Top 10 Landscaping Trends

If you’re planning a springtime landscaping job or if you want a makeover for your property, there are many recent landscaping trends you should consider.

1. Game Courts – The cost of travel has many people either vacationing close to home or actually vacationing at home. This is a great opportunity to install some extra features on your property.  A common extra are game courts.  Adding a shuffleboard deck, tennis court, mini-golf course, or basketball court is a great landscaping idea and keeps the family active.

2. Go Green – With today’s generation being so keen on recycling and staying as green as possible, the most common trend involves using more natural materials and renewable resources around the home. This includes things such as bamboo fences and reusing indoor renovation material to expand outdoor spaces instead of throwing it all into the garbage. If you’ve replaced your kitchen countertops in the home, use the old counter space for an outdoor work space, bar or other useful area.

3. Outdoor Kitchens – A stand alone BBQ grill may have been sufficient until now, but it could be time to rethink the whole outdoor kitchen concept. If you like to socialize or if you have a large family, installing a built-in grill, outdoor bar, pizza oven or other form of backyard entertainment is a hot landscaping trend this year.

4. Edible Landscapes – Whether you have a large property or not there is always room to grow a little something extra. If you’ve always wanted to try organic growing or be more self-sufficient, growing an edible kitchen garden is a great beginning. You can start with herbs and expand into small vegetables such as tomatoes, peas and even fruit trees.

5. Outdoor Firepits – Long gone are the days of a cut barrel and handful of wood. These have been replaced with a safer alternative such as raised firepits that are fueled by clean burning oil. Homeowners can also make their own firepits of pavers, stone and tile. This type of pit can be hard-scaped into your property. Installing a seating around a beautiful outdoor pit will definitely make your home the place to be in the neighborhood.

6. Stone Pathways – Adding beautiful pathways along your property allows you a more enjoyable walk to different areas. Use bricks, reconstituted limestone or terracotta tiles for versatile options. These materials can also be used to reface veranda, patios and pool areas.

7. Go Native – If you are not equipped with a green thumb of your own this will be a good time to call your local landscaper. Adding native plants to your existing garden is an ideal way to landscape. Native plants will already be adapted to your climate and make a great addition to plants that you already own.

8. Themes – Long live the Bonsai tree and they will if planted properly. Use your imagination as you transform your own backyard into a traditional Japanese garden, or maybe a scene from an English painting. Another hot trend this year is themed landscaping.  Seeking professional advice here may be your best option, but think outside the box and try and remember walking into a natural setting where you were amazed. What features could you borrow to create that feeling in your own outdoor space? Adding shrubs, water features and stones is a great way to personalize your area.

9. Vertical Planting – Take your garden to a whole new level by planting vertical. There really is no better or easier way to cover unsightly brick walls or plumbing than with plants. Adding dedicated planting walls with hydroponics and watering systems can take a lot of the maintenance out of plant care. Ask your professional landscaper about modular systems.

10. Hire a Landscape Architect – Although this may not sound like a trend, it is. Instead of leaving your lawn to its fate or just mowing what is there and hoping it somehow turns into a lawn, hire a professional landscape company with construction experts and architects on hand. They can take a look at your property and give advice on your best options. Perhaps your area is not suited for a specific type of grass or shrub. They can suggest pathways, gardens, lighting and a variety of features that you may not have considered otherwise.

Blog sponsored by Horizon Landscape