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 687,508 images from the best designers, decorators, and architects in the country, including K&D Landscape Management and Katharine Webster Inc.. 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.
Gilda Cevasco
Photo of a small classic back formal full sun garden for spring in Other with gravel and a potted garden.
Planters and flowers - webuser_542958254
Amanda Shipman
Small traditional courtyard full sun garden for spring in Hertfordshire with a potted garden and brick paving.
choice of plants - skinnylin
The low maintenance patio garden features a lit fountain that adds a romantic feel to the contemporary landscaping.
This is an example of a large contemporary back formal full sun garden for summer in London with a retaining wall and natural stone paving.
ممكن بدل الشجرة الجهنميه الشمسية - hala1kandil
A new, colorful perennial bed balances the patio. A mix of 'Summer Beauty' allium, 'Purpurkerze' astilbe, 'The Rocket' ligularia, and 'Elegans' hosta add multi-season interest and color.
Westhauser Photography
Nice paving and stones - susanagnew01
A close-up of the natural stone staircase with John Creech Sedum growing along the edges. Dining space and the grill can be seen on the upper level, left of the staircase. On the right side of the staircase a gas fire pit is also convenient to the back door.
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This is an example of a classic side formal full sun garden in London with gravel.
The topiary. The pooch is cute too. - paulapersson01
Nathalie Priem
This is an example of a small contemporary back garden in London with a potted garden and concrete paving.
Design can make a difference to smaller spaces outdoors with modern fencing panels, low maintenance landscaping and complementary garden furniture. - webuser_157905468
Photo shows the interior three art windows in the Japanese Tea House . All our art glass designs are copyrighted and come with a book detailing the metaphysical meanings. They are signed and the pattern is never repeated. The Tokonoma has two slender art glass windows on either side and is made of an exotic wood as is the alter base. The entire interior is designed with a specific number of wood types.
Photo credits: Dan Drobnick
John Davies
Photo of a world-inspired back garden in London with a water feature.
Like the variation of plants, still with clean lines. Also like the tall long trees at the back. Water feature would be nice but imagine this is quite expensive - webuser_493035664
Photo of a large traditional front driveway full sun garden for summer in New York with a garden path and mulch.
Design ideas for a contemporary garden in London.
photo credit:Michele Goffin
Design ideas for a contemporary garden in DC Metro.
Handsome tree format along the retaining wall - cbarnhart3
A mown path through bluebells and trees lures on a sunny day.
Design ideas for a large classic back partial sun garden in Hampshire with a garden path and natural stone paving.
preferable to have grass with stepping stones rather than gravel/paving stone paths? - mailinbala
Chris Cunningham
Medium sized contemporary back full sun garden in London with decking.
I want all the garden grass to be removed, and the ground to be nice where the kids can play - mmramiro
Photo Credits: Steven Thompson
This is an example of a front xeriscape garden in Phoenix.
Design ideas for a large contemporary back garden in Glasgow with a retaining wall and natural stone paving.
seating style - kieran71
Charlotte Rowe Garden Design. Large formal structural garden with water rill, limestone paving, clipped Cloud planting with petanques court and subtle garden lighting.
Shapes lights contrast green on white - markmccool