The sparse garden trend has become something of a conversation point lately. This restrained way of planting where everything has an intentional place offers calm, clean lines and allows individual varieties to shine on their own rather than as part of a busy planting scheme. The idea is that planting should look effortless and natural, and the good news is once established it's one of the most easy-care garden designs you can choose.
This simple, uncluttered style of gardening relies on a limited color palette, a minimal number of different landscaping materials and a capsule collection of plant varieties to achieve the pared-down look that is ideal. Think one sculptural tree, a shapely shrub that complements it and a smaller plant or plants – ideally aim for no more than five – that completes the arrangement.
Perhaps it's a reaction to other 'busier' trends like meadowscaping and soft modernism featuring swathes of planting that dominate everything else but either way the sparse garden trend is one of the backyard ideas that feels like it's here to stay, especially as it's a more sustainable (and affordable) way of gardening. We took a look at some of the latest designs to find six ideas that fit perfectly with the sparse garden trend.
1. Knock Back On Plants So The Landscaping Can Shine Too
The sparse garden trend shifts the balance away from masses of dense planting seen in many naturalistic planting designs towards a mix of shapely rocks and swirls of gravel landscaping with plants dotted in between.
This cleverly moves the focus onto each plant and allows them to shine individually, while at the same time letting the landscaping details feature more prominently too.
This award-winning project by Carey Garden Design uses a blend of natural materials such as salvaged stones and sustainable concrete with a clever 'hidden' water feature to create an eye-catching backdrop that enhances the planting.
The key to getting this trend right is to leave plenty of space between plants for a more minimalistic look that lets air into the design and allows the natural landscaping forms to share the spotlight with the plants.
2. Keep Containers Simple With One Eye-Catching Plant Variety
Often the temptation with container gardening ideas is to cram in as many plants as possible. An interesting alternative is to use just one variety of plant and allow them space to breathe by layering gravel or pebbles on the surface in between to 'landscape' the design. This minimalist approach offers a stripped back aesthetic that feels intentional and quietly luxurious.
This simple container idea by designer Angus Thompson features moss plants, which feel soothing and restful, especially as they're so lovely to touch. Choosing a shallow style of container like these offers the opportunity to include more plants in the design too.
With a distinctly calming feel, Angus's inspiration for this design is the concept of yohaku no bi – the Japanese aesthetic of the beauty of empty space. Positioned next to a wooden bench these containers invite you to pause and take in the planting.
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3. Curate Planting Choices To Create A Harmonious Design
The idea of paring down your plant collection is key to getting the sparse garden trend right. See it as a type of outdoor decluttering that helps you focus purely on the good stuff.
The general rule to aim for is choosing no more than three to five different varieties of plant. Creating a capsule garden in this way gets back to basics and lets you cut down on the amount of plants you have crammed into your yard if you're looking to streamline your approach, especially if you find you have lots of high-maintenance ones to look after.
Once you focus on the plants that truly deserve a place in your garden design it's much easier to think about how to show them off to their best advantage. This planting design (above) is elegant and minimalist with clean lines and a restrained palette of cool greens with just a hint of cream.
It helps to create a space that feels uncluttered and luxurious, and allows you to enjoy individual plant varieties that can be clearly seen and appreciated.
4. Use Sustainable Mulch So Sparse Planting Looks 'Finished'
Once planting is thinned out into a more minimal design this usually means a lot more soil is on show. The best sparse garden trend ideas find creative ways to landscape around key plants to show them off in the best possible way.
Sustainable landscaping ideas are the go-to, using materials like gravel, river rocks and other natural stones, as well as decorative organic options like cork or bark mulch.
These materials enhance the appearance of your landscape as well as offering benefits to plants. Adding mulch is beneficial to the health of plants by cutting down on weeds that compete for nutrients, helping the soil retain moisture to keep plants hydrated, and offering a layer of protection when it's cold. You can find organic Back to the Roots mulch at Amazon.
A combination of less plants with good mulching ideas results in a look that is both beautiful and natural. This works really well with airy plants like Verbena bonariensis and shapely Japanese maple trees like in this design (above) but also looks good with evergreen shrubs and trees, helping to create a more 'designed' landscape.
5. Make Ornamental Grasses Your Go-To
One of the plant varieties that will particularly benefit from the sparse garden trend are ornamental grasses. They need plenty of space to reach their full potential as well as show off their beautiful shape.
Seen in isolation without being surrounded by other plants they become all the more dramatic, especially when combined with rocks to create interest with contrasting textures.
An invaluable landscaping plant that provides structure, form, and movement, place ornamental grasses strategically so they have room to grow, especially taller varieties like majestic Miscanthus sinensis, available from Burpee, and graceful feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster'.
They will create stunning punctuation points in your planting, especially in minimal garden designs where they will become the focal point.
6. Choose Less Plants But More Of The Right Kind
One of the easiest ways to get a cohesive planting look is to choose a theme. But many of the popular ones such as cottage garden ideas, prairie planting and the rewilding garden trend are packed with plants so these ideas don't work for the sparse garden trend. But one idea that definitely does is Japanese zen gardens.
These minimalist and meditative spaces are designed to evoke a sense of peace and serenity, and their success depends on letting the plants have room to breathe.
Gentle layers of moss, shapely Bonsai pines and leafy leopard plants feature in this design by Kazuyuki Ishihara (above).
Depth and atmosphere are created through meticulous attention to space rather than excess planting. Every plant must justify its position to merit inclusion, while landscaping rocks and raked gravel add further layers of interest.
The overall effect is considered and intentional, contributing to a restrained beauty that reflects the simplicity of Japanese aesthetics, and a perfect example of how the sparse garden trend can work in your outdoor space.
You can also plant Japanese maple trees to get this kind of look, and Fast Growing Trees has a wonderful collection.
Now read about the warm minimalism garden trend that is also big this year. This offers another way to create a calm and uncluttered look that uses earthy, sun-bleached colors and natural finishes for a warm and inviting feel.
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