#1 Creating happy, healthy spaces
In a world that is increasingly focused on natural living, organic products, and improving health and wellness, even home and commercial landscaping is showing this influence. Meditation gardens, large groupings of air-purifying plants around intimate seating areas, and water features are just a few things you’ll be seeing more of this year. For homeowners and busy businesses, stress-free zones can be created by planning something as simple as a small bench in a picturesque setting that will encourage rest and reflection.
#2 Water, water everywhere
Speaking of water features, water’s touch, sight, sound and feel are all great for adding something extra to landscape design in 2018. Even drought-tolerant areas such as we have here in the Visalia area can use recycled water to create small reflective pools or subtle stone and running water features. Rainscapes have been trending at gardening symposiums as well, incorporating creative ways to capture and recycle rainwater for areas with low rainfall.
#3 Drought and harsh climate planning
In some areas of the U.S., landscape designers are thinking about how to deal with all the snow and ice. Here in Central California, we need to anticipate drought conditions, high winds, and harsh temperatures. That’s why resilient, native plants, and drought-tolerant landscapes are still going to be popular in 2018.
#4 Wabi-Sabi gardening
Wabi-Sabi is based on an ancient Japanese practice that appreciates imperfections in life and an ability to age gracefully. Instead of having meticulously planned and immaculate gardens and grounds, wabi-sabi landscaping imitates nature in all its imperfect glory with rambling plantings, native growth, and the use of natural, sustainable and locally sourced organic materials such as metal, stone or wood, instead of plastics.
#5 And the color of the year is….
Pantone announced its color of the year for 2018 – ultra violet – and industries ranging from fashion to interior design to landscaping, have embraced it. When it comes to gardens and landscaping you can follow the trend by planting color-rich purple fruits, vegetables and flowers to give you garden some visual flair. Try purple cauliflower, black rice, purple asparagus, elderberries, acai, purple sweet potatoes, eggplant, purple carrots, and purple corn to get started. You can also add some purple in your borders and pots with lavender and rosemary.