Modern garden trends

Hosea Omole

Over the past decade, the sub-urban garden has been redefined. It is no longer just for viewing but is an elegant and innovative extension of the home’s interior.

Here are some fresh trends from around the world to challenge and inspire you next time you consider outdoor home improvements.

Going green

Today’s shrewd homeowners are embracing more sustainable garden practices. These have been found to be a lot more cost effective in the long run.

First, the lawn size has been significantly reduced. Organic methods of weed and pest control such as mulching are finding their way back into the garden.

Water-wise gardening including recycling storm water and using plants with low water needs is gaining popularity.

And, believe it or not, incorporating selected vegetables and herbs into the gardens has also become very cool around the globe.

Outdoor living

The garden has been transformed from a simple patch of lawn with selected trees and flowers into a place for outdoor living and entertaining. There is also a clear shift in design thinking.

A contemporary garden. The modern garden is part of the house’s interior. [PHOTOS COURTESY]

Modern landscape and building designers are finding creative ways to blur the boundary between the indoor and the outdoor.

While the traditional garden space was clearly distinct from the interior, the modern garden is part of it, with a seamless link between indoor and outdoor activities.

The outdoor living area has subsequently become more sophisticated and comfortable, much like indoors. How elaborate is only limited by the size of your compound and your budget.

Lighting

The advent for outdoor living has also come with the need to make the garden usable after nightfall. This has revolutionised outdoor lighting. Traditional lights were limited to a few path and wall mounted lights and maybe one or two spotlights to highlight your favourite garden features.

Today, sophisticated lighting styles have opened a new world of possibilities. From sparkling lanterns to fountains fitted with submersible lights and a whole range of pavement and underwater lighting has become part of today’s well-designed landscape.

Screens and shade systems

With the craze of elaborate outdoor living has come the need to provide some kind of screens and shade in the garden within limited space. This has resulted in the emergence of numerous new ‘outdoor interior’ materials and technologies.

The traditional pergola, for instance, has changed from the traditional timber structure into a more sophisticated affair, with some boasting of ceilings and styling you could find in an interior room. Moreover, new homes are being designed with outdoor living spaces as part of the original house structure and not as a late ‘add on’ space as has been the tendency.

Art and decor

Compared to the past, people now have a greater appreciation of the role of garden art and decor and a much wider choice of style. They are no longer confined to simple jua kali sculptures and classical fountains.

Since gardens are increasingly getting smaller, the current trend of decor is for vertical art forms to maximise the use of space. There are contemporary sculptures in stone, bronze or mixed media.

In addition, wall plaques, waterproof prints, decorative panels of laser-cut metal, fabric banners, works of mosaic art and endless styles of water features have given the contemporary homeowner the power to truly express his/her individuality in the garden.

The writer is a landscape architect