Get your gardening groove on with tropical flowers, cascading blooms and less fuss

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Get your gardening groove on with tropical flowers, cascading blooms and less fuss

by Jacqueline

February 19, 2008

“Gardening is my zen,” a friend of mine said over the weekend. He’s right, it’s a great way to relax.

And it’s a hobby that’s increasingly hip, having gained popularity among 20- and 30something city dwellers. They may not have vast lawns, but they want to create their own little patch of urban green.

Baby Boomers garden as well, but they tend to have multiple hobbies and don’t have the time or energy to maintain large-scale gardens like their parents did.

People may have less space and time to tend to a garden, but they still seek the benefits – aesthetic, environmental and atmospheric.

To see what else is new, I checked in with Charlie Nardozzi, a horticulturist with the National Gardening Association garden.org in South Burlington, VT.

He shared these trends on the gardening front:

Container gardening (flower pots, boxes, baskets, etc., on small decks or patios), which started in the 1990s, is continuing to grow and thrive. “Plant breeders are responding by breeding smaller plants,” says Nardozzi.

Less fuss. He adds that some new breeds, for example petunia, require less cleaning and maintenance, ideal for the time-crunched gardener. “People are looking for easy and effective ways to garden,” he says.

Also popular: cascading blooms such as scaevola or calibrachoa (aka million bells) that work well in a hanging basket or window box. Speaking of cascading, water – in the form of fountains or brooks, often at varying levels – is another big feature in contemporary gardens.

Tapping the tropics. People in colder climates are finding ways to mix and match tropical plants like bougainvillea (shown above), bananas and angel’s trumpet with more common plants to create a lush, exotic effect. Bright colors, both in plants and accessories, are big in gardening now.

From garden to plate. Edibles are on the rise. “People want to get more connected to the food they eat,” says Nardozzi, referring to increased concern about our food supply and what’s sprayed on it. Also, the influence of international menus is reaching beyond the kitchen. Tried lemon grass at a Thai restaurant or while visiting Thailand? You can grow your own in the back yard.

Going greener: People want more information about organic gardening and are taking steps to make their cities greener by planting trees and improving parks.

Re-thinking the family room. Families are looking at large decks, patios or other outdoor spots as an extension of a room. They’re creating the space and planning the décor to accommodate multiple functions – entertaining, cooking/serving meals, relaxing, kids’ activities – so they might have furniture, grills, fire pits and hot tubs in addition to the blooms. “There are reasons to be there besides the garden,” Nardozzi says.

Sitting in a hot tub with a nice cold drink gazing at bougainvillea sounds just about perfect right now …

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Comments

Jennifer | Reply
February 28, 2008

This is a great post! I live in Chicago and try and plant flowers every year - in containers. I don't have a lot of space or full sunlight so I am never sure what to buy or plant! I really love flowers but having an actual garden in the city is almost unheard of! Who knew I was "hip"!