Four garden trends you can do now..

January is filled with garden people making trend predictions for the coming summer. But for most of us January is not the time when we’re thinking about our gardens, we’re too busy making every excuse to stay indoors in the warm.

However, the moment the sun shows its face, however fleetingly, we take one good look at our gardens and wonder what we can do, right now, to make it look as good as it can. After all, when it;s warm and dry, we want to be out there, with family, with friends, having a good time – so it needs to look good!

Here are four easy to implement fun trends to get your garden glowing this summer

1. The shower curtain trend

What now?! Have a quick peruse of Amazon (or indeed Temu) and you’ll find a whole selection of slightly mad, totally botanical ‘mural’ style options. Inventive garden lovers are purchasing these shower curtains and using them to create a backdrop to a green oasis in an otherwise ugly corner. These work best for small rear yards or gardens with limited space and high walls or fences, and are brilliant for balconies. Simply hang your chosen shower curtain (or two) and add potted indoor plants (they’ll survive an English summer, then provide greenery indoors from September on) and a bistro set for instant summer vibes. Alternatively, wrap the curtain around your ugly shed, fit it around a section of your house wall, or even inside a summer house to create a trompe l’oeil effect. If you have a yard and are wondering how to make it into a garden, this is a good start – then simply invest in some outdoor pots and fill them with whatever’s in season at your local garden centre. You can even invest in indoor plants, which will be fine outside for the summer, as long as you remember to bring them in by mid-September. 

2. Maximalism 

Think huge outdoor mirrors, wall art, hanging plants, brightly coloured cushions, throws and rugs, and big, bold planting. In terms of planting, if big and bold appeal, now’s the time to visit your local garden centre, where you can see what’s in season and ask the experts about how it might grow in your garden. Hydrangeas are having a moment right now, with their ability to fill a big space and produce huge, showy blooms in pink, blue or white. Grasses are also marvellous for providing impact, and with the crazy weather we;re starting to experience more and more, they’re resilient too, so can be trusted to survive rain and drought. 

3. Wildlife corners

If our native wildlife ever needed a helping hand, it’s now, and urban, suburban and rural gardeners are all finding easy ways to support birds, bees, butterflies and those rarely seen, but very necessary, bugs and beetles, to survive the impact of the pesky weather systems. 

Creating a wildlife corner is a straightforward and stylish way to do your bit – and the kids will love it. 

First, choose your spot. Ideally it will get both sun and shade as the day progresses, to encourage flowers to grow from spring until autumn. Next, create a small woodpile at the rear of the allocated space and cover it with leaves. When autumn comes, gather fallen leaves and add to the pile – some animals, such as butterflies and solitary wasps (the good kind of wasp!), use wood piles as a place to hide and to hibernate through the colder months, as do hedgehogs, of course. 

When it comes to planting, think bees and butterflies. Butterflies love plants like bluebells (search out our native species to plant, not the Spanish bluebell which is an invasive species), lavender, verbena bonariensis and buddleia, also known as the butterfly bush. Bees and butterflies also enjoy herbs, such as oregano, and bright flowers such as nasturtium. The caterpillars need food, of course, and nasturtiums are good for this too, as are nettles. To really support the best range of native butterflies however, you need native wildflowers. It’s perhaps a little late to be scattering seed now, but you can definitely get the majority of your wildlife corner established, then scatter them as soon as autumn arrives. Choose a carefully curated seed mix that will attract a wide range of bees and butterflies. 

Finally, put in a water bowl. Squirrels, hedgehogs, birds and insects all need a drink now and then,

4. Al fresco dining delights

It’s no longer good enough to drag out the old plastic table from the shed, attach its legs and line up the wobbly chairs. If you want to show your friends a good time, a permanent patio table is necessary. And now’s the time to buy. Many brands are already putting their summer 24 collections on sale, in fear of a wet summer and low sales, so there are bargains to be had.

A decent dining set isn’t enough, however – it needs tablescaping. Oh yes, tablecloths aren’t just for Christmas! And in keeping with our shower curtain and maximalism trends, it’s all about colour confidence. 

Bright summer colours will lift the atmosphere even on a dull (but dry) day. Think vibrant orange and cerise pink napkins, trail ivy around the centre and add candlesticks, ready to be lit the moment the light fades. Find a selection of tiny glass vases (eBay and charity shops are heaving with them) and pop a single flower in each one.

Invest in some solar lights to dot around your garden space and trail along the fences, and seek out rechargeable table top lamps to supplement the candles or place in spots you want to up light in your garden.

Eddie – Friday 5th July 2024. (Images used from College Road, Whalley Range).