Top garden trends for 2020
1 Stay of execution for peat
When Big Ben struck midnight this New Year’s Eve, the famous bongs were due to sound the death knell for peat. In fact, a Government target for peat-based compost to be phased out by 2020 will fall by the wayside. Expect to see lots of peat-rich compost at garden centres, but some retailers are pledging to sell peat-free growing media at more competitive prices. An online movement, called Peat-Free April, will call on the public to pledge to ditch peat and protect peat bogs for wildlife.
2 Houseplants sales to soar
Shoppers are going houseplant crazy! The Garden Centre Association says houseplant sales were up by 17.4 per cent in May, 20.7 per cent in August and 13.5 per cent in October, compared to the previous year. The boom is expected to gain momentum as garden centres embrace a concept known as ‘retail theatre’ – think Ikea, with mini in-store bedrooms and bathrooms dressed with houseplants to inspire us.
3 Terrariums make a comeback
Bo le gardens are back! Once dismissed as dreary relics of the 1980s, contemporary terrariums are now the height of fashion. In fact, some are going hitech, incorporating automated LED lighting and humidity controls to keep indoor plants at their finest.
4 More resistance to artificial lawns
Expect a growing backlash against artificial lawns as more gardens are covered in a sea of green plastic. The global market for fake grass is now estimated to be worth £2billion. Lawn experts and grass seed companies say that real grass supports wildlife, reduces flash flooding by absorbing rainwater and keeps temperatures down in summer. As GN went to press, a petition on www.change.org, calling on the government to regulate artificial grass, had a racted 1,472 signatures.
5 Garden centres to go green
The use of taupe plant pots, which can be recycled (unlike their black plastic counterparts), is set to grow, while new eco-friendly plant containers made from sustainable bamboo are arriving at garden centres. Planters are even being made from recycled rubber, preventing thousands of old car tyres from being dumped in landfill. Expect to see more chemical-free weedkillers, fertilisers and pest controls in 2020, driven by growing numbers of organic and vegan gardeners.
6 Zen to inspire
With the eyes of the world on Tokyo for the Olympics in July, the garden trade is expecting a surge of interest in Japanese gardening. Think deep-red shades of acer, finely raked gravel and the soothing sound of trickling water features.
7 Facing up to a climate emergency
Activists such as Greta Thunberg are pu ing the climate emergency on the global stage, and sustainability will be big at flower shows such as RHS Chelsea. Expect to see wildlife-friendly planting, rainwater harvesting and more organically grown, UK-sourced plants, while single-use materials will be given the boot.
8 Year of the rudbeckia
Fleuroselect, the international organisation that trials new plants, has declared 2020 the Year of the Rudbeckia and the Year of the Cucumber. Gardeners will benefit from promotions on seeds and plants in stores.