Do you all follow the Garden Media Group’s Garden Trends Report each year? It’s a fascinating in-depth report of what’s happening in the industry right now, which, of course, impacts all of us as garden communicators. From book topics to presentation ideas and more, the trends report can give us new insight and inspiration for our work this year. We’re going to highlight it for you now, but if you want to dive in for more details (trust us, you do), download it from the Garden Media Group website.
Garden Trends Report: From Crisis to Innovation
Enjoy reading our quick highlights of each trend and a bottom-line takeaway!
- Creator Class: During these last few years of chaos, many people left their jobs for a “passion project.” These are the people who value shopping local, supporting artists on Etsy, and are cutting back on Amazon shopping. Bottom line: Keep promoting the “shop small, shop local” message.
- Shoppertainment: People are loving the convenience of virtual seminars, classes, and online info, and are making purchases highlighted in these events. Bottom line: Keep the e-commerce platform you developed last year and consider social media video as a way of signing up/selling.
- Zoning Board: People are creating different zones at home for different uses—front porches/front yards, kids’ play areas, work-from-home areas, entertainment areas, and indoor zones. Bottom line: Highlight container plantings, screening plantings, houseplants, feng shui, and tropical plants.
- Bridging the Gap: During the “great reset” of COVID where people had to or chose to learn how to do things differently, a huge number of people began gardening as a way to get back to basics, especially people with children, young people, and gardeners of color. Bottom line: Teach them about beginner tools, seed-sowing, container planting, organic gardening, and ornamental flower gardening—and don’t forget to use bite-sized social media tips, very short how-to videos and online communities.
- Living Television: Since the beginning of the pandemic, interest in birds and pollinators has sharply increased, leading to a strong interest in gardening to support these creatures. Bottom line: Talk/write about bird-watching spots in your area, show how to plant trees for bird habitats, host birdwatching walks, and teach people how to provide winter solutions for birds in the winter.
- On-Demand Flowers: Anxiety and depression rates understandably rose during the pandemic, and people began looking at flowers as a way to feel better. Specifically, giving or receiving flowers—and fresh flower sales soared. Bottom line: Promote bulbs, annuals, flowers, and perennials. Host classes or create presentations on floral design, edible flowers, and DIY bouquets, and use #FreshFlowerFridays in social media to promote.
- Wild Curation: A strong conservation movement is afoot, leading to interest in endangered plants and rare plants Bottom line: Offer seminars/presentations on sustainability, hard-to-find plants, local seeds, and plant origins, as well as education on how people can become involved and help protect endangered plants.
- In Living Color: Green is the color associated with renewal, rebirth, and stability—everything people are craving right now—and the most eye-catching shade is “clover.” Bottom line: Highlight #cottagecore style, floral prints, garden accessories in this fresh shade.
