New Landscaping and Gardening Trends – Forbes Advisor

Whether you just bought a new home or you’re looking to give your current home a fresh new look, there are plenty of new landscaping and gardening trends to include in your plan. You don’t have to commit all your savings to your project, there are also inexpensive landscaping ideas that will liven up your garden without draining your bank account. Instead of focusing on the most upscale options, consider your personal goals and trends that align with your design taste.

Do you want your backyard to be an oasis of relaxation or are you trying to make your front porch the social destination of the neighborhood? There is a landscaping style and garden design for everyone, but consider the whole picture before you start tearing the lawn or building a fire pit; Landscaping is a year-round commitment. Mix and match these trends and follow our tips for making your outdoor space the best fit for you.

1. Less grass is more

Instead of a wide expanse of green lawn, many of this year’s landscaping trends are based on the idea that less grass gives you the freedom to do more—more ground cover plants, more furniture or even the possibility to put in a pool or build a deck.

Potted plants are becoming more and more popular outdoors in place of large lawns or even flower beds. It is easier to control the size of the plants, and thus plan what other features you want to include. Even home gardeners can flaunt their green thumb, even without their own outdoor space with potted houseplants, which became especially popular at the beginning of the epidemic.

2. Vertical gardening

A vertical garden is not the best option for homeowners looking to limit their lawn area, but it is an excellent option for people looking for landscaping and gardening solutions for a small space. Options for indoor and outdoor vertical gardens exist, from sophisticated planting systems to DIY solutions. Before you start a vertical garden, make a plan for the structure and plants as it can be difficult to switch these things out once you start growing.

3. Environmentally friendly practices

When designing their immediate environment, many people think about the environment as a whole and stick to the trends of eco-friendly landscaping and gardening. Sustainability has been an upward trend for years, and a survey by OnePoll found that the Covid-19 pandemic has inspired 64% of Americans to live more sustainably.

There are many tips for creating a more environmentally friendly yard. Newer trends include composting to avoid food waste; On-site rainwater collection to irrigate the lawn, the garden itself, or even to do household chores, wash a car, or fill a swimming pool. Designate some space specifically to be friendly to pollinators, which can provide a safe haven for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Including features to help combat climate change will continue to gain popularity and may be added over the seasons.

4. Simplicity

Landscaping doesn’t have to be complicated and gardening doesn’t have to be complicated to be great. Simple, practical and easy landscaping is in fashion now. Your garden is a figment of the wild and nature is naturally beautiful. There is no shame in adopting a low maintenance approach and keeping ongoing efforts to a minimum.

5. Xeriscaping

One combination of lawn-less trends, eco-friendly practices, and simplicity leads to a larger landscape trend: xeriscaping. Xeriscaping is the practice of landscape design to reduce or eliminate the need for watering; While it is ideal for desert climates, it can also be practiced in more humid locations.

This style of landscaping will require specific planning and even soil analysis to ensure the climate in which you live and the plants you choose will suffice, but after starting this type of gardening, it requires little maintenance and saves a lot of water.

6. Edible efforts

Houseplants haven’t been the only gardening trend growing during a pandemic – tending to edible plants or entire vegetable gardens has also been popular lately. Growing edible fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers, or even just spreading green onions in a glass of water on your windowsill, is becoming increasingly popular. Being able to enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) from your work makes the effort of gardening even sweeter.

7. Living outdoors

Landscaping trapezoids is the growing trend of outdoor living. The increase in the time people spend at home in 2020 and 2021 has resulted in many people improving their living space, and our front and back yards have provided a place we can safely escape to. Creating a lounge area in the shade, building an outdoor kitchen, or furnishing a sunroom or a covered porch provide ample opportunities to expand your home and bring in some indoor perks outside.

8. Smart Home Technology

Incorporating smart home technology into landscaping is part of the trend of indoor-outdoor landscaping. This includes everything from functional features like watering methods with smart controllers to fun features like smart speakers or light sensors.

9. Rest and Relax

When it wasn’t possible to take a vacation or escape to a spa during a pandemic, our outdoor spaces became our places to get some R&D. This can be achieved through traditional methods such as creating a zen garden or setting up a hot tub or by incorporating more modern trends such as building a complete outdoor living space with smart technology for escape entertainment.

10. Privacy

With this extending your home from the inside out, privacy is a premium. There are many ways to separate your garden from neighbors and passersby who don’t seem tacky or out of place. A vertical garden can be used as a separate screen, low-maintenance shrubs can suffice as a hedge and an arbor or pergola can put more functional distance between you and the truly outside world. There are even decorative privacy screens to match any outdoor aesthetics.