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 Contemporary Garden Ideas and Designs

All Filters (2)
Refine by:
161 - 180 of 9,039 photos
Item 1 of 7
New dining room designed by DHV Architects
New dining room designed by DHV Architects
DHV ArchitectsDHV Architects
Willima Goddard Photography
The Legacy 8x8 Greenhouse
The Legacy 8x8 Greenhouse
BC Greenhouse Builders LtdBC Greenhouse Builders Ltd
The Legacy is one of our most popular starting greenhouses. At 8x8 with 5'6" sidewalls, it leaves a great deal of space for the new greenhouse gardener. The clear, single tempered glass sidewalls allow a beautiful view into the garden and the polycarbonate roof panels help retain heat in cooler climates.
St.Margarets Garden
St.Margarets Garden
Tom Howard Garden Design and LandscapingTom Howard Garden Design and Landscaping
No lawn front yard
No lawn front yard
Land Studio CLand Studio C
Land Studio C
Foliage
Foliage
Natasha Nuttall Garden DesignNatasha Nuttall Garden Design
An urban oasis in East London. This space has been transformed into a lush garden perfect for indoor-outdoor living. This garden has been designed so that it is divided into 3 distinct areas, each surrounded by lush. abundant planting. closest to the house a dining patio with a large built in parasol for sunny and slightly rainy days, a second patio area with sofa and chairs offers a great space for coffee, working and drinks near the outdoor kitchen and BBQ area. The substantial built in benches at the rear of the garden offers a wonderful space for relaxing and entertaining with dappled shade from the overhead pergola and plants in summer and warmth of the fire pit on colder nights.
Living Green Wall and Landscape Remodel - Mid-Century Modern Home Sausalito, CA
Living Green Wall and Landscape Remodel - Mid-Century Modern Home Sausalito, CA
Dig Your Garden Landscape DesignDig Your Garden Landscape Design
APLD 2022 Award Winning Landscape Design. We designed and installed this dramatic living wall / vertical garden to add a welcoming focal point, and a great way to add living beauty to the large front house wall. The wall includes a variety of succulents, grass-like and cascading plants some with flowers, (some with flowers, Oxalis and Lamium) designed to provide long cascading "waves" with appealing textures and colors. The dated walkway was updated with large geometric concrete pavers with polished black pebbles in between, and a new concrete driveway. Water-wise grasses flowering plants and succulents replace the lawn. This updated modern renovation for this mid-century modern home includes a new garage and front entrance door and modern garden light fixtures. We designed and installed this dramatic living wall / vertical garden to add a welcoming focal point, and a great way to add plant beauty to the large front wall. A variety of succulents, grass-like and cascading plants were designed and planted to provide long cascading "waves" resulting in appealing textures and colors. The dated walkway was updated with large geometric concrete pavers with polished black pebbles in between, and a new concrete driveway. Water-wise grasses flowering plants and succulents replace the lawn. This updated modern renovation for this mid-century modern home includes a new garage and front entrance door and modern garden light fixtures.
San Francisco Cole Valley Modern Tropical
San Francisco Cole Valley Modern Tropical
Dorthy Pautz Landscape ArchitectDorthy Pautz Landscape Architect
Path lighting using WAC balance, and accent up lights on Japanese Maple, Phormium and Cordyline Pot provide drama
Detail 'stallion wire' vines
Detail 'stallion wire' vines
BE Landscape DesignBE Landscape Design
This growing family needed to maximize their outdoor space. BE Landscape Design, elevated the Master BR deck, and fire-pit, designed a multi level BBQ for easy access to both lounge and dining areas. The retaining wall was removed and replaced with a nook for a built in dining bench. The large retaining wall was painted graphite grey, and faced with sturdy 'stallion wire' to support scented and flowering vines. The hillside was planted with native and shade tolerant plants.
Residential Courtyard
Residential Courtyard
Hortulus Animae llc - Mindful Garden DesignHortulus Animae llc - Mindful Garden Design
Upgrade an aging courtyard with stylized Zen Mediation Garden inspiration using native plants, local fieldstone stepper path over river pebbles and custom boulder reflective basin. Native evergreen plant palette includes: Rhododendron maximum, Kalmia latifolia, Polystichum acrostichoides
Succulent Front Yard
Succulent Front Yard
Sarah Herman Landscape DesignSarah Herman Landscape Design
Succulents and other drought-tolerant Mediterranean climate plantings adorn this vibrant front yard in El Cerrito.
Woodland Garden- Los Feliz
Woodland Garden- Los Feliz
Ketti Kupper Conscious Life DesignKetti Kupper Conscious Life Design
Decomposed Granite path between Giant Sequoias leads to repurposed, reshaped and stained rear concrete slab. Micro-climate appropriate plants complete the picture. Photo by Ketti Kupper.
Large Family Garden in Chiswick
Large Family Garden in Chiswick
Aoba LandscapesAoba Landscapes
Blue/grey granite path and driveway leading to house
Small modern garden landscaping in Clapham
Small modern garden landscaping in Clapham
Positive Garden LtdPositive Garden Ltd
Small modern garden landscaping in Clapham. Porcelain tiles, drainage, painting, lighting. Water feature wall cladded with multi slate panels. Raised beds constructed from hollow/solid dense concrete blocks, rendered and painted. Designer: Honor Holmes Garden Design Positive Garden Ltd
Contemporary Landscape
Contemporary Landscape
Terrassen und Sitzplätze
Terrassen und Sitzplätze
Andreas Schepp Gärten & PoolsAndreas Schepp Gärten & Pools
Garden for a barn conversion
Garden for a barn conversion
Joanne Alderson DesignJoanne Alderson Design
This is contemporary garden for a barn conversion in Berkshire by Jo Alderson Phillips @ Joanne Alderson Design. It features a great boardwalk & faux decking, a large terrace, great planting & beautiful cedar fencing. It's a triangular garden which is a difficult shape so this structure works really well & creates a great focal point with a steel water feature
Malibu Drought Tolerant Hillside Oasis
Malibu Drought Tolerant Hillside Oasis
Viola GardensViola Gardens
Jennifer Toole
Lakeview, New Orleans
Lakeview, New Orleans
New Orleans Pool & PatioNew Orleans Pool & Patio
Koi pond and water garden behind the pool fountain wall.
Beach Contemporary
Beach Contemporary
Living Gardens Landscape DesignLiving Gardens Landscape Design
Succulent wall, brick patio and fireplace
'Lifestyle' Feature Panels
'Lifestyle' Feature Panels
EntanglementsEntanglements
Rustic handmade 'Candle Bubble' wall panel by Entanglements metal art. Image courtesy of COS Design.

Small 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.
9
5678910111213Next Page
Ireland
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’.