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Small Traditional 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.
Traditional Garden
Traditional Garden
Landscaping SolutionsLandscaping Solutions
Inspiration for a small classic back formal fully shaded garden in London with natural stone paving and a raised bed.
Rustic Creekside Backyard - Cedarburg, WI
Rustic Creekside Backyard - Cedarburg, WI
Ginkgo Leaf StudioGinkgo Leaf Studio
'Blue Fortune' agastache, 'Summer Beauty' allium, and 'Feuerland' achillea attract bees and butterflies to this perennial garden. Westhauser Photography
Landscape Work
Landscape Work
Integrity Residential Services LLC.Integrity Residential Services LLC.
Photo of a small traditional back partial sun garden in Austin with mulch.
LOW WATER LANDSCAPE GARDENS
LOW WATER LANDSCAPE GARDENS
Marc Mason Landscape ServicesMarc Mason Landscape Services
Marc Mason Landscape Services
Photo of a small traditional front xeriscape full sun garden for summer in Orange County.
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
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.
Ravenna Bungalow
Ravenna Bungalow
Hayes Landscape Design ServicesHayes Landscape Design Services
Photo of a small classic back xeriscape partial sun garden for summer in Seattle with a flowerbed.
South Pasadena Craftsman Cottage
South Pasadena Craftsman Cottage
June Scott DesignJune Scott Design
This front yard features a seating area and jar fountain, ringed by aromatic native plantings of California Lilac, Manzanita, Cleveland Sage. A meadow-style planting of native sedge grasses create soft look in the foreground, and new concrete pavers add a modern touch. We also believe the project’s driveway to be among the prettiest we’ve created or seen: a ribbon of stones and grasses now meanders along a Hollywood-style center planting area.
Spa deck and screen
Spa deck and screen
Dorthy Pautz Landscape ArchitectDorthy Pautz Landscape Architect
a raised deck was added so that a new corner spa could be nestled into the garden and be seat height, eliminating the need for steps up to a tall hot tub. A removable section of the deck allows access to the mechanical panel in the spa. A cut-corner spa was selected to allow more circulation around the spa. Custom lattice panels with a narrow trellis top complete the spa experience and provide privacy from adjacent houses in this tiny urban garden.
Vegetable Gardens
Vegetable Gardens
Eden CondensedEden Condensed
All cedar U-shaped raised bed with trellis for an organic all-season vegetable and herb garden. Eden Condensed creates custom kitchen gardens for small and large yards.
Cazenovia Lake House
Cazenovia Lake House
A J Miller Landscape Architecture PLLCA J Miller Landscape Architecture PLLC
Soft colourful plantings along the pathway, seasonal interest begins in early spring and the planting is still colourful in late summer. Less than a year old the planting was installed last October 2019 and now in August, it looks like it has always been there.
Outcropping Steps
Outcropping Steps
Sylvan Gardens Landscape ContractorsSylvan Gardens Landscape Contractors
This is an example of a small classic back partial sun garden in Other with a garden path and mulch.
Poolside Landscapes
Poolside Landscapes
Treeland NurseryTreeland Nursery
A row of Taylor Juniper Trees (aka Eastern Red Cedar 'Taylor') with Little Gem Magnolia Trees planted on the ends to create a privacy screen in a backyard. The Taylor Junipers also provide a nice backdrop and will form into a hedge over time as they mature. Taylor Junipers provided and planted by Treeland Nursery.
Brownstone Backyard in Jersey City, NJ
Brownstone Backyard in Jersey City, NJ
Solicito and Son Landscape ContractingSolicito and Son Landscape Contracting
Design ideas for a small classic back partial sun garden in New York with a potted garden.
Debnam House
Debnam House
Jo Cowen ArchitectsJo Cowen Architects
David Butler
Design ideas for a small traditional back xeriscape garden in London with natural stone paving.
Backyard Basketball and Tennis Courts in Mason
Backyard Basketball and Tennis Courts in Mason
Sport Court of MassachusettsSport Court of Massachusetts
Mason Custom Backyard Basketball and Tennis Court with lighting
Design ideas for a small classic back partial sun garden in Boston with an outdoor sport court, a climbing frame and concrete paving.
Modern cottage with low water frontyard planting
Modern cottage with low water frontyard planting
June Scott DesignJune Scott Design
Succulents, grasses and low-water shrubs with vivid foliage give this coastal garden a rich, textured look with minimal maintenance. Exterior colors and furniture selection by Julie McMahon. Photos by Daniel Bosler
Landscape Design
Landscape Design
GreenManProsGreenManPros
Photo of a small classic back garden in New York with brick paving and a waterfall.
Cottage Garden in the Tropics
Cottage Garden in the Tropics
Botalia DesignsBotalia Designs
Natalia Lopez de la Cruz
Small classic front formal full sun garden for summer in Miami with a garden path and gravel.

Small Traditional Garden Ideas and Designs

A beautifully designed traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional front garden design.

How should I design my traditional 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 traditional 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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