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  1. Garden & Outdoor
  2. Garden
  3. Space Location: Back Garden

Contemporary Back Garden Ideas and Designs

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THE MIDCENTURY HOUSE, BATTERSEA
THE MIDCENTURY HOUSE, BATTERSEA
NOTO ArchitectsNOTO Architects
Design ideas for a contemporary back full sun garden fence in London.
Cozy Backyard Patio
Cozy Backyard Patio
SCJ Studio Landscape Architecture - MontanaSCJ Studio Landscape Architecture - Montana
A forgotten backyard space was reimagined and transformed by SCJ Studio for outdoor living, dining, entertaining, and play. A terraced approach was needed to meet up with existing grades to the alley, new concrete stairs with integrated lighting, paving, built-in benches, a turf area, and planting were carefully thought through.
London town garden
London town garden
Arthur Road LandscapesArthur Road Landscapes
Jane Shankster/Arthur Road Landscapes
Photo of a small contemporary back partial sun garden in London with brick paving.
Primrose Hill
Primrose Hill
Emma O'Connell Garden DesignEmma O'Connell Garden Design
Bespoke cantilevered metal steps within retaining wall with shade-loving planting including acer.
Design ideas for a small contemporary back garden steps in London.
Garden for Coco
Garden for Coco
Barbara Samitier GardensBarbara Samitier Gardens
Alexandra Davies
Medium sized contemporary back garden in London with decking.
Small outdoor room with a green wall in Kensington
Small outdoor room with a green wall in Kensington
The Garden BuildersThe Garden Builders
Pro Colour Photography
Photo of a small contemporary back partial sun garden for summer in London with a living wall and natural stone paving.
Landscape Design
Landscape Design
WINN Design+BuildWINN Design+Build
This is an example of a large contemporary back full sun garden for summer in DC Metro with a pathway and natural stone paving.
Backyard Bliss
Backyard Bliss
Shambhala LandscapesShambhala Landscapes
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.
Allergic to Bees Horizontal Fencing
Allergic to Bees Horizontal Fencing
Winston Fayer Landscape DesignWinston Fayer Landscape Design
The backyard is small and uninviting until we transformed it into a comfortable and functional area for entertaining
This is an example of a small contemporary back private full sun garden in New York.
My Houzz: A Dream Home Grows From an Empty Austin Lot
My Houzz: A Dream Home Grows From an Empty Austin Lot
Kara MosherKara Mosher
Kara Mosher © 2012 Houzz
Inspiration for a contemporary back garden in Austin.
Southfields Garden
Southfields Garden
Tom Howard Garden Design and LandscapingTom Howard Garden Design and Landscaping
Medium sized contemporary back formal full sun garden for summer in London with a pond and natural stone paving.
New Projects.
New Projects.
Aden LandscapingAden Landscaping
Medium sized contemporary back formal partial sun garden in Seattle with a water feature and gravel.
Turramurra
Turramurra
Art in GreenArt in Green
Contemporary backyard with plenty of play space and entertaining area. Custom built cubby house for the kids matching the style of the house. Porphyry stone clad walls with bluestone capping and pavers. Frameless glass pool fence. Garden lighting. Photography © thepicturedesk.com.au
Eversley Road
Eversley Road
Marienne Pachonick ArchitectsMarienne Pachonick Architects
Radu Palicica
This is an example of a large contemporary back full sun garden in London.
A Beautiful Water Feature
A Beautiful Water Feature
The Landscape & Garden Company LTDThe Landscape & Garden Company LTD
Design ideas for a medium sized contemporary back formal garden in Other with a water feature and gravel.
Greenville, DE Landscape
Greenville, DE Landscape
Wallace Landscape AssociatesWallace Landscape Associates
Photo of a medium sized contemporary back formal fully shaded garden in Philadelphia with gravel and a garden path.
Stylish City Refuge
Stylish City Refuge
Hufnagel Landscape Design & Construction GroupHufnagel Landscape Design & Construction Group
Small contemporary back garden in New York with a potted garden and natural stone paving.
Menlo Park
Menlo Park
Garden Nest Residential LandscapeGarden Nest Residential Landscape
Photo By: Jude Parkinson-Morgan
This is an example of a medium sized contemporary back garden in San Francisco with a water feature and gravel.
Bellevue Water Feature Design
Bellevue Water Feature Design
Environmental Construction, Inc.Environmental Construction, Inc.
Elegant water feature surrounded by ornamental trees and grasses welcome visitors to the Bellevue home. Designed by Environmental Construction, Kirkland, WA
Modern Fountain
Modern Fountain
Kirby's PoolsKirby's Pools
Inspiration for a medium sized contemporary back fully shaded garden in San Francisco with a water feature and concrete paving.

Contemporary Back Garden Ideas and Designs

A beautifully designed contemporary garden is as important as the emphasis we place on the designs of our interiors. After all, our grounds (however modest) frame our homes and contribute to first impressions not only of our houses, but also of the households within. Options for garden designs can be as elaborate or low maintenance as your lifestyle and preferences permit – consider both your aspirations for how it should look and how much time you can invest in garden maintenance. Consulting a gardener or landscape designer will ensure you have a garden that suits your lifestyle, the local climate and soil conditions. But don’t forget that with Houzz your first stop can be collecting images of garden ideas and designs you love in order to inspire your garden plans and potentially share them with a landscape gardening professional.

How do I come up with a contemporary front garden design?

The priority for a front garden is kerb appeal. Begin by considering the area immediately around and leading up to your front door. You may want to opt for front garden designs that blend well with the style of your home – for example, abundant foliage and flowerbeds will perfectly complement a period property, whereas man-made materials, geometric shapes and contrasting textures are great ideas for a contemporary garden design. Even if your front garden is a small space, keep it tidy – if you have more space, make the most of it with garden ideas and features such as a manicured lawn, gravel driveway, water feature or garden fencing. If you don’t have the time or commitment to devote to gardening, then neatly pruned hedges, statement paving, hanging baskets, garden benches and outdoor lighting are all decorative, low maintenance garden ideas for your contemporary front garden design.

How should I design my contemporary back garden?

Back gardens typically offer more space than front garden designs and serve a more recreational purpose, so it’s important to know how you want to spend time in your garden before you design it in order to build in the features that you will enjoy. If you love relaxing in the garden and dining al fresco, think about patios, decking, garden furniture and BBQs. For the more horticulturally-inclined, incorporate flower beds, greenhouses or vegetable garden designs. Your landscape gardening professional can help you install structures such as sheds, pergolas and gazebos that complement your garden design, and artfully-placed garden ideas such as lawn edging and lighting will add definition to your chosen design.

How do I create a low maintenance garden?

The great news is, gardens aren’t exclusively for the green-fingered. Whether you’re not horticulturally-inclined or simply don’t have the time for a bit of landscape gardening, you can still have a contemporary garden design that looks the way you want by making some smart design choices. While many of us favour low maintenance gardens like urban gardens, roof terraces and patio gardens, lovers of greenery don’t need to sacrifice grass for paving slabs. Whatever you want from your garden, there are a variety of gardening solutions that can be built in to make life easier. For example, labour intensive features such as vegetable patches, greenhouses and flower beds can be optimised with an automatic irrigation system. These can be offset with fuss-free garden ideas such as hard landscaping, including gravel, paving or decking, and hard-wearing evergreens that require minimal upkeep. You might even consider replacing your garden fencing with slow growing hedging, which can be maintained less regularly than wooden fence panels. If having a lawn is important, there are different types of grasses in varying degrees of durability and maintenance. You may choose to take a more relaxed approach to your lawn – “wild” garden designs can have great charm if the grasses and flowers are chosen carefully. If you prefer a manicured lawn, it’s a good idea to invest in a “mulching” lawn mower that will recycle clippings and remove the need for cleaning up. Finally, there isn’t a more low maintenance garden lawn than artificial grass which can look highly realistic and keep your garden looking green. Garden ornaments are a great way to add interest to your low maintenance garden design – go for smart garden ideas such as solar garden lights which are both decorative and functional. Find some of the most popular design ideas on Houzz.
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