Garden Trends for 2024

The start of the new year may have us looking at the past, what’s is our current situation and what will the future bring. New Year’s resolutions are being made, new day planners are being opened and written in with precision, colour and hope for fun ahead. With a mild winter (up to this month) at play, our minds are easily swayed to setting our sights on spring. It feels as if it is just around the corner.

What are your plans in you yard and garden this year? Are you a trend follower in your outdoor spaces? Garden Media Group have predicted several trends for the season ahead, some trends are a new spin on things we are already seeing and others that provide interest and intrigue. Ready to see how trendy you are or could be? Check out a few of the trends that may impact the garden industry this year.

Eco-Anxiety

As we head into increasingly warmer and milder temperatures than we are used to, climate change leads the charge on what is ahead. Eco anxiety is a new term being floated around, as new generations stress over this change in climate. We are hearing from gardeners regularly with worry over mid-winter watering. Landscapers and home gardeners are being encouraged to adapt how we plant trees by putting more effort and attention into creating healthy soil foundations. Creating a healthy root ecosystem, applying mulch to help maintain soil moisture and even temperatures, utilizing natural microbes and fertilizers are all practices that will help with garden and landscape success into this warming future.

Hortifuturism & Bold Colour

Bold, forward and bright, there is a new term in town named Hortifuturism. With a bit of a sci-fi movie set feel, watch for gardens and plant displays that have a fantasy-future appeal. These include closed ecosystem terrariums, night gardens, bold landscape lighting, plants with bright colour and unique variegation and futuristic plant displays with bright lights and bold shapes.

If bold and brilliant isn’t your thing, have no fear…or maybe a little. Moody colours, goth appeal and dark enchantment continue to grow like fungi. This slow drop into darkness is evident in a creeping cultural interest in graveyards, scary movies, and dark history. Cemetery gardens and landscapes, planting memorial trees and memorial gardens are a growing interest. The darker, yet plant forward side of this trend, and one that can create a moody appeal to your gardens and containers, are plants with blooms and foliage in dark hues. Consider dark burgundy or deep red snapdragons, sunflowers, petunias, dahlias, and poppies to add dark flowers to your garden. There are several varieties of shrubs, perennials and annuals that will also enchant with deep, dark wine foliage. Consider including ninebark (Physocarpus), barberries (Berberis), heuchera (coral bells), sweet potato vine and coleus to your gardens this season.

True Nature

Nature continues to be all the rage in everything we do, from growing-your-own, community gardens, native plants, to being conscious of the world around us and how to save it.  Watch for more bugs this year, meaning more bees, butterflies (and beetles!) to continue to be a big part of the garden world but also growing into home décor, art, and jewellery. From the Pantone Colour of the Year (Peach Fuzz) to Garden Media Groups Colour of the Year (Cyber Lime), expect bright and bold colours everywhere around us – hey mom, haven’t we been here before?