2019 Gardening Trends

The big garden shows are coming to an end and the garden magazines have articles about what they see for trends this year. 

• Going natural is still a big trend which helps gardens, pollinators, and the environment.  Keeping wild areas in your garden supports wildlife and insects plus reduces your workload as a gardener.  A win/win for everyone. 
• Houseplants – almost every article and blog mention houseplants as becoming more popular.  As more people either don’t have the time or space for a large garden, a few houseplants can help clean indoor air and provide needed greenery to keep us connected to nature.  Also hanging houseplants are becoming popular along with macramé.  Wish I would have kept all that stuff from the 70’s!
• PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral is the color of the year so expect to see more plants with coral flowers and leaf coloring.
• Edibles – Adding food plants is gaining popularity whether it’s a pot of tomatoes on the deck or berry bushes in a mixed border.  In fact plants that do double and triple duty of producing food, attracting wildlife and creating greenspace are in high demand.
• Compact Plants – More nurseries are offering compact plants to replace old favorites.  Look for compact hydrangea, lilacs, and spirea to fill in borders.   “Dwarf”, “little”, and “wee” are just a few words in the names that will give you a clue.
• Plants of the Year – Many organizations have plants they feature each year.  The National Garden Bureau has announced the four classes for 2019 that they will feature.  Or check out the All-America Selections for plants judged superior by an impartial panel.   
  *Bulbs- Dahlia
  *Annuals - Snapdragon
  *Edibles - Pumpkin
  *Perennials - Salvia

Why not try something new in one of these trend categories?