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Gardening and Landscaping Tips: Gardening Trends

Contributed by Rick Vuyst at Fruit Basket Flowerland

"Entre-manurial" insights for this year:

1 - Consumers will continue to use plants to decorate. It's more fun to operate by the "seat of your plants." Most are not interested in the "science" of the plants, but rather when decorating with this plant, reduce my anxiety on how big it will get, can I prune it and when, how often do I water it, will it live in the sun or shade and what are some other companion plants that would go with it?

2 - Tropicals are a "kick in the plants!" I see a big interest in tropical plants and a resurgence in "houseplants". A lot of this has been driven by the popularity and selection of containers and container gardening. It is also being driven by the desire to give a tropical feel to our summer gardens using elephant ears, caladiums, palms, mandevilla, hibiscus, cannas, etc. Continued growth and interest in "hardy tropicals" that die down to the ground in winter, but with mulching will grow back again next year. The two big notables are Musa Basjoo which is hardy banana and needle palms. Other "houseplants" mostly from subtropical regions continue to grow again in popularity like hoyas, lime colored or tri-colored draceanas, etc.

3 - Plant treatments that don't have to be sprayed. Applying controls such as insect controls through soil drench systemic treatments. This past summer I attended a lab where they were experimenting with "brush on" technology.

4 - Easy come, easy grow. Disposable plants. Use em and lose em. Some people don't want the maintenance, they use plants in strategic "decorate" locations such as containers to use them for a season and then "throw in the trowel."

5 - Bigger houses and smaller yards along with busy lives (time crunch) is influencing a trend for low maintenance high performing plants. It's like the "easy button" in the Staples commercials? Plants like Endless Summer Hydrangeas, Knockout or "own root" roses. Consumers are wanting longer and better performance from their plants with less maintenance. Other examples are "no pinch" mums or durable and reliable blooming annuals like Scaevola (blue fan flower).

6 - Even with point 5 mentioned above, I find many homeowners willing to tempt fate by planting "marginally hardy plants" for zone 6 like Agapanthus because it gives you something different than house after house after house with the ubiquitous rows of burning bush and taxus!

7 - The effect of rising gas prices and the large group of "baby bloomers" like me are causing an inclination to "hang out at the house" making yards, deck and patio areas, landscapes and gardens personal "havens" to enjoy without travel to get away from it all.

8 - More hot colors than pastels.

9 - Raised beds and tools for a more "comfortable" approach to gardening for the legions of "baby bloomers" like me who aren't getting any younger!

10 - Containers!!! The pot doesn't have to play second billing to the plants anymore! Designer colors, large sizes, many styles......I just can't "contain" my enthusiasm!!!

11 - Flowering shrubs exploding in popularity. So many new and exciting varieties every year. I love flowering shrubs like Itea or Limelight hydrangeas!

12 - Finally, a continued growth and interest in "hardscaping" with rocks, paths, mulches, statuary, water features, and garden furniture. These "hardscaping" features don't have to be pruned, watered, protected from frost, etc. etc. Outdoor grilling and living including great styles of furniture is a huge trend that I see continuing to grow and grow......the possibilities seem endless!