With a modern tropical garden you can embrace the natural beauty of the tropics without sacrificing contemporary design elements. In fact, combining modern and tropical aesthetics can create a truly unique and visually stunning garden. A well-designed tropical garden has different levels and layers, creating a sense of depth and dimension. By seamlessly blending contemporary elements with the natural surroundings, we create designs that are both aesthetically and environmentally conscious.
Achieving the perfect balance between contemporary design and tropical allure can be a challenge. That’s why we’ve curated this guide to help you bring your vision to life. Read on as we explore the five essential elements you need to get right when designing a modern tropical garden for your own backyard.
Hardscaping in modern tropical gardens is all about lines and levels
One thing you’ll always find in contemporary landscape designs is the clever use of lines and level changes to create flow and interest in the garden.
Very rarely does the terrain slope. Instead, it is terraced into flat surfaces that are planted, paved or lined with timber to add visual interest and create distinct areas.
The lines don’t need to be straight, you’ll find curvilinear elements can contrast with and soften strong architecture. In this large garden design rocks have been placed as a focal point to break up the strong horizontal lines and contribute to the scale and proportion of the design.
Conversely, In this garden there is a single level that is maintained throughout the indoor and outdoor space, even to the pool surface.
The landscape designer has matched the hardscaping materials to those used in the house. Utilizing materials like concrete, steel, glass, and wood adds texture and sophistication, while also ensuring durability and longevity in outdoor environments.
Natural materials such as stone and timber feature heavily in tropical style gardens. Incorporate stone into your contemporary design as paving material and as mulch and use timber in furniture and in structures such as pergolas and pavilions.
Garden structures
Clean lines, geometric shapes, and minimalist structures such as pergolas, pavilions, or raised planters provide visual interest and contrast against the lush foliage and tropical greenery.
A low retaining wall in this small garden separates the two levels of the outdoor area. Custom raised beds, steps, wall and paving in this small garden all mimic the look of natural stone.
Integrating architectural elements and modern materials helps define the contemporary aesthetic of the landscape design.
Another way to add a contemporary touch is by integrating geometric shapes and patterns into your garden design. Consider using square or rectangular planters, geometric tiles, or decorative screens with intricate patterns. These elements will add visual interest and create a modern focal point in your garden.
Paths in contemporary gardens are almost always constructed from rectangular blocks, or in a less formal garden, timber blocks.
The spaces between the blocks are usually filled with a fine stone or pea gravel mulch.
Avoid using ground covers as the foliage will grow over the edges of the pavers and disguise the geometric pattern.
Plant selection in modern tropical gardens is deliberate and restrained
Designing a contemporary garden presents challenges to lovers of tropical garden design. Most tropical landscape designs allow plants to follow their instincts and climb over and through each other just as they do in tropical forests. Modern garden designs tend to feature mass plantings of just a few varieties of plants. Each variety is selected for its predictable growth habits, symmetry and silhouette. This allows the garden designer to balance proportion and create geometric patterns. Grouping plants based on their form, size, and color creates dynamic compositions, while strategic placement enhances focal points and views within the garden.
It takes a skilled designer to overcome the organic and sprawling growth patterns of tropical rainforest plants and incorporate them into a modern design while still maintaining a tropical vibe.
Trees
Different species of palm trees and bamboo are favorites because of the vertical lines they create and the small footprint they have. The good news is that this option works even if you don’t live in a tropical climate. There are many varieties of palm and bamboo that will thrive in a cool or temperate climate.
An alternative in a modern garden with a stronger organic aesthetic is to use a small number of tropical trees as feature plants. These trees are allowed to grow in their natural shape and contrast with the straight lines and hard surfaces of the other garden elements. Plant them in large raised beds or planters with an underplanting of a single variety of perennial to provide lush greenery.
Foliage and flowers
If you have a small garden and don’t have the space to grow large trees you can soften the hard lines of the garden design with a dense planting of leafy plants to create a wall of lush foliage. This leverages a natural advantage of tropical plants; their ability to grow in close proximity to each other, allowing for compact designs and small gardens.
On the other hand, if you have a larger space, you can opt for larger plants like banana trees or elephant ears to create a dramatic effect. Plants like these with large leaves give an instant tropical feel.
Avoid selecting plants with bright flowers in vibrant colors. Usually these would be a mainstay of tropical garden design but in a contemporary garden a more restrained palette is best. Select a single flower color to enhance your tropical look. White flowers suit a minimalist aesthetic while something more dramatic, like red flowers, will give an exotic look.
Sculptural elements create focal points
A sculpture or focal point in a modern tropical garden is a way of injecting some of your personality into the design. It could be something large and flamboyant that will command attention or something more calming or soothing.
It’s even an opportunity to add a humorous or quirky touch if that’s your style.
Modern tropical gardens tend to feature sculptures that are abstract or symmetrical in their design. For the minimalists, a small waterfall or sculptural fountain using a geometric shape is a great solution. Human and animal sculptures are rarely used in contemporary garden design unless they are more abstract or have strong symmetry such as the sculpture shown below.
Sculptural plant choices for modern tropical gardens include plants that grow in a Fibonacci spiral pattern such as succulents and ferns.
Use water features to create symmetry and reflections in modern tropical gardens
Swimming pools, plunge pools and ponds in modern tropical gardens are usually rectangular in shape to echo the other geometric features of the overall design.
If they are a curved shape, they are usually part of an ultra-modern design with more abstract features, as shown in this stunning example.
Placing a full-sized swimming pool symmetrically in a backyard design isn’t necessary. You can create symmetry with other hardscaping features and planting. In the picture above the rectangular swimming pool is symmetrically balanced with the size of the large windows beside it.
If you are installing a new water feature, an infinity edge is an excellent choice for pools and ponds in modern tropical gardens. It provides a crisp horizontal line and helps to frame views.
In a small space a sleek wall-mounted water feature can add a contemporary touch. If you have limited space, consider installing a water wall or a water blade that can be mounted on a wall or a fence.
Complete your modern garden aesthetic with contemporary outdoor furniture and lighting
Lastly, don’t forget about the furniture and accessories. One way to incorporate contemporary design elements is by using sleek and minimalist outdoor furniture.
Opt for clean lines, neutral colors, and durable materials like teak or aluminum. This will create a modern and sophisticated look that complements the tropical backdrop.
Choose pieces that are both stylish and comfortable, allowing you to relax and enjoy your little slice of paradise.
Organic shapes and materials can give a natural appearance to contemporary garden designs. You may have seen them used in public parks in urban areas.
In this design the dark wood colors are similar to the tree trunks in tropical forests and surrounding palm trees.
The timber sculpture doubles as seating, as do the concrete sculptures.
You won’t find options like this in your typical outdoor furniture store, but if you search among landscape architect suppliers you’ll find them.
Lighting and heating
Additionally, consider adding outdoor lighting to enhance the ambiance of your modern tropical garden. Use soft, warm lights to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere in the evening. Install spotlights to highlight the beauty of specific plants or architectural features. And don’t forget to incorporate solar-powered lights to save energy and reduce your carbon footprint.
If you’d like to add a fire pit look beyond the classic wood-burning options and instead select a modern fuel-burning unit with flames emerging from a bed of rocks.
Still have questions?
Are there concerns that were not addressed here? We’re here to help.
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