Welcome To 2021: Six Gardening Trends We Expect To Grow This Year

According to the experts we can expect to see more convenience, continued vitality, and many new products in the world of gardening this year. Let us dig a bit deeper to see what our gardeners can look forward to in 2021.

An increase in home-grown food

The number of people working from home is increasing rapidly. With that, home-cooking is experiencing similar growth. That, in turn, has caused a surge in food gardening. Not only is this a very relaxing activity, but it is also practical and cost-effective. And for the kids, access to home-grown food does not only mean healthier snacks but also provides an opportunity to learn more about the science behind gardening.

Examples of popular home-grown foods include raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. But the sky is literally the limit. What about growing your own potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and cucumbers? And of course don’t forget the tomatoes, bell peppers, and garlic. 

Home-grown foods are not only culinary crowd-pleasers, they are also an excellent option for a variety of home garden settings.

A growing focus on bold and bright tropical plants

After such a long period of global unrest and chaos, it’s a great idea to bring a little brightness and magic into your garden in 2021. We expect to see a surge in the popularity of tropical plants this year, with gardeners bringing a bit of exotic flair to their gardens. 

A good example is one or more ‘tropical nooks’, where you showcase plants such as elephant’s ear (with its huge, lush leaves), bromeliads, and even banana plants. Use your imagination: It’s all about creating a small space that creates a different experience and allows you to dream of faraway tropical islands with not a single worry in sight.

Gardening author Marianne Willburn suggests kicking off with what she refers to as a ‘Summer Romance’ type. She believes any subtropical or tropical plant is suitable to be used as an easy container annual to deliver dramatic, vigorous foliage accents and help establish a vacation ambiance on your deck or patio.

Some of her favorite tropical plants for the home garden include Canna ‘Bengal Tiger’ and Red Abyssinian banana. If you love stunning tropical flowers she suggests Mandevilla vines or tuberose begonias.

Open-air living spaces

With so many people spending more time at home, one of the top trends for this year is likely to be bringing the great indoors outside and making your backyard your living room. The term ‘open-air living’ was actually coined by the Norwegians - and has now even made it into Etsy trends for 2020 and into 2021. 

According to television host Joe Lamp’l this is a great way to take what nature has to offer and then adding your preferences and lifestyle to create the perfect living space. 

But what does all of this mean in real life? Think privacy screening with fencing or hedges, making sure there is enough shade for those hot summer months, and a fire pit for winter. It’s even totally possible to screen movies outdoors when the weather permits. And all of the time you will be surrounded by the beauty of a carefully planned garden.

A renewed interest in sustainable gardening

There is likely to be further growth in the sustainable gardening movement this year, with an increasing number of people committed to reducing their gardens’ carbon footprint. If this sounds exciting to you, here are a couple of ideas to get you going: 

Conserve water wherever possible. One way to save water is by bringing more drought-resistant plants into your garden. And by positioning plants that require a lot of water in a part of the garden where the soil remains moist for longer. Another great idea is to store rainwater and then use it in your garden.

Use home-made compost. Making your own compost is not only good for the environment, but it’s also good for your garden - and it’s soft on the wallet. A quick Google search will present you with all the information you need to get started, including how to get the right balance, what you can put in (and what to leave out), and the right way one should use compost in a home garden.

Use native plants. Since these plants are used to the local habitat, they can hold water better than their non-native counterparts, i.e. they need less water. They are also able to resist local weather better, they are seldom invasive, and they need less maintenance. Finally, you typically won’t have to use fertilizers or pesticides.

Container 

Container gardening has been with us for some time and this year it will undoubtedly become even more popular. The nice part is that you can do it regardless of the size of your space. People are nowadays increasingly growing in small spaces like patios and balconies. And they are getting amazingly creative. The demand for the following plants is particularly strong:

- Dwarf citrus and other fruit trees
- Dwarf hybrids
- Tropical plants such as canna, caladiums, crotons, and elephant ears
- Small shrubs 

Tip: If you are scared that you won’t remember to water your plants, install a small automatic drip irrigation system.

Smaller lawns

In 2021 there will be a renewed emphasis on the backyard. But this backyard will not be all about a huge lawn. It is more and more becoming the household’s personal paradise where the whole family can enjoy a stay-cation. A recent poll by the National Garden Bureau showed that two-thirds of participants younger than 35 would still like to have some green lawn - but they also want to see a variety of other plants such as flowers, native plants, pollinator plants, and food plants. Creating an urban habitat for butterflies, bees, and birds is regarded as more desirable than a wide expanse of green space that doesn’t support much life.

The bottom line

It’s inevitable that our gardens will reflect our cultures and lifestyles. And as these change, we can expect to also see changes in our gardens. While lawns and rose gardens will certainly still be there, this year’s gardens are likely to become more focused on being havens where the whole family can relax and forget about the turbulent world out there. Together with that will come a renewed emphasis on growing our own food and applying eco-friendly principles in our gardens.