Garden Ideas and Designs
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.
Whether you want inspiration for planning a garden renovation or are building a designer garden from scratch, Houzz has 680,066 images from the best designers, decorators, and architects in the country, including VORBILD Architecture and Inspired Garden Design. Look through garden photos in different colours and styles and when you find a garden design that inspires you, save it to an Ideabook or contact the Pro who made it happen to see what kind of design ideas they have for your home. Explore the beautiful garden ideas photo gallery and find out exactly why Houzz is the best experience for home renovation and design.
all claudia de yong- long view of meandering brick path leads to a greenhouse, it is planted on one side with hornbeam hedge and the other a bed against wall of house is edged in buxux, with thyme, heuchera palace purple, astrantia, luzula nivea and various climbers
Nice balance of overgrown organic and manicured grass - robyung66
Simon Orchard
This is an example of a large contemporary back garden in Hampshire with natural stone paving.
How do I deal with a sloping plot?
“Sloped gardens present more difficulties for installing fencing,” Neil says. “Either raked panels [manufactured on an angle], or individual panels secured to a timber frame and built in situ on the slope, are best and provide the most pleasing results.
“If the slope is reasonably gentle,” he says, “standard fence panels can be used and stepped at regular intervals to take account of the slope.”
“Plan carefully where these ‘steps’ will be,” Peter says, “as th - lemonfritters
Photo of a world-inspired garden in Dorset.
greenish - ricky_listone
Andrew Beasley Photography
Contemporary back full sun garden in London with a retaining wall.
similar layout. extension with extended roof - fay_raynaud
Jacek Wac & Matthew Gilbert
Large classic back formal full sun garden in London with gravel.
focal point, sculpture in the garden, circular 3D design - jackiesgardeningservices
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John Davies
Photo of a world-inspired back garden in London with a water feature.
I do like this pond, although suspect too small a garden we have - pauldawsey
Inspiration for a contemporary back garden in London.
Fencing and path through the grass - andy_gaught
In this project we aimed to create a stylish garden which was both family friendly and low maintenance.
Eco decking was used to create a large contemporary decking area. This composite product is slip resistant and is created using 95% recycled materials so is very eco friendly . This product is extremely low maintenance and long lasting.
Rendered flower beds were built and complement the sleek and simple lines of the garden. A simplistic planting scheme has been utilised to add colour.
A high quality artificial lawn was laid. This product is a great alternative for those looking for a lawn which will look lush all year round and will with stand children and animals playing on it.
The slatted fence runs around the perimeter and adds warmth and texture to the space. Overall this garden is simple yet very slick.
What our bifolds would look like with raised decking - kurt_tallon
This is an example of a contemporary back garden in Berkshire with a potted garden.
Levels and lighting are really effective - webuser_713267385138058
Design ideas for a country garden in Other.
Wild Flowwweeersssss - diana_mcclean
Using a refined palette of quality materials set within a striking and elegant design, the space provides a restful and sophisticated urban garden for a professional couple to be enjoyed both in the daytime and after dark. The use of corten is complimented by the bold treatment of black in the decking, bespoke screen and pergola.
Layout and back pagoda seating area - ruhihamid
James Brunton-Smith
This is an example of a large contemporary back formal full sun garden in Surrey with concrete paving.
gravel and stepping stones raised beds - harveytracy33
The front garden of this period Edwardian propertywas a large expanse of concrete hard standing, and overgrown planting. The aim of the garden design was to create a garden that combined space for off-street parking for one car, architectural soft landscaping as well as a spot in which to sit and enjoy the garden. The style of the new garden had to be sympathetic to the house and it was important that the end result was more contemporary front garden than everyday driveway. Additional screening to the neigbouring boundary wall was a key requirement, as was the need to keep an existing cherry tree.
stone in the gravel - louise_brady75
This is an example of a medium sized classic back garden in London with a living wall and natural stone paving.
evergreen structure good, but this is too uniform and regimented - jeanandmikenash
The rear of the property has been completely redone. The rear and side brick facades have been painted white. New aluminium framed doors and windows open the kitchen and dining area onto the garden. The garden has been landscaped with limestone levels, steps and rendered raised planters. A hand made timber slatted fence gives the needed privacy.
Photography by Chris Snook
colour of stone, venetian cladding along the wall in a strip and paint the wall white - bbdpdc
Denise Cadwallader
Medium sized classic back full sun garden for summer in London with natural stone paving.
Barnes Walker Ltd
This is an example of a traditional garden in Cheshire.
Contemporary garden in Surrey.
Wall colour with fence. Lighting - chris_davis473