Green Landscaping Design Trends

There’s no turning back, San Diego has embraced the green design movement. We’re not complaining! You see it everywhere you go – in the spirit of being more environmentally conscious, green design and green gardening are only growing in popularity…See what we did there?

As with anything else, it’s very easy to spot the trends in gardening and landscape design. All you have to do is take a look around! More and more homeowners in San Diego are ditching their grass lawns in place of more sustainable landscapes. Here are the eco-friendly landscaping design trends that we’re seeing in 2018.

5 Green Design Trends in San Diego

SUCCULENTS ARE HERE TO STAY

When green gardening first started really taking off, one of the most popular trends was succulents. They check all the boxes – native to San Diego, low maintenance, drought resistant, and beautiful. But we’re not seeing the trend dwindling any time soon. At every craft or hobby store, gift shop, restaurant, and special event, you’re bound to see large displays of succulents. Homeowners caught on and it seems succulents are once again a top garden design trend of 2018. These sculptural plants are very easy to care for, and for that care you may be rewarded with one of their strikingly beautiful and rare blooms.

Perhaps the most commonly seen trend within a trend is to build a “living wall” or “green wall” with succulents! For those of you wanting to feature one of these living walls, succulents are a great choice. They are versatile, resilient, and there’s a wide variety to choose from, so you have plenty of options to create a visually engaging and eco-friendly landscape. A living wall is a great option for anyone in San Diego that doesn’t have a ton of space for more conventional layout of an eco-friendly garden.

ALFRESCO DINING

Known for it’s spectacular weather and mild climate, San Diego offers a perfect place for the alfresco dining trend to flourish. Typically spring and summer would be the best times to enjoy outdoor space, but if you do it right, you can create an outdoor environment that welcomes you outdoors all year long. Those with smaller homes can really utilize their landscape to make up for lost space in their kitchens and living areas. If you’re going to be moving the party outside, you’ll want a dedicated area that has good lighting, comfortable lounging areas, and attractive surroundings. The best outdoor kitchens provide room to cook, eat, and entertain. Depending on your budget and lifestyle interests, you can even install fun amenities like a pizza oven or a fire pit.

Dining alfresco is a landscape trend here to stay.

STYLISH SHEDS

Who said practical can’t be pretty? The newest trend with outdoor sheds is all about appearance. When purchasing a shed, it used to be you just worried about whether it was big enough to suit your storage needs. But now, people are asking themselves, how will this look? With skyrocketing San Diego home prices, people are aware that their garden space is more important than ever, and they’re looking for ways to utilize storage space without sacrificing the beauty of their surroundings. When purchasing a new shed for your green garden, try to find one that’s energy efficient and aesthetically pleasing.

GROWING YOUR OWN FOOD

Anyone looking to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle should consider growing (at least some of) their own food. This won’t necessarily be manageable for everyone, but those of us that can take advantage of our eco friendly landscaping can grow organic produce right at home! You should start small with your first outdoor vegetable garden – you might begin with herbs grown in a window or window box. Or you can just dive right in and experiment with a section of your garden. Peas, quinoa, broccoli, and spinach are great foods to start out with.

FIND SOME BALANCE

Good news for those of us that are looking for a lower maintenance, hands off approach to eco friendly landscaping. As opposed to the rigorously kept lawns of years past, one 2018 garden design trend is all about letting nature run its course. The way to approach this trend is actually by stepping back. Relax and reflect on what your yard already is. Appreciate the natural imperfections. This trend is all about letting go of the need to find perfection. In doing so, you can create a space that is truly peaceful, and what better place for you to relax than a peaceful, natural outdoor living space? Try to choose plants, trees, and shrubs that will change and develop over time.

Whether you’re looking to completely redesign your front or backyard into an eco-friendly landscape or simply improve upon what you already have, we can help! Our San Diego landscape construction team is eager to help you create your perfect outdoor living space.