How’s It Growing: Are You On The Cutting Edge In Your Garden?
Spring is just around the corner! Let's take a look at some of this year's trends:
Natural Materials: Wood and stone are being used with native plants for a more free-form design.
Color Blocking: Painting an outdoor wall a vibrant color and using it as a backdrop to showcase a few plants has become a trend that works well indoors, too.
Hyperlocalism: People are using materials that can be found in their immediate region. The closer the supplies, the less carbon footprint left behind.
Rethinking the Lawn:The need to conserve water will be with us well into the future. As a result, perennial beds have been expanded, watering zones created, and drought resistant turf has been developed.
Color: Bright colors are back in garden beds and containers. And for many backyard homesteaders, natural dye gardens have been added. Marigold, purple basil, and blue cornflower are a few plants with natural dye abilities.
Mixing the Old With the New: What's old is new again, and repurposing items for the garden is a great way to show off your creativity.
Let's Play: The backyard sandbox has been replaced with play spaces for adults. Whether it's bocce ball, horseshoes, or adult swings, playgrounds are being reinvented.
Dwarf Shrubs: When people downsize, their yard often does, too. Smaller plants have continued to be developed, with the "Bobo" hydrangea being one example.
Houseplants: They may not be your Grandma's violets, but houseplants are making a comeback! From fiddle-leaf fig to tillandsias, they are filling the corners and walls of many homes.
Technology: Professional growers have been using technology to access information from greenhouses and manage irrigation systems. Home owners are now using their smartphones to program and monitor their home systems.
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