50 Best Backyard Landscaping Ideas

When it comes to backyard landscaping ideas, there are plenty of options available.

Whether you have a small backyard or a large backyard, there is an option for you, not to mention tons of affordable ways to achieve your desired look too.

To figure out the right landscaping for you, think about your unique style and how your landscaping can represent you. You can even mix various aesthetics together if you’re not into just one look.

You can start with one space at a time, adding a garden border before turning to container gardens in pots.

You may choose to update or create a new structural element, adding some hardscaping or a new pathway, a water feature like a pond or fountain, or a new seating area.

From a sleek modern look to a charming English garden, the possibilities are endless, guided by your terrain, your budget, your design inspirations, and your do-it-yourself landscaping know-how.

Explore these backyard landscaping ideas that show you how to transform your outdoor area into your favorite space.

Tall Perennial Grasses

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 @ann.living / Instagram

This cozy yet spacious seating area has plenty of privacy thanks to privacy fencing and some well-placed tall perennial grasses that also help absorb noise.

The patio, which features a dining and seating area, is framed by a gravel-covered garden bed with a few plants that help to separate the space from the lawn.

A Two-Level Retaining Wall

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 KG Designs

If your yard has steep levels or hills you may want to consider a retaining wall.

This one has two levels around the seating area, with the lower one providing a space for seasonal plantings and a built in fireplace.

The look comes together with a dramatic round metal pergola that supports the beautiful white wisteria vine (a plant that needs a strong structure away from the house, as its growth can become invasive over time).

This pergola adds an airy, open feel to the solid retaining wall, balancing the angular walls with circular lines.

RELATED: 17 Ideas for Decorating Outdoor Walls

A Backyard With Simple Landscaping

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 @ann.living / Instagram

Landscaping need not be complicated or fussy.

This simple design allows an interesting border to the lawn area with simple wooden posts laid in as borders.

The gray fencing, gravel, lighting fixtures and planters accent the gray tones in the tree bark, and easy plants like clumping grasses and evergreen shrubs provide interest all season.

RELATED: 45 Wallet-Friendly DIY Backyard Ideas

Line a Pathway With Colorful Plants

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 KG Designs

Lining a pathway with plants can be one of the more straightforward ways to start.

Just be careful to not choose any plants that would grow in a way that made it difficult to use the path.

The concrete path above allows plenty of room for walking or placing a chair to linger over the nearby vista.

Planting perennials that bloom from spring through autumn makes this walkway a welcoming destination through three seasons.

RELATED: 30 Beautiful Backyard Walkway Examples

A Dining Nook in a Small Backyard

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 @s.u.s.a.p. / Instagram

A few potted or climbing plants can go a long way to frame a small seating area.

With minimal plants, decor can do the rest of the work.

The all-weather rug transforms the stone patio beneath it, creating the feel of a small outdoor room, and the filigree metal table and chairs are accented by other metal decor and various objects made of natural materials in an attractive neutral palette.

RELATED: 30 Backyard Lighting Ideas for Glow & Guests

Define Your Space With Structure

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 Finding Lovely

With a large backyard space, structural elements are key to defining the space and giving it a shape.

Doing this first can help guide your landscaping choices.

This yard is flanked by mature trees on its edge, and so a variety of smaller levels and contrasting shapes creates a pleasing and functional design.

The garden shed with fenced in area is the focal point.

The flagstone path provides graceful curves and the white stone carries on the color theme of the white fence posts and white painted trim on the shed.

Finally, the curved shapes of the flower beds also define the walkway’s connection to the larger property.

RELATED: 39 Cheap Backyard Ideas for Outdoor Spaces Large and Small

A Vegetable Garden in the Backyard

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 @sunnygardentime / Instagram

Sometimes you can tell where a gardener lives.

This backyard is all about celebrating gardening, with many potted plants, vines with colorful flowers growing over fences and sheds, and comfy green chairs strategically placed to rest and enjoy the view of your accomplishments after a busy morning of gardening.

RELATED: 20 Unique Vegetable Garden Layout Ideas to Elevate Your Yard

Open Air Fencing

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 Finding Lovely

Fences can be necessary and useful structures, but they need not always be opaque or thick for privacy.

This open air fence allows plenty of sight lines throughout the garden, including views of the raised beds through the fence.

The curved arbor over the gate could hold climbing roses or other vines.

The strong structure of the fence, incorporated with the flagstone path, solidifies the location as a central focal point by the shed, and yet the whole area looks airy and inviting.

RELATED: 20 Inspiring Garden Fence Ideas for Your Outdoor Space

Patio Pavers and Ground Covers

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 Design by Mindy Gayer / Photo by Vanessa Lentine

Installing a patio with pavers can be a lot of work and requires decisions about preparing the space, leveling, gravel or sand, etc.

These large pavers simplify the logistics a bit, and the ground cover growing between them softens the look and breaks up the large expanses of white in this design.

There are lots of options for ground cover too, including grasses, creeping sedum, and creeping thyme.

RELATED: 40 Dreamy Patio Decor Ideas

Plenty of Greenery

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 Mindy Gayer Design Co. / Photo by Vanessa Lentine

This simple backyard landscaping from Mindy Gayer Design Co. includes a large green lawn that hugs the curves of the backyard patio.

Low-slung shrubs around the edge of the home and in small groupings scattered from the patio to a small mulch-filled island in the center of the lawn allow the architecture to take center stage and not compete with mature trees surrounding the property.

A Sunken Patio

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 @ladylandscape / Instagram

This seating area centers around a fire dish but the round structure could as easily be a table or water feature.

The real star here is the sturdy rock wall surround built of natural granite blocks, and stairs leading down to the flagstone patio, creating a sunken room effect, with plenty of lush plantings at ground and wall level to add a dose of nature and privacy.

RELATED: 29 Chic Small Patio Ideas

Try Mediterranean Style

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This Southern California backyard from Mindy Gayer Design Co. has Mediterranean-inspired landscaping, with a minimalist approach to planting, a play of heights, and a rustic water feature.

Other Mediterranean features could include an herb garden, a patio made from old bricks, or a micro-orchard.

Easy Desert Borders

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 @beartrapgarden / Instagram

This desert backyard is a series of garden beds and walkways.

Gravel is used for a tidy, attractive look and moisture retention in times of drought.

The gravel works on the walkway and in beds as an alternative to wood mulches. If the ground covers spill over the edge of the border into the path, hey, the more the merrier.

The native plantings and many succulents provide a lush, colorful yet easy-going approach to having a large-scale yet simple garden plan.

Framed Stone Steps

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 @falkner_gardens / Instagram / Photograph by Jean Allsop /Birmingham Home & Garden (cover)

The planters framing the stone stairs make a dramatic entry point for the sprawling lawn and a shady seating destination beneath mature trees.

The large stone planters are naturally aged by moss and weather, and the abundant flowers include plenty of low maintenance hosta.

The large pavers are an easy way to create a patio or walkway below the raised level and leaving some grass in between creates a casual yet intentional look.

RELATED: 20 Creative Stepping Stone Designs to Elevate Your Backyard

A Border of Cacti

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 Michelle Boudreau Design / Photo by Lane Dittoe

Michelle Boudreau Design lined the walls of this Palm Springs pool area with a row of cacti along one side, and a series of large white square planters on the other that gives the space a modern look.

Sustainable Design

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 @beartrapgarden / Instagram

Nearly every design element in this beautiful off-grid desert property is intended to be sustainable and environmentally friendly.

From the native plants to the moisture-retaining gravel to the rain barrels and clever use of found objects, this appealing landscape design shows respect for the planet and a resourceful sensibility.

Varying Plant Heights

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 Emily Henderson Design / Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp

Emily Henderson Design landscaped the path leading to the backyard play area an effortless feel with grasses, bushes, and flowering plants of varying heights and varieties to give it a playful enchanted garden feel.

RELATED: 25 Rock Garden Plants for a Colorful Low-Maintenance Garden

A Poolside Backyard Garden

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 @ladylandscape / Instagram

Pools are great for cooling down in hot weather, but what about cooling down when you’re not in the water?

A shady pavilion and terraced gardens alongside the stairs make this pool feature a comfortable and beautiful place to beat the heat.

The cool-warm color palette of perennials is eye-catching and invokes both sun and water.

A Lawn Patio

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 Marie Flanigan Interiors

This modern and minimal design features a level lawn area the same shape as the pool, flanked by a simple bed with young birch trees.

The simple lines are accented by the clean lines of the furniture chosen.

The limited palette of white and brown with touches of deep green is anchored by the perennial beds with low-growing shrubs.

A Lower-Level Backyard Fire Pit Seating Area

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 Design by Mindy Gayer / Photo by Lane Dittoe

For homeowners who like to entertain, having more than one outdoor area for socializing can be a great way to maximize space.

This design emphasizes seating areas over garden beds or plantings, with multiple levels and wide concrete stairs tying them all together.

The sleek design of all three areas is minimal yet comfortable, with Adirondack chairs around the firepit area and comfortable seating on the lower patio, and a slightly more formal dining area on the upper level.

RELATED: 23 Outdoor Fire Pit Ideas for Every Style and Budget

Backyard Gravel Garden

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 Dazey Den

Dazey Den traded green grass for a sculptural gravel garden in the backyard of this desert home.

A stone walkway and shrubbery make this feel like a secret oasis. The twinkle lights are also a fun touch.

Vines on a Pergola or Arbor

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 @ladylandscape / Instagram

The installation of a pergola or arbor can create an attractive and functional focal point for your garden.

They can frame an entry way to a seating area or other destination, and also add shade to a sunny spot.

This one has a trumpet vine, a beautiful but somewhat invasive flower that can be trained to behave itself if it has a strong structure to climb on.

The cozy seating area on the wooden deck is surrounded by easy care hedges and perennials, and the large pavers offer some flexibility when designing walkways.

Defined Spaces With Containers

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 @beartrapgarden / Instagram

Using containers is an easy way to create height and depth of space throughout your garden areas without too much effort.

This desert garden has a variety of succulents and native plants in a variety of shapes, from creeping and curvy to tall and spiky, and the containers can be moved around at will to change the look.

Graceful wire fence pieces create an open-air look and protect the beds from wandering pets.

RELATED: 35 Unique Container Garden Ideas

Backyard Firepit

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 @ladylandscape / Instagram

Plant native grasses around your firepit area for a sense of privacy.

A wood-burning metal fire dish is a simple solution if you don’t want to fuss with propane, gas or installing a fire pit.

Plus, a fire feature creates the base for an instant seating area. The choice of grasses allows for a wide view of the gorgeous backdrops of mature trees and forest in the distance, and enjoying sunsets as day turns to night.

The black and white Adirondack chairs look sharp against the gray flagstone patio, and the perennial tufts of grass help define the space.

RELATED: 23 Outdoor Fire Pit Ideas for Every Style and Budget

Open Air Room in the Backyard

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 Design by Kendall Wilkinson Design / Photo by Paul Dyer

The willow structure creating the roof lets sunlight through but also creates abundant shade over this open-air patio room.

This is essentially a pavilion with permeable roof over a deck that creates dramatic play of light and shadow and provides a cozy seating area in sunny weather.

Using waterproof furniture and cushions protects in case some rain gets through.

Garden Oasis With Seating

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 @thepsychgarden / Instagram

A large backyard full of perennial beds just beckons meandering walks, and placing benches or other seating areas provides small destination points throughout.

Mature trees provide dappled shade yet there’s plenty of sun for flowers.

The curved edges of these beds (precisely what English gardeners would call “herbaceous borders”) have natural stone which adds to the woodland appeal of this year round garden landscape.

Backyard Plants and Feeders

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 Becca Interiors

Choose bird-friendly plants, then add a bird feeder and a birdhouse.

Bird feeders are best placed near shrubs or small trees as many birds (cardinals, goldfinches, and others) desire a bit of protective cover before they venture nearby.

This classic wooden birdhouse with a tin roof has a vintage look perfect for a rambling outdoor garden.

If you have multiple birdfeeding areas, consider placement in terms of seating and viewing vantage points so you can enjoy seeing the birds from indoors, or from your patio or other outdoor seating areas.

A Dramatic Backyard Entrance

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 Kate Marker Interiors

This magnificent design features a rear entryway of stone steps and retaining walls with built-in perennial beds, providing not only practical access to the rear entrance but a marvelous garden space.

The rectangular shapes of the pool, patio and levels of planters alongside the steps create a pleasing perpendicular shape with long lines contrasting with the tall shape of the house.

The shrubs and planters add softer curving shapes for balance.

RELATED: 37 Genius Decor Ideas to Create Your Dream Garden.

Rely on Containers for the Patio

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 M Lavender Interiors

Container gardens will dress up any patio, whether it be elaborate or simple.

Containers of annuals can be easily moved around to change the shape or look of the space.

Add some weatherproof furniture like this simple wicker sofa and chair, and a table, and you have a cozy seating area suitable for many uses.

European Patio Style

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 @thepsychgarden / Instagram

This backyard is full of lush garden spots, from the full perennial beds and trees to the vine-covered screened porch and the enormous planters.

This small seating area has European charm with its metal furniture and ornate stone planters with blooming hydrangeas, and plenty of privacy from nearby shrubs.

The container with the large fern can be moved to create space for drinks or coffee.

Dramatic Tropical Plants

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 Design by Calimia Home / Photo by Karla Garcia

The tropical plantings add color and drama to this southern home, with a flowering vine trained into a tree form, and large-leafed tropicals planted closely together for visual impact and a block of vibrant color.

Perennial Beds by the Pool

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 Design by Mindy Gayer / Photo by Lane Dittoe

Who says you can’t plant perennial beds next to your pool?

These low maintenance grasses and other perennials in a range of pale greens accent the mostly white palette here.

They also add some organic shapes and visual textures to the straight lines of the pool, buildings and furniture.

A festive large umbrella provides some shade for this poolside oasis.

Work With Your Climate

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 White Sands Design/Build

This beachside bungalow has touches of Moroccan design (note the dramatic tiles in the stairs) and splashes of color from ceramic planters to enliven the white plaster walls.

The plants are an attractive assortment of natives and tropicals suited to this southern California climate.

Seating With a 360-Degree View

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 @ladylandscape / Instagram

Having more than one seating area means you’re looking in many directions, so you should try to make the view look good from every angle.

This gives you flexibility for entertaining, and also allows for different views to enjoy the changing colors and shapes of the garden through the season.

Seasonal Colors and Shapes

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 @thepsychgarden / Instagram

The gentle texture of this weeping cherry tree in spring is enhanced with multiple clay pots with spring bulbs blooming.

The brick beds echo the terra cotta of the pots, adding a warm yet neutral tones against the cool color palette of greens, blues and purples.

Backyard Terraced Gardens

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 @ladylandscape / Instagram

These terraced gardens with stone steps and decks for walking look over a scenic view of meadows and hills.

The native plantings are colorful and their bushy shapes echo the trees and grasses in the distance.

A Shady Backyard Arcadia

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 @gardenfromscratch / Instagram

The verdant shade gardens of this property may be chock full of luscious plantings including a diverse array of hostas, but still feel open and airy by this open-air iron gate that looks out over a wide meadow vista.

A Backyard Lined With Mulch

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 Hannah Tyler Designs

Sometimes letting your grass grow just a bit higher than normal gives it a glossy, soft look and feel.

This low-key backyard design features a lovely mature tree encircled by hostas and meandering cottage-style flower beds, but tying it all together is a lush expanse of green.

Don’t have perfect grass? Try adding clover seed for a pollinator-friendly lawn that fills in nicely.

Plants in Complementary Colors

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 @ladylandscape / Instagram

For gardens with a sunset view, consider plantings that will complement the glorious colors of the sky, for maximum enjoyment.

Paniculata hydrangea flowers turn rosy burnished hues as summer turns to autumn, and oakleaf hydrangeas have foliage that turns brilliant colors,

Many flowering shrubs have foliage that turns colorful at some point in the season, including varieties of ninebark, amsonia, fothergilla, and spirea.

Al Fresco Backyard Dining

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 Finding Lovely

Level your lawn in the area below some shady trees, then set up a seasonal al fresco dining area to use as often as you wish. 

Weatherproof furniture options are plentiful these days. Just change up the linens and table settings, add some fresh cut flowers or other centerpiece, and you’re ready to entertain outdoors without having to clean the whole house.

Tall Plants for a Small Backyard

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 @cottageandsea / Instagram

This small seating area can only accommodate tall plants—there’s not enough room for plants that grow wide.

The seating area is delightfully stylish owing to a tasteful mix of textures and round shapes.

The curves are repeated in the egg swivel chair, the central water feature, the decorative woven rug, the cushion chair, and the charcoal grill/smoker.

A Featured Firepit

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 Design by Mindy Gayer / Photo by Vanessa Lentine

With a dark gray, almost black privacy fence, you need to choose colors for your plantings that will really pop.

The yellow and red grasses with their feathery texture are an excellent choice.

The square lines and gray tones are nicely complemented by planters at a right angle.

With so many options available for furniture and plants, an outdoor seating area can be low maintenance by design.

Big Blooming Bushes

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 @kirsten.diane / Instagram

The whimsical design elements here pull together beautifully, with the soft textures of the blooming lilac bush and curving shapes of the umbrella the large glass jug forming a pleasing counterpoint to the angular striped patterns of the cushions and rug.

Backyard Winter Charm

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 @s.u.s.a.p. / Instagram

Even if you’re not spending too much time sitting in your backyard space in winter, choosing some plants with seasonal winter interest can life your spirits when the winds are howling.

This simple Scandinavian holiday scene has winter greenery draping over a bench, birch logs, pine cones, a tree sculpture, and a chunky wooden star to create a rustic holiday tableau.

Hanging Branches

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 @cottageandsea / Instagram

Rather than pruning branches back to make room for an outdoor light, let them grow and integrate the two.

This attractive wicker pendant lamp can be fitted with electric, battery powered, or solar bulbs depending on your needs.

It creates a nice focal point for this simple seating arrangement of wooden chairs and central table, and the light will have plenty of plants and leaves to filter through to make dramatic shadows.

Backyard Privacy Fence

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 @luckyplot13 / Instagram

You can add intrigue to a privacy fence even if it’s not a living one. Add a few small vining plants or upright potted plants in front of the fence.

Place Plants for Winter Interest

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 @gardenfromscratch / Instagram

If you live in a zone where you get substantial snowfall in winter, consider plantings that will offer sculptural beauty in a snowscape.

The large weeping evergreen tree looks beautiful covered in snow, and this variegated yucca is an unexpected but thrilling sight in this winter landscape.

Dormant sedums and ornamental grasses often make interesting shapes in snow and can then be cut back in early spring before new growth begins.

Backyard Cactus Garden

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 Dazey Den

This Palm Springs midcentury modern home from Dazey Den is landscaped to blend in with the dramatic desert setting, with bright yellow wildflowers and a colorful cactus garden that gives it a sculptural look.

Small Backyard Seating Area

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 @s.u.s.a.p. / Instagram

This simple seating area in a small garden in Yorkshire, England, is surrounded by sensual pleasures of all kinds: a scenic view of mountains, the intoxicating scent of wisteria blooms, leafy plantings, and whimsical Japanese lanterns hanging from the hedges.

Simple Zen Garden

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 Design by Cathie Hong Interiors / Margaret Austin Photo

A small corner of this outdoor space from Cathie Hong Interiors is outfitted with an L-shaped wood and metal bench and landscaped with a small tree, rock, and mix of plants and flowers that give it a zen garden feel.