What’s the biggest trend landscape architects say will be taking over landscapes? Water-saving strategies.
- 88% – Rainwater/graywater harvesting
- 86% – Native plants
- 85% – Native/adapted drought tolerant plants
- 85% – Low-maintenance landscapes
- 83% – Rain gardens
- 77% – Permeable paving
- 75% – Native plants Fire pits/fireplaces
- 75% – Food/vegetable gardens (including orchards, vineyards, etc.)
- 72% – Drip/water-efficient irrigation
- 72% – Reduced lawn area
We might be thanking California’s four-year long drought for that.
Of the top 10 project types American Society of Landscape Architects‘ members say their customers will demand most this year, eight of them have to do in some way with saving water use in the landscape.
“Water issues are hot topics for many communities, and many people are turning to landscape architects for creative green infrastructure solutions,” says Nancy Somerville, executive vice president and CEO of ASLA. “Sustainable residential landscape architecture, if part of a broader integrated site design, can dramatically reduce water usage and stormwater runoff over the long term while creating a healthy residential environment.”
