photography by Joe Dodd
This is an example of a large contemporary sloped formal garden in San Francisco with concrete pavers.

Woodland Park-Like Estate

Les Arbres Tree Service & Fine Gardening

Side hillside/ lower garden bed.
Large traditional sloped full sun formal garden in New York with with flowerbed for summer.

Garden Restoration- Before and After

Jill Davis Design

planned to be easy yet elegant, designed to use contrast and texture of the plants to provide interest, harmony and peace , peaceful design
Mid-sized contemporary sloped full sun formal garden in Chicago with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers for summer.

Enchanted Haven: Elevating Outdoor Living

Peabody Landscape Group

Featuring an elegant wood decking paired with a contemporary stainless steel cable rail system. Natural stone raised garden beds infuse an organic essence, harmoniously contrasting the refined blue stone patio. Anchoring the design is a chic metal roof pavilion, lending both shade and style.

Sunny steep hillside along driveway

Home & Garden Design, Atlanta - Danna Cain, ASLA

We turned this eyesore into the envy of the neighborhood! This highly visible hillside was the focal point upon entering thru the gated entrance of this home. Now the owner and guests enjoy a seasonal display of color and texture rather than a weed filled boring hillside. Added bonus is that the plants are all drought tolerant, low maintenance and support pollinators. Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and beneficial insects add additional interest. Photographer: Danna Cain, Home & Garden Design, Inc.

Jewel Tones on a Steep Slope

Rock Paper Clippers

Succulents and California natives to decorate the hill with little water or maintenance.
This is an example of a large traditional sloped full sun formal garden in San Francisco with mulch.

LandSpaces

Mr Green

LandSpaces
Design ideas for an expansive traditional sloped full sun formal garden for spring in New York with a garden path and brick pavers.

Novotny Landscaping LLC Wall/Steps Construction

Novotny Landscaping LLC

Sally Michalko
Design ideas for an expansive country sloped full sun formal garden in Milwaukee with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Sakonnet River Vegetable Garden

User

Barely glistening in the sunlight, Critterfence separates the goodies within the garden from the bandits without.
This is an example of a mid-sized sloped full sun formal garden for summer in Providence with a vegetable garden and gravel.

Harpenden Garden

Green Tree Garden Design Ltd

A view of the whole garden - the garden was planted the previous autumn, so the herbaceous perennials and shrubs are just starting to fill out. Richard Brown Photography Ltd.

Centerra Master Plan Community

Environmental Designs, Inc.

Due to the high winds and dry conditions hanging baskets can be a challenge in this environment. Proper plant selection, location of the baskets and consistent watering are the key.

Walls

Hartman Companies, Inc.

Inspiration for a large transitional sloped formal garden in Minneapolis with a retaining wall and brick pavers.

Lake Of The Pines

Native Edge Landscapes

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

Ha-Ha Hills

Juxtapose Design Build

During excavation for this new modern home, large granite boulders rose to the surface from the primordial hillside. Instead of displacing these monoliths from the site from which they were created, they were arranged to define space. A circle of boulders stand guard around a custom built fire pit, providing protection from the wind while offering a place to climb or sit. The extended landscape view from the lawn is kept intact by the introduction of a ha-ha, a traditional landscape feature, that hides the productive garden and keeps it from breaking the view. Native and drought tolerant plantings hug the outer edges of the property for minimal use of irrigation and to visually blend into the surrounding hillside. This project also features a custom ipe bench with integrated lighting, waterjet address numbers with night lighting, and hardscape that complements the form and materiality of the architecture to create a harmonious transition into the horizontal plane. Photography: Louie Jeon Photography

Pool Landscape | St. Louis, MO

Frisella Landscape Group

This is an example of a large transitional sloped partial sun formal garden for summer in St Louis with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Alamo House I

CK Landscape

Photo of a large mediterranean sloped partial sun formal garden for summer in San Francisco with a water feature and natural stone pavers.

Thornbury Township

B.DeMichele Inc.

A grand outdoor stairway leads from the side yard to a large patio area. Lights are installed in the cheek walls for extended nighttime use and safety. The steps are constructed using EP Henry Products.

Custom

CLC Landscape Design

Photo of a mid-sized traditional sloped full sun formal garden for summer in New York with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

Elevated Sky Garden Walk

Rosemarie Allaire Lighting Design

Steve Lerum
Inspiration for an expansive contemporary sloped full sun formal garden in Los Angeles with a garden path and decking.

Harpenden Garden

Green Tree Garden Design Ltd

This large, neglected back garden was full of tired, overgrown shrubs and weeds. Some of the trees and hedges were removed to create more light, and the garden opened up. Two sets of circular steps link to the different levels of the garden, whilst attractive brick walls create different terraced beds that have been planted to provide colour and interest throughout the year. Richard Brown Photography Ltd.

Sloped Formal Garden Design Ideas

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.