Modern Garden Design
Many gardens are designed in the traditions of established gardens, such as the Old World feel of a Tuscan garden, or the rigid structure that comes from a formal garden. In contrast, modern tends to incorporate the more organic shapes of informal garden elements and highlight individuality rather than conforming to older designs. But you shouldn’t necessarily forgo planning your garden, just because the concepts of modern are often more free-form than older designs. There are still elements to consider in modern garden design. What’s Your Design? When starting your modern garden design, you will want to decide what you want to accomplish with your garden. Do you want something small that’s easy to care for, or something that highlights another part of your yard, such as a swimming pool or a patio? Or are you looking for the interplay of greenery with brightly colored flowers, creating a landscape that’s pleasing to the eye and relaxing when you view it? Modern gardens can be big or small, limited only by your imagination and the space you have to work with. Plan How Elements Interact When you work on your modern garden design, think ahead about how elements of your garden, both plants and inorganic elements, fit together. Even a free-form garden is like a puzzle to be put together. Perhaps you

want to plant on either side of the walkway to your home, giving it the appearance of a path through a field of wildflowers. In this case, your modern should plan out the flowers you want to plant and perhaps some grassy plants to create the effect you want. Get Creative with Plants In your modern garden design, don’t be afraid to mix and match different plants to create new effects. Traditional gardens often group together flowers and perennials from one area of the world to create a natural effect, but your garden can be a mix of Japanese bamboo, English flowers, and Italian herbs. Emphasis in modern often falls on that’s pleasing to the creator, where traditional gardens are often attempts to create something that is a work of art to be viewed. Try Something Different For many people, gardens bring pictures of lush landscapes to mind, but modern can result in just the opposite. For instance, a minimalist garden might use planters and pots to keep a few small, easily tended areas of green and then use wood, gravel, and other inorganic elements in between to create wide, open spaces that add a little green while creating an empty look that might evoke thoughts of a Japanese rock garden. With a little creativity and planning, you can decide on something that works right for you.