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  1. Garden & Outdoor
  2. Garden
  3. Size: Compact

Large and Small Garden Ideas and Designs

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Dorset Courtyard Garden
Dorset Courtyard Garden
Fi Boyle Garden DesignFi Boyle Garden Design
Upper rear terrace is framed by a low stone wall. Borders set into the paving soften the hard landscaping.
Small classic side garden in Dorset.
The Zen Garden
The Zen Garden
Unique HomestaysUnique Homestays
Inspiration for a large country back pergola in Kent.
Courtyard
Courtyard
Outdoor Creations Landscape & Design Inc.Outdoor Creations Landscape & Design Inc.
Raymond Bray
Photo of a large traditional back partial sun garden for summer in Other with a garden path and natural stone paving.
Rustic Creekside Backyard - Cedarburg, WI
Rustic Creekside Backyard - Cedarburg, WI
Ginkgo Leaf StudioGinkgo Leaf Studio
Stone steppers lead to an irregular lannon stone fire pit area in this creekside backyard in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Westhauser Photography
Photo of a small rustic back partial sun garden for summer in Milwaukee with a fire feature and natural stone paving.
Coan Waterfront Landscape, Camano Island, WA
Coan Waterfront Landscape, Camano Island, WA
Lankford Associates Landscape ArchitectsLankford Associates Landscape Architects
From the street, a round rock pathway leads to a small seating area next to the water with a small fire pit. Low maintenance, drought resistant and salt tolerant plantings were used in mass and clumps. This garden has become the focus of the neighborhood with many visitors stopping and enjoying what has become a neighborhood landmark. Located on the shores of Puget Sound in Washington State. Photo by R. Scott Lankford
Raised Bed Vegetable Garden
Raised Bed Vegetable Garden
Casa Smith Designs, LLCCasa Smith Designs, LLC
The star at the center of this veggie garden is the perfect place for the dwarf lemon tree. The six pointed star (just like the Great Seal of the United States) is ideal for the strawberries to cascade over the edges. The star is 6' with 3' clearance around the star so the space is wide enough to comfortably access the veggie beds from all sides. Photo Credit: Mark Pinkerton
Modern Landscape
Modern Landscape
Small modern front full sun garden for autumn in San Francisco with a garden path and concrete paving.
English Jewel Box
English Jewel Box
Mariani LandscapeMariani Landscape
A view through the garden rooms, a gravel path leads through to the many spaces. The path is lined with cushwa brick outlining the spaces. Terra cotta containers are filled with boxwood and petunia; pachysandra and bugleweed ground cover fill the flanking and center beds. A cast iron bench offers an opportunity to sit and enjoy the space, with the fountain creating a pleasant sound. The wall is graced with two standard form lilacs. Photo Credit: Linda Oyama Bryan
St.Margarets Garden
St.Margarets Garden
Tom Howard Garden Design and LandscapingTom Howard Garden Design and Landscaping
Small contemporary back partial sun garden in London.
Remodeled Queen Anne
Remodeled Queen Anne
The Lazy GardenerThe Lazy Gardener
A refurbished Queen Anne needed privacy from a busy street corner while not feeling like it was behind a privacy hedge. A mixed use of evergreen trees and shrubs, deciduous plants and perennials give a warm cottage feel while creating the privacy the garden needed from the street.
Stepping Stone Sideyard
Stepping Stone Sideyard
Plan-it Earth DesignPlan-it Earth Design
Stepping stones lead you to...
Design ideas for a small classic back partial sun garden for spring in Portland with a garden path and natural stone paving.
Beach Contemporary
Beach Contemporary
Living Gardens Landscape DesignLiving Gardens Landscape Design
Succulent wall
Small contemporary back garden in Orange County with a living wall.
Botley, West Oxford
Botley, West Oxford
Laura Burt GardensLaura Burt Gardens
A sculpture to give a focal point to this contemporary rear garden
Inspiration for a small back garden in Oxfordshire.
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.
Sloped Front Yard Landscaping
Sloped Front Yard Landscaping
Big Rock LandscapingBig Rock Landscaping
We wanted a way to ensure there would be plenty of lawn space as well as planters and bushes to line the front walk walkway.
Inspiration for a large contemporary front full sun garden in Salt Lake City with a retaining wall and concrete paving.
Custom Mercer Island Fence
Custom Mercer Island Fence
Chapman Construction, LLCChapman Construction, LLC
Design ideas for a large traditional back partial sun garden in Seattle with gravel.
Landscape Work
Landscape Work
Integrity Landscape Services LLC.Integrity Landscape Services LLC.
Inspiration for a small rustic back partial sun garden in Austin with mulch.
Bluestone Naperville
Bluestone Naperville
KD LandscapeKD Landscape
Turning into the backyard, a two-tiered pergola and social space make for a grand arrival. Scroll down to the first "before" photo for a peek at what it looked like when we first did our site inventory in the snow. Design by John Algozzini and Kevin Manning.
Seattle Cozy Patio
Seattle Cozy Patio
SCJ Studio Landscape ArchitectureSCJ Studio Landscape Architecture
In Seattle's Fremont neighborhood SCJ Studio designed a new landscape to surround and set off a contemporary home by Coates Design Architects. The narrow spaces around the tall home needed structure and organization, and a thoughtful approach to layout and space programming. A concrete patio was installed with a Paloform Bento gas fire feature surrounded by lush, northwest planting. A horizontal board cedar fence provides privacy from the street and creates the cozy feeling of an outdoor room among the trees. LED low-voltage lighting by Kichler Lighting adds night-time warmth . Photography by: Miranda Estes Photography
Garden of Art | Artistry Landscaping Design
Garden of Art | Artistry Landscaping Design
Artistry Landscape DesignArtistry Landscape Design
This border was mirrored on each side of the front entrance walkway. It was a mix of dwarf red barberry, liatris, salvia, coreopsis, heuchera, snapdragons, gazania and short ground covers.

Large and Small 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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