Affordable Contemporary Garden Ideas and Designs
Studio H Landscape ArchitecturePhotography by Studio H Landscape Architecture. Post processing by Isabella Li.
Christine Wilkie Garden DesignThis small, north-east facing garden, measuring around 100 m2, was in need of a complete transformation to bring it into line with the owner's interior style and the desire for an outdoor room experience. A series of bi-folding doors led out to a relatively small patio and raised lawn area. The objective was to create a design that would maximise the space, making it feel much larger and provide usable areas that the owners could enjoy throughout the day as the sun moves around the garden. An asymmetrical design with different focal points and material contrasts was deployed to achieve the impression of a larger, yet still harmonious, space.
The overall garden style was Japanese-inspired with pared back hard landscaping materials and plants with interesting foliage and texture, such as Acers, Prunus serrula cherry tree, cloud pruned Ilex crenata, clumping bamboo and Japanese grasses featuring throughout the garden's wide borders. A new lower terrace was extended across the full width of the garden to allow the space to be fully used for morning coffee and afternoon dining. Porcelain tiles with an aged wood effect were used to clad a new retaining wall and step risers, with limestone-effect porcelain tiles used for the lower terrace. New steps were designed to create an attractive transition from the lower to the upper level where the previous lawn was completely removed in favour of a second terrace using the same low-maintenance wood effect porcelain tiles.
A raised bed constructed in black timber sleepers was installed to deal with ground level changes at the upper level, while at the lower level another raised bed provides an attractive retaining edge backfilled with bamboo. New fencing was installed and painted black, a nod to the Japanese shou sugi ban method of charring wood to maintain it. Finally, a combination of carefully chosen outdoor furniture, garden statuary and bespoke planters complete the look. Discrete garden lighting set into the steps, retaining wall and house walls create a soft ambient lighting in which to sit and enjoy the garden after dark.
Adam's GardenThe goal in this job was to blend the driveway with the garden, creating a seamless space that accommodates parking, plants and people. Railway sleeper & turf driveways are increasingly popular and they are easy on the eye and effective for a space that blends as a car space and a garden. Some specialty feature work is the exposed water tank on a railway sleeper bench.
Native Edge LandscapeAfter this home was completely rebuilt in the established Barton Hills neighborhood, the landscape needed a reboot to match the new modern/contemporary house. To update the style, we replaced the cracked solid driveway with concrete ribbons and gravel that lines up with the garage. We built a retaining to hold back the sloped, problematic front yard. This leveled out a buffer space of plantings near the curb helping to create a welcoming accent for guests. We also introduced a comfortable pathway to transition through the yard into the new courtyard space, balancing out the scale of the house with the landscape.
Lucy Willcox Garden DesignFor this lovely project the clients wanted to pack a lot into this compact space. A space for the adults to entertain and somewhere for the kids to play.
As the garden is very much on display from the kitchen it needed to feel like a natural extension of the internal living space and a pleasure to look out onto all year round.
We expect so much from gardens of this size so they need to be hard working spaces. To include all that was requested takes balance in the composition and a considered design, less is more.
The garden will effectively be broken down into dining, relaxing, play areas for the kids and a great planting scheme, of course!
In smaller gardens you want to make the biggest impact with the planting with bold planting beds, which is exactly what we can do in this space, the beds will be full of lush evergreen ferns with pockets of flowering perennials.
Schumacher AssociatesIn this tiny front and side yard garden we created intrigue and privacy for home owners in an urban setting.
Kate Gould GardensThis striking small garden has been designed to provide a full picture from the open plan interior living space. An internal kitchen/ dining area flows seamlessly into a generously proportioned outdoor entertaining space featuring a large built-in seating area, barbecue and fridge.
Polished concrete and grey tones carried through from the house are accessorised with contrasting colour pops provided by the soft furnishings and the surrounding greenery. To ensure the garden is low maintenance, artificial lawn is utilised alongside concrete pavers and gravel. Predominantly evergreen planting ensures a permanent sense of privacy and seclusion, even in the winter months when a lot of gardens can begin to feel bare and overlooked.
Nordland LandscapesThis garden was overgrown and not used at all by the property owners. The homeowners wanted a contemporary courtyard that was family friendly and modern.
To achieve this, materials were chosen to match the stylish interior of the house. Also by using lighter coloured material we were able to brighten up the garden. The printed porcelain paving gave a contemporary modern feel whilst introducing added interest. Cedar batten fencing was used to clad the boundaries to minimise the oppressive feel of the high boundaries and to introduce more light into the garden.
The cedar timber floating bench now provides a place to sit and entertain. It is also the perfect height for the clients’ children to use as a play bench.
To brighten up the dull and dark corner by the french doors, the original steps were clad in beautiful blue and grey encaustic tiles to add much needed colour and interest in an area that had been previously neglected.
This contemporary courtyard is now bright and welcoming and used by the property owners and their children on a daily basis.
By DesignCool outdoor shower with teak and deck floor. Railroad ties found on the property were repurposed to create a privacy screen for this showering space.
Aria AlfrescoNatural Boulder Waterfall, Xeriscaped Planting Beds, and Traditional Sod Make This Landscape Design Unique and Beautiful
Wilson Associates Garden DesignPlanting Design for this stylish contemporary garden in Cheltenham. Building on existing structure to add interest throughout the seasons.
Outside InStyleA river of no mow grass gives movement around boulders. Various leaf shaped ground covers spread across front landscape and around the two featured Japanese Maples.
Hope & Heart Garden DesignDry creek bed assists run off during storms and is an attractive feature allowing interesting low plantings
Bramley Apple Garden DesignMy client had a severe hayfever allergy so the garden was designed with low allergen materials such as artificial grass and the plant selection was based on non-wind pollinated plants, flower shapes that reduce pollen exposure and ground cover plants to prevent weeds.
Affordable Contemporary Garden Ideas and Designs
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