The Latest Dirt: More Gardening Pleasure With Less Effort

January not only means a new year but new ideas. For those interested in gardening, the New Year brings with it new gardening trends. This year gardeners may be focusing more on simplicity and less on high maintenance.

No longer feeling the need to compete with others in establishing 'the ultimate garden,' people are now finding comfort in smaller, natural gardens. For instance, not so long ago, there was an insatiable need for gardeners to obtain and grow that which is deemed 'rare' or 'new.' However, the latest hybrids, although still attractive, are now less sought after. Instead, gardeners are looking to grow more native plants in the garden. What do these plants offer that others do not? Less maintenance and more natural appeal. Additionally, plants with less flower power and more foliage presence will be hot, and many native plants can easily accomplish this feat. Does this mean you should toss out or overlook other types of plants? Of course not! There is still the option of giving those which are older or 'different' a sort of facelift. For example, find new uses for them in your garden, such as growing them in containers or using them to accent native plants.

Decorating with plants is something that is becoming popular as well. Maybe you have an exceptional specimen that has been hidden away in the corner of the landscape. Scoop it up and use it as the 'centerpiece' for your garden. Plants can also be used to accessorize the garden. Use a variety of plants to 'dress up' a tree or other eye-catching object and change them periodically throughout the season. Growing plants in containers can make this task easier and provides endless design possibilities.

Container plants are always a good choice and seem to be the latest design tool. More and more people are using containers in the garden than ever before. Why? There are several reasons which include, once again, less maintenance and more flexibility. Gardeners want to make the most of their space without the hassle of maintaining large beds. This is easily achieved with containers. Nearly anything can be grown in them, including dwarf varieties of trees and shrubs. What does this mean for people with less space? You can still have the garden of your dreams wherever you are, including rooftops. With containers, plants can be grown both indoors and out. For an instant garden, group multiple plants together. Containers also offer the chance to use one's artistic abilities.

This year's gardens will be filled with an abundance of art. Sure, you can spend tons of money if you want to on garden art; and many will, but you can use your imagination instead. It's free! There is really no need in spending so much money in order to have interesting garden art. Creativity will give the garden uniqueness, charm, and character. So how do you give the garden that personal touch? For starters, use a variety of pots that include different shapes and sizes. Implement unusual containers that hold significant meaning. Add some interesting objects as well, either homemade or personal mementos.

Water features always make lovely additions and can be personalized to fit your needs. These are also going to be all the rave along with the use of outdoor lighting. Design a water garden in a container and surround it with your favorite plants. For lighting, spend a fortune or consider using oil lamps, candles, or stringed lights instead. This, too, can be given a personal touch.

Finally, there seems to be an ongoing desire to garden the natural way, organically. Compost, organic mulches, and other natural gardening techniques will not only transform the garden into a healthy one but benefit everyone in the long run. It's even cheaper. This 'old idea' has developed a new outlook. People simply want to live healthier. As a result, there may be a big boom in vegetable gardening which can still accommodate our need to use space wisely with little work involved. Vegetable crops can be grown in containers, raised beds, and even on trellises. All of which can be given that sought after personal design. For example, look for vegetables in hanging baskets or growing up the steps of ladders.

As with most anything, ideas and trends change every year; but the garden doesn't have to. Everything new this year has already been around; it's just been given another look.