Beautiful Home Gardens Around the World
/granite-web-prod/e8/48/e84802243b38403e886d2f5d26bcf4aa.jpeg)
Gardening has become a very popular hobby. Planting, pruning and watering plants is not only rewarding. It also offers a soothing escape from what can be a stressful and noisy world. Plus, a great garden can increase your home value. It's a win-win.
If you're looking for some home garden ideas for this spring and summer, we scoured the web for some of the most beautiful and inspiring home gardens located around the world. From formal gardens in sprawling mansions to cozy, flowery hideaways, there's something here to inspire any home gardener.
Mediterranean Fantasy
/granite-web-prod/5f/63/5f63792504b944818038e165c0469e91.jpeg)
This garden, located in Los Angeles, California, is made to look like an ancient worship site. According to the designer, Mayita Dinos, the floor of the site is made up of Italian mosaic tiling with plants creeping through the cracks, while olive trees make up the "ceiling."
A fountain makes up the focal point, and those two urns flanking the entrance aren't for plants. They're gas-lit.
This must be amazing at night.
A Wild Massachusetts Garden
/granite-web-prod/0f/43/0f43109efe9e4199a64639f8cd022ec1.jpeg)
This beautiful garden in Massachusetts features an armillary sundial at the end of a stone pathway.
The great thing about the garden is how wild it is. Tall lilies and plenty of petunias, hydrangeas and roses encroach the pathway, creating a forest-like feel.
The trellises against the walls bring the garden up to the home, which is a nice touch.
Contemporary Deck Garden in Mexico City
/granite-web-prod/12/73/1273a0d6fd7249b0a7435d14d11adb29.jpeg)
You don't need a lot of space to make something dramatic.
The walls of this small deck have been covered in vines and ivy, and every available dirt space appears to have some small tree or plant growing from it.
String lighting is an easy way to create a cozy atmosphere, and it looks great here.
A Meadow in Maine
/granite-web-prod/e4/dd/e4dd7e22ab3c4acca46941c637a85a1d.jpeg)
This picturesque landscape is located in Maine. Created by Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design, the garden has many night salvia perennials, lamb's ear, Autumn Joy sedum, Siberian iris, lady's mantle and Russian sage.
"The lamb's ear has been very aggressive and I would recommend using it sparingly," the designer wrote on Houzz. "This garden is built on a very exposed hillside in Down East Maine, and everything is very tough."
Sustainable Japanese Garden
/granite-web-prod/3c/88/3c88e72397674de98bc1e9711f7ddca6.jpeg)
This Japanese garden is made with recycled steel pieces and weathered Corten steel tanks.
Designed by Sustainable Garden Design Perth and located in Perth, Australia, this peaceful garden features river stones, Lomandra "little con" grass, and herbs and vegetable plants.
England Stumpery
/granite-web-prod/44/60/4460e2300f454fe787069fa49bcf9718.jpeg)
This garden has a stumpery, a feature that uses dead tree parts for a sustainable and interesting look. It's located in Surrey, England.
According to the designer, Helen Rose Wilson, this outdoor garden uses well-seasoned stumps of oak.
"Oak has its own preserving properties and provided you keep an eye on them for any signs of rot and cracking they should last for a number of years," says Wilson. "They will fade to grey over time."
Living Wall in Cow Hollow
/granite-web-prod/4a/45/4a452ed5815247349de6c179c960abba.jpeg)
if you have the space, living walls make for a dramatic garden feature.
This garden is located in the Cow Hollow neighborhood of San Francisco, California, and was created as part of home renovation.
Plants included in the living wall include bonsais, ivies, fuchsia mosses, junipers and succulents.
Victorian Landscape
/granite-web-prod/59/30/59300f1a8b4b4adfa277909030a9a3dd.jpeg)
This English Tudor-style house in Los Angeles features 10,000 square feet of English gardens.
"Special nooks and hideaways, coupled with the sound of cascading water in fountains, create a serene environment, while delicate lighting in planter boxes makes the garden perfect for early evening strolls," writes the designer, Hartman Baldwin Design/Build.
Colorful Gravel Landscaping in Arkansas
/granite-web-prod/19/a5/19a5cf545eef4f7da068e9b50ad1edbb.jpeg)
Using containers to create a focal point in shaded gardens is a great way to create a dramatic look. These large red containers contrast wonderfully with the green grass below and the ferns growing out of it.
This garden is located in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Shimmering Garden Path in London
/granite-web-prod/26/73/2673577997644a94a0ff9bca4a5fb1d1.jpeg)
Pathways can become a focal point of your garden, too.
This garden in London, England, has been designed with shimmering colors, creating a contemporary, futuristic look.
Incredible Container Gardening
/granite-web-prod/77/5f/775fdac95b7b4c309108e3c8171bff16.jpeg)
When you don't have much soil to work with, container gardening can look just as good (or even better) than a traditional garden.
This fantastic example of container gardening comes from gardening guru magdas_garden on Instagram. We're not entirely sure where this is — we think it's somewhere in Central Europe — but it is absolutely incredible.
What this person managed to do with not a lot of room is beautiful.
Turning a Side Yard Into a Garden
/granite-web-prod/59/58/5958a23aa20d479eb3754f70ff165716.jpeg)
This is a great example of turning a small side yard into a beautiful garden. The designer has made excellent use of the space, adding a keyhole-shaped gravel landscaping area and a large pot as a focal point.
Planters on the door add even more greenery to the charming area.
It's located in Cardiff by the Sea, California.
A French Garden in Chicago
/granite-web-prod/99/04/9904a4eb28864cd1a71c7f8386900216.jpeg)
Bird baths look great and bring even more colorful fauna to the area. Of course, it's something to avoid in the South and other areas with large mosquito populations.
This garden, located in Chicago, contains berry plants, herbs, fruit trees and a vegetable garden.
A Koi Pond in Dallas
/granite-web-prod/f4/9e/f49e19539ee74d9ba5ffa143fd6e184f.jpeg)
This garden is part of a luxury home in Dallas, Texas. Koi ponds are an incredible feature, but also incredibly expensive. Quality Koi ponds cost around $9,000 to build and then hundreds more to maintain per year.
The cost of a Koi fish can range anywhere from a few bucks at PetSmart to hundreds or even thousands of dollars from a breeder.
Shabby Chic in Santa Cruz
/granite-web-prod/eb/9c/eb9c165137ab4e03991341a4a2d5b1fe.jpeg)
This outdoor garden in Santa Cruz, California, is described as "shabby chic" by the designer, and it fits.
The branches of a nearby weeping willow tree have been pruned to make a doorway, which leads to a small wooden enclosure decorated with an old clawfoot bathtub.
String lighting accentuates the mood.
Bayside Zen Garden
/granite-web-prod/35/d7/35d78ec73861465393a97ff219ddb231.jpeg)
This home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has a teahouse and a peaceful rock garden. The sand isn't what you'd think.
The designers, LandCrafters, Inc., used poultry grit. "It had the perfect texture for taking," they wrote on Houzz.
The property is enclosed with a custom bamboo fence.
A Cottage Garden in Manchester
/granite-web-prod/62/c1/62c18d05644a47e4b6494d35a4c1fddd.jpeg)
This cottage in Manchester, England, is framed by wisteria vines and the beautiful crepe myrtles give it a splash of vibrancy.
Cottage gardens are relatively inexpensive and are popular in England. While they need to be maintained like any garden, the plants of cottage gardens are meant to move around as time goes on.
There's less chance of noticeable weeds, too.
Creating Mystery with a Japanese Garden
/granite-web-prod/5d/cd/5dcd325b1d7548618407c778f422f0dd.jpeg)
According to Better Homes and Gardens, a main element of Japanese gardens is creating a sense of mystery by altering the landscape with winding paths and using features or existing trees to obscure the view.
Small stone light accentuate the area, while the stone streambed create the illusion of water.
Chiltern's Garden
/granite-web-prod/44/c0/44c056c48498491b97601ae35be3d179.jpeg)
This large and perfectly manicured garden is part of an extremely expensive estate called Chiltern located in Silicon Valley.
The gardens are over 60 years old and include a 50-tree orchard, rose gardens, a maze, greenhouse, koi pond, gazebos and a French parterre.
Once up for sale at $44 million in 2011, Chiltern sold for $29 million in 2014.
Container Gardening in Portland
/granite-web-prod/92/80/9280c2724ac7469ba1477c115db1a96b.jpeg)
This is a great example of affordable container gardening for areas that lack space and soil.
The inclusion of stone art pieces goes a long way, and the flowers go well with the home's quirky yellow exterior.
This home is located in Portland, Oregon.
A Pathway Garden in Australia
/granite-web-prod/93/40/9340b67e90224c34a438f6f57e5cc63d.jpeg)
This outdoor home garden is from theplanthunter's Instagram account. The Sydney, Australia-based gardener has an awesome garden and a fieldstone pathway with railings made of branches.
They also offer a tip about using rainwater to feed your indoor plants:
"If you have an outdoor area, and it's predicted to rain, or is raining (like right now!), gather up your indoor plants and put them outside for a shower. Not only do they get a hit of nitrogen and a drink, the rainwater will also clean their leaves, which helps them breathe better. "
Contemporary Boston Garden
/granite-web-prod/0b/f1/0bf1fed079de4a5a9247885eb7882429.jpeg)
This garden in Boston features a snaking path of Corten steel, which carries water to the back of the garden, where it pours into a boulder fountain.
The channel was created to "minimize root disturbance for the tall existing pines on the property," according to Julie Moir Messervy Design Studio.
The steel is supported by concrete tubes, allowing the architects to create such a path without having to heavily excavate the area.
Pockets of Interest
/granite-web-prod/0b/64/0b64a17b89d24a7bb98c272c8df76741.jpeg)
Using landscaping to create rooms or "pockets of interest" in the garden, this garden's focal point is an old bird fountain repurposed into a planter.
This garden comes from the the_hampshire_gardener on Instagram, who is located in Hampshire, England.
A Peaceful Place to Be
/granite-web-prod/9a/ea/9aeaf396e60d41c4be3c7e57cd61e20b.jpeg)
Another awesome example of a Japanese garden is this peaceful little backyard.
A curved footbridge covers the river-like path of soil, while landscape lighting enhances the setting. The azumaya — a Japanese arbor — is a great touch.
We're not sure where this is exactly, although it appears to be in the Southwest.
Newport Fishing Cottage
/granite-web-prod/b0/27/b027fe08de1e4cdbb98db9a28e69046b.jpeg)
This garden accompanies a fishing cottage located on Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. It includes a fire pit, potting shed, pergola, and just loads of plants.
Developed by Groundswell Design Group in Philadelphia, this garden has won numerous awards, according to the company's website.
Stroll Garden in New Hampshire
/granite-web-prod/d6/0b/d60b763e54e04ea2bf3fdd30a4fde846.jpeg)
This is an aerial view of an impressive Japanese stroll garden by Shin-Boku Nursery in Wentworth, New Hampshire.
Granite slabs make up the bridges, which connect a pathway over white marble stone. During summer, the brown-colored pathways turn to green moss.
New Orleans Sun Yard
/granite-web-prod/01/fc/01fc0ae494414e2cb731f4f821b7c619.jpeg)
This beautiful arbor is wrapped in a pale purple wisteria, which provides shade for the swinging bench underneath. Located in New Orleans, Louisiana (or possibly Lafayette), this side yard has been turned into something magical.
A Beautiful Shed in Scotland
/granite-web-prod/fd/91/fd914123802d414e97da2093fde7b10c.jpeg)
This photo from somewhere in Scotland isn't just awesome because of the rustic picket fence and the colorful cottage garden, but because of the gorgeous potting shed.
This looks like a place you could call home, if you were a hobbit.
Or just really wanted to be one.
Rose Gardens of Levens Hall
/granite-web-prod/81/6f/816f8155ef0d4db0accb02768a923901.jpeg)
Levens Hall is a large manor house located in Cumbria, a ceremonial county located in northwest England.
The gardens date back to 1689, and they have survived remarkably well. The gardens "retain almost all of the essential elements of the completed scheme as shown on maps of the park and gardens of 1730," according to Historic England.
Making a Slope Into a Waterfall
/granite-web-prod/97/fb/97fbf813d7c643f58ae8e0733fc074be.jpeg)
If your landscaping has a slope to it, consider installing a waterfall feature. This one is like a hidden waterfall, tucked away between two wild, colorful cottage gardens.
This garden comes from beautiful.gardens' Instagram. They recommend using "easy-care knock out roses and Shasta daises along the edges of the stream to draw more attention to the water."