Not sure what to fill your flower beds with this year? Want style suggestions to make your outdoor area really shine? At Ningbo, we’ve put together a handy eBook showcasing the top gardening trends to pay attention to right now, looking at everything from the hottest blooms to design features that are set to dominate the conversation in 2022. We also offer suggestions on what to grow in your vegetable patch and provide tips to help you get the most from your crops.
And with sustainability top of the agenda right now, we give advice on how to make your garden more eco-friendly. A few small adjustments to the techniques and equipment you use could make a big difference to how sustainable your outdoor space is.
Top garden style trends
If you want to keep your garden looking fresh and stylish, there are a few trends to keep a close eye on. For example, contrasting colours are big news in 2022, so don’t be afraid to mix things up. To be really on point, try off-setting pastel blooms with fiery-hued flowers. This will help you to create eye-catching displays that bring your flower beds and planters to life. You can introduce vibrant colours in other garden details too, for example by giving planters, fences and pergolas a fresh lick of paint. A little imagination can go a long way when you’re experimenting with colour.
Another trend to pay attention to is the use of natural landscaping products. For example, choosing bark or wood chippings to create a garden path rather than opting for concrete slabs can help you to channel a relaxed, informal vibe in your outdoor space. There are added practical benefits too as these natural materials are more sustainable and better for drainage.
The lines between the indoors and outdoors are becoming more and more blurred, with features such as garden offices, hot tubs and garden kitchens featuring prominently in many outdoor spaces. Could 2022 be the year you add an accessory like this to your garden if you don’t already have one?
What to plant in 2022
Homegrown bouquets are set to make style waves this year, so consider choosing blooms that can be cut and displayed in your home throughout the flowering season. The Royal Horticultural Society expects repeat flowering plants like cosmos, dahlia, alstroemeria and zinnia to be popular in 2022. These blooms are all easy to grow and they flower reliably during summer, meaning you should get multiple displays from them.
If you need suggestions for your vegetable patch this year, you might want to try out classics such as broad beans, parsnips, garlic, spring onions, chard or peas. Tomatoes can be a good choice too. Just make sure that whichever crops you go for, you choose a suitable area for them, give them enough space to grow and prepare the soil by weeding and adding compost to provide extra nutrients.
Making your garden greener
Sustainability is undoubtedly a major theme in gardening at the moment, and there are a number of ways in which people are making their outdoor spaces more eco-friendly. One big trend at the moment is no dig gardening. This hands-off approach to soil maintenance means you don’t disturb the ground by digging weeds out or mixing in compost. Instead, you apply organic matter such as compost to the top of soil and allow it to break down. It is then gradually incorporated by the soil, enriching it. There are lots of benefits to this style of gardening, including the fact that because it allows the soil structure to remain intact, a greater amount of carbon is stored in the ground. This is of course good news for global warming.
Water saving is high on the agendas of many gardeners too, as people take steps such as using water butts to collect rainfall and switching from sprinklers to seep hoses. Mulching flower beds, planters and vegetable patches can also help to conserve water by reducing evaporation. Another eco trend is upcycling. For example, old household items ranging from colanders to tin cans are being put to use as planters for flowers, herbs and so on.
Even seemingly small steps can help to make your garden more environmentally friendly, so it’s well worth investigating your options.
Digging down…
For more in-depth information and insights, check out our ‘Time to blossom: Getting ahead of this year’s garden trends’ eBook. You’ll find all the pointers you need to make the most of your garden throughout 2022 and beyond.
Do you have top gardening tips you’d like to share, or perhaps you have your own outdoor style predictions for the rest of this year? Join the conversation on social using #TimeToBlossom.