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Formal Garden Ideas and Designs

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Natural stone terraces support walks and patio with meadow garden
Natural stone terraces support walks and patio with meadow garden
Hanselman Landscape and GardensHanselman Landscape and Gardens
Large classic back formal full sun garden for summer in Philadelphia with brick paving.
Arbors: Architectural Artwork
Arbors: Architectural Artwork
B. Gordon Builders, Inc.B. Gordon Builders, Inc.
Follow the path under the arbor to your private sanctuary. Landscape design by Peter Koenig: Peter Koenig Design
Photo of a medium sized traditional back formal partial sun garden for spring in San Francisco with a water feature and mulch.
Berry Residence
Berry Residence
Acadia Landscape CompanyAcadia Landscape Company
Large traditional back formal fully shaded garden in Other with natural stone paving and a rockery.
Ni-water Composition
Ni-water Composition
Outdoor CraftsmenOutdoor Craftsmen
Medium sized mediterranean back formal full sun garden in Denver with natural stone paving and a water feature.
Custom
Custom
CLC Landscape DesignCLC Landscape Design
Medium sized traditional sloped formal full sun garden for summer in New York with natural stone paving and a rockery.
Martha's Vineyard Estate
Martha's Vineyard Estate
CBA Landscape Architects, LLCCBA Landscape Architects, LLC
Large coastal back formal full sun garden in Boston with a vegetable patch and gravel.
Resort Style in the backyard
Resort Style in the backyard
Alderwood Landscape Architecture and ConstructionAlderwood Landscape Architecture and Construction
Large contemporary back formal garden in Seattle with mulch and lawn edging.
Project Four
Project Four
Pearson Landscape ServicesPearson Landscape Services
Boulder staircase with disappearing fountain and steel arbor at entrance to back yard
This is an example of a large traditional front formal partial sun garden for spring in Austin with a retaining wall and natural stone paving.
High Meadow Contemporary
High Meadow Contemporary
Caribou Construction CompanyCaribou Construction Company
This is an example of a large back formal full sun garden in Other with natural stone paving and a desert look.
Nashville Estates
Nashville Estates
Pro-Land Landscape Construction Inc.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
Rye
Rye
The Lazy GardenerThe Lazy Gardener
Side garden arbor with clematis.
Photo of a large traditional sloped formal partial sun garden for summer in New York with natural stone paving.
北方の家
北方の家
人建築事務所人建築事務所
Inspiration for a world-inspired formal full sun garden in Nagoya with a garden path.
Canyon House
Canyon House
Gustave Carlson DesignGustave Carlson Design
Gustave Carlson Design
Large classic sloped formal fully shaded garden in San Francisco with decking and a garden path.
Poolside Lounging
Poolside Lounging
Exteriors By Chad RobertExteriors By Chad Robert
Lounge chairs flanking a small fire pit provide a poolside retreat. Photo by Todor Spasov
Photo of an expansive mediterranean back formal full sun garden for summer in Phoenix with a fire feature and natural stone paving.
Long Beach Landscape
Long Beach Landscape
A-List Builders Inc.A-List Builders Inc.
Landscaping In Long Beach, CA Photo by A-List Builders Fresh lain lawn, concrete pavers, botanical plants, stone boulders.
Photo of a contemporary back formal garden in Los Angeles with a garden path and concrete paving.
Fence at Suburban Oasis
Fence at Suburban Oasis
Princeton Design CollaborativePrinceton Design Collaborative
Garden allee path with copper pipe trellis Photo by: Jeffrey Edward Tryon of PDC
Design ideas for a small contemporary courtyard formal fully shaded garden for summer in Philadelphia with gravel.
Santa Fe Retreat
Santa Fe Retreat
Overland Partners Architecture + Urban DesignOverland Partners Architecture + Urban Design
Copyright © 2009 Robert Reck. All Rights Reserved.
This is an example of a large front formal full sun garden in Albuquerque with a water feature and gravel.
Vail Valley Retreat
Vail Valley Retreat
ULFBUILTULFBUILT
Inspiration for a large rustic sloped formal partial sun garden for summer in Denver with a water feature and natural stone paving.
Water Features
Water Features
Wallace Landscape AssociatesWallace Landscape Associates
Medium sized traditional courtyard formal partial sun garden in Philadelphia with a water feature and natural stone paving.
Sundance Landscapes
Sundance Landscapes
Sundance LandscapingSundance Landscaping
This is an example of a medium sized traditional back formal partial sun garden in Seattle with a garden path and natural stone paving.

Formal Garden Ideas and Designs

A beautifully designed 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 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 front garden design.

How should I design my 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 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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