Spring has most definitely sprung and isn’t it lovely? I don’t know what it’s like where you live but here in Yorkshire, we have seen a massive change in the last two weeks. The trees that were bare are full of beautiful green leaves again and the birds and the bees are busy building nests and buzzing around looking for pollen.
If you are planning to update your garden in 2022 now is the perfect time to start putting your plans into action and get in front of this year’s garden trends. The weather is gradually getting warmer, and the lighter evenings are getting longer, I don’t know about you, but this always makes me want to get out in the garden and clear up all the rubbish that winter has left behind.
I hope by now you’d have a few ideas on how you’d like your garden to look and some of the key features it’ll have but if not here are five of this year’s hottest garden trends according to House Beautiful.
Rewilding
Stop cutting your grass (or as often), digging and clearing away those fallen leaves. If you are wanting to rewild your garden, you need to think like an animal or plant that would like to live in your garden. Plant a tree or two, add bird feeders, nesting stations and plant bee-friendly plants, these are just a few of the things you could do to help nurture nature in your garden. Instead of adding new soil or digging in your flowerbeds add compost instead, this will add much-needed nutrients to the soil in your garden and preserve any habitats within the soil. Another thing to consider is using pesticides, if you use them in your garden currently you need to stop this as they can be very harmful to insects, bees, birds and other wildlife that may come to your garden.
We recently planted a hazel tree in our garden and I can’t wait to see it grow. It will provide food for the squirrels who regularly visit our garden looking for nuts. You could plant a cherry tree (we have one of these in our front garden too) or perhaps an apple or pear tree. They will provide food for wildlife if you don’t intend to eat them yourself.
Incorporating a birdbath
I’ve already mentioned adding bird feeders and houses for nesting in your garden but why not also consider adding a birdbath to your garden? You could make this a focal point or keep it in a place that is slightly hidden so that any birds that come to your garden aren’t scared away so easily. I love nothing better than watching the robins, bluetits, sparrows and finches feeding in our garden and plan to add a birdbath in the coming months after we spotted a magpie taking a bath in a bucket that was full of water.
Using raw materials
New fencing always looks lovely but sometimes it’s nice to have something in your garden that doesn’t look so perfect. Consider adding a hedge of privet or hawthorn. They make great habitats for nesting birds when they are established. If this isn’t possible why not add climbing plants to your fencing so that bees and other insects have places to visit?
Growing your own
Growing your own fruit and vegetables is becoming ever more popular especially as the price of food continues to go up. There are many fruits and vegetables that can be grown with little effort others take more time to perfect. If you’re unsure do your research first. By growing your own food you know exactly what is going to be eaten by you and your family so it can be much healthier than shop bought items.
Creating a garden sanctuary
After the last two years of lockdowns, gardens have become a place where many go to relax. Garden bars, hot tubs and food kitchens were popular in this time and still are now, in fact, they are becoming more and more popular as many still prefer to socialise at home rather than out and about. Why not create your own space with some nice garden furniture and lighting where you can spend the evenings with your nearest and dearest.
Are you planning to update your garden with one of these trends? If so, I’d love to hear more in the comments below.