A Guide to Stylish and Eco-Friendly Contemporary Landscaping

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By Ashley Hanson

Updated: Mar 03, 2025

8 min read

Contemporary Landscape Design
Photo: @carsonmcelheney

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    Contemporary landscape design is a union of methods that are beyond traditional, incorporating modern landscape design and a natural look combined with wood accents. A welcoming suite for the invited guests has increased in popularity because of its integrated simplicity and creativity, environmental friendliness, fresh views, and extraordinary peace. Let's delve into a background voice of such charming aesthetics and find how to embody them into the new places and lives of one's life.

    Characteristics

    Contemporary landscaping often includes inspirations for designs and themes from the early to mid-twentieth century, including clean, sharp edges paired with simple materials like steel and concrete, natural materials, and green-friendly elements, which help maintain a sustainable environment.

    Landscaping Aesthetic Sights

    The primal goal of contemporary landscape is to work with something already existing in place and enhance it. Are there any hardscapes that could be removed and softscapes to replace them, placing of flowers that aren't strategically kept, or any native trees that require trimming? Different designs can be incorporated or modified around your place. These 11 ideas embody those designs.

    Different Ground Surfaces

    gravel for gardens and walkways
    Photo: @zen_associates

    Embody several materials, such as gravel for gardens and walkways and stone or wood for eclectic patio areas.

    Organized Paths and Zones

    Develop a few geometric layouts with straight paths and expound spaces. When plants are lined up in a small garden-like plot, making an aisle-like path, it will purposefully contrast with the more romantic English landscape design.

    Sleek, Refined Patio Furniture

    Use clean and smooth-surfaced furniture to nurture the tidy look of contemporary design. Make sure to provide your furniture with proper treatment so that it stays in good condition for a while and accessories the overall design.

    A Blend of Urban and Organic Materials

    Consider the natural beauty of traditional landscaping with the modern aesthetics of contemporary designs, balancing the wilderness with concrete, angular tiles, and metal accents to combine classy and catchy designs.

    Nature-Derived Elements

    In spite of modern details, natural materials such as stone for patios, and fire pits, wood accents hold a pivotal role in design strategy.

    Tidy, Modest Planting

    Patio With Modest Planting
    Photo: @adamrobinsondesign

    Instead of largely kept plants, maintain the decorum of minimal plants with trimmed flowers and branches to prevent them from spilling over patio spaces, preserving the geometric patterning.

    Fill Green Materials

    Surround stately trees with a layer of colored bark or colorful potted plants. And embrace native plants like flora to gain growth and less maintenance. Also, ensure to keep the grasses minimum for contemporary structure.

    Lighted Walkways

    Enhance the aura around walkways using LED lights and focus on the featured designs carved by grasses, rocks, and other natural elements.

    Furnish Patterns

    Build circular seating tables and square items with circular accents. Along fencing with diagonal and vertical lines, incorporate stone and tile patterns around seating areas to complement it and so on.

    Hardscapes and Softscapes

    To balance the layout, incorporate hardships like stone, metals, even a pool, etc., around soft scapes such as plants and more natural elements.

     

    Color Themes

    A Colorful Garden
    Photo: @rpmarzillilandscape

    The magic element, like colors, should be followed and cross-checked to gain an ideal design for the space to form timeless themes.

    Places to Construct

    Many homeowners make great efforts to design the interiors of their homes. It's the perfect time to shift the attention towards improving the structure outside their home. However, the main focus should be creating something new without disturbing the existing architecture. Let's construct the design for such places as gardens, backyards, etc.

    • GARDEN: Plants are creative creatures; they need a softscape (plants, lawns) area to enhance their beauty, an architecture consisting of wood sculptures, environment-friendly containers, and water installations for long-term growth.

    • BACKYARDS: Create minimalistic pathway lights to illuminate the walkways for a soft glow. Now, build a mesmerizing view of a small herb garden, drawing out dwarf plants and fruits that fit perfectly with the fresh modern aesthetics.

    Modern V/s Contemporary

    To rescue a large number of homeowners from getting confused between modern and contemporary landscape design, these two are sometimes used interchangeably, but there is a difference between them. On one side, modern landscapes are determined by their use of hard-edge minimalistic elements and materials like concrete and metals. In contrast, contemporary landscapes are described as not a hodgepodge of styles and are known for going with a natural look extensively.

    Final Words

    This contemporary landscape design, which has marked the significance of its aesthetically pleasing and environmentally responsible traditions, taught us how a blend of something two different could be at the rescue of homeowners. From styling the beauty of outdoor spaces to ensuring comfort and sustainability with a unique combination of organic and modern elements, contemporary landscape designs thrive on building publicly inviting and picturesque outdoor spaces.

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