Top 10 gardening trends by Mark Cullen

Last week I promised that I would provide you with my list of the top ten trends in gardening for 2010 in Canada.
1. Canadians will be paying down their debt - to the soil.
 As more and more Canadians realize that they cannot draw on the goodness of soil forever, they will be 'giving back' by adding generous layers of organic material including (you guessed it) COMPOST

2. From Garden to Fork. Inspired by the recent trend to eat food produced within 100 miles, Canadians will be growing more of their own food in their own yards and on balconies- Why? To control what is put on their food (i.e. no chemicals), convenience, money saving and honest to goodness wholesomeness.

3. Naturally. Canadian gardeners are discovering -in increasing numbers - the benefits of gardening organically or (at least) in the absence of chemicals. Or at the VERY least, the minimal use of chemicals. Even hardened garden-chemical-users are considering 'cutting down' on the use of them in the garden and yard.

4. Heritage Gardening. As more and more Canadians are prepared to pay a premium for 'heritage' or 'heirloom' tomatoes and other produce, they are also more interested in growing what their great grandparents grew... look for heritage tomato varieties at garden retailers this spring.

5. Water Conservation. Gardeners are acutely aware of water use and are naturally concerned about the limited availability of water in most regions of the country. Look for an increase in the use of rain barrels and other 'water saving' devices including low pressure water sprinklers and water conserving products like the new Water Wicks tea bags, which retain up to 400 times their weight in water, releasing H2O to the root zone of the plant as it is required. The result is a reduction of watering by up to 70%.

6. Bringing Nature Home. Gardeners are closely connected to the natural world and are designing their gardens in an effort to embrace the natural world around them rather than insulate themselves from it, as we did a generation ago with high hedges and large, fast growing trees and evergreens... as a result lawns will get smaller, native plants will gain in popularity and birding in all forms (including bird feeding) will continue to rise in popularity.

7. Gardeners as Community minded activists... Gardeners are seeing themselves more as a vital part of the community as a whole, with sensitivity to historic attributes of our towns and cities, public green spaces and the overall beauty of our communities. We will see horticultural societies and individual gardeners give time and resources to partnerships with Historic societies, conservation groups and a growing interest in Communities in Bloom.

8. Smaller is better. As house builders continue to build larger homes on smaller lots, the nature of gardening spaces will continue to 'intensify'. The popularity of dwarf conifers, small flowering trees and growing in containers will continue to grow.

9. Gardening as Therapy. As our population ages there is a growing appreciation for the therapeutic benefits of gardening... Improved cognitive skills, sharper minds, better memory, lower blood pressure, increased flexibility and overall better health result from the ACTIVITY of gardening, regardless of age.

10. Gardening for the NEXT generation and Gardening for Pets. The emerging generation of gardeners is integrating their kids and grand kids (and even their pets!) into the gardening experience. In an effort to reduce the growth of 'nature deficit disorder' the garden is providing the perfect opportunity to engage young people in Mother Nature's world, right in our own backyards.


Keep your knees dirty in 2010!!


Mark

http://www.markcullen.com/