Landscape design trends in 2024 highlighted a harmonious blend of sustainability, technology, and wellness, with an emphasis on natural beauty and functionality. These trends are expected to remain influential as we move into 2025. Let's explore the key trends that shaped landscape design over the past year and their continued impact.
1. Sustainable Landscaping
Piet Oudolf, Hauser & Wirth, Photography by Jason Ingram and Heather Edwards
Sustainability was at the forefront of 2024 landscape design, with a growing focus on using native plants that thrive in local climates, require less maintenance, and support wildlife. Xeriscaping and smart irrigation systems gained popularity as water conservation became more critical. Gardens designed to attract pollinators, like bees and butterflies, featured plants such as lavender, echinacea, and wildflowers, giving rise to natural landscapes with wildflower meadows, gravel paths, and organic materials.
Piet Oudolf’s influence was a defining factor, promoting naturalistic, self-sustaining gardens that emphasize spontaneity, biodiversity, and minimal maintenance. His planting schemes, which use native perennials and grasses, not only reduce water usage but also support local ecosystems. Oudolf’s style, which celebrates seasonal changes and integrates dried grasses, seed heads, and winter silhouettes, remains a cornerstone of the movement toward eco-friendly and visually dynamic gardens. This trend of blending formal structure with untamed planting will continue to thrive in 2025, as more people seek eco-conscious and biodiverse garden designs.
2. Community Gardens and Urban Parks
Wiltshire garden, Tom Stuart-Smith
Urban areas embraced sustainable design by creating community gardens and parks inspired by Oudolf’s principles. These spaces, though appearing wild, are thoughtfully planned to enhance ecological sustainability and create green oases within cities. Designers like Tom Stuart-Smith , known for blending structured layouts with naturalistic plantings, and James Corner, famed for projects like New York’s High Line, shaped these spaces. Their work highlights a trend toward urban regeneration and the adaptation of unused spaces into green, multifunctional areas that are both sustainable and serene.
James Corner Field Operations, The High Line as a Green Roof
The trend of designing gardens to support biodiversity gained momentum in 2024. Incorporating birdhouses, insect hotels, and ponds encouraged the coexistence of wildlife and humans, turning landscapes into living ecosystems. These spaces foster relaxation and mindfulness, integrating natural elements such as wood, stone, and water. Wellness gardens—featuring water elements, soft lighting, and spaces for yoga or meditation—reflect a broader trend of designing outdoor areas that promote both physical and mental well-being.
3. Artistic and Ecological Balance
Dan Pearson Studio, Delos at Sissinghurst
Many landscape designers, including Dan Pearson and Sarah Price , integrated artistic expression with ecological sensitivity. Pearson’s designs, inspired by the natural evolution of landscapes, championed rewilding and minimal intervention, allowing gardens to evolve naturally over time. Sarah Price’s painterly, textural plantings, which focus on movement, colour, and form, echoed the trend toward creating wild, impressionistic landscapes.
Sarah Price, Show Garden RHS Chelsea 2023 Nurture Landscapes Garden
These designs emphasized drought resistance and the sustainable use of local resources, blending art with ecology in a way that both respects and enhances the environment.
4. Modernist and Architectural Approach
Fernando Caruncho Casa Caruncho Temporal Cosmic Garden
Minimalism and modern architecture also played a key role in 2024 landscape design. Designers like Fernando Caruncho and Andrea Cochran brought clean lines and geometric forms into harmony with natural elements. Caruncho’s Mediterranean-inspired gardens, with their focus on simplicity, light, and natural materials, were well-suited to climate-resilient landscaping.
Andrea Cochran Walden Studios Design for a floodplain
Cochran’s work, characterized by bold geometry and minimalist plantings, spoke to the growing trend of integrating architecture with garden design, particularly in urban settings.
5. Timeless Elegance
Paul Bangay, Bloomfield, NSW, Photography by Simon Griffiths
For those drawn to formal and classical styles, designers such as Paul Bangay and Arne Maynard continued to influence garden design. Bangay’s symmetrical layouts and refined plant palettes offered a modern take on traditional garden elegance, while Maynard’s heritage gardens blended historical elements with contemporary sensibilities. These designs, which emphasise craftsmanship and detail, reflect the trend toward creating timeless spaces that honour tradition while being functional and sustainable.
Arne Maynard, Oxfordshire Manor
The landscape design trends of 2024 were marked by a commitment to sustainability, wellness, and artistic integration. From wildflower meadows and pollinator-friendly gardens to multifunctional urban spaces, the emphasis was on creating outdoor environments that are both beautiful and ecologically sound. As these trends continue to evolve, 2025 will likely see a deepening focus on biodiversity, rewilding, and the seamless blending of natural and architectural elements. Ultimately, these designs reflect a growing desire to create outdoor spaces that not only enhance the environment but also promote a deeper connection between people and nature.
Let me know in the comments which landscaper or garden designer has influenced you the most, and what is your garden style? I'd love to hear about your inspirations!
Comments