Who doesn’t want to make the most of their backyard and soak in the sun, dine al fresco, relax by their pool or just breathe in the fresh air?
If you’re dreaming of a new or renovated landscape, you’re not alone. More Americans are spending time outside, creating spaces that fit their unique needs and lifestyle in their own yards.
Not sure where to start? We’ve put together our list of unique garden ideas for 2022 to spark your creative juices.
Enhance your front yard
People continue to create zones in their landscapes to optimize the use of each area.
And as curb appeal continues to be important, with it has come a desire to renovate or enhance the front yard or front porch. In fact, according to Garden Media Group, the 2021 social media mentions of “front yard” or “front porch” reached a five-year high.
Adding small welcoming or sitting areas, enhanced front walkways, trees and other plantings, as well as small fountains or sculptures are all part of this trend.
Amplifying this unique garden idea even further means creating a full estate-style front yard with retaining walls or hedgerows and a front entryway reminiscent of a formal courtyard.
Garden for wildlife
While people have been striving to draw more wildlife like birds, butterflies and pollinators to their yards for years, they are becoming even more intentional about doing so. Garden Research Group’s 2022 Garden Trends Report even shares that in 2020, 67.2 million households purchased at least one plant because it benefitted pollinators or birds.
How can you attract wildlife?
- Include water features to give wildlife a place to visit, in addition to adding a landscape element that brings relaxation and great aesthetics.
- Opt for a diverse mix of native plants that attract birds, butterflies, dragonflies and other wildlife.
- Care for your mature trees or plant new ones, as they provide food and shelter for local wildlife, as well as add shade and vertical beauty to your landscape.
Create a stress-relieving garden
Spending time outside has proven beneficial for our mental health. Nature has that ability to reduce anxiety and calm us like nothing else.
To create spaces for peace, reflection, hanging out with family and friends, and enjoying nature, more people today are focusing on adding outdoor rooms that draw them outside.
They plant flowers with colors they enjoy and rich scents for sensory enhancements. They add water features that bring sights and sounds that buffer unwanted noises and boost stress-relief. They are seeking quiet, private sitting areas for escape. They are adding professional landscape lighting to extend their usable time outdoors and add a mood element. Fire features also serve this purpose by bringing ambiance and warmth to backyards.
Plant rich, dark-colored plants
Neutral tones are out, and as Pantone’s 2022 Color of the Year announced, vibrant, rich colors like purple are in.
Plants with dark foliage help show off your brighter colored flowers or silver- or chartreuse-toned leaves in the best way.
Everything from crape myrtle to heuchera to ninebark to smoke bush and sweet potato vine all come in deep, royal burgundy and violet tones so you can try this unique garden idea by designing a custom theme garden.
Work outside
Gartner forecasts that 51 percent of workers will be remote this year. As people work from home more, they are creating workspaces that they can enjoy, and that includes moving the office outdoors to the patio, porch or deck. Not only is it easy for workers to take their laptops or smaller tech devices outdoors and stay connected, working in the sunshine proves to be a great stress reliever and mood booster.
To create an outdoor workspace, you only need some privacy with dense plantings to muffle noise, shade, comfortable seating and outdoor decor – everything from container plantings to pergolas can work.
Interested in trying a unique garden idea in your landscape this year? Rossen Landscape would love to help you create a custom space that meets your needs. Learn more about gardens we’ve designed here or contact us for a consultation about how we can bring your dream landscape to life.
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