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

Casual outdoor dining area next to house with bougainvillea

June Scott Design

Rock outcroppings make a striking background for new lounge areas in this compact Los Angeles hillside garden. Working with the attributes of the site, we added native plants to drape over the stone, and converted hollowed stone planters into a firepit and water feature. New built-in seating and a cozy hammock complete the relaxing space, and dramatic lighting makes it come alive at night. Photo by Martin Cox Photography.

City Brownstone Garden

A Small Green Space

Photo: Megan Maloy www.meganmaloy.com
Design ideas for a small modern backyard partial sun garden in New York with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Cashmere

FORM garden architecture

This is an example of a small contemporary courtyard formal garden in Christchurch with a retaining wall and decking.

Modern Hideout in Bucktown

Chicago Roof Deck & Garden

Photo of a small modern backyard partial sun garden for summer in Chicago with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Banyon

Jilzart Design

Design ideas for a small tropical side yard partial sun formal garden in Los Angeles with a retaining wall.

Modern Ipe Hard Wood Privacy Fence

Little Landscapes

Custom made Ipe (Brazilian Walnut) privacy fence/divider. A gorgeous hard wood choice for outdoor fencing.
Inspiration for a small modern side yard full sun formal garden for spring in Toronto with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

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.

Artificial Grass for Playground Installations

SYNLawn

Backyard Retaining Wall

Premier Lawncare & Landscape, LLC

Another photo of the completed project. Now the family can start planning for there patio!
Photo of a small modern backyard partial sun garden in Grand Rapids with a retaining wall.

Moraga Country Club Small Frontyard

Garden Lights Landscape and Pool Development Inc.

Steve Lambert, Winner Beautification Award for Small Landscape Design - Build Small Country-club Project, with courtyard deck, low maintenance, Bitter root walls,

Curved Retaining Wall

Krugel Cobbles, Inc.

Photos by Linda Oyama Bryan
Design ideas for a small eclectic front yard garden in Chicago with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Multi-tiered Retaining Wall

Elevate Outdoor

This unique retaining wall design curves around the house and gently slopes down the hill.
Design ideas for a small traditional front yard partial sun garden in St Louis with a retaining wall and brick pavers.

Rustic Garden

Luxescapes, LLC

Meghan Himschoot
Design ideas for a small country front yard full sun garden in Denver with a retaining wall.

A Curved Edge

The Narrow Lane

This is an example of a small country backyard partial sun garden for spring in Boston with a retaining wall, natural stone pavers and a wood fence.

Wood Deck, Pavers, Fountain and Garden- Back Yard

Bosler Earth Design

Backyard living area including sitting space, fountain, and stairs to upper level landscape. ©Daniel Bosler Photography
Small and australian native contemporary backyard xeriscape in Los Angeles with a retaining wall and concrete pavers.

Balmain - Inner city garden

sticks and stones Landscape Design

This is an example of a small tropical backyard full sun garden in Sydney with a retaining wall and decking.

Bed Stuy Zen - Steel, Stone, & Water

The Brooklyn Garden Club Inc.

Backyard border garden terracing and water feature -corten steel & stone
Photo of a small asian front yard partial sun formal garden for winter in New York with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Xeriscape Garden, Jungle Forest Garden, Vegetable Garden & Subtropical Garden

Roland Oehme Landscape Architecture

This is an urban single family home situated on a narrow lot that is about 1/8 of an acre and is only 2 blocks from the Pacific Ocean. I designed a completely new garden and installed everything along with the client’s help. The garden I designed consisted of an ornamental grass garden, a xeriscape garden with decomposed granite mounds, fruit trees and shrubs located throughout, a jungle forest garden, and raised brick vegetable beds in the rear. Previously, there was a wood deck covering almost the entire property that was removed by the owner. We installed root guard around all of the walkways. I installed the raised brick vegetable beds and walkways around the vegetable beds. Many of the plants were chosen to provide food and habitat for pollinators as well. Dozens of fruiting plants were located in the garden. So, it is called the “Garden of Eatin”. Landscape design and photo by Roland Oehme

Small 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.