Skip to main content

New Year, New Trends for Gardening and Outdoor Living


In addition to bringing us into a new decade, 2020 delivers new trends for gardening and outdoor spaces. Many of these trends mimic what is popular with everything else in our lives, as we see a strong push for efforts such as environmental friendliness, saving time, and utilizing the latest tech on the market. Most ideas are feasible to introduce without doing a major upheaval to existing space and are perfect suggestions for those who have not yet embarked on the mission to build up outdoor spaces. 
 

Eco-Friendly  
Artificial may be more appealing. This may seem a bit anti-mother nature, but one way to have a consistent, aesthetically pleasing yard space is to install artificial grass. Although it is man-made, synthetic grass requires significantly less upkeep (think less mowers, less pollution) and no dependence on natural or chemical resources required to nurture live grass. For homeowners that prefer to stick with natural grass, high-tech, fully programmable irrigation systems help to reduce reliance on sprinklers and maximize leveraging rainwater to keep lawns healthy. 
In addition to saving water, more and more people are seeking organic pesticide products and lawn preservative treatments to limit exposure to harmful chemicals that are bad for the environment. 

Nurturing Nature 
Not that they were ever out of style, but houseplants are making a comeback. The movement towards bringing the outside, inside can be achieved easily with houseplants and succulents.  Anyone with a green thumb may look forward to this opportunity to retain their horticulture skills even when it doesn’t involve being outdoors. Surely you will need to allot space to accommodate potted plants — finding a spot with optimal sunlight and accounting for the potential height and width. There is an abundance of options, but to start, Bamboo Palm or Spider Plants are good choices that look nice and can even help to improve indoor air quality.  

In some cases, plants can remain outside until cold weather approaches and then be brought inside to ride out the colder months. Then, once a specific temperature is reached when the springtime comes around, a quick transfer is all that would be required to revitalize decks and patios with these potted plants.  

Vertical gardening, also on the rise, pertains to growing plants and flowers on posts, trellises, fences or other upright structures. Once again, Eco-friendliness is key.  The focus is on repurposing, so some recommendations include painting old wooden ladders to hold planters, hanging pots from the beams of wood pallets and using fences and pergolas to support vines and climbing plants.  

Time For Technology 
We’ll expect to see more and more tech resources dedicated to management of outdoor elements. One innovation that really stands out for 2020 is one-click, programmable irrigation.  Programmable irrigation systems can be managed via smartphone applications or other devices that will connect with weather forecasts and when rain is predicted, sprinkler times can be adjusted to take advantage of mother nature instead of tapping into the water supply. 

Multi-Season Usage 
While seeking enjoyment of outdoor space year-round is certainly no modern concept, there will be more emphasis on what can be added to make the space user friendly across all seasons. Fire pits, which can be permanently affixed to a patio or moveable for use or storage, can provide a cozy and warm place to sit on cool summer nights or during the chillier times in spring, fall, or winter.  
Covered or multi-season rooms are a more solid way to gain connection to the outdoors throughout the year (plus, they are excellent for growing indoor plants and vertical planting).   

Bits of Blue 
A pop of color will really brighten up the backyard. Blue was never underutilized, but for 2020, it’s projected to be a HOT color.  It is no surprise — the color of the sky and sea is beneficial to both body and mind and produces a calming effect. Definitely an asset to accommodate those seeking relaxation in their outdoor spaces.  For tips on peppering blue into your design, learn how people are embracing hues of blue. 

Saving Time 
Who doesn’t want to spend less time doing (or spending, for that matter) and more time enjoying? This year you’ll see a movement towards low maintenance landscapes or “messy” gardens. Traditional gardener-manicured flora and greenery is being reconsidered for more natural looking growth. Planting wildflowers is one way to achieve this and since they are perennials, they’ll be back year after year, reducing the need to continue spending the time planning and purchasing new annuals yearly.  


It is exciting to think about all that you can do modernize. Put a plan in place and decide what may be most feasible at this time. The bottom line is that many of these trends are symbiotic. You’ll be sprucing up your space to get full usage, save time, be Eco-friendly and save money at the same time.  

Popular posts from this blog

Turning your Sunroom into a Greenhouse

Four Season’s sunrooms offer endless opportunities to design and customize. And the perfect touch could be to add an interior garden to your sunroom. Sheltered from the elements and situated in the sunlight, sunrooms are ideal for growing plants.  You may be asking, “ What kind of plants can I grow in my sunroom? ” Plants that need lots of sunlight are ideal, as your sunroom feeds off of direct rays all day. Conveniently, plants that thrive in an indoor garden are plants that would not usually do as well outside due to the harshness of the weather. This way, if you are interested in gardening, you can grow a wide variety of plants inside and outside your sunroom. Additionally, sunroom gardens require less maintenance, and can be kept all year round. This is the perfect opportunity to grow something you always wished you could with the proper conditions.  The following plants, herbs, and flowers are recommended for sunroom gardens: Mint, Rosemary, Citrus plants, Hibiscus, Peace lily

3 Reasons Why You Should Consider Enclosing Your Patio

  As winter approaches, most homeowners put away their patio furniture and wait until spring to enjoy their backyards. But wouldn't it be great to enjoy your outdoor space any time of year? By enclosing your patio or deck, you won't need to rely on the weather to put your space to good use. From holiday get-togethers to an extra storage room, an enclosed patio is a weatherproof and practical addition to any home. How Do Patio Rooms Work? Patio rooms are a simple way to enclose your space and give you more versatility to use it whenever you need to. For example, our patio rooms at Four Seasons are designed to let you enjoy your outdoor space all year long without worrying about bugs, bad weather, or dangerous sun rays. They only take a few hours to build, and you can design the perfect one based on your budget and taste. 3 Major Advantages Of Enclosing Your Patio An enclosed patio can be a wise investment for most homes. Here are a few main advantages of having one: E

Decorating Your Outdoor Space for July 4th Celebrations

Summer is here, and the Fourth of July holiday is just next week! American flags are flying, people are wearing their stars and stripes, and getting excited about the colorful fireworks show. This is a time for family and friends to celebrate our independence by gathering on the patio, grilling our favorite foods, and adorning everything in red, white, and blue. Here are 4 easy star-spangled ideas for decorating your outdoor space for the July 4th celebrations.  Target ,  Michaels Stores,  and other craft stores have all the materials you need.   Dress up your Patio and Porch with a Patriotic Theme Hanging American flags for Independence Day decorations is a great way to set the tone. Red, white, and blue balloons and banners spruce up your outdoors by adding fun and color. Display your creativity with a trail of balloons on your fence, porch, and railings. This  66-piece Fourth of July decorations set  from Amazon.com is stocked with more than enough party decor supplies, from red, wh