Spring has officially sprung – and most yards have a few daffodils or violets to prove it. If your yard, garden or patio is looking a little tired and worn, it may be time to make some updates (or even a complete overhaul).
Good landscaping not only adds curb appeal and value to your property, but it can also improve your overall quality of life and up the enjoyment you get from your outdoor living spaces. Once upon a time, about all it took to be modern and fashionable was a neat yard that was kept free of dandelions and crabgrass – but times really are changing.
The emphasis now is on eco-friendly, personalized landscaping designs with an eye toward just about anything except the traditional grass lawn. If you’re looking for inspiration, you’ve come to the right place.
Here are the biggest landscaping trends moving into 2023 and beyond:
Low-Maintenance, Low-Carbon Landscaping
More and more people are opting for low-maintenance landscapes that require less water, little fertilizer, fewer pesticides and less overall upkeep. This trend emphasizes using plants that are easy to care for, such as succulents, and adding features such as artificial turf or rock gardens in hard-to-groom areas.
Low-maintenance landscaping is perfect for those who want a beautiful yard without having to spend hours each week maintaining it. It’s ideal for homeowners who travel and those who want to keep their weekends sacrosanct. Using the right design and plant choices, with minimal effort you can create a landscape that looks great year-round.
This trend is also perfect for those who want to reduce their environmental impact. By using plants that are well-suited to the local climate and soil, you can reduce your water consumption and the need for chemical treatments. Artificial turf may not sound eco-friendly, but – in practice – it eliminates a lot of excess water use and all the carbon emissions from lawnmowers and trimmers.
Small Gardens and Edible Landscaping
“Cottagecore” is moving outdoors this year, as homeowners embrace decorative gardens that are filled with a riot of colors and styles. Forget the alternating pattern of evergreen shrubs and hostas that have long been popular in the suburbs. Instead, embrace creeping vines, trellis roses, ivy-covered fences, hanging baskets and an aesthetic that delights in casual disorder.
Growing your own food has also become a popular trend in recent years, and incorporating edible plants into your landscaping is a great way to do it. Herbs like mint, chives, green onions, rosemary, basil, and sage are beautiful and fragrant plants to add to your garden (and recipes). Lettuce, arugula, cabbage and kale are all low-maintenance greens that will grace your dinner table all summer long.
Vertical Gardening for Extra Space
What if you have a small backyard, but you still want to create a sense of abundance all around your patio or door? It could be time to explore vertical gardening.
This trend involves using garden walls and fences to create vertical gardens that are both space-efficient and beautiful. These vertical gardens are particularly embraced by urban dwellers, but they’re also planted by folks who simply want to hide ugly retaining walls and other eyesores. Plus, these small gardens are water-friendly, so they’re great if you live in an area that’s prone to summer droughts.
Vertical gardens are perfect for homeowners who want to maximize their functional patio space with outdoor kitchens, brick ovens and seating – without sacrificing the lush surroundings of a secret garden.
Immersive Outdoor Living Spaces
Speaking of functional outdoor living spaces, another big trend for the upcoming season is the “immersive outdoor space.” People don’t want to just look at their yards, they want to actually live in them whenever the weather permits.
This trend emphasizes function over form, with the ultimate goal of creating a comfortable place to relax, entertain, play with the kids or the pets and just enjoy the beauty of nature. Aside from installing outdoor kitchens and seating areas, homeowners are also adding water features like ponds, fountains and even stone-lined creeks for added visual interest and joy. You may want to include walking paths or other customized touches.
Unstructured Yards That Invite Local Fauna
If you have the space, naturalistic landscaping is perfect for those who love the beauty of nature and want a landscape that blends seamlessly into the surrounding environment.
To get this look, homeowners use local plants, rocks and other natural elements to create a landscape that is somewhat wild and unstructured – with the end goal of creating a mini nature preserve for the local flora and fauna. Homeowners are increasingly replacing the grass in their backyards with clover, setting up beehives, digging frog or fish ponds and building bat houses to give the local ecosystem a bit of a boost.
Hardscaping With Reclaimed Materials
If “reduce, reuse, recycle” is your mantra, but you’re not exactly a fan of the functional disorder that goes along with naturalistic landscapes or cottage-style gardens, you’ll love modern hardscaping.
It involves using both new and reclaimed materials such as wooden railroad ties or pallets, stone, steel and glass to create a landscape that is sleek and ultra-modern like something out of a high-end architectural magazine. This kind of hardscaping emphasizes clean lines, minimalism and simplicity – and it’s ultimately environmentally friendly and easy to maintain.
What’s the Final Word in Landscaping Trends?
Essentially, folks are moving away from cookie-cutter lawns that are basic or bland and letting their outdoor spaces reflect their personal sense of taste and style, just like they do inside their homes. Sustainability and usefulness are the order of the day – and the future.
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