Great Ideas From the Most Popular Landscape Photos Right Now
Whether for a grand entry or an edible garden, the Houzz community is looking for a whole-yard approach
This Trending Now story features the most-saved landscape photos uploaded to Houzz since April 1, 2019.
A glance through the most popular landscape photos uploaded to Houzz since April 1 reveals that users are taking a thoughtful 360-degree approach to landscape planning. They are thinking about not only curb appeal from the street, but also the experience of driving up the driveway and approaching the house from the driveway. While many of the following landscapes are aspirational, they present attainable design ideas that can be applied to all sizes and styles of yards.
A glance through the most popular landscape photos uploaded to Houzz since April 1 reveals that users are taking a thoughtful 360-degree approach to landscape planning. They are thinking about not only curb appeal from the street, but also the experience of driving up the driveway and approaching the house from the driveway. While many of the following landscapes are aspirational, they present attainable design ideas that can be applied to all sizes and styles of yards.
This estate in Pennsylvania, built by E.B. Mahoney Builders, takes a more formal approach. Beautiful stone walls line a driveway that has matching cobblestone accents. The traditional urn planters and mature trees enhance the experience.
Great idea: When picking stone for any landscaping project, look for something regional. It’s a nice way to connect your yard to the local landscape.
Shop for outdoor pots and planters
Great idea: When picking stone for any landscaping project, look for something regional. It’s a nice way to connect your yard to the local landscape.
Shop for outdoor pots and planters
2. Curb Appeal
A spectacular entry court creates a compelling experience at this Arizona home by Integrated Design. While enclosed by a low wall along the street side, the home and fountain can be enjoyed from the sidewalk, with a wide paved sidewalk and fountain placed on axis with the front door. A series of terraces mitigates the slope up to the home, punctuated by walls and plantings.
Great idea: This home takes advantage of the front porch and yard in a way that we usually think of as backyard style. Hanging out in the front yard is a great way to connect with neighbors.
A spectacular entry court creates a compelling experience at this Arizona home by Integrated Design. While enclosed by a low wall along the street side, the home and fountain can be enjoyed from the sidewalk, with a wide paved sidewalk and fountain placed on axis with the front door. A series of terraces mitigates the slope up to the home, punctuated by walls and plantings.
Great idea: This home takes advantage of the front porch and yard in a way that we usually think of as backyard style. Hanging out in the front yard is a great way to connect with neighbors.
This Houston home built by Allan Edwards Builder has a long pool on the street-facing side, which required a wall for safety and privacy. But the team kept the view from the street lovely with layers of plantings, a stone walk and beautiful lanterns, proving that a walled-off property can maintain great curb appeal.
Great idea: Large, well-lit house numbers near the street will make it easy for delivery companies to find you, and they add a nice accent to a wall.
Great idea: Large, well-lit house numbers near the street will make it easy for delivery companies to find you, and they add a nice accent to a wall.
3. Side Approaches
Houzz users are looking not only at the street entry and driveway approaches, but also at the entry approach that they and their visitors will experience most often — from the driveway to the door. In this terraced Santa Barbara, California, front yard built by Allen Construction, a wide path punctuated by low evergreen shrubs leads to an entry court and orients the view toward the mature trees beyond.
Great idea: When planning a path, keep the entire experience in mind — what will you be seeing next to you? What’s the view at the end of the path? Can you add some fragrance with plants? Will there be pleasingly crunchy gravel or soft grass underfoot, or will you hop from one steppingstone to another?
Houzz users are looking not only at the street entry and driveway approaches, but also at the entry approach that they and their visitors will experience most often — from the driveway to the door. In this terraced Santa Barbara, California, front yard built by Allen Construction, a wide path punctuated by low evergreen shrubs leads to an entry court and orients the view toward the mature trees beyond.
Great idea: When planning a path, keep the entire experience in mind — what will you be seeing next to you? What’s the view at the end of the path? Can you add some fragrance with plants? Will there be pleasingly crunchy gravel or soft grass underfoot, or will you hop from one steppingstone to another?
The architects at Genesis Architecture employed a long, graceful curve to connect this curved contemporary home to its landscape. This is the approach from the driveway. The path is elevated above the lawn, creating a pleasing transition between the house and the greater yard. Natural stone pavers play off the wood siding of the home, and the stone beneath the curved path matches the stone on the home’s large chimney.
Great idea: Widen a path into a patio. The way this path expands into a lounging area at the far end provides a cohesive look that complements the architecture.
Great idea: Widen a path into a patio. The way this path expands into a lounging area at the far end provides a cohesive look that complements the architecture.
4. Gates
Houzz users are also looking closely at smaller landscaping details. This gate in a Tampa, Florida, yard by design-build carpentry company Ninzan Studio combines a farmhouse “X” with a curved line of pickets on top. And it provides a wonderful backdrop for the tropical plants.
Great idea: Line a pathway with ground lighting. This is particularly helpful at night on a steppingstone path to prevent tripping.
Houzz users are also looking closely at smaller landscaping details. This gate in a Tampa, Florida, yard by design-build carpentry company Ninzan Studio combines a farmhouse “X” with a curved line of pickets on top. And it provides a wonderful backdrop for the tropical plants.
Great idea: Line a pathway with ground lighting. This is particularly helpful at night on a steppingstone path to prevent tripping.
5. Fountains
Kukk Architecture & Design lined this enticing Miami path with lush tropical plants. Visitors are drawn down it by a lighted fountain with carvings that mimic the foliage.
Great idea: Play with curves. This path attracts visitors to the fountain, giving them the best view, then curves around the side of it.
Kukk Architecture & Design lined this enticing Miami path with lush tropical plants. Visitors are drawn down it by a lighted fountain with carvings that mimic the foliage.
Great idea: Play with curves. This path attracts visitors to the fountain, giving them the best view, then curves around the side of it.
6. Fire Pits
Outdoor fire pits never go out of style. This one in Miami, built by Scott Subko Construction, is in-ground.
Great idea: Create a destination in the yard. Placed at the back edge of the property, this fire pit makes hanging out here feel like being on a camping trip.
Outdoor fire pits never go out of style. This one in Miami, built by Scott Subko Construction, is in-ground.
Great idea: Create a destination in the yard. Placed at the back edge of the property, this fire pit makes hanging out here feel like being on a camping trip.
7. Edible Gardens
Outside this Wyoming home by Carney Logan Burke Architects, rectilinear steel raised garden beds play beautifully off the minimalist modern lines of the architecture. And the gravel area between the beds mimics the bocce court.
Great idea: Think about the plant color palette when creating an edible-garden plan. The plants’ color contrast here is wonderful.
Your turn: What kinds of landscape projects are you planning? What kinds of landscape photos inspire you? Please share in the Comments.
More on Houzz
10 Lounge-Worthy Patios, Porches and Decks
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Find a landscape contractor in your area
Shop for your outdoor spaces
Outside this Wyoming home by Carney Logan Burke Architects, rectilinear steel raised garden beds play beautifully off the minimalist modern lines of the architecture. And the gravel area between the beds mimics the bocce court.
Great idea: Think about the plant color palette when creating an edible-garden plan. The plants’ color contrast here is wonderful.
Your turn: What kinds of landscape projects are you planning? What kinds of landscape photos inspire you? Please share in the Comments.
More on Houzz
10 Lounge-Worthy Patios, Porches and Decks
Get landscape design ideas
Find a landscape contractor in your area
Shop for your outdoor spaces
No longer satisfied with hot black asphalt, Houzz users are searching for ways to turn their driveways into design assets. This Mediterranean-style home in Southern California, by Shigetomi Pratt Architects, has a driveway that’s the gold standard: an avenue of gravel that crunches under the tires, lined with sculptural trees that are backed by greenery supported by two long lines of trellises.
Great idea: The trees have uplighting to give them a beautiful glow at night.
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