What You Can Expect to See in Sonoma Backyards
After historic amounts of rain and snow across California, the Sonoma region is set up for a beautiful, blooming spring. For many residents, getting outside this spring season will be a welcome treat to the eyes, with lush green landscapes lasting ideally longer than normal.
With more sunshine around the corner, now is the time to consider updating your outdoor space. We cover some of the latest trends in landscaping you can expect to see across homes in Sonoma County and surrounding areas. Whether you are interested in designing a carbon-neutral and rehabilitative garden space or simply want to capitalize more on your outdoor living space, these trends cover it all.
Push for Natural Garden Spaces
Utilizing more natural landscaping materials and designs, more immersive gardens can be expected. This trend will focus on neutral colors, raw materials and textures, and other elements that help create a beautifully imperfect (or more controlled “wild”) design. Most natural immersive gardens will incorporate local plants and wildlife attractors that are well-trimmed and pristine looking, making them more maintained rather than wild and overgrown as they are found in their natural habitat.
Embracing Drought-Tolerant Plants
Even despite all the seemingly record-breaking amounts of snowpack and rain, California isn’t necessarily out of the drought danger zone. Many homeowners are still staying aware of the need for more drought-tolerant and resistant plants, which means more selective landscape choices.
You can expect the trend of environmentally-conscious landscape designs to continue this year, with homeowners opting for sturdier plants that require minimal water and restore native foliage to the land. Drought-tolerant landscaping designs also tend to require minimal care and irrigation, making them ideal for homeowners who love a beautiful garden space but don’t necessarily have all the time to spend on it.
Recycled & Reclaimed Garden Features
Another environmentally-conscious trend you can expect to see in this year’s landscape designs is the use of recycled and reclaimed materials and features. Everything from garden walls created out of reclaimed wood to pathways utilizing repurposed bricks or stones may be seen. Giving new life to previously used materials — whether intended for outdoor landscapes originally or not — will bring a wave of refreshing designs to many landscape areas. The creativity that can be sparked from working with recycled and reclaimed materials is great, giving homeowners unique landscapes that are custom for their space.
Rehabilitating Local Habitats
After years of harsh wildfires, grazing and other stressors, the land across the region has lost many of its natural wild habitats. That loss has taken a toll on native wildlife, which is why many landscape designs are starting to include elements such as sources of water and nectar for local wildlife, as well as even shelter or shade areas. Expect to see this trend grow as development continues in natural habitats and homeowners seek to find a greater balance with the land they occupy, bringing back previous inhabitants, from butterflies and birds to other friendly wildlife. Not only does this add an element of nature, but also creates better harmony and balance in landscapes.
More Defined Outdoor Areas
The weather in springtime in Sonoma County is hard to beat. Beautiful days are meant to be spent outside in the spring, which is why the trend of more defined outdoor areas can be expected this year. More and more homeowners are looking to find ways to maximize their land, making their outdoor space a more defined living space to enjoy on a regular basis. There is a continual push towards creating more functional and welcoming outdoor areas, whether through built-in seating and cooking areas to winding garden walkways to comfortable patio or deck areas for lounging.
