GreenScapes Landscape Architects and Contractors

This classic San Francisco backyard was transformed into an inviting and usable outdoor living space. A few steps down lead to a lounging area, featuring drought-friendly and maintenance-free artificial grass as well as a cozy, custom-built natural gas fire pit surrounded by a Redwood bench. Redwood fencing, low-voltage LED landscape lighting, drip irrigation, planting and a water feature completed the space.

Seattle Cozy Patio

SCJ Studio Landscape Architecture

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

Fire Features

Stone Center

Traditional Style Fire Feature - the Prescott Fire Pit - using Techo-Bloc's Prescott wall & Piedimonte cap.

lake house

Princeton Scapes Inc

Lakeside outdoor living at its finest

Santa Cruz Sustainable

K & D Landscaping, Inc.

Residential home in Santa Cruz, CA This stunning front and backyard project was so much fun! The plethora of K&D's scope of work included: smooth finished concrete walls, multiple styles of horizontal redwood fencing, smooth finished concrete stepping stones, bands, steps & pathways, paver patio & driveway, artificial turf, TimberTech stairs & decks, TimberTech custom bench with storage, shower wall with bike washing station, custom concrete fountain, poured-in-place fire pit, pour-in-place half circle bench with sloped back rest, metal pergola, low voltage lighting, planting and irrigation! (*Adorable cat not included)

Enjoy the evening in the Garden- Back Yard

Bosler Earth Design

Fire pit seating area with fountain and pathway to upper level landscape. ©Daniel Bosler Photography

Arts and Crafts Woodland Home Gardens, Phoenixville

Donald Pell - Gardens

Decorative Concrete Finishes

Weatherill & Associates

Contemporary Home and Garden

Montecito Landscape

Pathways paved with crushed stone meander through this incredible space. We planted drought tolerant perennials; nepeta, euphorbia, pittosporum tobira wheelers dwarf, dymondia and lavender. Olive trees and Oaks surround this lovely garden.

English Jewel Box

Mariani Landscape

Balance, scale, and proportion are the foundations of this landscape, the perfect accompaniment to the historic home. Garden rooms surround the house, in a palette of deep greens, blues and white with enchanting views from every window. A dramatic rear terrace complete with a furnished outdoor kitchen, and dining and living spaces. The dimensional bluestone matches the bluestone cap of the seat wall, made of New England fieldstone. Photo Credit: Linda Oyama Bryan

Sunken Lakeside Fire Pit

ELM Garden Design

Raised fieldstone fire pit with bluestone caps Photo: Eustacia Marsales

Life at the beach

Bayon Gardens

Rustic Creekside Backyard - Cedarburg, WI

Ginkgo Leaf Studio

Stone steppers lead to an irregular lannon stone fire pit area in this creekside backyard in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Westhauser Photography

Santa Clara Modern

Seed Studio Landscape Design

photo by Seed Studio, editing by TJ Sugnet

Water feature

Magnolia Landscape and Design Co.

Firepit patio with pondless waterfall.

Ann Arbor Estate Project: Fire Table

Zaremba & Company

An intimate conversation area anchors one corner of the outdoor living space. A reclaimed stone plinth fire table serves as a rustic focal point, and a stone retaining wall enhances the sense of cozy seclusion. Crushed stone delights the senses with every footstep. Photo by John Carlson.

Adams Street, Denver, CO

LAND BY DESIGN

Corten steel sculpture, Corten steel firepit, wood trellis, wood pergola, raised Trex deck, Outdoor dining, Outdoor living, boulder water feature, granite chip, concrete edging Corten steel focal point.

Modern Farmhouse

Brad Ramsey Interiors

Contemporary back garden, Wimbledon, 5

Kate Eyre Garden Design

Garden Design Ideas with a Fire Feature

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.