In last week’s blog, we focused on learning the foundational terms of describing style. Now, let’s focus on a popular combination of several styles: Contemporary style.
What is Contemporary style, with regard to landscape design? Contemporary style reimagines several other design concepts, and shows up in a range of current trends. We tend to see a lot of hardscaping in Contemporary designs, which combines functionality with attractive angles and contrasts. Hardscape in Contemporary design often incorporates cooler tones, like pea gravel, concrete, and lighter woods. And as a bonus, hardscaping is easy to maintain.
Contemporary gardens are generally planned around clean lines and neutral tones. Plantings – particularly here in Southern California – might include grasses, low maintenance roses, agave, and shrubs like white sage.
As for furniture, we would expect simplicity, clean lines, and neutral to cool colors.
Many of the trends we’ve seen in recent years could be considered Contemporary. These would include:
- Meadow or grassland
- Tropical
- Desert
- Xeriscape
- Southwestern
- Coastal
- Family Friendly
- Transitional
- Edible gardens
And while a full description of each of these styles might turn this blog into a landscape design textbook, we do want to highlight a few of the most important trends.
Xeriscape, or low-water landscaping, requires little to no irrigation. This makes it the perfect landscape style for those of you who want something simple but attractive, and stylish but affordable. Xeriscaping is planned around permeable gravel or mulch, and includes native plantings with low to no water needs. And talk about low-maintenance! You will thank yourself when you see your water bill after installing a xeriscape.
On a similar note, desert landscaping has also made significant headway in the design world. We start with a base of decorative gravel or decomposed granite, and then drought-resistant plants (not only succulents!). Stick to tan as a base for your color pallette, and add large boulders for interest.
And of course, edible gardens have become more popular in recent years, due to the desire for fresh organic food and the rising prices of groceries. We can help you design a landscape around an edible garden, so that your yard is both beautiful and functional in the most important way!
Contact us to learn more about any of these Contemporary style landscapes, and check out our following blogs in this series for more of the latest landscape design trends.
