One of the most powerful elements you can add to your landscaping is a water feature. Ponds with waterfalls bring a multi-sensory experience to your outdoor space by creating reflections, movement, and sound. They are an ideal solution for smaller properties that don't have space for a pool. Water is therapeutic for everyone and can bring nature closer to those who are confined at home, like the elderly or infirm. A pond can become the focal point of a yard or outdoor room, regardless of size.

Fall Containers

KMS Gardens and Design

Raised Vegetable Bed / Ornamental Garden 2016

Glenna Partridge Garden Design

Contemporary Landscape with Basalt Columns Water Feature

Accent Landscapes

The use of ornamental grasses and basalt columns provide year round interest for this homes entry.

Residential Exterior Architecture

Lucas Fladzinski Photography

Photographer Lucas Fladzinski. Client MH Builders. Napa, CA. ©Lucas Fladzinski WWW.FLADZINSKI.COM Copyright strictly enforced

Patios & Walkways

Hoy Landscaping Inc.

A superior paver walk can serve as a mysterious and intriguing path through the farthest reaches of the garden.

Pool Landscape | St. Louis, MO

Frisella Landscape Group

Landscaping Highlights

Pristine Acres

Pristine Acres (www.pristineacres.com) installed this garden. There are hostas and annuals in this photo. The blue is a hydrangea and the purple is Astilbe.

Landscaping Highlights

Pristine Acres

Pristine Acres (www.pristineacres.com) installed this beautiful array of annuals set within perennials below a Weeping Cherry tree and in front of Red Knockout Roses

Plant Combinations

GreenHeart, LLC

White Daffodils and orange pansies play with Tassel Fern, Azalea, Chinese Ginger, Variegated Solomon's Seal, and white tulips. © Cathy Carr, APLD

Atherton garden

Sycamore Design

When the homeowners contacted Nancy Shanahan of Sycamore Design, they wanted to enlist her expertise for one goal: to provide screening from the neighboring school and its construction projects. Little did they know, this small assignment would open the door to an ongoing series of projects culminating in a garden that celebrates the seasons while supporting their family activities. Both a tranquil respite and a platform for entertaining guests, these outdoor spaces are an extension of the homeowners' vibrant personalities, reaching playful functionality with the use of texture, movement, color, and even edibles. Their garden thrives today and continues to evolve with the recent addition of a cutting garden, a sunken spa to replace their trampoline, and a fire pit to activate the area beneath their majestic oak tree.

Southside Place Pool house garden

Exterior Worlds Landscaping & Design

The Laurel

Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors

Nothing like a good drone shot to provide a great overview of the project scope and how all the elements come together.

David Thorne Landscape Architect

Treve Johnson Photography

Urban Denver with Rustic Montana

Environmental Designs, Inc.

Sitting areas were positioned to enjoy both the waterfall and fire pit.

Nashville Estate

Pro-Land Landscape Construction Inc.

With a lengthy list of ideas about how to transform their backyard, the clients were excited to see what we could do. Existing features on site needed to be updated and in-cooperated within the design. The view from each angle of the property was already outstanding and we didn't want the design to feel out of place. We had to make the grade changes work to our advantage, each separate space had to have a purpose. The client wanted to use the property for charity events, so a large flat turf area was constructed at the back of the property, perfect for setting up tables, chairs and a stage if needed. It also created the perfect look out point into the back of the property, dropping off into a ravine. A lot of focus throughout the project was the plant selection. With a large amount of garden beds, we wanted to maintain a clean and formal look, while still offering seasonal interest. We did this by edging the beds with boxwoods, adding white hydrangeas throughout the beds for constant colour, and subtle pops of purple and yellow. This along with the already breathtaking natural backdrop of the space, is more than enough to make this project stand out. Photographer: Jason Hartog Photography

Transitional Backyard Garden Design Ideas

Get Inspired by Transitional 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 transitional 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 Transitional Garden for Your Home

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