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Contemporary garden design arose with the advent of contemporary architecture in the 50s. To create a unified space, landscape architects and designers decided to continue the trend outdoors, and let the modern lines and cutting-edge structures of houses be the dominant elements. Creating a contemporary garden design is a little bit tricky considering the many elements you need to consider in order to create a cohesive space. Some homeowners choose to ask the help of landscape architects lest they want their gardens to be a hodge-podge of modern materials that do not really mesh well together. Others try do experiment. Sounds scary? If done properly, creating a contemporary garden design is actually not as difficult as it looks. Just learn to consider lines, lighting, and accessories.
The first thing you need to consider is your home. If it has a modern feel with a lot of modern architectural elements visible, then a contemporary garden may just be right for you. If it is traditional, don’t create discontinuity between your home and your garden. Remember, contemporary garden design is primarily done to complement the modern look of a home.
Contemporary garden design is all about creating and repeating clean lines all over your outdoor space. Metal containers, raw concrete, or wood beams in natural colors – everything with a modern feel and that has geometric and clean lines should be incorporated into the contemporary garden design to give character to your space. In creating decks, patios, or pavements, use simple materials like pebbles, un-grouted stone or tile, or gravel. The abstract lines they create will complement the look you want to go for.
Lighting is another important element of contemporary garden design. Use color changing LEDs, bollard lighting or fiber optics to emphasize a part of your space. You can purchase up and down lighters for water features and other vertical surfaces. Some plants can be lighted by low-voltage bulbs and others, by outdoor lamps that have a minimal and cutting-edge design.
Unlike in traditional gardening, vegetation is not the central element of contemporary garden design. In fact, vegetation is used more as an accessory. Like what you see in modern homes today, plants have been diminished to potted and container-bound flora that can be replaced anytime and placed anywhere. Even the type of plants used should be simple and have a strong architectural form.
If vegetation is not the emphasis of contemporary garden design, what is? It’s all about innovative materials like sculptures, furnishings, and water features. When placed strategically and lighted well, these elements become the focus of a contemporary garden.
Limited space is no longer a problem with these tips on contemporary garden design. Create your own outdoor haven and let the wonders of modern architecture help you go back to nature.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about gardening for beginners and gardening articles at GreenThumbArticles.com!
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