Growing Garden Trends 2017

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Take a futuristic journey with us as we look ahead at some of the predicted 2017 gardening and growing trends from around the web.  

Greenery 2017 Color of the Year – PANTONE

To every landscape designers joy, PANTONE announced that Greenery (PANTONE 15-0343) would be the 2017 Color of the Year. Described as a zesty yellow-green (looks a lot like Plants Map green to me), this color represents fresh new beginnings. The PANTONE Color of the Year is a ‘color snapshot of what we see taking place in our global culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude.’  And in 2017, PANTONE believes Greenery represents an inherent craving to unite with the natural world. We agree! Love this color choice. See Greenery color pairings and more at Pantone.com/color-of-the-year-2017.

Some ‘plant greenery’ picks from Plants Map

 

Dwarf Shrubs – 2017 Trends in Garden Design (Garden Design Magazine)

Our favorite pick out of 10 trends from this Garden Design Magazine article is that more landscapes and gardeners will incorporate dwarf shrubs into their plantings. I have always been an advocate for small shrubs as they are ideal choices for year-round interest, tend to have a longer bloom period, and have very minimal care needs. I’m always looking for
more dwarf shrubs to took into my landscape and to recommend to others. I think I could do an entire garden in dwarf shrubs as they are always a favorite find at plant sales.  Other trends in this article include outdoor play spaces for all ages, haute house plants, and natural dye gardens. Gardendesign.com/trends/2017.html

Favorite dwarf shrub picks from Plants Map

 

Wellness Hotspots – 2017 Garden Trends Report from Garden Media Group

Those of us that like to play in the dirt or spend our free time near anything botanical can relate to this trend. And it’s a good thing it’s catching on too. From forest bathing to biophilic design, we all feel better being around plants. We hope in 2017 you will find or make a happy green space for yourself and maybe for or others to enjoy as well. Other interesting trends in this report: Uber-izing Gardening, Tidy Gardens, Clean Gardening . Learn more at http://www.gardenmediagroup.com/trends

Some of our favorite wellness hotspot stories from 2016:

 

Vegetarian Comfort Food – 5 Top Food Trends You’ll See in 2017 from Forbes
I’m not a ‘foode’ myself but who doesn’t love comfort food.  Forbes predicts the veggie side dish will continue to increase it’s dominance on our dinner plates. More creamy mashed cauliflower please. And Pinterest search terms for ‘veggie comfort food’ have soured by as much as 336% last year. But hold the kale! In the same article Whole Foods’ former global grocery coordinator says while the next mega-trendy, healthy veggie is still unknown, people seem to be over the kale-craze.

Some grow your own picks from Plants Map:

Weatherproofing – Garden trends for 2017 from The Telegraph

I totally see this one as a major trend (or perhaps here to stay) as climate change affects everyone that grows plants. We are all struggling with plants that seem out of season or out of place now.  I hope to see more development of plants that can weather the coming changes such as plants with more tolerance for the extremes of both drought and extended periods of rain. I would also suggest experimenting with your hardiness zone plantings as well, maybe going a zone higher or lower than normal for your area. We will be expecting more from our plants in the coming years so I hope the breeders are taking that into account. And I hope we can strive to conserve more plants (at least in cultivation) that are threatened by these changes. More trends in this article include:  urban jungles, natural killers, and weed wonders. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/how-to-grow/garden-trends-2017/

2017 Year of the Pansy, Daffodil, Rose and Brassica from the National Garden Bureau

Each year the National Garden Bureau selects one annual, one perennial, one bulb crop and one edible as their “Year of the” crops. Each is chosen because they are popular, easy-to-grow, widely adaptable, genetically diverse, and versatile. In 2017 the spotlight will be on the Pansy, Daffodil, Rose and Brassica. A very nice class for 2017 I think.

My favorite picks from Plants Map (pictured above):

 

And a few more trends from our own glass terrarium ball:

  • Native Plants – Three cheers for the continued demand for growing natives especially those that help our native wildlife and pollinators.
  • Garden Center-tainment – Creating an enhanced experience for consumers at garden centers from workshops to classes and other social or holiday events.
  • Pocket Gardens – Small scale gardens that are big on rewards for those with small spaces, small budgets or small attention spans.  
  • Edible Landscapes – Not confined to a veggie bed plot any longer, edibles will continue to pop-up in landscapes as more people appreciate ornamental plants that they can eat.

Also visit my MANTS 2017 Collection highlighting my favorite booths, plants and products from the first major horticultural trade show of the year.

Whatever you decide works for you in 2017, have a great gardening year and we hope to see and learn more about your plants on Plants Map.

Cheers,

Tracy Blevins
Plantsmap.com: Connecting People With Plants

Note: The plant featured in this journal cover photo is a Longleaf Pine by Bill Blevins.