Brian Minter never fails to impress and entertain! Last night’s talk was an excellent overview of interesting plant trends that are happening in Europe…and that will be sure to happen here. We had a beautiful photo tour and great discussion regarding many of these new ideas.
The 2023 Trends, according to Royal Horticultural Society are:
- Thriving & More Exotic Houseplants
- Tech in the Garden: Learning, sharing but also mapping plant health problems (research)
- Growing Herbs
- Innovative, Climate Resilient Gardens: Gravel gardens and xeriscaping
- Changing Lawns: Tapestry lawns, intermingling pollinator plants, adding drought tolerant varieties, letting borders grow
- Green Landscaping: More hedges, natural screening, pools (natural swimming ponds)
- Dried Flowers: Dried and pressing flowers to include in bouquets, garlands etc.
- Embracing Nature’s ‘Unloved’: Co-existing with critters
And the 2023 Trends, according to the Flower Council of Holland are:
- Ode to Nature: wild, erratic shapes and textures for a natural feel, natural materials (stone and wood), colours of greens, greys and browns
- Vintage Folklore: Love and respect for what we have, patching up and re-using products, eclectic colourful mixes and patterns, with a bit of a 70’s feel.
- Layered spaces: Multifunctional furniture, use of screens, plants in surprising spaces, contrasting colours
- Collecting memories: winding pathways, pieces that are nostalgic (enamel, wicker, cast iron), softer tones and green hues.
One plant that Brian noticed was everywhere in Europe was the olive tree—and in many beautifully pruned shapes. He suggested that there was no reason gardeners in the Comox Valley shouldn’t have one! For those of you interested, there are Zone 7 olive trees, namely Arbequina, Mission, Manzanilla and Picual; however, many articles caution that these still need extra care in the winter. Here is a little more information: Grow Olives in Cold Climates — Food Garden Life
Another particularly interesting trend was the practice of above ground bulb planting where both the bulb and the flower were showcased–only the roots were in the soil (see photo).
Many thanks to Brian for once again keeping us informed on all things gardening!
