The Dutch have always seemed (to me) to be slightly shorted when it comes to giving nationalized gardening credit.  Brits (deservedly) are the ones that everyone thinks of when you think of good gardeners, but I think that the Dutch ought to have a similar level of reverence.  Nearly everything I see from Dutch designers, I love and this portfolio from Martin Veldkamp is no exception.

This particular firm’s style seems clear (and I always appreciate that).  There always seems to be a clarity of vision and simplicity that is both warm and modern (no matter what project I look at in this portfolio).  The style seems to mandate that everything goes in groups  – containers, trees, plants.  The furniture is clean and modern and the containers always have a more rustic or classic twist.  Grey, white and black (with of course some green) are common colors.   I love this style and I find I want to analyze it to death to learn how to re-create it in my own projects.  What commonalities do you see here?

Here are what I see as key elements of this style:

• Long straight lines and rectilinear layouts
• Pleached trees and trees planted in allées as well as hedges that break up the long lines
• Rectangular pools
• Modern architecture and modern furniture
• Color schemes that revolve around grey, black, and white
• Oversized pieces – particularly planters

Designed by  Martin Veltkamp