Spring is among us! As the morning bird chirping becomes a daily alarm and the extended hours of daylight pulse warmth back into our afternoons, it’s time to crawl out from your winter den and reconnect with Colorado’s great outdoors.
With over 300 days of sunshine, Coloradoan’s are naturally inclined to spend time outside. However, it is important to note that you don’t need to venture far to reap natures benefits. With proper landscaping tailored to meet your personal needs and style, you can enter an outdoor oasis with a mere few steps out your door.
In efforts to create a well-rounded living environment, recent landscaping trends in Colorado consider both how your outdoor space looks and makes you feel. Homeowners are experiencing an added sense of satisfaction when landscaping efforts blend their aesthetic and emotional needs.
So, as you begin to dream up your outdoor escape, consider how some of the following trends might help guide your final design:
The Health Factor: The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030, anxiety will become the number one health issue. Between demanding work schedules and the constant buzz of technology, this isn’t hard to imagine. Taking this into consideration, it is increasingly more important that you create easy access to a space dedicated to unplugging. Going beyond making healthy food choices and exercising, self-care embraces daily relaxation. Landscaping trends to help accomplish this include integrating air purifying plants that can cleanse the air and clear your mind. Tranquil water features can also provide calming sound features that come in many shapes and sizes including larger ponds (liked for their reflective qualities) to more subtle water features in black stone dishes.
Colorado’s Dry Climate: Yet again, another winter has come and gone without any substantial snowfall. Plummeting back into a drought, the lack of moisture combined with increasingly warmer summers makes for major water concerns. While placing your own personal water needs above those of your plants, consider choosing hardy and resilient plants that can survive in the warm and dry climate. When it comes conserving water, it is important to think long-term. Can you plant trees and shrubs that will provide shade and a natural protection from the heat? Consider also integrating a rain barrel into your landscaping design to capture water that can be used for your outdoor needs (rainwater harvesting was recently legalized in 2016!).
Social Butterfly vs. Quiet Cat: Do you recharge in the company of others or recoil from the outside world in need of quiet time? If you are in the game to entertain, consider building a patio that reflects a modern outdoor living space. Recent trends include clean and simple designs equipped with tile flooring (think Italian porcelain!), an outdoor bar and grill with space to sit around and socialize, and an outdoor music system. If you prefer more of a quiet sanctuary, a cozy outdoor fireplace, soft lighting (think strings of café-style bulbs), and cozy seats built low to the ground is a great option.
Sustainability: Going green is just downright trendy right now. The good news is, there are many ways to integrate this into your landscaping scheme. Consider environmentally-friendly options like incorporation LED lights and solar panels to light your patio area. Create an area for gardening that is equipped with an efficient water irrigation system and a space for composting. You can also consider xeriscaping parts of your outdoor space to be mostly self-sustaining.
Materials: When choosing material, be sure to keep your budget in mind! Current landscaping trends are using more raw materials to accomplish a modern and contemporary design. This can include combining wood, steel, sand-finished concrete, or pavers. When mixing various types of material into a design, think “less is more”.
With so much to consider, approaching landscaping as a true artform rather than a daunting task will help see you through your outdoor projects. Be sure to pick and choose elements that will best suit you’re your needs. And remember, it doesn’t all need to get done in one year! Landscaping is a progressive process that should live and grow with you adapting to your needs as they evolve.
Alpine Gardens has been created handcrafted landscapes for northern Colorado for 40 years. Their expert staff is ready to design the landscape of your dreams! Call today at 970.226.2296 to schedule your appointment today!
