The sun has made its appearance and we’re spending more and more of our evenings and weekends out in the garden, enjoying the warm summer air with our friends and family. With summer in full swing, it’s time to start giving your garden some love and attention so that you can spend some quality time in the sunshine. To help you achieve your perfect outdoor space, here’s our definitive list of garden trends 2019.

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Zoning

This year garden design has become a focal point for homeowners and long gone are the days of a plain lawn and patio sporting a basic garden furniture set. Making the most of your outdoor space and ‘zoning’ your garden has become a huge garden design trend of 2019.

So, what is zoning? Zoning is the process of creating different dynamic spaces in your outdoor space for different purposes. If you’re interested in zoning your garden but aren’t sure where to start, here are a few ideas to help your inspiration kick in:

A group area for entertaining. Who doesn’t love a garden get together? With sales of BBQs, fire pits, chimineas, and pizza ovens increasing year-on-year, an area to entertain friends and family is becoming a must-have in UK gardens. Soften the space with outdoor cushions, blankets, and atmospheric lighting.

A place for some one-on-one time. For afternoon tea with a friend or evening cocktails with a loved one, it’s important to create a warm and intimate area where you can feel completely closed off from the world to fully enjoy each other’s company. Even if your garden has limited space, a sweet little bistro set for two will fit neatly into a corner. Top tip: string some outdoor fairy lights around the area to give it a cosy and comfortable feel.

Somewhere for the kids. Children love to feel like they have a place of their very own, so why not dedicate an area in the garden where they can escape into their fantasy world? Treehouses are becoming thing of the past and in their place we’ve seen playhouses and teepees become a big garden trend of 2019 for little ones. (Having a dedicated kids area is also a great way to keep things tidy by isolating their strewn-about toys to one place!)

Alone zone. Create an area that’s just for you to sit back and forget about the day’s troubles. Somewhere in the garden where you can enjoy a chapter of your book, a warm cup of tea or just a bit of thinking time is the ideal way to wind down after a stressful or hectic day. Choose a part of your garden that’s closed off from the rest and make it comfortable with some cushions and maybe a blanket. If you don’t have an area of your garden which is closed off, a seated arbour with surrounding plants creates a sense of privacy and solitude. 

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Indoor Outdoor

With many new build houses having compact gardens and bifold doors, homeowners are creating a seamless sense of style throughout the entirety of their property by spilling indoor decor into their outdoor space.

This year has been huge for bringing interior decor outside with outdoor rugs, mirrors, cushions, throws, and clocks entering the market. We’re positive this garden trend is here to stay with even more outdoor accessories expected to be seen online and in stores in 2020. Bold colours and geometric patterns are the most popular styles amongst outdoor accessories this year, beautifully contrasting with muted colours and natural wood.

This new trend has meant that outdoor storage has become a must-have to keep your accessories protected from unexpected wet weather, as well as providing storage space throughout the winter months. For smaller gardens or homeowners who don’t want to sacrifice precious space to a shed, our plastic garden storage boxes are an ideal solution for keeping outdoor accessories packed away and sheltered.

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Front garden

Andrew Grant’s saying “You never get a second chance to make a first impression” springs to mind about this emerging garden trend of 2019. Whether it’s to establish an inviting atmosphere for guests from the get-go or simply to make your home stand out in the neighbourhood, giving some attention to the front of your home is becoming increasingly popular amongst the exterior décor-savvy.

Many homeowners are starting to consider their home’s ‘curb appeal’ and are beginning to spruce up the front of their home by painting their front door, introducing soft outdoor lighting, and upgrading their house number signs. For those who want a quick fix to soften the aesthetic of the front of their house, accessorizing your front entrance with some artificial plants is a sure way to add instant warmth to your home’s vibe.

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Artificial

Artificial plants have been steadily increasing in popularity over the past few years, establishing themselves as a huge trend for 2019. A leading retailer has seen their artificial plant sales increase 30 percent year-on-year since 2014, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down with retailers introducing more and more lines each season.

For those with limited time (and skills), artificial plants are the ideal solution to brighten up your outdoor space without the effort of re-potting, pruning, and watering. If you do decide to go faux, you’ll want to choose UV protected artificial plants to ensure their colour and vibrancy is retained. Our range of artificial plants is UV protected as well as frost and weather-resistant for year-round durability.

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Taking care of nature

As we’re becoming more aware of our impact on the environment, we’re realising that our garden is our individual space where we can give back to nature in our small way. Whether you make little changes to help wildlife or actively change your outdoor structure to become an environmentally friendly space, every small step you take makes a difference.

This trend is becoming more and more prevalent in 2019 and one that won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. Here are a few ways you can support wildlife and the environment in your back garden:

• Animal houses – installing a hedgehog house, bird box or a solitary beehive is a quick and easy way of helping nature in your back garden flourish.  
• Create a walkway for hedgehogs – The average hedgehog travels around 2km each day searching for food, mates, and places to nest. Why not start a conversation with neighbours about making a walkthrough for hedgehogs by making holes in your fences to connect your gardens.
• Plant a variety of bee-friendly plants – UK bees are currently under threat and planting flowers which are rich in nectar and pollen will support bees in your local area. Lavender is a great choice as its rich in nectar, low maintenance, and looks beautiful. 
• Add a water feature – even something as simple as a birdbath can make a difference as it offers a place for birds to drink and bathe. If you have space, a pond is also a great way to create a home for frogs, toads, and insects, as well as providing small mammals and birds with somewhere to get a drink.  

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Grow your own

Whilst we’re on the subject of utilising your garden to help the environment, it seems apt to talk about the all-the-rage 2019 garden trend of ‘growing your own’. Growing your own herbs and veggies helps you to save money, cuts down on plastic packaging, and reduces your carbon footprint by cutting out the fossil fuels used in transportation. With so many benefits of growing your own, it’s a win-win!  

Harvesting your own vegetables means that you can control what fertilisers and pesticides come into contact with your food. As well as having this control, you’ll also be consuming more nutrients as home-grown are fresher than store-bought veggies, making the ‘grow your own’ garden trend 2019 a healthy and nutritional approach to eating. If you have limited space for planting in your garden, our tiered planter is a space-saving solution for growing plenty of herbs and vegetables.

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Which of these garden trends 2019 do you love? Let us know in the comments if you have or will be incorporating these into your outdoor space!