Four Portland Landscaping Trends to Watch in 2026
Clackamas, United States – February 26, 2026 / Oregon Landscape /
The Portland Spring Home & Garden Show returns to the Portland Expo Center February 26 through March 1, bringing together homeowners, contractors, and designers for four days of exhibits, workshops, and conversations about what is happening in the industry.
For anyone curious about current Portland landscaping trends, the show floor offers a chance to talk directly with professionals and see what homeowners across the metro area are asking for.
Oregon Landscape, a design-build firm that has served Portland, Oregon and the surrounding communities for more than 17 years, will be at Booth 361 to discuss four trends that have reshaped how people think about their yards.
Experience Portland Landscaping Trends in Person
Oregon Landscape’s 2026 display brings these trends to life in a space designed to inspire. Visitors to Booth 361 can see and touch the materials, textures, and finishes that are shaping Portland backyards right now.
The display features:
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Belgard Ashlar Tandem seat wall with a finished cap
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24″ x 24″ architectural pavers
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Basalt boulder bubbler water feature
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FX color-changing outdoor lighting system
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A curated selection of plants and trees
The Oregon Landscape team will be on hand throughout the show to answer questions and discuss how these elements work together. Below is a closer look at a few trends gaining traction across the metro area in 2026.
Bring the Indoors Outside with Outdoor Living Spaces
A custom outdoor living space lets you spend more time outside all year long. A covered patio or outdoor room gives you functional space for cooking, dining, and gathering without worrying about the weather. Add a built-in grill, a sink, a fireplace, maybe a TV and some heating, and you have a space that works in every season.
Portland’s climate makes this practical. With overhead protection, most homeowners can use an outdoor room ten or eleven months a year. Pair it with a paver patio, a fire pit, or a retaining wall to create a backyard that handles everything from quiet mornings to weekend gatherings.
Create a Backyard Retreat with a Custom Water Feature
Portland neighborhoods are busier than ever. Infill development, heavier traffic, and tighter lot lines mean more noise, and relaxing in your backyard is harder when you can hear every car and every conversation from the street.
Water features help mask the sound of traffic, and neighborhood chatter without adding to the noise problem. Bubblers work on flat lots, which explains their popularity, while traditional ponds and waterfalls need slope to function. They fit smaller spaces, cost less to install, and still deliver that calming sound people are after.
Make Your Landscape Safer After Dark
Portland winters are dark. From November through February, most people leave for work and come home in the dark. Without lighting, walkways, steps, and garden edges become tripping hazards.
Low-voltage outdoor lighting has come a long way. The old fixtures corroded, the bulbs burned out constantly, and the transformers failed. Modern LED systems have solved most of those problems because the fixtures last longer, the bulbs use less electricity, and the light quality stays consistent over time.
Homeowners install outdoor lighting for two reasons, safety and aesthetics. Path lights and step lights create a safer walking environment by illuminating stairs, uneven pavers, and garden edges. Accent lighting makes the landscape visible after dark, adds curb appeal, and extends the hours you can actually enjoy your yard creating a more aesthetic landscape.
Lower energy costs and longer fixture life mean outdoor lighting pays for itself faster than it used to.
Build a Landscape That Thrives in Dry Summers
Portland summers have grown drier over the past decade. July and August now bring weeks of hot, rainless weather that leaves traditional lawns brown and struggling.
More homeowners are turning to drought-tolerant landscaping. These designs combine native plants, low-water species, and natural stone elements like boulders, river rock, and gravel. Boulders anchor planting beds and add visual weight without requiring water, while native groundcovers, ornamental grasses, and shrubs like Oregon Grape and Salal thrive around them.
Native plants have evolved in this climate. Once established, they handle Portland’s dry summers with minimal irrigation. For homeowners tired of dragging hoses and replacing dead plants, a drought-tolerant landscape delivers year-round visual interest with far less upkeep.
Show Details
The 2026 Portland Spring Home & Garden Show takes place at the Portland Expo Center, 2060 North Marine Dr., Portland, OR 97217. Hours are February 26 through 28 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and March 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking is $15 per space.
About Oregon Landscape
Oregon Landscape provides landscape design, installation, and maintenance services throughout the Portland metropolitan area, including Portland, Gresham, Clackamas, Happy Valley, Oregon City, Gladstone, West Linn, Lake Oswego, Dunthorp, Sellwood, and the West Hills. The company has served the region for more than 40 years.
Stop by Booth 361 to talk with the Oregon Landscape team about your next project. Show visitors who mention the Home & Garden Show receive a free initial consultation and site visit for design/build projects. For more information, visit oregonlandscape.com.
Media Contact:
Tony Iranshad
Oregon Landscape
503-855-4976
info@oregonlandscape.com
Contact Information:
Oregon Landscape
14801 SE Morning Way
Clackamas, OR 97015
United States
Tony Iranshad
(503) 855-4976
https://oregonlandscape.com/
