The colour of a feature alters the style enormously and should be considered carefully. For more traditional gardens, designers often use natural coloured materials like stone and wood and match the colour to the surrounding landscape.

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Whereas for a more contemporary garden, designers may choose colours that do not look so natural in the landscape.

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The texture of a hard landscape structure also has a big impact on the style. Generally, more traditional gardens will contain features made from naturally textured materials like riven stone or gravel:

Whereas contemporary gardens might be more likely to contain polished or smooth surfaces: