Five Gardening Trends for 2019

Let’s let nature nurture us. That’s the overarching gardening trend in 2019.

The greenery, the living plants, the seclusion, the friendliness, the beauty, the nutrition of a garden can be a comforting, nurturing experience. It’s a natural world, and we, as gardeners or those who appreciate gardens, are doing our part to enhance and protect them. With that thought in mind, here are this year’s top gardening trends…

1. When stress goes high, you go low maintenance.

Just like the indoors, when your outdoors is jumbled and busy, it can leave you feeling overwhelmed. The adage, “more mess equals more stress” can be true in the garden as well. Keep it simple.

One way to do that is to invest in perennials, the plants that come back every year. And when you group them together based on their sunlight and watering needs, their care is even easier. Talk to plant experts at Anderson’s to get ideas of what might work best with the soil and light in your garden.

2. Get help planning, installing and managing your outdoor living areas.

If your thumb doesn’t have a hint of green in it, you can still have a comfortable garden that makes you feel good. How? Call in the landscaping professionals and have them install and manage your green space.

A study of 6,000 participants by the National Academy of Sciences concluded that outsourcing tasks such as garden care increased life satisfaction by more than 40%, and that trend looks to continue.

Now picture yourself coming home from work and seeing a beautiful yard in tip-top shape. And picture your Saturdays NOT mulching and mowing. Are you smiling yet?

3. Garden centers are becoming the new community gathering spot!

From coast-to-coast, garden centers are becoming destinations where you can not only shop for plants, but also dine at a greenhouse-to-table restaurant, find beautiful boutique fashions, bring the kids in for a workshop, and enjoy being surrounded by the beauty of nature. Hmm, sound like Anderson’s and Sage Kitchen is ahead of the curve!

If you’re ever in need of a pick-me-up, stroll through a greenhouse filled with flowers and foliage. (We happen to be partial to ours.) If you want to hang out with your laptop and a cuppa, Sage Kitchen awaits!

4. Bring the ferns inside.

They’re lush. They’re green. They have a coastal or tropical look and feel, and best of all, they’re relatively low maintenance. Oh, one more thing: they purify the air in your home. What’s not to love?

5. Mixing edibles in with the ornamentals.

Healthy eating and knowing where your food comes from has always been important, but now it’s trending higher and higher. What’s great is that you don’t have to have acres of land to plant food for your family. In fact, mixing in edibles with ornamentals is absolutely allowed! And don’t make the assumption that just because a plant is delicious doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful as well.

As always, choose the right plants for the conditions in your yard, neighborhood and region. Herbs, greens, veggies, fruits and flowers can all live together. Native plants to your area are definitely something to consider. Talk to your local garden expert or Virginia’s cooperative extension for help.

See a trend you like? See one you want to make happen in your garden? No matter what, we believe just spending more time in a garden will help you relax. Breathe easier. Smile more. And don’t we all need more of that? Let us know how we can help. We’re right here.

Love, Anderson’s.