Hot gardening trends for 2007 can be summed up in three words: easy, colorful and eco-friendly...  Oh, and did we mention "easy"?

"Rather than planting a mass of bedding, [consumers] are using [bedding plants] in containers more than in the ground -- it's an instant garden," says Bruce Butterfield, National Gardening Association's Market Research Director. "Or they are buying planters that are already planted -- just move them to the deck and you're done."

Bill Gouldin of Strange's Florist and Garden Center in Richmond, Va., agrees. Gouldin's customers increasingly buy pre-planted pots and planters, as well as low-maintenance annuals such as begonias and impatiens.

"The next generation of buyers is not as inclined to work in the garden," he says. "They want to buy things that are already planted for them and not get their hands dirty... Gardeners in general are looking to get the biggest showing for their money, and the easiest [plants] to care for."

Here are some other garden trend tips from experts on the frontline:

Color Fever. Trust fund fashionistas and jailbird blond heiresses aren't the only people who should pay attention to high-fashion trends: The runway also is an excellent indication of what consumers will be looking to buy from you this season, says Paul Bachman of Bachmans in Minneapolis. "Gardening is following fashion trends," he says. "Color is really hot ... and now really vibrant-colored flowers are popular. [Consumers] are moving towards blocks of intense color." Bob Aykens of Memorial Florist and Greenhouses in Appleton, Wis., singles out orange as a "popular color" for his business this summer.

Green Machines. "Green" gardening is another "important trend" for floral industry members to be aware of, Butterfield says. While eco-awareness has been on the rise for 10 to 15 years, Bachman says movies such as "An Inconvenient Truth" as well as increased media attention have "really motivated people to do something." In fact, Bachman estimates sales of eco-friendly products, such as natural insect repellants and solar bird-baths, have increased 20 percent this season. In Appleton, Aykens says he is getting "a lot more requests" for organic fertilizers and insect sprays.

Find out more about eco-friendly business practices florists are using in the July issue of Floral Management magazine.

--Vanessa Machir
vmachir@safnow.org

 

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