A contemporary or contemporary landscape is characterized by its emphasis on powerful structural and graphic elements, clean lines and unusual materials. It’s bold, often plain, with powerful visual lines running with the hardscape playing a far more significant role than the plantings. It also appeals to contemporary sensibilities by blending the indoors with the external world.
Though such a garden may seem like a complete break with centuries of landscape layout, when you look closely, you’ll find that the same basic elements are still there. They are just reimagined. You will still have your patio, but it will be concrete rather than flagstone. The pergola overhead may be built of steel rather than wood, and industrial watering troughs rather than terra-cotta pots may serve as planters. Your waterfall may drop from the roof rather than meander through the backyard, and what lawn you’ve will no longer be the focal point of this garden.
Surprisingly adaptable. Modern or contemporary landscapes came into their own alongside contemporary and contemporary architecture from the mid-1900s. If your home’s style is bold and powerful, a conventional garden just will not do. But the style and its applications have evolved. It’s surprisingly adaptable, working well with Asian, Southwestern, natural and , with some alterations, cottage designs.
Low-maintenance and relaxing. Folks have also discovered how well a contemporary landscape fits into a contemporary way of life. Using its simplicity and clean lines, the contemporary garden can become a relaxing and relaxing escape. Since there is more of an emphasis on hardscaping, contemporary landscapes are normally more low maintenance. An added bonus in many regions of the nation is a contemporary landscape also will be much more drought tolerant.
More Lay of the Landscape: Conventional Garden Design | Natural Garden Design
Grounded – Richard Risner RLA, ASLA
Everything about this landscape illustrates the best of contemporary design. Taking each element separately, you will find plain concrete measures (that double as seating), a patch of lawn, a raised eating area and plain fencing; in other words, nothing that might appear distinctive. Nevertheless, the sheer general volume of those measures, the intriguing cutout from the expanse of grass and, first and foremost, the unexpected silver balls, give the whole area a look that is clean, simple and strongly graphic.
Arterra Landscape Architects
Geometric shapes as well as concrete and gravel are hallmarks of contemporary design. These pavers, with their alternating spans, create interesting movement inside the distance while still resulting in the fire pit focal point in the end of the lawn. Grasses soften the appearance without overpowering the distance or appearing too frilly. Dark furniture with a contemporary look is unobtrusive enough to practically recede into the fence line.
Huettl Landscape Architecture
Filled with annuals, perennials and roses, this could be a conventional garden in a normal backyard. Filling the same area with symmetrical rows of grasses and shrubs creates a completely different appearance.
Although hardscaping may play a major role, plant selection remains a significant factor in a contemporary or contemporary landscape. Ideally, the majority should possess a architectural personality (believe phormium or blue fescue) with foliage in shades of green or gray. Though colorful flowers and plants may be utilized within this fashion of landscaping, they are best when treated as accent pieces.
Squares and rectangles are generally used geometric shapes in a contemporary landscape, but an occasional circle may work wonders in softening a darkened lawn. Setting circles inside the rectangular tiers and adding a very long, thin planter will help to play up the comparison of shapes here.
Texas Construction Company
A contemporary landscape functions well with an assortment of architectural styles, such as a ranch home. Here the glossy lines reflect the traces of the home and create a tranquil — and also easy-care — distance for relaxing or parties. Contemporary landscaping is often thought of as being showy or dramatic, but it may also be rather subtle.
Ana Williamson Architect
The elements of a regular Southwestern garden might be custom made for a contemporary landscape. The plantings are sparse, typical of an area where rainfall is scarce. The hardscaping materials mimic the colours of the home, allowing the landscaping to feel like it is an extension of the home rather than a distinct space. The only shrub, with its sculptural form, is the sole statement bit required for this entry.
Arterra Landscape Architects
Though most contemporary landscapes have been paired with a contemporary or ranch-style house layout, you don’t need to stick with that. These ornamental grasses work amazingly well at the rear of a conventional San Francisco home and are a nice break from the anticipated cottage or British garden. The muted colours reflect those located in the town’s often foggy all-natural landscape and generate a year-round peaceful retreat.
Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture
A contemporary hardscape, with its simple lines and very low profile, also works well when paired with the natural landscape. Here, the garden itself features a very low profile, allowing the hillside foliage and the opinion are the stars of this series.
Within this setting, the bounds between nature and garden are distinct, but you might also gradually blur the line between the formal and natural spaces. By way of example, use native plants in formal rows to line the edge of your area, then gradually loosen the rows so they start to blend into the free-growing area beyond. Another thought would be to use a water feature for a bridge between the two spaces.
Carolyn Wesling
Elements of a conventional landscape — a paver path, big planters as well as an arbor resulting in a seating area — get a contemporary take within this design. The pavers are set at a geometric grid rather than a wandering path, which provides a patiolike feeling for this narrow area. Other nontraditional features include the heavy, blocklike adobe-colored boxes across the walk that give a contemporary nod to conventional terra-cotta pots, and the pillars of the same substance that tie the timber arbor they are supporting into the remainder of the space.
Huettl Landscape Architecture
Hardscapes play a important part in contemporary design. Here, mixing and matching materials — concrete, gravel and decking — functions. While each substance defines a particular area, whether it’s the backyard bed, entry pathway or area, maintaining each area the same relative dimensions and about the same horizontal plane signifies no single substance overpowers the others.
Huettl Landscape Architecture
Water is a frequent part in a contemporary landscape, but don’t anticipate a rock-filled waterfall or a naturalistic backyard pool. Instead, you will discover something like this installation, where water drops in one stream from the edge of a tall, narrow metal planter into a concrete bowl below. Adding water into planters, whether they are filled with plants or not, is a simple way to add a contemporary touch to any backyard area.
Watch more fountains like this one
Or do a contemporary version of a waterwheel. A water feature sitting in the end of a deck feels like a natural expansion of this space. The play of light onto the moving water gives a nice contrast to the timber, and also the sound of water invites one to linger.
Randy Thueme Design Inc. – Landscape Architecture
Contemporary landscapes in particular lend themselves to odd fencing. In cases like this, the fencing is more than odd; it is the highlight of this distance. Adding the uplighting just draws even more attention to the oversize basketweave design. Note the subtle stripes at the paving, another intriguing feature in what is basically an unadorned patio.
Busybee Design
Developing a contemporary seating space otudoors is amazingly simple as well as comfortable and inviting. A softly coloured but not overly sweetly light rug anchors the space, the dark wood of the deck and furniture is contemporary in atmosphere, and bright red accents replicate the brick of the building beyond.
If you crave a contemporary touch, even at a conventional garden, a patio or deck may be the perfect place to experimentation. It’s usually different from the remainder of the backyard, so a different style isn’t as jarring.
Colors Of Green Landscape Architecture
A front lawn gets a contemporary twist: The concrete patio and edgings divide the space into entryway, play area, and sitting spots, and note the warm color and horizontal structure of their gates, the more simplified plantings, the glowing orange cushions and the contemporary table. The submerged feel of this space, reinforced by the wall with plantings above it, makes the whole space look protected yet open. There’s room to relax and play, all in security.
Blasen Landscape Architecture
Even vegetable gardens may go contemporary. These elevated beds and gravel paths could be straight out of a conventional French potager, but the very simple steel pergola and table underneath give this space a contemporary appearance.
More:
Keep Your Garden at Lines
Give Your Landscape Rhythm