What are the Gardening Trends for 2023.

This Year’s Gardening Trends.

Some trends never leave us. We have our traditional ideas from cottage gardens, beautifully sculpted lawns, and rows of evergreens. But sometimes it is good to break the mold, and many of us seem to agree.

As people continue to adjust to the new normal after the Covid lockdowns, many are turning to their outdoor spaces for comfort and relaxation. This year, gardeners are creating their own personal oasis with luxurious furnishings and settings that bring a sense of calm and tranquility.

Personalization.

Most of us spent more time at home during the epidemic, which rekindled our enthusiasm for gardening and outdoor living. According to many, during the start of the pandemic, this attention was more focused on sprucing up the areas where we spent more time and improving the comfort of outdoor settings. Now homeowners are personalizing and optimizing their outdoor areas.

Personalization is key – from custom furniture pieces to unique lighting options – gardeners are taking the time to create a space that is truly their own. Quality is also important when it comes to outdoor décor, as people want items that will last for years to come. With these trends in mind, 2023 continues to be an exciting year for those who love gardening!

Pizza in the Garden is an older post that covers a lot of what we have talked about here. But it also goes into outdoor dining with flooring and lighting covered.

Trends for gardening in 2023

Here is a short overview of some of the trends we have seen over the first few months of 2023.

Simplicity.

Whenever I hear the term simplicity in relation to gardening I am reminded of Japanese Zen gardens and the simple designs that are captivating to the eye. You can read more about Zen gardens here. “Make a Zen Garden at Home“

It’s getting more common in gardening right now to use simple design schemes that pay close attention to finishing. Simple color palettes with different foliage and fewer plants reflect the notion that less is more.

Gardeners are looking for top-performing plants with a strong presence in reaction to the unstable economy. They’re seeking a single plant that can anchor a container or a significant portion of a planting bed rather than filling a container with four to six separate annuals. With a price that is less than half that of a mixed planting, these hardworking plants often make a strong impact.

Elegant Outdoors.

Another significant trend involves creating exterior rooms that perform like indoor settings. “Outdoor rooms” like covered decks, patios, or cabanas offer lovely locations for unwinding with family and friends while bringing the comforts of home outdoors.

Also, people who enjoy being outside, especially those who entertain outside, frequently have greater standards for their outside space. So quite often the level of comfort can be equal to what is found internally in the house. This often means considerable expense as the “Millennials” and especially the “Baby Boomers” require comfort and design features that were not within their parent’s grasp.

You can read more about patio furniture at “Durable Furniture for your Patio“.

A further factor is that people who spend time outside, especially those who entertain outside, frequently have higher expectations for their outside environment. “They are probably going to spend their money on high-end outdoor furniture, outdoor kitchens, and ornamental landscaping features,

These outdoor spaces are going to work harder than ever before. With people spending more time at home your outdoor areas will be “just another living area”, albeit outside.

Cottage Gardens

Your favorite flowers with hues, textures, and scents that you might not typically combine in an arrangement or planned garden area can be included in a cottage garden. This is because cottage gardens do not require as meticulous maintenance as their manicured counterparts. Their beauty can lie in their haphazard nature.

A variety of bulbs, annuals, perennials, flowering shrubs, and other plants should be used in cottage gardens. This describes a variety of vibrant blooms packed with herbs and things to eat. It is unhurried and breathtakingly lovely. I’ve also seen cottage gardens with reclaimed pavers and furniture as well as a lot of flowers that are good pollinators. This is based on the idea that cottage gardens are good for animals, notably bees and others that are plant-friendly.

Small Space Surprises

There is a growing trend for people to downsize their accommodation space. And this can be for apartments or tiny houses. Along with the accommodation being downsized, so is the garden or garden space. Those who opt for smaller gardens find they are easier to maintain and can be quite abundant in their produce. Some are also thinking outside the square and are building vertical gardens.

For those who enjoy growing plants, this means filling every available space with pots and hanging baskets. A little front entrance? An abundance of pot plants should be used to give guests a warm greeting. If you have a tiny back patio that is visible to the neighbors? Block them with a small potted tree as a live screen.

You can find more here at “How to Build an Indoor Garden“

Water Savers.

Growing natives have been popular in the past and now with a focus on saving water, they go hand in hand with any water-saving ideas people have. A lot of designers now look for tougher gardens that can cope with hotter weather and need less water.

Some ideas that have been used are replacing your verdant green lawn with more natural wild grasses. If you still must have your green you can use clover, lily turf, or moss. Be aware though that these options are not as resilient as your normal lawn. Another option that is becoming very popular and seems to be in vogue at the moment is gravel. But, if you have young children who like to play in the garden this may not be a good idea.

Water-saving gardens will bring into the spotlight xeriscaping which focuses on drought-tolerant planting. It has been reported that you can reduce water usage and substantially save on your water bills by using “xeriscaping”.

Xeriscapes are yards created with plants that are site-appropriate, slow-growing, drought-tolerant, and require little watering or other upkeep, decreasing your burden and helping you save money.

We’ve long taken the cool, clean water that comes out of our home’s faucets for granted. Yet, as the price of this service rises steadily, many people are now considering the best ways to cut back on their usage. An excellent place to start is in the garden, where a xeriscape can take the place of water-guzzling flower arrangements and irrigated lawns. This does not mean you need to live without color in your garden, it merely means growing plants that are water friendly.

Watch out for more on “Xeriscaping” soon.

Final Thoughts.

Because we have been spending more time at home lately than ever before, there is a larger need than ever for outdoor living style ideas.

Now, the garden must serve multiple purposes, including one for entertaining and unwinding. It must also look good. Natural and local materials will increase in the garden in 2023. Materials that can be organic, handcrafted, and useful all at once are the key. The focus of planting is on seasonal successional patterns that offer color and intrigue.

Gardening trends emphasize gardening more efficiently than laboriously, and some of them are sustainable and vital to our ecology. Thus what we consider as trends are in reality another step forward in taking care of our planet.