38 Landscape Design Ideas for Your Yard

Landscaping is an affordable, do-it-yourself way to boost your home’s value while enhancing your outdoor space. With the right landscaping design ideas, you can create a beautiful and functional yard that your family will enjoy every day. Plus, gardening is a great form of exercise and has been proven to boost your mood. Ready to transform your space? Explore our landscape design ideas to create a lush front yard or backyard that suits your style and lifestyle.

Clever landscape design makes this cozy brick patio feel like an extension of the home. Overflowing raised planters and topiaries frame the space, while the outdoor rug establishes the seating area. Not sure which type of outdoor furniture is right for your space? Get our pro tips, below.

If your property overlooks a gorgeous vista like this, your landscape should support it. A flagstone and gravel patio maintains a much more natural look than concrete would, and Adirondack chairs are the perfect balance of comfy and low-profile, ensuring these rolling California hills are the stars of the show. Want to add a stone fire pit to your great outdoors? Get DIY tips and learn necessary safety considerations, below.

A sunny day spent outdoors is good for your mood and boosts your naturally occuring levels of vitamin D — but, like most things, too much of a good thing can be, well, too much. The solution? Give outdoor spaces an organic boost of ambiance by planting climbing vines, tropical shrubs and a few shade trees so you can easily beat the heat. Learn more about growing your own shade, below.

Hot take: Hot tubs don't have to be ugly. The creek-side hot tub at this stunning wooded sanctuary is masterfully integrated into the surrounding patio and has the feel of a secluded forest pond, so it's beautiful even when not in use. Follow the link below to take a tour of this tranquil retreat.

This brick walkway winds through a jungle of tropical plants and eventually reveals this hidden hammock oasis. Can you say perfect nap spot? The use of large tropical plants creates an unmatched layer of privacy and makes this spot a secluded sanctuary. See our favorite privacy-providing plants, below.

Over 200 varieties of trees, shrubs and groundcover plants create an ever-changing palette of garden delight for this New Hampshire residence. The surrounding wild natural beauty complements the home's stone exterior, giving it a cottage feel. Find out how to achieve this look for yourself by following the link, below.

Maybe 'big and bountiful' isn't your thing, or maybe it just doesn't suit your climate. This minimal, water-wise landscape works well with the home's modern style and keeps the area feeling neat and tidy. Follow the link, below, to learn how to plan your own water-wise garden.

When it comes down to it, all the best landscape designs are influenced by nature itself. By looking to nature for influence, this yard bridges a gap between a wild pond filled with aquatic plants and a cottage garden straight from a whimsical storybook. Learn how to select your own aquatic plants at the link, below.

Why build a wall or fence when nature's perfect border does the trick? For ages, boxwoods have been grown and trimmed to create intricate designs and borders. The thick shrubs are inexpensive, relatively easy to grow and can be trimmed into a variety of shapes. Follow the link, below, to get our best tips and tricks for growing healthy boxwoods.

Maybe a stone wall is more your style — that doesn't mean you can't benefit from some boxwood beauty. Just get swirly with your boxwoods and create an intricate design all your own. Check out more gorgeous boxwood designs, below.

A mix of stone, steel and wood creates an abundance of curb appeal on this contemporary-meets-rustic home. Combining textures on a home's exterior and in the surrounding landscape offers visual appeal and keeps a home from feeling one-note.

Can you ever have too many plants? We certainly don't think so. Layer upon layer of lush greenery make this tropical backyard infinitely inviting. At the center of the oasis, a small pool is the crown jewel. Learn how to achieve a tropical landscape in even not-so-tropical climates with our tips, below.

Unsure how to elevate the look of your home's exterior? Put your green thumb to work by growing an ivy wall for some instant elegance (well — maybe not instant). Get growing with our tips, below.

A white picket fence adds instant curb appeal. Throw some colorful blooms on either side and you've got a vibrant display that will really help your house stand out. Ready to construct your own? Watch our video, below, to learn how to install a timeless picket fence.

In this shady backyard, a stone path meanders from the front to the rear entertaining area. When selecting the right plants for each area of your yard, consider drainage and lighting conditions. Here, shade-loving plants, like hosta, hydrangea and ferns happily coexist to create a lush, blooming border that will return year after year. Learn more about pretty perennials that thrive in the shade, below.

Landscape lighting serves the practical purpose of illuminating a path while also casting a cozy glow that boosts the landscape’s overall aesthetic. With many DIY styles available including solar powered, installation takes mere minutes, making lighting up your great outdoors one bright idea. Learn more about the types of landscape lighting and approximate costs, below.

Mirror, mirror on the ... pool? Why not! Here, tall ornamental grasses are reflected in the calm waters of the pool, visually expanding the landscape while providing a bit of privacy. This simple mirror trick ties the pool into the landscape and lends a more natural look to the entire area. See more of our favorite poolside landscaping ideas, below.

The center of attention in this backyard is definitely the grouping of blue pavers, laid in a timeless herringbone pattern, adjacent to the patio. Tying in with the sky-blue hue of home, these glossy pavers ensure the small garden stays colorful year-round. Follow the link, below, to see more fun paver designs.

Understandably, this homeowner didn't want to impose on the natural beauty of the property. Instead of a wood deck or concrete patio, a stone path and patio make for the perfect rustic retreat to accompany this pond in the woods. Ready to rock your yard? Learn how to incorporate rocks into your landscape, below.

A pool-side pavilion with a fireplace is what landscape dreams are made of. Rain or shine, this cozy outdoor living room is the perfect spot to curl up next to the fire with a good book and enjoy the surrounding gorgeous garden. What would a living room be without a fireplace? Learn how to build your own outdoor fireplace, below.

These days, there are very few limits to where you can put a pool. This lengthy lap pool creates the perfect border against this enviable waterfront deck, making use of an awkwardly sized space. Get all our pool-planning tips, below.

If you live near a beach, they take a cue from the beach itself! Opt for a sandy surface beneath your beachy outdoor dining area. The use of sand imparts an unfussy, casual vibe and looks effortlessly cool beneath shady palm trees.

Aside from budget, there really is no limit to what can be done in landscape design. This designer pulled out all the stops with a lazy river installation. If you look closely, you'll even notice the cozy sunken fire pit area hidden in the center. Check out more over-the-top pool designs, below.

With ocean views this amazing, the designer was smart to opt for a sunken seating area. By keeping the outdoor sofas below the deck, there are minimal furnishings to block the horizon. Take a closer look at this stunning oceanfront retreat, below.

Antique reclaimed stone pavers cap the knee walls, act as floating steps and as coping on the benches surrounding this koi pond. This aged patina is impossible to reproduce, adding a historical permanence and established aesthetic to the newly installed landscaping. See more of this gorgeous garden, below.

Using your landscape to frame your home's exterior is an easy way to achieve an elegant, cohesive visual. The two towering cypresses, flanking this home's grand entry, blend seamlessly with the home's Mediterranean aesthetic. Find other creative ways to use landscaping to beautify the front of your home, below.

Rows of billowing bushes in sleek containers make the rooftop terrace of this modern penthouse feel like a garden oasis in the middle of the big city. Want to create your own rooftop garden? Follow the link, below, for our best tips.

A standard concrete patio wouldn't do justice to the lush tropical landscape surrounding this pool. Instead, the designer chose a playful paver surface intertwined with grass to seamlessly blend the landscape and hardscape together.

Now you see it, now you don't. This home blends into the grassy hillside surrounding it, thanks to its green roof. This camouflaging tactic is a great way to take a backseat to your home's surroundings, in order to not detract from Mother Nature's beauty. Take a tour of this impressive, hilltop home, below.

Just like the interior of your home, your landscape is a reflection of you, and you should plan it accordingly. A fan of all things golf? A personal putting green may be the missing piece of your landscape's puzzle.

Grass surrounding large concrete pavers turn this driveway into a dramatic, graphic display. After seeing this, imagine how lackluster a standard concrete driveway would appear. Find more ways to add drama to your driveway, below.

Ever sat in a garden with a nearby fountain and immediately felt at peace? That's the effect of a water feature. A fashionable fountain like this will not only boost your garden's visual appeal, but also the mood of everyone who enters. See more gorgeous water features, below.

Exterior lighting is often an afterthought and seen as unimportant. Wrong! The way you light your landscape can be just as important as your landscape design itself. Here, this streamlined, modern fire pit and surrounding bench are cleverly lit from below, enhancing the minimalist look of the landscape at night and disappearing in the daytime. Discover more landscape lighting inspiration, below.

There are two types of people: those who love wild-and-free landscapes and those who love perfectly planned precision. Symmetry is the only option for some, and if they can pull off something this beautiful, we're here for it. Follow the link below for more formal garden inspiration.

A wild, cottage-style garden would look completely out of place surrounding this modern concrete-and-steel home. So, naturally, the landscape designers opted for containers and hardscaping elements that mirror the home's straight lines and minimal style to create a cohesive whole. Take a tour of this modern lakeside home, below.

Inspired by the tranquility of traditional Asian gardens, this stunning multicolored round river stone walkway encourages an intentional, quiet reflection. The meandering shape of the path defines the surrounding green spaces, while the varying sizes and textures of the stone promote concentrated steps, causing visitors to slow their pace and relax. Use our tips, below, to find your zen by encouraging relaxation in your outdoor space.

Vine-covered walls are nothing new in landscape design, but there are a few modern takes on the old practice. By training these vines to grow in a crisscross shape, they become an accessory to both the building and the garden, elevating and enhancing the beauty of both. Learn how to train vines, below.