Just like with the pool or terrace, garden landscaping is not done on a whim. Many parameters must be taken into account to avoid poor taste.
If you are looking for an idea to refresh your outdoor space, the contemporary style modern garden is very trendy.
Both sleek and graphic, it allows combining the charm of the classic theme with the simplicity of the Japanese garden. Compared to its counterparts, the contemporary garden stands out for its simple but perfectly structured design.
For those who do not know how to arrange this style of garden, this article is a valuable help. To start, it is appropriate to mention the types of plants to bring it to life.
📋 The essentials at a glance: Personally, I consider the contemporary garden to be the ultimate extension of the house, as it allows you to gain up to 25% additional living space during the beautiful season. It is a style that favors clean lines and durable materials such as slate or aluminum. By structuring your outdoors with rigor, you create a modern haven of peace that paradoxically requires little maintenance.
Which plants to choose for a contemporary garden?
The contemporary garden space is recognized by countless elements. Besides designer garden furniture, the layout plan, exterior coverings, plants help define this theme.
| Recommended Plants | Advantages for a Contemporary Garden |
|---|---|
| Yucca | Architectural foliage, sculptural aspect, drought resistant |
| Canna & Alocasia | Large and exotic leaves, tropical effect, very decorative |
| Hosta | Variety of foliage, ideal for shaded areas |
| Red-hot poker (Kniphofia) | Vertical and vivid flowering, graphic effect |
| Ornamental grasses | Light texture, clean lines, natural movement |
| Succulents (Echeveria, Sedum) | Geometric shapes, low maintenance, modern aesthetic |
| Bamboo | Vertical element, perfect for natural screens |
| Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) | Colored foliage, elegant silhouette, ideal in pots or isolated |
| Boxwood (Buxus) | Permanent structure, can be trimmed into geometric shapes |
| Agave | Dramatic silhouette, very undemanding |
| Alliums | Sphere-shaped flowers, strong and contemporary visual effect |
Compared to classic gardens in English or French style, the modern type contemporary garden is distinguished by its return to nature.
Ecological, it is composed of plants or flowers with a wild appearance with a natural layout. Structured and graphic plants are highly favored in outdoor space decoration.
Grasses or wild herbs are among the most used plants in contemporary garden creation. Whether it is Calamagrostis, Carex, Cortaderia or Molina, these plants stand out for their resistance even during winter.
Besides their aesthetic role, they create a true natural privacy screen allowing you to enjoy your outdoor space sheltered from prying eyes.
The cactus is also among the contemporary garden elements. Its place is not only indoors but also outdoors. Do not hesitate to plant several varieties to create a modern outdoor space.
Similarly, perennial plants characterize the contemporary modern garden style. They are generally found in urban garden layouts. Perennials can live for many years. Thus, they beautify your garden in every season.
💡 Practical tip
Install an automatic drip irrigation system hidden under your mineral mulch from the creation of the garden. This ensures uniform growth of your plants while remaining completely invisible.
For modern garden landscaping to be successful, it is necessary to mix textures and colors well. Do not hesitate to use multicolored flowers. The choice is abundant among roses, gauras, geraniums or tulips. They are part of the contemporary garden plants.
Oleander also harmonizes very well with other outdoor flowers. Dwarf laurels beautify a terrace. Consider delimiting your garden with hedges or small shrubs. They help both to structure the spaces.
📍 My experience: In 2025, I assisted a friend with the landscaping of his contemporary terrace. He wanted to multiply plant varieties, but the result seemed disorderly. We completely rethought it by limiting the palette to three persistent species planted en masse. The lesson is clear: in a modern garden, repetition and simplicity create a much more powerful visual impact than horticultural diversity.
What is a contemporary garden?
🍀 Advantages
- High-end aesthetics
- Limited maintenance
- Highly structured space
🔍 Drawbacks
- High material costs
- Requires a rigorous plan
Before helping you with how to design a contemporary garden, it is important to provide you with its definition. Also called modern garden, urban garden or design garden, the contemporary garden is very popular in urban areas.
It often consists of geometric shapes and clean lines. You find enough plants but few flowers. This type of garden landscaping departs from old models such as the exotic garden, the French or English garden style. The principle is to gather the best from each category and then synthesize it.
Thus, the contemporary garden combines traditional geometry with soft curves. At first glance, it impresses and draws attention.
This garden style shines with its indescribable charm. Whether it is the choice of garden furniture, the layout plan, the pool arrangement, the plants, or the decorative objects, the whole is thoughtfully harmonious.
If you wonder how a contemporary garden is a success, draw inspiration from the Japanese garden style in the quest for minimalism and well-being.
It is defined as an extension outside of the home’s interior decoration. That is why modern garden landscaping deploys design elements such as a pool, white walls, or a fountain. It favors contemporary and chic garden furniture as well as decoration tools with clean lines.
Another characteristic of this modern contemporary garden type lies in its functionality. Above all, it is a garden to live in. To enjoy it, it features practical equipment such as storage furniture and garden furniture.
This garden style generally offers a friendly corner with armchairs and sofas. Otherwise, it provides you with a dining area with chairs and a table.
Also, a functional contemporary garden differs by its structure simplifying access, watering, and maintenance. In a word, it is designed to make your life easier.
How to make a modern garden?
(function(){if(window._alpLd)return;window._alpLd=1;var s=document.createElement(‘script’);s.src=’https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/alpinejs@3/dist/cdn.min.js’;s.defer=true;document.head.appendChild(s);})()When planning to create a veranda, one wonders how to choose materials suitable for my veranda? It is the same with a contemporary garden. To landscape a modern garden, you must carefully choose all the elements that compose it.
Nothing is left to chance. The plants, materials, and colors must be in harmony, combining aesthetics and functionality.
Few in number, the plants should not clutter the spaces. They must have personality. The modern contemporary garden style favors perennial plants organizing the space, namely strict hedges, evergreen plants, or wild grasses.
The plants assert their originality whether by their color, shape, or foliage. When you prune them, they must always be very structured, for example in the form of a pyramid, sphere, or cloud.
As for the choice of materials, the contemporary garden creation relies on modern elements such as concrete, resin, aluminum, and steel. However, this garden style also gives a place to exotic wood, slate, and natural stone.
Regarding colors, black, gray, and white are the faithful allies of the contemporary garden look. Refined and timeless, these shades can suffice to highlight the garden style, plants, and garden furniture. It must be said that the modern garden offers a limited color range.
As mentioned above, this design garden must be functional. For this purpose, it should not be overloaded with plants, garden arbors, and decorative accessories. In any case, make sure it becomes an additional living space by accompanying it with useful furniture.
🌍 Did you know?
The use of reflecting pools or rectangular basins in a contemporary garden is not only aesthetic: it can lower the ambient temperature by 2 to 3 degrees during hot summer heatwaves.
What are the steps to create a garden?
- Consulting a professional: To landscape a Mediterranean garden, a city garden, a waterfront garden, or even a modern garden, there is nothing better than calling on an outdoor architect or landscaper.
- Personal initiative: However, many individuals prefer to undertake the work themselves for pleasure. Beyond the budget issue, creating a contemporary garden allows them to have fun. If you are one of them, be sure to carefully follow the steps below:
- Plan development: First, adopt a layout plan by including all the elements that make up the garden. Draw paths, flowerbeds, lawns, or living spaces using rectangles, squares, diagonals, or spheres. The latter is, for example, practical for hydrangea balls.
- Choice of colors: After completing the plan, the next step is to choose a limited color palette such as green for trees or foliage, purple for flowers, and many others.
- Selection of plants: Now select the contemporary garden plants by favoring plants with unusual shapes and a sophisticated or strict appearance.
- Use of materials: Regarding materials, widely use wood and minerals. Give the garden a consistently neat appearance. To achieve this, regularly prune and trim the plants. Mow and maintain the lawn. Occasionally remove weeds.
- Furniture installation: Finally, favor modern-style garden furniture. It differs by its neutral colors such as white, gray, and black. Also, these pieces stand out for their clean and strict lines. They integrate perfectly into the contemporary design garden.
⚠️ Common misconception
It is often thought that a contemporary garden must be entirely mineral. This is a mistake that creates heat islands. It is crucial to integrate at least 40% vegetated areas to maintain freshness and promote biodiversity.
Frequently Asked Questions
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This garden design style is trendy. It combines convenience and aesthetics. Moreover, its creation does not seem like an easy task. You just need to follow our guide and you’re done.
It is important to draw up a layout plan giving you an overview of your future modern garden. Thanks to the sketch, you can make corrections or improvements to the project.
