The Makings of the Modern Garden

Don’t deny it — we all felt it. The heatwave has arrived, the clouds have cleared and, almost overnight, the garden has become the most important room in the house. After months of politely ignoring it, there it is again: a green, growing landmass at the back of your home, basking in the sun and quietly asking for attention.

It’s the return of what we like to call the garden gaze. That sun-drenched moment when you step outside, squint into the brightness and think, “We really need to do something about this.” Whether it’s a full outdoor refresh or a few considered updates, now is the time to make your outside space feel as stylish, comfortable and lived-in as the rest of your home.

But what does the modern garden look like? Well, as with every aspect of home design, it depends entirely on you. Still, we thought we’d give you a bit of a cheat sheet. So here are five templates to get you started in growing your style. Different aesthetics that, with the right furniture, will make your outdoor space the ultimate spring hosting spot and the perfect outdoor escape.

If one era of design that will forever have it's time in the sunlight — metaphorically and physically — then mid-century is it. Classics of the genre have become icons of the present, so much so that outdoor versions of some of the world’s most beloved designs are now cultivating stylish gardens and cropping up in spaces far beyond even the brilliant imaginations of Eames and Saarinen could have predicted.

Take one of the old masters: Cassina's Fauteuil Grand Comfort (the sofa formerly known as LC3) is a seating solution that has shaped some of the suavest settings this side of the ’50s, now allowing people to bask in its natural charisma beyond four walls—and beyond the 20th century.

We’re a bit bonkers about our gardens in this country. With a staggering 85% of us living in urbanised areas, you can understand why we love our personal patches of land so much. It’s likely why the RHS Chelsea Flower Show attracts over 140,000 horticulture enthusiasts each year, all eager to gaze upon its creative floral dioramas. But what makes a stereotypical UK outdoor space? As most of our parents would likely tell us: big flowers, winding trees, about forty forgotten gardening gloves and, of course, enough furniture to fit the entire street when BBQ season comes around.

We find that looking a little further afield and investing in some stunning Scandi furniture, like Gubi or Cane-line, suits the eloquence of the Great British garden perfectly.

Synonymous with good weather, good food and—most importantly—a healthier work/life balance. When you think of a part of the world where people truly know how to enjoy the outdoors, your mind instinctively heads off to Stansted and lands somewhere closer to the equator. If you’re lucky, somewhere on the Mediterranean Sea. So why not bring a slice of the sun a little closer to home? Bring a bold colour palette, break out the good wine and get ready for dining al fresco.

Create a modern Mediterranean garden with brands like B&B Italia, Flexform and Foscarini opening up your options all the way from Italy.

We’ve seen Scandinavian furniture making surprise appearances across the blog so far—so what’s one more? Well, this time it’s taking more of a starring role. Japandi is a clean- yet -stylish interior design movement that has dominated minimalist abodes for the better part of the 21st century. Now, like all good aesthetics, it has slipped out the back door and settled into the gardens of design fans. Warm timbers, gravel beds and sparsely-but-thoughtfully placed plant life are the ways to harness the power of both Nordic hygge and Japanese wabi-sabi.

When it comes to furnishing your extravagance-free exterior, look to Scandi design brands Carl Hansen and &Tradition, which make a stylish statement at whisper level.

This wouldn't be a blog about future-proofing your own personal paradise without saving the most relevant of these options for last: futuristic furniture. Characteristics like sleek angles and monochromatic tones define this trend of near sci-fi futurism. Think the beachfronts of Ibiza meeting the defined lines of the ultra-modern world.

Brands like Vondom and Gandia Blasco encapsulate this polished aesthetic with perfection. Blending with sea, sun and sand alike, this is ideal for warmer weather environments.