We’ve put some predictions together for garden design trends which we feel are going to dominate 2018!

EXTRA ROOM:

We have noticed the ‘Al Fresco’ trend isn’t going to go away, especially as people; young and old, are spending more on their garden furnishings. They are trying to make their gardens imitate the interior design of their house, and therefore more comfortable and/ or functional. This includes all weather furniture, fire bowls, outdoor kitchens, pizza ovens, a children’s den or outdoor gym areas. Investing in a set of bi-folding doors, from the kitchen or dining room, will make the transition from house into garden flow smoothly. Having a bespoke outdoor kitchen area designed and built can really mean home owners can maximise the benefits of a useable outdoor space.

GROWING YOUR OWN:

Heading on from the ‘Al Fresco’ trend above, we think making your garden functional by including features to produce your own edibles will still be a popular request for 2018 designs. Growing your edibles amongst existing border planting can be an easy way to incorporate herbs, fruits and vegetables. We have designed several gardens recently with herb beds, vegetable beds, vines and espaliered fruit trees incorporated into a contemporary plan. Plant based diets and organic food choices are still trending for families, young couples and the older generation alike, so the logical next step for those with a garden or balcony, is to begin cultivating a crop of superfoods like Kale and Broccoli, especially when you have a beautiful outdoor kitchen to cook up your meals in!

ECOSYSTEM FRIENDLY:

Choosing a planting scheme which includes a variety of indigenous species is important for the local wildlife. Choosing native planting is beneficial to the ecosystem; i.e. wildlife-friendly for insects, birds and small garden mammals. The good news is that your garden does not need to be overgrown and ‘wild-looking’ for it to work, you can still maintain a contemporary or modern style to your garden. We noticed features such as Hornbeam hedging and focal insect habitat structures were used in beautiful gardens at this years Chelsea Flower Show.

NATURAL:

To compliment your native, wildlife-friendly planting scheme, you could consider a garden designed using more natural hard landscaping materials, such as dry stone raised beds or walling. The natural, organic look is making a comeback, this was clear at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2017. Introducing a focal point such as a natural, bespoke Green Oak pergola will add interest and shelter to a terrace area.

Using saved or reclaimed materials when having your garden re-designed is also an option – crazy paving even made a comeback at Chelsea this year!

SCANDI:

In keeping with one of the above trends; ‘bringing the inside out’ and really maximising the benefit of your garden as an extra room is easy to do with the ‘Scandi’ style of interior/ exterior design. Use feature points like fireplaces or fire pits in the centre of a comfortable terrace area, providing a cosy place to sit in the evening. We can create you a design plan using light coloured hard landscaping; such as whitewashed decking; rendered chalky coloured walls and evergreen shrubs in contemporary concrete planters to give your garden the ‘Scandi-style’.