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Six Of The Best New Garden Trends
By Nicky Rampley-Clarke
Take your outdoor space to the next level this summer. Nicky Rampley-Clarke showcases the best in garden trends for 2024.
It’s time to throw open your doors and get set for summer. The latest garden trends combine traditional landscaping with cutting-edge technology to transform the space – and how we feel when we use it.
Investment in our gardens to make them somewhere beautiful and luxurious where we can relax and entertain is at an all-time high. Now widely considered an extension of the home – or, indeed, the ‘fifth’ room – our outdoor spaces also provide a much-needed connection to nature that calms us in an increasingly chaotic world. Like our interiors, they deliver a space for hosting friends and family and carving out an oasis for ‘you time’.
Indeed, an expanding body of research cited by the Royal Horticultural Society claims that gardens boost our mental and physical health by significantly reducing stress and anxiety and cutting the risk of major ailments like heart disease and diabetes.
It’s no wonder, then, that our appetite for garden transformation is soaring. On Pinterest, searches for ‘garden projects’ and ‘garden inspiration’ have grown five and three times respectively, while the likes of ‘outdoor kitchen’ and ‘swimming pools backyard’ have increased by 85 per cent and 80 per cent.
Here, we round up the hottest garden trends that will transform the look of your outdoor space and how you feel in it, whether it’s the joy gathering loved ones brings or the peace relaxing creates.
1. Fire up the professional outdoor kitchen
While the research is in its infancy, ‘cooking therapy’ is believed to support your mental health, and there’s no denying that many of us took comfort in the rituals around preparing food during the pandemic. So, if you find mastering a recipe relaxing, why not turn your garden into somewhere you can enjoy cooking and entertaining, with the added bonus of doing it all in the glorious great outdoors?
But forget the humble barbecue. This year, it’s all about the professional outdoor kitchen, preferably kitted out with chef-style equipment for cooking up a storm and covered with a pergola for use come rain or shine. Everything centres around a quality grill, from Weber and the Big Green Egg.
2. Host a dinner party in the glasshouse
Alongside Ed Sheeran and Cate Blanchett, the Beckhams also lay claim to the other garden must-have in the form of a spectacular glasshouse. While these covered kitchen gardens have been coveted since the Victorian era, establishments like Updown Farmhouse, The Pig and Petersham Nurseries have extended our love of farm-to-fork dining to pot-to-plate, now making the glasshouse the hottest reservation in town. Nelly Hall, Brand Director of Alitex, the premium bespoke glasshouse manufacturer that supplied David and Victoria, says: ‘While the greenhouse is traditionally somewhere to nurture crops, there are so many more ways to make the most of the space, including a unique area for entertaining. Add a table and chairs and invite your nearest and dearest to dine under the stars!’
3. Make the glasshouse your studio
But it’s not just somewhere to make the most of your edible garden as it transpires. Hall adds: ‘Of course, glasshouses benefit from hours of natural light, so they make an ideal art studio, too. They’re also a great place to tap into nature’s energy, so why not roll out your yoga mat and get moving?’
To make your glasshouse as convivial as it is comfortable, follow in the footsteps of celebrity fans by adding underfloor heating, LED lighting, mechanical ventilation and a misting system, not to mention plenty of gorgeous green plants, veggies and herbs for growing your own (or GYO, as the cool kids refer to it).
Research shows time and again that relaxation keeps your heart healthy, reduces stress and anxiety, improves brain function and improves memory. According to the NHS, exercising is ‘the miracle cure we’ve all been waiting for’ by reducing major illnesses such as cancer and lowering your risk of early death by a whopping 30 per cent. With such evidence stacked in its favour, it would be remiss not to carve out space for both activities in your garden.
4. Harness nature’s resources for your swimming pool
The swimming pool styles making a splash this year aren’t full of chlorine, but are filled with saltwater and organically designed to connect with nature. Indeed, the latest status symbol for those with the space and the means are natural pools, inspired by the trend for wild-water swimming. With the aesthetic of a pond or lake, they’re more visually pleasing than the ‘blue box’ pools that have dominated gardens previously, while encouraging wildlife with competent planting designs around the perimeter. Better still, the best of them are reliant on natural biological filtration, making them very low maintenance once installed. ‘Natural pools are unheated and there are lots of health benefits associated with cold-water swimming,’ explains Stefan Pitman, Founder of architecture practice SPASE. ‘While this kind of swimming can of course take place in lakes, reservoirs and along the coast, high net-worth individuals value privacy and the ability to use their time at their own discretion. If designed correctly, they can also be a haven for wildlife.’
5. Keep it natural with wild landscaping
According to the Royal Horticultural Society, those who garden every day have wellbeing scores 6.6 per cent higher and stress levels 4.2 per cent lower than those who don’t garden at all, with a survey of more than 6,000 people showing a significant link between gardening and improvements in wellbeing, perceived stress and physical activity. So get out there and get stuck in.
Transform your garden into an urban – or rural – oasis by tapping into the trend for wild gardens and embracing nature rather than fighting against it. Think wildflower meadows teeming with alexanders, Welsh poppies, meadowsweet and cow parsley; naturalistic landscapes and non-formal gardens that support wildlife and are easy to maintain; and cottage-style arrangements that mix edibles with ornamentals. Guy Barter, RHS chief horticulturist, explains: ‘In 2023, the unpredictable effects of climate change took centre stage, and garden resilience is this year’s watchword. Drought in 2022, followed by a wet summer in 2023, has been a game-changer for many gardeners.’ And so, drought-tolerant and storm-proofed spaces are essential, not just to futureproof the garden for your enjoyment this summer, but for the future generations to come.
6. Curate an al fresco gallery of artworks
On TikTok, the video-sharing platform #gardenart has received over 66m views, indicating that sculptures, figurines and statues are piquing our interest in adding the finishing touches to our great outdoors.
British maker David Harber creates weatherproof sculptures from iron, bronze, stainless steel and stone at his Oxfordshire workshop that are used in spaces like Hyde Park and Windsor Castle. He says, ‘Clients are desiring spaces with something personal to them that links to our Earth. They resonate with the handcrafted element of each sculpture and the option to customise the making to the core.’
Select pieces that fit seamlessly with the aesthetics and size of your garden, consider placement carefully and don’t underestimate the importance of scale. Above all, make it personal to you, so curating your garden gallery is a pleasurable experience rather than a chore, and you enjoy viewing your al fresco artworks daily.
RHS dates for green-fingered diaries
Malvern Spring Festival (9-12 May)
Chelsea Flower Show 2024, London (21-25 May)
Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival (2-7 July)
Flower Show Tatton Park (17-21 July)
If you’d like to explore your options for financial planning, why not talk to Attivo? Our team of Chartered Financial Planners happy to help to make the process a smooth one. Call us on 01242 585444 or Clientservices@Attivo.co.uk.