Something wonderful is happening in California gardens. It’s not just that gardeners are turning more often to nature’s landscape for inspiration, or that we’re growing interesting plants like shimmery grasses and shapely succulents in fresh ways. It’s what landscape architect and contractor Owen Dell of Santa Barbara calls “an increasing artistry in garden design, an upwelling of inventiveness.” And, adds Dell, “Imagination is blossoming. Our gardens are becoming more fun, less uptight. We’re really swinging.”

Landscape designer Greg Sanchez might agree; while revamping a garden in Century City, California, he discovered some circular pavers left on the property by the previous owners. “I knew I wanted to use them, but I didn’t know how,” he says. Ultimately, those simple pavers inspired the garden’s entire design. For a yard in San Diego, artists Don and Jill Young employed their sense of color and form to create a landscape with something interesting to look at around every corner.

Playful and inventive, these gardens have it all — including ideas you can adapt.

Landscape pros are saying...

• Let the site inform your garden’s style. Then let every element — from paving and water features to trees, shrubs, furnishings, and fireplace — conform to the cohesive style. If one object clashes with the others, the overall design doesn’t work. Beyond that, create a sense of oasis. —Bernard Trainor, Bernard Trainor + Associates, Monterey, CA

• Visually tie the house to the garden so there’s a natural flow between the two. Avoid steps between indoors and outdoors, and place elements like fountains or a great urn where they’ll draw your attention, inviting you outdoors. Also, don’t try to pack too much into your space; a well-designed garden is like a good sauce that the chef must reduce before its essential flavor comes through. —R. Michael Schneider, Orange Street Studio, Los Angeles

• Take lessons from the agricultural roots of the state — the very beautiful grids and geometry; the clean, natural look. Choose sustainably harvested and obtained materials. Use native plants in interesting ways, in fields or grids or allées. Where water is scarce, add the illusion of water with dry washes or channels. Simplify your use of materials and plants; the pared-down garden is easy to maintain, and it’s calming. —Sasha Tarnopolsky, Dry Design, Los Angeles