Sure the weather in the Twin Cities is a little chilly yet, and you’re probably not ready to crank up the grill and set up the patio furniture, but now is a great time to plan for those warmer days by taking a look at the the current trends in backyard design. This photo gallery from HGTV.com might just inspire you to give your patio or backyard a makeover with one of these hot, new outdoor living trends.
One of the more interesting ones is the move toward more sustainable landscaping. Once only the domain of a small fragment of the population, eco-friendly living has become commonplace for many Minnesota families. The benefits are numerous – both in healthier living for us, a healthier environment, conservation of precious natural resources, and in many cases, an actual cost savings. Sustainable landscaping makes use of native plants and grasses, which usually require much less care, fertilizing, and watering than non-native species. And if you decide to convert part of your lawn into a grassless area – either with natural plantings such as wildflowers and prairie grasses – or with hardscaping such as rock gardens, paved patios, etc., you’ll be cutting down water consumption as well as your need to mow your grass. That means less gas or electricity for your mower and more time for you to actually enjoy your hard.
If these pictures inspire you to add one of these exciting elements to your own landscape but you’re not sure where to start, give us a call.
