It’s 23° here in in Northern Illinois today, and as the ground lies frozen under a gloomy sky, I’m already thinking ahead to when the weather breaks and we can get gardening again. Indeed, gardening and landscaping are a passion of mine, and I’ve worked those into the virtual pages of The Rock Father™ Magazine since 2011. Looking ahead to what’s in-store for the coming season, the folks at Monrovia Plants have put together a list of 9 Gardening Trends for 2017, and from what I’ve seen – they’re really on-point. Looking for some inspiration? Check these out…
Smaller-sized luxury – Working with a small space? Add scaled-down versions of iconic plants such as hydrangeas, roses, berries,
Floratourism – Travelers worldwide are embracing national parks, botanical gardens and arboretums as destinations. No travel plans? Get the look of your favorite region or park in your garden instead. (We’ll help you with plant choices!)
Backyard gardening influenced by “no waste” food movement – 1 in 3 households are now growing food. Want to make an easy transition to the homegrown food movement? Try adding perennial herbs to the garden.
Color chameleons – Color-changing plants offer consistent year-round beauty. Add fuss-free conifers to your garden to boost in those that color-up for unexpected winter interest.
Extreme naturalism – Add statement-making natural elements such as rocks, boulders, and beautifully untouched hedges that impose a more integrated sense of structure to your garden to embrace this trend.
Climate adaptation – Consumers demand beautiful landscapes that also save water. Look for native and drought-tolerant plants to fulfill this trend.
Bright, bold colors – Brilliant oranges, feverish reds, neon yellows, vivid purples, deep, dark reds and black-purples are the hot colors to add to your garden in 2017.
One-pot wonders – Fill one large pots with a single impressive statement plant such as boxwoods, compact hydrangeas and new varieties of pomegranates, lavenders, succulents, and berries that do exceptionally well in containers.
Tough and tender mixes – Gardeners who spent the last decade loading up on “easy care”, bullet-proof plants are now making room for more delicate specimens. Try Itoh peonies (which sold out in 2016) and wisteria to get the look of this trend.
Curious to learn more? Go in-depth at Monrovia.com.
Happy Gardening!
