Clyde Hill Home (Seattle, USA)
Wild grasses are a fantastic alternative to a lawn, requiring much less maintenance while giving your garden an air of traditional charm thanks to the seemingly random planting. This garden is set-off with a timeless water feature to add to the English garden appeal. Colourful shrubbery and blooms pop against the grey natural stone paving, laid randomly to support this garden’s wild appeal. The large patio area offers a serene spot that feels private, dotted in the centre of a cove of tall trees.
Halford Road, Fulham (London, UK)
Creating interesting outdoor spaces in an urban setting can be difficult, however, London-based landscaper John Davies has done a superb job with this compact garden in Fulham. Large black Granite Slabs offer contemporary appeal while the multi-level design, featuring high and low planting as well as modern, romantic lighting, makes the space seem bigger than it is.
Park Residence (San Francisco, USA)
by Huettl Landscape Architecture
At Nustone, we’re a big fan of sectioning up a garden to create a versatile space and this San Francisco garden is a fantastic example of effective design. Large-format paving slabs act as a setting for summer barbeques and parties while the natural stone stepping stones and clean-cut planting hint at peace and tranquillity in a busy urban space.
Queens Park (London, UK)
Another fantastic example of effective multi-level garden design in a compact space, this London garden features an assortment of wild shrubbery and grasses to give the impression that you’re in an overgrown rural setting. The dark slate paving pops against the vibrant green planting and helps to create a sociable, minimal exterior dining area.
Large Roof Terrace (London, UK)
New and old are a match made in heaven when it comes to urban spaces – especially if your space is a picturesque, industrial London rooftop. Rustic wooden planters and decking sits effortlessly alongside grey granite paving, helping to emphasis the contrasting new and old elements. Urban can often be considered bland, however, the vibrant floral planting, including climbers, help to add depth and texture to this otherwise minimal space.
Luxury Town Houses (Cambridge, UK)
by IDSystems
Rattan furniture and granite paving are always going to look good together, especially if you’re looking to create a clean-cut, modern outside space. Careful planting in an array of vibrant green tones, including dark green planters, act as a border around this contemporary garden, helping to add a hint of privacy to a somewhat overlook urban space.
Howard Roberts (New York, USA)
by Liquidscapes
If you’re lucky enough to live near woodland, this is a garden design to take inspiration from. Due to the tall trees surrounding the garden, the space is already private, which means single-level planting is effective and helps to create a large, open, sociable space. The space is broken up effectively with Granite Setts between areas of sumptuous sandstone paving, giving the garden a seamless finish.
Traditional Patio (Surrey, UK)
by Amanda Miller Garden Designs
The key to creating an interesting, characterful garden when you’ve got little space to work with is: colour! Multi-level planting in an array of vibrant tones sits alongside the painted yellow furniture perfectly, giving the garden a hint of seaside charm. Better still, the space is useable and the planting isn’t over the top, leaving plenty of room for entertaining with storage sorted by the addition of a shed. The patio is traditional and multi-dimensional through its use of random sizes and a circular pattern.
Contemporary Patio, Dulwich (London, UK)
If your home isn’t as permanent as you would like, a great way to create a cosy outdoor space while ensuring the garden is adaptable and, if necessary, transportable, is to keep plants in pots, stacking them high and low – especially in overlooked urban spaces – to create a garden that’s interesting to look at and personal, featuring plants that you love more than anything else, rather than sticking to garden trends or pristine patterns. Natural sandstone paving in an array of grey, brown and buff tones help to add character to the garden while ensuring it’s easy to maintain.
Brookline Brownstone (Boston, USA)
When sectioning up your garden, try to stick to a palette of three colours, not including the natural green planting or furnishings, to ensure a visually effective finish. Note how this Boston garden feels private and picturesque. If you have a limited budget, create a small patio or barbeque area and, to save the pennies, use gravel to create vibrant multi-tone pathways. Despite being heavy on planting, this garden feels kept together thanks to the natural silver-grey granite setts edging.