- Lawns and gardens
Addimental and 7 other garden trends we want to try in 2024
Try something new in the garden this year. Increase your curb appeal, plant some trendy plants and make your yard the talk of the town.
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Forget the same old stuff. No matter what type of garden you have (vegetable, ornamental or a combination of the two), 2024 will see some interesting gardening trends.
Whether you want to transform your home landscape into a cottage/meadow look, add a rain garden, or adopt better landscaping techniques to help the planet, there are plenty of 2024 landscaping trends to keep an eye on. Here are some of these trends and ways to incorporate them into your home garden.
1. Cottage/Meadow View
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The cottage/pasture look is gaining popularity due to its low maintenance and eco-friendly nature. However, it takes some effort.
"Cabin and prairie landscapes rely on natural systems, including native plant material, prime soils and minimal management," said Mike Till, PLA, regional director of land operations at Texas A&M University. . "However, design and planning are still very important when implementing this idea, because it's not just a matter of throwing seeds in the garden and hoping for the best."
Till explains that the site must be properly prepared by removing noxious and invasive plant species and performing basic soil preparation such as seeding/aeration, minimal amendment (compost) and grading for positive drainage. Grasslands also need at least six hours of full sun a day and will need a source of water, at least until the plants are established.
You'll want to choose native plants that can adapt and survive on their own, adding real grass for texture. Once established, the plant will require minimal management and maintenance, but these aspects can never be completely out of control because you have to deal with unwanted weeds.
RELATED: 17 Wildflowers Every Homeowner Should Know
2. Residual plants
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Garden design experts believe that because of their multiple functions in the garden, companion plants (food and ornamental) are an excellent choice for next year's gardening. Plus, it's an easy way to add color and texture to your favorite plants. An advantage: Many items live for more than one year and are easier to care for than perennial vegetables. Examples include asparagus, maple, chard and nasturtium.
RELATED: 11 Types of Edible Berry Bushes to Plant in Your Garden
3. Vertical gardening
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Vertical gardens are becoming increasingly popular and are ideal for those with little horizontal space or those who enjoy the creative and aesthetic appeal of a vertical garden. Depending on the type of vertical garden you're building, you can even put it on wheels so you can move it around the landscape to get maximum sunlight or avoid frost, according to George Bernardo, vice president of land management. At SSC Services for Education, which provides support services for educational institutions.
He said he and his wife planted in mid-April in central Georgia, so with the possibility of snow and very cold nights, we moved the mobile garden into our garage at night and went outside after 8 a.m. each day. "Plants grow like jolly green giants," he said.
RELATED: 21 Vertical Garden Ideas For Those With Little Space
4. Gothic garden
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Steampunk fans, rejoice! The dark Victorian atmosphere eventually spilled from Wednesday Addams' greenhouse classroom to the outskirts of Nevermore's town. Choose bold colors to try this trend. Anything with a name beginning with black or purple would be a good candidate; Think black tulips or black cherry floribunda flowers. Common houseplants you'll find at your local nursery include purple heartplant and purple clover. If your style is a little more edgy, try emulating a cradle tombstone, a tombstone with a rectangular extension in front that doubles as a planter. Add overhead lighting to the plants and avoid over-pruning them to make the space look a bit uncomfortable.
Related: Sci-fi in the garden: How to transform your garden to reflect the 'hortifuturism' trend
5. Rain Garden
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With much of the United States experiencing moderate to extreme drought conditions in 2023, it makes sense to incorporate a rain garden into your landscape design. Rain gardens help capture rainwater during storms by directing it to planted areas instead of needlessly flowing onto streets.
Start creating a rain garden by choosing plants that tolerate extreme conditions (drought and rain), such as ornamental grasses, native plants, and reeds. Plants that help reduce runoff are also helpful, and for best results, find a selection of plants native to your area.
RELATED: 8 Landscaping Mistakes That Make Your Home Look Outdated
6. Gravel garden
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Do you want a low-maintenance garden that will catch the eye of passers-by? Try a gravel garden in 2024 A gravel garden allows you to incorporate lots of color and texture into your landscape, but with less maintenance and water than a traditional garden. Gravel gardens are especially good for those who live in areas with severe drought conditions.
A gravel garden is a low-maintenance garden bed consisting of small-diameter gravel, usually commercial by-products, held in place by some type of edging such as pavers or stone. Gravel is applied to a depth of 4 to 6 inches over the existing soil. A small transplanted root ball is placed and covered with gravel. Drought-resistant plants with deep root systems are best for this type of garden.
RELATED: 10 Types of Landscaping Rocks Every Homeowner Should Know
7. Plants for the environment
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Almost every exhibit at the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show in London will touch on environmental issues. By planting carbon sequestering trees in 2024, you can contribute to the environment in your backyard.
Try native grasses, fast-growing native trees and herbaceous perennials such as echinacea, rudbeckia and hardy geraniums, or plants native to your area. Herbaceous perennials are a great choice because they last year after year, come in different colors and bloom at different times of the season, so your garden will always be full of color.
RELATED: 50 Plants That Grow Well in Any Garden
8. Plants for pollinators
Photo: GardenOutsideTheBox via etsy.com
Needless to say, all the bugs in your garden are gone! In 2024, learn to be one with the mistakes, or at least the useful ones. Not only has the number of buyers buying native plants doubled since 2019, the 2023 National Garden Survey reported a 10 percent annual increase in the number of gardeners growing plants for pollinators. Add some pollinator-friendly plants to your garden by adding native plants that trust local wildlife. Try bee balm, not only loved by bees, but also by butterflies and hummingbirds. Common with milkbush, sycamore and hyssop, marsh and buttercup are also popular pollinators.
Check out some helpful garden bugs you should know, then add a bug house for your favorite pollinators like the Grand Pollinator Hotel from GardenOutsideTheBox on Etsy.
