An unused area of lawn has been repurposed as a meditation garden. The meandering path of limestone step stones weaves through a birch grove. The matrix planting of carex grasses is interspersed with flowering natives throughout the season. Fall is spectacular with the blooming of aromatic asters.

Hampstead Small Garden

Peter Reader Landscapes

A close up view of the semi-formal bed.
This is an example of a small contemporary backyard partial sun garden in London.

Lincoln Park Herb Wall

Brent Riechers Landscape (BRL LANDesign)

Brent A. Riechers
Inspiration for a small contemporary rooftop full sun garden in Chicago with a vegetable garden.

hastas flower bed

Outdoor Construction and Landscaping

Inspiration for a small country backyard full sun formal garden for spring in Nashville with a container garden and mulch.

Small outdoor room with a green wall in Kensington

The Garden Builders

Pro Colour Photography
Inspiration for a small contemporary backyard partial sun garden for summer in London with a vertical garden and natural stone pavers.

Ridgetop Modern Makeover

Native Edge Landscape

Native Edge Landscape, LLC
Photo of a small modern backyard garden for summer in Austin with a vertical garden.

Making An Entrance

Architectural Gardens, Inc

As dusk approaches, pathlights and torch lights make the narrow space feel open and alluring. The reflective quality of the pavers and limestone contribute to safe footing. Large, white blooms of hydrangea, alternating side to side along the walk, catch the eye and provide a sense of movement. Mike Crews Photography

The edible garden / Garden for a London chef

Barbara Samitier Gardens

Anna Batchelor
Design ideas for a small contemporary backyard full sun xeriscape for spring in London with a vegetable garden and natural stone pavers.

Small, low maintenance garden

Yorkshire Gardens

In this project we aimed to create a stylish garden which was both family friendly and low maintenance. Eco decking was used to create a large contemporary decking area. This composite product is slip resistant and is created using 95% recycled materials so is very eco friendly . This product is extremely low maintenance and long lasting. Rendered flower beds were built and complement the sleek and simple lines of the garden. A simplistic planting scheme has been utilised to add colour. A high quality artificial lawn was laid. This product is a great alternative for those looking for a lawn which will look lush all year round and will with stand children and animals playing on it. The slatted fence runs around the perimeter and adds warmth and texture to the space. Overall this garden is simple yet very slick.

Mokena Front Landscape

KD Landscape

Containers, bench and stone entrance all work in concert in this front entry garden.
This is an example of a small traditional front yard partial sun garden for summer in Chicago with a garden path and concrete pavers.

Planting Beds Brought to Life!

Smalls Landscaping

What a way to showcase existing deciduous trees...landscape a small garden around them. Be sure to add lows and highs to your design.
Design ideas for a small mediterranean front yard shaded garden for summer in Chicago with a vertical garden and mulch.

Mediterranean Rose Garden

Skyline design studio

This rose garden is half hidden and the curving path entices you to explore further. Creating a sense of mystery by partially obscuring the boundaries of the garden increases the sense of space. photo: Diane Hayford

London town garden

Arthur Road Landscapes

Jane Shankster/Arthur Road Landscapes
Photo of a small contemporary backyard partial sun garden in London with brick pavers.

Contemporary Outdoor Living Cabinteely

LandArt

This garden showcases the amazing results you can achieve if you design your kitchen extension and garden together at the same time, especially if you will have large glass sliders looking at into the garden. This garden’s transformation started as bare bones block-wall & dilapidated fence. Designed for a young family in Cabinteely. The small footprint is tasked with serving multiple roles: from kids play areas to evening entertainment space, storage shed, privacy buffer to the surrounding houses as well as being the aesthetic backdrop to a new glass-wall extension. Bearing in mind the compact area the privacy screening is selected as slimline evergreen Espaliers along the back wall, effectively blocking out all onlooking windows to the rear. This drastically improves the privacy of not just the garden but also the client’s kitchen & family area. Living with kids through the Irish seasons means that the lawn is not just essential to keep in place for play but to also ensuring it is usable throughout the year. A space like this justifies the use of artificial lawn so come rain, hail or shine the garden is never off limits. To achieve multiple uses within the garden we have carefully set the size of the terrace. The terrace protrudes into the lawn just enough to feel generous without compromising the overall balance. By keeping the levels of the lawn & terrace flush with one another allows them be treated as one continuous surface. A limestone border draws the eyeline around the overall perimeter of this compact space. To ensure that the hard landscaping does not dominate we have foliage between each surface, slim flower beds in front of the shed & freestanding pots of luscious evergreens by the floor-to-ceiling windows. This ensures a lush view onto the garden throughout the year.

Weather House

Mihaly Slocombe

Weather House is a bespoke home for a young, nature-loving family on a quintessentially compact Northcote block. Our clients Claire and Brent cherished the character of their century-old worker's cottage but required more considered space and flexibility in their home. Claire and Brent are camping enthusiasts, and in response their house is a love letter to the outdoors: a rich, durable environment infused with the grounded ambience of being in nature. From the street, the dark cladding of the sensitive rear extension echoes the existing cottage!s roofline, becoming a subtle shadow of the original house in both form and tone. As you move through the home, the double-height extension invites the climate and native landscaping inside at every turn. The light-bathed lounge, dining room and kitchen are anchored around, and seamlessly connected to, a versatile outdoor living area. A double-sided fireplace embedded into the house’s rear wall brings warmth and ambience to the lounge, and inspires a campfire atmosphere in the back yard. Championing tactility and durability, the material palette features polished concrete floors, blackbutt timber joinery and concrete brick walls. Peach and sage tones are employed as accents throughout the lower level, and amplified upstairs where sage forms the tonal base for the moody main bedroom. An adjacent private deck creates an additional tether to the outdoors, and houses planters and trellises that will decorate the home’s exterior with greenery. From the tactile and textured finishes of the interior to the surrounding Australian native garden that you just want to touch, the house encapsulates the feeling of being part of the outdoors; like Claire and Brent are camping at home. It is a tribute to Mother Nature, Weather House’s muse.

Garden Transformation April

Herseys LTD

This is an example of a small modern backyard full sun formal garden for summer in Berkshire with with pond, decking and a wood fence.

Pocket house - side yard

Abundant Design, LLC

view from deck stairs to back yard
This is an example of a small traditional side yard partial sun garden in Other with concrete pavers and a wood fence.

Presidio Park Refresh

Jackie and the Beanstalk

Colorful succulents with Verbena de la Mina, a California native plant
Small mediterranean front yard partial sun xeriscape in San Diego with gravel.

Stadgartenlounge

besgen Landschaftsarchitektur

Design ideas for a small modern side yard partial sun formal garden for summer in Cologne with with lawn edging, concrete pavers and a wood fence.

Konar

Garden Environments

Design ideas for a small country side yard partial sun garden in Raleigh with river rock.

Small Green 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.