A person's home is a reflection of their character, and outdoor spaces are no different. The decor might even match their zodiac sign, like tropical flora for vivacious and fiery Leos or edible gardens for practical Virgos. But how do these preferences differ between generations? And how might they translate to virtual spaces? To find out, we surveyed more than 1,000 Americans about the home and landscaping designs of their dreams. Keep reading to discover our findings!
Virtual paradise
The metaverse has progressed to enable virtual versions of many real-life experiences, even gardening. In the first part of our study, we find out how people would create a virtual paradise.
Planting a garden is a great way to connect with the natural world, but what about the virtual version? Well, more than half of Americans said they look forward to gardening in the metaverse, and Gen Z made up 67% of them. Perhaps that's unsurprising as they're the generation most integrated with digital culture. Astrologically speaking, many earth signs were into virtual gardening: 64% of Taurus and Virgo respondents were very to extremely interested. However, Capricorns (the third earth sign) were some of the least interested in a metaverse garden (only 38%).
The metaverse allows users to realize their dream properties in ways they may not be able to in real life. The top three plants our respondents wanted in their virtual landscapes were bird of paradise, aloe vera and cherry blossom trees – all plants that, in the real world, would either fail to thrive in their climate, be too expensive, or take up too much space. Building a virtual space may also fulfill some of their more nostalgic dreams: The most desired feature in a virtual landscape was a treehouse.
Favorite styles for indoors and out
Home design trends are constantly evolving, with preferences often differing across generations. But it turns out that they vary based on zodiac signs as well! This part of our study looks at the top landscaping styles and indoor plants that different generations, zodiac signs and genders are after these days.
Gen Z wanted a modern Japanese look to their gardens, while millennials were more into tropical style. As for the older groups, Gen X preferred a woodland landscape, while baby boomers fancied a tidy English garden. All these landscapes can set different moods depending on their look and feel. Adventurous Aries respondents seemed to enjoy the exotic look of a Japanese landscape, whereas Taurus, Virgo and Libra loved the order and symmetry of a French garden. On the other hand, spontaneous Sagittarius and adaptable Aquarius chose the open, organic look of a prairie-style landscape.
Many of us like to bring nature indoors with popular house plants like lucky bamboo, peace lilies and golden pothos – the top three houseplants favored by those we surveyed. The majesty palm was the favorite among those born during the winter and spring under the signs Aquarius, Pisces and Aries. Meanwhile, people born in fall and winter (Scorpios and Capricorns) favored lucky bamboo most of all.
So, what about gender? Our findings reveal that when outdoors, men preferred a tropical look while women preferred an English garden. Tropical gardens may be harder to attain in certain climates, but an English garden is more adaptable to native plants. Indoors, men most wanted peace lilies while women opted for lucky bamboo – both elegant and easy plants to care for.
Holiday favorites
Most people have a favorite holiday pastime, like decorating their homes with festive lights or watching Christmas movies. But plant-loving homeowners have traditions of their own. Let’s see which bushes, trees and flowers are most popular across the U.S. this time of year.
To find America’s favorites, we first created a list of the most popular Christmas plants in 2022. We then used data from Google Trends to see each plant’s search volume by city and state in the past year.
Blue point juniper was the top plant choice among homeowners in Connecticut, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wisconsin. But certain cities elsewhere favored it, too, specifically Atlanta, Houston and San Antonio. Another popular plant was frosty fern – the favorite of those in Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, the Dakotas and Vermont, plus the cities of Milwaukee and Oakland.
Meanwhile, a few horticultural preferences were unique to single states. Georgia was the only state to favor gardenias during the holidays, although two cities also chose it: El Paso and San Francisco. Massachusetts residents searched for hellebore the most (the only ones to do so), while Nashville and Seattle residents loved this winter-blooming perennial more than any other city. Oregon residents were the only ones with lemon cypress as their top plant, just as Floridians most often searched for Norfolk Island pine.
Some of these are better landscaping picks than others for certain climates. For example, frosty ferns will grow best in a warm, humid environment, making it a tough landscaping choice for the states who loved it most – especially during the winter. Luckily for them, it makes a great houseplant, particularly in a terrarium.
High maintenance
Preserving and nurturing our dream landscape takes effort, both physical and financial. Next, we looked into how much Americans spent on landscape maintenance and how many would rather DIY than pay a professional.
On average, Americans spent $92 per month on landscape maintenance. Gen Z spent the most of any generation ($117 per month), perhaps due to their concern for the environment. This care for the natural world extends to how much they appreciate their green spaces: 71% of those who said it's important to have a beautiful landscape at home were Gen Zers. Scorpio, Sagittarius and Taurus spent the greatest amount on landscape maintenance (over $100 per month), while Pisces, Aries and Capricorn spent the least (as little as $72 per month).
While some invest financially in their outdoor spaces, others do so with their own time and energy. According to our survey, Gen X was most willing to do the yard work themselves. That hard work may pay off, though, since gardening is known for its mood-boosting benefits. As for the zodiac signs, sun-loving Leos, hard-working Virgos and ambitious Scorpios (who love to dig) were the most willing to DIY. However, busy Aries, escapist Pisces and extravagant Taurus would rather hire someone else for the job.
Outdoor design inspo
In the digital age, sharing design ideas is easier than ever. In the last part of our study, we reveal where people get their inspiration and which trends have influenced them most.
More than two-thirds of Americans flocked to Instagram for outdoor design inspiration (67%), followed by YouTube (59%) and Pinterest (45%). The short video format of Instagram Reels allows viewers to absorb a lot of inspiration in a short amount of time, which may account for its popularity among DIYers. Instagrammers are also buzzing about edible gardens, which was the top landscaping trend among those we surveyed. Other favorites included designs that enhanced climate (42%) or provided privacy and protection (40%), making outdoor spaces more enjoyable beyond just looks.
Once again, these tastes varied by generation. Gen Z and millennials were most interested in climate-enhancing landscapes. With summers getting hotter each year, it's no wonder the younger generations prioritize temperature control to make their yards more comfortable year-round. They also said they'd like to add dahlias: gorgeous, colorful blooms in the same family as chrysanthemums and zinnias. Older generations, Gen X and baby boomers, were more interested in edible gardens and privacy protection. The people most interested in furnishing their front yards were our eldest respondents, the baby boomers.
A home with character
A beautiful landscape extends the enjoyment of your home to the outdoors. These spaces are often untapped opportunities to personalize your environment and express yourself. Whether you're designing a virtual dream space, your own yard or enhancing your interior with fresh greenery, there's plenty of inspiration to choose from that will suit your unique style.
Methodology
We surveyed 1,010 Americans interested in landscape design and plants. Among them, 54% were men, and 46% were women; 24% were Gen Z, 28% were millennials, 25% were Gen X, and 23% were baby boomers.
We also used Google Trends to determine the search volume by state and city of different Christmas plants in 2022.
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