Minimalist garden: convincing simplicity in 30 ideas

The minimalist architecture and furnishings have been very popular with homeowners and architects for years. In the outdoor area, even lovers of minimalism often prefer a lush design. Away from the cliché means one minimalist garden However, there is no empty space, but a clear formal language and reduction to the essentials. In today’s article we will show you how such a garden design can look. A large number of example gardens will show you how a design in a minimalist style can be achieved.

Minimalist garden and lush greenery

Minimalist gardens are characterized by a minority of materials used. Depending on the available space, there can be space for both stone and greenery. A fine sense of proportions is required, because less is more in the garden. Lush plantings are especially achieved with ornamental grasses, as this example shows.

Minimalist garden with a large green area

Landscaping in a minimalist way has influenced different eras. Essentially, modernism and the Bauhaus era convey an aesthetic of clear forms – straight proportions, simple cuts and basically a reduction of plants and decorative elements to the essentials. These design principles are the focus from fashion to furnishings.

Minimalist garden with infinity pool

Viewed differently, reduced does not mean simplified. Good landscaping is directly related to the architecture around it. If there is enough leeway, an originally traditionally designed garden can be converted into a minimalist one. In this example, the hillside location was practically benefited by creating straight lawns and integrating an infinity pool. This creates a great interplay of Mediterranean designs with stone and minimalist accents.

Minimalist garden on a hillside

Brick field stones match the aesthetics of a modernized old building. If they are only used in one area, they do not seem overwhelming, because their powerful effect is mitigated by the surrounding lawns. In addition, a natural stone wall in the hillside garden has a supporting function. Since the stones themselves create a lot of structure and pattern, the rest of the garden can be designed rather simply with a lot of lawn.

Minimalist garden – lawn steps 

Although the minimalist garden does not have a symmetrical structure, this is not completely ruled out. Especially when modernizing formal gardens, an axis can be drawn so that there is symmetry. Usually the individual elements in this garden are connected by a right angle. The rectangular sections, which were designed parallel to each other, also have a round eye-catcher as an accent, namely a pond that gives the geometric garden design the finishing touch.

Minimalist garden on the hillside – hillside garden 

As a main feature of a garden in a minimalist style, the right angle stands out. It is everywhere – from the building to the borders of the plant beds to the landscaped garden edge. This achieves the straight proportions of the garden design elements. The result is a clear and straightforward distribution of garden elements such as paths, walls, terraces and others.

Minimalist garden with ground cover

The straight cut does not have to refer to all elements in the garden in order to create a reduced overall picture. Here the architecture and the shape of the inner courtyard are shaped by the rectangular aesthetics. The uneven concrete slabs of the garden path appear as an accent and in contrast to the geometric design, but also as a gentle transition to the lawn. Although lawn is a key element in minimalist gardens, other types of plants can be substituted for it to achieve the same effect. Ground covers, for example, are such species.

Small, minimalist garden with wooden privacy screens

The straight cut and geometric proportions create a sense of space. Used in the right places and once the balance between greenery and garden border has been found, the perfect minimalist garden is created for relaxation from the stressful city life. White surfaces as an alternative to gray concrete are very popular for walls, walls and stepping stones and make the outside area look more elegant.

Clear lines and few plants

If we can say something clearly about the flooring in the minimalistically designed outdoor area, then that is the fact that an evenly and perfectly mowed lawn, as well as slabs made of concrete or natural stone, play a major role here. Although these elements do not necessarily have to be combined, they are typical features in minimalist gardens. Whether the stepping stones are separated from one another by joints made of lawn or whether uninterrupted paths are designed as here is a matter of taste.

Easy-care ornamental grasses

In the minimalist garden, the areas are clearly divided and thus properly staged. Interesting contrasts can be achieved through the well thought-out use of different materials. Natural stone, concrete and lawn border one another and convey a calm and balanced atmosphere with their clear lines. The light stone and the lush green lawn form the already mentioned contrast and emphasize each other in this way.

A garden path with clear lines

By using a lawn edge or a garden edge, every material, including the pebbles, remains in the intended area without attracting attention in terms of design and visual appearance. This elegant border is the perfect solution for a minimalist garden design. Simple models are preferred for this garden style. Thin flower beds that are almost completely inserted into the ground and where only the edge is discreetly visible are typical. Corten steel in particular can be used to create another color accent between the green lawn and the gravel path in any color.

Garden path and gravel

A minimalist garden can also be thought of as a gravel garden. If plants are still being laid out, it is advisable to use single-colored gravel. Otherwise, different types of pebbles can be laid in individual areas or the same type of stone can be mixed with different grain sizes. In the case of gravel designs, a garden path is on the one hand rather superfluous, but if you still want to create an interesting decoration, simply lay loose stone slabs. These can also be worked into the gravel so as not to slip.

Mix of different materials

The color palette in the minimalist garden, as well as the design, is reduced, but not boring. The materials used are high-quality and modern: concrete, steel, stone and wood. However, plants are not a must. Nevertheless, these can of course be used for garden design. You should limit yourself to 2-3 varieties. Here, too, little means anything but boring. Because you can combine these three varieties with each other and create interesting beds. Green plants and grasses are particularly popular here, but some blooming specimens such as lavender are not uncommon. It is important that you proceed sparingly. Trees and bushes are other variants.

Minimalistic outdoor lighting

In the minimalist garden, surfaces and structures come to the fore. That is why the planting is just one of many elements. Apart from the even lawn area, other plants are rarely considered. But if some are used, then it is worthwhile to put them in the limelight and this is best achieved with coherent outdoor lighting. So highlight certain planted areas. So you can enjoy your plants not only in the dark. Interesting shadows are also cast on facades and walls, making the garden look more interesting and lively.

Minimalist stone garden – gabions

As a modern and varied design element in the gravel garden, gabions can be used in a variety of ways. As a border, garden border or as a demarcation between the different areas in the garden, they adapt perfectly to the minimalist overall picture. For a plot of land on a hillside, gabions can be used as supporting walls and thus also turn into a beautiful decorative element at the same time.

Drought-loving plants

A minimalist garden can also be designed as a rock garden with selected drought-loving plants. Just a few varieties of selected easy-care thick-leaf plants and hardy perennial plants not grown too close together, enliven the garden and bring fresh air into it. Most of all they need light, so no location next to deciduous trees or in the shade is suitable for them.

So less is more outdoors, too

Many homeowners want an easy-care garden with a reduced design concept that looks neat and has enough space for the family’s leisure activities. Most of the time, a lawn and an adjacent terrace with large-format concrete slabs are sufficient. If the outdoor area has more than just a seating area, connect them all with minimalist garden paths.

Minimalist garden is part of contemporary architecture

Even those who have a spacious plot of land can strive for peace and simplicity. There would of course be more leeway and space for everything. In the immediate vicinity of the living area of ​​the kitchen, an exposed concrete terrace made of large-format concrete slabs extends outside. Next to it there is an outdoor dining area on a wooden pedestal, favored by the shade of a tree crown. Lavender bushes thrive not far away and not only exude a seductive aroma, but also ensure visual freshness.

Japanese style minimalist garden – pine tree or bonsai

An unobtrusive open space design can arouse enthusiasm with its special, calm nature. This is entirely true of the Japanese gardens. Also known as zen gardens, they have influenced the aesthetic of the minimalist garden. Few, but carefully selected, elements shape the garden design and set important accents. So feel free to use Asian elements such as bonsai to complement your garden design.

Minimalist garden in white – dry garden

Selected individual plants generally match the minimalist character, which is why the selection is all the more important. Small topiary trees, boxwood, Japanese pine, also tree species with characteristically beautiful foliage or varieties that are not very demanding, set accents. An olive tree and a surface of the earth covered with white gravel are reflected over the long side of the window front.

A minimalist garden removes the boundary between outside and inside

Special leaf colors and shapes come into their own here due to the minimalist landscape. Conventional ornamental grasses and perennial plants can be effectively staged to set accents in the interior and exterior. Excellent example of a minimalist small garden, but only one slot space. For such a location with light falling from above, there is no other plant that is more suitable than bamboo.

Minimalist garden inside – small, undemanding plants

Bamboo is generally expanding rapidly, but there are also smaller cultivated forms. It is a good alternative that is also suitable for the interior garden in a minimalist style. Small evergreen plants such as conifers and topiary fit well with this. Whether indoors or outdoors, the plants create beautiful areas and, if used sparingly, support the simple flair of your indoor or outdoor area to make it the perfect place to relax.

Water has an invigorating effect

A water basin brings liveliness to the otherwise calm atmosphere of the minimalist garden. This is especially true when it is provided with an additional element such as a waterfall or fountain. A geometric shape makes sense to match the style and it is made of metal, or stainless steel or aluminum for outdoors, or made of stone, preferably concrete. A watercourse can also be used creatively. Even then, straight shapes are preferable.

Concrete, gravel and easy-care ornamental grasses

All the ornamental grasses, the movement in the landscape, appear rich in contrast to the strictly geometric character of the minimalist garden. Most commonly used and well-suited species for cultivation in a rock garden, depending on the available space and conditions, are: pampas grass, lamp cleaning grass, bearskin grass, blue grass, blue fescue grass, Japanese blood grass, sedge and others.

Wooden floorboards and gravel

In order to create a minimalist garden with a high quality of stay, something more than a clear structure is required. A balanced atmosphere is achieved above all through the correct use of materials and the exact proportions of each one. This is reflected in the modern mix of concrete, wood, slate chips and plants.

Design with concrete

The selection of gravel, in this sense different colored stones and optional shapes, plays a defining role in minimalist garden design. Prerequisites for good and undemanding conservation are a sunny to full sun location and sandy, nutrient-poor, dry soil. Use gravel for larger areas or, as here, to fill joints between larger stone slabs.

Create an atmospheric atmosphere

Minimalist gardens naturally have minimalist furnishings. Few, but exquisite elements that are modern but functional at the same time are in demand here. A beautiful example of modern garden equipment with one unit can be seen here, where seating, plants in a raised bed, privacy screen and decking in light gray are combined with modern furniture and create an elegant interior for the outside area.

Modern concrete garden furniture 

A modest elegance and a stylish design convey garden furniture made of concrete, which is becoming increasingly popular and goes with tone-on-tone design ideas with a minimalist outdoor area with a cement floor. They complement the calm atmosphere with their simple and clear design language and are also extremely easy to care for. Feel free to complement the furniture with some decorations made of concrete.