Gardening In 2017: Forecasted Trends

One of my favourite things about a home is its outdoor space and how much it can transform how you spend your time. Especially when you are spending a good amount of time at home, whether you are working or homeschooling your kids, having an outdoor escape where you can get outside, relax and enjoy fresh air is a treat.

Here are a few forecasted trends for garden and exterior design in 2017 that I am very much looking forward to:

Growing your own greens

These days, more people are eating organic food and being mindful of where their food comes from. Thus, it is predicted that this year will see more homegrown food. If you live in the country or city, growing your greens is an especially great option. If you get a lot of sun you can do so on a windowsill, or you can use a container or partially shaded area.

Modern rustic

Modern rustic is a popular design trend right now. It creates a warm and cosy space using a rustic theme with modern materials. To complement design choices, native ferns and grasses and any lush plant that you prefer will work perfectly.

Retro-relaxed

Another popular exterior design trend is retro-relaxed. Think chrome, eclectic pieces and patterns, colours and pieces that pop. Teak is a great option to complement a retro-relaxed inspired outdoor space. Many of today’s designer garden furniture offer types of furniture that have these retro elements incorporated in them.

Entertainment areas for all ages

A backyard is a great safe space for kids and pets to play and run around outside. Having a big lawn or play structure for your kids will always be important for the parents and animal-parents out there, but in 2017, it is expected to see more play and entertainment areas for those of all ages. In addition to incorporating a play space for the kids, more requests are being made for other spaces, such as a fire pit area.

Making the most of even the smallest spaces

Nowadays, many people are working with smaller outdoor spaces (especially in cities). This means that people are only getting more creative in how they work with the space they have. For example, vertical gardening is very much a talking point. One idea is to take succulents and DIY a vertical succulent garden that can be mixed and matched to create a gallery wall and incorporate space-saving greenery in your outdoor space. Even if there is not as much space on the ground, more and more people are looking up!

Greenery inside the home

Houseplants add to both the aesthetic and the health of a home. This year, bringing greenery inside the home is already becoming even more popular. Home design ideas circulating on Pinterest and other sharing platforms constantly incorporate houseplants into design. In addition, according to market researchers Mintel, over half of homeowners use houseplants to counter pollution.

These trends have already inspired me to create a more relaxing space for everyone outside and to even bring the outside in. Plus, gardening with the kids and getting our hands dirty in the soil would be a fun activity together, don’t you think?