In the process of growing a garden, certain trends will start to emerge. However, not all trends are helpful – some may be counterintuitive or even destructive, such as the use of banana water to fertilize plants. What seems promising at first may not provide lasting benefits.  

When planning your garden, it’s important to conduct meticulous research on the right tools and products. As you venture into the new year, keep yourself informed on these new trends and developments – here’s a few that will take your garden to the next level. 

 

1. EZCube Self-Watering Planter as the Next Generation of Raised Garden Beds  

Underwatering or overwatering are among the main causes of failed harvests. The latest advancement in a line of raised garden beds, these utilitarian yet beautiful self-watering planters are equipped with a watering gauge, ventilation window, and water level regulator that take the stress out of watering. They’re also made with recycled marine materials, ensuring that the world’s oceans are made a little safer and cleaner. 

2. Hassle-Free Indoor Composting  

Traditional composting may be on the wane, but new composting methods such as vermicomposting and high-tech composting systems are gaining traction as sustainable alternatives. With the Vego Kitchen Composter, kitchen scraps are transformed into nutrient-rich compost for gardens, lawns, and plants – all without the mess or smell of traditional composting. Odors are kept under control with activated carbon filters, and the built-in weight system automatically recalibrates processing times based on the weight of the scraps.   

3. Futuristic Gardens 

Gardening isn’t just about communing with nature – it means embracing the technological advancements of the digital age in order to create a synergistic, harmonious effect. Beyond incorporating technology to enhance sustainability and visual appeal, futuristic gardens strive to minimize adverse environmental impacts. Horti-futurism, as the trend is known as, revels in its fun, escapist character, encapsulated in alien-like fronds bathed in technicolor and avant-garde displays of recycled material. Apart from a medley of fiery, bizarre plants, futuristic gardens also rely on the reflection of light, whether in the form of night-blooming flowers or solar lights. 

4. The Revival of Goth Themed Gardens   

While some are peering into the future through the looking glass, others are returning to the past through goth-themed gardens. Whether as nostalgia for a time that has never been or a yearning for the haunting allure of the vampire, goth gardens have their place in an era where darkness and gloom seem to pervade every corner. Indeed, there is a comforting melancholy in the draping leaves of ivy and forlorn statuary that is the hallmark of goth gardens. Darker iterations of traditionally bright blooms, such as the black hollyhock, are welcomed, as well as silvery-hued plants. Don’t limit yourself to just flowers and shrubs – many edibles like the Cherokee purple tomato are loaded with anthocyanins, introducing a smoky purple tint into the garden. 

 

5. The Rise of Native Gardening 

The rustic, impressionistic quality of many native plants, along with their ability to attract beneficial wildlife, make them mainstays in butterfly and native gardens across the US. A word that occasionally pops up when selecting for native plants is ‘nativars.’ Naturally evolved to be tougher and hardier than exotic flowers, natives should be chosen over ‘nativars’ – native species that have been bred for favorable characteristics, often at the cost of genetic diversity. Nativars like Pink Double Delight may look more appealing or whimsical, but the enhancements often render it less nutritious for gathering bees and butterflies. 

While it’s true that native plants lack the excitement and flamboyance of showier plants, their value lies in their ability to be layered into a multifaceted tapestry of color. Alone, red buckwheat is not much to look at, but when layered with spikes of lavender and dagger-bright ornamental grasses, it comes alive, like a van Gogh painting. 

6. Terrariums and Greenhouses             

In keeping with the fondness for bygone fashions, terrariums – and by extension – greenhouses, are now back in style. Once popular in the Victorian era and used to house exotics that would otherwise be too fragile to survive amidst the smog of the industrial city, terrariums, repurposed into DIY cabinets, are being used to display ferns and other houseplants. Take the fervor for exotics further with an outdoor greenhouse, where the enclosed panes create an ideal growing condition year-round. 

7. Focus Towards Mental Health and Well-Being          

Gardens go beyond being pretty to look at – they’re being increasingly promoted as oases of greenery in which to relax and heal one’s soul. Gardening activities can be therapeutic in itself, not to mention the bounty that results from your gardening efforts. Seeing a plant grow from seed to fruit is well worth it to many gardeners. And if you’re prone to anger issues, channel that hatred through rage gardening instead of taking it out on somebody’s face. 

8. Wild Lawns and Asymmetry      

Some gardeners have grown lax about the upkeep of their lawns – and for good reason. Detritus and seed heads are left in place during the fall to provide cover for overwintering insects; a few dandelions here and there are tolerated. There’s also a shift towards winding garden lanes fringed with leafy plants instead of formal hedges. 

9. Water-Wise Gardens      

In arid regions where the land is plagued by a dearth of water, xeriscaping is the answer. In a xeriscape garden, lawns are replaced with gravel to conserve water. Succulents and cacti take center stage, though gardeners are not just limited to these – drought-tolerant plants are also readily accepted. When properly layered with respect to texture and color, these dry-garden plants can be quite eye-catching.