By its very nature, creating a beautiful garden is a long-term project. After all, plants grow at their own pace, not according to our time plan. But that doesn’t mean gardens and gardening are immune to current fashions. The garden trends 2023 are sure to influence our outdoor spaces on some level over the next twelve months.
Garden trends 2023
More than ever, the garden trends 2023 reflect a response to the challenges we’ve all experienced over the last couple of years. Outdoor living, heatwaves, drought, rising costs, and the need to take time for self-care are all key issues that have directly influenced the trends in gardening for this year.
Here’s a guide to the key themes we’ll be seeing in garden design and garden products in 2023.
Growing flowers for cutting
Cut flower gardening has seen a rise in popularity over recent years, and that’s definitely going to continue. Growing your own flowers for bouquets and indoor arrangements will save you money, and is also a far more eco-friendly way to enjoy cut flowers.
If you’re new to growing flowers for cutting, it’s a good idea to stick to a few varieties. It’s really easy to get carried away! Go for flowers that have sturdy stems and a long flowering period.
Great flowers to grow with a view to cutting include cosmos, echinacea, sunflowers, delphiniums, gladioli, zinnia, alliums, ranunculus, ammi majus and sweet peas.
Vertical gardening
Our gardens are shrinking, and many of us live in a flat or apartment that doesn’t have access to a garden. It’s easy to see why vertical gardening continues to be a key garden trend for 2023.
Garden brands have caught onto this, and there’s a great range of planters on the market that are specifically designed to make use of vertical outdoor spaces. From traditional pots and hanging baskets to shelving, trellis and living walls, there’s no reason to put up with an empty balcony or boring wall.
Embracing this trend still makes sense if your garden is big. Why wouldn’t you want to max out the plants wherever you can?
Cottage gardens
Will this garden style ever go out of fashion? Probably not.
Key characteristics of a cottage garden include flowing planting schemes, an abundance of plants, lots of colour and fragrance, natural materials, and whimsical elements such as ornaments and up-cycled containers.
A cottage garden is a relaxing and comforting place to be. It’s no surprise that gardeners are embracing this style as a much-needed escape from the stresses and strains of modern life.
Frugal gardening
With the cost of living crisis showing no signs of abating, saving money in the garden is set to be a key trend for 2023.
Gardening on a budget is all about finding ways to get a beautiful garden without breaking the bank. This could be through growing from seed, buying secondhand tools and equipment, up-cycling, sharing tools and plants with neighbours, or making your own compost. My post on cheap garden ideas has lots of tips and tricks to help you embrace this trend.
Sanctuary gardens
The mental health benefits of gardening are now firmly established, and more and more of us are turning to our outdoor space as a place to relax and boost our mood.
When it comes to garden trends for 2023, this translates into an abundance of bright, cheerful colours, plants that delight the sense of smell and touch, and plants with health benefits such as lavender, aloe, rosemary and chamomile. You will also see more garden designs incorporating hidden-away nooks, calming water features, and meditation areas.
Sustainable gardening
This is another garden trend for 2023 that has put in an appearance before. Sustainable gardening is an ongoing method of limiting our impact on the planet in our outdoor spaces.
There are many ways to be more eco friendly in the garden, and my sustainable gardening post covers these in more detail. Key gardening trends to look out for include up-cycled containers and ornaments, home composting, vegetable gardening, and wildlife-friendly gardening.
Garden sculptures
Adding a sculpture to your garden is an easy way to create impact and a focal point. It can be modern or classic, and as dominant or subtle as you want it to be.
2023 will see a trend towards incorporating lighting into garden sculptures, reflecting our growing use of outdoor spaces in the evenings.
Patterned tiles
Patterned tiles have long been a popular trend in interior design, and now we’re seeing them move outdoors too.
Distinctive tiles can make a real statement on a patio, with symmetrical or geometric designs particularly well-suited to contemporary gardens.
Drought tolerant planting
The heatwave experienced in 2022 has made lots of us think differently about our gardens going forward. If you lost plants, or spent lots of time trying to keep everything alive, you’re probably exploring more drought-tolerant options for the future.
This trending garden idea takes inspiration from mediterranean-style gardens that are used to coping with extreme heat. Great plants for a drought-resistant garden include kniphofia, bougainvillea, jasmine, lavender, olive trees, salvias, spurge, succulents and cacti.
Water conservation
This is another heatwave-induced trend, but it’s good practice all year round and a great way to garden sustainably.
Collecting rainwater, watering more effectively, and growing plants that don’t require lots of water will all help to keep water consumption down in the garden. As climate change continues, this is a trend that is going to become a permanent feature in our gardens.
The decline of the lawn
While many of us really love our lawns, there’s definitely a growing trend for replacing them with something more attractive or sustainable.
We tend to dedicate a large proportion of our gardens to grass, reducing the amount of space for plants and shrubs in the process. With garden sizes generally on the decline in the UK, space is at a premium for many gardeners.
Replacing lawn with a meadow-style planting scheme is a fantastic way to make your garden more wildlife-friendly. It’s also very low-maintenance – no more mowing!
Outdoor living rooms
One of the few benefits of lockdown was the way it encouraged us to treat our gardens as living spaces. This approach is now firmly established as an ongoing trend.
A key element is outdoor furniture and accessories that would look equally at home indoors. Watch out for modular seating, luxurious sofa sets, rugs, cushions and throws.
Fabulous foliage
Foliage plants are often the unsung heroes of a planting scheme. In 2023 we’ll see them start to take centre stage.
Foliage plants can provide structure, texture, depth, colour and height in a planting scheme, whether that’s in pots or a large border. Look out for foliage plants being used to create a sensory experience, lead the eye to a feature plant, or provide shade in a drought-tolerant combination.
Indoor plant parenting
The popular indoor gardening trend is set to continue for 2023, with instagram-friendly houseplants still taking centre stage on many social media feeds.
As well as the ever-popular succulents, monstera and philodendron, we will see more unusual varieties popping up as plant parents add to their collections. Plant trends involving interesting leaf colour, shape and texture are all big ticks for houseplant wow factor.
Viva Magenta
This is the Pantone 2023 colour of the year, and you can definitely expect to see it featuring in garden design trends. Viva Magenta is “a crimson red tone that presents a balance between warm and cool.”
This colour lends itself well to the garden. You can use it in large quantities to make a bold statement, or frugally for a pop of colour. Expect to see it on powder-coated furniture, plant pots, rugs and outdoor dining accessories. And if you like the idea of incorporating it into your planting, take your pick from Astrantia major ‘Claret’, Astilbe ‘Fanal’, Knautia macedonia, Clematis ‘Rouge Cardinal’, and Peony ‘Karl Rosenfield’.
Have you noticed any of these 2023 garden trends making their way into the shops and garden press? Will you be embracing any of the latest gardening trends in your own garden?
More garden resources
If you’re interested in more garden inspiration, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at these useful resources.
Planting calendar – a guide to what flowers, fruit and vegetables to plant each month.
Garden jobs calendar – a list of ideal garden jobs to tackle each month to keep you organised.
Container gardening resources – spring, summer, autumn and winter flowers for pots, plus a guide to low maintenance plants for outdoor pots and how to create wow factor hanging flower baskets.
Grow your own guides – easy to grow vegetables and easy vegetables to grow in pots.
Gardening with children – 10 brilliant garden projects for kids and 50 fun ideas to get kids gardening.
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