Tag: planting

Garden trends for 2018 that will transform your space

Garden trends for 2018 that will transform your space | H is for Home

Are you thinking about how you can update and transform your garden for summer 2018? It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking to completely redesign your garden or upgrading what you currently have, there are lots of different options that will transform your space and bring it up-to-date for this season. If you want to know more about the top 2018 garden trends that you should be incorporating, make sure you carry on reading!

Eating al fresco in a garden

Embrace al fresco styling

With spring finally here and summer jut around the corner, now is the time to utilise your outdoor space. Al fresco dining is the perfect way to do this and this year this trend is set to be bigger than ever! Having a place where you can eat and entertain will be a hugely popular garden trend and is a great option for those who don’t have a huge kitchen or dining space. Have a dedicated area in your garden where you can install some mood lighting, comfy furniture and a BBQ for amazing summer nights entertaining family and friends outdoors. Exterior structures are also set to be really big this year and are perfect for covering any outdoor furniture sets that you may have. Some manufacturers have noticed a big rise throughout last year of people requesting verandas, so this looks to be a trend that’s set to rise throughout 2018 too.

Blue garden bench and planters

Opt for a vibrant colour palette

Muted tones are still extremely popular with many people and a lovely muted grey colour applied to woven furniture is a great option that adds a touch of sophistication to your outdoor gardens pace. However, while muted colours are definitely still popular, the big trend for 2018 is bold, daring and vibrant colours being incorporated into our outdoor furniture. Many of us are being that little bit braver with our style and incorporating these fun colours using contemporary furniture design and the latest textile designs.

Peeling paint on a wall

Wabi-sabi styling

If you are guilty of not having too much of a hands on approach with your garden space, which we can say we are too, then you will be glad to hear that the wabi-sabi trend is here to stay in 2018. If you’re not as green fingered as you would like to be this will definitely be the trend that you will want to incorporate into your garden this year. Wasi-sabi is a Japanese term and they’ve been practising it for hundreds of years, from the 15th century. This is essentially when you accept the natural cycle of your garden space, which is growth, decay and death. This is the opposite to what we normally hear, as the Western world usually strives for perfection and this trend is exactly the opposite. The key with this trend is to get a good balance between nurture and nature and you are encouraged to enjoy your garden space and relax in its natural beauty. Weathered pots, rusty gates and moss-covered stones are all part and parcel of this trend. To incorporate this into your garden, try to choose plants that will change over time with the seasons to add character to your garden.

White painted, clap-board garden shed

Multi-use sheds

Another big trend for your garden space this summer is to have a multi-use shed. These sheds are growing in popularity as more and more people are looking for a shed that they can do more in than simply just store items. The she-shed has been a huge trend over the past couple of years and sheds are now becoming a much more practical and functional space.
You can find an array of not just sheds but also garden workshops at ShedStore. They offer a wide range of metal, plastic and wooden sheds in an array of designs and sizes, plus they are at great prices which can all be viewed at their website; https://www.shedstore.co.uk/. Why not turn your garden workshop into a place where you can enjoy your favourite hobbies such as completing DY projects?

Vegetable plot in a garden

Grow your own food

We’re all becoming more and more aware of where our food comes from and what exactly is in it. There has been a huge increase in the number of people eating organic and adopting a plant-based diet, all of which can be incorporated into your garden as part of this 2018 trend. With food prices rising and plant-based diets rising over 360% in the past decade, why not try to grow your own food in your garden?
Have an allotment in your garden or just section off a small area of your garden to experiment with different foods. There are some vegetables that are easier to grow than others, so why not start by growing broccoli, spinach, peas or even quinoa? You could even start smaller by growing a box of herbs.
You can learn how to get started on your own allotment at https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=84.

String of garden lights

Solar lights

When spicing up your garden, you want to think about incorporating some lights into it which are perfect for those warmer summer evenings. The big trend for garden lighting in 2018 is solar! This is good for both ornamental lighting and as a practical solution too. Solar lighting is a great addition to the garden as they are now cost-effective and completely safe. They help to create the perfect atmosphere for you to unwind and relax.

Copper head sculpture in a garden

Add a touch of copper

You may already have noticed that copper was one of the biggest trends in interior design throughout 2017 and this trend is set to continue as we move it outside to the garden. Copper is a gorgeous colour and this material provides a lovely rose-gold effect. Hard landscaping with copper can provide a warm effect and is the perfect contrast to any surrounding wood, stone or gravel.

Euonymus Oxyphylluscredit

Add exotic plants

This year, it’s all about the exotic plants, so, if you’re green fingered, this is a trend that you’ll love. Why not try out planting some unusual and exotic specimens? The euonymus oxyphyllus is a slow-growing shrub from Korea that’s becoming increasingly popular due to its gorgeous colour! The leaves start as a stunning emerald and then this transforms into bronze, yellow and red over autumn.

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Beautify your Palm Springs property for a quick sale with these healthy desert plants

Garden containing healthy desert plants
If California is known for anything, it’s for being home to the Hollywood film industry as well as the largest number of health-conscious consumers. In fact, diets have been named after the state! If you’re in the process of sprucing up your home for a quick sale and the garden leaves a lot to be desired, why not kill two birds with one stone and give your property instant curb appeal by adding beautiful, low-maintenance edible desert plants known to promote better health?

Not only is California known to be the epitome of a health-conscious community, they’re also big on sustainable living. You’ll probably find more thrift stores and recycling centres per capita in California than in any other US state. Yes, California is the most populous state however, if you factor in proportions of recycling activities per 100 people, California leads the nation by a long chalk. Once you’re ready, contact a realtor Santa Monica to help you quickly sell your property. Create an eco-friendly garden by growing plants that require little or no irrigation. Get tips from mygardeningnetwork.com about planting and caring for edible, desert plants.

Chia flowerscredit

Chia

One of the most popular health food ingredients on the market today is chia seeds. Health conscious people do everything from putting them in smoothies, sprinkling them on salads to adding them to home-made bread. The plant that produces the seeds – Salvia hispanica – belongs to the herb family. It requires a lot of direct sunlight, something the Coachella Desert has plenty of! Chia seeds are extremely high in the Omega complex of fatty acids, vitamin B1 and niacin. Chia plants produce beautiful blue flowers that will enhance your landscaping and grow well in rock gardens.

Agave tequilana and cactus plantscredit

Agave

Have you heard of the sweetening power of agave nectar? Not only is agave a natural sweetener much healthier than sugar, but the plant is high in fibre, necessary for healthy digestion. Did you know that agave is also used to distil tequila? Is it any wonder that many Central & South American homes sport this ground-covering succulent on their lawns and gardens?

Prickly pear cactus

Prickly pear

Prickly pear, or Opuntia to give it its proper name, is a hardy cactus native to South America. Not only is it an attractive, sculptural plant, its pads and fruit are edible. It’s very low in fat and calories and high in magnesium and vitamin C. The deep-growing roots of the prickly pear helps prevent soil erosion.

Aloe vera plant

Aloe vera

Aloe vera is famously used as a natural remedy for soothing sunburn and as a moisturising ingredient in beauty products. It’s also claimed that the extracted juice helps support good gastrointestinal health.

Creating a lovely garden with healthy desert plants, you’re sure to increase curb appeal instantly, especially to those looking to move westward for a more beneficial lifestyle. Add value to your property and get healthy in the process!

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How to prepare for the year on your allotment

Aerial view of allotments

Spring, whether it’s meteorological (the 1st) or astronomical (the 20th), begins in March. It’s the time of year to begin thinking about getting back down to the allotment again. Before diving straight in, there are a few tasks that need to be taken into consideration.

Ensure you have suitable outdoor clothing & protective footwear

Safety shoe on the allotment

Before you begin any work on your allotment, make sure you’ve got the right kind of gear to wear. Don’t ruin your best pairs of trousers or training shoes – buy some hard wearing clothing that’s built for the jobs in hand and that you don’t mind getting dirty… and of course heavy duty, protective footwear. We’ve all heard those horror stories of people standing on rusty nails or impaling themselves through the foot with a garden fork!

Have a spring clean

Upturned terra cotta plant pots

You probably did a lot of the chores at the end of autumn as the gardening year wound down. However, if you haven’t, this is your last call for completing all these jobs. Tidy the shed and greenhouse if you have one. Sweep paths, remove slippery moss, clean pots, make sure water butts are full, bring the garden table & chairs out of the shed and paint or oil as required… and scrub that barbecue clean in readiness for some al fresco dining!

Prepare the soil

Garden soil

Flower beds and fruit & vegetable plots have probably lain dormant for almost 6 months. Now that the final frosts are almost over, it’s the perfect time to dig over beds, tackle weeds, mulch, rotate compost bins and sow green compost.

Clean & repair your tools

Collection of garden shovels

Why make gardening jobs any tougher than they need to be? Make sure your secateurs and shears are sharpened, shovel and rake handles are secure and free from splinters. Consider a service & deeper clean for electrical items such as lawnmowers and chainsaws.

Organise your planting calendar

Fenced off allotment plot

Organise your planting diary for the year ahead. Look back at what you did last year and rotate beds to avoid disease and pests and maximise yields. Do some research as to what might grow well in your situation and soil conditions… and of course enjoy browsing all those lovely seed catalogues, gardening magazines & books for inspiration and ideas.

Care for wildlife

Hegehog on grass

Not only are they lovely to look at and listen to, wildlife helps to pollinate flowers and they eat pests such as slugs and aphids. You can do lots of things to attract creatures to your allotment. Build insect boxes, provide food for birds, plant insect-attracting flowers, create paths for hedgehogs and find space for a water feature of some kind if possible – even if it’s just an upturned bin lid! It’s one of the single most effective way of attracting wildlife to an outdoor space.

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Etsy List: Plant a tree

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'Plant a tree' Etsy List curated by H is for Home

It’s the 30th annual National Tree Week between 28th November and 6th December 2015. The Tree Council (yes, there is such an organisation) launched a campaign in the response to the Dutch Elm Disease crisis of the 60s which destroyed millions of trees. Tree Week grew out of this – and here we are in the 21st century rising to the challenge of Ash Dieback.

Get involved in a community event near you, or simply by gifting a tree or planting one of your own!

Plant a tree
Curated by H is for Home