As we head into the new year, landscape professionals and homeowners are already gearing up for the lawn and landscape work that comes along with warmer weather in the spring. Every year, people want their lawns and landscaping to look good and fit their lifestyles, and they’re willing to invest in yard improvements.
Each year, landscape professionals notice trends in what people want to do in their yards. Groups like the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) and Garden Media are already starting to talk about trends they’re noticing or predicting for 2024. Whether you’re a homeowner considering ideas for your yard or a green industry pro planning for the year ahead, here are five of the hottest landscape trends to keep an eye on in 2024.
1) Low-Maintenance Yards
With how busy our lives are, it’s no surprise that homeowners are often interested in low-maintenance landscapes. The simpler it is to take care of the yard, the more time we have to enjoy the beautiful space.
One of the things you might notice this year is an emphasis on perennial plants. These are plants that come back every year, in contrast to annuals that only live for one growing season. Shrubs are also popular, preferably ones that look good with very little pruning.
Most people don’t have the time to trim hedges or shrubs several times a growing season, but they can make time to prune once to keep the plant healthy. Low-maintenance shrubs and perennials provide color and texture in a landscape with very little time investment to keep things looking good.
2) Eco Landscapes
Eco-friendly or “green” landscapes are another ongoing trend in modern yard work. People are more and more environmentally conscious, and you’ll see that in landscaping trends.
One of these trends includes “smart” landscaping, like sprinklers that conserve water by automatically tracking weather patterns to determine if they should water the lawn. Some homeowners might also use smart tools like a rechargeable automated lawnmower robot to cut down on maintenance and engine emissions.
More and more customers are asking landscaping companies to work with existing topography in their yards (e.g. established trees, hills and dips in the lawn), rather than tear everything out and start from scratch. You might also see trends like replacing lawns with native plants, planting pollinator-friendly flowers, and installing no-till gardens to fix carbon in the soil.
3) Renovation of Old Landscapes
For many existing homes where the landscaping is old, homeowners are looking to renovate and update their existing yards. In some cases, the older landscaping just hasn’t stood up well to time. Some of the hardscape elements might be deteriorating, and some of the older plants might be starting to look overgrown or unhealthy. In other cases, the original homeowner might not have hired a professional to do the landscaping, and issues from the original installation are now starting to show up.
Certain renovation tasks should happen every few years or as needed, such as replacing mulch, sealing pavement, replacing broken paving stones, or replanting perennials that died. In some cases, this might be a weekend project for a homeowner who likes working in the garden. In others, it might make more sense to hire a landscape company to take care of it.
Other, larger-scale renovation tasks take place about every 10 to 15 years. This includes repairing or replacing hardscape elements, such as patios, furniture, or pergolas. It might also involve redoing landscape beds where plants have become overgrown, crowded, or damaged.
4) Tons of Color
While Garden Media’s 2024 garden trends report predicts Gen Z will be landscaping with dark, moody colors, the bulk of landscapers are seeing trends toward yards full of color.
While there will always be a call for foliage-heavy landscaping or people who want specific colors highlighted, overall, the trend is heading toward color. For a lot of homeowners, the more colorful flowers you can pack into a yard, the better.
People often plant annual flowers to put color in landscape beds, but this trend can also go along with the trend for lower-maintenance landscapes and perennial gardens. Landscape professionals can help their clients by recommending perennials that bloom at different times during the year so there’s always color in the landscape from early spring through late fall.
5) Outdoor Living Spaces
Outdoor living spaces are a trend that continues to be popular. Outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, pizza ovens, and other cooking spaces are popular in large- and small-scale landscapes. Clients often want spaces to entertain, and kitchens along with outdoor seating areas make that easy.
The type of outdoor living space will depend on individual needs. Families with active children might want more open lawn space or room for a children’s playset. Individuals or couples who like to entertain will want more seating and entertaining areas. Professional landscapers can work with homeowners to make the most of outdoor space.
Clients might also want private outdoor living spaces to help promote wellness. There are well-known stress-relieving benefits to being out in nature, and a peaceful outdoor living space can help people find calm in their stressful lives. Water features, particularly those that create the gentle sound of running water, are very popular for relaxing landscapes.
The Right Tool For The Job
As the years pass, landscape trends change but a few things stay the same. Clients want their yards to look good. Landscape professionals deliver quality work, and for that, they need quality tools. Here at Richardson Saw, we carry a wide selection of commercial-quality power equipment for green industry pros from respected, reliable brands including STIHL, Echo, Scag, and RedMax. Stop by our location in Richardson, TX, or browse our online store to get all the equipment you’ll need for 2024.
