As spring arrives, after a proper winter for a change, many of our gardens look pretty awful. This could be a good time to consider a revamp. Ideas and inspiration can come from many places. Here are some of the latest trends.
I believe there are three useful trend and influences for 2018 – ‘Colour’, ‘Well Being’ and ‘Garden Where You Are’.
Every year worthy people tell us what the trend colours are. This year’s Pantone colour of 2018 is ‘Ultra Violet’. This is a purple to lilac range of shades. Use it is in pots and baskets with seasonal plants because next year there is another colour on the way. More useful for the longer term are the ideas from the Flower Council of Holland who suggest that ‘Punk : Rebooted’ strong colours for great impact, ‘Re-assemble’ a clever mix of lilacs, pale yellows and greens or ‘Romance 3.0’ a pink range but stronger and bolder than many pink themes. Search ‘Flower Council of Holland trends’. You choose and have fun with colours.
It’s a topical subject but well-being may be found in through the positive impact we have on our immediate environment too. Your garden can be a ‘breathing room’ to escape and relax in, a place where you control some of the ‘climate’ and feel with plants and features. Fulfilment from creating a sanctuary for bees, butterflies, birds and a few ‘nice’ mammals is good for our well-being too.
An emerging trend called Wabi-Sabi also works with an American garden idea called Green Mulch. Wabi-Sabi is a Japanese garden concept of the enjoying imperfection. The fading stems of flowers, the rambling of plants mixing together and the fresh new growth of later flushes growing together can be very relaxing, unless you are super tidy. ‘Green Mulch’ is similar but is a planned mixing of plants so that your border soil is completely covered. You just let your plants mingle with each other. It reduces maintenance and creates great environment for small native wild life.
is my term that covers a group of garden activities that have emerged with changed living, especially for younger people.
Gardens have been shrinking for years, front gardens are taken over for parking, and more families rent their homes. This changes how gardening is carried out. Flats don’t have gardens but a new generation just knows life is better with plants and houseplants are ‘back’ after nearly 30 years. Balconies become gardens and vertical gardening, containers for the balcony rail and pots make it all possible. Vertical gardening will catch on in larger gardens to make use of walls and fences.
Front gardens as car parks usually look sterile. Using plants for small areas you can plant in and around the car and even under the parked car.
Challenge yourself and think about a fresh look however and where ever you garden in 2018.
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