Bespoke circular table and curving bench backed by retaining wall clad in vintage brick.
This is an example of a small contemporary backyard shaded garden in London with a retaining wall and brick pavers.

Doylestown Pa

Earth Work Design

A fantastic outdoor entertaining area next to the spring house on this beautiful historic Doylestown property. Boulder walls and steps were used to fix the grade and a bluestone patio makes a great area for a fire pit and entertaining. Nick Pugliese

Eco Modern

Eco Landscape Design & Build

Innis Casey Photography
Large modern front yard shaded xeriscape in Los Angeles with a retaining wall and gravel.

Motorized Iron Framed Gate with Wood Paneling

J & J FENCE

This is an example of a small modern front yard shaded driveway for summer in Los Angeles with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Dry Stacked Walls

Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape

Dry stacked retaining walls are being used to terrace this front yard. We installed a paver front walkway as well through the new shade tolerant landscape plantings.

Shade Garden

Pearson Landscape Services

This is an example of a large modern front yard shaded xeriscape for spring in Austin with a retaining wall and gravel.

Bare Foot Family Foodscape

Christian Douglas Design, Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized country backyard shaded garden in San Francisco with a retaining wall and mulch.

Traditional Landscape

Photo of a small traditional side yard shaded garden in St Louis with a retaining wall.

Stone Curving Steps w Lamp Posts & Walls

THE KING'S MASONS

Formal curving entrance stairs. Natural stone with flagstone capping on the lamp posts and curving retaining walls. We also installed a stone walkway to the front door. The patterning of the stone is exceptional - we have master masons!

Queen Anne Hill, Seattle WA (after)

Michael Muro Garden Design

This is an example of a small traditional front yard shaded garden for summer in Seattle with a retaining wall.

Warrandyte

Mars Landscapes

Mars Landscapes
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional backyard shaded garden in Melbourne with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Small garden with a very steep slope

Yorkshire Gardens

The design brief for this project was to bring order to chaos. Just 13 metres from the end of the extension to the hedge at the back but with a rise of 4 metres. Obviously the slope was a major issue and there were going to be a lot of walls. Rather than use traditional masonry we thought that steel gabions filled with a local sandstone would give a different, more organic feel. As this garden is also supporting the garden of the next property the gabions provide the necessary structural support without having to use several tonnes of concrete. We also installed planting bags within the gabion stone so that walls will be softened with greenery. The gabion walls were very hard work. On top of the excavation we brought in 48 tonnes of stone to fill them. Due to limited access this was all done by hand. As well as the walls we needed lots of steps and oak sleepers fit the bill here. The lower patio was extended and the middle section is where the hot tub goes. Rather than the usual wooden shelter for the hot tub we used a detachable shade sail. The sails come in many colours and can be changed to suit the mood. The garden was to be low maintenance but we still managed to fit a few plants into the scheme and pots will eventually provide a bit more interest. To finish things off a small amount of lighting to give just the right mood at night.

Eclectic in Brooklyn Heights

New Eco Landscapes

Photography by Anthony Crisafulli
This is an example of a small eclectic backyard shaded garden in New York with a retaining wall and brick pavers.

Gordon Woods

Uncommon Ground Landscape Design

Photo of a large contemporary side yard shaded garden for summer in Toronto with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Shade Garden 2

Pearson Landscape Services

Design ideas for a large modern backyard shaded xeriscape for spring in Austin with a retaining wall and gravel.

Elegant Curving Brick Walls

THE KING'S MASONS

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional side yard shaded driveway in DC Metro with a retaining wall and gravel.

Custom Installations

Landscape Solutions LLC

This is an example of a mid-sized tropical backyard shaded xeriscape in Miami with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Topanga Retreat

Campion Walker Landscapes

In this extensive landscape transformation, Campion Walker took a secluded house nestled above a running stream and turned it into a multi layered masterpiece with five distinct ecological zones. Using an established oak grove as a starting point, the team at Campion Walker sculpted the hillsides into a magnificent wonderland of color, scent and texture. Natural stone, copper, steel, river rock and sustainable Ipe hardwood work in concert with a dynamic mix of California natives, drought tolerant grasses and Mediterranean plants to create a truly breathtaking masterpiece where every detail has been considered, crafted, and reimagined.

Stone Retaining Wall and Planter

MTM Masonry and Chimney

This is an example of a large traditional backyard shaded garden in New York with natural stone pavers and a retaining wall.

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.

Shaded 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.