In winter, your garden and yard may be hidden, dead, or covered in snow, but come spring, everything will bloom again. Maybe you're thinking of doing the same with your outdoor green space next year, check out gardening and landscaping experts' predictions for 2024 for some ideas on how to change it up.
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Planting pollinators
"As threats to monarch butterflies and other pollinators become more widely recognized, many of our customers are looking to plant pollinator-friendly gardens," said Sarah Mentz, master gardener and director of product marketing for smart garden company Rachio. He suggests that homeowners use plants like milkweed, butterfly weed and borage for their yards and yards.
You don't need a backyard or a large garden: even a border or planting can be part of a pollinator corridor.
Modern construction technology
Smart garden technology will help many gardens conserve water by 2024, Mentz said.
Smart irrigation controllers use real-time weather information to water your plants only when you need them. Mobile apps allow users to customize and control water schedules to save water and money.
Grass fields and eco-grass fields
Instead of grass that requires a lot of water and maintenance, gardeners are looking for low maintenance and eco-friendly options. Green lawns—short for organic grass—replace grass with clover, grass and other drought- and disease-resistant plants.
"For those who like the look of a green lawn but require minimal maintenance in the form of mowing or fertilizing, clover grass is an attractive option in very hot climates," says Mentz.
According to Jane Szabo, landscape director of Molback Garden + Home, meadows are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. Home gardeners can create a bulb garden in their backyard or plant low-maintenance native plants in large yards.
Garden without digging
"With the growing awareness of climate change, many gardeners want to manage the soil and sequester more carbon in their gardens," says Wayne Elizabeth, gardener, farmer, environmentalist and blogger at Eco Friendly Homestead.
Instead of annual crops, more and more gardeners rely on mulch, cover crops and compost amendments to maintain the soil, essentially a no-dig garden.
"Keeping the roots in the ground at the end of the season is an additional no-shed element that many people are getting into," says Elizabeth.
Perennial plant
Continuing the no-dig theme, perennials are becoming popular. "Annuals stay in the soil longer, which gives them more time to store carbon in the soil," says Elizabeth. Note that cabbage, kale, asparagus, broccoli, sun and other herbs (like the purple artichoke above) are perennial options.
" More and more gardeners are planting small sustainable food forests in their gardens with edible fruits, nuts and shrubs that provide food for their families every year," he said.
Resistant plant species
Even with drought prevention measures, pests and heat can still cause damage. As a result, Elizabeth, many plant breeders are creating plants with strong, open flowers. Black star squash (see above), selected for dry farming, is grown in the garden, as is the Pomodoro Pizzutelo di Pacheco tomato, known for its drought tolerance.
As well as being able to grow in harsh summer conditions, Elizabeth says hardy varieties reduce the environmental impact of growing vegetables.
"When vegetables require less chemical treatment or less water resources, the burden on the environment is reduced," he says.
A well-kept garden
Even with the trend toward lawns and organic lawns, well-manicured gardens with well-kept yards are popular.
"Trimming a hedge, tending a bonsai or sculpting a topiary can be a very meditative experience," says Szabo.
If you can't decide whether to trim or trim things, don't worry. "The interplay between some pieces, carefully designed with wild beauty, is really growing," he said.
Flower colors: anything goes
"The modern all-white exterior and interior farmhouse trend has been reintroduced into the garden," says Sazbo, noting that many homeowners find the unusual color palette soothing.
On the other hand, some homeowners use all colors in the yard.
"It used to be difficult for customers to meet their palette needs, but now if they're looking for color, they're more likely to want everything," says Sazbo. She admits it's a reflection of changing fashion trends, saying she can focus on growing up and wearing whatever brings her joy.
Deciduous vegetables
Leafy gardens with a "subtle and refined design," says Szabo, are in high demand. They come in various shades of green, as well as silver, blue, chartreuse/soft mint, white or variegated white, and "maybe a little black for the brave," she says.
Unlike the clashing colors that were popular a decade ago, Szabo says today's leafy gardens are "brighter and more intimate."
Read more: 7 design trends that will return in 2024, according to experts
Read the original article at Yale.
