Two new books are providing a fresh look into what modern gardening really is. In an few words, it is based on ecological ethos instead of a particular look or feel. The first book is by Tim Richardson and is entitled “Avant Gardeners: 50 Visionaries of the Contemporary Landscape.” The gardens shown in this tome show a wide range of styles using materials that one would not expect in their garden. From the World Trade Center in Osaka, Japan to the Herbert Dreiseitl’s German parks, these are ideas that are truly outside of the box. There are plenty of gardens back home in the US as well, many of which follow practices that are ecologically friendly with systems that harvest water and blur into the surrounding wild growth.

The other book is by Zahid Sardar and is entitled “New Garden Design: Inspiring Private Paradises.” This book is full of vivid color photos that truly take you to the gardens. Designs features designs from established landscapers as well as up and coming talent. These books tend to raise questions about modern gardens that they do not answer quite well. What is a modern garden, and what are its elements? Do they tend to be minimal and ecofriendly? Are there curves and natural shapes or sharp corners? Are they consisting of only local plants, or do they have an international offering?

Ask other gardeners, experts in plants, designers, and you will receive a variety of responses. There are those that say it is irrelevant, some that will ignore you, and some that will pour out with opinions. But there is one response that truly gets to the heart of the matter when it comes to gardening. The fact is that garden is a verb, not a noun, and it is in the act of gardening that truly modern ideas come into play. These include ecological considerations, as well as a sense of getting the most out of a garden with the least amount of work.

Gardens should be designed so that they are not labor intensive, and that they do not consume as much resources. What this initially means is that the plants chosen should thrive in your environment, and you should employ systems that sustain the garden. Rain water collection systems that will take a heavy nights rain and spread it out over a week or two. Choosing plants that add to the soil what other plants need to survive. Keeping the size of the garden within you manageability, and making sure that your garden is sustainable.

What it boils down to is that the modern revolution in gardening is towards sustainability and self sufficiency so that you minimize fertilizer and resource usage and the amount of work that you need to put into your garden. What theme could be more modern than sustainable actions and resource savings? It takes knowledge, focus, and determination to get there.

Originally posted 2009-03-04 13:49:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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blur, color photos, ecological considerations, few words, fresh look, gardeners, harvest water, heart of the matter, herbert dreiseitl, landscapers, natural shapes, noun, osaka japan, paradises, sardar, tim richardson, two new books, using materials, visionaries, vivid color