Trying to predict the next big garden trend is a tricky thing to do. Gardens take time to mature so committing to a trend means it can be old hat long before its even reached its full maturity and potential. Really the best thing you can have in a garden are the things that make you personally smile, the things that give you a sense of joy. If you always have what excites you then you will always have a space, you want to be in – even if that is garden gnomes and red wood chip mulch! With that said I have noticed a change in garden styles that many people are adopting, you don’t need to completely overhaul your garden if you’re interested in adding these in you can do things slowly and over time – if you like them of course!
Growing your own produce is always a popular thing to do, it’s fun, rewarding, and you get to enjoy your harvest with loved ones with a special meal but with gardens getting smaller and those living in apartments jumping into this trend you need to do it in space saving ways. This may be a green wall adapted to veggies and herbs, an aquaponics tower or simply a grow bag for tomatoes and edible flowers.
Growing your own produce can be done in pots too if you simply don’t have the space for anything else. Layer your pots with different sizes and heights and have spill over herbs like ground cover rosemary, oregano and thyme to maximise space. The best tip I have for those starting out in growing your own is to only grow what you eat – why waste space growing something you don’t like?
You can easily add edible plants into your existing garden beds too – any gap that can have a plant added in can have an edible plant added in. Kale is great one to pop into gaps as it grows, and you remove the lower leaves it adopts an umbrella effect to the planting scheme which makes it feel more layered.
Committing space in your garden for pollinators is a trend you may not necessarily pick at first glance as this space is one that looks beautiful and interesting. To cater for all the insects that pollinate our plants you need a diverse range of flowers in different shapes, colours and sizes throughout all the seasons– which conveniently makes for a beautiful garden to look at and to be in. Finding flowers in spring and summer is easy but by adding in some Salvias you’ll have blooms in autumn through to winter, aloes will continue the food through winter as will natives like Banksia and Acacia and then your back to spring and summer. It’s also a good idea to introduce a bug hotel or a place for your pollinators to rest and feel safe.
Perennials are making a big comeback to many Australian gardens but now they are being used in much more efficient ways. Previously thought of as a short period of interest as after flowering they then would be cut down to nothing its now understood that they can provide 3 and a half seasons of interest before getting the refreshing chop that keeps them vigorous. It starts with the fresh new growth in spring, flowers through the warm seasons and then being allowed to die off naturally gives a longer period of interest and a sculptural form in winter. It’s this sculptural form of many perennials that is being heralded in many contemporary Australian gardens, not to mention its great carbon to add to the compost heap.
If you are looking to introduce more perennials into your garden select drought tolerant varieties, the sedum species are great as they come in a variety of sizes and colours, Yarrow (Achillea spp.) is great for the front of a garden bed and has sturdy yellow, white and pink tones. If you are after some movement in the back of bed Miscanthus grass is excellent as its cheap to buy in a small pot and will grow rapidly with flower heads that dance in the wind. If sculpture is what you really want then Echinacea is the way to go, new variety’s mean almost every colour tone is covered but when the petals drop, and the central cone of the flower remains you get an added artistic bonus from the plant.
The best change I have seen in garden trends is understanding that a garden is a work in progress. No longer are gardens thought of as something on the check list to achieve and forget about once installed, they are growing and maturing ecosystems that bring joy and happiness to those who work on them and relax in them.
