We tend to use stone, brick or wood when constructing our gardens. But what about metal?

Gates and fences have traditionally been the obvious uses for metal in the garden, as the material is durable and cost effective but not always very decorative. In recent years, though, metal has been used more often in contemporary garden design as part of the structure and ornamentation.

Let's look at how metal has spread from simple fencing to various elements of garden design: surfacing, containers, water features and sculptures. D-CRAIN Design and Construction It almost takes a second look to realize that the retaining walls and steps in this contemporary front garden are made of steel. The material is the perfect complement to the modern architecture of the house, because it has a clean, simple finish.

The touches of rust create a more natural feel, but would you be brave enough to use metal as the main construction material in your garden? The Garden Design Studio Let rust bring metal closer to nature. Using rusted metal in garden design is becoming more popular, perhaps because it takes away the clinical look of the material. Rust brings its own hues that are easily associated with gardens and the earth: ochers, reds and browns.

The rusted steel used as retaining walls here has an almost natural look with its color and texture. The hardness of the material is softened by clever plantings, including a row of purple Berberis against the lower wall that almost picks up the colors of the rust. D-CRAIN Design and Construction The stonecrop ground cover (Sedum reflexum 'Green Spruce') beautifully blankets the hard edges of the stone wall and flows easily down the front. Banyon Tree Design Studio Combine metal and stone for a harmonious feature. Not all steel in garden construction comes in the form of sheets. Here stone-filled gabions have been used to create an interesting and cost-effective retaining wall. I suppose the stone is the real design feature, with metal taking the second string, but the two combine well.

Gabions are easy to use, as they are supplied flat packed and then wired together. They will rust in time, but some manufacturers guarantee them for 50 years. Use corrugated iron for more than just roofing the barn. There are alternatives to flat steel for a traditional barrier or fence. Corrugated galvanized iron panels, so favored as a cheap roofing and building material in the past, are used here as a decorative feature, set to contrast against a stunning yellow wall. The shadows created along the lines of the corrugation give the steel a great feeling of texture against the flatness of the wall. edb designs The same corrugated galvanized iron has been used here to create large utilitarian stock tank planters. They are easy to position or move and can be used for a wide range of plants — from decorative shrubs and climbers, as shown here, to fruit and vegetables. Zeterre Landscape Architecture Convey quality with stainless steel. From low-cost corrugated panels we move to high-end stainless steel. Stainless steel can be expensive and overpowering in great expanses, so using it in small sections as decorative internal barriers is probably the most cost-effective solution.

Stainless steel requires more maintenance than galvanized or Cor-Ten steel; it needs regular polishing to keep the surface clean and reflective. WA Design Architects Stainless steel is used here as a screen but in a totally different format. The openness of the screen, created from rods, allows the landscape to show through. Castanes Architects PS Create the right entrance. Its low cost and ease of use has made metal the perfect material for gates for eons. If you feel your garden design won't take a full-blown rusted steel fence, then perhaps just including a steel gate, such as this laser-cut Cor-Ten one, would add that special touch. Andrew T. Crawford Not all gates have to be so practical and contemporary. Metalwork doesn't have to be utilitarian, as this gate illustrates. Gates can be unstructured and, as this one shows, amusing. Zeterre Landscape Architecture Use strong metallic lines for modern appeal. I just love this modern approach to using metal in such a simple garden design. The strong lines of the steel tubes are reminiscent of the spikes of cordylines or phormiums while echoing the color of the ground-cover plants around them. The steel and wood bench completes the picture, with the delightful touch of plants growing along the bench and under it. Exteriorscapes llc Combine water and metal. This simple water feature, created from rusted steel, allows the different textures of the stone, steel and water to contrast. A further contrast is also created by the still, clear stream feeding the waterfall and the turbulent result below it. Randy Thueme Design Inc. - Landscape Architecture Make a statement. Finally, this sleek, cool and contemporary steel pergola is a statement in its own right and doesn't need clothing made of climbers. It has a strong impact on the garden and with the correct siting allows the play of light and shade.

More: Ideas for using Cor-Ten steel in the home and garden