Photographer: Rob Karosis
This is an example of a traditional garden in New York with a retaining wall.

Gray Rock Hill

Seoane Landscape Design

Traditional front yard full sun garden in Boston with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers for summer.

Front Yard, Side Yard, & Back Yard New Build

User

Timberline Landscaping
Photo of a mid-sized traditional backyard partial sun garden for summer in Denver with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Mountain Landscaping blends with home and mountains

LAND BY DESIGN

This steep slope is a series of retaining walls planted with deep rooted and drought tolerant plantings to retain the slope. The scene is framed with a fire pit to the left and a river below. And on the other side, there is a naturalistic water feature comprising a waterfall and pond. Natural stone was used for the construction of the retaining walls, the water feature and the fire pit and patio. This is great combination of practical and environmentally friendly solutions to create usable space.

New Projects

CK Landscape

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional side yard full sun driveway for summer in San Francisco with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Retaining Walls and Seat Walls

Beary Landscaping

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional backyard garden in Chicago with a retaining wall and mulch.

Renovate Existing Patio and Retaining Wall Regency Omaha

H&H Lawn and Landscape

Nate Olsen
Inspiration for a small traditional front yard partial sun garden in Omaha with a retaining wall and brick pavers.

Olde Maine

Amy Martin Landscape Design

Location: Cohasset, MA, USA When my clients purchased this historic house, they saw that this garden held great potential, even though the property had been somewhat neglected. They wanted the new landscape to evoke the feeling of an Olde Maine house that time had forgotten. Sitting on the front veranda in the shade of the treasured Horse Chestnut and Maple trees that flank each side of the house, we explored the possibilities together. The front yard sloped a bit too much for comfort, so we determined that building a stone wall in the middle would create a terrace, making both parts of the lawn more usable. Visions of parties and children's weddings came to mind. We put a set of elegant arching steps in the middle, leading down to the sunken garden. Large, mature Rhododendrons were planted at the base of the Horse Chestnut and Maple trees just off the front veranda. Boxwoods undulate beneath the trees with Vinca as a ground cover. Ticonderoga stone was used for the walls and steps, which was the closest match to the existing stone foundation. The exquisite masonry by Doug Brooks Masonry makes this staircase as elegant as a tiered wedding cake.

Alamo Traditional Modern Front Yard with Flagstone Pathways

Leigh Designs

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional front yard full sun garden in San Francisco with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Address Rock

Sundance Landscaping Limited

Inspiration for an expansive traditional front yard garden in Calgary with a retaining wall.

9" Limestone Retaining Wall

Topeka Landscape, Inc.

9" limestone large retaining wall.
Large traditional front yard garden in Other with a retaining wall.

Entrances, Fences & Gates

Maher & Greenwald Fine Gardens

Mid-sized traditional front yard full sun formal garden in New York with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Traditional Elegance

Western DuPage Landscaping, Inc.

Since the completion of the home our company has maintained this property. Originally built by a local builder as a speculation home, it was purchased by two busy professionals. Why is this important? Let's just say the clients are particular and like it when things aren't just so. Both have high level careers, travel often and expect their landscape to be pristine. Year after year our company rises to this challenge. When originally installed, the builder wanted larger plant material to provide a full and mature look. The continued growth provides a pruning challenge, especially when the client prefers a clean, neat and "compact" landscape. We continually monitor growth and hand prune accordingly, including yearly winter pruning. The backyard is particularly difficult due to the shade, moisture run-off from neighboring properties. The turf requires constant monitoring and adjustment to the irrigation system. The trees create a mess requiring clean up along with yearly power washing of the stone. While the challenges are many, the fine maintenance has led to happy clients and numerous referrals.

Weekend Cottage

Debra Herdman Design

Traditional backyard garden in Minneapolis with a retaining wall.

Country House 1

Peter A. Sellar - Architectural Photographer

Photography: Peter A. Sellar / www.photoklik.com
This is an example of a traditional garden in Toronto with a retaining wall.

Stone Retaining Wall & Steps

Hughes Landscaping

Terraced tetaining wall with planting bed next to stone steps and new concrete patio. Photo Credit: Joe Schaeffer
Mid-sized traditional backyard partial sun garden in DC Metro with a retaining wall and natural stone pavers.

Traditional Landscape

Inspiration for a traditional backyard garden in Philadelphia with a retaining wall.

Genesis Lux Traditional

Stellar Homes Inc.

Photo of an expansive traditional front yard partial sun driveway in Edmonton with a retaining wall and mulch.

#ChuteProject

Monteiro And Sons Landscape Services, Inc.

blackbookphotos
Mid-sized traditional front yard partial sun garden in Boston with concrete pavers and a retaining wall.

Stylish Stone Entrance in Long Island, NY

Above All Masonry Design, Inc

Above All Masonry contractors designed and installed this welcoming and stylish front patio, completely transforming the entrance of a Long Island home. The natural incline of the property lends to a multi-leveled staircase to accentuate the curve of the yard. A combination of tiered gardening and stacked retaining walls create both beautiful design and strength for the patio. As visitors make their way from the driveway to the front door, they follow along the Unilock Treo stones lining the walkway. Their natural mix of warm tans, creams and grays blend into the surrounding gardens that follow the flow of the patio. Elegant railings line both the first and secondary staircase, accenting the colors of the stones and lining on the house. A structured and curated simple desing such as this enhances the curb appeal and overall experience of visiting a home.

Traditional Garden Design Ideas with a Retaining Wall

Get Inspired by Traditional 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 traditional 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 Traditional Garden for Your Home

Depending on which style you’re going for, be sure to know what makes a traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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.