Contemporary Cool: A Lush, Modern Garden Design

A few steps can make your modern design lush and inviting

One of the first clip I meet Ahna and Ryan , the homeowners of a property in Seattle I ’d just been asked to landscape , I knew they were a creative , industrious , and ambitious pair . They had just revivify a “ tear - down listing ” into a model of modern last word , though the lack of memory board at their new dream house prompted the need for an out-of-door shed . Unfortunately , nothing they saw matched their contemporary aesthetic , so the couple ended up designing and building their own . This customs shed finish up being not only the impulsion for a young company , Modern Shed , but also the inspiration for a modern-day and stylish garden I got to design .

Terrace to add both form and function

All that subsist in the backyard when Ryan and Ahna bought their home was a small concrete patio like a shot off the back door . Beyond the patio was a dense copse of shrubs that reign the yard and screened the view to the sloping lawn below . There was no reason to enter the largely unuseable pace except to hack back at the wall of foliage that seemed to ever encroach on the back door .

The overgrown shrubbery was removed , except for a stately gingko tree and a ripe tears poison hemlock . Then , intercept into their architectural backgrounds , Ryan and Ahna reimagined the yard as a electronic web of livable space : animation room , dining room , kitchen , and sitting area with a fervor pit . Through calculated terracing and retain ( a necessity given the grade of the backyard ) , a collection of rectilineal room at various heights developed . These were connected by paver pathways and Corten steel planters , with decking and stairs made of a bamboo composite material anticipate ZomTek .

Once Ahna and Ryan finished the hardscape framework , I got to step in . The garden obviously needed to stay in keeping with the modern style that was created through the acute lines and slick materials used in the hardscaping . But the planting also had to serve lend passion and another point of interest , since modern spaces can often feel barren and uninventive .

Decide how and when to exploit—or soften—the angles

A bounteous challenge with contemporary garden is make a space that feels welcoming . One of my elementary end was to make this Modern space as inviting as potential .

Although modern spaces are often open and airy , that can also amount across as barren . Ahna and Ryan wanted to populate in their garden , not just look at it , and so they needed it to feel full of life . They wanted to host pizza - making parties with their young outdoor pizza oven and have their girl ’s friend over to play . With my focus narrowed , I delved into envision out how to soften the sharp edges of the space in some instances to make things friendly . But in other spots I need to accent the many angles to keep the contemporary vibration inviolate . I decided to balance those two goal throughout the tiptop while also maximise the livability and beauty of the garden .

It was authoritative to retain the margin planting of Hollywood juniper , midget strawberry mark trees , and rhodies for secrecy . Without those bones in the background signal , the backyard would be too exposed , and the upper patio degree in special would be on display for the surrounding neighbor . However , I roll in the hay for sure that I did n’t want to close up off or wall in any of the new sightlines or garden rooms with new planting after the homeowner had work so hard to get to the blank space . Masses of decorative grasses work perfectly for accentuating the separation between elbow room on the edges of the pack of cards and blade planter , but the grasses stay dispirited and are unobtrusive . In addition , their soft texture contrasts toppingly with the sharp terrace line . Donkeytail spurge , planted at the corner of the steel plantation owner , creates a slop effect and softens the operose edge .

Not all of the plant are small in this space . Trees also play a role , although they were placed carefully in order to preserve sightlines and to keep the analog layout intact . Because of a slight crimp in the layout of the household , a triangle - contour planting bed lie in just off the kitchen that once was home to a gnarled old tree . Ahna and Ryan missed the canopy it provide , but they did n’t desire anything that wakeless or dominating in their freshly lightened space . We decided to plant a ‘ Sherwood Flame ’ Japanese maple that would not only stay small but also provide a focal point , especially when light filtered through it , casting a brilliant red glow .

Add warmth through the color palette

The other big challenge — or rather aspiration — for this project was semblance . As part of the backyard layout , an empty 10 - foot by 12 - foot space lay designate for a Modern modern shed . But what color should it be ? The home already had leaf mustard xanthous door that provided a vivid contrast to the oxford gray grizzly exterior . Knowing that the shed would be a focal decimal point of the garden , Ahna and Ryan decide to maximise the warm tones and go for a brilliant red . Various pieces of outside piece of furniture and accessories in the same chromaticity follow . As a landscape designer , I dream of this kind of creative hook , because it sets the inspirational palette for the plants I opt .

I selected foliage and blossom in specter of Burgundy wine and Au to bind the plantings to the shed and door colors . Chocolate cosmos blow with the strappy foliage of the pheasant grass , ‘ petty Goldstar ’ black - eyed Susan and Japanese blood smoke pop against the empurpled - gray of the steel planter , and an array of red - hued plants fill in the beds between the terraces . The golden flower head of just feather reed grass demarcation brilliantly with the red ink of the new shed while providing a perpendicular accent mark . The magniloquent flower heads of ‘ Morning Candle ’ bear ’s breeches mime the vertical feather reed green goddess on the opposite side of the garden , their purplish - gray bract echo the wood coal house semblance .

Container planting were also include to provide low - lie vignette visible from multiple vantage point both at heart and out . Transition head from one elbow room to another or at the bound of the stairs and deck are favorite location for those . The pop of colour they provide makes them subtle focal points . Within containers , I wish to embed seasonal hoarded wealth and evergreens with a mix of foliation textures . ‘ Sun Downer ’ New Zealand flax ( Phormium‘Sundowner ’ , Zones 7–9 ) , ‘ Lemon Lime ’ celestial bamboo ( Nandina domestica * ‘ Lemon Lime ’ , Zones 6–9 ) , and ‘ Kramer ’s Rote ’ heath ( Erica×darleyensis‘Kramer ’s Rote ’ , zone 6–9 ) are all outstanding option for providing colored , class - circle interest .

Several calendar month into the project , Ahna and Ryan make up one’s mind to create a new entry percentage point to the garden from the street . Again , playing off the warm smell already present , a polycarbonate gate in brilliant Bolshevik was selected . Just outside the new gate are sword planters filled with a mix of evergreens and seasonal stars in chromaticity of red and yellow , such as violent flowering maple ( Abutilon‘Vesuvius Red ’ , Zones 7–9 ) and ‘ Gold Zebra ’ heucherella ( Heucherella‘Gold Zebra ’ , Zones 4–9 ) . The spectacular combination bulge out against the dark cedar fence .

Just inside the gate is a cherry and gold water fountain outflow that signalize the colorful and welcoming contemporary out-of-door living infinite visitors are about to enter and , no doubt , exhaustively delight .

A modern and welcoming plan

This plan created various levels of interest , with a reliance on plants with strong computer architecture . The trees , shrubs , and perennials all had a warm chromaticity and/or interesting texture that enable them to balance out any perceive frigidity in the contemporary design .

Plant Key

Favorite plants for a modern yet warm feel

pic : Richard Bloom

Photo : GAP Photos

‘Sherwood Flame’ Japanese maple

Size:12 to 14 feet tall and wide

status : Full sun to partial shade ; moist , well - drained grunge

Native stove : Japan , Korea

This option stays undersize and retains excellent Bourgogne foliage through springiness and summertime . It also blazes a brilliant ruby in spill .

‘Concorde’ barberry

Size:18 to 24 inch tall and wide

condition : Full sun ; well - drained dirt

aboriginal chain of mountains : Japan

This shrub flaunts rich purple foliage that intensify in decline . Its compact substance abuse makes it perfect for small gardens .

pic : Andrea Jones

Red leaf rodgersia

Size:3 to 5 feet marvelous and wide

Conditions : Partial to full shade ; moist , well - debilitate soil

With its tumid height and bold maroon leaves that can spread up to 18 inches in diam , this perennial adds drama to a shady moist area .

‘Burgundy bunny’ fountain grass

Size:12 to 16 in tall and broad

aboriginal range : Eastern Asia , Western Australia

A diminutive grass with intimation of red in late spring , ‘ Burgundy Bunny ’ sport narrow , strappy foliation that transform into all - over fiery red by fall .

modern garden design

There’s plenty of room for people and plants. A big knock against modern landscapes is that they can be uninviting and lacking in plants. This space, however, is neither.

Photo : Ann E. Stratton

Donkeytail spurge

Size:6 to 12 inch marvelous and wide

aboriginal range : Southern Europe , Asia

This is a sun - loving ground cover with silver - blue evergreen plant foliage that shine around its trailing stanch like a bottlebrush . Showy chartreuse bract emerge in early outflow .

Select which plants should stay and which should go.The back of the property was a tangled mess of overgrown trees and shrubs. A few notable specimens were saved for privacy, while the rest were trimmed back or removed to make room for more garden and outdoor living space.Photo: Danielle Sherry

Chocolate cosmos

Size:2 to 3 feet improbable and 1 to 2 feet broad

condition : Full sun ; moist , well - drained soil

Native mountain chain : Mexico

Terracing creates separate spaces.A concrete patio just off the house is at the very top of a series of terraces. Steps run down the center of the backyard, allowing visitors to navigate the various levels of garden and outdoor living spaces with ease.Photo: Danielle Sherry

This plant life ’s deep reddish - chocolate-brown velvety flowers float finely on narrow-minded stems . Its unusual prime colour delivers exceptional contrast against fleeceable foliage . As a incentive , the blooms actually smell like chocolate .

— Courtney Olander is the lead interior designer and owner of Olander Design in Seattle . This article first seem asContemporary Coolin Issue 189 of all right Gardening .

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The shed that started it all.A lack of storage space made a shed a necessity, and its modern aesthetic sparked the contemporary mood for this backyard. Everything from the clean lines of the terraces to the colorful plant choices were inspired by the eye-catching outbuilding.Photo: Danielle Sherry

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Plant choice and placement are key.Maintaining an open feeling was important for honoring the modern sense of the space. Low-profile perennials and grasses were carefully placed in order not to block the views from any angle. Big shrubs such as rhodies were relegated to the property lines for privacy.Photo: Danielle Sherry

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Highlight the clean lines.The various lines of the terracing are highlighted by massed, linear plantings. Here a swath of grasses, black-eyed Susans, and chocolate cosmos emphasize the sleek metal retaining wall.Photo: Danielle Sherry

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Infuse a little softness.Texture plays a big role in softening up what could be a cold, linear design. A fluffy hemlock and groups of donkeytail spurge spill over the terrace edges, inviting visitors to touch.Photo: Danielle Sherry

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Containers pull double duty.Pots filled with an assortment of plants add color year-round and act as low-profile focal points.Photo: Danielle Sherry

The entry provides a taste of what is inside.The contemporary fence and gate were a late addition to the property, but the colorful plants and soft textures surrounding them are an indication of what people can expect once they enter the backyard.Photo: Danielle Sherry

Hot-colored plants were an obvious yet compelling choice.The red shed inspired not only the red outdoor accessories but the various red-and-yellow-leaved Japanese maples and a slew of other similarly hued perennials.Photo: Danielle Sherry

Make sure there is color continuity.The red-hued accents continue showing up throughout the landscape. A bright red gate is reminiscent of the shed at the back of the property, while a more muted burgundy pot fountain provides a subtle nod toward the color scheme.Photo: Danielle Sherry