What feels new and fresh for fall? We've rounded up 15 of our favorite garden design trends, from gravel gardens to indoor herb troughs:
The Minimalist Pergola
Above: "A garden without a pergola is like a room without a rug," says Alexa, who has been admiring a new generation of deceptively simple silhouettes. See all her favorites in 10 Ways to Improve Your Garden with a Pergola.
Reclaimed Wood
Above: We're admiring the sturdy style of furniture made of recycled wood, capable of standing up to all kinds of weather. In Napa Valley an outdoor dining table is constructed from recycled planks of wood scaffolding. Photograph via Erin Martin Design.
With winter ahead, follow Janet's advice for How to Care for Wood Outdoor Furniture.
Branch Out
Above: Florists are finding new architectural interest in leafless branches. For fall floral arrangements, consider quince, crabapple, or pear (as shown) branches. Here are Justine's step-by-step instructions for DIY: Long-Lasting Boughs.
The New Skylight
Above: We're seeing a new kind of solar power—slim-profile windows that function as skylights. In Sweden, sunlight floods an artist's studio year round. Photograph via Waldemarson Berglund.
Let Your Roots Show
Above: Terrariums with a twist; a new generation of vessels can do double duty as vases. See more at Roots on Display: Terra Hydro by 1012.
Gravel Gardens
Above: Izabella is onto something, replacing her lawn with gravel. See the designs that inspired her in The New Gravel Backyard: 10 Landscapes to Love. Photograph via Foras Studio.
Herb Bouquets
Above: Posies of dried herbs add style to food blogger Heidi Swanson's kitchen (and flavor to whatever she cooks). We're giving away a copy of her new cookbook; for a chance to win, enter here.
The Deconstructed Outdoor Kitchen
Above: Julie sees elegance in The New Deconstructed Kitchen, with a charm that comes from being "less than perfect, cobbled together from disparate elements." We're admiring the same look outdoors.
For more ideas, see 10 Favorites: Ultimate Outdoor Kitchens.
Indoor Troughs
Above: It's the new indoor window box. Grow herbs in the kitchen so you'll have something to snip all winter long. We're partial to the look of a a painted steel WallBox (available in black or white and in two sizes) at prices starting at 695 DK (approx. $105 US) from Purple ID.
The Four-Season Planter
Above: A cluster of planters—each with a single boxwood bush—creates a monochromatic backdrop for brilliant fall color. Bonus: evergreen shrubs look good year-round (and particularly nice under a frosting of new snow).
For more boxwood ideas, see Curb Appeal: 9 Ideas for Boxwood.
Furniture You Can Plant In
Above: Photograph via Design Sponge.
We're seeing houseplants integrated into decor in a natural way, rooted in consoles, benches, and tables. We're especially fond of the DIY Portable Closet, Planter Included.
Ginkgo Glamor
Above: Is ginkgo the new hornbeam? Pollarded ginkgo trees add a layer of ruffly texture against a fence. For more, see Trend Alert: The Unexpected Elegance of Ginkgo.
Stylish Seedlings
Above: No longer relegated to the basement, grow lights with sculptural lines of their own are worthy of tabletop display. See our favorites in 10 Easy Pieces: The New Grow Lights.
Charred Facades
Above: Czech Republic-based Mjölk Architekti specified lightly burned planks to lend a wood facade a speckled look on a house on the outskirts of Prague.
Black Beauties
Above: So purple it's black; a smoke bush (R) has velvety leaves to create color contrast even after everything else has finished blooming for the season. For more ways to add a dash of black to a landscape, see Black Beauties: 10 Film Noir Flowers for a Glamorous Garden.
For more of our recent garden design forecasts, see 10 Top Garden Design Trends of 2015 and 13 New Landscape Ideas to Steal in 2015.
More Stories from Gardenista