Garden arbor and picket fence separate the side yard from the front yard creating outdoor rooms. The view to the front yard frames a sitting area with Adirondack chairs. Photo by Bob Trainor

This is an example of a small transitional partial sun backyard mulch landscaping in Austin.

YardDoc designed and created multiple rock landscapes for customers in Austin, TX. These drought resistant landscapes liven up your yard with unique designs and individual beauty. While we craft every landscape to the yard and customer, we present examples here to inspire you. In this garden, we worked with the existing trees and hedges. We added ferns and succulents to round out the look. Next, we laid mulch, then placed two planters, one containing a small tree. We created a path using dark river rocks, and large, asymmetrical, flat-topped stones as a walkway through the garden. We created shallow retaining walls of natural stone, along the path, to keep mulch free of rocks and vice versa. Finally, we placed solar lights so this area remains functional and enjoyable at night. Overall, we think this adds a wonderful, fairytale feel to this space, without the commitment to extensive maintenance and care installing a faerie garden entails.

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional partial sun backyard mulch formal garden for summer.

Solow Design Group
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional full sun side yard mulch formal garden in Charlotte.

This is an example of a small rustic partial sun backyard mulch landscaping in Austin.

Photo of a small traditional partial sun side yard mulch landscaping in Bridgeport for summer.

Design ideas for a large rustic full sun side yard mulch and wood fence vegetable garden landscape in Minneapolis for summer.

Thymus serpyllum (Creeping Thyme) creates an excellent ground cover between the flagstone pavers in this unique garden pathway.
Photo of a mid-sized modern drought-tolerant and full sun front yard mulch garden path for summer.

Photo and Design by Jill Davis
Inspiration for a small traditional partial sun front yard mulch formal garden in Chicago for summer.

Frasier Meadows is home to a very active retirement community in Boulder, Colorado. The front yard area comes alive in late spring and early summer with a carpet of aromatic wooly thyme in full bloom.

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional partial sun front yard mulch formal garden in Boston for spring.

This elegant backyard transformation blends modern clean lines with natural textures, creating a serene and stylish outdoor living space. The custom-built grill station features a stone veneer base, granite countertop, and horizontal cedar privacy screen, all set beneath a bold wood pergola that adds architectural interest and shade. The adjacent landscape features organic curves, boulder accents, and a dry creek bed of mixed river rocks, which bring a touch of nature into the structured space. Thoughtful planting, layered mulch, and soft outdoor lighting enhance the cozy, curated look—making this backyard ideal for relaxing evenings or weekend entertaining.

Photo of a small traditional partial sun backyard mulch formal garden in Houston for summer.

This sloped hillside has been transformed into a beautiful tapestry of colors and textures present in every season. I specified drought tolerant plants and shrubs that are low-water, low maintenance and deer resistant. Located in Novato, CA - Marin County. Some photos were taken just after installation and others 2 couple of years later.

This was a backyard renovation. There was an existing plastic tub pond with many perennials around it. We took out everything, saved as many perennials as we could and installed a new rubber lined, natural ecosystem pond, stream and waterfall. We redesigned the area and created a couple different seating areas along with a pathway over the stream. Transplanted the perennials and added a few new plants to add interest all year long. A year after installation we added an accent spillway bowl to the feature. They make great additions to existing water features or make great stand alone features. They can add extra movement to dead spots in ponds and more oxygen to the water. We put tropical plants in the bowl for extra filtration as well.

Whitewater Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional partial sun backyard mulch landscaping in New York.

Stone steppers with multi-tiered boulder retaining wall
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard mulch retaining wall landscape in Minneapolis.

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional backyard mulch landscaping.