We’re thinking about gardening as the weather gets warmer. It’s a satisfying and enjoyable hobby that also has certain health advantages, including as reducing stress, boosting physical activity, and warding off dementia. Not to mention that your labor of love rewards you with fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers (for a fraction of the price that they would be at the store). Over 70% of adults reported spending more time gardening over the past few years, so we are not the only ones who enjoy it these days. The popularity of gardening also seems to be on the rise as we get closer to the 2022 growing season.
Gardens are fast becoming a space where we are spending more and more of our time with family and friends. Often more than not it needs to flex to meet several purposes – an oasis for quiet contemplation, a play area for children and an entertaining space for social get togethers. Whether it’s a set of Bi-fold doors to a balcony, or simply an outdoor patio, your home probably has an ideal place to style as a fifth room. With a little imagination there’s an outdoor living room idea for all spaces.
Everyone’s experience with gardening can be unique, and it can change a little each year depending on a variety of factors, including your current living situation, the amount of area you have available, and if this is your first time planting. No matter how much gardening experience you have, it’s always a good idea to try something new. The 2022 garden designs are listed below.
Balcony and container gardens
The inclusion of balcony gardens at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show is a clear indication of how our attitudes toward gardening have evolved through time. Balcony and container gardens are excellent ways to get a lot done with little area, demonstrating that you don’t need a large garden to get into gardening.
Vegetable lots
Edible gardens, which continue the fruit and vegetable theme, were more well-liked than ever at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, but not in the conventional sense. We don’t all necessarily have the area for a dedicated vegetable patch, just like with balcony gardens. Instead, we observed produce being arranged within and close to flowerbeds. Cabbages offer stunning winter color, and artichokes and courgettes produce lovely flowers. Herbs also count.
In the summer, grow provencal herbs like thyme and rosemary alongside your lavender, and a hanging basket of pansies will not only bring color to your yard but also to your salad.
Natural Resources
This year, organic forms that celebrated both the natural and the recycled were in style, blurring the distinction between the created and the created. Both designs adhere closely to the current trend of natural gardens.
Therefore, even if you might not be included constructions this enormous in your garden, consider doing so wherever natural or recycled materials are an option. For instance, choosing willow fencing and trellising over conventional fencing or using old railroad sleepers as planters.
‘The fifth room’ has never got more use than during the pandemic. Patio heaters sold out across the country, whilst online searches for fire pits went up by 309% back when the only place we could congregate was in our gardens. From al fresco dining to al fresco bathing, it seems entertaining outdoors is here to stay.
Gardens with more flowerbeds and more biodiversity
There is no doubt that people still want to spend a lot of time in their outside spaces when it comes to garden design trends. In the past year, more people have made the decision to abandon minimalist planting and add more flower beds, shrub sections, and raised vegetable beds to their yards. The creation of a wildlife-friendly garden is a fun and environmentally-friendly modification you can make to your space. There are various methods to create both little and large adjustments, which is wonderful news for biodiversity.
The combinations of brushed limestones or textured sandstones brings extra dimensions to your garden. A simple yet effective design plan is to stick to one stone type and vary the forms and finishes. Japandi Japandi has already made its mark in the interior world but is set to take over the garden trends in summer 2022. Teaming polished Scandinavian functionality with soothing Japanese creates an uncluttered yet calming finish to your outdoor space. The blend of function and form come together with the pairing of natural materials and high-quality furniture. People also continue to ask for low maintenance front gardens; in general, they want the time they spend pruning and mowing to be within their private outdoor space rather than at the front. Think designs full of personality and charm, with a thought for our changing climate always in the foreground, always.
With sales of garden furniture, barbecues and accessories expected to grow substantially in 2022. Outdoor entertaining and kitchen areas will be a key trend for modern gardens. Perfect for those of us who lack space in our kitchens or dining rooms. This allows us to move entertaining friends and family outside. The second most popular garden trend right now is urban gardening, this trend is very popular on social media. There are 1.99 million urban gardening Instagram posts, and a further 25.1 million views on TikTok. As lots of people living in big cities have less garden space, urban gardening is a great way to take advantage of what outdoor space is available. 3 – Pergolas, garden trend score of 8.34/10: Last year Pergolas were the most popular garden trend, but this year they have slipped to third place with a score of 0.81 lower than the highest-ranking trend. The third most popular garden trend on Instagram has nowhere near the number of posts that the two ahead of it do, however, there are still over 435,000 posts about rattan furniture. Rattan vines are woven together to create this light, comfy, and stylish garden furniture. Most popular garden trends on TikTok 1 – Fire Pit, 355,500,000 TikTok views: Fire Pits are by far the most viewed garden trend on TikTok, videos featuring the pits have been viewed an incredible 355.5 million times.
The key with cottage style gardens is to eliminate straight lines in place of more organic curves in your design and incorporating natural materials like brick, slate and rustic wood to take centre stage. Planting flowering plants in varying heights will create a romantic garden that you’ll want to gaze into all summer long. Repeat flowering plants such as alstromeria, cosmos, dahlias, and zinnia will be favoured for their ease of growing and reliability during the summer months, while sea lavender and everlasting flower serve as dried decoration for winter displays. ‘Plants and flowers add depth and texture to your garden. Select a mix of flowering plants such as busy lizzies and pollinators, like lavender, as they can also benefit the wildlife in your garden.’ ‘Lavender, a beautifully fragrant pollinator, attracts bees and butterflies, breathing life into your garden. Make sure your growing space has a plentiful supply of sunlight.
When it comes to planting, Ana Sanchez-Martin is trialling alternative growing mediums and substrates in difficult soils, such as heavy clay. She says, ‘Instead of importing tons of organic matter or man-made topsoils, as recommended for decades, new research shows that growing plants in 30cm of coarse sand or on crushed concrete and brick with just with 50mm topsoil, in combination with appropriate plant selection, can yield great results. It’s a very exciting approach which feels both sustainable and practical.” The pandemic has clearly changed our way of thinking, our approach and priorities.
There’s a surge to take gardens back to a more natural state. This is a continuing trend, after lots of garden designers experimented with wildflower and perennial meadows last year. The good news is you don’t need a large plot to incorporate one into your garden.
Luxury garden sanctuary The pandemic has seen more UK stay-cations and as a result, the focus has turned to having the luxuries that you might ordinarily go away to enjoy, incorporated into your garden instead. Fi Boyle names pools, particularly natural swimming ponds, as one of these luxuries, while Ben Chandler says our gardens will ‘continue to be personal sanctuaries and a kind of modern-day pleasure garden’.
A garden room is always a luxury, and for those of us now mainly working from home, it’s an invaluable opportunity to create some separation between our homes and our work – or workout – life. A garden room building is a stylish addition to your garden, an extension of your home interior and a way to improve your lifestyle.
The need to mow a tapestry lawn can be reduced by up to two thirds compared to a regular grass lawn and, as a consequence, a greater number of both plant and insect species are able to inhabit the lawn. ‘In small urban gardens, meadow lawns are not usually very practical, but a tapestry lawn could be a great solution for city gardens .’
2022 is all about celebrating our gardens as living, natural spaces that we share with wildlife. These are small (sometimes tiny) but crucial players in the fight against the effects of climate change and nodding to their habitats within our own approach to outdoor living is what this year is all about. Well-being benefits provide comfort in uncertain times and the extra time spent at home has enabled us to tend to our plants like never before, grow vegetables , fill plots with pollinator-friendly plants, and design outdoor living rooms that provide a place to retreat. An overarching theme in 2022 will be a renewed emphasis on planet-friendly gardening, as gardeners seek to adopt new habits that can impact the planet positively, from an increased demand for pollinator-friendly plants to demand for peat-free compost . For 2022 this garden trend will largely extended to our outdoor living spaces. This trend is spurred by a desire to garden for both physical and mental health benefits. Which of these garden trends will you be incorporating into your outdoor space? The Society of Garden Designers has been championing excellence in garden design for over 35 years.
A great thing about gardens is that they are easily changed to suit a new purpose, or just to give them a fresh look. Whether you are organically growing or removing plant life or installing man-made features and products such as outdoor tiles , designing the perfect garden is a lot of fun. Last year we presented the Garden Trends Index , which offered an insight into the popular garden trends coming out of lockdown. Outdoor tiles can give a patio area a more interesting look, whilst garden rugs can be used to furnish a bare floor area, just as they do indoors. A popular design idea is to use a grey patio to create a smooth transition between outside and in, perfect if your house has bi-fold or patio doors. There is still a growing trend for patterned paving and outdoor tiles for people looking for modern garden ideas and ways to create a stylish garden . Porcelain is available in several different patterns and finishes such as corten and terrazzo; recent garden designs have used these for step risers, underneath seating areas and even outdoor dance-floors.
What’s trending in gardening? Spending more time at home over the last 18 months means the search for style inspiration for outdoor living has never been greater. Chelsea Gold Medal winning design duo Harris Bugg says: ‘Making spaces work harder for longer seasonal use is the current garden trend and that goes hand in hand with the planting and how we keep visual interest going through the seasons. A fast growing garden trend right now is anything sustainable – including upcycling ideas . I love upcycling existing elements within a garden rather than adding to landfill, says Ana Sanchez-Martin. ‘Last year I managed to save a beautiful old Victorian greenhouse working with a wonderful craftsman who helped me repurpose it and give it a new lease of life.
Patchwork Terraces Large terraces without foliage are less common these days due to the popularity of plants. This trend will see plants woven in between paving and large areas of stone to soften the visual look and add an extra amount of greenery to your garden. Trends in garden design and popular garden features More flower beds and biodiversity in gardens When it comes to garden design trends, it’s clear that people still want to spend plenty of time in their outdoor spaces. In the past year, more people have chosen to move away from minimalist planting and bring in more flower beds and shrubbed areas to their spaces, including raised beds for growing vegetables.
Whether you want to grow your own vegetables, dine alfresco or enjoy the many health and wellness benefits of spending time in the great outdoors, these of-the-moment garden ideas will bring your space up to date. Garden trends 2022 Gardens mean something different to everyone, because no outdoor space is the same. For some it’s a sanctuary to spend long balmy summer days relaxing, while others prefer pottering, planting and pruning at all times.
If you’ve always wondered how to create a living wall , this is the year to finally try it. Much more natural-looking than solid fences, living walls are in keeping with the current backyard trends that maximize on all available space for plants – this includes the vertical space in your garden. And if you already have a garden wall or fence, this may be the year to cover it with rambling roses or disguise it with trees and shrubs. If you’re serious about becoming more self-sufficient, a greenhouse can increase your yield of fresh fruit and veg all year round. If space isn’t on your side, legumes (runner beans, broad beans, French beans and peas), squashes and pumpkins are a great option to make use of vertical space. Salad leaves, herbs and tomatoes grow well in boxes on balconies and patios. All costing a fraction of the supermarket price too.
Ana Sanchez-Martin has seen a growing trend for what she calls the ’boutique hotel syndrome’, revealing her clients are asking for elements they would usually enjoy on holidays: ‘We have seen a marked increase in people requesting swimming pools, outdoor kitchens , fire pits , outdoor heaters and lighting.’
This year’s garden trends for planting schemes continues to focus on innovative displays of colour, fragrance and texture to create fully immersive spaces. ‘Beautiful beds and blossoms form the backdrop to your outdoor space,’ explains Christopher Ray, Category Manager for Outdoor at B&Q. Bringing the outdoors into our interiors through natural lighting and planting schemes will help create a calming environment. Biophilia – the basic human need to interact with nature – is the buzzword on everyone’s radar, and what better space than a garden cabin flooded with natural light and bifold doors that connect to the garden to give the nature-hit we need.White backyard planting is still here in 2022, but it looks slightly different from last year’s. Think delicate all-white planting schemes instead of all-white furniture and painted decks. White with natural accents is the on-trend look for this year.
Use bricks and mortar
Designer Henrietta Murray-Wicks has a love for bricks in the garden and has also enjoyed incorporating them into the garden I usually use brick walls with the stone borders which gives the look of carpeting on the floor, anchoring the area as well as furniture placed there. Bricks may also aid in accenting particular characteristics in a garden and provide an actual feel of movement while still using a uniform material palette overall. Butter Wakefield find it dull with rows of paved pavement and prefer smaller structures.
Enhance nature
Our gardens are long the refuge for our families, but in 2022 our gardeners put more emphasis than ever upon nature’s calming effects. In 2021 plants have become the top priority on designers’ wish-list. ‘rewilding’ plays into’rewilded’ – a movement whereby in various sizes a piece of land is re-turned into a natural environment where the animals provide water, food and shelter to all. Debbie Roberts of Acres Wild says the need for softer, more natural landscaping is becoming more prevalent.
Befriending bees
By 2020, it’s likely that plants will attract bee- and butterfly-friendly insects to our parks to support the ecosystem. The Buddleja Berries & Cream are filled with cones and clusters of flowers that attract bees and butterflies. AnnMarie Powell always believes bold colours are purposeful. The colour combination of yellow and green is very appealing, and I love acid yellow and warm orange and deep blue-purple. The purple and yellow combination is something that enchanted me.
Introduce a Mediterranean flavour to your backyard
All garden designs should be constructed today and in the future in response to a drier winter and dry summer. The question has been raised about how much tree will survive over 50 years. Her Mediterranean gardens plan will be looking at different environments for the plants she chooses if they are Mediterranean. ‘I want to use more of the Mediterranean trees close to our native trees. Her next step is to use Mediterranean shrubs as a complement to succulents, grass and long plants. Kristina won an award for Design of the Environment.
Stay true to your surroundings
Chloe Humphreys MSGD said that our advice on designing would be to study and understand materials from the local area and use this as the basis of a proposal. It is common knowledge that these constraints result in better design and that challenges are very enjoyable. These generally help reduce the environmental emissions from your projects and make your gardens feel anchored to the environment in which you live. Chloé has won International Landscape Architecture & Gardens awards for her design House in the Wild – Falkenberg.
Reimagining Balcony Gardens
Making use of your outdoor space is an important trend for gardens in 2020 for practicality and productivity. In recent years, it’s been significant to create bee-friendly gardens, despite supply chain challenges, more people were seeking to grow their own food and people with balcony had to make an innovative decision to fit everything in space, he added. “The space has been an obstacle to a successful Among those trends is stackable garden planting cascaded windows, hedging and cascading windows.
When should I redesign my garden?
While redesigning a room is ideal during winter when vegetation is dormant, looking at it summer will help you understand your use of your space better. And if a person wants to add some surface to a room, it is easy and affordable.
What is the future of gardening?
The survey shows 86% of homeowners plan on a future garden for 2021. Nearly half of the respondents had planted or expanded garden areas in recent weeks. All this growth and enthusiasm brings the need of encouragement.
