A mediterranean look in the desert with lantana added for color and softness. Pascale Sucato
Design ideas for a southwestern drought-tolerant and desert front yard landscaping in Phoenix.

Mid-sized elegant backyard brick patio photo in San Francisco with a fire pit

Patio fountain - mediterranean backyard gravel patio fountain idea in Orange County with no cover

This property has a wonderful juxtaposition of modern and traditional elements, which are unified by a natural planting scheme. Although the house is traditional, the client desired some contemporary elements, enabling us to introduce rusted steel fences and arbors, black granite for the barbeque counter, and black African slate for the main terrace. An existing brick retaining wall was saved and forms the backdrop for a long fountain with two stone water sources. Almost an acre in size, the property has several destinations. A winding set of steps takes the visitor up the hill to a redwood hot tub, set in a deck amongst walls and stone pillars, overlooking the property. Another winding path takes the visitor to the arbor at the end of the property, furnished with Emu chaises, with relaxing views back to the house, and easy access to the adjacent vegetable garden. Photos: Simmonds & Associates, Inc.

Example of a classic backyard gravel patio design in New York with no cover

This is an example of a transitional retaining wall landscape in San Francisco.

This shade arbor, located in The Woodlands, TX north of Houston, spans the entire length of the back yard. It combines a number of elements with custom structures that were constructed to emulate specific aspects of a Zen garden. The homeowner wanted a low-maintenance garden whose beauty could withstand the tough seasonal weather that strikes the area at various times of the year. He also desired a mood-altering aesthetic that would relax the senses and calm the mind. Most importantly, he wanted this meditative environment completely shielded from the outside world so he could find serenity in total privacy. The most unique design element in this entire project is the roof of the shade arbor itself. It features a “negative space” leaf pattern that was designed in a software suite and cut out of the metal with a water jet cutter. Each form in the pattern is loosely suggestive of either a leaf, or a cluster of leaves. These small, negative spaces cut from the metal are the source of the structure’ powerful visual and emotional impact. During the day, sunlight shines down and highlights columns, furniture, plantings, and gravel with a blend of dappling and shade that make you feel like you are sitting under the branches of a tree. At night, the effects are even more brilliant. Skillfully concealed lights mounted on the trusses reflect off the steel in places, while in other places they penetrate the negative spaces, cascading brilliant patterns of ambient light down on vegetation, hardscape, and water alike. The shade arbor shelters two gravel patios that are almost identical in space. The patio closest to the living room features a mini outdoor dining room, replete with tables and chairs. The patio is ornamented with a blend of ornamental grass, a small human figurine sculpture, and mid-level impact ground cover. Gravel was chosen as the preferred hardscape material because of its Zen-like connotations. It is also remarkably soft to walk on, helping to set the mood for a relaxed afternoon in the dappled shade of gently filtered sunlight. The second patio, spaced 15 feet away from the first, resides adjacent to the home at the opposite end of the shade arbor. Like its twin, it is also ornamented with ground cover borders, ornamental grasses, and a large urn identical to the first. Seating here is even more private and contemplative. Instead of a table and chairs, there is a large decorative concrete bench cut in the shape of a giant four-leaf clover. Spanning the distance between these two patios, a bluestone walkway connects the two spaces. Along the way, its borders are punctuated in places by low-level ornamental grasses, a large flowering bush, another sculpture in the form of human faces, and foxtail ferns that spring up from a spread of river rock that punctuates the ends of the walkway. The meditative quality of the shade arbor is reinforced by two special features. The first of these is a disappearing fountain that flows from the top of a large vertical stone embedded like a monolith in the other edges of the river rock. The drains and pumps to this fountain are carefully concealed underneath the covering of smooth stones, and the sound of the water is only barely perceptible, as if it is trying to force you to let go of your thoughts to hear it. A large piece of core-10 steel, which is deliberately intended to rust quickly, rises up like an arced wall from behind the fountain stone. The dark color of the metal helps the casual viewer catch just a glimpse of light reflecting off the slow trickle of water that runs down the side of the stone into the river rock bed. To complete the quiet moment that the shade arbor is intended to invoke, a thick wall of cypress trees rises up on all sides of the yard, completely shutting out the disturbances of the world with a comforting wall of living greenery that comforts the thoughts and emotions.

Photo of a traditional backyard landscaping in Philadelphia for spring.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary shade backyard gravel landscaping in Philadelphia.

Kitchen, dining area and fire feature. Jason Liske photographer
Inspiration for a contemporary backyard gravel patio remodel in San Francisco

Woodland Garden: A curvaceous pea gravel path directs the visitor through the woodland garden located at the back and back side of the house. It is planted with drifts of Erie and Chindo Viburnumns, Oak leaf Hyrangeas, Astilbe, Ferns, Hostas.A row of hollies was added to block the view to the son's home. Photo credit: ROGER FOLEY

Farmhouse white brick exterior home idea in Atlanta

Succulents in the landscape lend texture , form and color without even blooming.
Photo of an eclectic landscaping in San Francisco with a fire pit.

This is an example of a traditional backyard landscaping in Cleveland.

Fredric J. Ueckert
Patio - contemporary backyard patio idea in Seattle with a pergola

Conte & Conte, LLC landscape architects and designers work with clients located in Connecticut & New York (Greenwich, Belle Haven, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, Fairfield, Southport, Rowayton, Manhattan, Larchmont, Bedford Hills, Armonk, Massachusetts) House designed by James Schettino Architects; Boxed Vegetable Gardens, thanks to Fairfield House & Garden Co. for building these!

Joe Runde
Design ideas for a transitional gravel landscaping in Chicago.

Patio - mid-sized traditional backyard gravel patio idea in Cleveland with a fire pit and no cover

Inspiration for a large farmhouse full sun backyard gravel vegetable garden landscape in San Francisco for summer.