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closeSaturday, Jan. 31, 2009
Garden trends predicted
By Marianne C. Ophardt, Special to the Herald
KENNEWICK -- I like to check in with trend predictors from time to time to see what new color and design trends will be showing up on the gardening scene.
I suppose it's a little like peeking at the end of a murder mystery, but it's fun to know in advance about the newest fads in flower color, design and more.
The "in" color for 2009 is mimosa yellow, a warm buttery sunflower gold, according to the Pantone Color Institute.
The institute is giving this color its nod as the color of 2009 because it "exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance."
If our economic situation isn't all that sunny, perhaps surrounding ourselves with warm, cheery colors will give us comfort.
According to an article in GPN magazine, the Ball Horticulture Co. predicts that rich purples and bright oranges will be the hot colors for 2009 along with exciting yellows. Ball is basing its prediction on information from color forecasters like Pantone Color Institute and data reflecting the color preferences of consumers. Ball wants to know this in advance because they're in the business of marketing plants and flowers.
Past research tells Ball that color is the biggest factor in which plants gardeners purchase.
The Garden Media Group (GMG), a division of a public relations and marketing communications firm, says that safe garden colors are out and "global" colors are in. They indicate that the factors influencing the popular colors of today and tomorrow are our "connectivity, cultural unity and environmental responsibility." OK, but what are global colors?
According to Donna Dorian, former style editor of Garden Design Magazine these colors are "bold, crazy, exaggerated and in-your-face ... and reflect a playful spirit in the face of world events."
I would guess from these ambiguous descriptions that the upcoming trendy color choices aren't going to be your calming, soft pastels. GMG is predicting we'll be seeing stronger color combinations, such as mixes of blues, yellows and oranges or deep purple, rusty reds and ochre. GMG also indicates that anything red will be very hot, both in the garden and in fashion and design.
Color Forward 2009 suggests that bright layered colors will be replacing the earthy neutrals of 2008.
At Chelsea (the Royal Horticultural Society's garden show in Chelsea, England) greens and lush foliage will be taking over from the blues that have predominated there in recent years.
Southern Living Magazine's garden editor, Gene Bussel, is predicting a more sophisticated look to gardens with the greens of foliage dominating in planting designs.
Along with the emboldening of our color palette, garden decor will also be more dramatic.
We'll start to see furniture and garden accents in pewter and bronze, as well as in the bright colors that will remind some of us of the '60s, such as electric pink and acid green.
GMG also is predicting another trend in flower container plantings: a switch to the simple. Instead of pots stuffed with a harmony of plants, containers will have only one type of plant.
This may even save us some money, since we won't have to mix and match plants to include an upright focal plant, filler plants to fill in any empty spaces and trailing plants to drape over and soften the edge of the pot. These new "one note" planters will contain either flowers or foliage plants -- remember that new trend toward green foliage.
Expect to see containers in terra cotta, stone and concrete as well as brightly colored glazed pots.
I don't know about you, but I am certainly getting anxious to peruse the newest seed catalogs and garden magazines to see if these garden trend forecasts have started showing up yet. I'm already thinking about what flowers I want to plant this spring. Spring is coming!
* Marianne C. Ophardt is a horticulturist for the Washington State University Extension Office in Benton County. Read more of Ophardt's Garden Tips columns at www.tricityherald.com/ophardt.
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