Garden Landscaping: Ideas for Every Style

A garden extends the home outdoors. Good landscaping adds shade, privacy and a place to spend time — and it changes how the whole house looks from the street. The best gardens start with a plan for how you will use the space, then choose a style and plants that suit your climate.

Start with how you will use the garden

• Where will you sit, eat and relax — and where is shade at those times?
• Do children need open lawn or a play area?
• Do you want to grow vegetables, herbs or fruit trees?
• How much time can you spend on maintenance each week?

Mediterranean garden

Olive trees, lavender, rosemary, gravel paths and natural stone walls. Mediterranean plants handle sun and dry summers well and need relatively little water once established. A pergola with a climbing plant gives shade for an outdoor dining area.

Modern garden

Clean geometric lines, large-format paving, ornamental grasses, concrete or corten steel planters and a limited plant palette. Hidden lighting along paths and walls makes the garden part of the house at night.

Rustic or natural garden

Loose planting, wildflowers, wooden fences and natural paths. It looks relaxed and attracts birds and pollinators. A natural garden can also be low-maintenance if you choose plants that suit your local conditions.

Saving water

• Choose plants suited to your local climate — local species usually need the least water
• Install drip irrigation with a timer instead of sprinklers
• Group plants by water needs
• Use mulch to keep moisture in the soil
• Limit lawn to the areas where you really use it
• Collect rainwater from the roof where local rules allow

Hardscape: paths, decking and walls

Paths, terraces, steps and walls are the structure of the garden. Plan them first, with drainage and lighting, and then add planting. Use materials that match the house — the same stone or wood inside and out connects the two.

Lighting and privacy

Soft lighting on paths, trees and seating areas makes the garden usable in the evening and adds security. For privacy, combine hedges, trellises with climbing plants and well-placed trees rather than relying on high walls.