with the Spring Equinox a few days past and warmer weather on the horizon, our thoughts are turning to gardens, terraces and outdoor living in general. Picnics and Pimms on the lawn, cocktails on the patio, lunch in the rose garden, bring it all on please!
To celebrate the change of seasons, experts from OnBuy Garden Furniture Sets have compiled a list of the most in-demand and emerging gardening trends set to soar this spring — having scraped more than 1.2 million pins on Pinterest — detailing what’s inspiring the world’s gardeners. To accompany the data, Shroopa Patel, Category Manager at OnBuy Garden Furniture Sets has provided expert commentary on the top 3 trends and insights on how to achieve these popular styles to help transform your outdoor space into a spring sanctuary.
Balcony Gardens – 265,259 Pinterest pins
The most in-demand gardening trend for spring 2022 is balcony gardens – with an impressive 964 boards and 265,259 pins on Pinterest. With 56% of the global population living in urban areas, balcony gardens are a great way for city-dwellers to elevate and maximise smaller outdoor spaces and are an easy trend to follow for any novice gardeners due to their low upkeep.
To start your balcony gardening, Shroopa Patel, Category Manager at OnBuy Garden Furniture Sets shares that: “For balcony gardening, a lot of focus will be on your choice of plants. For example, if it can’t handle much weight, then it is better to choose plastic or rice pots instead of ceramic pots. For shady balconies facing north, shade-loving plants such as winter aconites, begonias and lettuce are great choices to grow and brighten up the space. We also recommend planting space-saving plants such as tomatoes, spring onions, radish or attaching a plant trellis to your balcony wall to make full use of limited outdoor space.”
Pictured top and above: The Balconera self-watering planter from Lechuza and the PILA self-watering planters, also from Lechuza.
Garden Recycling – 233,247 Pinterest pins
Spring is the perfect time to think about greener habits and to start upcycling, which will also save money. Examples from Pinterest users include repurposing old furniture, like chests of drawers, to create garden planters and rustic potting benches.
“Let your creativity out! There are lots of ways to make your garden more eco-friendly and closer to nature by using recycled materials. For example, turning your glass beer bottles to garden fences, unwanted sinks to flower planters, plastic bottles to watering cans, tree branches to plant supporters, or old bowls or tea cups to bird feeders. Be adventurous and enjoy the DIY process! “ – Shroopa Patel, Category Manager at OnBuy Garden Furniture Sets.
Pictured: Raised box planters offer more space than classic balcony boxes or tubs and are ideal for colourful seas of geraniums on balconies and terraces. For this homemade piece in the latest upcycled style, an old wooden crate was simply mounted onto an old chair base, painted to tone with the geraniums. Tip: Holes in the bottom of the wooden box will prevent waterlogging. Picture courtesy of Pelargoniums for Europe.
Below: Far too good to throw away: Unused cups and saucers are perfect for creative upcycling projects. Flower lovers and bird watchers will love this vintage geranium hanging planter and matching feeder for our feathered friends. With the right materials, you can make these charming DIY ideas in no time. Important: Geraniums need plenty of space. For use in a hanging planter, always use a cup that’s large enough for the plant and don’t forget the drainage holes. Picture courtesy of Pelargoniums for Europe.
Wild Gardens – 212,502 Pinterest pins
In third place and following a low-maintenance theme, are wild gardens – with 212,502 pins. A clear trend for spring 2022 appears to be a move away from more obviously designed spaces into more relaxed and naturalistic gardens, with 36,000 Google searches last month for “wild garden” and rising search interests for wild garden related furniture and flowers.
To recreate a wild garden within your own grounds, floriculture experts at OnBuy Garden Furniture Sets suggest:
“Don’t be afraid to let your grass grow! Long grass is the perfect habitat for butterflies wildflowers and bee systems to flourish. Consider planting a small wildflower meadow, not only will it look beautiful due to the vibrant pops of colour, but it will attract a variety of ecosystems into your outdoor space. We recommend planting countryside favourites bluebells, red campion and purple-loosestrife.”
Other Top Emerging Trends
At the end of the list and a clear, emerging trend is jewel-toned gardening with 17,965 pins. This trend emerged after jewel-toned magenta pink was reported by WGSN, the world’s leading trend forecasters, as its colour of the year for 2022 – which promotes a sense of ‘positivity and escapism’ – making it the perfect choice for an outdoor oasis. Shroopa Patel, Category Manager at OnBuy Garden Furniture Sets, reports that:
“With Google Trends showing a 190% increase in search volumes for “jewel tones” in spring last year, it is clear that this is the colour of the year for spring gardens. For a bold statement this season and to bring the beauty of rare gemstones into your garden – bright tones of exterior paint in lustrous cobalt blues and uplifting fuschia pinks can liven up uninspired furniture – from table legs and pergolas to sheds and fences. These striking colours are a stylish choice for anyone looking to draw attention to focal points within your garden.”
To combine the most in-demand spring gardening trends this season, experts from OnBuy Garden Furniture Sets recommend planting jewel-toned wildflowers, such as pyramidal and green-winged orchids, in your outdoor space in preparation for the upcoming Spring Equinox 2022.
Pictured: With their stunning, vibrant colours and relaxed boho vibe, pelargoniums are the perfect flower to capture the feeling of summer – and being native to South Africa they are well able to tolerate heat whilst other flowers will wilt and fade on tabletops. Pictures courtesy of Pelargoniums for Europe.
Full table showcasing all 8 gardening trends (The first number relates to the number of boards including this trends whilst the figures in brackets indicate number of overall Pinterest Pins for this search term).
Balcony Gardens 964 (265,259)
Garden Recycling 909 (233,247)
Wild Gardens 1,000 (212,502)
Water Features 918 (177,929)
Wildlife Gardening 950 (154,966)
Garden Allotments 873 (127,275)
Minimalist Gardens 948 (96,367)
Jewel Tones 106 (17,965)
