Garden Ideas and Designs

Lancaster woodland home and garden

Hanselman Landscape and Gardens

Hanselman Landscape and Gardens
Design ideas for a large traditional garden in Philadelphia with a water feature.

Front Yard Curb Appeal - Huntingtown

LiveWell Outdoors

New walkway using Belgard Urbana pavers with a Dublin Rectangle border. The inlay was made using Mega Arbel. The photo is by CMWheelock Photography.

Front entry garden

Exterra Designs, Inc

This is an example of a classic back garden in Chicago with natural stone paving.

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Garden Paths and Landscape Steps

Derviss Design

A steep hillside is turned into a lush landscape using salvias, ornamental grasses, pomegranates and other easy care plants.
Inspiration for a classic sloped garden steps in San Francisco with natural stone paving.

Charles McClure, landscape architect

Charles McClure - Professional Site Planning

Inspiration for a large modern back garden in Santa Barbara with natural stone paving and a rockery.

Entry Steps to hillside home by MGS architetcure

MGS Architecture

concrete , steps, exterior, slope, exterior recess lights Barry Schwartz Photography
This is an example of a modern sloped garden in Los Angeles.

Vegetable Terraces with Boulder Retaining Walls

Earth Design, Inc.

The owners of this vegetable garden purchased the undeveloped lot adjacent to their home and developed the sloping area into a collection of raised beds. - Photo by Kevin Bost

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A Beautiful Garden

Designscapes Colorado Inc.

Phil Steinhauer
Design ideas for a mediterranean back garden in Denver with a fire feature.

Small Yard Sunken Hot Tub

The Garden Artist LLC

A hot tub doesn't distract from the landscape if it's installed in the ground. Here an 18" reveal with natural rock step up. Accessible maintenance panel behind.

2013 ALE: The Waverly Residence

Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association

Kalinosky Landscaping Inc. http://www.kalinoskylandscapinginc.com/ Project Entry: The Waverly Residence 2013 PLNA Awards for Landscape Excellence Winner Category: Residential $60,000 & Over Award Level: Honorable Mention Project Description: The residence is located in an upscale suburban sub-division in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The home was designed by an architect from California and is decidingly modern and abstract compared to neighboring homes. The architect was direct in his charge that the landscape be bold, colorful and modern, similar to projects he has worked on in California where the climate and culture allows. The owners embraced this concept adding only that privacy was important. Our main challenge was to find ways to provide the desired spirited and colorful landscape utilizing cooler climate plantings, and to push the limits on the abstract hardscape design without alienating the conservative community. We believe we have achieved our goals as both the demanding architect and discerning homeowners are extremely pleased with the results. This modern landscape has also been embraced by the community. Relative to site problems and scope, we had extensive drainage issues and encountered solid rock near or at the surface. We hydro-hammered out layers of rock to allow the installation of several feet of topsoil and an extensive network of drain tiles to evacuate water constantly flowing from springs we encountered. The topsoil was stripped from the site prior to the start of construction and stored on an adjacent lot. We utilized a portable screening plant, processing the topsoil and adding about 1500 tons of additional purchased topsoil. We designed a modern and abstract concrete wall system to separate the public and private spaces in the front of the residence. A people court was designed again utilizing concrete walls to articulate this space and provide a private environment for our clients. This space is viewed and accessed from the bedroom and entry areas of the home. We added a simple water feature of appropriate volume to provide sound, and at night illuminated reflecting qualities to the people court. Extensive screening was utilized to softly cloister the home and screen a large solar array that provides electricity for the home. A lush, almost tropical looking planting was provided for a large sunken area to offer relief to the lower living spaces. A rear terrace was constructed of exposed aggregate concrete. Near this terrace is a bold, modem, concrete water feature and a gas fire pit. The gas fire pit was custom built by a firm in Colorado utilizing hand-hammered metal and heat induced patinas. This terrace overlooks the sloped perennial garden. We finished the rear space with a calm stone arrangement emerging from raked pea gravel dry lake. This viewed from a stone bench we constructed of thermalled bluestone. An extensive highly technical lighting system was installed utilizing bronze fixtures controlled by an array of computer linked touch pads throughout the home. An infinitely controllable irrigation system with over twenty-five zones was installed. This coupled to a dedicated deep drilled well provides stability during dry periods. Specimen trees and shrubs were brought in from nurseries throughout the country. We specified only the finest we could find. This has given the site a feel of maturity while being quite young. Photo Credit: Kalinosky Landscaping Inc.

Arbors: Architectural Artwork

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.

Plusen Landscape Architects

Photo by: Danielle Quigley Photography
Contemporary sloped garden in DC Metro with natural stone paving.

Bellevue Water Feature Design

Environmental Construction, Inc.

Elegant water feature surrounded by ornamental trees and grasses welcome visitors to the Bellevue home. Designed by Environmental Construction, Kirkland, WA

Berry Residence

Acadia Landscape Company

Large traditional back formal fully shaded garden in Other with natural stone paving and a rockery.

Atherton Japanese Garden

Kikuchi + Kankel Design Group

Photo of a world-inspired back garden in San Francisco.

Putting Green

Land & Water Design

A Backyard Resort with a freeform saltwater pool as the focal point, a spa provides a spot to relax. A large raised waterfall spills into the pool, appearing to flow from the koi pond above. We extended a streambed to flow from behind the outdoor kitchen, all the way to the patio, to spill into the koi pond. A Sports Court at one end of the yard with putting greens meander throughout the landscape and the water features. A curved outdoor kitchen with a large Viking grill with a warming drawer to the sink and outdoor refrigeration. A Pavilion with large roof and columns unite the landscape with the home while creating an outdoor living room with a stone fireplace along the back wall, while still allowing views of the yard beyond.

San Juan Passage

Gilbane Development Company

kp-studios.com
Inspiration for a coastal full sun garden in Providence with natural stone paving and a rockery.

Steamboat Storm Meadow Drive Mountain/Asian Fusion

Trilogy Partners

Japanese Garden with Hot Springs outdoor soaking tub. Landscape Design by Chad Guinn. Photo Roger Wade Photography The Rocky Regions best and boldest example of Western - Mountain - Asian fusion. Featured in Architectural Digest May 2010

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.

Landscape Photography

McNeill Photography

McNeill Photography 2014
Design ideas for an expansive traditional sloped full sun garden for summer in Toronto with natural stone paving and a rockery.

Whale House

Sunshine Coast Home Design

Design by: SunshineCoastHomeDesign.com
Photo of a beach style sloped full sun garden for summer in Vancouver.

United Kingdom

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