Some garden trends quickly come and go, while others have more staying power and significantly influence how a garden develops over time. If you’ve been looking to make a few changes in your own garden, here are a few of 2021’s garden trends to keep in mind.
Multifunctional Plants and Trees
People tend to choose plants for their visual appeal, but this is increasingly changing. Yes, the plants and trees that you grow in your garden should still look good, but if they also offer another useful feature, then that’s a great bonus!
Take the Beaked Yucca tree, for example. It’s an architectural evergreen tree that looks stunning year-round, but also produces beautifully fragrant flowers each summer. The Queensland Bottle Tree, which has been used in the past for making everything from fibres to beverages, is another good choice when it comes to multifunctional plants.
Low-Maintenance Gardening
These days, people are busier than ever. If you’ve got several hours a week to spend in your garden, then this won’t apply to you, but, for everyone else, low-maintenance gardening is the way of the future.
Look for plants that will happily thrive without the need for much attention, such as the ever-impressive Dragon Tree. The Glauca Grass Tree would be another good choice – its slow growth rate makes it a very low-maintenance tree, even if you grow it in a pot.
Grow Your Own
The “grow your own” movement is one that has been rapidly picking up speed in recent years. More and more people are wanting to know exactly where their food comes from, and the only way to truly do this is to grow it yourself.
Many begin by growing their own vegetables, but fruit-producing trees are also being cast into the spotlight. Trees such as the Mango Tree and the Olive Tree produce reliable annual harvests, with yields getting bigger each year – what’s not to love?!
Drought-Resistant Plants and Trees
Gardeners all over the world have been noticing the impact of climate change on their gardens, with many experiencing long droughts as a result. The best way to get around this to ensure that your garden will continue to thrive throughout the years is by going for drought-resistant plants.
You will find quite a few drought-tolerant plants out there, such as the majestic Tree Aloe and the Yucca Filifera. However, keep in mind that most of these plants will only be drought-tolerant once established – you will still need to give them plenty of water while they’re initially setting their roots.
Wildlife Gardens
Just about every gardener understands the importance of attracting wildlife into their garden. With so many wildlife species on the decline, this is now even more crucial than ever.
Flowers are one of the most popular ways to do this, with so many different wildlife-friendly species to choose from. Try to encourage flower growth at various levels in your garden – low-growing and shrub-height flowers are easy to come by, but look for flower-producing trees too. The Tahitian Lime Tree is one that blossoms throughout the year, making it a favourite among the birds and the bees.
While you shouldn’t completely overhaul your garden to try to adapt to new trends, these trends do provide useful guidance when it comes to planning out the future of your garden. 2021 sees sustainability and multi-functionality becoming key players in the gardening world, which should hopefully spell good news for the environment as a whole too.