We’re passionate about DIY projects that dynamically transform the feel of your outdoor spaces. Our guide to ten stunning and innovative design trends is a comprehensive list that’s achievable, cost-effective and will have you admiring your garden all year round! The three elements that’ll help you make the most of your outdoor space are style, function and practicality. So let’s get into the most innovative garden ideas of 2023 so far!
1. Get sustainable
Now more so than ever, we’re hyper-conscious of how our lifestyles impact the world around us. Getting real about sustainability is not a trend as such, but more a matter of survival and couldn’t be missed from our list. This effort can start with your own green spaces, where a sustainable garden design can work to ensure you’re implementing the three R’s: reduce, reuse and recycle.
So why not fill your garden with native plants and attract some local wildlife you never knew existed? If you have a spacious garden, then planting trees is a great way to maintain sustainable garden design. Growing your own veg can be easily achieved with a little persistence and maintenance, and you can add a compost to the back garden to recycle food waste. We also love the idea of upcycled furniture and materials to create a vintage aesthetic for your sustainable outdoor space…
2. Create an outdoor haven
In addition to the classic gardens that we know and love, the landscape design industry is experiencing a boom in mindful garden design. An obvious reason for this was due to the nature of the pandemic, which forced us to focus our attention inward, reflecting on how to restore balance and peace to our homes and outdoor spaces.
A great starting point is developing a garden plan that brings a sense of enclosure from the busy outside world. Of course, we don’t want a garden design that’s claustrophobic, or worse yet – restricts light, but balancing privacy and openness of space can have your outdoor sanctuary feeling cosy and tranquil. A water feature is also an instant way to filter in some peacefulness to your space, and will inevitably attract some lovely local wildlife. We also love the idea of creating an outdoor lounging space, where you can relax, put your feet up and admire your garden design project all year round.
3. Make it tropical
If you’re looking to bring a little slice of the tropics into your garden this summer, we’ve got just the thing. While it may seem daunting, tropical plants really aren’t that hard to grow. Just make sure they’re hardy enough to withstand temperatures below 10°C throughout the cold winter months. If you need some advice, a local expert at your garden centre is a good person to speak with. You can also find lots of useful information about different types of exotic plants online. Some of our favourites include Dracaena and Aloe Vera! If you want to be creative with your design and make it as striking as possible, try mixing in some lush foliage and colourful blooms for an explosion of colour. We also like the idea of a low-level sun lounger to really give it that vacation feel.
4. Keep the fire burning
There’s nothing that says ultra-modern and scorchingly contemporary than a stunning fire pit as the centrepiece of your garden design project. Contrary to popular belief, a fire pit can be a completely eco-friendly garden feature, and is also a great way to sit and connect with the surrounding beauty of your natural outdoor space. It’s also a great excuse to get everyone together for a mid-week debrief. There’s nothing quite like a friends reunion around the warm and cosy fire pit with a glass of wine and some good music. Whether you have a garden design in mind that compliments your humble cottage, or opting for modernity in every detail, a fire pit can be a key feature that really ties your whole garden design aesthetic together!
5. Get the greek look
Why not add some Mykonos charm to your garden? You can bring the Med to your own back garden with a rusticated stone courtyard or by getting creative with some azure-blue paints to really bring an authentic feel. We also think a cream palette is essential to bringing the ultimate Greek-feel to your outdoor space. Build a stoney fire pit surrounded by olive trees and feel as if you’re vacationing in Crete all year round. We also love the idea of implementing some pastel coloured tiles that are unequivocally and iconically Greek in design, without being too in your face. Greek garden designs always feature an element of shade, so creating a canopy of greenery overhead is the perfect way to stay cool in the warmer summer months. With the summers getting hotter each year, it’s good to get prepared and take notes from those that know hot weather best!
6. Keep things curvaceous and asymmetrical
Curvilinear garden design concepts are in, after nearly a decade of symmetrical landscaping as the go-to for all modern gardens. We love the idea of garden designs that are free-flowing and think outside the box to create something truly unique. Enhance the contours of your home to a new level with curvy architectural elements that surprise the eye. Lighting can also be key in creating optical illusions and produce a new spin on the futuristic garden trend. Get creative with wall claddings or pebble patterns. It’s go big or go home with garden design trends in 2023.
7. Romanticise with nature
In the midst of a climate emergency and global pandemic, We’ve learned to treasure nature and all its beauty more than ever over the last few years. Show your garden the TLC it deserves, and keep things rosy all year round. Climbing plants that are kept in tact, and pruned correctly will have your garden looking like a fairytale setting, and the perfect place to host romantic date nights or dinner parties with friends. Keep colours pastel, and materials naturally and locally sourced to add some romantic charm to your thoughtful garden design.
8. Renergise with vibrant colours
After turbulent times over these last years, we want nothing but uplifting concepts at the forefront of our top garden design trends in 2023. This starts of course, with some wild colours to create depth and a divine feeling when looking out your window into your ongoing garden project. When you choose shades that complement one another and group them together in an aesthetically pleasing arrangement, your space will be energised and more vibrant. Colours can come in the form of wild and exotic plants, or in the accents of outdoor furniture such as candles, lanterns, cushions or whatever you decide to touch up your outdoor canvas with. Get as wild as you want, however we love keeping a chaos of colours in one space and let the beauty of nature speak for itself in other areas.
9. Keep things fresh and fragrant
Look good, smell good, feel good. Fragrant flowers are a key feature of garden design trends taking centre stage this year. Just as your house is kept smelling fresh all year,
This year our gardens are awash with fragrance to delight the senses – try planting jasmine and honeysuckle for scent, or tuberose and lily-of-the-valley for a heady mix of flowery fragrance. There really is nothing better than stepping out into the garden and breathing in the uplifting scent of your hard gardening work.
10. Take potential to new heights with tiers
If you’re looking for the perfect way to transform the hard angles of your garden, creating tiered levels is the ultimate idea. You can easily create two levels with raised beds that can completely transform the space, adhering to your plans to intertwine style, functionality and practicality in your garden design plan. The lower level can be used for a cosy and cool
seating area, whereas the top could even be a fabulous place to stick your home grown vegetable patch to ensure optimum light and air. If you are looking for functional and stylish ways to level up your garden’s potential, this tiered system is the perfect option!
11. Focus on the front
It’s easy to ignore any space you may have outfront, but in reality, your front garden plays an integral role in the external impression of your home’s aesthetic. This is a really important one if you’re considering selling your property. Enhancing your front garden could be the secret weapon to upping the value of your property, in a way that’s budget-conscious and easily achievable. Switching up fences for well-kept hedges, or creating tunnel archways are the perfect way to maintain privacy in a way that’s stylish and aesthetically interesting. Make your home stand out from the crowd with a garden design that values your front garden, as well as your space outback. After all, first impressions always count.
