The new growing season is almost upon us, and we are turning our attention to the design of our gardens. For some of us, this is a matter of maintaining and elaborating on what we succeeded in growth last year. For others, there may be an opportunity to bring new life to the land and take onboard one of the trends that will dominate in 2022.
Like all design work, Gardening trends tend to take influence from life, and life has made our homes and private spaces more important than ever. From wanting a have of peace close to home to doing our bit for sustainability with a grow your own garden, our outside space has come to reflect what we can do to bring ourselves happiness and security.
With all these considerations in mind, we will present some of the standout trends of 2022.
Climate Conscious Gardening
Uppermost in all our minds is the impact of a changing climate. Extreme weather events are more common, and our gardens need to adapt to withstand ever-changing weather patterns. From flood-resistant gardens to those that can cope with drought, the planting we choose and the hard landscaping we include are all important to our work’s success. If you want to avoid choosing plants suited for the changing climate, there is the option of a polytunnel, which allows you to create ideal growing conditions all year round.
However, a more proactive trend is using gardens to reduce our personal impact on the planet. Growing your own food is a great way to reduce our carbon footprint, as we reduce the food miles to our plate and prevent the overuse of local water supplies in intensive farming methods.
Gardening in the community
The pandemic has increased the importance of the local community in our lives. In our efforts to help everyone thrive through the pandemic, people pitched in and helped others out. This love of community-mindedness has lasted longer than the pandemic; the sense of togetherness is toppling over into gardening trends.
From hiring an allotment to designing gardens for community get-togethers, the sense of localism has strongly influenced how we want to use our gardens. Rather than creating a personal space that is our haven away from others, we create places where we can gather. There are also neighbourhood communities where gardeners share their tips, tools, seeds, plants, knowledge, and skills. It seems there is always a silver lining to any dark cloud.
Gardens for work and play
Another trend that has emerged from the pandemic is using our homes and gardens for multiple activities. People working from home have prompted a push for garden buildings used as offices and separate life and work. The short walk from the back door to the outbuilding at the end of the garden is an essential psychological break that allows us to relax once we are back home.
People are also using the garden to make money. Many people have derived an income from their gardens during the last two years.
Maximalism rules!
Gone are the days of huge patio areas and the odd pot. The garden of 2022 is about abundance with leafy and densely planted spaces that separate off different outdoor living spaces. There is a move towards intimate spaces where you can enjoy conversations with friends, with the privacy offered with large leafy plants.
There is also a push to invite wildlife into the gardens, so fuller planting and wilder spaces are popular.
And we focus on the front
We often only think about the backyard when we think of gardening trends. However, our front gardens will be the focus of trends in 2022. Creating curb appeal has always been important but is evermore essential this year. Overhauling your front garden space to give the best first impression is bang on trend for 2022.
As with your back garden, your front yard needs to be lick and fabulous. Get rid of that lawn or container look and plant lush varieties that pop. You are aiming to be as eye-catching as possible.
Trends come and go
These are the trends for 2022, but how much do you invest in one year when things might change in the next. The truth is that community and sustainability issues are going to be with us for a while. Thinking about the resilience of your garden to weather events is going to continue to be an issue, as is creating a haven for endangered species. Therefore, keying into these trends can be a long-term investment too.
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