Magzine lists latest trends in gardening

I sense that gardeners around the area are coming out of hibernation. At a recent garden club meeting, there were more questions about getting started in the garden. The garden stores are beginning to fill up with seed racks, pots of blooming primroses and sacks of bareroot perennials. So what can gardeners expect this year for new ideas and trends? Here are a few trends noted by Sunset Magazine’s gardening editors:

Classic containers

Container gardening is popular and becoming more streamlined and sophisticated. What used to be mixed annuals planted in a terra cotta pot has evolved into the use of almost anything for a container, including sculpted metal, formed fiberglass, recycled and found containers and colorful, frost-resistant ceramics. These pots are being carefully matched with plants that carry interest throughout the year even in our cold climate. Dwarf conifers and small shrubs and trees are being planted with perennials, ornamental grasses, unusual annuals and plants with bold tropical leaves.

Garden by color

While the floriferous English garden look is still around, more and more gardeners are opting for a limited palette of a few colors or are relying on plants with leaves in different shades of green repeated throughout the garden.

Earth-friendly gardening

Interest in earth-friendly gardening is growing beyond being just a noble idea to an increasingly important need. Gardeners are planting more native species and plants that are adapted to the local environment. We are refining our watering practices to use water more efficiently. Backyards are becoming havens for not only humans but birds and other wildlife. We are using recycled materials or building products made from recycled plastics and glass to build garden structures and paving.

Outdoor rooms

Relaxation spaces are moving outdoors, and we are decorating them with many of the same elements we use to decorate indoor spaces. Sitting areas complete with comfy chairs and couches are tucked into serenity gardens. Fire pits and outdoor kitchens bring entertaining outdoors. Painted walls, as well as art and sculpture pieces, are being added to outdoor spaces.

Less is more

Gardeners are reducing the amount of work they do in their gardens by reducing the amount of lawn they maintain and choosing plants that don’t need as much maintenance or care. One example is roses that are disease resistant or grown on their own roots and don’t need winter protection. We are grouping plants with like needs together to save time and effort and use water more wisely.

Gardening for groceries

Food gardening is becoming more sophisticated. Inspired by trends toward eating healthily and exploring new tastes, we are planting gardens of unusual fruits and vegetables and seeking out those that take us on taste adventures. We are growing a wider variety of herbs and edible flowers to spice up our cooking and add color and flavor to salads. We are discovering the beauty of vegetable plants and incorporating them into our gardens as ornamental plants as well as food plants.