Style and inspiration

How to design a modern, graphic garden?

All our advice to make your garden a success

Contents

Modified the Wednesday 13 August 2025 by Olivier 3 min. Difficulty: Beginner

Graphic gardens are fashionable. This modern approach to garden design focuses above all on visual impact. For yes, when talking about graphic gardens, one mainly thinks of favouring plants that are visible from afar, even from very far away. Plants whose inflorescences and foliage structure the garden by their shape, their pruning, their number or their colour. But furniture, layouts and the very structure of the garden must also be designed in this way: single geometric shapes, strong structures, large spaces, … All in subdued materials and tones. In direct opposite to natural, English or naturalistic gardens, contemporary gardens are above all intended as calm, restorative living spaces.

Difficulty

Sleek, clean lines

Sobriety and elegance above all! Don’t attempt complicated arabesques or convoluted geometric shapes but rather keep clean straight lines or, more rarely, very single curves. The idea is to work the opposite of what is done, for example, in English or even Japanese gardens with their soft, natural curves. Lines in a contemporary garden should be geometric and symmetrical, offering a strong contrast with plants already in place.

Keep this in mind for decorative elements: benches, planters, ponds, terraces… but also for the outlines of beds and the garden itself. A contemporary garden should above all be sober and exude simplicity (until the trend changes…).

Also think “broad” and “big” for your modern garden: cute little things have no place there. Design a vast short grass meadow, a large terrace, large pots for plants. Space, excess!

contemporary garden scene

A selection of durable, minimalist materials

Favour noble, natural materials, bearing in mind that these should always be raw and pared-back: stone, of course; wood can also be used, as can concrete or slate for large surfaces. Wood and mineral materials must make a strong statement in this type of garden. Much more so than plants… Don’t dismiss corten steel with its many advantages: durability, aesthetic appeal and, above all, a wide range of possibilities.

For paths and walkways, white gravel or reconstituted stone will look superb.

Furniture and containers should also be in modern materials and muted colours: resins, wood, corten steel, concrete, …

Some landscapers still attempt to incorporate plastic, sometimes in garish colours, into such schemes. It obviously depends on personal taste, but, where possible, reduce use of petroleum-derived products, especially in a garden.

Tones should be soft and understated as well: grey, white, black, … with, however, a small touch of a vivid colour, red for example or even turquoise, a fashionable colour.

Plants with strong personalities

Plants to choose for this type of garden will often be graphic and highly original, mixed with softer specimens that will provide a setting. These plants should have a strong presence in the garden: grasses, graphic foliage, unusual forms, spectacular and geometric flowering, … Bear in mind that, given the minimalist nature of the planting, opt for non-seasonal plants where possible: plants with evergreen foliage whose presence will be felt throughout the year or almost. Also consider purple, golden or variegated foliage for a contrasting, dramatic effect.

Mahonia, graphic and scented (you can remove lower branches to reveal its stems and accentuate its graphic quality) – the spikiness and exoticism of the Agave (or Yucca in colder areas), Choisya White Dazzler with fine foliage, attractive all year round and with an orange blossom scent

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Reduced colour range for plants too

As with artificial elements, choose only one or two colours for your plants — no more, always aiming for a certain simplicity. A palette of blue, white or pink will be perfect, but a small touch of an extremely contrasting colour here and there can draw the eye to a focal point in the garden, such as a black flower.

Mass planting above all!

The idea for a graphic, modern garden is not to create a pointillist picture with a multitude of plants of different species and varieties, as in an English garden, for example. On the contrary, simplicity is essential. Choose one species, one variety, one cultivar… and repeat it endlessly across a wide area. “From simplicity will arise the calm of the soul“. Very restful to the eye, this type of planting will also be easier to maintain in practice.

mass planting scene

Modern topiary for structure

Topiaries are making a comeback in our gardens. Let’s forget boxwood which is being heavily affected by box tree moth or by other essential oils that need to be pruned too often to retain an adequate shape but they can be replaced by other plants: Lonicera nitida, Ilex crenata, Taxus baccata, Myrsine africana (in the south only), … These topiaries with understated shapes, sometimes single “spheres”, will be perfect for structuring the garden alongside stone or wood features.

Garden furniture for a modern look

To create a graphic, modern garden, favour furniture with clean, pure, even organic shapes. Avoid furniture with highly ornate lines. Garden lounge sets made of resin in black, grey or beige are ideal for this kind of space. Indeed, they are robust and easy to maintain. Metal furniture treated to withstand the elements also works well here.

For extra comfort, consider adding a tapetum, cushions (of course treated for outdoor use). The idea is to style your garden lounge as you would your indoor living room. It should be just as pleasant to spend time in, especially during fine weather.

Think about lighting! Lighting in a modern garden is crucial. It accentuates its graphic lines, showcasing the layout, furniture and plants. Choose LED lights set into the ground, on the terrace or hung from a structure or in trees. For evenings in the garden, portable lamps are extremely useful, allowing you to supplement lighting as required.

Discover WestwingNow’s selection and find your garden furniture to perfect your decor before arrival of the warmer months.

garden furniture