Welcome to our design space at the Pasadena Showcase House of Design. This “oasis” features a beautiful collection of koi fish, gracefully swimming in a 5’x8’ pond. Our modern, clean-cut paver patio is customized to intertwine with large seating boulders. By bringing the pathway right to the edge of the pond, we showcase our favorite cantilever effect. Softening the design, California-friendly plants and a stunning live plant wall surrounds the area, while lights can be seen hanging from the trees, extending the ambiance into the evening hours.

Silo Drive Project

Blue Sky Agriscaping

Inspiration for a small contemporary side yard partial sun garden in Phoenix with a vertical garden and mulch.

Front Yard Landscape

Stephanie D Poole

A trio of king palms line the driveway providing shade to the house and driveway during the hottest times of the year casting dazzling dancing shadows that move throughout the day that mimic the laser cut panels lining the driveway.

Mirabel Home

Desert Foothills Landscape

Tim Bibb
Photo of a small side yard full sun garden in Phoenix.

Fremont Firepit

Mark S. Garff, Landscape Architect

In Seattle's Fremont neighborhood SCJ Studio designed a new landscape to surround and set off a contemporary home by Coates Design Architects. The narrow spaces around the tall home needed structure and organization, and a thoughtful approach to layout and space programming. A concrete patio was installed with a Paloform Bento gas fire feature surrounded by lush, northwest planting. A horizontal board cedar fence provides privacy from the street and creates the cozy feeling of an outdoor room among the trees. LED low-voltage lighting by Kichler Lighting adds night-time warmth. Photography by: Miranda Estes Photography

Niche

Seed Studio Landscape Design

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

North Park Eclectic Landscape

Revolution Landscape

Colored concrete pathway with drought tolerant plantings and dry riverbed.
Small contemporary side yard full sun xeriscape in San Diego with a garden path and concrete pavers.

Laurelhurst Modern Garden

Northwest Native Landscapes LLC

Dramatic plant textures, modern hardscaping and sharp angles enhanced this mid-century modern bungalow. Soft plants were chosen to contrast with the sharp angles of the pathways and hard edges of the MCM home, while providing all-season interest. Horizontal privacy screens wrap the front porch and create intimate garden spaces – some visible only from the street and some visible only from inside the home. The front yard is relatively small in size, but full of colorful texture.

Grover Condos

Mezger Homes

Small country side yard full sun garden in Austin with gravel for summer.

Modern Contemporary

LaBlonde Development

Thompson Photographic
Small contemporary side yard partial sun xeriscape in Phoenix with a vertical garden and natural stone pavers for winter.

Fleming Street

Craig Reynolds Landscape Architecture

Tamara Alvarez
Inspiration for a small tropical side yard partial sun garden in Miami with decking.

Small Florida Cap Rock Waterfall

Matthew Giampietro Garden Design

This pond and waterfall is on the side yard in this tropical Florida backyard. Waterfalls Fountains & Gardens designed and installed the pond and waterfall

Small Spaces

G Brown Design

Reused corrugated metal on fence, reused broken concrete as stepping stones, reused door as back gate,
Small eclectic side yard full sun garden in Salt Lake City with a garden path and natural stone pavers.

Backyard Garden Sculptures (metal art)

Entanglements

'Leaf Fold' metal artwork in the garden by Entanglements metal art. Image courtesy of Franklin Landscapes. Easy garden ideas for your backyard.
Design ideas for a small industrial side yard full sun formal garden in Melbourne with natural stone pavers.

Shamanic & Sustainable Garden Design

Shamanic Gardening

Melinda Joy Miller's personalized this meditation garden for her bohemian client. Consultations include over thirty years experience in permaculture, sustainability, and herbology. She incorporates her unique background as a medicine woman, feng shui master, cultural anthropologist, sensorimotor-integrative therapist, and metaphysical healer. This garden was a collaboration between Melinda Joy and her daughter, Kim Colwell, an interior designer and second generation feng shui master. Each client is given a personalized plan based on their individual needs, interests, sensibility, budget, and environment. Photo by Zeke Ruelas

LANCASTER RESIDENCE

FineLines Design Studio

Michael Hunter
This is an example of a small eclectic side yard full sun garden for fall in Dallas with a garden path and concrete pavers.

Westie World

Susan Cohan Gardens

Raised steel beds and a wood utility enclosure. Fire hydrant water feature at end of a gravel path.
This is an example of a small transitional side yard partial sun garden in New York with a vegetable garden and gravel.

Carlsbad Juicing Garden

Jackie and the Beanstalk

This garden boasts 4 beautiful custom redwood raised beds with copper bands to prevent snails from attacking the edibles. The boxes are in full sun which is ideal for growing vegetables and herbs

Privatgarten Potsdam

hochC Landschaftsarchitekten PartGmbB

Kleinerer Privatgarten mit Holzterrasse, angrenzendem Brunnen, extra Sitzplatz im hinteren Garten sowie Geräteschuppen. Das Brunnenbecken ist aus Cortenstahl, der Wasserfall entspringt aus einer in eine Klinkerwand integrierten Schütte aus Cortenstahl.

Contemporary Modern Rebuild on 10th Avenue & K Street

Laughlin Design Associates, Inc.

This large expanse of lawn needed a major make over. Designer added many color full water wise shrubs, ornamental grasses and perennials. Took out 85% of existing lawn and added a new patio, steps, garden with grow boxes and strategic screens too. Designed for maximum enjoyment and preserving/enhancing their views while saving much water and maintenance. Rick Laughlin, APLD

Small Side Yard 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.