This summer Houzz, an online platform for home remodeling and design, published a study of landscaping and garden trends among homeowners who use the site. Three in five homeowners surveyed said that they had hired or planned to hire a professional to help with their large landscape projects. 56% of those hiring a professional budgeted $10,000 or more for the project.

Many of the findings in the study may not surprise landscape professionals. Homeowners are interested in outdoor living and entertaining, but they want a landscape that is easy to maintain. New outdoor furniture, benches, and grills topped the list of upgrades.

Water conservation is on the minds of homeowners as well. Living walls, synthetic turf, and succulents have gained popularity, especially in urban areas. Irrigation systems were the most common equipment upgrades, which presents an opportunity to install water-saving systems.

Homeowners added decking and hardscaping to make their landscape easier to maintain and more water-efficient. And when choosing new plant materials, more people are interested in drought-tolerant, native, and pollinator-friendly greenery.

To see or download the entire study, visit http://info.houzz.com/rs/houzz/images/2015HouzzLandscapingStudy.pdf. To listen to a representative of Houzz and other social media experts discuss how to use online services to improve your business’s reputation, attend ALCC’s social media workshop, “Managing your social media presence.”