77 Breathtaking Backyard Ideas to Transform Your Outdoor Space (2024)

Take inspiration from your favorite period drama and embrace the abundance of square hedges filled in with flower bushes. This garden by designer Podge Bune at her Hamptons cottage strikes the perfect balance of whimsical and structured.

Rather than sorting through seed packets and planning a complicated layout, choose one flower that makes you happy and run with it. This garden by Edmund Hollander features an abundance of English roses, the homeowner's favorite floral.

To add an air of formality, install a regal fountain. It not only adds a distinguished feel, but it also offers a refreshing respite during those hot summer months.

Balance geometric pavers with a lush row of lavender on either side. This can also be a natural way to help remind guests and family members to stay off other parts of the lawn that need some rest.

Embrace the cottagecore trend and plant a full field of wildflowers rather than boring sod or a confined garden. Wendy Owen wanted her Sonoma, California, property to feel like a laid-back, rustic French village.

No area of your yard is off limits, even the driveway. Instead of solid pavement, lay two rows of turfstone pavers, aka latticed paving stones, that allow grass to grow through. At the center, Bay Area designer Dan Carlson combined succulents and herbs for a colorful, low-to-the-ground garden.

Encourage more family game time by installing a full-size bocce-ball court. The surrounding border is the perfect amount of space for a row of pavers and a few structured bushes.

Utilize every corner of your yard, even the dark corners. This towering tree provides a naturally romantic cover for a loveseat.

For those with neighbors in close quarters or set on a narrow lot, add privacy to your backyard patio with breezy linen curtains. They also look super chic when blowing in the wind—just ask designer Hadas Dembo.

For city apartments or those with little green space, maximize your outdoor space by working vertically like designer Tamsin Johnson. A few cozy seating spaces can be as comfortable and stylish as a sprawling backyard.

If you're lucky enough to have a sweeping view, keep your backyard simple and make the scenery your focal point. This North Carolina home by architect James Carter and designer Jane Hawkins Hoke features a grouping of Adirondack chairs ideal for a morning cup of coffee.

For ultra-hot climates, shade can be a sanctuary. Upgrade your pergola by planting wisteria branches or trailing ivy to maximize sun cover during the summer months.

Instead of a hard-to-maintain lawn, opt for gravel accented with greenery in lush pots and topiaries scattered around the parameter of the yard. And if you're hosting, spruce things up by focusing on the tablescape. Here, Gen Sohr anchored the table with two wicker end chairs and special throws and cushions to make it cozier.

This red-striped hammock hangs between two trees outside design consultant Ellen O'Neill's home. "I felt like I had run into an old friend when I saw this hammock at IKEA," she says.

You will forever be known as the coolest house on the block if you have a built-in trampoline in the backyard. Even if it takes up the whole lawn, it's worth it.

"When we built the courtyard between our kitchen and den, we were inspired by a sunken garden we'd seen in Yucután. We plant plantings on top of the wall so they would cascade down," says Ramin Shamshiri. Classic patio tiles and preppy lawn furniture are paired with a brutalist outdoor fireplace. All together, this garden patio is a magical blend of whimsy and edge.

Landscape designer Jay Griffith’s standalone pagoda is a grown-up version of a treehouse hideaway and it's much easier to add than a built-in landscaping structure. The floor cushions enhance the sense of intimacy while the curtains provide extra privacy.

If you have an active household and would prefer something the whole family can enjoy, install a tennis court. Not only is this a great investment for your property and health, but a beautiful tennis court will also make your backyard feel vacation-ready. Ed Holland framed this one with lush greenery and a stone pathway.

This beautiful backyard designed by April Powers has a glassed-in swimming pool to optimize it for exercise all year round and the cozy gazebo is perfect for al fresco hangs, thanks to the colorful performance fabric, curtains, and coffee table.

Designer Alison Victoria's wanted to treat her eyes to more greenery in her small city backyard, so she got clever: The trick to maintaining a low-maintenance garden wall is actually opting for faux plants! She removed the glass from an antique pier mirror formerly in the entryway of an old home and then nailed faux fir panels directly into the fence.