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Summer is in full swing in Minneapolis. The long summer nights and hot evening breezes. The mornings fresh with dew. The plants, flowers, and foliage bursting with life! We’re loving every minute of it and we hope you are too. When it comes to making the most out of your home this summer, there’s nothing like a well-designed landscape. We’ve put together five landscaping trends for 2018 that are sure to inspire you! 1. Bigger Doesn’t Mean Better In 2018 we’ve heard a lot of talk about tiny homes. From online instructional videos teaching people how to maximize their little living spaces, to Netflix documentaries about the unique individuals who’ve decided to live smaller, it’s hard to avoid the conversation. But if you already own a home and are happy with it, you’re not going to leave town all of a sudden to take up the tiny life. Instead, why not focus on your backyard? After all, living in a city like Minneapolis, means you might not have that much free outdoor space. Find ways to maximize it. Maybe your irrigation system can be integrated into a water feature? Or try vertical or hanging gardens. How about flagstones that leave space between for flowers other foliage? 2. Go Local The region around Minneapolis has many unique and beautiful plants. Try to find a way to integrate local varieties into your garden and property. Not only will this help support your local ecosystem, choosing local plants will also allow your garden to thrive. Think about it. The weather conditions in Minneapolis are perfect for the plants that grow here naturally. Take advantage of it! 3. Love Your Curves For too long, landscapers were focused on creating straight lines with fences, hedges, paths, and retaining walls. But we’ve seen big changes in the overall esthetics of local design. Many homeowners are moving toward asymmetry, curvy paths, and even imperfections in design. These can give your property a more spontaneous, natural look. One thing to remember though: even if you want to go for a more ‘living look’ it’s very important to plan everything in advance. Looking natural is very different from looking amateur! 4. Eating in the Open Air Many homeowners have moved away from building sun rooms and screened in porches, favoring the outdoors in all its beauty. A big trend in 2018 has been designing backyards like you would a home. The space can be divided into a series of ‘rooms’ for eating, lounging, playing, and star gazing. Building an outdoor kitchen is a great way to enjoy the warm summer nights. And when you’re finished cooking, carry the food over to the dining room table lit by candles and sit beneath your big maple tree. How much more picturesque can it get? 5. Light up the Night Pinterest is full of creative solutions for outdoor lighting. And if you’re planning on spending time in your backyard this summer, it’s a good idea to start getting some ideas. Choosing the right lighting for your outdoor space will dramatically change the way you feel on those warm summer nights.