Every year, there are new garden trends that rise in popularity. Whilst many turn out to be flash in the pan fads, there are plenty that have long term benefits if implemented successfully into your space. In this article, we will outline some of our favourite garden trends to look out for in 2024, to help to inspire your outdoor designs. These range from ways to save money, to methods of creating wellness gardens for your own peace of mind. Let’s look…
Urban Gardening
Urban gardening describes the process of growing plants in more urban environments. Think about how city centres are often populated by planters filled with bright, vibrant colors. The sad reality is that many people do not have a garden space or only have a limited plot available to them. Urban gardening allows you to make the most out of what you have. This could be as simple as adding plant pots to a windowsill or transforming a flat balcony space into a thriving outdoor escape.
There are many ways to make the most out of a smaller space. These include vertical planting, which uses wooden trellises to accommodate climbing plants, rather than growing into a small lawn. An even easier idea is to invest in ceramic potted plants, for both your indoor and outdoor space, and create a crescent display of interesting, eye-catching flowers.
Wellness Gardens
More and more people are looking to create relaxing spaces for the benefit of their mental wellbeing, to sit back and unwind in after a long day of work. There are plenty of ideas that can inspire you to make your own relaxing atmosphere, from simple garden additions like windchimes and water-features, to more long-term, permanent fixtures, like making a decking or patio seating area.
Essentially, creating a wellness garden simply boils down to making your space as comfortable as possible. It’s easy to overlook more practical comforts like outdoor furniture, but these are essential for making your space a true place to be at peace in. For our money, recycled plastic is the smart choice for your furniture, as it boasts a long-life, a versatile range of designs, and is extremely low maintenance to look after.
Natural Pools, Rills & Ponds
Another way to expand upon a peaceful garden environment is to try and find a way to incorporate water into your space. Should your space allow it, you could build a pool, either a swimming pool or a decorative, ornamental one. However, as already stated in our urban gardening section, we understand most garden spaces are not likely to have enough space for a full pool! Thankfully, there are many alternatives available, including installing a small rill to act as a man-made stream around your space.
Another great way to use water to add a little texture into your garden is by making a small pond. Decorate the perimeter of the water with a small rockery, and fill with fish, and there you go! You’ve made your own beautiful, peaceful outdoor water feature. There are practical benefits to installing water features into your space too, as grass and planting will thrive when placed near moisture.
Make An Outdoor Room
It’s high time we sang the praises of the humble garden shed. Long neglected as a simple place to keep the lawnmower, more homeowners are starting to realise the potential to having another outdoor room in their space. These can be practical spaces, such as a greenhouse or potting shed, or simple areas to enjoy a leisure activity, such as painting or reading. If you have a traditional timber shed, we recommend painting it a bright, sunny colour, to bring a sense of warmth and character into your space.
Alternatively, you can decorate the surface of your shed with composite cladding to give it a more modern, sophisticated feel. This can help to make your shed appear more like an extension of your home, rather than a separate outhouse. Even flatter, more neutral tones can help to bring a sense of life and vibrancy into your space, by creating a contrast for your brighter, colourful planting themes that surround it.
Make More From Less
We would encourage you to make more out of your garden waste, to see if it can be repurposed into something new. For example, all the fallen garden detritus left over from the harsh winter months can be added onto a compost pile, which can then be used as future fertiliser. There are many different materials available for compost bins, including metal, timber, and recycled plastic.
Similarly, a garden refresh does not necessarily mean you have to get rid of everything. Certain composite fencing solutions allowing you to retrofit pre-existing timber and concrete fencing posts, which allows you to retain the framework of what you already have. This helps you to limit the amount of wastage and make more out of your previous investments.
Dig For Victory!
Growing your own produce is a great way to transform your garden into an outdoor kitchen. The springtime is the perfect time to engage with your garden in a more meaningful way, by turning it into a functional larder. There are a huge number of vegetables that thrive during the warmer springtime months, including ones that are basic, everyday staples for home cooking. These include onions, carrots, and garlic.
To conclude, there are many ways you can transform your outdoor space with contemporary garden trends. Urban gardening can help to inspire you to make more out of your space, whilst creating a wellness garden or an outdoor room provides you with a place to sit back and unwind in and escape the pressures of life. Water features can give you a further sense of peace and calm, while helping your planting to flourish. Finally, attempting to minimise waste and growing your own produce can help you to save money and make the most out of your previous investments. Whatever trends you choose to be inspired by, we hope you found this article helpful and insightful, and your future garden designs are successful. Thank you for reading.
