The top 20 gardening trends for 2021
Simple stay-at-home pleasures such as flower arranging are set to grow as a trend in 2021. This will be given a boost by an exhibition on midcentury society floral designer Constance Spry at London’s Garden Museum, March 31-June 20.
Spry offers a fresh perspective on modern living, says museum director Christopher Woodward: “She would not have liked being called nostalgic as she was so radical, prefiguring many modern trends (e.g. using veg plants in displays, foraging).
She inspires today because she encourages people to question formulas, and asks you to think of flower arranging as an extension of the garden.” Very du jour in lockdown Britain.
Plant box subscription services
As consumers eschew physical shopping, plant subscription box sales, delivered to subscribers’ doorsteps and in some cases letterbox-friendly, are booming. Many £20-£30 per month schemes are for houseplants, but some companies are now looking at wider ranges for 2021.
Lazy Flora has increased business tenfold in 2020. Founder Claire Ransom says: “People reconnected with gardening and it seems to have stuck.”
Touchy feely
Gardens inspired by and designed for therapy, wellbeing and mental health are everywhere. The Society of Garden Designers spring 2021 conference promises (deep breath): “…our speakers will take us on a journey through our disconnected modern lives, back to our inherent subconscious connection to nature that is within us all and onward to a much brighter, well-connected and balanced future.”
The RHS has renamed its Chelsea “Urban Gardens” category as “Sanctuary Gardens” though it includes many of the designs held over from 2020. The aim is “to re-engage with nature for mental and spiritual wellbeing while shining a light on the beauty and diversity of nature”.
The biggest search trends of 2020
Pinterest noted increases in garden-related search terms over 2020. Most of these points relate to interiors and “bringing the outdoors in”, which makes sense given that everyone spent so much more time inside.
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increase in “front door planters”
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increase in “bedroom plant decor”
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increase in “plant shelf”
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increase in “living room plants”
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increase in “bathroom plant ideas”
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increase in “Zen garden design”
The interest in Zen garden design suggests people are using plants as a way to promote their wellbeing by relaxing and connecting with nature, rather than just for visual effect.
