Contemporary Garden Design
Contemporary garden design is concerned with current lifestyle trends, popular culture and modern art, innovation and originality in gardens, today.
Evolution in Garden Use
Traditionally gardens have either been functional and used to grow herbs, vegetables and fruit to eat and owners have partially, at least, lived off their land or used as it a point of display, often in the form of flower gardens. Gradually the uses for gardens have increased over the years from growing various plants to keeping pets, parking a car, a play area for children and a shed or workshop. Formerly gardens were most used in the summer for the occasional barbeque and informal outdoor game. More recently people have begun to increasingly use gardens for entertaining and dining, night and day, in addition to some of the more traditional uses. Contemporary gardens are frequently designed for new uses in conjunction with some more traditional uses, for a more demanding consumer with a more discerning eye.
Innovation in Garden DesignNew materials have made it possible for any given garden to be designed to a more tailored brief than the perfunctory of a traditional garden. Most professional designers will in fact work to a brief to ensure a client's garden is both personalised and performs all necessary and desired functions. Hard landscaping has allowed space to be utilised more effectively. Outdoor fixtures such as seating, patios and decking to hold garden furniture and create storage space are some newer considerations. Hard landscaping has lent itself to the creation of garden entertainment and the available range has increased with popular demand. Hard landscaping means that gardens can both have new uses and extend their limits. |  |
Roof and courtyard gardens, small and sloped gardens, gardens with little access to light or poor soil, for example, can be utilised far more effectively with the use of hard landscaping. It is more difficult to grow plants in these types of garden, make them look attractive or make them multi-functional yet hard landscaping and the use of other contemporary materials enables such gardens to be functional and attractive.
Shape and Style
Other modern features in contemporary design include the use of shape and style. Concentric, circular and square shapes are used more; a circular lawn is more unusual and eye catching. There is also greater choice in flooring from paving, slate, shingle, brick and gravel which builds and varies texture and adds colour. Paving with metal or glass flecks can also reflect light. Levels can be changed dramatically in the garden; a platform garden can be created from raised decking, for example.
Contemporary Elements
Contemporary style is most clearly inscribed in garden features. The use of metal and metallic colours is increasingly popular in modern design. Unusual designs such as a galvanised water feature, a wire sculpture or a glass block bar which can easily be lit up at night are some of the features of modern design. The use of steel, chrome, marble and black granite is becoming increasingly popular in contemporary gardens creating visual interest, even unique sites of interest in gardens. These features fit well with popular designs, such as a minimalist design or current trends in colour schemes, and add to the overall attraction of the garden. Some are also functional in enabling the garden to become a place to entertain. Most garden designers are able to advise as to how to use modern features to the best advantage for your garden so it us useful to consult experts on sourcing modern features.
Space, Space and More Space
Modern designs also utilise space as effectively as most people desire their garden to be uncluttered yet inviting, rather than bare. The walls can be seen as a canvas or backdrop to the garden and complement the overall look in the garden. Wall décor is increasingly popular as the garden, as a place for entertainment, might be seen as an extension of or another room to the house. It follows that in a roof garden, for example, wall mountings such as a relief screen reflecting modern art might feature. Containers for plants are suited to this type of garden and these might also be a modernised feature with the use of galvanised metal containers. In other small gardens the wall space might be used for hanging containers for plants or other attractions. Steel wire gambions which contain unusual choices of sculpture are an example of how the wall might be utilised for contemporary design.
Lifestyle Matching
The advantage of contemporary design is that busy lifestyles can be taken into consideration in the garden design. Hard landscaping, metal features and sculptures do not need as much attention as traditional gardens and modern gardens can easily be designed with little in the way of maintenance. However the use of the garden itself can be increased. Lighting for evening use, even outside heating, can be incorporated into the design so that the garden might be used all year round, night and day. The design of a contemporary garden does however require numerous skills and materials and can be a costly project. It is best to consult a garden design expert before commencing with a modern design as they are best positioned to tailor the design to suit you and ensure the project is executed expertly with quality workmanship from a diverse range of trades.
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