Landscaping trends for 2016. What trends are set to emerge this year in British gardens? Looking at garden designers predictions, several emerging trends can be seen reflecting the way in which we use our gardens.

Easy maintenance is set to continue to be a key theme. For most people, the amount of time they can spend caring for their garden is becoming increasingly limited. Commuting times and pressure of work are increasingly cutting into leisure time. People want gardens that are easy to maintain, yet are pleasant, relaxing places where they can entertain friends and family.

Linked to this desire to entertain is the need for lighting so as to enable people to use their gardens for much longer in spring and autumn. LED lighting is becoming very popular due to the fact that it is energy and cost efficient. Many people are using their smart phones to control outdoor lighting systems as well as automatic irrigation systems to keep plants in good condition.

Colour is set to become more important. There will be greater use of greens and dark blues on fences and garden structures in order to create foils for plants as well as blending into the garden much more.

Well-manicured, perfect lawns are becoming less popular. Such lawns are very time consuming resulting in a more naturalistic approach in which lawns are mown far less frequently. Alternatively, home owners are opting to remove front lawns and reduce the amount of lawn space in back gardens. Instead, they are opting to use gravel, rock, brick and paving especially in the front gardens, with decking, gravel and paving more common in the back.

A green space is seen as important, but people want more areas in which they can sit and entertain in comfort. Linked to this is a growth in the provision of covered areas, which will provide shade in summer, and shelter during spring and autumn evenings. Pergolas and terraces are forecast to be popular additions to decking and patios in order to match the move towards greater entertaining at home.

Interest in the use of locally sourced materials is beginning to appear, reflecting eco-friendly concerns. More innovative and creative ways are being sought to use standard materials such as stone and wood to define the boundaries of flower beds and garden space. Fence panels for example have been used horizontally as screens, dividing one section of the garden from another, thus providing additional privacy.

If you would like to discuss a project please get in touch via our website www.eastlondonlandscapes.com or call 01279 413215. We provide landscaping and fencing services in East London and Essex.

We offer all our customers a one to one service, from the first site visit to the finished garden, we never forget how important our clients are.

We have offices in Walthamstow, East London and Harlow, Essex. We cover Walthamstow, Leytonstone, Bow, Bethnal Green, Shoreditch, Whitechapel, Hackney, Docklands, East Ham, Stratford, Forest Gate, Clapton,  Wanstead, Chingford, Loughton, Woodford, Epping, Theydon Bois, Buckhurst Hill, Chigwell and other surrounding towns in London and Essex.