Thinking ahead to the gardening trends of 2022
If one thing has bloomed in the last year, it’s our gardens. With 2022 on the horizon, we throw the spotlight on trends that we think will influence the way we use our outdoor space next season.
Vertical Gardening
With the continued focus on urban living and lack of outdoor space, 2022 will continue to see the trend of vertical gardening as homeowners look for more inventive ways to grow plants. With the average garden size getting smaller, people are finding more space saving ways to ensure that even their small yards or balconies have a big impact. Expect to see more containers, stacking planters, hanging baskets, living walls, trellis for climbers, window boxes and hanging basket symmetry as people turn their plots into a green oasis.
The sky's the limit when it comes to vertical gardening. Why not use some lightweight containers, such as our Essentials Eco Terracotta Cylinder Pots for planting and tie to a trellis - annual single flowering plants like pansies and petunias are ideal for this and can be changed up for every season, providing endless colour all year.
Do you have a ladder that you never use in your shed? Why not use it as a plant stand? Ideal for a small footprint, our range of flagship Loudon Glazed Planters will provide a stunning focal point on each step.
Our range of terracotta planters can be planted with honeysuckle, trachelospermum, clematis and passiflora which will cover up a plain wall or fence whilst providing long lasting scent.
Edible Gardens
Growing your own has witnessed an unprecedented boom over the past year and this will continue well into 2022 with grow-your-own favourites such as tomatoes, beans, carrots topping the list. With the health and wellbeing benefits of gardening well known and people conscious of reducing their carbon footprint, more and more gardeners have started growing their own food in any outdoor space.
Our Tiered Herb Planter is the ideal for those wishing to grow herbs and fruit on balconies and patios, whilst our Paros Recycled Plastic Self-Watering Trough Planter can sit proudly on a kitchen windowsill gardens full of herbs.
Gardeners are also aware of the ease of growing patio fruit trees in containers, our collection of extra large plant pots provide a premium home to those wanting to grow their five a day.
Recycled materials
As consumers become more eco-conscious, switching to natural methods of garden care, using recycled materials and native British-grown plants will surge as people seek to be kinder to the environment and minimise the risk to wildlife.
Our self watering planters range made from recycled plastic meets the needs of the ever-increasing green consumer. Self-watering pots have become popular these days due to the convenience they offer to those with a busy lifestyle.
They also help to minimise the amount of water wasted with any excess kept in the reservoir and is only released into the soil when needed, meaning you are using significantly less water than a traditional pot.
Natural materials furniture
Nature has been at the core of many activities over the past two years, and it is predicted that consumers will be seeking a more simplistic approach to their gardens. Think large terracotta pots, natural wooden garden furniture and benches with cushions in muted palettes to seamlessly blend-in with our environment.
Using outdoor furniture helps create a smooth transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. Rattan furniture have been much loved for decades, both indoors and outdoors, for their rustic aesthetic. With families realising that time spent at home needs to be practical and enjoyable, luxury corner sofas and hanging egg chairs have soared in popularity.
Our Lyndhurst Rattan Cocoon Chair has an open weave complemented with luxurious fabric cushions, perfect for relaxing in the sun whether you are reading, winding down after a hard day or having drinks with your loved ones. Our Repton Wooden Table And Chairs Garden Furniture Set is made from eucalyptus and blends beautifully with any outdoor environments, whilst offering the ideal place to spend time with friends and family.
An Outdoor Escape
So much time at home has led to homeowners blurring the lines between indoors and out which will continue as their garden becomes the fifth room and an extension of the living area.
The British summer is unpredictable so firepits, social spaces, kitchens will become a more frequent sight in people’s gardens. Having space to entertain friends and family has taken precedence in the past couple of years and through the pandemic as more people use their gardens for relaxation and socialising.
In 2022, outdoor heating will adorn all gardens, whether it be a traditional chiminea or fire pit to heat the evenings, whilst innovation in parasols like LED lighting and new stylish designs will keep you shaded on a hot day.
Outdoor kitchens and al-fresco dining is on the up as it’s perfect for those that lack space in their kitchens or dining rooms. There has been an increase in interest in being able to cook outside and we predict this trend is set to continue with our Portable Kamado Ceramic Grill Barbecue.
Gardening for Wildlife
2022 will see a growing return to nature as gardeners adapt their open spaces for wildlife. Many of us will give more attention to our garden visitors and there will be a definite trend in naturalistic planting as gardeners adapt their style to incorporate blooms that will attract pollinators.
Homeowners embraced the wildlife in their garden during lockdown and noticed a vast array of nature up close. The new year will see gardens awash with insect hotels, hedgehog houses and bird houses to enable wildlife to feed, breed, shelter and hibernate.
By encouraging bees and bugs into our gardens, in return they will pollinate our flowers and keep out unwanted pests during spring and summer. Having an insect hotel in your garden is a great way to look after beetles, butterflies and other nesting insects. The hotels are a great way to help our solitary bees, by providing much-needed protection in our gardens.
Our gardens are becoming an ever more important haven for hedgehogs too as their natural habitat declines and our houses provide a safe place to shelter and hibernate.
With Britain’s love of birdwatching showing no signs of waning, a well-positioned bird feeder is a wonderful addition to the garden providing both a decorative feature and attracting birds for you to embrace and observe. Supplementing their diet with energy rich and nutritious food is important and our bird care range will provide avian visitors with a reassuring and safe place to feed and bathe.
Urban jungles
A new generation of millennial gardeners, often with little outdoor space, have been responsible for a resurgence in houseplants as they turn their homes into indoor urban jungles. The #houseplants hashtag on Instagram brings up nearly 8 million posts and urban dwellers, especially those that now work at home, tend to spend an average of 90% indoors, so ‘bringing the outdoors in’ with plants as part of her living decor has now become the norm.
Indoor plants have proved beneficial for mental wellbeing by promoting feelings of relaxation and calm, increasing attention span and improving productivity, all while removing harmful chemicals from the air. They also are easy to care for and have the ability to add colour to interiors cheaply and easily.
Our range of indoor planters are the go-to choice for growing houseplants whilst adding a touch of style to an interior. Coming in all sorts of shades, shapes and textures, our indoor range will display your plants proudly and look fabulous in the home at the same time. Whether you are looking for sleek, modern and minimalism planters or neutral, muted colours, we have the indoor pot for you.
