How To Create Your Own Modern Garden

An unfussy design and restrained planting are keys to a contemporary look. Whether it’s a total revamp or a few modern touches, Hazel Sillver explains how to make it work

- Hazel Sillver

What makes a modern garden? Is it all concrete blocks and minimalism? That’s all very well for Chelsea, but what about in the real world? Luckily, you can achieve a modern look while still giving a home to the plants you love – it’s all about keeping it simple.

Owing a debt to the meditation gardens of Japan, a modern garden is all about pared-down planting and a no-frills colour scheme. Rather like the current trend for decluttering interiors, it promotes an air of unfussy simplicity that can be very calming and relaxing.

If you feel that a border (or even a whole garden) overhaul is in order, and you fancy having a go at a modern makeover, spring is an excellent time to make a start. Sow and plant over the next few weeks and, before long, your revamped beds will be blooming.

Simplicity is the cornerstone of a contemporary plot, and there are lots of ways to achieve this. For instance, in a shady part of the garden, instead of having lots of different types of plants, you might put in nothing but hostas – selecting a few with different leaf colours will provide more than enough variety and interest. Alternatively, you might choose a simple green and white palette of ferns and ‘Alba’ foxgloves.

Too many shrubs and conifers can create a heavy look that is at odds with the clean lines that characterise modern garden design. By swapping some of these for perennials and grasses, you’ll instantly make the space feel lighter, brighter and more up to date.

If you currently have large shrubs and conifers at the back of a border for weight and size, consider replacing them with a few bulky perennials and grasses. The height, colour and form of giants such as Kniphofia ‘Nobilis’, Rudbeckia ‘Herbstsonne’, fennel ‘Giant Bronze’ and Miscanthus sinensis ‘Malepartus’ will transform your flowerbeds.