New Year, New Backyard: Start 2026 with a Space Designed to Live Better
A new year brings fresh goals, new routines, and a renewed focus on how we live at home. While many resolutions fade by February, one investment continues to pay dividends year after year: a thoughtfully designed backyard. At GreenRoots Design Firm, we believe the New Year is the perfect time to reimagine your outdoor space and to start planning now for a backyard that’s ready to enjoy when warm weather arrives.
Whether you envision a resort-style pool, an elegant outdoor kitchen, or a peaceful garden retreat, working with an experienced landscape architect and pool contractor early in the year ensures the best results.
Why the New Year Is the Smartest Time to Plan Your Backyard
Outdoor projects are complex. They involve design development, engineering, permitting, and coordination between skilled trades from masons to planting crews to pool contractors. Starting your backyard design in winter allows time for thoughtful planning rather than rushed decisions.
Early planning means:
Greater design flexibility
Priority scheduling for spring and summer installation
Proper coordination between landscape architecture and pool construction
A finished space ready for entertaining, not under construction
By the time others are just beginning to call a contractor, your project can already be underway.
The Value of Hiring a Landscape Architect First
One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is designing their pool or patio in isolation. A landscape architect looks at the entire property, architecture, grading, drainage, views, circulation, and long-term growth before a single stone is set.
At GreenRoots Design Firm, our landscape architects and designers create cohesive master plans with the installation experience needed that integrate:
Custom pools and spas
Outdoor kitchens and fire features
Terraces, patios, and pergolas
Planting designs that mature beautifully over time
This holistic approach ensures your pool doesn’t just fit your yard, but that it belongs there.
Pool Contractor + Landscape Architect = Better Results
A luxury pool should feel like a natural extension of your home, not an afterthought. When your pool is designed and installed by a designer who understands the design and the construction thoroughly, the details are never missed and the result is seamless.
This collaboration allows for:
Precise elevations and clean transitions
Integrated drainage and grading solutions
Coordinated materials and finishes
Plantings that frame, not fight, the pool design
At GreenRoots, we routinely create pools that ensure every detail, from coping to planting beds, works together as one refined outdoor environment.
Backyard Trends We’re Seeing for the New Year
As homeowners continue to prioritize outdoor living, we’re seeing a shift toward spaces that feel personal, functional, and timeless.
Some of the most requested features include:
Resort-style pools with clean lines and integrated spas
Outdoor living rooms designed for year-round use
Low-maintenance landscapes with native and climate-adapted plants
Privacy solutions using layered planting rather than fencing alone
Thoughtful lighting for ambiance, safety, and nighttime enjoyment
These are not trends that disappear in a season, they’re design principles that elevate daily life.
Your Backyard as a Long-Term Investment
A professionally designed landscape is more than a luxury, it’s an investment in your home and your lifestyle. Well-executed outdoor spaces consistently increase property value and improve how homeowners use their space every day.
When designed by an experienced landscape architect and built by skilled craftsmen, your backyard becomes:
A place to entertain effortlessly
A retreat for rest and reflection
An extension of your home’s architecture
A lasting asset that matures beautifully over time
Start the Year with a Plan, Not a Rush
If a new backyard is on your vision board for this year, now is the time to start the conversation. Thoughtful design takes time, and the best outdoor spaces are never rushed.
At GreenRoots Design Firm, we specialize in collaborative landscape architecture and design-build solutions that bring together homeowners, pool contractors, and artisans to create outdoor environments that feel intentional, elegant, and enduring.
New year. New backyard. Designed the right way.
