Australia experienced its hottest and driest 12 months on record last year, with the Australian Bureau of Meteorology reporting temperatures that reached 1.52C above the long-term average. With high temperatures anticipated over the coming months, now is an important time to adapt gardens to withstand the harsh conditions upon us.
The teams at Tuscan Path and Northcote Pottery have revealed their top 2020 garden trends and there’s no doubt they’ve been created with the environment top of mind. Low maintenance areas will be popular, as will foodscaping and creating urban oases that flow from the indoors to outside. Pavers are set to increase in popularity, replacing high-maintenance grass in these drier conditions and water features are being seen as decorative solutions to the heat, providing passive cooling and attracting wildlife.
Low maintenance gardening
Less time, tighter water restrictions and increased temperatures have taken their toll on many formerly lush gardens. Forego the grass with paving for a look with less maintenance. Use dark colour palettes and different sizes and textures to create interest.
For a softer look, lay pavers randomly and separate with plants and shrubbery, or line paths with pots and garden beds. Encourage overlapping fronds, climbing vines, and explosive, unexpected blooms to saturate your surroundings. Layer from the ground up to create texture and variety, and offset bigger pots with tall, lush plants, like palms and clumping bamboos.
Foodscaping
Edible gardens and vegetable patches are making a comeback in 2020, with many people looking to focus on sustainability, lower their cost of living and get closer to nature. Popular plants include leafy silverbeet and lettuces, with a selection of vegetables that suit the warmer seasons like bush beans, cucumbers and tomatoes, as well as Mediterranean style herbs.
Foodscaping is a fantastic way to create a beautiful and bountiful garden. Depending on the space and the produce you want to grow, these edible spaces can be created almost anywhere; in pots, raised garden beds, or even kerbside.
An urban oasis
As urban blocks get smaller, getting back to nature requires a little creativity. Rooftops and balconies provide fantastic spaces for both entertaining and relaxing, and are relatively easy to landscape into your own secluded escape. Durable, low-maintenance pavers will add style and durability for high traffic areas.
Use outdoor furniture to define specific areas, and varying pavers to create different moods. Create the illusion of more space by carrying pavers upwards to create a focal point on an otherwise bland wall in a courtyard space.
For a touch of serenity, the gentle trickle of a water feature is a great option, bringing a relaxed ambiance that will assist in the passive cooling of outdoor spaces.
Finding your flow
The trend of outdoor and alfresco living spaces continues to grow in popularity, creating a seamless flow between homes and outdoor rooms. A must this year, the use of expansive glazing will open up the view from the inside out too. Couple that with flowing paving, that connects both the inside and outside, to provide a seamless transition into nature.
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