Climate change is heavily affecting Idaho. All over, the state is frequently suffering from intense droughts, water scarcity, heat waves, fire, and floods.

In residential landscaping, it's best to center the design around drought-resistant and low-water requirements, preferably with more native plants more adapted to the climate.

And for home protection against wildfires, planting low-growing plants with less dense shrubs and thinned-out trees is best.

Idaho covers from about 5a to 7a generally, with some outlier parts falling in 3b and 4a zones. The southeastern part, around the Treasure Valley and Boise, falls under 6a, 6b, and 7a growing zones.

Northern Idaho is under 5a, 5b, and 6a.

In Southern Idaho, 6b and 7a dominate.

Nampa Idaho and going up the high desert is under 7a.

Higher up the east falls under 4b, 5a, and 5b.

Winter in Zone 5 (5a and 5b) minimally varies between negative fifteen and negative twenty. The sharp winters and short growing seasons in Idoha's cities falling in zone 5 demand cold-hardy plants in your garden.

Those include vegetables like beet, chives, and butternut squash. And general, flowering, and otherwise, plants like Yarrow, Phlox, Hydrangea, and Geranium.

Zone 6 and 7, along the treasure valley, have minimum winter temperatures between negative ten and zero. That's a medium-length growing season.

If you live in that zone, which includes Boise id, you'd want to efficiently garden your lawn with plants and grass that can survive those winters. They include Tulips, Asters, daffodils (which are technically weeds), Salvia, and Lillies.

A landscape design in Idoha featuring primarily native plants for the backyard, front yard, and lawn is advantageous on many levels.

As native plants have evolved to adapt exactly to the climate and other factors of the exact area, it's good for water conservation. It's also less maintenance as they don't require much interference to thrive.

Landscaping with native plants is also good for the environment as a whole as it's beneficial to wildlife.

Both traditional landscaping and native landscaping have their benefits. It all depends on what your interests lie.

Boise landscapers have noticed the water-conscious landscape design rise in trend. That includes focusing on native plants and/or sparse planting.

But also other features like a lack of sprinkler systems and water features (or at least installing an eco-friendly water feature), and minimal lawn landscaping, which is also favored for lower maintenance.

Another popular landscape design in Idaho is Modern Landscaping. Modern garden landscape design primarily combines function with aesthetics.

The focus is on the landscapes becoming an expanse of homes in every way, with features like outdoor kitchens and outdoor living rooms. Here, landscaping needs to be habitable and functional above all else.

Kitchen gardens and wildlife-friendly gardens are also rising in popularity in Idaho and especially Boise.

Hardscaping includes all non-living elements of your landscape construction. That includes everything from a water feature to mulch.

Paver, concrete, and natural stone are all fairly popular in Idaho.

Fire-resistant hardscaping is also popular due to the threat of wildfires in the state. Here, rock can and is used as a buffer instead of mulch. Non-flammable hardscapes are also used, like dry river beds and driveways.

Otherwise, retaining walls, sprinkler systems, concrete decks, rock walls, and fire pits are popular hardscaping features in Idaho.

Our design services are nationwide and include full front yard and backyard packages. That includes 3D landscape and hardscape design as well contractor estimation quotes from your local landscapers for landscape construction.