Discover the top trends for landscaping in Florida this year!

Florida has something for everyone when it comes to designing the ideal landscapes. Let's remember that Florida is home to many breathtaking native plants and scenes, from oak-tree-lined streets to woodsy and lakefront views. Being such a beautiful place, it is no surprise that homeowners strive to lend their outdoor spaces, homes, and balconies a pleasing aesthetic look that makes them happy year-round. Regardless of which city you live in, here are some of the hottest 2023 landscape trends in Florida.

1. THINK ABOUT GROWING YOUR BOUQUETS

One of the hottest trends of 2023 is an increasing focus on growing your material for making that perfect bouquet. Many flowers are easy to grow at home, including zinnias, sunflowers, and cosmos, in a wide range of colors, which are all perfect for including in your bouquet. So whether you want to try selling these flowers at the local farmer's market, sharing your homegrown bouquet with your loved ones, or creating centerpieces for your table, growing beautiful flowers is the ideal landscaping idea.

Here are some tips to get you started in 2023:

• Narrow down your selection when choosing the flowers. Start with those flowers with strong stems that remain in bloom for an extended time.

• Find the perfect spot for your cutting garden. You can use an empty hole in the ground or put it in a raised garden bed for growing flowers. Remember that no matter where you plan to grow the flowers, you should have a good watering strategy.

• Prepare the soil properly to ensure that your flowers get a good start.

2. DESIGNING COTTAGE GARDENS

Another hot landscaping trend that is expected to continue well into 2023 is that of making cottage gardens. Known as the 'comfort food' of gardening, this romantic planting style is known for having colorful and fragrant flowers growing in garden beds. The whimsical feature of these cottage gardens is that they feature elements such as bikes, wheelbarrows, and other found objects that you can cleverly use as containers for these plants. Some of the favorite plants of Florida homeowners for designing cottage gardens include:

• Alliums: Having globe-shaped heads that bob over a sea of foliage, alliums add a great pop of color to your garden bed.

• Dianthus: This genus of flowers is available in wide varieties, including annual, biennial, and even perennial ones, making them an excellent selection for cottage gardens.

• Yarrow: These are drought tolerant and easy to grow, perfect for the Florida weather. They give out many stems of beautiful umbels in various colors, making them ideal for making cottage gardens.

3. OPTING FOR MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE GARDENS

Mediterranean-style gardens are going to be the rage in 2023. This gardening style is perfect for those who want to use less water and is equally stunning to look at simultaneously. Here are some of the best plants to include in your Mediterranean-style garden:

• Fragrant herbs: For many people, the smell of lavender or rosemary is enough to transport them to the Mediterranean gardens. Oregano, basil, and other similar herbs are ideal for a Mediterranean-style garden.

• Olive trees: If you have space, olive trees can make an excellent focal point with their silvery green foliage and gnarly trunks.

• Bougainvillea: A plant perfect for the Florida homeowner is the bright climbers of bougainvillea. And the best part is that bougainvillea remains in bloom almost all year round.

4. ASYMMETRICAL GARDENS

Many gardeners prefer to give their landscapes a more natural look and flow by opting for a not-so-structured look. More and more people are moving away from using similar plants with the same size and shape to lend an asymmetrical look to their gardens. This lets you achieve a more natural look using trees and bushes of different sizes and heights. An asymmetrical garden can have a dramatic effect, especially when incorporating other plants and shrubs leading up to an entranceway.

5. OPT TO GO NATIVE

Using native plants in Florida landscapes has become a popular trend from the second half of 2022 and is expected to carry into 2023. Native plants can tolerate the state's environment and weather much better and benefit the native pollinators, thus helping the local environment. These plants are also more drought-tolerant, and they have low fertilizer needs.