Geometric shapes in the garden ensure a modern, luxurious atmosphere and help smooth the transition from indoors to outdoors. An understated veranda with straight lines is a good example of this, as is a raised border attached to a square platform over a rectangular pond. Or how about a large frame in the form of a climbing frame as an alternative pergola which provides shade for a large part of your patio? It can also be as simple as laying a path with large rectangular slabs between which you allow thick strip of grass to grow. Or remove a couple of slabs from the patio and seed the gaps you’ve created - anything to use the available space slightly differently.
Jerusalem Cherry provides focus
Plants play a guiding role in the style: they focus attention and reinforce the new use of the garden space. They have powerful shapes and colours, such as the sunflower and the Jerusalem Cherry. Reinforce the effect by using triangular pots and trapezium shapes. To soften the stark line somewhat, allow potato vine to wind its way merrily around trellises and posts. For an element of surprise, choose the strawflower: it’s not only available in colours that you didn’t know existed in nature, but is also very unusual with flowers that rustle like paper.
Line of strawflowers as a graphic element
The materials for this style are smooth and functional, such as metal, wood and plastic, sanded smooth and starkly lacquered. It also includes moulded shapes such as understated smooth concrete together with smooth leather and cotton, possibly with punched patterns and a psychedelic print here and there in order to take the edge off the starkness. The trick is to combine cleverly: a patio with geometric shapes, poured concrete floor and a starkly manicured hedge may be a little too austere. A combination like that could do with a visual joke like a Jerusalem Cherry or a container full of strawflowers in order to maintain the balance between rectilinear and natural.
Highly contrasting colours
White and black are the most important colours for this style, supplemented with yellow, cobalt blue, red and green. Combine them with soft grey and natural brown in order to soften the look.
