The main photo is courtesy of Pacific Outdoor Living, whose founder and owner, Terry Merrill, participated on two panels at FutureScape USA. The image exemplifies the restorative power of well-designed outdoor spaces.
As a means to discover new technologies, trends, and innovators, Purgula regularly attends well-established tradeshows throughout the year. We were fortunate to attend the inaugural, US debut of FutureScape USA, a tradeshow held at the LA Convention Center, produced by 44Group, a leading B2B landscaping publisher and event producer from the UK.
Walking the show floor, one thing became clear: innovation in landscaping is accelerating faster than ever before. Changes in resilience needs, building codes, insurance requirements, material technology, and homeowner preferences have all created a perfect storm of transformation.
Homeowners now want: resilient materials and surfaces that are eco-friendly; energy-efficient lighting; modular outdoor structures; and spaces that support mental and physical well-being. Meanwhile, pros need future-ready partners and smart tools to deliver higher-quality results without adding complexity or restrictive costs. This is exactly what FutureScape USA showcased so effectively: innovative brands pushing the industry forward and a collaborative mindset required to bring about change successfully.
As you explore the five major trends below, you’ll see how they often overlap and interconnect, and how each one directly benefits the modern homeowner—while also helping professionals elevate their craft. These themes aren’t just passing design fads; they represent a new foundation of outdoor living. From low-maintenance sustainable materials to fire-resistant design, wellness-centered landscapes, and flexible modular structures, every category reflects a shift toward smarter, safer, more thoughtful environments. Underlying this shift is a message echoed throughout the event:
The best landscapers will be the ones who build best-in-class strategic alliances, not just backyards.
5 Landscaping Trends from FutureScape USA
- Low-Maintenance, Sustainable Designs
- Multi-Layered Fire Defense
- Wellness Spaces & Sensory Gardens
- Transformable & Modular Outdoor Structures
- Strategic Partnerships & Collaboration
Also see:
1. Low-Maintenance, Sustainable Designs
Low-maintenance and sustainable landscaping has officially shifted from a niche preference to a mainstream expectation, and FutureScape USA showcased just how deeply this trend is shaping the future of outdoor design. Homeowners increasingly want landscapes that look polished and high-end, but don’t require endless hours of upkeep—or constant watering, repairs, or material upkeep and replacement.
At the same time, environmentally-focused states, such as Washington and California, are enforcing stricter runoff, water use, and environmental regulations, forcing both homeowners and contractors to rethink the materials they choose. What once felt like “eco-friendly alternatives” are now becoming essential building components.
One standout element of this shift is the rapid rise of permeable hardscapes (driveways, walkways, and patios), which allow rainwater to filter through instead of running off into storm drains, collecting pollutants along the way. Not only do permeable surfaces help meet new building codes, they also reduce flooding, erosion, and long-term maintenance issues.
Among the top innovators in this category showcased at the event was AquiPor, whose engineered permeable concrete is designed to handle heavy loads while filtering water at remarkable speeds. Products like their AquiPor Porous Pavers are helping homeowners stay compliant, while also enhancing the overall functionality of their landscapes.
Close up view of AquiPor Porous Pavers
Image courtesy of AquiPor
Similarly, VUBA Stone and Chameleon Ways demonstrated resin-bound and permeable surface solutions that offer both beauty and performance—ideal for driveways, walkways, and patios that need durability without sacrificing style.
Close up view of the Vuba Stone natural resin-bound permeable surfacing solution for outdoor spaces exhibited and demonstrated at FutureScape USA 2025
Sustainability also extends into lightweight, resilient materials that make installation easier and longevity more predictable. JBD Concepts, for example, highlighted their fiberglass planters, which are not only striking in color and design but also incredibly durable and far lighter than traditional materials. This makes them ideal for rooftop gardens, decks, and apartment terraces where weight limitations matter.
Colorful, lightweight, fiberglass planters exhibited by JBD Concepts at FutureScape USA 2025
Pair these striking accents with long-lasting outdoor furnishings from brands like Cane-line, and you get a landscape that withstands weather, sun exposure, and heavy use for years without fading or degrading.
Cane-line outdoor furniture exhibited at FutureScape USA 2025
Let’s not overlook energy-efficient lighting. Les Jardins demonstrated how solar-powered lights can now be stylish, dependable, and bright enough for both ambiance and safety. Homeowners get gorgeous evening lighting with zero energy cost and zero wiring headaches.
Lastly, decking, railing, fencing, and cladding materials continue to evolve rapidly. Current areas of innovation include: elevated aesthetics; recycled/composite materials; UV resistance; enhance durability; minimal upkeep; and reduced environmental impact.
Companies like EVA-LAST, TimberTech, Fiberon and Fortress Building Products are leading the composite revolution—producing boards and components that mimic the richness of real wood but require almost no maintenance. No staining. No splintering. No structural decay. Just long-term durability and clean, modern aesthetics.
These manufacturers offer alternatives to traditional wood with products that can last 25–50 years with minimal intervention, while using recycled content to reduce the reliance on natural resources significantly.
In short, sustainable design is no longer about sacrificing beauty—it’s about using smarter materials that offer effortless upkeep and long-term environmental benefits. In terms of explaining “effective sustainability”, we like referencing the mantra often cited by leading Italian designers and home décor brands:
The best form of sustainability is making products that last.
2. Multi-Layered Fire Defense
The concept of multi-layered fire defense (AKA fire resilience, fire resistance, or home hardening) is increasingly important as residential structures and landscaping demand integrated, high-performance protection.
Multi-layered fire defense refers to combining multiple passive and responsive fire protection materials and systems—such as intumescent coatings (fire-resistant paints that swell and form an insulating char layer when exposed to high temperatures), firestop sealants, mineral wool insulation, and composite barriers—into a coordinated assembly that delays fire spread, maintains structural integrity, and reduces smoke penetration under extreme heat.
Industry innovators that showcased advanced building and safety solutions at Futurescape USA included Komodo Fire Systems, who demonstrated both environmentally-friendly fire suppression systems, as well as preventative, environmentally-friendly fire retardants for landscaping and wood framing that underscored fire-safety awareness among construction, landscaping and outdoor living professionals.
Matador Fire, a Los Angeles-based start-up born from the 2025 LA Fires, provides comprehensive wildfire defense solutions for homes and communities, with a focus on empowering homeowners to defend their properties from wildfires.
Close up view of the Matador’s fire demo at FutureScape USA 2025. The model home and surrounding material in the center were treated with Matador’s fire suppression solution.
The service company offers eco-friendly, non-toxic fire retardant services and systems, available through both professional and DIY applications, as well as professional home hardening services. Matador’s aim is to provide barriers that make properties more resilient against wildfire damage and includes fire property protection inspections, ember resistant vents and gutter guards installation, and vegetation trimming and maintenance.
Combining these layered defensive offerings and engineered systems helps homeowners meet stringent fire codes, while optimizing performance, protection and sustainability.
Other fire suppression exhibitors worth noting include:
- Prodigy Wildfire Solutions: Permanent, roof-mounted exterior sprinkler systems with remote app activation and ember detection for proactive ember defense through a water-based wetting system that creates a cooling, humid microclimate that prevents ember ignition.
- EmberSafe Wildfire Defense Systems: Permanent, exterior sprinkler installations that disperse Komodo—a plant-based, non-toxic fire inhibitor—for remote app-activated ember protection via an invisible, heat-releasing coating on structures and vegetation.
- California Wildfire Sprinklers: An affordable, water-only, high-pressure plumbing exterior sprinkler system designed by a veteran California firefighter. The system works with municipal water, dedicated tanks, pools, or wells with pump integration.
- Mighty Fire Breaker: CitroTech fire-retardant sprays for exterior spaces
- Pacific Outdoor Living: A full-service landscaping firm, with expertise in fire-resistant hardscapes
Brian Palazzo firefighter and owner of California Wildfire Systems getting ready to demonstrate their sprinkler system at FutureScape USA 2025
3. Wellness Spaces & Sensory Gardens
Wellness Spaces & Sensory Gardens are emerging as key areas of interest for homeowners and landscape professionals looking to integrate health-focused design into outdoor spaces. Wellness spaces and sensory gardens are thoughtfully designed environments that engage the senses and promote physical and psychological well-being through elements like plants, textures, scents, and soundscapes that support stress reduction and mindfulness.
Aquascape
Water + Nature for Multisensory Experience
At the forefront of wellness-oriented exhibits was Aquascape, a leading name in integrated water feature products and design. Their display highlighted water gardens, ponds, and waterfalls that combine plant life, natural materials, light and sound, creating serene environments that engage sight and sound to promote relaxation and sensory connection.
A peaceful koi pond with chairs designed by Aquascape
Image courtesy of Aquascape
Aquascape’s philosophy of ecosystems that “connect people to water the way nature intended” underscore their commitment to landscapes that support wellbeing and mindful engagement with nature.
Heritage Handmade Garden Collections
Artisan Elements for Tranquil Spaces
Heritage Handmade Garden Collections showcased handcrafted planters, fountains and garden ornaments rooted in classical garden traditions. Their bespoke pieces offer tactile and visual richness—such as textured stone and artisan surfaces—that designers can use to craft sensory gardens that appeal to touch, sight and calm contemplative atmospheres within outdoor living spaces.
Heritage Handmade Verdigris Copper Garden Planter and Water Container in the “wild” in a peaceful, natural garden
Image courtesy of Heritage Handmade
Torc Pots + Allgreen
Design Tools for Sensory Gardens
Also exhibiting was Torc Pots, known for beautifully crafted garden containers, often used as focal points in planting schemes that stimulate scent, color and texture. Alongside Allgreen’s premium landscape materials, these exhibitors provided designers with the tools to build rich sensory gardens—where scented herbs, ornamental grasses and colorful perennials can be woven into therapeutic landscapes.
Custom planters by Torc Pots used as captivating focal point
Image courtesy of Torc Pots
Backyard Discovery
Backyard Discovery has long been known for high-quality outdoor living and backyard enhancement products—from swing sets and pergolas to greenhouses and patio structures. In 2025, the company expanded its reach into the wellness space by introducing a full line of premium saunas designed to bring spa-like health benefits to the home environment.
Photo of Backyard Discovery’s Lennon Outdoor Cube sauna that was exhibited at FutureScape USA 2025
Image courtesy of Backyard Discovery
At the core of this wellness lineup are traditional and infrared saunas built with Backyard Discovery’s signature craftsmanship and attention to detail. These units emphasize efficient heat performance, durability, comfort, and ease-of-assembly. Some models also include features aimed at elevating the sensory wellness experience, such as chromotherapy lighting and built-in Bluetooth speakers to support relaxation and stress reduction. The saunas are engineered to heat quickly and retain warmth, and are available in several styles—from indoor infrared units to outdoor barrel and cabin-style designs that encourage year-round use.
In addition to saunas, Backyard Discovery also offers a wide-range of greenhouses that also support a healthy outdoor lifestyle through year-round gardening, an activity linked to stress relief and a restorative connection with nature.
Alutema Global
Alutema products—centered on motorized aluminum retractable roofs, bioclimatic pergolas, and advanced shading systems—aligns closely with the rising trend of wellness and sensory gardens in residential spaces by enhancing comfort, usability, and aesthetic appeal of outdoor environments.
Alutema Global’s bioclimatic pergola playing a key role in exquisite indoor-outdoor living
Image courtesy of Alutema Global
Their customizable pergola and retractable roof solutions allow homeowners to seamlessly blend built structures with garden landscapes, providing adaptable shaded retreats that support relaxation, outdoor mindfulness, and sensory engagement throughout the seasons. By offering durable, weather-resistant outdoor coverings that control sunlight, shade, and shelter, Alutema’s products help create inviting, multi-sensory living spaces where families can enjoy nature, host wellness activities, or simply unwind in comfort.
Cane-line
A unique sustainability feature of Cane-line’s durable outdoor furniture also delivers a wellness benefit. The QuickDry & Airflow system ensures that cushions with their unique QuickDryFoam dries much faster than normal cold foam cushions, which prevents mold from developing inside the cushion due to constant air circulation. Additionally, their soothing curved designs and comforting textures are quite effective at creating safe outdoor spaces for prolong periods of respite.
Cane-line chaise lounge featured in serene outdoor patio
Image courtesy of Cane-line
4. Transformable & Modular Outdoor Structures
One of the more interesting shifts highlighted at FutureScape USA was the growing demand for transformable and modular outdoor structures and solutions. Increasing numbers of homeowners are desiring flexible spaces that adapt to changing lifestyles, seasons, and needs. Whether it’s hosting a weekend gathering, working from home outdoors, practicing wellness routines, or enjoying quiet family time, outdoor environments now need to perform multiple roles. Modular design delivers exactly that—without the typical cost or disruption of permanent construction.
One noticeable, related feature at FutureScape was rapid-assembly solutions for outdoor kitchens and entertainment spaces. A standout example was the ELEV8 pop-up kitchen, engineered for fast deployment, mobility, professional-grade performance, and—most importantly—fun!
The ELEV8 Pop-up Kitchen exhibited at FutureScape USA 2025
This truly modular solution redefines what an outdoor kitchen can be. Instead of committing to a fully built-in, permanent structure, homeowners can deploy a sleek, functional kitchen on demand and retract it when not in use.
A modular approach helps reduce clutter, preserves open space, and allows homeowners to enjoy high-end functionality without the long-term maintenance, or visual bulk of traditional outdoor kitchens. Fast-deploy systems also benefit landscapers as they reduce installation time, minimize disruptive construction work, and enable designers to integrate cooking zones virtually anywhere—from compact patios to full outdoor entertainment suites. ELEV8 will be coming out with a pop-up bar in 2026, as their next timely product launch.
StruXure’s stylish exhibit at FutureScape USA 2025
Pergolas and shade structures are also evolving rapidly. Exhibitors such as StruXure and Alutema showcased their respective best-in-class architectural pergola systems that feature motorized louvers, integrated lighting, heating, and rain sensors. These structures respond to weather in real time, offering comfort regardless of conditions.
Meanwhile, Outer Spaces, an extension of outdoor furniture brand, Outer, showcased a newly launched prefab modular deck and pergola system—also referred to as a “build-in-a-day” solution—that significantly reduces installation timelines, while maintaining premium aesthetics. The appeal is obvious: homeowners get a polished, modern look with minimal disruption and maximum versatility and durability.
Outer Spaces exhibit at FutureScape USA 2025 that shows a partially completed deck-pergola combo to demonstrate the straightforward assembly process
The beauty of modular design lies in its affordability (via efficient economies of scale), convenient installation, and long-term adaptability. Components can be expanded, reconfigured, or upgraded over time, allowing homeowners to invest gradually instead of committing all at once. In Outer Spaces case, homeowners can start with the deck first, and then later add on the pergola for increased functionality, such as an outdoor theater.
For landscapers, modular structures help reduce risk, shorten project timelines, and open the door to recurring business as clients evolve their spaces. Modular solutions also open new opportunities to layer additional features such as lighting, fire elements, and heating.
5. Strategic Partnerships & Collaboration
The New Normal in Landscaping
Perhaps the most important takeaway from FutureScape USA wasn’t a single product or design trend—it was a mindset shift.
The modern landscaper is no longer just a designer or installer of plants and pavers. Today, the most successful professionals are evolving into outdoor general contractors, capable of orchestrating complex, multi-disciplinary projects that require coordination across fire safety, water management, wellness, durable structures, energy-efficient lighting, and resilient, low-maintenance materials. No single landscaper can be an expert in all of these areas—and they shouldn’t unrealistically attempt to be.
This trend toward strategic partnerships was a recurring theme throughout the show, and it reflects the growing complexity of modern outdoor spaces.
Emerging regulations and building codes, combined with distressing insurance risks, are major drivers of this change. As previously mentioned, runoff compliance requirements, in states like California and Washington, are pushing permeable solutions, such as those from AquiPor into the spotlight. California is also introducing Zone 0 (AKA Zone Zero) defensible space mandates in March of 2026, requiring homeowners and landscapers to rethink perimeter designs of homes. Zone 0 represents the area of 0 to 5 feet surrounding the structure of a property, which largely require the moving of plants, bushes, and small trees out of this area. The Zone 0 debate, however, is far from over from what we are hearing, which helped push the launch of the mandate back three months.
An informative panel discussing the latest Firescaping Strategies at FutureScape USA 2025
In tandem, insurance companies are increasingly influencing landscape decisions, often requiring proof of fire mitigation measures before issuing or renewing policies. Stephanie Landregan, a speaker on the firescaping panel, shared an alarming story that she was dropped three times, in succession, by three different insurance carriers after completing precisely what was requested of her to meet their respective compliance standards.
We also heard stories of homeowners overreacting to misunderstood insurability requirements, which is leading to overly aggressive trimming and removal of mature trees. In some cases, homeowners are not heeding the expert of advice from their hired landscapers. More than a few fire-resilient experts reminded attendees that “green wood does not burn in a campfire” and that mature trees provide a wide-range of long-term benefits to homes and local eco-systems alike. For instance, large trees with expansive canopies can serve as protective ember catchers.
That’s where partnerships become essential. Fire-resistant design is best executed alongside expert service specialists, such as Matador Fire, Prodigy Wildfire Solutions, and EmberSafe Wildfire Defense. These types of firms are able to integrate a combination of best-in-class products, such as: Komodo for fire suppression; Optect for flame detection; and YoLink for smart water values.
Decking and structural professionals benefit from close collaboration with leading manufacturers like TimberTech, and Fiberon, or modular pergola providers such as StruXure and Alutema. Wellness-focused landscapes can thrive when consulting water feature experts like Aquascape. The landscaper becomes the integrator—the trusted professional who assembles the right team to deliver a cohesive, compliant, and future-ready solution.
Training and education also play a critical role. Organizations like NADRA (North American Deck and Railing Association) emphasize safety standards, best practices, and ongoing education, ensuring professionals stay ahead of evolving requirements and customer preferences. FutureScape USA’s seminar agenda reinforced this point repeatedly: those who invest in learning and partnerships will outperform those who try to go it alone.
The inaugural FutureScape USA, December 9, 2025
A special shout-out belongs to 44Group, who produced their first FutureScape USA tradeshow with a clear mission beyond the usual objectives of generating leads. A key goal of theirs was to foster collaboration, connection, and strategic partnerships—a vision that strongly aligns with how the industry must move forward. By bringing together innovators, educators, and solution providers under one roof, 44Group helped set the tone for a more integrated, cooperative, and ultimately, innovative future.
At Purgula, this philosophy resonates with us deeply. Innovation rarely happens in isolation. The best outcomes come when kindred spirit innovators partner together to deliver exceptional, holistic solutions for modern homeowners. FutureScape USA didn’t just showcase trends—it highlighted a new way of working together.
FAQs
What is FutureScape USA?
FutureScape USA is a national landscaping trade show focused on innovation, education, and collaboration across outdoor living, sustainability, fire safety, and design.
Why are low-maintenance landscapes becoming so popular?
Homeowners want beautiful spaces that save time, water, and money while complying with new environmental regulations.
What is Zone 0 landscaping?
Zone 0 (AKA Zone Zero) refers to a non-combustible area immediately surrounding a home designed to reduce wildfire risk and improve insurance eligibility.
How do wellness gardens improve quality of life?
They integrate calming elements like water, shade, plants, and sensory experiences that reduce stress and encourage outdoor living.
Why are partnerships so important for landscapers today?
Modern projects require expertise in multiple disciplines. Strategic partnerships allow landscapers to deliver complete, compliant, and high-performing solutions without needing to master everything themselves.
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