With a new year there are many things to look forward to, especially the warmer months and enjoying the beauty of your backyard. Although winters in Minnesota feel, and can be, long, it’s never too early to start thinking about landscaping ideas for your yard in 2017. With the daylight hours starting to extend slowly, Spring is just around the corner. Here are are some landscaping trends worth considering in the new year:
Sustainable Landscapes
If you haven’t thought much about sustainable landscaping yet, 2017 might be the year you start paying attention. Sustainable landscaping is an easy way to practice environmental stewardship and even though it’s a specific type of landscaping, it is diverse. Sustainable landscapes have become more popular, particularly in urban and commercial areas, but homeowners are starting to take notice, too.
When you start looking at your backyard as a sustainable space, you begin to think outside of the box, so to speak. Rather than traditional (and sometimes wasteful) practice of watering with a garden hose or sprinkler set up, your landscaping can be designed to require less water, or you can include a water feature that aids in the watering of your plants.
Sustainable landscaping not only provides a habitat for wildlife and plants native to Minnesota, but the maintenance of this type of landscaping is minimal, which gives you more time to relax and enjoy your outdoor space.
Indoor & Outdoor Plants
There are two types of households: those that have a house full of plants and those who do not. Many homeowners shy away from having indoor plants because they think it requires a “green thumb” or is simply too much maintenance. If you can maintain outdoor landscaping, you can take care of an indoor plant. Although indoor plants are hardly a new trend, many homeowners are rediscovering the beauty of a potted tree or tropical flower in the dead of winter. So, with that in mind, why not choose a plant that you can enjoy indoors during the cooler months and enjoy outdoors in the warmer months?
Portable Landscaping
The easiest way to enjoy this type of landscaping is by having trees, flowers, and other plants planted in pots that are easy to move around. Whether you love succulents or the bright red blossom of the hibiscus, talk to a professional and do a little research. Moving plants in and outdoors can be a little tricky at times, but if done right and with care, you can enjoy some of your favorite plants and flowers year round.
Edible Landscapes
Edible landscaping, isn’t that just like gardening? In a way, yes, but edible landscaping usually incorporates the aesthetics of ornamental landscapes. While a vegetable garden is a staple to many backyards throughout Minnesota, some homeowners would rather support a local Farmer’s Market, don’t want to devote a large part of their yard to a garden, or don’t have the time or knowledge to keep up with a garden. One of the great thing about edible landscaping is that your favorite edibles, such as basil, mint, violets and even a cherry tomato plant, can be creatively and beautifully incorporated into existing or new landscapes, with minimal maintenance.
A Blend of Old and New
Although the New Year is a time for “out with old, in with the new,” you may want to rethink tossing out some of your old stuff. Do you have an old bench you can’t seem to part with or love an old brick path in your yard, but it’s lost its functionality? This is where hiring a landscape artist can come in handy, as he or she can help you incorporate something old with a newer design, making it a one-of-a-kind landscape without worrying about looking “kitschy.”
Playful Landscapes
For years, backyards have become home to cumbersome swingsets or jungle gyms. While every kid loves to swing and slide, there’s not much for anyone else to enjoy. A landscaping trend that everyone can get behind is a playable space. Whether you have a multi-purpose patio for a game of horseshoes with a designated place for grilling or a regulation-sized bocce ball court, designing a playable landscape will bring more joy to the outdoors and most likely require less work on your part (i.e. mowing).
Plan Early
Although the snow, cold, and ice are destined to stick around for a few more months, it’s never too early to start thinking about creating the perfect space in your backyard that incorporates some of your favorite things with some new and trending ideas.