Arborvitae is not going to be a good choice to make this. Consider dwarf yaupon or dwarf Japanese holly.

Or yews.

Do you really want a collections of rounded balls? That's not what most would consider to be an element of "modern landscape design".

I live In Alabama. Most of the common modern style plants are annuals here. I guess my thought was that the shape of the bushes would be more modern than not shaping them. In my mind geometric shapes are modern and just like interior styles can overlap according to the rest of the surroundings I thought that landscape could to. My home is an 80’s contemporary home. I thought with my home style it would help to frame the fact that I was going for a modern look. If you have a suggestion for zone 7 that would be more modern and won’t die during the winter or summer im open to it.

Heavy pruning or shearing, especially into geometric shapes, is a very outdated and often ill-advised landscape element. Nothing modern about it, it has been practiced for centuries and was very popular in the 50's, 60's and 70's but has since fallen out of favor.......and for very good reason!! These are very common with MCM and traditional styles of architecture (related era of popularity) but not at all with contemporary architecture.

Post photos of your home and we can hopefully make suggestions for a truly contemporary landscape. A collection of round balls is not it!!

I thought it looked like the bubbles you make when blowing bubbles, but in plant form.

The two rectangle beds and the one by the road are the ones we are trying to work on first.

I like the rounded bushes in front of this contemporary home.

I think that it looks fun and if you like it, give it a try. Very contrived designs like this, in my opinion, either work really well or completely fail. There is no middle way. I do all kinds of stuff that other people don't like (on one garden tour, a very experienced plantswoman pointed to a combination of a prostrate Cedrus deodara and a colony of Agave parryi and said 'I have a real problem with that!'). The constant shearing is something to consdier though - that will be a lifelong project. And they will need to be sheared often; this kind of formal treatment gets messy looking very quickly as it grows out.

Thanks for the encouragement! I am out helping in the yard a lot and my husband mows the grass every two to three days because he is obsessed. 🤣 My thought was if I made a habit of checking the shrubs and pruning when he is mowing it would just be a normal routine! I think everyone has a different idea about what looks good and I guess that’s what makes us different and the world go round!

The arb ‘Hetz Midget’ will stay small and round.

tj

I agree that the shaped shrubs could look good in the right place and that they’d suit your home, as long as they were immaculately groomed. It’s quite a skill keeping topiary symmetrical.

But I would change the bed in the angle between the drive and the road. It doesn’t seem to know what it is. The shape is irregular and the rock edge is rustic and random. It doesn’t respond at all to the modern house imo.

I totally agree with the rustic look of the rock. Our plan it to do black edging. No rocks at all. We have hauled so many rock away and still have more to go. Would you do a more squared off bed by the road?

Personally I’d not use any edging. Just a sharp cut trench edging to the lawn. Or white concrete to match the retaining wall.

Black plastic edging - being plastic - looks tacky. And is too narrow to function well as a lawn edging.

Shearing trees and shrubs is okay for hedges and real topiary, but wrong in most landscape situations

https://www.plantamnesty.org/about-plantamnesty/dont-shear/

We were going to do black metal. We will have to do it in the back due to the Slope and not wanting the mulch to wash away. I like the idea of the trench edging for the front.

I am not against the look you are going for,especially if you like it. For me, I see what looks like beds in full sun and think of all the beautiful flowering plants that thrive in the sun....... are You sure you don’t want any flowering plants or even small trees. You seem to have a lot of room in those beds.......maybe one of them could be planted in a different way...... I like the idea of the shaped shrubs near the mailbox and more flowing flowering plants near the entrance...... even some grasses could give a softening look near the entrance. Would love to See photos of your project when done. In the end, it’s what YOU like that matters.

debra

p.s. Beautiful home!

We have whole back bed that runs the length of our property that we plan on adding flower and trees in a lot of native plants hopefully. I just wanted the front to be clean and modern and more straight forward to maintain. Most of the Back is in full sun too. I’m very excited about the back but the front is our first order of business. Thank you so much for your kind approach and encouragement! I like hearing everyone’s opinion especially those who give it with put a judgmental tone! 🙂

Keeping those topiaries in good order would not exactly be straight forward. I think they’d look good but if you're assuming they’ll be low maintenance, they won’t be. Not if you want to do it properly.

Have you considered grasses? It's a very modern look.

I’ve considered grasses and yucca but both my husband and I like the bushes better. Was there a certain grass you were thinking of?

If you go with the balls, they will require regular trimming, and to look good, they need to be pretty darn perfect. Look into creating some sort of template or guide using wire or a wood cutout to provide the desired shape. When we were in Paris, the gardeners in one of the formal gardens used a large wooden half-circle template as their guide.

I like the idea of grasses better, do a search for “modern grass landscaping,” there are very pretty grasses with different color options. We have Little Bluestem “Standing Ovation“ and it’s fun to watch it change color. https://www.highcountrygardens.com/perennial-plants/ornamental-grass/schizachyrium-standing-ovation-little-bluestem

I understand that it won’t be low maintenance. I think you are misunderstanding my intentions here. I literally said in a post earlier on this same thread I would be willing to go out every two to three days to maintain if necessary. That is the schedule my husband mows our grass on. Low maintenance and straight forward mean two different things to me. I appreciate everyone’s input and help so much. I’m not the most skilled at landscaping because I am newer than most to it but I am a hard worker and a fast learner and not a complete moron so any help with advice to achieve my overall look and goal would be appreciated. I am now willing to consider boxwoods if they would be easier to maintain then dwarf yaupon or dwarf Japanese holly? Also do any of you have recommendations for what kind of boxwoods would be best? Thanks in advance for any help with this.

Thanks for the template idea that is very smart!

Thank You Sara! Such a wise and smart perspective!

in my opinion it would be best

Look at Gem Box hollies. They maintain a rounded shape without much pruning and get only 2-3 feet high and wide. In fact you shouldn’t prune at all after the spring/early summer flush of new growth.

How long have you lived in Alabama? There are many ‘modern‘ shrubs and perennials that would suit your needs, You just need to search them out. Try going to your nearby Botanical Garden at various times during the season and see what is growing. Or a local, trusted nursery. Things that say ‘dwarf’ in Alabama aren’t always true dwarfs.

Thank you for the advice. I’m 35 and I’ve lived in Alabama my whole life.

I love topiaried bushes and MCM. I say go for it! I cut anything in my yard that's not great on its own into a shape. I have ancient Ligustrum wax privets that I cut into shapes. They grow fast so it's my therapy to cut them back. I understand DH's obsession. :-)

If you're a modernist enthusiast, you must go to the FLW house in Florence, AL. Or maybe you've been there.

Hi there!

I live in Zone 7 and have used Arborvitae in my landscape design, and I’ve had good luck with them! The Green Giant Arborvitae tends to do really well in this zone, as it’s hardy, fast-growing, and resistant to disease. It's a great alternative to boxwoods and can offer a similar look with its dense, evergreen foliage.

That said, one thing to keep in mind is that Arborvitae does need some protection from harsh winds or heavy snow loads, especially in the winter months, as it can be prone to damage in certain conditions. It’s also important to ensure proper spacing to allow for their full growth potential.

If Arborvitae doesn’t seem like the best fit for your design, you might also consider Japanese Holly or Yews (Taxus), as both are evergreen and perform well in Zone 7 while offering a slightly different texture and look than boxwoods.