A once forgotten side yard turns into a charming gravel garden Martin Residence Cardiff by the Sea, Ca
Small mediterranean side yard formal garden in San Diego.

Traditional Garden

Landscaping Solutions

Inspiration for a small traditional backyard shaded formal garden in London with natural stone pavers and with raised garden bed.

Raised Bed Vegetable Garden

Casa Smith Designs, LLC

This veggie bed is accessible from every angle and easy on the back - everything grows right in front of you...no bending over required. Photo Credit: Mark Pinkerton

West London Courtyard Garden

User

A private garden designed, with minimal maintenance in mind, for a newly converted flat in Ealing. It has a long taxus hedge to provide year-round interest viewable from the property as well as to act as a backdrop to a Prunus ‘Accolade’ when it is in flower and leaf. This cherry tree is positioned centrally opposite a cantilevered glass box extruding from the facade of the building.

Flagstone Front Walkway in Herringbone Pattern

THE KING'S MASONS

Flagstone Front Walkway in Herringbone Pattern
Photo of a small traditional front yard partial sun formal garden in DC Metro with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

Sakura House

Arbordale Landscaping Ltd

Small contemporary backyard partial sun formal garden in Toronto with a garden path, concrete pavers and a wood fence for summer.

Victoria Park Extension

Monica Tostes Design

Inspiration for a small contemporary courtyard partial sun formal garden for fall in London with with path, brick pavers and a wood fence.

Stadgartenlounge

besgen Landschaftsarchitektur

This is an example of a small modern side yard partial sun formal garden for summer in Cologne with a container garden, decking and a wood fence.

Pelham Place

Jo Cowen Architects

Photo of a small contemporary backyard partial sun formal garden in London with with fireplace and natural stone pavers.

Back Door Brook (Newton)

FallingWater Scapes

This is an example of a small asian backyard partial sun formal garden for fall in Boston with with waterfall.

Малый сад при таунхаусе, КП "Слобода". Этап первый.

Максим Шкирев

This is an example of a small contemporary backyard full sun formal garden for summer in Other with a vegetable garden and natural stone pavers.

Balmain

Think Outside Gardens

This small courtyard is a carefully designed combination of materials that allows the new and old structures to sit comfortably together and brings the whole garden up to date. The cedar bench top provides warmth to the outdoor space which is dominated by the restrained colours of the walls and flooring. While the consistent mid green colour of the planting provides structure to this garden the combination of varying leaf shapes and textures provides depth and interest. An offset layout to the bench seating allows for depth in the garden whilst the introduction of screen planting creates privacy. The result is a calming and relaxed garden in an urban setting.

Private Modern Garden

Outside Collective

Christel Leung
Small modern backyard full sun formal garden in San Francisco with a garden path and concrete pavers.

Niche

Seed Studio Landscape Design

image: Travis Rhoads Photography
Small contemporary side yard shaded formal garden in San Francisco with natural stone pavers.

Townhouse garden

Neil Jones Design

Using a refined palette of quality materials set within a striking and elegant design, the space provides a restful and sophisticated urban garden for a professional couple to be enjoyed both in the daytime and after dark. The use of corten is complimented by the bold treatment of black in the decking, bespoke screen and pergola.

Landscape Water Feature Design & Installation Rochester NY Acorn Ponds

Acorn Ponds & Waterfalls

Landscape Water Feature Design & Installation Rochester NY Acorn Ponds & Waterfalls Acorn Ponds & Waterfalls brought this Rochester (NY) front yard landscape to life with the installation of this stunning custom designed water feature which consists of bubbling urns, waterfalls, led lighting and beautiful aquatic plants. The sound of water running softly through this lovely water feature provides a relaxing sound that inspires relaxation which makes you want to sit down, relax, and enjoy all the simple pleasures life has to offer. Not only are water features lovely, they will make any space look more aesthetically pleasing and are the next best thing to living on a lovely lake or a sparking fish pond. This water feature has bubbling urns which can be installed with multiple sizes in groupings or we can design & install your water feature to have only one gorgeous stand alone urn. We love installing these beautiful urns in pondless waterfalls as well as in streams and fish ponds while adding LED lighting to them. Another cool feature is the addition of FIRE to the top of our fountains which really enhances the whole garden and makes the house stand out from the rest. The owners can sip their morning coffee on the porch and see a myriad of lovely birds and other pretty wildlife stop by for a quick sip of water. It’s a simple pleasure, but it brings a smile to the lives of our Western NY clients in Rochester & Buffalo New York (NY) and we love what we do. Our unique water features are also easy to maintain! Homeowners worry their new custom water feature requires ample work to maintain, but they do not. Acorn Ponds & Waterfalls design experts are happy to discuss seasonal care of water features with our clients to ensure they’re being cared for properly, no matter the season. Acorn Ponds & Waterfalls can help you design and install a beautiful water feature to add that peace and tranquility to your outdoor spaces. For large or small projects, there are always solutions to adding a water feature in your garden weather you are thinking about installing a pondless waterfall, one of a kind fish pond, custom water feature or large recreational pond. Acorn works with you from beginning to end so you can have a worry free addition to your backyard.

Urban Garden

Amazon Landscaping and Garden Design

Acer Japonica Maple Trees, Grasses and ferns in small Garden Design by Amazon Landscaping and Garden Design mALCI 014060004 Amazonlandscaping.ie
This is an example of a small contemporary backyard full sun formal garden for summer in Dublin with a garden path, natural stone pavers and a wood fence.

Brooklyn Backyard

Root & Vine Gardens

Brooklyn Backyard Oasis. Blue stone patio, Ceder privacy fence.
Photo of a small contemporary backyard full sun formal garden for summer in New York with natural stone pavers.

Landform Consultants - Project Value £35,000 - £60,000 - Winner

The Association of Professional Landscapers

Inspiration for a small contemporary backyard full sun formal garden for summer in Berkshire with decking.

Contemporary Garden 2

Green Tree Garden Design Ltd

The garden at night. Richard Brown Photography Ltd
Design ideas for a small contemporary backyard partial sun formal garden in Cheshire with natural stone pavers.

Small 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.