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Trendy Garden Types

Many gardening enthusiasts pursue their hobby with little regard for a particular style or system. They just love to work the soil and watch things grow.

Serious gardeners often have preferences. Some may be interested in creating palettes of color with varieties of flowers. Others may be passionate about growing vegetables, fruits or herbs. Still others may be interested in creating havens where ornamental grasses, shrubs and exotic plants create a barrier from the noise and chaos of the surrounding city.

Oriental gardens have a spiritual function. Japanese gardens, for example, are seen as places for meditation and focusing the mind. These garden types rely heavily on natural symbolism where stones, gravel and sand generally play a more important role than greenery.

Contemporary Garden Landscaping

Garden types are largely dependent on a combination of culture and geography.The climate, soil, growing conditions, sunshine and shade are factors that affect our choice of garden types.

Within those parameters, gardeners have a broad array of choices. You can get an idea of the vast array of styles and layouts from garden centers, horticultural shows, coffee table books, lifestyle magazines, the internet and, of course, your own neighborhood.

In broad terms, landscape gardening styles are defined as either 'formal' or 'informal'. Formal gardening utilizes straight lines, perfect circles, level surfaces and a layout based on geometric formulas. Informal gardens go for the natural look, with flower beds, lawns and planting areas aiming to mimic nature.

Garden Types to Suit All Lifestyles:

garden types	description
contemporary landscaping	From minimalist, monochrome Zen type gardens and feng shui backyards, to courtyard, terrace and patio style gardens, the focus in contemporary landscaping is on visual impact and rationalizing space. For that reason, container gardens are big news, particularly for the urban dweller.
cottage/country gardens	Traditional style English, cottage and rose gardens are enduringly popular garden types for those gardening enthusiasts who have the space and inclination. A seemingly haphazard riot of color and variety is deceptively difficult to maintain, but always rewarding.
formal gardens	Formal garden types come in many shapes and sizes, but are usually characterized by geometric patterns, straight lines and bold outlines. The knot garden is a perfect example of a formal style garden based on the intricate knot designs used in sixteenth century Elizabethan tapestries. (Incidentally, Knot type gardens are currently back in vogue in contemporary garden settings). 'Shin' design Japanese gardens also illustrate the art of formal garden landscaping.
informal gardens	'Back to nature' style gardens, never lose their appeal. The emphasis in informal gardens is on natural outlines and a combination of wild and cultivated plants. Most cottage and rural gardens fall into this category. Surprisingly, Japanese tea gardens are also defined as 'informal,' but largely to distinguish them from more formal Japanese garden types.
stone/gravel gardens landscaping	Contrary to popular belief, greenery is not an essential material for creating a garden. Japanese garden types, for example, use gravel and stone to symbolize water and mountains, etc. Contemporary patio, courtyard and container style gardens also rely heavily on sand, stone and gravel to achieve their effect.
tropical landscaping	A tropical habitat is not an essential requirement for creating a tropical style garden, provided that you can recreate the basic growing conditions for tropical plants in your back yard. A tropical bonsai garden, for example, is the perfect solution for small-scale urban gardening.
water gardens	Water gardens, ponds and water features are big news on the contemporary gardening scene. Types of water gardens include: the pond garden whose central feature is a pool, often featuring poi, turtles or other favorite aquatic creatures; the hydroponic garden, a technique for growing plants in water, without using soil; or the bog garden that replicates a bog or marshland environment with the aim of attracting wildlife.
wild/natural landscaping	Some gardening purists plant only wild flowers and native trees and plants. A reliance on organic growing methods is also important. Other aficionados of natural landscaping prefer to compromise, drawing on wild landscapes for their inspiration, while scaling their ideas to suit their preferred garden type.