Gardening trends for 2023
The best thing about gardening is how you can personalize it to fit you. While some trends like manicured lawns and romantic cottage-style gardens will never go out of fashion, 2023 is all about you taking control of your space and turning it into more than just a place where you grow stuff.
Personalizing your garden can happen in many different ways, from the types of plants you grow to the color choices you make.
For some people, it's about sharing the space with nature and making room for pollinators to come and do their magic. For others, it's about expanding their living space and making the outdoors just as cozy as the interior of their homes.
If you're looking for ways to make your garden more personal to you, then I invite you to get in on the gardening trends for this year. I've worked with a social media analyst to help find the most popular gardening trends for this year and shared them below.
Whatever trend you choose to follow, just be sure to check the hardiness zone in your area before hitting the plant nursery.
Trend 1: Creating sustainable and low-water gardens
Being water-wise in your garden is important, no matter where you live. For this trend, we're seeing how water conservation is becoming top of mind.
But don't worry — there's no need to sacrifice color, lush foliage, and beautiful blooms.
To bring this gardening trend into your borders and garden, go for lavender, rosemary and creeping thyme. You'll get incredible texture, fragrance, and flowers that pollinators in your area will love to visit.
Trend 2: Incorporating native plants into gardens
This gardening trend plays on the water-wise planting above with most native plants being perfect for the climate in your area.
For this trend, gardeners will be gravitating more towards using a variety of textures and unique plant varieties to add interest and diversity to gardens — all from native, non-invasive plants.
We can all use a little texture in our lives, and this trend is all about bringing that layered look to your garden and borders.
And don't forget the insects. Use little 'insect hotels' to bring pollinators to your space so they can enjoy the native plants.
Trend 3: Using raised beds
This gardening trend is for the kids. Think tiny hands helping out and feeling included in the garden. Plus, less bending (and lower back pain) for you.
It's all about building elevated beds for gardening. And it works for all types of gardening, from kitchen gardens to flower beds. This style of gardening makes it easier to reach plants and improves drainage.
Check out 2 examples of the raised bed gardening trend below. Notice the different use of materials and how each one fits perfectly in the space.
Trend 4: Combining edible and visually-stunning plants
Why limit yourself to one type of gardening when you can grow it all — fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers in the same garden, balcony or patio.
To grow this trend, don't be afraid of planting strawberries next to hydrangeas, or cucumbers next to Black Eyed Susans. Your fruit and veg will love the attention of the bees and butterflies, and the flowering perennials will do their part to keep these friendly pollinators coming.
Trend 5: Growing pollinator-friendly gardens
This is one of my favorite gardening trends for 2023 (and it's always a trend in my garden).
It's all about planting a variety of flowers and other plants to attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
The wild, untamed garden that you probably think of when you hear 'pollinator-friendly garden' isn’t what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about actively planting plants that are loved by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
There's no need to sacrifice your color scheme, either. Pollinator-friendly plants come in all shapes, sizes and colors. As do the visitors that your garden is going to enjoy.
Trend 6: Using containers in your gardening
Container gardening is a major trend this year. And with creatives like Claus Dalby leading the way, it's easy to see why this trend is making such wonderful noise.
To get this look, you can either go with matching containers and pots — like terra cotta or glazed ceramic — or use creative containers such as old wheelbarrows, bird cages and old wine barrels.
Trend 7: Bringing hygge into your garden (Scandinavian garden style)
If you're into creating a cozy and comfortable space, this garden trend is for you.
It embraces the Danish concept of hygge (coziness), and it incorporates materials like stone, warm woods, and natural elements.
Think cascading plants over stone and rich, dark wood surrounding your space. And don't forget plenty of outdoor living areas in your garden design. One of the biggest factors in hygge is how we use our gardens and outdoor spaces as second rooms.
For this list of gardening trends, I chose themes that are popular right now but can also last for years to come. Like pollinator-friendly plants, water-wise gardening and using hygge in your space.
These are trends that truly never go out of fashion.
Let me know your favorite garden trends in the comments below.
