My Houzz: A Dream Home Grows From an Empty Austin Lot

An inner city oasis with enchanting planting using a tapestry of textures, shades of green and architectural forms to evoke the tropics of Australia. Here, ferns and geraniums spill over the granite plank paving.

Contemporary Zen

Pristine Acres

Napa golf course edge contemporary

Land Studio C

Berkeley Slope Transformed

Sarah Herman Landscape Design

contemporary garden with child's play Radlett

FMN Gardens

Small town garden no lawn

Amanda Shipman

Contemporary Courtyard

Outerspace Creative Landscaping

Water Rill Garden, East Riding

Lizzie Tulip Garden Design

A contemporary water rill garden, calm, peaceful and light, with crisp diamond cut sandstone paving, rendered planters, contrasting gravel which glitters in the sun, flanked by Beech and Hornbeam hedging. The gardens surround an 18th Century farmhouse, open to the public between April and September each year. For more information please visit stillingfleetlodgenurseries.co.uk

Belmont Contemporary

Kristen Rudger Landscape Design

Newton, MA front yard renovation

Sallie Hill Design, Landscape Architect

Newton, MA front yard renovation. - Redesigned, and replanted, steep hillside with plantings and grasses that tolerate shade and partial sun. Added repurposed, reclaimed granite steps for access to lower lawn. - Sallie Hill Design | Landscape Architecture | 339-970-9058 | salliehilldesign.com | photo ©2013 Brian Hill

Dalkeith garden

Cultivart Landscape Design

Contemporary entry and rear entertaining area in Australia Photos: Peta North

Montcalm Street

Rossington Architecture

Goram House

Smart Landscape Design

Contemporary woodland garden with corten metal walls, horizontal trellis panelling and a polished metal and timber zig-zag pergola

Contemporary Cactus Garden

Rocket Garden Landscape Design

Tiered Stone Retaining Wall

Personal Touch Landscape & Gardening

This tiered retaining wall is made from stone and helps to add depth to this landscape! While serving its essential function, this wall also hosts a variety of garden beds!

Contemporary Townhouse - Heights, Houston

Lanson B. Jones & Co, Inc.

Total makeover of this contemporary Houston Heights townhome backyard. A brick border with notched corners encapsulates a crowned synthetic lawn creating an extremely low maintenance, puppy-friendly space. We lined the lawn frame with Blackstar Gravel (instead of mulch) to add elegance and make this space even more low maintenance. A row of evenly spaced Eagleston Hollies line the back fence and will grow to add additional privacy from neighboring homes. Confederate Jasmine is trellised on a diamond cable pattern and will bloom white in spring. The fence is painted with our proprietary "River Oaks Green"... a secret recipe of Lanson B. Jones & Company!

Belmont Hill Residence

Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design LLC

The master plan for this south-facing woodland property celebrates dramatic topography, muscular canopy trees, remnant fieldstone walls, and native stone outcroppings. Sound vegetation management principles guide each phase of installation, and the true character of the woodland is revealed. Stone walls form terraces that traverse native topography, and a meticulously crafted stone staircase provides casual passage to a gently sloping lawn knoll carved from the existing hillside. Lush perennial borders and native plant stands create edges and thresholds, and a crisp palette of traditional and contemporary materials merge––building upon the surrounding topography and site geology.

Contemporary Lakeside Patio - Glendale

Ginkgo Leaf Studio

View of the beach from the patio as seen through Gaura lindheimeri 'Siskiyou Pink'. Ginkgo Leaf Studio

Contemporary Turquoise Garden Design Ideas

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.