In recent times, garden landscaping trends have started to place a bigger emphasis on sustainability. As such, 2024 is shaping up to be the year where these eco-friendly landscaping concepts really take centre stage. Within this blog post, we take a look at some of the features that are going to figure prominently in outdoor spaces across the UK in 2024. We’ll also take an in depth look at the part artificial grass can play in making your garden a more attractive, low maintenance and environmentally friendly space. So, if you are looking for ideas on how to make your garden the place to be this summer, read on!
Vertical Gardens and Green Walls
With limited outdoor space in urban areas, vertical gardens and green walls are becoming increasingly popular. These allow you to garden upwards on a trellis, wall, or series of planters arranged vertically. Vertical gardens bring nature into tighter spaces while providing food, foliage, and environmental benefits like air purification. Expect to see more residential and commercial buildings utilising green walls in 2024.
Biophilic Design
Biophilic design is the use of natural, sustainable materials to enhance outdoor spaces in 2024. Elements like stone, wood, pebbles, and rocks will be huge for patios, walkways, retaining walls, and garden bed borders. These substances connect the landscape back to nature and create a serene, calming vibe. Things like wooden pathways and stone pathways are also useful when it creating that natural vibe many people desire. Even wood alternative composite decking works well for decks and pergolas while requiring less maintenance than wood.
Artificial Grass
While the use of natural materials is trending, so is artificial grass. This year, artificial turf is being used in creative ways beyond just traditional lawns. Backyard putting greens, playground areas, rooftop terraces, and more are being covered in realistic, low maintenance artificial grass. Homeowners love the water savings and hassle free upkeep of fake grass.
Artificial lawns align perfectly with the sustainability focus by eliminating the need for wasteful resources like gas mowers, leaf blowers, chemical fertilisers, and excess water for irrigation. Drought tolerant landscaping is a necessity in areas affected by rising temperatures and water scarcity. Fake grass requires no watering at all once installed.
Furthermore, today’s premium artificial turfs look and feel impressively natural underfoot. The blade shapes, colours, and thatch mimic real grass species. Some of the top brands invested in developing ultra-realistic synthetic grass products that are impossible to discern from lush, lived-in lawns from just a few feet away.
While convenience is at the forefront of the artificial grass revolution, there is no doubt it has wide ranging aesthetic appeal. Because of this, artificial turf is used for a lot more than just replacing a traditional lawn. Some of the alternative uses for artificial grass include patio or deck coverings, enhancing a rooftop or courtyard space or even by golf enthusiasts who want their own putting green in the garden.
All in all, artificial grass is a versatile material that can be used in many ways to help make your garden a much more attractive, usable and eco friendly space. For this reason, it is at the centre of many of 2024’s landscaping trends.
Low Maintenance Plantings
While vibrant gardens and landscaping look beautiful, they can be labour intensive to maintain, especially during the peak growing season. That’s why low maintenance gardens featuring drought resistant plants, grasses, succulents, bushes, and trees are so appealing in 2024. These suited species thrive with little intervention once established.
Examples include lavender, rosemary, ornamental grasses, agave, yucca, rock roses, juniper shrubs, and olive trees. These hardy plants don’t need frequent watering, fertilising, pruning, or mowing. They are chosen for their resilient, rugged natures in addition to lovely textures, colours, and forms they bring to the landscape. Embracing regionally appropriate plants suited to the climate is a central garden trend.
Smart Gardening Technology
Speaking of low maintenance, smart gardening is helping make outdoor spaces even more self sufficient. Internet connected sensors, soil monitors, irrigation controllers, and growing systems allow owners to streamline garden care through automation and data. Smartphone apps provide real time updates on soil moisture levels, light exposure, temperature, and more. Smart sprinkler systems stay optimised to changing weather conditions.
Outdoor living spaces are being outfitted with smart security cameras, ambient lighting systems, shade controls, and entertainment features like smart TVs, speakers, and projectors. All of these intuitive technologies create low hassle outdoor environments ideal for modern living.
Stylish Hardscaping
Hardscape materials like decorative concrete, pavers, and composite decking continue being essential elements in landscaping. These crisp, neat, constructed features help define the boundaries and structures of a landscape design. Paving stones are used for stylish patios, walkways, driveways, and more that accent planted areas.
New deck materials in varied wood looks and colours give upper levels beautiful multi-use living spaces. Under deck drainage systems and waterproof ceiling finishes expand covered patio footprints as well. Creative deck configurations work in unique applications – courtyards, quick install deck tiles over concrete slabs, multi-level designs incorporated into retaining walls, and more.
So, to summarise there are lots of different garden landscaping trends on the horizon for the coming season, some brand new and some old favourites. Certain things like water features and colourful blooms never go out of fashion and as such are likely to be seen in gardens around the country. However there is no doubt that sustainability is at the forefront of many landscaping trends for 2024 and artificial grass is well placed to play a part in that.
From helping reduce water consumption to removing the need for pesticides and fertilisers, artificial grass can play a major part in helping you reduce your environmental footprint. If you are considering installing artificial grass, browse our collection or contact the team here at Artificial grass direct. We offer a wide range of high quality competitively priced artificial grass that will undoubtedly help transform the look and feel of your outside space.
