One Yard, Three Stunning Styles

Your yard is an extension of your home, and just like interiors, outdoor spaces have distinct styles that can dramatically change the look and feel of a property. Whether you’re drawn to the charming wildness of a Cottage garden, the structured elegance of a Traditional landscape, or the relaxed, curated vibe of a Farmhouse space, finding the right aesthetic can transform your outdoor living experience.

In this post, we’re exploring how one yard can be designed in three distinct styles: Cottage, Traditional, and Boho Farmhouse. While there are countless landscape styles and hybrids out there (hello, modern-coastal-grandma-maximalism!), we’re focusing on three of the most popular choices among Yardzen clients. Let’s dive in!

Cottage gardens are all about plants, featuring dense plantings of numerous species arranged in naturalistic, highly-intermixed layouts. Hardscape materials are typically humble, like gravel, worn brick, or flagstone, and plants tend to spill over hardscape edges at any opportunity. You’ll find many flowers in varying colors, along with a wide array of shrubs, grasses, small trees, and even edible species.

We love cottage gardens for their dynamism, evolving from one year to the next. They also provide a wonderful opportunity to showcase local native plants and materials – regional landscape identity has a chance to really sing in cottage garden designs.

True to form, our cottage garden bursts with blooms: nodding Verbenas, lacy Yarrow, glowing Coneflowers, and chunky Hydrangeas represent just a slice of the floral selections. Weaving among these flowers are bristly groundcovers, delicate grasses, and stiff upright shrubs, each lending a visual breath of air between punches of color.

Overhead, ornamental trees like Eastern Redbud and Fruitless Olive offer a visual anchor for all that ground-level planting to react to. It’s a lot, to be sure, but there’s a method to the madness. Height layering, species repetition, and attention to sightlines ensure a legible, intentional-looking design despite the maximalist approach.

Browse more cottage style designs in our design portfolio

Traditional landscapes tend toward the formal, embracing symmetry, strong central axes, repeating patterns, and geometric forms. You’ll see plenty of straight rows of a single plant species, often laid in parallel to create crisp height layering, or placed along path and patio edges to frame out distinct spaces.

Evergreen shrubs (boxwood, Pittosporum, holly) are the backbone, whether in rounded form or sculpted into monolithic hedges. Vertical evergreens (Arborvitae, Juniper, Cypress) frame doorways, patios, and path thresholds.

Flowers favor lighter shades – white with a few pastel accents is a common theme. Look for plenty of Hydrangeas, Agapanthus, and Lavender.

Hardscape materials often include stone, pavers, and gravel, all within a similar color palette to evoke care and coherence across the design.

Browse more traditional style landscape designs from our world-class team here

The front facade of this design is packed with traditional landscape features: repeating patterns, clean height layering, planting-lined paths, and muted-tone stone and paver hardscapes.

Both the firepit and dining areas arrange furniture symmetrically, using trees to frame the space. Details like stone pillars, rounded plant containers, and comfortable, cushioned furniture also signal a traditional aesthetic.

This design lies midway between the more formal and more casual approaches to traditional design. We’ve got axial paths off doorways, but we’ve also got long, graceful curves along planting edges. The untrimmed low hedge along the front lawn is a big win for reducing maintenance while keeping that polished look!

Read more about one of our favorite traditional designs here -> East-Coast Inspired Outdoor Living in the Upper Midwest

This style blends elements from Modern Farmhouse and Boho landscape styles. The result is a look that is casual, eclectic, and charming – comfortable, but also effortlessly stylish.

From the farmhouse side of things, you get details like barn lights, split rail and hogwire fences, white houses, board and batten siding, and covered porches. Materials tend toward the textured, including stone, metal, wood, and aged brick. Gravel and decomposed granite are regularly used for a bit of crunch.

The Boho contribution focuses largely on furnishings and decor – earthy materials like wicker, wood, fabric, and clay. Spaces feel well-adorned but not cluttered, balancing cozy details like pillows and blankets with an easygoing aesthetic.

Plantings are loose and shaggy, often foregrounding ornamental grasses and meadowy flowers, along with a few standout trees.

See more gorgeous farmhouse Yardzen designs in our portfolio and save your favorites for inspiration

The front yard is pure farmhouse: hogwire porch railings, vertical wood siding, barn light sconces, wood detailing, modern path lights, stepper paving, and a loose but orderly array of grasses, scrubby shrubs, and meadowy flowers. Straight lines abound – there’s not a curve in sight.

A lovely Dr. Hurd Manzanita flanks the porch, offering an organic, wild take on the traditional focal tree. Moving to the backyard, the plant and material palette remains consistent, expressing an obvious intentionality to the design despite its casual feel.

Furnishings straddle modern and boho looks. Wicker lights, poofs, and tables complement cushy but clean seating, and cozy elements like blankets, pillows, and lanterns add warmth. Elevated plantings of rosemary spill over metal privacy screens, softening the feel of the firepit area.

Redbud trees frame the firepit, adding softness and a natural touch to the space.

Find boho design inspiration for your yard

Whether you love the wild, free-flowing look of a Cottage garden, the crisp elegance of Traditional landscaping, or the relaxed charm of Farmhouse/Boho design, there’s a landscape style for every taste. Blending elements from different styles can create a look that’s uniquely yours—so don’t be afraid to mix and match!

Need help bringing your outdoor space to life? Yardzen’s expert designers are ready to craft a custom landscape that suits your home, lifestyle, and aesthetic.

Get started with a short quiz to help you find the perfect design plan for your yard!

Ready to jump right in? Shop our design plans here!