Moderner Gartenstil mit klaren Linien, Kieswegen und gemütlicher Terrasse.

10 garden styles for your garden design: inspiration from classic to modern

Whether wild and romantic, modern, or mediterranean, gardens are as individual as their owners. We present ten inspiring garden styles for your garden design.

Garden design is about much more than plants and lawns, it reflects your lifestyle. Whether you have a large or a small garden, there are countless ways to transform your outdoor space into a place to relax and unwind.

From romantic cottage gardens to modern, low-maintenance gardens, we show you just how diverse garden design can be and share practical tips for bringing each style to life.

Mediterranean garden with an olive tree, lavender, and a gravel path beside a modern home.

1. Mediterranean garden: pure holiday feeling

A mediterranean garden brings the charm of southern Europe right to your doorstep. Warm natural tones, gravel paths, lavender, and olive trees define the look. Terracotta pots, stone walls, and fragrant herbs complete the holiday atmosphere.

The elegant Gira light and energy columns can be set as a modern highlight in your garden design and provide atmospheric lighting as well as practical power supply long after sunset.

A small fountain or water feature further enhances the mediterranean ambience, bringing a touch of Tuscany into your own garden.

Ambience: holidays in Tuscany

Features: lavender, olive trees, terracotta pots, natural stone

Tip: a small fountain or water feature enhances the holiday feeling.

Mediterranean garden with natural stone walls, olive trees, and terracotta pots. — Natural stone, olive trees and terracotta pots create a Mediterranean atmosphere, just like in Tuscany.

Cottage garden with a wooden bench, gravel path, and a romantic seating area. — Natural materials, gravel paths, and cosy seating areas define the romantic charm of a cottage garden.

2. Cottage garden: romance and nostalgia

The cottage garden is a true classic of garden design. Colourful flower beds, fragrant roses, decorative arches, and winding gravel paths create a fairytale atmosphere. This style is perfect for anyone who loves a romantic look and enjoys an abundance of flowering plants.

A cottage garden also works beautifully in smaller outdoor spaces and can easily be created on a compact plot. Flowing lines, plenty of flowers, and cosy seating areas are the key elements.

Ambience: romantic and playful

Features: lush flower beds, roses, perennials, winding paths

Tip: white wooden fences or climbing arches add charming character.

3. Natural garden: a habitat for people and wildlife

If you prefer a nature-inspired outdoor space, a natural garden is the perfect choice. It is low-maintenance and full of life, featuring wildflower meadows, native shrubs, and dry stone walls. This garden style is ideal for anyone looking for sustainable garden design ideas.

Insect hotels, bird baths, and untamed corners encourage biodiversity and help bring nature back into the garden. This creates a space that is not only beautiful, but also a valuable habitat for wildlife.

Ambience: wild romance and biodiversity

Features: wildflower meadow, dry stone walls, wildlife-friendly planting

Tip: less is more, let nature flourish naturally.

Natural garden with a dry stone wall, wildflowers, and a wooden bench.

Natural garden with a winding gravel path and flowering wild perennials.

Wildflowers, dry stone walls, and native plants give this natural garden a vibrant and nature-inspired atmosphere.

Japanese garden with raked gravel, stepping stones, and a maple tree. — Clean lines, gravel surfaces, and carefully placed stones create the tranquil atmosphere of a Japanese garden.

4. Japanese garden: tranquility and zen

The Japanese garden is all about minimalism and harmony. Gravel surfaces, maple trees, water features, and moss gardens create a calm, meditative atmosphere. Bonsai trees and carefully placed stones bring structure and clarity, while a tea house or stone lantern enhances the Far Eastern character.

For a modern touch, opt for discreet LED garden lighting with clean lines that complements the garden’s minimalist design. The Gira Cube motion detector Cube ensures that paths are safely illuminated in the evening only when needed, blending seamlessly into the overall ambience.

Ambience: tranquility and zen

Features: gravel surfaces, maple trees, water, moss, bonsai

Tip: a tea house or stone lantern enhances the atmosphere.

Japanese garden with a gravel path, neatly clipped shrubs, a bamboo fence, and a stone lantern. — Tranquility and harmony: with its clear structure and connection to nature, the Japanese garden invites moments of calm reflection.

Modern designer garden with clean lines, concrete surfaces, and indirect lighting. — Straight pathways, minimalist planting, and subtle lighting define this modern designer garden.

5. Modern designer garden: clarity and structure

The contemporary designer garden is characterised by a modern, low-maintenance aesthetic. Clean lines, geometric shapes, and materials such as concrete, steel, and glass define the style. Evergreen statement plants and carefully placed planting areas add structure and elegance.

Outdoor furniture in neutral tones enhances the minimalist look. Both practical and stylish, smart lighting control via app allows you to showcase your garden perfectly after dark.

Ambience: clean, urban, minimalist

Features: geometric shapes, concrete, clean lines, outdoor furniture

Tip: LED lighting creates a stylish atmosphere in the evening.

Modern garden with concrete planting beds, a lawn, and indirect LED lighting. — Concrete surfaces, geometric pathways and integrated lighting accents highlight the garden’s refined, contemporary design.

6. Tropical garden: exotic flair at home

A tropical garden transforms your outdoor space into a lush holiday retreat. Towering palms, bamboo, and large-leaf plants such as banana trees create a jungle-inspired atmosphere, while ferns and colourful flowers add exotic accents. Hammocks, bamboo furniture, and vibrant accessories turn the garden into a relaxing escape.

To keep your garden design modern and low-maintenance, splash-proof outdoor sockets provide safe and convenient power supply. This allows you to enjoy tropical flair combined with comfort and functionality.

Ambience: exotic holiday paradise

Features: palms, bamboo, ferns, large-leaf plants

Tip: hammocks or bamboo furniture are the perfect addition.

Tropical garden with banana plants, bamboo, and lush greenery. — Lush planting, warm materials, and tropical accents create a true holiday atmosphere in this garden.

Terrace in a tropical garden with a lounge chair and decorative planters. — Protection and aesthetics combined: the Gira outdoor socket in your dream garden. Source: @haus_auf_der_apfelwiese.

7. Classic baroque garden: symmetry and grandeur

The baroque garden is perfect for large properties seeking an elegant and formal garden design. Symmetrical layouts, box hedges, and decorative sculptures give the space a stately appearance. Fountains and water features provide the finishing touch, creating a refined atmosphere.

Modern LED lighting can be used to highlight these structures beautifully after dark. For added convenience in garden maintenance, the Gira weather station is an ideal solution. It can be integrated with your outdoor lighting and other devices within the KNX system to automate key functions such as irrigation, adapting intelligently to wind, rain, or sunshine.

This ensures that a baroque garden remains not only stylish, but also functionally up to date.

Ambience: elegant and formal

Features: symmetry, box hedges, fountains

Tip: ideal for large properties with a structured, linear layout.

Modern garden style with clean lines, gravel paths, and a cosy terrace. — Curving gravel paths, flowering borders, and elegant symmetry lend this garden a sense of baroque lightness.

Scandinavian garden with a wooden bench, gravel surfaces, and minimalist design. — Light-coloured materials, clean lines, and cosy seating areas give this Scandinavian garden its calm and inviting atmosphere.

8. Scandinavian garden: minimalist and hyggelig

Clean, simple, yet inviting, the Scandinavian garden combines minimalism with comfort. Natural materials such as wood and gravel, paired with white furniture and a carefully selected range of plants, create a calm and relaxing atmosphere.

This garden style is also ideal for smaller outdoor spaces. Less is more, making the garden both low-maintenance and modern. Cosy seating areas with cushions and blankets make the Scandinavian garden perfect for mild summer evenings.

Ambience: minimalist, nature-inspired, hyggelig

Features: simple shapes, wooden decking, gravel, ornamental grasses, white furniture

Tip: less decoration, more tranquility, ideal for lovers of Scandinavian design.

9. Boho garden: creativity without limits

The boho garden is all about colour, patterns, and creative details. Hanging chairs, macramé decorations, fairy lights, and colourful outdoor rugs transform the space into a relaxed outdoor living room.

This style embraces imperfection and playful charm. Particularly appealing are upcycling ideas and DIY elements that give the garden a personal touch. Perfect for free spirits who want to express their creativity through garden design.

Ambience: relaxed, creative, playful

Features: macramé decorations, hanging chairs, fairy lights, DIY elements

Tip: vintage furniture or rugs create a cosy outdoor living-room feel.

Boho garden with a hanging chair, outdoor rug, and a cosy seating area.

Boho garden with floor cushions, macramé decorations, and a wooden walkway.

Macramé decorations, floor cushions, and natural materials give these boho gardens a relaxed and creative atmosphere.

Boho garden lounge with curtains, wooden furniture, and macramé lighting. — Light fabrics, warm natural tones and airy lounge furniture create a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.

Urban gardening with raised beds, vertical planting systems, and home-grown vegetables. — Raised beds, vertical planting systems, and space-saving solutions make urban gardening possible even in the smallest of spaces.

10. Urban gardening: greenery in small spaces

Small spaces can inspire big ideas. Urban gardening shows just how versatile garden design can be, even for compact outdoor areas. Balconies and narrow terraces can be transformed into green retreats with vertical planting systems, raised beds, and space-saving furniture.

Herbs, vegetables, and colourful flower beds are cleverly combined to bring freshness and colour into the heart of the city. Urban gardening is not only an expression of sustainability, but also a creative outlet for anyone who loves gardening.

Ambience: functional, nature-inspired, sustainable

Features: raised beds, vertical gardens, edible plants in compact spaces

Tip: perfect for small gardens, balconies, or shared outdoor spaces.

From inspiration to reality: creating your own garden design

From romantic to minimalist, from mediterranean to urban, these garden design ideas can transform any outdoor space into a personal retreat. The right combination of plants and materials turns your garden into a true place of wellbeing. With Gira products, smart technology integrates seamlessly into the outdoor living experience, combining comfort, convenience and design.

Gira light and energy profile for outdoors.

Power and lighting for your garden, balcony, or terrace: the modern Gira light and energy profile is high-quality and weather-proof.

Socket outlets for indoor and outdoor use

Find the right match for your switches: Gira socket outlets come in all sorts of colours and materials. Full product range ᐅ

Gira motion detector Cube for outdoors

Enhance your safety and reduce energy expenditure in outdoor areas: the Gira motion detector Cube reacts to ambient brightness and thermal movement.

Water-protected switches made by Gira

This design line is perfectly suited for outdoor use: ✓ waterproof ✓ dust- and oil-resistant ✓ robust surface.