Here are some garden ideas from the House & Garden archives, perfect for front yards, cottage gardens, and small city spaces, that can help you create a beautiful outdoor area. Garden designs come in all shapes and sizes, depending on your local climate, soil, planting traditions, how you plan to use your garden, and how much time you want to spend looking after it.
Even just looking at English gardens, you can find formal layouts, romantic cottage styles, modern city gardens, and so many more! Nowadays, many gardeners are moving away from gardens that need a lot of water and effort, and are choosing more sustainable, drought-friendly styles, similar to those often seen in Mediterranean countries.
Biodiversity is also really important in today's gardens. That's why many designers are making lawns smaller and planting meadow-style gardens to encourage wildlife. Gardens are also a wonderful way to connect with the food we eat, and growing your own vegetables and herbs is becoming more popular, even in small gardens.
Of course, garden design isn't just about what you plant. Other things like patios, greenhouses, garden rooms, and even ponds can really make a garden special. These can be expensive to install and hard to change later, so it's a good idea to plan them carefully from the start.
We've gathered some of our favorite garden ideas and planting styles for both front and back gardens, all inspired by the House & Garden archives, along with tips to get you started.
How to Plan Your Garden: Before you begin, think about how you want to use your garden and what you need to make that happen. Top 50 garden designer Angel Collins explains in our guide, "How to Design a Garden From Scratch in 17 Steps," that the first thing to consider is a seating area with some lovely garden chairs – ideally close to the house and facing southwest if possible.
How to Design a Garden on a Budget: Gardening doesn't have to be expensive if you know what you're doing and plan ahead. Tabi Jackson Gee has two top tips: be patient (especially if you've just moved) and avoid impulse buys at the garden center. Keep reading for her full budget garden ideas and guide on how to make your garden budget go further.
