 XERO Landscape

Lafayette Modern Rustic Front Entryway & Backyard Patio

Leigh Designs

Photo of a mid-sized country backyard shaded garden for winter in San Francisco with a garden path and mulch.

Garden Design Ideas with Mulch for Winter

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.