Like any other creative art form, garden design follows trends that change with the seasons. But it’s not just the season that affects landscape design trends – the changing climate and weather patterns play a huge part in how home-owners want to use their outdoor spaces and how landscape designers are designing gardens to suit. In this blog, we’ll look at what gardeners have been planting in 2024 and how this will inform the landscape design trends for 2025 and beyond…
Many of the latest trends in Cotswold Landscaping are inter-linked with one another. Sustainable planting encompasses both the need to provide wildlife with an environment in which they can thrive and the fact that plants have to become more resilient to our changing climatic conditions. Last year we experienced a prolonged wetter and milder winter than the previous year which saw temperatures dip to -10 degrees in some parts of the country. Then we had periods this summer that have seen the barometer register over 30 degrees on several occasions. This is becoming more common and as a result there has been a shift towards incorporating wilder more naturalistic areas into our garden designs. Wildlife meadows or smaller areas with less definition and a looser less controlled feel to the planting.
As Garden Designers in Cotswold we are having to source plants that are proving more resilient to the varied conditions we are faced with. Whilst we might dream of a Mediterranean style scheme to remind us of fond memories of summer holidays in warmer climes we have to ensure that the plants are robust enough to cope with the wetter winters we experience. For example, Lavenders can be particularly susceptible to failure in the Cotswold clay soils, so instead we often use Nepeta which has a very similar look.
The lines between the spaces are becoming blurred. We are being asked to build more and more covered pergolas and outdoor kitchen areas to extend the seasonal use of our outdoor spaces. Greenhouses are not only places to raise seedlings and nurture tender plants but are becoming popular as multifunctional spaces for relaxation and entertaining, especially with our unpredictable British summers – read our blog on The Best Outdoor Kitchen Designs – Even for Wet Weather – for more inspiration!
Designing gardens with permeable surfaces that allow excess rainfall to drain away or be stored is another sustainable trend.
The Chelsea Flower Show 2024 showcased 2 design teams that used innovative ideas for storing and harvesting rainwater. Tom Massey and Je Ahn designed the Gold Medal award winning Water Aid Garden, which incorporated several ideas for storing and controlling the flow of excess water https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kIWtC0M2VRE
Naomi Slade and Ed Barsley designed a garden that was able to cope with heavy downpours. This link shows the garden from concept to completion. https://www.floodre.co.uk/flood-resilient-garden/
Manicured lawns are shrinking, as they are seen as high maintenance and less sustainable than alternatives. They demand attention with regular cutting, watering during periods of drought and treatment to keep them in tip top condition. We’ve all heard of no mow May, where a lawn is allowed to grow a bit longer enabling the wild flowers get a foothold, providing pollinators and other useful insects with food. It also benefits us by providing more time to sit back, slow down and enjoy the garden. This leads me nicely into another trend, gaining momentum…
As the demands of the modern world take a toll on our mental health, there has come a desire to find spaces at home for de-compressing. This trend was shown at The Chelsea Flower Show by Ula Maria, who won a Gold Medal & Best Show Garden for her Muscular Dystrophy UK Forest Bathing Garden. As a Landscape Design company within the Cotswold area we have seen an increase in demand for what we term as ‘Slow Life Areas’. Dedicated spaces surrounded by the natural world for meditation, pilates or yoga practice. Or simply a quiet spot to read, away from the frenetic pace of everyday life.
Following garden design trends is great for finding inspiration for your own outdoor space but you don’t need to stick to them rigidly. Our garden designs are about transforming lives, so each garden we design is unique to our client. If you’re looking to get the most out of your outside area, speak to our garden design team and let’s create your ideal space together.
