We’ll Be Seeing This Money-Saving Trick in Everyone’s Yard in 2023

Pinterest’s annual predictions report is like a crystal ball for your home. Since 2019, 80 percent of the trends the platform has forecast for the year ahead (based on what queries are spiking) have come true. So when we saw that there was a fresh, sustainable landscaping idea called “rainscaping” on Pinterest’s radar for 2023, we went straight to Google to get all the details. 

What exactly is rainscaping? It’s essentially using your landscape in a way to redirect, catch, or filter stormwater, and it’s as simple as adding downspouts to nourish your garden beds or collecting H2O in containers for later use. With climate change top of mind these days, terms such as “drought-tolerant landscape design” saw an increase on Pinterest of over 385 percent in the past year. There was also growing interest in “rainwater harvesting architecture” (155 percent) and “beautiful rain barrel ideas” (100 percent). Not only are these sustainable changes good for the environment, they’ll help save money on your utility bills (up to approximately $420 a year, in fact). 

Photographer Thayer Gowdy’s Southern California backyard renovation is a master class in savvy rainscaping for several reasons. Living in Ojai, an area where water doesn’t absorb well into the ground, her first priority was grading the entire yard so that when the rare storm does roll through, it won’t flood her home’s foundation. Second, any occasional rainfall is captured in rain barrels so she can reuse it for watering her fruit trees and succulents or simply have it on hand for emergencies. Psst: This outdoor upgrade can also be as simple as strategically placing native trees in areas where their roots will soak up excess water or replacing turf with low-maintenance ground covers, according to Gardening Know How. We can’t wait for the prediction to come true.