Garden Trends for 2017
Now that Pantone has named its Color of the Year, and it’s green, it’s no surprise that gardening is on the cutting edge of many trends today. Each year, the Garden Media Group, a PR firm serving the horticulture industry, unveils the trends it is spotting for the year ahead. Based on new items I’m seeing in stores, I think they are on to something with at least a few of the trends.
Here are three you might want to watch for in the year ahead. You can sign up to get the full report here.
More indoor food gardening. The Garden Media folks call this Peak Season, but in essence it means people are looking for more ways to grow food so they can eat fresh year-round. You see it in the growing of microgreens (we have a story on that topic in the September/October Northern Gardener), indoor herb gardening and some of the new, cool devices for providing the light, nutrients and water plants need to grow.
Tidy Gardens. Gardeners still love the blowsy, full look of cottage gardens, but there is a movement among designers toward decluttered spaces, both indoors and out. If you’ve read Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, you get the idea. Kondo recommends people remove anything that does not “give them joy.” While I’m not sure I could live in quite as spare an environment (or garden) as she suggests, the concept of removing clutter certainly appeals to many over-stimulated, hyper-connected people.
Wellness Hotspots. If you’ve been gardening more than a few years, you know that stepping outside, enjoying fresh air, working with plants is a great way to reduce stress and get some perspective on life. This trend extends the idea to the value of indoor plants and trees that buffer sound and screen harsh sunlight. Also, the research on the value of getting out in nature to children is convincing. Turn off the screens (including the one you are reading this on!) and get outside.
Other things the trend watchers say we should look for in 2017: seed or plant delivery services, more natural ways to control mosquitoes (finally bats are getting the respect they deserve) and lots of gold leaves and plants.
Which trends are you following?
Untidy gardening is my trend. I want spaces that allow for native pollinators and that means untidy spaces where native weeds can grow. Of course, 25 acres gives me plenty of room for that!
Indoor food gardening with the Tower Garden aeroponic system. Self watering, no dirt and love the fresh greens at hand all winter.