The start of any new decade is the start of a brand-new style. A look throughout history has shown that each decade has its own unique identity, and 2020 is going to be no different. The early 2000s saw an environmentalist movement that has engulfed the last 20 years. We’ve seen the rise of more organic products and materials, less waste, and the establishment of smaller outdoor spaces in places where there isn’t normally one. Landscape design has come a long way from the simple basics of the early 1920s to what it is today.
So, as we move into not just a new year, but a new decade, it’s now we will figure out what the new landscape design trends for 2020 and the 2020s will bring us. With the urban jungle continuing to expand, people are looking for their own green space. With so many ideas out there, let’s look at some of the new trends coming to landscape design that professional landscapers are already planning for.
Low-Maintenance Landscape Design
The top trend amongst all homeowners is definitely low-maintenance landscaping. There will always be a certain level of work to maintain a garden area, but the trend is leaning towards doing as little work as possible. Simply put, lives are getting busier, there are more distractions and homeowners don’t want to spend the same time maintaining a garden or lawn when they could be enjoying other activities. Low-maintenance turf lawns will be in high demand, which will come at a higher price. However, the time savings of now having to water and fertilizer is preferable to homeowners.
It’s also important for environmental reasons to ensure lawns are drought resistant, as a lack of water from Mother Nature will either leave a homeowner with a hefty water bill or a patch of dead grass. For landscape design, it’s about finding that right style that not only fits the owner’s lifestyle but also their environmental and water conservation preferences.
Bring the Indoors Outside
If homeowners have backyards, they want to use them. Many homeowners are looking at backyards as not just grass and gardens, but another room to their home. People are bringing their entertainment to their backyard, so creating an outdoor room is a huge trend heading into this new decade. How landscape design businesses are treating this trend is by adding throw pillows, cushioned chairs, and sofas to outdoor spaces. It’s about style and comfort, as outdoor patios are serving a greater function today as a second living room or dining room.
Outdoor kitchens are evolving beyond just the grill to include elements of sinks, countertops and storage for a complete outdoor kitchen. Getting outdoors and back into nature is a definite trend of this new generation, so enjoying their personal outdoor living space is the easiest answer.
The Organic Garden
Organic is still going to continue on in 2020 and beyond, as environmental concerns continue to be front and center. With that in mind, a lot of people are turning to vegan and vegetarian diets or adding a lot more vegetarian options to their weekly meal plan. And rather than going to the store, they are looking at their backyards. Landscape design in 2020 will see plenty of organic space for edible gardens. Gardens that look good to the eye, but also provide a plentiful bounty of vegetables and herbs.
It’s also adding regenerative gardening space, which can be used over and over again. Homeowners are looking for sustainability from their garden in their landscape design. Something that year over year, with proper care, can be regenerated into more edibles while at the same time using methods such as composting to help the environment.
Vertical Gardening
One of the most valuable trends to hit 2020 will be the vertical garden in landscape design. As urban sprawl continues, more high-rise apartments are being built in major cities. These owners still want the garden feeling, even if they only have a small balcony or patio. So, they are taking their garden upwards, which is a great way to utilize space, even when there isn’t much of it. It’s interesting to think that landscape design now has to think literally up and down, as much as they think about the width and length of a backyard.
For those with a full green space, vertical gardening is becoming the outdoor equivalent to the accent wall. Rather than just a fence, a vertical garden offers a better overall visual setting and can help create different settings or rooms in a backyard space.
Minimalist Lighting
The minimalist movement has moved from the closest and indoor space to the outdoor space as well. Landscape design will have to do more with less. That includes fewer lighting fixtures that still cover an entire area that needs to be lit. That includes placing LED lights under walkways and stairs or under structures such as benches and bridges.
If a light fixture is to be seen, homeowners are wanting the indoor style lighting to notice, such as chandeliers for seating and dining areas. Much like before, it’s about bringing the indoors outside for a cozy atmosphere.
The New Decade of Landscape Design
When it comes down to it, 2020 trends are pulling a lot from the last 20 years of trends in our outdoor spaces. It’s still about maintaining an environmental space while utilizing the maximum amount of space available. As climates change, new food trends and society’s push to get outdoors continue to evolve in the 2020’s so too will landscape designs have to meet these trends with fresh ideas and concepts. DynaScape’s landscape design software is built for landscapers and landscape design professionals and will be able to handle each of these trends.
Whether going vertical, wanting to add the appropriate lighting, and/or building edible gardens, it can all be perfectly planned and designed for your customers. Offer a full-color view of your designs or take it up a notch with a 3D rendering of your design to really bring the space to life. Customers want the full backyard feeling, so 3D rendering and full CAD color drawings are the trends in landscape design. Take advantage of DynaScape’s Design, Color, and Sketch 3D tools to complete these concepts for your customers and win more bids for landscape projects.