Summer 2024 Garden Design Trends

Celebrating the long light days and warmer weather with time in the garden is a UK staple. However, making the space a pleasant place to relax can be a challenge, especially when you’re trying to strike the right balance between aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly.

The design trends set to dominate outdoor spaces this year are focused on making it easier to achieve this balance, so you can concentrate on relaxing and soaking up some vitamin D. Discover the top three 2024 trends and how to incorporate these into your garden.

1.    Sustainability initiatives

Sustainability continues to be a driving force in home design with the UK committed to a zero-waste economy by 2050 and many of us increasingly invested in eco-friendly practices.

Upcycled materials like reclaimed wood and metal are increasingly available for decking and furniture. Choosing recycled options over new mass-produced products will add unique character to your garden and give you the freedom to tailor your designs while minimising environmental impact.

You can also find a wide range of outdoor garden lights powered by solar, so you can create a beautifully illuminated space without relying on mains electricity, typically generated by burning fossil fuels.

With no worries about wires, you can be creative with how you feature lighting: pair large entryway lamps for greater nighttime security with delicate lanterns and strings of festoon lights to set the mood each evening.

Sustainable initiatives go beyond décor. Invest in rainwater harvesting systems to repurpose waste water for garden maintenance during summer droughts. Simply planting native and drought-tolerant plants will also go a long way towards preserving precious resources – with the added advantage of benefitting the local wildlife.

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2.    Smart technology

Just as smart technology is entering the home via voice-controlled and cloud-linked appliances, AI is also revolutionising gardens.

Optimise watering with automated irrigation systems which use sensors to detect and respond to real-time weather conditions and soil moisture levels. These systems are hardly noticeable to the naked eye and make garden maintenance effortless.

You can also invest in sensors to track soil health and weather trends, so you know exactly what your plants need at all times. This is especially useful if you’re trying to grow produce easily affected by poor conditions.

Many of these smart garden devices can be controlled via smartphone apps, offering convenience and control at the touch of a button.  

3.    Vertical gardening

Maximise your growing opportunities by embracing vertical gardening. Perfect for small spaces and urban gardens, this technique enables you to plant far more flowers than you could at lawn level. Options include wall-mounted planters, trellises for climbing flowers and ‘living walls’ composed entirely of plants, simultaneously functional and aesthetically appealing.  

The best plants for green walls include climbers and wall shrubs which are available in several UK-friendly varieties to suit sunny and shady spots. Herbaceous perennials and grasses should also thrive and are a great way to add interest.

You could even plant herbs, fruit, and vegetables and create a beautiful vertical produce patch that reduces reliance on goods with a carbon footprint.