Top four trends in gardens

The lush outdoor looks you’re about to see everywhere.

Greenwalls are popular ways to grow foliage upwards.

The national group Green Spaces, Better Places has revealed its Plant and Gardening Trend Report and a handful of distinct trends have been revealed. Developed through a survey of 1600 plus Australians and in consultation with nursery industry experts, thought-leaders and academics throughout the country, the report details four key outdoor concepts set to grow in popularity throughout the next year. The report also provides detailed and expert tips on how to bring those four trends to life.

Interestingly, the report also reveals the majority of Australians, about 60 per cent, are concerned about both climate change and how it’s impacting our broader environment.

Further, the report shows that Australians are using plants to tackle these issues with sales up by eight per cent for the year before and 2.4 billion plants sold throughout the country in the past year.

The trend report seems to indicate that, in the face of increasing extreme weather conditions caused by La Niña, heat and — alongside varying liveability challenges —Australians are turning to their gardens to take tangible steps to adapt and still enjoy their natural spaces. It also shows many local green thumbs are focused on building back habitats, beating inflation, and reaping the mental health benefits of connecting with nature.

Climate psychologist Sally Gillespie says the trends outlined in the report are clearly shaped by the climate and liveability forces around us, show a driving adaptability and a thrifty, practical, ‘do-it-yourself’ attitude from Australians to embrace challenges.

“There is a tremendous sense of purpose and inspiration to heal and repair,” says Sally.

“For a good majority of people, that means being the practical gardener who pays attention, learns, plants pollinators and gets their hands in the soil.

“This report clearly shows Australia’s love of the natural environment is not shifting but instead how we adapt to the bigger pressures around us – through plants and gardening – is changing.”

Here, the top four trends revealed in the report and how to recreate them at your place so you can do your bit to fight climate change.

Borage flowers attract bees.

BRINGING NATIVES BACK
Saving the birds and the bees:

The garden has become a hub for encouraging lively habitats, with a huge resurgence towards saving the birds and the bees – and it’s not stopping anytime soon. Our nationwide obsession for green foliage has fallen from its place as the number one trend however. In its place, we welcome a flurry of colour and insects as Australians take to the garden to foster a buzz.

What we’ll see: Gardens brimming with wildflowers, micro wetlands and water features.

How to make it happen: Plant blue to attract bees into your garden and increase biodiversity. Choose ‘endemic’ plants that are natives local to your area, and bring water into your space by building a tiered garden system.

Urban greening.

BUILD GREEN ZONES

Change your own climate:

You can’t live somewhere that’s too hot — period. Greening our homes and neighbourhoods with plants, shrubs, and trees, can greatly help to mitigate heat. With energy costs on the rise, more of us will be embracing the natural air conditioner of nature – planting at the base, the sides and overhead to create cooling pockets of shade that last the long-term.

What we’ll see: 3D greening – that is, planting below, beside and overhead too.

How to make it happen: Use deciduous vines to create a shady summer ceiling. Weave vegetable vines (such as pumpkins or zucchini) up structures to create garden ‘tents’ to cool your outdoor area.

Start your own veg patch now!

GROWING YOUR OWN
Vegetables at home: The pandemic saw a boom in vegetable gardening, and people are now returning to the ‘grow it yourself movement’ in droves as extreme weather conditions push produce to unattainable prices on our supermarket shelves.
What we’ll see: Low-maintenance fruit and veg that grows easy and tastes great.
How to make it happen: Use wicking beds for watering, in-garden bed worm farms for nutrients and attract beneficial predatory insects for pest management. Local plants will offer the most climate resilient and low maintenance solutions, and don’t forget about healthy soil.

Climbing plants create green canopy protection.

MINI CLIMATE CHANGERS
Separate zones: The permanent disruptions of living with a changing climate and the temporary disruptions of living with Covid-19, are pushing us to seek solace, peace and a quiet place just for us more than ever. Nature is a great place to zone out of the busyness and tune into a place of wellbeing and connection.
What we’ll see: Connection with nature to increase health and wellbeing.
How to make it happen: Escape to the garden. Plants bring direct mental health benefits such as improved mood. Practise nature-based mindfulness by dropping into your five senses whilst in the garden.

Originally published as Top four trends in gardens