2015 GARDEN TRENDS

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CURVY, LOW-MAINTENANCE, LOCAL AND NATIVE, HERE’S YOUR

2015 GARDEN TRENDS

By Marilyn McKinley

OSU master gardener volunteer

How trendy is your garden? Are you planning to eat local, grow local and be sustainable? Here are the hot trends for you to consider when planning the garden for the coming year:

Growing and buying local is in: We’re planting more vegetable gardens and buying from local gardens. No doubt this is the easiest, least expensive way to go organic. Consider supporting your local farmer. There’s so much available during the winter, too.

Gardening for the greater good: We all seem to be getting a little more eco-conscious. More people are moving toward gardening for reasons other than their own pleasure.

Container gardening: Growing your flowers or vegetables in containers makes sense for several reasons: You can have your produce right at your back door; you can move pots to a sunny location if needed; you can easily change the look of your garden at any time; growing through the season is easy. One thing to keep in mind: Watering will need to be more frequent.

Smart and easy gardens are in, high maintenance is out: If you have the money for “high maintenance,” you probably have the money to pay someone for the upkeep.

Curves are in, squares are out: Landscaping should feel like it moves, with a natural flow. Straight lines have gone the way of the dodo.

Well-lit gardens are in, dark is out: Gardens are becoming an expansion of the home; lighting enhances this concept. LED lights can brighten your garden without increasing your electric bill.

Smaller lawns are in: Smaller yards that are healthy and functional say you are environmentally friendly.

More vegetable, flower gardens: Many people are incorporating vegetables into their flower gardens. Many vegetables have attractive foliage. Sprouts and micro greens are big now too throughout the winter months.

More drought-tolerant plants: In many parts of the country water is a problem. Even in areas where water is plentiful, people are more conscious of the amount they use. You can start with a rain barrel.

Native plants: Most new gardens now contain some native plants. Many longtime gardeners are adding them to their gardens. This is great news for the environment, wildlife, birds and bees.

Raised beds, container bags, stackable beds: Let’s face it, gardeners are getting old too; using these items makes gardening easier. But young gardeners are using them as well. They can easily turn an area not normally suited for gardening into a wonderful, accessible space.

Gardening for bees: There has been much concern about the decline of the bee population. Planting bee-friendly flowers shows you are doing your part for bees and native pollinators.

Heirloom seeds: These are simply openly pollinated plants. Be sure to pay attention to disease pressure and use proper methods of saving seed to keep the plant line pure.

Herbs: Maybe the TV cooking shows are responsible for this trend, but growing and using fresh herbs continues to increase dramatically. Be sure to know if the herbs are annuals or perennials before buying lots of plants to add to your space.