The weather hasn’t been wonderful in 2024, but even heavy showers and high winds can’t hold back lots of excitement and activity in the gardening world.
From flood-proof gardens and sustainable planting at RHS Chelsea in May to in-demand annuals for hanging baskets to brighten up our outdoor space, there’s been lots to enjoy, embrace and aim for.
As well as a leaning into more colourful, relaxed planting – yellow was everywhere – this year, we’ve seen a lot of going back to basics, with an increased emphasis on soil health – making practices such as no-dig gardening, composting and using organic mulches mainstream.
With the help of experts, designers, and a Chelsea winner, we take a look back on some of the biggest takeaways in the gardening world this year.
As a recap, RHS Chelsea multi-award winner Ann-Marie Powell, chair of the Society of Garden Designers, Andrew Duff MSGD (Registered Member of the Society of Garden Designers) and Julian Palphramand, head of plants at British Garden Centres, share some of the stand-out trends of 2024 so far.
6 of the biggest gardening trends of 2024:
Vibrant colour palettes
“We’re embracing planting schemes where colour is dialled up to make us all feel warm and happy,” says Ann-Marie, who intends to showcase this trend as she works on one of her latest projects, re-designing the Great Fountain Garden at Hampton Court.
“I personally believe tapestry planting in mosaics is the way forward, a mix of flowering shrubs, perennials, grasses and bulbs to maximise colour and texture, which creates dramatic visual impact but also supports the widest range of garden wildlife.”.
Ann-Marie loves this approach to planting because it’s flexible, allowing for a succession of blooms, foliage and seedheads throughout the seasons: “It’s about creating joyful, dynamic spaces that evolve with time, offering continuous interest and ecological benefits.”
Embracing trees
The Flood Resilient Garden at RHS Chelsea, by garden designer Naomi Slade and environmental design expert Dr Ed Barsley, was just one of the many ways we’ve been talking about designing gardens to become better equipped to deal with extreme weather.
Ann-Marie believes this awareness of the structure and root systems of plants is helping to fuel fresh interest in trees.
“I firmly believe that climate resilience through establishing – not just planting – a wider range of trees, shrubs and plants is supremely important,” she says. “We need species tolerant of hot dry summers and warm wet winters to safeguard our gardens and landscapes. As we lose our natives, particularly our native trees, we must act now to preserve their social, environmental, and economic benefits, as well as the wildlife they support.”
Perhaps there is no stronger symbol of this renewed respect for trees than the seedling of the felled Sycamore Gap tree, planted by Dame Judi Dench in the National Trust garden at RHS Chelsea.
Slow, mindful, silent gardens
The trend towards slow, mindful, even silent, gardens continues. As Monty Don writes, “slow gardening is subtle and considerate, gently steering and nurturing the garden rather than bullying it into some kind of chorus-line display.”
Andrew picks out silent gardens as one of his 2024 stand-outs. “We’re seeing a greater understanding of the importance of silence in garden design,” he says. “That is, a deliberate, crucial element that creates visual, physical, and emotional pauses allowing the eye to rest, offering moments of reflection or stimulation.”
Somewhere to sit silently and reflect was a trend picked up at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival this year, where several gardens, including The Cotswold Garden featured at least two spots to stop and appreciate the beauty and fragrance of the flowers.
Natural materials
We’re definitely seeing a shift away from using ‘virgin materials’ – that’s new or never-used – towards recycled or repurposed ones in the name of sustainability, says Andrew: “Recycled products or repurposed materials do not compromise design – strong design lines remain consistent, whether using new or old materials.”
This is born out of this year’s design focus on strong structure in paths and seating areas, complemented by an abundance of low-height planting, he adds.
At RHS Hampton Court Palace, tactile timber was everywhere, with edgings, seating and walkways all made from warm-toned wood. Silvery birch branches made chunky vertical fences and recycled elements, such as scaffolding boards, were re-purposed for tables and seating.
“We saw gaps left between the timbers to slow the wind down, providing privacy without being a solid barrier,” says a RHS spokesperson. “This is useful to give the illusion of space in a garden by creating ‘rooms.”
Exotic edibles
When Lucy Hutchings and Kate Cotterill, garden designers and founders of heirloom seed company She Grows Veg, won a Gold Medal at RHS Chelsea for their outstanding display in The Great Pavilion, they put ‘edimentals’ – vegetables, fruits and herbs so beautiful they’re ornamental – firmly on the garden trends agenda.
It’s already being picked up in the garden centres, says Julian, with keen amateur growers keen to try their hand at raising exotic varieties at home.
“Vegetable and herb plants that fall outside the normal range have experienced growing demand, as customers seek to try something a little more unusual or exotic in their GYO (grow your own) areas,” he explains. “Examples of such varieties include samphire, winter savory, horseradish, artichoke, chickpeas and okra.”
Quick-fix colour
As those hazy days of pandemic-induced WFH fade, time-strapped gardeners are seeking easy-to-plant pre-mixed bedding packs to inject instant colour into their gardens, Julian reports.
“We’ve seen a significant increase in demand this year,” he says. “While many customers still prefer to create their own custom bedding displays, an increasing number are looking for pre-mixed planting solutions.
“These might typically feature trailing Lobelia and Petunia, and foliage lines such as Ivy, Dichondra and Lysimachia (Creeping Jenny). Customers are seeking easy solutions when choosing from the wide selection of bedding options available during the spring and summer.”
Inspired by professionally-designed balcony and container gardens, Julian adds that this trend aligns with a rise in sales of hanging baskets and patio planters, as garden fans personalise even the smallest outdoor space.
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