5 Big Garden Trends in 2015 (Not Just Drought-Friendly Plants)
Garden Trend No. 1: Native Plantings
In the drought stricken state of California, landscape designers are turning to native plants that use little to no water. They also require less maintenance than exotic species as they’ve evolved to withstand the region’s climate, insects and disease. (Julie O’Donald’s perennial garden. (Credit: pacifichorticulture)
Garden Trend No. 1: Going Wild With Native Species
California-based landscape designer, Bernard Trainor, focuses on the use of native species, creating a natural and sometimes wild effect at this Carmel property. (Source: bernardtrainor)
Garden Trend No. 1: Another View of Native Species
Another angle shows the Carmel property Bernard Trainor designed. He carefully selected indigenous species that flourished long before human inhabitation. (Source: bernardtrainor)
Garden Trend No. 2: Pollinator Gardens
Why might you invite beneficial insects into your garden? With Monarch butterflies and honeybees becoming endangered, it is important that we grow a wide variety of native flowers and plants that support these populations. After all, these insects are the building blocks of our biological diversity.
The colorful and lush pollinator garden of White Flower Farm in Litchfield, Connecticut is designed to change as the season progresses. (Source: whiteflowerfarm)
Garden Trend No. 2: Monarch butterflies are excellent pollinators.
“Roadside weed spraying, the indiscriminate use of (herbicides) and the development of what used to be meadow areas have wiped out many of the plants that pollinators need to survive,” says Susan Wilder, a member of the Penn-Cumberland Garden Club’s Conservation Committee. (Source: supergreenme)
Garden Trend No. 3: Chocolate-Hued Gardens
Monochromatic plantings are all the rage and with water conservation becoming a global concern, why not switch to a tonal variety of neutral. Perennial grasses turn to brown as the weather gets cooler, leaving the look of a natural landscape.
The windswept look of feathery grass is a low maintenance alternative to a manicured lawn. (Source: gardenista)
Garden Trend No. 3: Dark Floral Palette
The chocolate cosmos is a rich burgundy color with a velvet-like texture. (Source: funflowerfacts)
Garden Trend No. 4: . More Edibles
People are continuing to plant edible gardens whether it is in the ground, on raised beds or in pots. Mixing these edibles in with the ornamental varieties is something we are seeing more and more.
Fruits, vegetables, and herbs create an interesting collage.(Source: apartmenttherapy)
Garden Trend No. 4: Edibles Front and Center
Planting fruits and vegetables in the front yard is a new gardening trend. (Source: gpidesign)
Garden Trend No. 5: Wild about Succulents
The low-water, low-maintenance requirements of succulents make them appealing to people who are on the go or have little time to care for their gardens. The wide variety of offerings include many colors, textures and sizes.
As this garden demonstrates, color and texture are pervasive in succulent gardens. (Source: gardensbygabriel)
Garden Trend No. 5: A Vertical Take on Succulents
A vertical wall garden comprised of succulents is both easy to create and care for. (Source: livingwallart)
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As we soar into the peak of summer, our gardens are bursting with color and life in regions rich in moisture and bright sunlight. Adapting to current climate and environmental changes, including excessive heat, drought, and over fertilization, dictate the future gardening trends we employ. Whether switching to landscapes rich in native grasses and succulents in arid climates, or making the most of the short season on the east coast, we are always searching for new plants to grow to maintain a bountiful garden.