Coastal family garden

Joanna Lowe Garden Design

No Lawn Garden in Ealing, London

IMAGO GARDEN DESIGN AND LANDSCAPING

This project involved the complete transformation of a long-neglected, overgrown garden into a vibrant, structured, and highly functional outdoor sanctuary. Designed with both visual harmony and practical use in mind, the garden now offers a refined, immersive experience that balances natural beauty with intentional design. At its heart, a main patio is elegantly connected to a more secluded rear patio by a series of random-length natural stone stepping stones, creating rhythm and flow throughout the space. The rear patio is enveloped by tall, architectural Phyllostachis aurea, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a private tropical retreat, rich in texture and movement. On the left side, we constructed two bespoke wooden raised beds, tailored for the client’s use in cultivating aromatic herbs—merging functionality with understated elegance. To the right, a striking Trachycarpus fortunei palm serves as a focal point, complemented by a generously planted bed that delivers seasonal interest, structure, and year-round interest.

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Tsubo House

FRAHER Architects

Cleveland Walk, Bath

Katie Older Lighting Design

Back Garden Terrace in Bearsden

North Hill Gardens

The back garden presented some unique challenges due to its significant level differences. Limited access made the space nearly unusable for our clients. The original hardscaped terracing needed significant updating and rebuilding due to partial collapse. We were tasked with adding functional seating, installing a water feature, and developing a safe way to access the bottom part of the garden. Learn how we were able to access all three levels of the serenity garden: The area was divided into two terraces on different levels to avoid an overwhelming 'bunker-like' impression. Our team completely removed the old structures and installed new retaining walls that have been built from gabion stone baskets. We installed stainless-steel water shelves extending from chevron-patterned Siberian larch decorative screening. A daily-use patio of porcelain slabs was installed to create a large dining area at the top terrace. A darker shade of slabs creates a line cutting through the whole area, creating a visual axis ending at the water feature. The middle terrace is more like a chill-out zone with a custom floating bench and additional mobile seats that you put on top of the gabion wall, making it ideal for more sheltered, private gatherings. Stairs from the middle terrace lead to the bottom garden, contrasting the highly developed upper garden. The bottom garden is a wilderness haven with extensive planting and a decent-sized frog pond. The new upper garden can be considered an observation point situated on the edge of the wilderness.

Wandsworth Water Feature

Emma O'Connell Garden Design

Modern urban garden incorporating planted gravel path, water feature and feature wall and a fabulous colour palette of greens, yellows and whites.

Outdoor Kitchen Garden Design Barnes

The Garden Builders

This Barnes garden has been completely transformed from a previously constrained and underwhelming outdoor area into a refined, multi-functional living space designed for year-round enjoyment. The brief was to create a garden that feels as comfortable and purposeful as an indoor room, with defined zones for cooking, dining and relaxing; all while maintaining a calm, contemporary aesthetic that complements the home. What has emerged is a beautifully resolved outdoor environment that blends intelligent design, elegant planting and expert craftsmanship. See more at: https://gardenbuilders.co.uk/family-garden-designer-barnes-west-london-outdoor-kitchen-design-bbq/

Richmond Garden

Peter Reader Landscapes

Stepping stones lead through this garden of raised seating and dining areas, combined with lush planting and sculpture.

Notting Hill Penthouse

PPG Interiors Limited

Maple Lodge

Kathryn Cox Garden Design Studio

Modern Garden with a rustic twist

Yorkshire Gardens

Within this garden we wanted to create a space which was not only on numerous levels, but also had various points of interest. This garden is on a slope, but is also very wide. Firstly, we broke up the space by using rustic sleepers to create several raised beds,as well as steps which lead to differennt zones. This helps to give the garden a more traditional, country edge. The sleepers were also used to create a winding path through out the garden, marrying together the various areas. The path leads up to the impressive sunburst pergola and circular stone patio. This is the perfect spot to view the whole garden. At the other end of the garden another pergola sits amougnst a bustling flower bed, and will be used to train vining flowers. Along the back wall of the garden a raised bed is home to a stunning display of wildflower. This plot is not only a fabulous riot of colour and full of rustic charm, but it also attracts a whole host of insects and animals. While wildflowers looks great they are also very low maintenance. Mixed gravel has been used to create a variety of texture. This surface is intermittently dotted with colour with lemon thyme, red hot pokers and foxgloves. Stone has been used to create a warm and welcoming patio area. Flower beds at the front of the garden can be used for veg and other leafy plants. Overall we have created a country style with a very contemporary twist through the use of gravel, modern shape and structural landscaping.

The white front garden

Simon Orchard

A contemporary front garden with a restricted colour palette of white, grey and green. © Simon Orchard Garden Design

Mattison Rd Project

IMAGO GARDEN DESIGN AND LANDSCAPING

This luxurious urban garden transformation reimagines a once-blank canvas into a striking private retreat, rich in detail and layered with design complexity. Positioned in the heart of the city, the garden now offers a serene, high-end escape—thoughtfully crafted to deliver visual impact from every angle, whether viewed from inside the home or experienced within the space itself. Though the original plot was level, we introduced the illusion of depth and dimension through elevated design elements, including Schellevis floating steps, which lend an architectural elegance and subtly define spatial zones without disrupting the garden’s flow. Strategic planting anchors the layout, with four distinctive specimen trees—two Dicksonia antarctica, one Feijoa, and one Trachycarpus fortunei—each contributing to carefully curated focal points that guide the eye and enhance the sense of scale. The rear shed is artfully concealed using vertical timber posts, positioned behind the Feijoa to maintain natural beauty without visual distraction. A custom bespoke metal pergola adds verticality and contemporary flair, creating a sculptural frame that draws the eye upward and balances the garden’s horizontal lines. Together, these elements work harmoniously to create a garden that feels expansive, immersive, and deeply refined.

Herne Bay II

Humphreys Landscaping

Modern and tranquil Chiswick Garden

Peter Reader Landscapes

Wandsworth Common - Family Garden

The London Gardener Ltd

We remodelled a garden we installed some 5 years earlier as the children had grown older and our client wanted an outdoor room to use as a gym, snug and have a separate area within the pod for garden storage. Podspace were commissioned to design a bespoke pod to fully utilise the width of the garden. We then worked our new planting around to give a generous lounge area in which to enjoy the sun, while still keeping the dining area close to the house. A wide path was used to connect the spaces and many of our original and now mature plants were kept. We added new planting borders which were planted with more structural and varied evergreens to create 'cloud' hedges.

City courtyard garden with artificial grass

My Bespoke Room

Front Garden with Curb Appeal - Kinver

Gardenplan Design

Front garden with eye-catching specimen tree. Porcelain cladding used on house and raised beds. Perimeter fence in cedar slats.

Contemporary Garden Ideas and Designs

A beautifully designed contemporary 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 contemporary 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 contemporary front garden design.

How should I design my contemporary 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 contemporary 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 contemporary garden renovation or are building a designer garden from scratch, Houzz has 61,427 images from the best designers, decorators, and architects in the country, including Emma O'Connell Garden Design and North Hill Gardens. Look through garden photos in different colours and styles and when you find a contemporary 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 contemporary garden ideas photo gallery and find out exactly why Houzz is the best experience for home renovation and design.

Surrey

Ed Oddy Garden Design