The main characteristic of a contemporary, or modern style garden, is simplicity. Less is definitely more in a contemporary garden space. Designing a garden, at its most basic level, is solving logistical problems with the style of garden largely being dictated by the house and area in which it sits. If you own a modern property, or have a new extension, it will be more likely lend itself to a contemporary garden design.
The modern trend for French doors opening directly from the back of the house into the garden creates an opportunity for everything to flow seamlessly together by using the same shapes, colour or type of stone indoors and out. Rendered, painted walls in a similar shade to that inside will ensure a harmonious, restful look. White and green is a good base as a colour scheme. For example using pale limestone paving and gravel to create paths and seating areas. Every architectural style can be mimicked in some way in the garden, for example in the colour of the stone, cement or brick. The choice of containers, and furniture should be an extension of that style, as can the plants.
A modern property will suit a minimalist style of planting design, with just a few, carefully chosen architectural specimen shrubs or trees. Using repeat patterns in the planting will hold the garden together. A row of small trees, topiary box and shrubs or ornaments placed at regular intervals will give an ordered, timeless feel to the space. Palms, bamboos, hardy succulents, evergreen grasses, and bold, architectural plants will provide a long-season of interest for minimal effort.
Create some contrast and a splash of colour by including some looser perennial plants with structural foliage, such as irises, eryngium and hemerocallis. Contemporary garden designs tend to have one plant with a long flowering season that’s in every border holding the whole together. The purple haze of verbena bonariensis is typically used for this effect.
The basic structure of a contemporary garden design is simple, using squares, diamonds or rectangular shapes, with straight lines rather than curves. Raised beds or rectangular borders around the perimeter can be used to keep the central area free from clutter. Vertical lines should be contrasted with horizontals so, for example, the horizontal battens on fencing which have been used in contemporary garden design for a few years should be broken up with strong upright planting, the evergreen jasmine, trachleospernum jasmioides is a good plant to use on a slatted trellis.
Simple ornaments and furniture provide another opportunity to contrast to crisp planting patterns and minimal colours. Using containers for plants will add a decorative touch to a contemporary garden design. They should be simple and elegant and angular in shape to complement a sharp, geometric designs. Rectangular pots of tall, smooth stone or polished metal are the perfect contrast for spiky or feathery foliage such as ornamental grasses. Low, cube shaped containers are perfect for lollipop-shaped standard trees or shrubs.
Imaginative lights can completely transform the contemporary night time garden by highlighting particular features or areas creating a completely different atmosphere from the day. The range of outdoor lights that are available now will compliment the different textures shapes and colours of individual plants or areas to enjoy the contemporary garden design all the more as evening falls.
The addition of a contemporary water feature will draw light and provide a baseline to which all the neighbouring elements of the garden will relate. Water should be treated as an integral part of the contemporary garden design never as an afterthought. When used properly, a water feature will be eye-catching but because of its compelling nature will need a strong integral design to prevent it from dominating.
When designing your garden think of it as an extension of your home – an additional outdoor room. The principles are very similar to designing the interior of your house, and importantly, the two have to work together.
Barbara Hepworth’s Sculptural Garden is a garden to stimulate the senses in every way. Located near St Ives in Cornwall visiting this garden with the magical sculpture and bold planting schemes is a special day out.
Bury Court near Bentley in Hampshire consists of two separate gardens created by Piet Oudolf and Christopher Bradley-Hole. Oudolf has an exuberant style of planting with sustainable perennials while Bradley-Hole has a more formal architectural approach.
Denmans near Arundel in West Sussex is the English garden of the late garden designer John Brookes. Denmans is now owned by the John Brookes-Denmans Foundation and shows John Book’s eclectic style, combining straight lines alongside more informal, natural planting schemes. A contemporary classic style of garden design.
