1- Bringing the outside in
Indoor plants continue to be a ‘growing’ trend. Our indoor living environments are extremely important, especially for those who go directly from home to the workplace via a commute in the car: greening up indoor spaces becomes vital! When the summer is over, bring your balcony plants indoors; it’s really very simple. Even large containers can be handled with ease when you opt for containers on wheels. With the incredible choice in decorative pots and containers, a personally pleasing decor is yours to create. Plants add beauty, certainly, but they also improve air quality and act as morale boosters as well. Too many dark corners? No problem! Artificial lighting will solve the problem.
2- Nurturing nature in cities
Gardening is a whole lot more than just plants: bees, pollinators and birds benefit hugely. Need ideas? Many garden centers offer themed gardens ready to install, such as butterfly-friendly gardens, or bird-friendly gardens. Choose pollinator plants that will attract beneficial insects. Don’t forget! The perennial plant of the year 2019, Stachys Hummelo, is wonderful for attracting pollinating insects.
3- Less virtual, more natural!
It’s a proven fact: screens have a negative effect on our physical and mental health. Gardening, however, is just the opposite! Maintaining shrubs and perennials, weeding and watering the vegetable garden are all daily activities that promote good health. With just one hour a day in the garden, you can significantly cut down on stress levels and boost your happiness hormones. Get out your tools and plant some flowers!
4- Going wild
Without completely abandoning our beloved technology, the trend is definitely towards more simplicity in all aspects of daily life. In our flowerbeds, that simplicity can be translated by including native plant species. These plants will make it possible to recreate hospitable ecosystems for all living organisms. Naturally disease and pest-resistant, they are perfectly adapted to thrive in our harsh climate, and therefore easy to grow. For example, a bed of New England Asters will become a veritable magnet for butterflies in the fall. Wild ginger or Ostrich Ferns create wonderful shade ground cover as well as being edible. There is nothing closer to nature than nature itself!
5- 100% mint
Mint green is absolutely the colour to integrate into your decor this year. Both refreshing and soothing, this neutral colour somewhere between green and blue on the colour spectrum harmonizes with virtually everything. Update your decor with the simple addition of an armchair, a low table or a stylish arrangement of attractive containers. The dark green foliage of your annuals will stand out better than ever before!
Easy-to-grow mint is a trend you will definitely want to embrace this year. Mint leaves are hugely versatile and perfect for a lot more than herbal teas and mojitos. Wonderfully fragrant and with various-shaped leaves, mint attracts pollinators, it’s delicious in salads, and it naturally helps digestion. Be careful though; plants can tend to take over a garden. You might be better off growing your mint in containers.
Gardening in all its variations has come in to its own, in a big way! Growing and maintaining a garden is something we can all do, both for our own good and that of the environment. It’s a win-win proposition. 2019 is the year to turn off the cellphone, step outside and literally reconnect with your roots. And a garden is the perfect way to do it!