Hilltop home with sweeping views of San Francisco Bay. Open views surrounded by bold foliage dominated plantings. Planter beds with collection of dramatic succulents that don't block windows.

Urrbrae | Front Garden | Courtyard Garden | Native Garden

Catnik Design Studio

A new garden to complement this recently renovated mid-century modern home by Northern Edge Studio. A naturalistic contemporary Australian style garden with native grasses, Kangaroo Paws and native ground covers. New seeded exposed aggregate path around the home and a seating area to be immersed within the garden. Beautiful bluestone steppers slow your pace to walk through the garden.

Front and Back yard Flagstone Project

English Stone

Natural Stone Walkway and Steps by English Stone.

Modernist Courtyard

terraneo landscape design

A small courtyard at 12m2 (3x4m) can feel boxy. So curves were employed to soften the design creating flow and interest.

Holistic Modern in NE Portland, Oregon

Drake's 7 Dees Landscaping & Garden Center

This particular project actually came about in two phases. The client came to us wanting to qualify for the City of Portland's Audubon Society "Backyard Habitate Certification". Our first infrastructure of paths was crushed gravel with steel edging. Permeability was a requirement for certification... but after a year of being in the ground, the owners wanted another level of finish... and opted to add Iron Mountain Flagstone Steppers with a 1" gap, which still met the parameters of certification. Photography by: Joe Hollowell

Retaining Wall

Pearson Landscape Services

Intimate Patio Spaces

West Winds Nursery LLC

Photograph by Katherine Palmer

Perry Street Rancher

Pacific Garden Design

After moving into a mid-century ranch home on Spokane's South Hill, these homeowners gave the tired landscape a dramatic makeover. The aging asphalt driveway was replaced by precast concrete pavers that coordinate with a new walkway of sandwashed concrete pads. A pared-down front lawn reduces the overall water use of the landscape, while sculptural boulders add character. A small flagstone patio creates a spot to enjoy the outdoors in the courtyard-like area between the house and the towering ponderosa pines. The backyard received a similar update, with a new garden area, water feature, and paver patio anchoring the updated space.

Shorewood Project

The Sculpted Earth

Meandering Walkway Of French Vanilla Dimensional Stone Pavers Navigating Through New Plantings Of Ornamental Grasses, Dianthus(pinks) Groundcovers, Lavender, Abelia, Dwarf Arctic Willow.

Mid-Modern Landscape

LandCrafters, LLC

An entry pad of Rustic Valders limestone paving is the only outside entrance to the side courtyard. The masonry pillar reflects the nearby chimney to a tee - including Colorado flagstone small accents. An overhanging cut Eden stone cap provides coverage for an under-ledge LED light. The courtyard Colorado flagstone patio can be see in the back with Valders planking serving as mow strips between the bed and lawn.

Mid-Century Modern Home Rear Garden

GreenHeart, LLC

Backyard for Family & Furry Friends

Ambiance Garden Design, LLC

Backyard Renovation for family looking to share time with friends and dogs.

Foliage-Wrapped Retaining Wall

FormLA Landscaping

Wand-like blue blooms of mix with other mid-sized California native foliage between the patios and natural meadow.

North Shore Midcentury Modern

Calafia Design

Bluestone walk leads to back garden of Midcentury Modern house. Photo Calafia Design Hardscape installed by Krugel Cobbles

Holistic Modern in NE Portland, Oregon

Drake's 7 Dees Landscaping & Garden Center

A small backyard space, bordering a NE Portland golf course. Taking out the lawn made ample room for native plantings, a water feature and flagstone walkways. All home to many a bird, squirrel and forest critter. Photography by: Joe Hollowell

Mid-Century Modern Kitchen and patio

Carey Ezell Landscape Design LLC

Blue stone paving separated by gravel joints creates stepping stones from patio to pool area.

Courtyard Garden in South London

Earth Designs Garden and Build London and Essex

Low Water Love

Sweet Smiling Landscapes

Tiered of the looking out at a shabby brown lawn in their front yard and unwilling to use the water to keep it green these homeowners decided to go for something different. The wife in this household worked from home and was motivated to have a better view from her home office. As an enthusiastic bird watcher, I wanted to give her a view that included happy birds fluttering about. The husband was annoyed by the fact that some of the neighbors allowed their dogs to use this corner lot a toilet without having the curtesy of cleaning up after them. My job was to create a low water landscape (also known as xeriscape) that attracted birds, bees and butterflies but kept the dogs off. We started with directing down spouts in to catch basins called infiltration swales. These swales capture water storing it in the soil where it can be accessed by plants months after the rains have stopped. Then we integrated primarily California native plants and succulents into the design. Special attention was payed to the water needs of the plants and the ideal growing conditions for each species so that the combination of earthworks and plant choice and placement this landscape can get by with zero supplemental irrigation after the period of establishment this landscape. By incorporating flowering California native plants, native birds and insects flocked to the site in a neighborhood otherwise dominated by lifeless landscapes. By surrounding the garden with decomposed granite and succulents we created a space that was unpleasant and unappealing for dogs to relive themselves while remaining appealing to more human sensibilities. Today this property sits on the corner in a suburban neighborhood of Goleta, California. Hopefully serving as inspiration to take out lawns and build beautiful gardens that work to integrate the man made landscape with the natural ecosystem in which it is built.

Mid Century xeriscape

Alford's Landscaping

Mid-Century Modern Revival

Coldham & Hartman Architects

Ethan Drinker Photography

Midcentury Garden Design Ideas with Natural Stone Pavers

Get Inspired by Midcentury 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 midcentury 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 Midcentury Garden for Your Home

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