A Sneak Peek at…Spring’s Newest Landscape Trends

Firstly, the team at Wright Landscape Services welcomes you to 2018.

Hopefully you had a wonderful New Year’s celebration and that you have a prosperous rest of the year too.

Although we’ve just entered January and it’s bitterly cold out there, it’s never too early to think about your spring projects.

This is especially true if you already have a budget in mind.

Last year, the hot landscaping trends focused on things like:

Using as many natural materials as possible
Sticking to “colour blocks”
Less lawn and more dedicated, purposeful areas (like multiple backyard patios)

However, if you’re planning on transforming your landscaping this year, here are some in vogue ideas you may want to bring to your home.

Small, tasteful gardens

In the past couple of years, homeowners wanted to dedicate every square inch of their backyards to something.

Whether it’s an outdoor kitchen, or a play area for the kids, outdoor living spaces were as much about function as they were about relaxation.

In 2018, landscaping design will incorporate the best of both worlds, for example:

A narrow, long garden that also serves as a deck or patio stone edge
Garden walls which also separate one area from another

These won’t be the large, vegetable gardens and plantings of your grandparents from yesteryear.

Instead, they’re subtle in size and purpose. But they’ll add an organic touch to your backyard landscaping.

Dining in the middle of the backyard

Most homes with an outdoor eating area have it situated just outside the house, as close to the kitchen as possible.

And while that’s convenient, it makes the backyard dining experience a little limited.

In 2018, outdoor dining tables are being moved away from – or off the deck – and into the middle of the backyard itself.

Now, that doesn’t mean just sticking a table and chairs in the middle of the yard.

Rather, “mini decks” are being built which can accommodate the table, chairs, lights, and even a canopy or shelter to protect it (and diners) from the elements.

Superior craftsmanship

Quality never really goes out of style. In fact, it’s a perpetual trend that’s always in demand.

However, 2018 is all about bypassing mass produced items and choosing products made by skilled hands and caring eyes.

For example:

Custom made stone arches to cover welcome guests through walkways and entrances
Garden or storage sheds which look like they’ve stood there for centuries
Unique natural stone and interlocking patterns

Buying products in bulk from the big box stores does have its advantages; but they’re not as special or one-of-a-kind as having a landscape design expert plan and build things which are just for you and your home.

A safe place for bees, butterflies and birds

Mosquitoes are always an unwelcome pest into any backyard.

On the other hand, birds, bees, and butterflies (especially the latter two) are declining in numbers and looking for safe places to eat, nest and grow.

Another spring trend for this year is to make your garden an inviting refuge for beautiful and beneficial critters by doing things like:

Planting berries or other fruits birds and insects like to eat
Hanging butterfly feeders in out-of-the-way areas where they won’t be disturbed
Not using harmful chemicals for lawn care purposes

Of course, your spring landscaping project is all about you.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t give a little thought to local wildlife when you’re planning it out.

Enjoying your garden from the inside

Usually, homeowners step outside when deciding what they want to do with their landscaping.

While that remains true, many people in 2018 are considering the view from inside the house when planning their project:

What will the garden look like when enjoying coffee in the morning?
At night, is the landscaping in total darkness, or does it have sufficient light?
Is there a variety of colour to look at, or is it all the same shade?

Sometimes, you can’t be in your garden (like if it’s simply raining too much).

But that doesn’t mean you can’t – and shouldn’t – enjoy it from the comfort and convenience (not to mention dryness too) – of inside your house.