Celebrate World Landscape Architecture Month with FloraTerra

April is almost upon us, and with it comes World Landscape Architecture Month in 2022; a global celebration of all things related to landscape architecture and landscape design. This wonderful tribute to our outdoor spaces places joyful emphasis on the way that landscaping can transform lives globally, improving health and happiness through its presence, vibrancy, and innate nature-connection.

The annual event focuses on the space within which landscape design and architectural elements intersect. According with Earth Day.org., (WLAM) world landscape architect month was first established by the (ASLA) American Society of Landscape Architects, it provides us all with an opportunity to revel in the way that green spaces give back. Better yet, it’s always an exciting opportunity to glean the latest insights from this important facet of our industry, and a great time to spot emerging landscaping trends that will inevitably trickle out into broader landscape design and maintenance practices.

Last year’s, 2021 theme for World Landscape Architecture Month was “Growing Together”, and while the role that landscaping plays in strengthening communities is always a central thread, we are curious to know what this year’s theme might be. Read on to discover some of the areas of landscape design that are currently under the spotlight:

Sustainability in Landscape Design

Whether Landscape Design for Condominiums & HOA’s, institutional, or commercial settings, sustainability is set to take its final steps from the fringe into center stage. This makes perfect sense when we consider that sustainability offers a dual reward.

When commercial landscape designers prioritize sustainability, not only is environmental impact lessened, but costs for property owners and managers are reduced.

Thanks to practices such as clever water conservation concepts, choosing native plant species, opting for drought-tolerant and low-maintenance landscape design, and the use of recycled materials, here we discover a trend that benefits us and the earth in equal measure.

Tackling Climate Change with Green Strategies

When its impact remains unchecked, to that point the secretariat at United Nations Climate Change, ‘climate change poses a substantial risk to global stability, communities and enterprises alike‘. Happily, revolutionary approaches to landscape design that favor working in tandem with natural systems rather than against them can make all the difference, both in terms of lessening the blow and reducing potential contributions to the problem.

Within landscape architecture and landscape design circles, landscaping is increasingly being seen as critical green infrastructure—able to contribute to safeguarding air and water quality, reducing urban temperatures, and protecting against the risk of flood or fire.

The Health Benefits of Access to Nature

We’ve reported on the health benefits of exposure to green spaces many times here at FloraTerra, simply because we think this magical trait of landscaping is something that everyone should be aware of. Evidence abounds that time spent among foliage can reduce stress, alleviate depression, increase productivity, stimulate creativity, improve blood pressure, and even reduce mortality.

According with Love Your Landscape.org, their are many environmental and health benefits when it comes to outdoor landscaping.

The great news is that we don’t need to escape to the mountains or the woods to make the most of this fantastic quality of nature. The green spaces that surround us in our everyday lives—the landscaping that surrounds your HOA, your office building, your favorite mall, and even your home—can give you the same powerful health boosts. Awareness of this should always be regarded as a key motivator in contemporary landscape design.

Making Landscape Design Universally Accessible

While certain aspects of global politics may leave us feeling less than optimistic at present, it is vital to remember that marvelous work is being done across countless areas in terms of inclusivity. Within the sphere of landscape design, this takes shape in the form of spaces that welcomes everyone—whether they are young and abled, or navigating the joys of nature with visual, physical, or auditory disabilities; or neurodevelopmental or neurocognitive disorders.

ADA is an important aspect of commercial landscape design and architecture, to that point, (ASLA) associated landscape architecture magazine shares 10 ways the (ADA) American disabilities act will affect landscape architects, especially when when it comes to the (ADA) regulations. The Americans with Disabilities Act of course means that landscaped public spaces must cater to certain criteria, but excitingly, a new wave of landscape designers are taking this idea so much further, creating green environments that are truly accessible to all.

The Thrilling Evolution of Landscape Design

While nature’s own designs are inevitably timeless, the field of landscape design is an ever-evolving thing. As we look back on our service to clients across the Bay Area over the last decades, there can be no doubt that it is this constant opportunity to learn and grow that keeps us ever passionate about what we do.

When partnering with FloraTerra for your commercial landscape design and maintenance needs, you choose a collaborator who is leaning into the progression of contemporary landscaping, and who will always offer you the latest ideas, the most efficient techniques, and the most innovative design solutions.