Heritage to Modern: Which Garden Style Suits Your House?
Selecting the right garden style may come down to personal taste, but you should factor in your home's architecture too
Minimalist, cottage, formal, naturalistic – there are so many gorgeous garden styles to choose from. Of course we’ve all got our personal preferences when it comes to style. But while some people will pursue that preference when creating their gardens no matter what their house looks like, most of us will take our cues from the architecture.
The architecture of the buildings surrounding a garden is a strong visual element that has a huge effect on how you view the overall landscape, and the presence of particular features and styles cannot be ignored when designing a garden. Whether a house is a contemporary showstopper or a cute wee cottage, the design of the garden reflects that theme. If you’re not sure what garden style would work for your home, take a look at these stunning examples and get inspired.
The architecture of the buildings surrounding a garden is a strong visual element that has a huge effect on how you view the overall landscape, and the presence of particular features and styles cannot be ignored when designing a garden. Whether a house is a contemporary showstopper or a cute wee cottage, the design of the garden reflects that theme. If you’re not sure what garden style would work for your home, take a look at these stunning examples and get inspired.
Contemporary cottage
You don’t have to stick completely to tradition when creating gardens for Federation, Edwardian or Victorian-style houses. In this Melbourne garden, the entry path follows the traditional route but is edged with loose planting rather than a tightly clipped hedge, while the lawn is retained with Corten steel for a more contemporary look.
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You don’t have to stick completely to tradition when creating gardens for Federation, Edwardian or Victorian-style houses. In this Melbourne garden, the entry path follows the traditional route but is edged with loose planting rather than a tightly clipped hedge, while the lawn is retained with Corten steel for a more contemporary look.
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Mixed messages
You love cottage garden flowers but live in a very architectural, modern house. What to do? You could plant a mixture of flowering and foliage plants in raised limestone planters as Charlotte Rowe Garden Design has done in this contemporary courtyard. The relaxed planting palette is designed to contrast with and visually soften the limestone paving and other hard surfaces. The end result is a softer, more relaxing space.
You love cottage garden flowers but live in a very architectural, modern house. What to do? You could plant a mixture of flowering and foliage plants in raised limestone planters as Charlotte Rowe Garden Design has done in this contemporary courtyard. The relaxed planting palette is designed to contrast with and visually soften the limestone paving and other hard surfaces. The end result is a softer, more relaxing space.
Au naturel
For coastal properties like this one, a free-flowing naturalistic garden style is ideal. The coastal lifestyle is all about relaxed, easy living and nothing suggests that more than big sweeps of grasses, flaxes or flowering perennials. The idea is to replicate in a stylised form the way plants naturally grow together near the sea, so opt for low-maintenance species suited to that environment when recreating this look, and plant it in luxurious sweeps of a single species as shown here.
For coastal properties like this one, a free-flowing naturalistic garden style is ideal. The coastal lifestyle is all about relaxed, easy living and nothing suggests that more than big sweeps of grasses, flaxes or flowering perennials. The idea is to replicate in a stylised form the way plants naturally grow together near the sea, so opt for low-maintenance species suited to that environment when recreating this look, and plant it in luxurious sweeps of a single species as shown here.
In the bush
The naturalistic planting style can be adapted for more open, rural gardens or those with a more bush-like feel. Here the Glade house by New Zealand-based Strachan Group Architects is surrounded by a stylised form of the forest with large canopy trees (in this case exotic Prunus varieties), emerging nikau palms and a lower storey of grass-like plants. The house is open to its green surroundings on virtually every elevation, making its inhabitants feel as if they are living in a tree house.
The naturalistic planting style can be adapted for more open, rural gardens or those with a more bush-like feel. Here the Glade house by New Zealand-based Strachan Group Architects is surrounded by a stylised form of the forest with large canopy trees (in this case exotic Prunus varieties), emerging nikau palms and a lower storey of grass-like plants. The house is open to its green surroundings on virtually every elevation, making its inhabitants feel as if they are living in a tree house.
Now and Zen
You don’t have to own a Japanese-style house to have a Zen garden. Many modern garden designers have created their own twist on the Zen-like simplicity of Japanese gardens to enhance the minimalist architecture of contemporary homes, as evidenced in this London home. Here, beautiful timber and brick walls form a clean backdrop for the sculptural beauty of the cloud-pruned burkwood osmanthus (Osmanthus x burkwoodii) tree.
Cloud pruning is a traditional Japanese technique known as niwaki, where minor growth is cut away from the trunk and branches leaving most of the foliage at the ends of branches. Like many Japanese gardens, the planting here is all green with hard landscaping materials used to add textural interest. Water is of course another key element.
You don’t have to own a Japanese-style house to have a Zen garden. Many modern garden designers have created their own twist on the Zen-like simplicity of Japanese gardens to enhance the minimalist architecture of contemporary homes, as evidenced in this London home. Here, beautiful timber and brick walls form a clean backdrop for the sculptural beauty of the cloud-pruned burkwood osmanthus (Osmanthus x burkwoodii) tree.
Cloud pruning is a traditional Japanese technique known as niwaki, where minor growth is cut away from the trunk and branches leaving most of the foliage at the ends of branches. Like many Japanese gardens, the planting here is all green with hard landscaping materials used to add textural interest. Water is of course another key element.
Minimal modern
This courtyard garden, with its single Japanese maple tree placed asymetrically in the corner, takes the idea of the Zen garden a step further. Pale cobblestones mirror the patterns and colours of the interior walls while the tree sits in a sharp rectangle of blue slate chip. Surrounded on three sides by a starkly minimalist house, the courtyard allows garden and architecture to merge seamlessly.
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This courtyard garden, with its single Japanese maple tree placed asymetrically in the corner, takes the idea of the Zen garden a step further. Pale cobblestones mirror the patterns and colours of the interior walls while the tree sits in a sharp rectangle of blue slate chip. Surrounded on three sides by a starkly minimalist house, the courtyard allows garden and architecture to merge seamlessly.
See more modern gardens
Mid-century classic
If you’re a fan of mid-century architecture, take a cue from Ludwig Mies van der Rohe who designed and constructed the iconic Farnsworth house between 1945 and 1951. The designer eschewed the idea of a conventional garden around the pavilion-style house, preferring to surround it instead with the lawns, trees and natural landscape of the 23 hectare rural property. His ideas are still emulated today by contemporary architects and landscape designers.
If you’re a fan of mid-century architecture, take a cue from Ludwig Mies van der Rohe who designed and constructed the iconic Farnsworth house between 1945 and 1951. The designer eschewed the idea of a conventional garden around the pavilion-style house, preferring to surround it instead with the lawns, trees and natural landscape of the 23 hectare rural property. His ideas are still emulated today by contemporary architects and landscape designers.
Subtropical resort
With its wall of natural, rough-cut stone and mixed palette of lush-leaved plants, this Perth patio designed by Cultivart Landscape Design is an excellent example of contemporary subtropical style. Subtropical gardens are generally quite informal, hence their popularity in houses with similar design intentions. They suit houses made of natural materials that connect seamlessly to the great outdoors. Water and a variety of decorative elements are usually key features.
Wonderful water features
With its wall of natural, rough-cut stone and mixed palette of lush-leaved plants, this Perth patio designed by Cultivart Landscape Design is an excellent example of contemporary subtropical style. Subtropical gardens are generally quite informal, hence their popularity in houses with similar design intentions. They suit houses made of natural materials that connect seamlessly to the great outdoors. Water and a variety of decorative elements are usually key features.
Wonderful water features
Contemporary native
In the 1970s, native gardens were often based on the idea of emulating the actual bush with gardens a dense jumble of shrubs, trees and vines all vying for attention. We’ve come a long way since then, with the emphasis in contemporary native gardens more on clarity so the shape and colours of different species can be properly appreciated. Such gardens work well with the bold forms of modern architecture, as shown in this garden in Raglan, New Zealand designed by For the Love of Landscape.
Here, bold clumps of oioi, a native New Zealand rush, line the entrance boardwalk with the sculptural beauty of nikau palms in the background. Native gardens today are not as purist as they once were, and in this garden the native species are combined with subtropical tractor seat plant (Ligularia reniformis).
In the 1970s, native gardens were often based on the idea of emulating the actual bush with gardens a dense jumble of shrubs, trees and vines all vying for attention. We’ve come a long way since then, with the emphasis in contemporary native gardens more on clarity so the shape and colours of different species can be properly appreciated. Such gardens work well with the bold forms of modern architecture, as shown in this garden in Raglan, New Zealand designed by For the Love of Landscape.
Here, bold clumps of oioi, a native New Zealand rush, line the entrance boardwalk with the sculptural beauty of nikau palms in the background. Native gardens today are not as purist as they once were, and in this garden the native species are combined with subtropical tractor seat plant (Ligularia reniformis).
Native fusion
Here is another contemporary garden where natives and exotics are used together to create a diverse array of shapes and textures. In this garden, Australian natives such as coastal banksia (Banksia integrifolia), coastal rosemary (Westringia fruticosa) and Lomandra Longifolia ‘Tanika’ are combined with the architectural forms of succulents such as agave and yucca. The almost monochromatic plant palette of green and grey is designed to harmonise with and soften the cool whites and greys of the built structures.
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Here is another contemporary garden where natives and exotics are used together to create a diverse array of shapes and textures. In this garden, Australian natives such as coastal banksia (Banksia integrifolia), coastal rosemary (Westringia fruticosa) and Lomandra Longifolia ‘Tanika’ are combined with the architectural forms of succulents such as agave and yucca. The almost monochromatic plant palette of green and grey is designed to harmonise with and soften the cool whites and greys of the built structures.
Your say
If you enjoyed this story, like it, bookmark it, save the photos and share your thoughts below. Join the conversation!
More
Browse more gorgeous gardens
Designed by Semken Landscaping, the garden of this Melbourne Federation-style house perfectly complements its traditional character. A climbing rose has been trained to grow along the front verandah, its pretty flowers drawing the eye towards the decorative detailing.
Most houses of this era have a symmetrical interior plan with a hallway through the centre. The landscape layout, with a path straight to the front door and the symmetrical placement of pots and benches, is designed to echo the interior plan. A white picket fence and low hedge along the edge of the entry terrace continue the traditional theme.