Overhead view
Inspiration for a small contemporary backyard partial sun garden in London with with privacy feature.

Design ideas for a small contemporary courtyard full sun formal garden for summer in Catania-Palermo with decking and a metal fence.

Transforming a small, steeply sloped back garden into a functional and inviting space came with its own set of unique challenges. Careful terracing was required to create a balanced, accessible layout, while the design needed to maximise usable space by incorporating multiple sitting areas. The result is a stunning garden oasis that feels expansive and harmonious. To achieve this, the design team employed a diagonal layout grid, where each partition sits at a different level, creating a dynamic sense of depth and openness. The largest sitting area, located at the bottom of the slope, is a porcelain-paved patio seamlessly connected to the back entrance of the house. Midway up the terrace, a cosy lounging area offers a more secluded retreat, while the top level features a practical utility drying area. These levels are connected by sculptural steps crafted from staggered hardwood and metal mesh platforms, blending functionality with artistic flair. Lush evergreen planting adds softness to the structured design, creating an almost tropical atmosphere. The planting scheme enhances the garden's year-round appeal, providing a vibrant and tranquil backdrop that contrasts beautifully with the clean lines of the hardscaping. This thoughtfully designed garden demonstrates how even challenging terrain can be transformed into a versatile and aesthetically pleasing outdoor space.

A slatted fence was constructed to hide an ugly-looking oil tank. The flower beds were planned to coincide with the difficult environment presented within this garden.

Shot from above an overview of this very compact garden , managing ample lush, drought and dog tolerant planting. Alongside a custom storage "sofa", bbq area and a Jack & Jill shed inbetween two large trees at the bottom of the garden. Previously a dead space, now offering more storage whilst still functioning as the exit to the garden itself. Clay paver path detailing laid at an angel to enhance the width of the space.

Mediterranean planting design for a modern house in Market Harborough. The brief was to provide an exciting planting scheme that required little maintenance and complimented the modern architecture of the home. We used a restricted pallette of mauves, blues, purples punctuated by a contrasting pink. In the foreground silver mounds of Artemisia Powis Castle and Festuca glauca provide a year round base which the taller perennials to emerge from.

Photo of a small contemporary backyard shaded garden for summer in London with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

A contemporary, low maintenance urban garden. Calm and tranquil, this serene and low maintenance space features contemporary arches leading through areas of of lush green planting with evergreen shrubs and beautiful trees. The perfect place to relax and unwind.

NORWOOD | FRONT GARDEN Breath of fresh air | Slick upgrade for front garden Front Garden Areas Our client brief was to give their tired ‘old’ garden a complete makeover. A new driveway to replace the old red brick drive, create a garden out of an unused passageway style lifeless garden. We guided our clients to embrace a new fresh look whilst looking back to the heritage style for design detail and quirky interest. The new driveway is polished concrete with strips of bluestone cobbles which link the new bluestone pathway to the front door. The cobble feature harks back to the 1900’s brickwork on the northern side wall. Here there are small feature bricks running parallel with the ‘old reds’ giving the wall visual interest and a quirky detail. A new front fence with a little more height for balance to the gable. The entrance entices visitors through a generous gate to polished concrete steppers planted with dwarf mondo grass. Newly painted driveway fence planted with Star Jasmine to create a green wall along the northern fence line. New lawn and garden beds cool the western garden areas incorporating classic modern garden design and lighting. There is an excellent balance between soft and hard landscaping. Catnik Design Studio designed and constructed this project. residential | garden design and construct designer Cathy Apps, Dip Landscape Design landscape design | catnik design studio

Blending old with new. Yorkstone bullnose paving, bespoke railings and handrail, Victorian tiles, larch cladding and modern planting. In this small front garden in Greenwich we have used the soft yorkstone to blend with the old london brick of the house contrasting geometric pattern Victorian replica tiles all softened with a simple mix of planting to create a wonderful entrance to this lovely home and an additional basement seating area to catch the late afternoon sun.

Amanda Shipman
Small country backyard full sun garden in Hertfordshire with a garden path and brick pavers for summer.

Designed and planted by www.davidmalegardens.com. Photo by David Male
Design ideas for a small modern backyard partial sun garden for summer in London.

A simple stepping stone path set into gravel leads down to the summerhouse in the bottom corner of the garden. Geranium 'Patricia' spills over the edge of the path to soften it. Richard Brown Photography Ltd

The Lagoudi urn from Distinctive Garden makes a fantastic water feature outside the summerhouse. Richard Brown Photography Ltd
Photo of a small traditional garden in Cheshire.

Brett Boardman Photography Intimate rear courtyard
Inspiration for a small modern backyard partial sun formal garden in Sydney with a container garden and natural stone pavers.

This zen garden is located on a central courtyard that connects the kitchen of the house, with the living - dining area and main access hall. As you can see it is glazed on several sides, each view after concluded the work is slightly different. This time, only put a lamp in Japanese style to give the night lighting environment. This is a sample of a Zen garden that carries an implicit minimalist in design. The conditions in the house are basically clear and minimalist tones, it is for that reason that it was decided to this design. Few elements, well distributed, with a mix of different textures, from coarse gravel and dark gray color, contrasting with the white gravel and raked; allows us to balance the wabi sabi and the scene.

Modern courtyard garden for a barn conversion designed by Jo Alderson Phillips @ Joanne Alderson Design, Built by Tom & the team at TS Landscapes & photographed by James Wilson @ JAW Photography

Jo Fenton
Small traditional backyard shaded formal garden in London with a garden path and natural stone pavers for spring.

Taking inspiration from his Industrial Design & Technology degree studies and a real passion for 19th and early 20th century industrial architecture on brownfield sites, Tristen brought Brownfield Beauty to life. Perceived as a centrepiece of a large external courtyard of a redeveloped industrial building converted into luxury apartments, Brownfield Beauty is a place for residents to meet, socialise and relax. In Tristen’s design the industrial and rustic – four large Venetian blind style screens, reclaimed brick seats and tumble down brick walls – contrast dramatically with a relaxed planting theme and mock ‘rill’ feature emitting relaxing running water sounds. The screens, along with large ornamental trees, provide a sense of safety and seclusion too for residents. A relaxed planting theme consists of grasses and ferns to create bold statements and structure throughout the year and the colour palette is mainly pastel and muted shades to harmonise with the tones of the garden’s industrial materials, with some dashes of colour to draw the eye with plants such as Digitalis, Echinacea and Kniphofia. As a communal area, a key feature is that planting is architectural and features structural evergreen plants ensuring areas of interest all year.