4 Tragically Outdated Landscaping Styles Experts Are Totally Over
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Landscaping allows homeowners to put their personal touch on their outdoor spaces, creating a unique environment that can also increase their curb appeal. While there are no absolute rules when it comes to designing your lawn, certain landscaping trends have fallen out of favor, and experts recommend steering clear of outdated practices.
Selecting the right landscaping style not only influences your home's aesthetic appeal but also plays an essential role in supporting the local ecosystem. The plants you choose, the layout you plan, and the materials you use can affect biodiversity and overall environmental health. Plus, there's no need for your landscaping to be stylistically complicated. As long as you know when and how often to water your grass, for instance, your lawn can look its best—you might even consider chaos gardening if you want a more hands-off approach. If you're aiming to maintain a fresh and inviting outdoor design, it might be time to leave these landscaping trends from yesteryear behind.
Artificial Turf
Erik Collado Vidal, a horticulturalist, cultivation industry expert, and CEO of Growbarato.net, would like to see less artificial grass, especially on big residential or commercial properties. "I know it seemed like an attractive option when it came out, as it's easy to maintain and green all the time, but the long-term effect on soil quality and local ecosystems is drastic," he said.
Vidal explained that it's important to think about the effects on wildlife and the ground underneath. "I've watched too many gardens that once had life in them, worms and helpful insects and birds too, become sterile wastelands," he said. "Once the soil beneath is choked out, it's difficult to regain it. It's more than what you can see on top."
Boxwood Hedges
Vidal also believes that boxwood hedges should be retired, as they don't provide any margin for natural growth or ecological benefit. What you're left with are landscapes that resemble diagrams rather than living systems," he explained.
He works with growers and customers who are "beginning to realize the benefit in having less control and more resilience," as the plants can adapt and evolve and work together to support one another. "When we over-design an area, it ceases to be sustainable," he says.
Checkerboard Grass
Meanwhile, Johannes Hock, President of Artificial Grass Pros, thinks that checkerboard grass, which first became popular in the 1930s, should stay in the past.
"It looks sharp in photos, but people don’t think through what it takes to keep it looking clean," he explained. "Grass doesn’t love being boxed into perfect little squares with heavy traffic running over it, and it starts to look worn out pretty fast."
He has seen clients get frustrated with their checkered lawns pretty quickly as they require a lot of maintenance, especially in areas where there's a lot of foot traffic or sun exposure.
Gravel-Heavy Gardens
While we love hardscaping as a low-maintenance alternative to a grassy lawn, it's important to be thoughtful about how you design an all-gravel area. Hock feels that these types of yards, at their worst, can look cluttered and unfinished. If you're aiming for a modern look, you should think twice before you replace all of your lawn and flowerbeds with crushed granite.
"It might be low maintenance, but it gives off more of a commercial parking lot vibe than a livable yard," he said. "I get wanting to cut down on water and lawn care, but there are better ways to get that clean look without giving up comfort or personality."
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