32 Simple Landscaping Ideas to Try This Year

By
Farima Ferguson
farima feurgeson headshot
Farima Ferguson
Farima Ferguson began her career at HGTV where she worked with designers to write about home design. Her work has appeared in HGTV, Insider Reviews, Travel Channel, and more.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Published on 02/12/23
A Mediterranean style courtyard with a large rose bush

Home Consultant

You don't need to completely overhaul your landscaping to revamp your outdoor space—sometimes a little goes a long way. Whether you want to create a relaxing oasis or a place to entertain family and friends, your home's landscaping will set the tone for the rest of your outdoor space.

Simple updates like the right color palette, a variety of plants, and layout can take your outdoor space from drab to curb appeal your neighbors will covet. To help inspire you, we share our favorite simple landscaping ideas that will turn your yard into a place you'll want to spend hours in.

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    Pretty in Pink

    A midcentury modern style home with pink and white hydrangeas leading up to the door

    @ladylandscape / Instagram

    Sticking to planting one favorite plant can create a stunning landscape and can be easier to maintain. Here, the delicate pink and white hydrangeas surrounding the front entrance of this midcentury modern style home bring a softer touch to the sharper exterior features. The boxwood shrubs lining the pathway complete the look by adding a polished look.

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  • 02 of 32

    Low-Maintenance Border

    A backyard with a fence adorned with trees and shrubery

    @ann.living / Instagram

    If you want your fence to enhance your backyard's design instead of blending it, border it with a variety of evergreen trees and shrubs. For a low-maintenance border, choose hardy plants like monkey grass.

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    Dreamy Succulents

    A Southwestern style backyard with potted succlents and rattan furniture

    @cottageandsea / Instagram

    What fits better in a Southwestern-style backyard than succulents? This outdoor seating area is surrounded by a variety of potted succulents that bring height and texture to the backyard. Plus, they're easy to maintain.

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  • 04 of 32

    Modern With Pops of Color

    An outdoor seating area with a charcoal colored wood wall, furniture and a modern gas fire pit.

    Design by Mindy Gayer / Photo by Vanessa Lentine

    Modern homes typically feature clean lines and neutral colors. While this home has many modern features, like the sleek black wall and gas fire pit, the landscape brings in some much-needed pops of color.

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  • 05 of 32

    A Plant Free Garden

    A multicolored rock design in a small backyard

    Mocha Girl Place

    Plants and flowers aren't the only way to bring life and interest to your outdoor space. This multicolored rock garden is a visually appealing feature that's still one with nature without all the maintenance.

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    Quaint Courtyard

    A backyard with a modern style wood wall and a hammock corner

    Home Consultant

    This quaint courtyard doesn't need much landscaping to transform into a relaxing oasis. Agave plants and olive trees are the perfect additions, especially for a California climate.

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    The Beauty in Simplicity

    A backyard with a seating area and modern gas fireplace

    Kate Marker Interiors

    The symmetrical design of this outdoor seating area is simple yet stunning. The two pots housing colorful flowers flank the patio and bring color while still blending seamlessly with the rest of the outdoor living room.

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  • 08 of 32

    A Black Backdrop

    A black house with a perfectly manicured front yard

    @burcharddesignco / Instagram

    The black exterior of this home is the perfect backdrop for all the greenery in the front yard, from the tree to the manicured lawn and small shrubs.

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  • 09 of 32

    Accentuating the Architecture

    A Southwestern style home exterior with a succulent garden

    @cottageandsea / Instagram

    To help the architecture of this renovated 1920s home stand out, the front entryway plants are kept simple, with a few succulents and a large tree that perfectly frames the house.

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  • 10 of 32

    A Polished Look

    A colonial style home with a symmetrical garden design

    Britt Design Studio

    This Cape Cod home features two roofs so it's only fitting that the front yard enhances the perfectly polished look. A manicured lawn, hydrangeas and shrubs, and trees bring some color and texture to this beachy home.

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  • 11 of 32

    All for Agave

    A backyard with agave plants

    Dazey Den

    Not only can agave serve as the focal point of your garden, but it has just as many pros inside the home too. Agave is a great substitute for sugar and honey and also serves medicinal and beauty purposes.

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    Colorful Mediterranean Courtyard

    A Southwestern style home with a courtyard with bold flowers

    Home Consultant

    This home's courtyard has a romantic feel with hanging string lights above a cozy seating area and a large, colorful rose bush that trails up one side of the courtyard.

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  • 13 of 32

    Little Yet Lush

    A small front yard with a lush garden

    @ladylandscape / Instagram

    If you only have a small front yard to work with, you can still go big. To add a lush look, include plants with large foliage like hydrangeas. To bring in color, plant flowers like yellow daffodils and pink cone flowers.

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  • 14 of 32

    Porch Topiaries

    A front home exterior with a symmetrical garden and porch design

    Kate Marker Interiors

    To mimic the front double doors, two boxwood topiaries flank on either side of the doors for a symmetrical design. The natural wood shutters and minimal landscaping add a more laid-back feel to the home.

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  • 15 of 32

    Standout Garden Feature

    A front exterior with bright orange accents

    Dazey Den

    Corrugated piping is given new life with some bold paint in this front entryway. The different shades of orange tie in the home's front entrance for a cohesive look that's inviting yet bold.

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  • 16 of 32

    Private Seating Area

    A quiet corner in a backyard with seating and a bold red umbrella

    K Shan Design

    The abundance of plants acts as a privacy wall and makes this boho-inspired backyard seating area feel like it's miles away from the home, creating a place to unwind after a busy day.

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  • 17 of 32

    Reaching New Heights

    A yard with wildflowers

    @burcharddesignco / Instagram

    There is something about a natural garden that's tall, wild, and beautiful. Planting cosmos is an easy way to add height to a garden, as they can grow to about five feet tall.

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  • 18 of 32

    Different Vantage Point

    A section of a backyard with black and wood seating around a round fire pit

    @ladylandscape / Instagram

    This fire pit sitting area is set slightly below the rest of the backyard, which makes the backyard feel larger since you're able to take in the view of the backyard from different vantage points. Doing this also helps protect the fire from wind.

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  • 19 of 32

    Bringing the Outdoors In

    A modern style bedroom that opens up onto an outdoor patio

    Home Consultant

    The primary bedroom directly leads to a deck through bi-fold doors in this beachy bungalow. The large wood deck features a dining area and sitting area, while a small grassy area is a spot for pets to play.

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  • 20 of 32

    Stone Pathway Through the Garden

    A front yard with a variety of flowers and a stone pathway up to the door

    @ladylandscape / Instagram

    When you have a lush garden in a front entryway, a pathway is a must to help lead guests get to the front door. This stone pathway provides a beautiful contrast to the rest of the front yard and invites guests to tour the garden while making their way to the home.

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  • 21 of 32

    Vertical Garden

    A large backyard pool with a manicured lawn

    Calimia Home

    If you have a pool that takes up the majority of your backyard, you can still incorporate some landscaping. The vertical space in a yard can create a stunning design, like this boxwood wall and tall hedges.

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  • 22 of 32

    A Low-Maintenance Garden

    A dessert backyard with a hammock and string lights

    Dazey Den

    If you live in a desert climate, succulents are the way to go. This cozy hammock spot is surrounded by a variety of succulents. They require little to no maintenance, which means more time for napping on the hammock.

    Continue to 23 of 32 below.
  • 23 of 32

    Connecting Two Gardens

    A stone pathway on the side of a home

    @ladylandscape / Instagram

    A stone pathway, leading from the front yard to the backyard, is flanked by lush, low-maintenance plants that seamlessly take you from one area of the home to the other.

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  • 24 of 32

    A Little Bit of Everything

    A small backyard pool with a seating area and small lawn

    Marie Flanigan Interiors

    This backyard has it all: Tall trees, a plant-bordered fence, a pool, and a small lawn. This proves that a little goes a long way when it comes to designing your backyard landscape.

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  • 25 of 32

    Simple Front Yard

    An A frame home with a subtle front garden

    Michelle Berwick Designs

    The A-frame house is a statement piece on its own, so the garden is kept simple with only a few shrubs bordering the front of the home.

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  • 26 of 32

    Don't Forget the Windows

    A colonial style home with an asymmetrical front garden

    Design by M Lavender Interiors / Photo by Jackie Mesic Mackie

    When it comes to decorating the front of the home, don't forget the windows. The two windows on the right side of this home get spruced up with window boxes filled with greenery, while lush hydrangeas lead guests to the front door.

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  • 27 of 32

    Dining Al Fresco

    A backyard with a cozy spot to dine al fresco

    @s.u.s.a.p. / Instagram

    To create a relaxing oasis while dining outside, you'll want to add a variety of plants at varying heights. This outdoor dining area is surrounded by lush plants, from a vertical garden wall to potted flowers and plenty of foliage.

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  • 28 of 32

    Timeless Design

    A black and gray house with a natural wood fence and simple garden

    Design by Mindy Gayer / Photo by Vanessa Lentine

    This home's exterior is a combination of classic and contemporary styles and the landscaping is no different. The small shrubs allow the beautiful architecture of the home to shine through while also bringing texture and color to the natural wood fence.

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  • 29 of 32

    A Grassy Pool Area

    A backyard pool with different seating areas

    Home Consultant

    You typically see concrete surrounding a pool, but this backyard pool is surrounded by a manicured lawn to prevent blistering your feet during hot summer days. A small trellis fence separates the pool area from the hammock area, creating zones for the ultimate relaxing backyard experience.

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  • 30 of 32

    Landscaping at Every Corner

    A small patio surrounded by potted plants, trees, shrubery and hydrangeas

    Design by M Lavender Interiors / Photo by Jackie Mesic Mackie

    Every inch of this backyard is covered in beautiful, lush landscaping. The area surrounding the outdoor seating is adorned with colorful potted flowers, while the fence is spruced up with large shrubs and trees. The bench in the far corner has a nice view of bold yellow perennials bordering one side of the fence.

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  • 31 of 32

    Bring Out the Beach

    A bamboo fence in a tropical themed backyard

    @s.u.s.a.p. / Instagram

    If you can't go to the beach, bring the beach to you. This backyard features a bamboo fence, lounge chair, and tropical plants like palm leaves that complete the outdoor space.

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  • 32 of 32

    Drawing the Eyes Up

    A coastal style home with a pink wildflowers

    @thetravellingapartment / Instagram

    Tall flowering plants like cosmos draw the eye up and make a garden feel larger while adding bright pops of color. This low fence is the perfect backdrop for the stunning tall plant.

23 Small Backyard Ideas to Make the Most of Your Space
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