Stepped retaining walls that follow the natural slope

Alan Block retaining walls provide excellent structural retention of the slope
Mid-sized modern backyard partial sun garden in Vancouver with a retaining wall.

Lowman Beach Residence

Rhodes Architecture + Light

Interior wood and steel screens create filters, dividing spaces while modulating light. Exterior screens of sustainable Resysta filter light and views inward while lending privacy at the entry to the Lowman Beach Residence.

Wonderland Lake Terrace Garden

Native Edge Landscapes

Photo of a mid-sized transitional backyard partial sun formal garden for summer in Denver with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Edwards residence

Earth Essence Designs

Photo of a mid-sized traditional backyard partial sun garden in DC Metro with a retaining wall and mulch.

Kirkland Retaining Wall

Sunny Seattle Construction

Photo of a large traditional backyard partial sun formal garden in Seattle with a retaining wall.

New Brighton Backyard

Arvold Landscaping & Design inc.

Backyard stairs and pathway. built with Dresser trap boulders and reclaimed granite curbing used as stairs.
This is an example of a large country sloped partial sun garden for summer in Minneapolis with a retaining wall.

Garden

LandZen Landscape Design & Construction

Photo of a mid-sized beach style backyard partial sun formal garden for summer in San Francisco with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Thin Stone Veneer

Creative Masonry & Landscape of Cape Cod

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional front yard partial sun garden in Boston with a retaining wall and mulch.

Hudson River house

Fernau & Hartman Architects

Photograph © Richard Barnes
Large modern backyard partial sun formal garden in New York with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers for summer.

Olivenhain Cottage

DZN Partners

The rear patio with integrated steps up to the grass play area. Photo: Marisa Smith
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional backyard partial sun garden for summer in San Diego with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Genoa Bay, BC - Retaining Wall & Fence

Island Pacific Landscaping

A West Coast style seaside backyard featuring a rock retaining wall and nautical rope fencing.
Mid-sized beach style backyard partial sun garden in Vancouver with a retaining wall.

Stone Masonry Walls (decorative) and Landscape Art Feature

Reyes Landscape Construction

This project consisted of stone masonry decorative walls at the front of the estate leading to the gated entry, where we also installed a decorative stone elements.

Nasseth Residence

KHLA, LLC

KHLA
Inspiration for a large transitional sloped partial sun xeriscape for summer in Denver with a retaining wall and gravel.

Landscapes

Cross Creek Landscaping

Mid-sized traditional backyard partial sun garden in Richmond with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers for spring.

Rustic Montana Barn

Penny Lane Home Builders, LLC

Photos by Lynn Donaldson * Ghostwood Siding in 'Silver City' * Red Aluminium Windows *Native Landscaping with lichen-covered boulders and local Cottonwood trees * Custom overlaid garage doors * Weathered Copper Metal Roof * Bonderized Metal Siding in back of the house

Court Yard

Pearson Landscape Services

This is a view of the stucco wall enclosing court yard with concrete stepping stones and black gravel
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary front yard partial sun outdoor sport court for spring in Austin with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Modern Landscape

Design ideas for a small modern sloped partial sun xeriscape in Seattle with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Upper Nyack Riverfront

Ann Brooke Landscape Design

Boulders and plantings disguise an extensive gabion retaining wall on the Hudson River
Photo of a large modern sloped partial sun formal garden in DC Metro with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Outdoor Living

Anderson Landscape

Summer flowers serves to soften the transition between stone wall and brick walkway.
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional backyard partial sun garden in Portland Maine with a retaining wall and brick pavers.

Marrying Elegant Design & Sustainability

Julie Moir Messervy Design Studio (JMMDS)

Featured in Feb/Mar 2013 issue of Organic Gardening Magazine, this Boston-area courtyard functions as an entryway, parking space, driveway turnaround, and outdoor room. New York bluestone planks set into a sea of pea gravel can bear the weight of vehicles while allowing rainwater to permeate the ground, preventing run-off. Curving 7-foot-high green walls of shade-loving native plants create privacy and beauty, while native birch trees (Betula papyrifera) in the entry planters provide a handsome complement to the four-story Silver LEED-certified house by Wolf Architects, Inc. Landscape Architect: Julie Moir Messervy Design Studio Landscape contractor: Robert Hanss, Inc. Green wall: g_space Photographed by Susan Teare for Organic Gardening Magazine.

Partial Sun Garden Design Ideas with 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.