skip to main content
Photos
Photos
Advice
Stories From Houzz
Houzz Discussions
Houzz Research
Sign In
Houzz Logo Print
  1. Garden & Outdoor
  2. Garden
  3. Size: Compact

Small Garden Ideas and Designs

All Filters (1)
Refine by:
161 - 180 of 33,579 photos
Item 1 of 11
Urban Frenzy
Urban Frenzy
KD LandscapeKD Landscape
Landscape design by John Algozzini, lighting design by Kevin Manning. This project received a 2013 Hardscape North America Design Award, and a 2014 ILCA Award of Excellence. It has also been featured in Chicagoland Gardening Magazine and Total Landscape Care Magazine. Photo courtesy of Bridget Clauson.
Japanese Soaking Tub
Japanese Soaking Tub
Terra Ferma LandscapesTerra Ferma Landscapes
We loved this Japanese soaking tub nestled in a bed of river rocks against the bluestone wall.
Inspiration for a small contemporary back garden wall in San Francisco with decking.
Transformation of a 1950's ranch
Transformation of a 1950's ranch
MJ McCabe-Garden DesignMJ McCabe-Garden Design
The boxwood takes on a chartreuse green in early spring the gate leads to a pool beyond
Photo of a small classic back formal garden for spring in Charlotte with gravel.
Antique French Sink / Repurposed
Antique French Sink / Repurposed
Gary Marsh DesignGary Marsh Design
photo: Gary Marsh / Constructed by All Decked Out, Marin County, CA
Design ideas for a small classic side fully shaded garden for summer in San Francisco with a water feature and natural stone paving.
karrinyup courtyards
karrinyup courtyards
Cultivart Landscape DesignCultivart Landscape Design
Peta North
Inspiration for a small contemporary front garden in Perth with a water feature and decking.
Vernon Hills Residence Entry Garden
Vernon Hills Residence Entry Garden
Arrow. Land + StructuresArrow. Land + Structures
Design & Photography by: Marco Romani, RLA
Inspiration for a small classic front partial sun garden in Chicago with a garden path and natural stone paving.
Geo "Essex" Fire Pit
Geo "Essex" Fire Pit
Architectural PotteryArchitectural Pottery
The Geo "Essex" Fire Pit - cast in durable glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC). Available with manual or automated CSA approved burner systems in sizes 60" x 19"h or 48" x 15"h. with Perma Spec Artistic Finish, table top ledge feature and tumbled lava rock or Diamond/Exotic Fire Glass options.
Coan Waterfront Landscape, Camano Island, WA
Coan Waterfront Landscape, Camano Island, WA
Lankford Associates Landscape ArchitectsLankford Associates Landscape Architects
A blue stone walk leads to the front door past a round rock garden covering the septic. clumps of heuchera, blue oat grass, and sedums line the walkway. Located on the shores of Puget Sound in Washington State. Photo by Scott Lankford
Steel Vegetable Beds
Steel Vegetable Beds
Donna Giguere, APLD Landscape DesignDonna Giguere, APLD Landscape Design
Corten Steel performs as both retaining walls and raised beds in a tight space. Donna Giguere Landscape Design
Photo of a small contemporary front full sun garden in Portland with a vegetable patch.
Central Gardens
Central Gardens
Gurley's Azalea GardenGurley's Azalea Garden
Beautiful house in the National Historic District of Memphis, Central Gardens by Gurley's Azalea Garden
Design ideas for a small classic side fully shaded garden fence for spring in Nashville with natural stone paving.
beach courtyards
beach courtyards
Cultivart Landscape DesignCultivart Landscape Design
Peta North
Photo of a small contemporary back full sun garden in Perth with a water feature and decking.
Glacier Hills Retirement Community
Glacier Hills Retirement Community
Serge van der Voo Landscapes LLCSerge van der Voo Landscapes LLC
The idea of the Habitat Berm was initially concieved by an avid bird watcher and Glacier Hills resident who’s appartment looked out over an open lawn area along Earhart Road. To appropriately fit the scale of the Meadows Apartment’s architectural footprint the berm measures approximately 150‘ x 35-45‘. The planting pallete of the berm consists entirely of native groundcovers, perennials, grasses, shrubs, and trees. Species providing shelter (thorns), feeding (berries), and nesting materials (grasses) for birds were intentionally chosen and several residents placed birdbaths and feeders in the garden. The constant movement of the grasses and birds together with the seasonal color and textural changes have given the Meadows Appartment Residents a constant source of serenity and beauty.
MidCentury Modern Landscape Transformation On A Budget
MidCentury Modern Landscape Transformation On A Budget
Dig Your Garden Landscape DesignDig Your Garden Landscape Design
With a limited budget, we were able to transform and update this front garden with a new modern pathway, a small patio, and a variety of low-water and low-maintenance plants. The black mulch completes this modern landscape design transformation. I included a selection of plants that provide a variety of heights, colors and textures. Asparagus densiflorus 'meyers' - Fox tail fern, Dianella tasmanica 'Variegata', Daphne odora 'marginata'. Photos taken just after installation. © Eileen Kelly, Dig Your Garden Landscape Design
Dwarf hinoiki cypress accents unique play house & garden shed
Dwarf hinoiki cypress accents unique play house & garden shed
Home & Garden Design, Atlanta - Danna Cain, ASLAHome & Garden Design, Atlanta - Danna Cain, ASLA
Dwarf Hinoiki cypress accents and softens the view of this play house and garden shed. On this level, the structure is two story structure is a play house. Below is a garden shed, adjacent to the swimming pool that houses tools and pool equipment. I did not design this awesome structure but I sure felt special to be able to design the plants around it, enter it, play and dream! The cypress is Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Gracilis' also known as a slender hinoiki false cypress. It is extremely slow growing eventually reaching a height of 8-15'. Photographer: Danna Cain, Home & Garden Design, Inc.
Suburban Oasis
Suburban Oasis
Princeton Design CollaborativePrinceton Design Collaborative
Jeffrey Edward Tryon
Photo of a small contemporary courtyard formal fully shaded garden for summer in Philadelphia with a water feature and natural stone paving.
West Village Brownstone, New York, NY
West Village Brownstone, New York, NY
Billinkoff Architecture PLLCBillinkoff Architecture PLLC
photo:Frank Oudeman
Inspiration for a small contemporary back xeriscape partial sun garden for summer in New York with gravel and a potted garden.
Lake Neighborhood, San Francisco
Lake Neighborhood, San Francisco
Creo Landscape Architecture + Urban DesignCreo Landscape Architecture + Urban Design
Creo Landscape Architecture
This is an example of a small modern back garden in San Francisco.
Modern San Francisco Living
Modern San Francisco Living
Boxleaf Design, Inc.Boxleaf Design, Inc.
Small residential garden to suite a modern house and active children. -kwmla-
Design ideas for a small contemporary back garden in San Francisco.
Roberts Creek House
Roberts Creek House
UserUser
Custom designed retirement home on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. Ryan Nelson Photography © 2012 Houzz
Inspiration for a small classic back garden in Vancouver with natural stone paving.
Indonesian-Inspired Pergola
Indonesian-Inspired Pergola
Clemens & Associates Inc.Clemens & Associates Inc.
Photo Credit: Lee Anne White
Inspiration for a small world-inspired courtyard garden in Albuquerque with a water feature and brick paving.

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.
9
5678910111213Next Page
United Kingdom
Tailor my experience with cookies

Houzz uses cookies and similar technologies to personalise my experience, serve me relevant content, and improve Houzz products and services. By clicking ‘Accept’ I agree to this, as further described in the Houzz Cookie Policy. I can reject non-essential cookies by clicking ‘Manage Preferences’.