A massive 42% of us Brits enjoy gardening, with an additional 35% claiming that gardening helps them to relax. With this in mind, and as we firmly move into spring, we thought it would be a good idea to look ahead at the biggest and best gardens trends coming your way this year. Many saw the pandemic period as an opportunity to experiment with their gardening, and this produced a focus on sustainability and wellbeing that we will see reflected in the 2022 season.

Exotic planting

Tropical plants can massively influence the colour and overall aesthetic of your garden. Cannas, for example, have stunning blooms and striking foliage that can transform your garden into a tropical paradise. If you want plants that evoke the ‘holiday feeling’ then these might be the ones to go for. Alongside cannas, you could also go for caladiums, which come with a wide array of strikingly multicoloured leaves, with varieties for either sun or shade available. Rose of Sharon and Rose Mallows are also ideal options here, with the latter offering stunning flowers reminiscent of hibiscus.

Inside outside

Over the pandemic period in particular, we began to see trends geared towards bringing interior design into the garden, with bar and living room type areas becoming more commonplace. This can also create a stronger sense of connection with the natural world, as you can bring your living area into the garden and no longer limit your idea of the ‘home’ only to the inside. Extending your living space to include garden rooms is a popular option now, alongside screening areas that use taller shrubs or hanging plants to create that sense of interior enclosure in your garden. Remember to provide some atmospheric lighting by investing in fairy lights, lanterns, string lights or outdoor lamps!

Climate conscious

Climate-conscious gardening is becoming one of the most significant trends of the year. Growing your own food, finding locally sourced plants and flowers, building your own compost food scrap and planting lawn alternatives are all viable options here. Creating your own compost from food scraps will reduce the methane emissions prevalent in landfills, while using lawn alternatives will reduce the need for mowing and consistent use of herbicides and fertilisers.

Edible gardening

Growing your food from the seed is a trend that is continuing to evolve, especially with the cost of living rising across the country. This method ensures you are eating clean, because you can control the type of fertiliser, soil and seeds that need to be used. You can also be saving money in the long-term on food shops, while experiencing the joy of taking your food from seed to table. In this way, you can also begin to experience some of the mental health benefits of gardening. Edible gardening also reduces your long-term plastic use since you’ll purchasing less packaged food back at the supermarket.

Wildlife gardening

Gardeners across the country are looking to encourage a greater diversity of wildlife in their gardens, and there are ways we can go about doing this effectively. Replacing or reducing your garden lawn with better alternatives that encourage the support of more wildlife, pollinators and soil health is a good start. Including water features in your garden is also ideal because they provide wildlife with a place they can come and visit and drink out of. Using a diverse variety of plants is also usually a good way to encourage wildlife to come and visit your garden.

 Garden Supplies are a family run business delivering sustainable garden supplies right to your door.  We have been serving clients in and around Gloucester since 1991.  If you want more information about our products and services, take a look at our website www.gardensuppliesglos.co.uk or give us a call on 01453 547299 – we’d be happy to hear from you!