Some trends come and go, so sprucing up your home’s curb appeal should be done with a nod to timelessness. After all, the next owners of your palace will be looking for beauty, ease of use, and comfort — not a remodeling job. Here are the lasting landscaping trends sure to increase the value of your home.
Hardscapes
When you see a backyard with a finished patio, fireplace, or barbecue pit, you immediately think of a great place to entertain. An outdoor kitchen and inviting walkways can turn your yard into an extended living room. It also makes those neighborhood cookouts a lot easier, since you don’t have to keep running back inside for every little condiment.
The top hardscape designs in Virginia Beach include firepits. A cozy fire extends the hours and months you can use your backyard. Fill in the spaces between landscaped areas with trendy hardscape patterns of chevrons, lattices, and even wave shapes. The more hardscaping you have, the less grass you’ll have to mow.
Low Maintenance
Speaking of mowing and yard work, less is definitely better. Today’s homeowner doesn’t have time to spend hours pushing a mower and weeding the yard. We recommend warm-season grasses such as Zoysia, Bermuda, and Bahia, which are easy to maintain in Virginia’s sandy soil. Thanks to modern technology, keeping the lawn green is as easy as touching the screen of your mobile phone. One-click remote irrigation systems are a trend that’s here to stay.
Add Shade
Add a pergola or awning for shade to cover guests as they dine at dusk with the sun in the west and the sounds of the ocean to the east. Want to dress up the structure? Plant some climbing vines around it. A grapevine provides you with fresh fruit and attracts the birds.
Large canopy trees will also provide shade and will lower your air conditioning bills. Placed along the fence line, they can serve as a windbreak and provide privacy. American sycamore and red maple trees are excellent choices since they’re native and fast growers.
Softscaping
Don’t forget to highlight the trendy hardscapes with color. Along with the green lawn, blue is in for 2020. The National Association of Landscape Professionals suggests planting hydrangeas. Since the flowers are native to Virginia, they’re low maintenance and will bloom in sun or shade.
If you don’t feel like getting down in the dirt to garden, keep it simple with a raised bed or small window box planters. Both are perfect for flowers, herbs, and vegetables. You could also put up an even trendier vertical garden.
These landscaping trends will increase the value of your home when you decide to sell. But why wait till then? The real value of these upgrades is being able to enjoy them yourself.
By Vandana Kumar
Vandana Kumar is a writer and landscape designer. In her backyard designs, she likes to incorporate outdoor kitchens — and makes a devastatingly good tandoori chicken in hers.