Stephanie Dacey
Inspiration for an expansive beach style side yard full sun driveway in Boston with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Normandy-style Refresh

Athyrium Design

This exquisite home on Philadelphia's Main Line underwent a total landscape transformation. Overgrown plantings and invasive species were removed to make room for a transitional landscape that functions for this family's low-maintenance lifestyle. Here, boxwoods are interplanted with native species and formal lines are combined with a rain garden. This updated landscape now supports the client's lifestyle as well as the surrounding environment!

Marvelous Mid Century

Ketti Kupper Conscious Life Design

Dry creek and floating steps. Photo by Ketti Kupper.
Design ideas for a small midcentury side yard xeriscape in Los Angeles with a retaining wall and gravel.

Natural stone walls and stream boulder embankment

Hanselman Landscape and Gardens

Design ideas for a large transitional side yard partial sun garden for summer in Philadelphia with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Arroyo Grande Modern Farmhouse

Gast Architects

Neil Donaldson
Country side yard xeriscape in San Luis Obispo with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Traditional Landscape

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

Village Victorian

Kerry Lewis Landscape Architecture

Street view of new custom spindle fence.
Photo of a mid-sized traditional side yard full sun driveway for summer in Boston with a retaining wall and brick pavers.

Boulder Retaining Walls

NS Landscapes

Drainage solution for side yard using boulders.
Large side yard garden in Minneapolis with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Brick Pathway

Regenesis Ecological Design

Recycled brick pathway with herringbone pattern, bark mulch, and granite boulders. anna caitlin photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional side yard full sun garden for fall in Other with a retaining wall and brick pavers.

Tiered 14" Ledgerock Limestone Retaining Walls

Topeka Landscape, Inc.

Tiered retaining walls constructed with 14" ledgerock limestone.
Photo of a large traditional side yard garden in Other with a retaining wall.

Balboa Park Craftsman

Juniper Landscape Company

Jesse Cryns
Inspiration for a small arts and crafts side yard partial sun xeriscape for summer in San Diego with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Olde Maine

Amy Martin Landscape Design

Location: Cohasset, MA, USA When my clients purchased this historic house, they saw that this garden held great potential, even though the property had been somewhat neglected. They wanted the new landscape to evoke the feeling of an Olde Maine house that time had forgotten. Sitting on the front veranda in the shade of the treasured Horse Chestnut and Maple trees that flank each side of the house, we explored the possibilities together. The front yard sloped a bit too much for comfort, so we determined that building a stone wall in the middle would create a terrace, making both parts of the lawn more usable. Visions of parties and children's weddings came to mind. We put a set of elegant arching steps in the middle, leading down to the sunken garden. Large, mature Rhododendrons were planted at the base of the Horse Chestnut and Maple trees just off the front veranda. Boxwoods undulate beneath the trees with Vinca as a ground cover. Ticonderoga stone was used for the walls and steps, which was the closest match to the existing stone foundation. The exquisite masonry by Doug Brooks Masonry makes this staircase as elegant as a tiered wedding cake.

Conscious Stream Scape 2 Year Update - Silverlake

Ketti Kupper Conscious Life Design

Photo by Ketti Kupper
This is an example of a small contemporary side yard full sun xeriscape in Los Angeles with a retaining wall.

Cashmere

FORM garden architecture

Photo of a small contemporary side yard formal garden in Christchurch with a retaining wall and decking.

Los Altos Hills- Rustic Modern

Lifescape Custom Landscaping, Inc.

Kelsey Schweickert
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern side yard partial sun garden in San Francisco with a retaining wall and decking.

Nursery

Creek View Landscape Inc

Small side yard garden in Milwaukee with a retaining wall and gravel.

Fencing Style

JLM Construction

This photo shows the grade and height of the new retaining wall, and the fencing used with the grade change to keep a modern look. Showing: *Concrete pads with decomposed granite in between. *Plants that drape over high retaining walls to hide the facade and feel enclosed in a tight pathway. *Custom horizontal fencing and gate to match

Side ramp connecting the front to the back

Metamorphic Design

View from the ramp looking up towards the driveway & street
This is an example of a mid-sized modern side yard garden in Vancouver with a retaining wall.

Our Recent Work

Gorski Landscaping

Mid-sized side yard partial sun formal garden in New York with a retaining wall and brick pavers for spring.

Fences

Creative Fences & Decks

This is an example of a mid-sized asian side yard partial sun formal garden for summer in Portland with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Side Yard 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.