As we settle into the 2025 gardening year, Steven Walley, Managing Director of London Stone and landscaping expert has weighed in on his predictions for this year’s garden design trends and shares how you can bring the ideas into your space… 

Renaissance of natural stone 

Steven says: “Porcelain has been the dominant paving material for the past several years – and it’s still a popular choice – but we’re starting to see a resurgence in the popularity of natural stone. 

“This stone helps to introduce character and texture to a garden design and blends seamlessly with indoor tiles, helping to blend indoor and outdoor spaces together.

“Beyond its natural aesthetic, natural stone paving also provides practical advantages over concrete paving. Its smaller joints help to keep weeds at bay which allows for less frequent maintenance and repairs.

Contrasting designs 

Steven says: “While modern-effect garden schemes are still popular, I’ve noticed an increasing interest in material pairing and creating contrasts between different hard landscaping elements.  

“For example, porcelain pavers laid alongside clay pavers or larger format Egyptian limestone alongside a small natural stone paver, which helps to create texture and interest in gardens. 

“This technique brings unique textures, colour and character to a garden design, helping homeowners create a tailored and unique patio design with a bespoke blend of tones and shades. 

“Laying clay pavers in patterns such as herringbone and chevron helps to emphasise their natural texture and character of the material while adding depth and visual appeal to garden designs.”

Blended spaces 

Steven says: “In 2024, we saw huge demand for blurring the lines between outdoor and indoor living spaces, helping to connect the two together. 

“And the desire to create gardens that can be used all, or nearly all, year round is still growing so experimenting with garden layouts to make the most of connecting your house and garden together will remain key. 

“Think communal spaces that bring people together and blend the indoors with outdoors seamlessly. 

“With the growing desire to connect house and garden, and our recent weather extremes, embrace the trend by bringing in a pergola into your garden design to help your garden become usable all year round. 

“Terraces and patios in natural stone offer the perfect material for this trend, with the natural beauty of the stone complementing kitchen flooring perfectly.”

Birds-eye views

Steven says: “One unexpected trend that’s completely new is the interest in drone imagery. 

“People love seeing drone views and are designing their garden so that it incorporates shapes and elements that are pleasing from a bird’s eye-view too.