The clients of this Highgate Garden contacted London Garden Designer in Dec 2011, after seeing some of my work in House and Garden Magazine. They had recently moved into the house and were keen to have the garden ready for summer. The brief was fairly open, although one specific request was for a Garden Lodge to be used as a Gym and art room. This was something that would require planning permission so I set this in motion whilst I got on with designing the rest of the garden. The ground floor of the house opened out onto a deck that was one metre from the lawn level, and felt quite exposed to the surrounding neighbours. The garden also sloped across its width by about 1.5 m, so I needed to incorporate this into the design.

Grand Ridge Residence

Studio 342 Landscape Architecture

Ebo Residence

2.ink Studio | Landscape Architecture

Hillside Makeover

NRD Landscape Design Build

NRD Landscape Design Inc.

Actor's Colony North Haven Village New York

Lear + Mahoney Landscape Architecture

Doug Young

Lilyvilla Display Garden

User

Lauren Hall-Behrens

Alderwood Landscape

Alderwood Landscape Architecture and Construction

High Style Family Retreat

Fifth Season Landscape Design & Construction

Path to the hot tub from master suite. -Chauncey Freeman

Backyard Zen

Avalon Northwest Landscape, LLC

Blakely

Ecotones Landscapes, Inc.

California native plant drought tolerant landscape with dry set stonework.

Spring Hill Residence

Rhodes Architecture + Light

- Completed: 1999-2000 - Project Location: Kirkland, WA - Project Size: 4,300 SF - Project Cost: $175/SF - Photographer: James Frederic Housel Designed and built as a speculative house, the Spring Hill Residence includes 4,300 square feet of living area and a detached garage and upper level unit located in the west of market area of Kirkland. Spring Hill Residence was selected as the September 2000 Seattle Times/AIA Home of the Month and was featured in the February 25, 2000 Pacific Northwest Magazine. Awarded Best Custom Residence by the Master Builders Association, 2001.

South Cove Residence

Wagner Hodgson

South Cove Residence Shelburne, Vermont This 15 acre site is located on the southern end of historic Shelburne Farms, a property originally designed by Frederick Law Olmstead for the Vanderbilt / Webb family. The site design attempts to soften the formal, classical character of the house with a minimal approach to the landscape. The stone and wood house is sited to enjoy both the southern and westerly views while integrating within the rolling agrarian landscape. The design creates a series of outdoor spaces which through classic geometry fade away into the more rugged lakeshore. A simple, yet elegant bluestone terrace bordered by perennials and a low stonewall, creates a space for entertaining on the south side of the house. Large trees of 8" and 10" caliper were planted to add a feeling of maturity to the landscape while creating a sense of intimate scale. Photo Credit: Westphalen Photography

Landscape Design

WINN Design+Build

E17 Secluded Family Garden

Sarah Kay Garden Design

Bespoke oak bench provides a secluded seating area at the back of the garden

Small modern garden landscaping in Clapham

Positive Garden Ltd

Small modern garden landscaping in Clapham. Porcelain tiles, drainage, painting, lighting. Water feature wall cladded with multi slate panels. Raised beds constructed from hollow/solid dense concrete blocks, rendered and painted. Designer: Honor Holmes Garden Design Positive Garden Ltd

Elegant Raised Vegetable Gardens

Nature's Perspective Landscaping

A space for growing vegetables and potting plants is made more aesthetically pleasing, with a geometric planter design, a large bubbling urn and natural clay pavers and bluestone slabs. A drip irrigation system keeps plants lush and thriving.

New build garden - Olympic park Stratford

Melanie Hick Garden Design

This blank canvas space in a new build in London's Olympic park had a bespoke transformation without digging down into soil. The entire design sits on a suspended patio above a carpark and includes bespoke features like a pergola, seating, bug hotel, irrigated planters and green climbers. The garden is a haven for a young family who love to bring their natural finds back home after walks.

The Lodge, Fulham Cemetery (Grand Designs)

Harry Holding Studio

The back garden for an innovative property in Fulham Cemetery - the house featured on Channel 4's Grand Designs in January 2021. The design had to enhance the relationship with the bold, contemporary architecture and open up a dialogue with the wild green space beyond its boundaries. Seen here in spring, this lush space is an immersive journey through a woodland edge planting scheme.

Project Hemera, North London

CCASA Architects

A landscape designer, Jenny Bloom Landscape, designed the big rear garden in different spaces and very well integrated with the architecture.

Le jardin des 5 sens

Duval&Bossennec - Paysagiste concepteur

Contemporary Garden Design Ideas with Natural Stone Pavers

Get Inspired by Contemporary 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 contemporary 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 Contemporary Garden for Your Home

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