Abandon these 8 Antiquated Landscaping Styles this Springtime
Revamping Your Landscape: A Fresh Take on Outdated Trends
In 2025, our gardens are undergoing a transformation, moving away from yesteryear's styles and embracing a more natural, eco-friendly approach. Here are some landscaping trends to steer clear of and the new, progressive ones to adopt, as suggested by expert gardeners.
- Water Waste: Overwatering Your Lawn Mike Hrivnak, Director of Agronomy at Canopy Lawn Care, warns against excessive watering. Deep, infrequent watering, smart irrigation systems, rain sensors, and soil improvements that enhance moisture retention are his recommendations for conserving water while promoting healthy plants.
- Playing it Safe with Plants Linda Vater, Design Expert for Southern Living® Plant Collection, advocates for taking risks and pushing boundaries in the garden. Opt for water-wise plants like Ever Amethyst™ Agapanthus and Ever White™ Agapanthus to add vibrant, blooming foliage without breaking the bank on utility bills.
- Perfectionism and High Maintenance Alex Betz, Landscape Designer for Plant by Number, points out that a perfectly groomed lawn is a thing of the past. Natural, unkempt landscapes are increasingly popular, featuring native plants, ornamental grasses, and drought-tolerant ground covers that require minimal upkeep.
- Fussy Shrubs Linda Vater suggests avoiding high-maintenance shrubs for a low-stress landscape. Look for deer-, drought-, and pest-resistant evergreens and compact flowering shrubs like Miss Lemon™ Abelia, 'Kaleidoscope' Abelia, and Purple Daydream® Dwarf Loropetalum.
- Bold Mulch Selections Natural bark mulch is the recommended alternative to bold, artificial mulch that can harm the soil. Ditch white rocks, which get dirty quickly, and incorporate mixed stone elements, natural-toned gravel, drought-resistant native flowers, and succulents for a more practical and attractive garden.
- Single-Tree Front Yard Landscaping Instead of a single, large statement tree, Alex Betz recommends a more layered, forest-like look featuring multiple shrubs and trees to increase visual interest, shade coverage, and biodiversity.
- Plastic Edging Stone borders, native-plant borders, or metal edging are better choices to create a more durable and natural-looking transition between the zones in your garden.
- Stepping Stones Instead of DIY stepping stones that can create awkward transitions, opt for a continuous, well-integrated pathway made of decomposed granite, permeable pavers, or flagstone.
- Lackluster Mailboxes Transform a dull mailbox into an eye-catching focal point by adding colorful flowers, trailing vines, and attractive evergreens to the surrounding area. Aim for low-growing varieties for a tidy appearance.
Upending Traditional Landscaping norms
In line with the evolving trends in paint colors and furniture designs, our gardens are moving towards sustainability, natural aesthetics, and eco-friendly practices. Here are some broader insights:
- Saying Goodbye to Artificial and Overly Processed Elements Warmer neutrals are replacing cold grays in interior design, and landscapes are following suit, favoring earthy tones over stark, artificial colors.
- Embracing Simplicity and Natural Textures The decline of the distressed farmhouse style in furniture design suggests a shift towards cleaner lines and minimalist elements, which can translate to a more refined outdoor aesthetic.
- Championing Ecological Materials and Sustainable Practices Just as furniture design is moving towards incorporating natural materials, landscapes can benefit from a focus on sustainable and eco-friendly practices, such as using recycled materials for borders or choosing low-maintenance plants.
- Outdated Garden Design: Previous designs may have focused on artificial or overly processed elements, but the trend is shifting towards sustainability and natural aesthetics, echoing the changes in paint colors and furniture designs.
- Natural and Eco-friendly Landscaping Ideas: Gardening and landscaping are now moving away from water waste, such as overwatering lawns, and embracing water-wise plants, deep, infrequent watering, and smart irrigation systems for a more eco-friendly approach.
- Increasing pollinators and biodiversity: Instead of high-maintenance shrubs, landscape designers are recommending deer-, drought-, and pest-resistant evergreens and compact flowering shrubs that attract pollinators and contribute to a diverse and healthier garden ecosystem.
- Minimal Maintenance for Increased Enjoyment: A clear trend is moving away from perfectionism and high-maintenance gardens towards natural, unkempt landscapes featuring native plants, ornamental grasses, and drought-tolerant ground covers for easy maintenance and increased enjoyment of the garden spaces.
