Predicting Gardening Trends 2020

 Horizontal fencing will be popular in 2020 - Maybe

Predicting what’s going to be popular in the 2020 garden could backfire on me like watching an old 1970’s Tomorrows World TV programme where they said by the year 2019 we’d all be eating worms. The humble worm was hailed as the perfect source of protein by programme presenters back in 1981, they even went so far as to eat one in an omelette. 

But I’m sticking my neck out and offering a few more palatable suggestions. The top trends will be things we have covered recently such as Composting, Rewilding, Repurposing and Low maintenance gardens which I’m sure will be popular this year along with a few other ideas.

Pattern and texture

Some garden designers feel that after about a decade of a cold, minimalist looking town gardens , patterns and textures are set to make a comeback.  There seems to be a move away from regular formatted paving in favour of design features like ceramic tiles, which create pattern, contrast and textural changes. There might even be less cut stone in new designs with more cobbles and rough cuts of natural stone to make a more wild and curvy garden.

Small-space gardening

According to the Horticultural Trades Association the average town garden plot is just 14 square metres so balcony and patio gardening is very popular. The trend for making the most of tiny spaces will continue through 2020 and this pressure on space is one driver behind the trend for vertical gardens, with fence panels and walls being hung with anything from succulents to herbs – or used as backdrops for climbers or creepers.

Fencing

A hot favourite right now is horizontal slatted fencing. It allows wind to filter through so won’t blow over and has clean, contemporary lines.

Boundaries can be art, like the ‘habitat’ fencing mentioned last week or by using strong lines to contrast with the natural forms of the plants. Plants change throughout the seasons and a feature fence will maintain a strong design. A permanent element holds it all together and with new designs coming out this year it could prove to be a popular addition to many gardens.

Living Walls

Go a step further by transforming a plain fence or wall into an eco space full of life and colour. This trend is perfect for areas with limited space. Simply grow creeping plants that can grow up walls such as Clematis or Climbing Roses for a beautiful and easy pollinator friendly display.

Outdoor living

The popular rise of fire pits exemplifies the popularity of outdoor eating on the patio. In summer 2019, major retailers were engaged in price war over these types of items which drove prices ever downward. Maybe this year we’ll see a growing demand for teenage garden hangouts featuring outdoor fire pits and fireplaces so they can have a bit of independence and pretend they are at a summer festival. 

Green is good for you

Mental health was at the top of the health agenda in 2019, with experts agreeing that being outside is good for us. We’ve known that ever since picking up our first trowel though. A recent study conducted by garden company Bakker Spalding has found that 88% of people find that mental wellbeing is a key benefit for spending time in the garden and in 2020 it’s liable to be even higher on the list of wellbeing activities.

Curves are back

It was noted by journalist and blogger Alexandra Campbell last year that at the RHS shows, curves in garden design have returned. Many show gardens featured curved pergolas, arches, and arbours. According to Campbell, whilst straight lines work well for urban gardens – as exemplified by the rise and rise of the horizontal slatted fence – much larger spaces can benefit from curved borders and garden paths, to add a sense of mystery and adventure.

Symmetry

Twinning plants on either side of a door or garden gate is always popular and will be again in 2020. Hanging baskets with a bounty of matching spilling blooms or window boxes that set up and frame a house on either side can all add cohesiveness, charm and decorative appeal perfect for the summer months. Hold fire a bit with the petunias and lobelia though. If you do buy summer bedding too early you might find that you need to buy a second batch if the frost gets it. Try planting with Pansies or Primula this winter to get you into the mood for the summer bedding.

Mini Allotments

Growing fruit and veg at home has become a popular choice for modern gardeners in recent years. With the rise in desire for organic produce, you can start growing your own allotment in any garden, big or small. You don’t need to travel to a council or private allotment to get started, all you need is a bucket and you can start growing spuds.

Habitat Fencing

Photo: A Habitat Fence made by Diyana

Do you want anything from the shop?  I’m sure you’ve both said and heard that question before.  I was under the impression it was a rhetorical question, but I’ve been advised that it can actually be a genuine question for someone to buy something for you. 

It’s usually a packet of crisps or a bar of chocolate and not a three-page shopping list for the supermarket. Unless someone who was off to the garden centre asked the same question. I have a brochure full of items I like from there, starting with this year’s seed choice before delving into pergolas and ponds.

I’ve started particularly early this year with seeds and bought a couple of things online to kick start the season.  They are not veggies yet, I have picked my new ground cover plants for this year. I like to grow new varieties every year, some are successful but others I don’t bother doing again. This year I have the little-known plant Herniaria Glabra or rupturewort. It’s a practically indestructible plant that will do well in dry chalky soil. I don’t think it will be a big seller in my range of lawn substitute plants I have for sale, but I like it and can live with it in my own garden and that’s the main thing.

Habitat Fencing

There are so many types of fencing. We love to either keep things in or keep things out of our gardens. Fencing doesn’t always need to be just a functional barrier though, you can have a habitat where wildlife, insects and mammals can thrive.

Habitat fences are a simple method of laying out the waste materials in the garden in an orderly manner between upright posts. You could call them deadwood hedges. They don’t have to be used as a privacy fence, you can put them anywhere in the garden as a feature or to hide the compost bins. It could save you the hassle of going to the landfill site with garden waste too.

Deadwood fences aren’t new of course, people have been making woven willow and hazel fences for ever. Habitat fencing uses the waste materials from the garden so you don’t need to grow the materials especially for the purpose. 

Turn Waste into a Fence

There are no hard and fast rules for the fence. They can be started by pushing in wooden posts up to around 30cm into the ground or until you think they are sturdy enough. There’s no need to make them permanent as this gives you the freedom to pull them up and relocate if needed. They can be around one metre apart. When this is in place put all of your garden trimmings, sticks, shrub prunings in layers horizontally and keep treading them down to a height of around 80-100 cm. The fence width can be anywhere between 30-100 cm. Any more than that and it might be a bit awkward to stack it up depending on how long a reach you have. If things are looking a bit untidy you can tie the loose pieces in with some hemp twine.

The last layers of shrubs and branches can be added quite loosely so that the interested birds can also build a nest in the shrubbery. The denser areas underneath will be a home to loads of smaller creatures who need shelter at all times of the year. It could also help as a wind barrier for areas in the garden where you have taller perennials

The shrub and branch prunings in the garden can now be applied to this hedge again and again (check there are no birds nesting first) The fence will settle and decay from the base so it can be topped up indefinably. You might even be left with some lovely compost at the base to grow some climbers in.

A Tidier Option

If you like things a bit tidier and you don’t have a lot of woody waste in your garden, there’s a great design made from fencing wire you can use. It’s made from fence panels again but has the wire running both sides of the posts. The idea is very much like the gabion baskets filled with stones, but instead of stones you can fill the gap with leave, small twigs and even your kitchen waste. I’ll call it the compost fence. You heard it here first.