Looking for some modern garden ideas? Whether you need a complete garden re-design or simply want to update your space’s functionality and look – we’ve put together some top trends to help you. Visit your local CGA affiliated garden centre to get the products and expert advice you need to implement these trends.

Keep it simple

Mess leads to stress! Simplifying your garden can simplify your life. A good idea is to plant mostly perennial plants that will come back each year. Group them together based on their watering needs. Fill in any left-over spaces with bedding plants. Reposition messy trees or shrubs to avoid daily clear-up duties.

Garden getaway

A small retreat within a larger garden can feel like a getaway. Creating a quiet space in your garden to relax, read, or meditate is a great way to de-stress. Include a simple water feature and surround the space with lush plants.

Plant show-off       

Stepping outside and looking at your plants with fresh eyes is a creative quest that can be therapeutic for your soul. There is something very satisfying about picking and displaying your home-grown plants in your house. Finding beauty in unexpected pieces e.g., twigs, leaves, dried seed heads, fruits, etc. — are very cool additions to an arrangement, and chances are you already have something unique right in your own backyard. 

Food for thought

Although growing your own food is not a new trend, it seems that now more than ever we have a vested interest in how our food is grown. The ability to produce your own food is not limited to people with large spaces of land. Your home garden can grow more food then you could imagine!

You can start by simply adding a pot on your front or back patio with a few herbs, and later add ornamental edibles, herbs/veggies can also be grown between other plants in your flower beds. Feed your veggie garden with Bio Ocean, the key ingredient seaweed, contains a range of naturally occurring minerals and growth stimulants which help maximise plant growth.

Pay it forward

Gardening isn‘t just about making a piece of land look pretty. Gardens can also be used to give back to the environment and community. Using natural ways to get rid of weeds and control garden pests like grubs and beetles and including plants that attract pollinators such as bees, birds and butterflies is a great way to give back to the environment. Donate your overabundance of fresh produce to your local charity or share with your neighbours to foster a sense of community.

Living Coral

Choose bold and vibrant, hot colours. The 2019’s pantone colour of the year is living coral – a nurturing colour that appears in our natural surroundings. Add some of these flowers to your garden to introduce this trendy colour: Wizard® Coral Sunrise Coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides), Salvia Coral Nymph (Salvia coccinea), Pop Mango Salmon (Verbena x hybrida), Petunia Shock Wave Coral Crush (Petunia x hybrida), Sunpatiens Coral Pink (Impatiens x hybrida) and Calibrachoa Conga Coral Kiss (Calibrachoa x hybrida).

Rethink plastic

With the drive for plastic-free living becoming a major focus, switch to biodegradable plant pots made from coconut husks, wood chips, or rice husks found at your local Garden Centre (GCA). These can then be added straight to the compost when they’re no longer needed. The garden is a great place to re-use household plastic products which you would otherwise throw away. Plastic bottles can make a statement hanging planter, just cut open one side, fill with compost and plant seedlings, then hang horizontally.

Be water-wise

Gardening for a changing climate is a key trend, with many gardeners and landscapers incorporating stronger, more resilient plants in their designs. A smart way of tackling climate change and unpredictable weather patterns is to store water and use it more carefully. Plants that can withstand heat and drought are becoming popular choices – think succulents, cacti, and hardier flowering shrubs such as Salvias. Fertilise your plants with Bio Ocean as it improves soil organic matter and increases soil water holding capacity.

Outside in

Don’t limit your plants to your garden. Find creative ways to bring green indoors, especially in the midst of winter. With proper plant choices and some grow lights, even the darkest corner of your home can support plant life. Plants with exotic textured foliage like Staghorn ferns and variegated or multi- colours are great choices. Another reason to try this ever-popular trend is that houseplants are excellent air purifiers.

Grow up

Vertical planting shows no signs of waning. As real estate trends lean towards smaller gardens, it becomes increasingly important to maximise every bit of space. One of the best ways to create a lush backyard without taking over your patio and lawn space is to go vertical. Be it a fence, wall or metal cage, you can maximise growing space with a limited footprint by planting Ophiopogon japonicus and Festuca ovina glauca in a vertical wall.