Tips for a Modern Garden

Modern gardens are very popular: gardens with clean lines, high-quality materials, large tiles, and minimal planting. The focus of these gardens is on functionality and low maintenance. Although we love green gardens, a modern garden can certainly be worth considering!

Minimal planting

Plantings play a secondary role in the modern garden. The number of plants and species is usually quite limited. Plant beds containing only one or two species are often used. Evergreens, trees, and hedge plants are particularly favored. To complement the clean lines and design, these plants are often neatly pruned into shape. Think of perfectly straight hedges, perfectly pruned spheres or blocks, and beautiful yet clean cloud-like formations.

If you’d still like to add a little more color to your garden, you can easily incorporate a few flowering perennials or ornamental grasses into your borders. This adds just a bit more variety and color, as well as a sense of the changing seasons.

Evergreen (hedge) plants

Corten steel

Clean lines

Clean lines and edges

One of the most important aspects of a modern garden is its clean design and crisp lines. You can further emphasize this with long, straight paths and sightlines, as well as straight or angular hedges and borders. You can then beautifully accentuate a path or border with steel edging. Corten steel is very popular for this purpose. Over time, it develops its characteristic rust-brown patina. In contrast, galvanized steel edging retains its attractive metallic color.

High-quality materials and large tiles

Modern gardens consist largely of hardscaping or paving. High-quality, durable materials such as concrete, steel, and (hard)wood are typically chosen for this purpose. These materials can be incorporated into structures such as a shed, garden house, canopy, built-in furniture, or pergola. A luxurious look is often the goal. Large tiles are also a must in this type of garden. Large tiles, incidentally, combine beautifully with gravel or a single path of baked clinker pavers.

Use of Color in Modern Gardens

The use of color in a modern garden is much less pronounced. White, gray, and black are the dominant colors in this garden. The natural colors of untreated concrete and/or wood are also frequently featured. These subdued colors are complemented by (evergreen) greenery. It is important that the selected plants remain a vibrant green in the winter, providing structure and greenery throughout the year.

Depending on the garden owners, they sometimes add a bit of extra color with flowering perennials and shrubs. However, white-flowering plants are often chosen here as well.

Lighting

Lighting is also a must in the garden. Not only does it enhance functionality, but it’s also the perfect way to highlight clean lines, (pruning) shapes, and sightlines. For example, use ground spotlights in or along the path, downlights, wall sconces, and garden spotlights.