What Makes a Contemporary Garden, Contemporary?

Although we have been designing and building gardens for 25 years, it’s only in the last eight years that we have been concentrating mainly on a contemporary style (thought we still do many traditional gardens too).

The latest design trends seem to be largely towards the modern. (We could say it started with The Bauhaus in the 1930′s and popularised in later years by the likes of Habitat and Ikea.)

So the modern day garden is just an extension of modernism, but what actually does this mean? And what are the principles guiding the contemporary garden designer?

Firstly, it may be fair to say that contemporary style appeals or it just doesn’t. I think if you own a garden and want it re-designed, you will have an agenda (deep down) which simply cannot be changed. My client’s always know what they want, and most often they cannot be talked out of their sub-conscious design direction.

So, some principles of contemporary garden design:

1) Simplicity

In the contemporary garden ” less is more “. Whilst a contemporary garden doesn’t have to be minimal, clutter and chaos would detract from the overall statement.

2) A strong sense of ‘geometry’

It doesn’t have to be a rectilinear approach nor circles but a ‘constructivist’ structure is what makes any design contemporary. In this example, I used a serpentine (s-shaped) route for this timber sleeper walkway; it gave a strong ‘contemporary’ feel to this otherwise informal scheme.

3) Planting

Contemporary planting schemes can be best identified by few elements:

a) Meaning, really a choice of just a few plant varieties. Not as many as in a cottage garden. Strong groups of the same: think 10′s and 20′s rather than 3′s and 5′s.

b) Dramatic statements. Usually acheived with plants with strong foliage or texture.

4) Few Materials

Few materials work best, also choose materials which contrast well. Natural (elemental ) materials always can be favoured, but many designers use plastic, concrete and a whole range of synthetic products with great contemporary effect.

All in all a good contemporary garden, well design and executed can instill a sense of order, but more importantly a feeling of underlying harmony will prevail . . . hopefully providing the user with restful thoughts and relaxation.

"I can remeber been told about this problem when training 40 years ago. It's not uncommon and is the result of the same cylinder mower being used repeatedly for many years, generally in a narrow area where it has to be mowed in the same direction.…"

"The first three cuts after spraying cannot go into compost. I do however send it to green waste (I didn't know that I can't & the amount within GW site would be nothing) You would have to be mowing every other day to clip off the seed heads to stop…"

"Hi Peter, I try not to mow if possible when its too wet. Like most machines the grass sticks everywhere. If it is already trimmed it is ok, just don't go cutting a couple of inches growth when wet! Just a side note, the bloody belt come off of it…"

Comments

Rose Lennard June 13, 2012 at 8:31am

I love that serpentine path crossing the water! If you had added a handrail as no doubt some overly H&S conscious types might have, it would have totally lost the calm simplicity.

It's funny, we all know a traditional garden when we see one, and recognise contemporary design, but it is difficult to put into words what separates them. Both can be symmetrical or asymmetrical, either could be geometric or freeform. Sometimes it is the way materials or forms are combined; the sum of the whole rather than the individual parts.
Laura June 13, 2012 at 3:34pm

Amazing pic! We sell a range of traditional contemporary wood fired ovens, (get your head round that! traditional cooking, contemporary design). Get in contact if you're interested on behalf of clients. www.thestonebakeovencompany.co.uk :)
david andersen June 13, 2012 at 3:40pm

Hi Rose and Laura ....thanks for the nice comments !
karin moorhouse June 16, 2012 at 8:04pm

Good description of "modern' and enjoyed your photos, lovey serpentine bridge/walkway, thank you for sharing - but dont you think it's still a minefield - My idea of modern might be very different from my client's idea of "modern". If in doubt, I ask them to make a little scrap book of "modern " ideas they like....also where is "modern" going? When I worked in fashion and textiles, in some areas there was no movement for years, whereas, in the field of technology, things were zooming ahead. What are your feelings about the progress of modernism, for after all nothing can sit still.
david andersen June 16, 2012 at 9:43pm

Hi Karin

Thanks for the feedback...of course modernism just goes on and on (such is then nature of life) . I don't often worry about my client's version of modern...I just do my own thing and keep my fingers crossed. It usually works out ! I do keep a bit of an eye on modern trends but also keep true to my own design agendas (hmmm do I have any ?) I do recognise that contemporary is not for everyone and in no way do I feel it is superior to traditional design....but to me it seems fresher and quite a lot more fun.