'Red Meidiland' roses brighten this garden courtyard.

Location: Mountain View, CA This homeowner can't get enough saturated color, so we were happy to oblige! Because we started by creating a custom whole-house color palette, the mix of bright colors is cohesive and inviting inside and out, and the homeowner has a guide for continuing the look when adding new items. This narrow side yard, originally intended for use as a vegetable garden, suffered from low light and a heavy root system from the trees next door. It was transformed using recycled rock and gravel, a vintage painter's bench, red Adirondack chairs, planters, and drought-tolerant ground cover. Photographed by: Amanda Giles

Vibrant Surroundings

SURROUNDS Landscape Architecture + Construction

Landscape Architect: Howard Cohen Photography by: Bob Narod, Photographer, LLC

1970's Mansard meets Modern Landsdcape

Patrick L. Boyd-Loyd

This seventies-modern Mansard roofed house was floating in a sea of concrete and needed to be anchored to the site. The clients called upon designer Patrick L. Boyd-Lloyd, with David Rolston Landscape Architects, to help soften the harsh front yard that's only plantings were a formal edge of Cotoneaster glauca. A large section of the circular driveway, that read as a small landing strip, was removed, leaving a generous walkway and a new entry auto-court delineated by tall grasses. The Hard-scape material is Exposed Aggregate and Sandblasted Concrete. A simple, modern plant palette reflects the character of the house: Blue blooming Vitex trees and White Oak Leaf Hydrangeas add summer color, while Black Bamboo casts shadows on the pristine stucco walls, with wispy Ornamental Miscanthus Grass adding a slightly formal delineation. Contemporary Wok bowls, a Rolston signature accent, are used for spare accents of seasonal color.

Planters

BLUE Renovation & Landscape

debora carl landscape design

Yarrow Garden

Paul Moon Design

Farm Field Pacific Rim

Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

Spring Annuals & Bulbs

Greenhaven Landscapes Inc.

Container Gardens

Table2Garden

Stylish Digs in Echo Park

Urban Oasis Landscape Design

Large picture windows looked out onto the empty narrow side yard. Our solution was to create a dramatic 3D modular installation with CorTen Planters filled with low maintenance cacti.

Container Gardens

Cording Landscape Design

Cushion moss, Ivory Prince Lenten Rose and Western Sword fern

Seaside Outdoor Play & Living Backyard

studio M MERGE

Backyard Oasis

Caroline LeFevre Photography

Stockbridge Residence

Verdance Landscape Architecture

Majestic Coast Live Oak trees anchor the recreation space that contains a bocce court and synthetic turf play lawn adjacent to the swimming pool.

Chic Sustainable Entry Garden- Los Feliz

Ketti Kupper Conscious Life Design

Container garden as focal point. Photo by Ketti Kupper

Details

Grounded - Richard Risner RLA, ASLA

Marquette | 2017

Coats Homes

Garden Design Ideas with a Container Garden and with Outdoor Playset

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.