Skip to Content

Four steps to a modern garden

Planting advice that will transform your green space

By Helen Derrin
Tiered garden by Jane Brockbank and David Mikhail Architects
MMGI / Marianne Majerus

‘Contemporary planting schemes tend to feature fewer plants in greater numbers,’ says Helen Derrin, in-house designer at Crocus. Here, she shares her four easy steps to creating a stylish modern garden…

1

Add a splash of green

The Porsche Garden - RHS Hampton Court Flower Show 2008 by Sim Flemons and John Warland
GAP Photos/Heather Edwards

Evergreen hedges and shapely topiary will offer uniform colour and form throughout the year, whilst adding structure to your outdoors. Pictured: The Porsche Garden - RHS Hampton Court Flower Show 2008 by Sim Flemons and John Warland

2

Choose feathery foliage

Stipa calamagrostis. Rough feather grass.
Clare Gainey/Alamy

Select grasses and perennials with a strong profile – allium, calamagrostis (pictured), achillea, agastache, hakonechloa and stipa.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
3

Adopt the gentle touch

Astrantia major. Masterwort flowers.
amomentintime / Alamy Stock Photo

Soften structural planting with umbellifers (aromatic plants from the cow parsley family), such as anthriscus, astrantia (pictured) and selinum.

4

Finish with a spray of colour

Geum 'Totally Tangerine' flowers.
amomentintime / Alamy Stock Photo

Fill any gaps in your planting scheme with fast-growing flowering plants. Geranium, geum (pictured), erigeron and nepeta are good options.

For more about creating a modern garden, read our Making a Modern Garden feature full of tips from the experts.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below