The trend to plant in Salt Lake City is just about upon us. Pending one or two more freezing nights, your garden is just about ready to be replanted, fertilized, and maintained. Like many seasonal gardens, bulbs from last season are starting to make an appearance. Dandelions and tulips have been sprouting up all over the county, and more flowers will soon join them. But there’s always room for some new plants and outdoor colors to spice up your yard. This year’s trends offer inspiration to make your garden more sustainable and low maintenance, while still keeping style and beauty at the forefront of your garden display.
Indoor Veggie Gardens
Windowsill gardening is the latest in gardening, and it works especially well in Utah’s unpredictable climate. Plants like tiny cherry tomatoes and basil work great for indoor growing because they don’t take a lot of space, are feasible in a variety of pot sizes, and require basic upkeep for growth. Helen Battersby of Gardenfix told
Garden Design Magazine that the trend of indoor vegetable growing is not going away anytime soon. “I think both trends are related to demographic shifts — whether younger people who can’t afford to buy that first home so they need to garden indoors or older people downsizing to condos and terrace gardens, or people just having less space and time.” says Battersby.

Aesthetic Sustainability
Sustainable garden design has been around for a while now. But often, it lacks any kind of design or aesthetic appeal. Sustainable garden trends are now combing function and style. From recycled concrete and tiling to rain gutters with watering purposes, many new sustainable garden features are now appeasing to the eye and serve a valuable purpose.
Neon Pops of Color
Neon flowers shout garden vibrancy, and these flowers are coming up big this year. To make your garden pop with vivid color, plant flowers with neon shades. The Bright Rose Light Eye Gerbera is a simple flower that makes a big statement. The
neon star flower in maiden pink is another great choice because of it’s amazing color and floral fragrance. This flower will stay blooming and beautiful all growing season long, and looks great in a variety of garden settings.

Heat Tolerant Plants
Salt Lake City is known to have a few weeks of humidity and heat. Planting with the heat in mind is a great way to save money on replanting and watering, and you’ll be up on the latest gardening trend. The Celosia Spicata plant is a great option because of its heat and drought resistance. It comes in vibrant reds, pinks, and purples, and can grow up to 4 feet. This flower is perfect for leaving in the garden, or cutting as a fresh flower centerpiece for your home. There are many varieties of perennials that are heat and drought tolerant that can add great visual interest to your garden, and are also
native to Utah. These include the Raspberry Hyssop, McKanna Giant Mix, and the Wood’s Purple Daisy, among many others.

Native Plants
Native plants may forever be on the garden trends list, because of their many benefits. Utilizing native plants in your garden will require little maintenance and water, and will help the wildlife in the area thrive. Utah native plants include bulbs, annuals, perennials, ferns and grasses, evergreen shrubs, deciduous and evergreen trees, and drought tolerant plants. Here’s a comprehensive list of
native Utah plants that will work great in any garden. The United States Department of Agriculture and Forest Service recommends the planting of native wildflowers in every state. “These important plant species provide nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food for native butterflies, insects, birds and other animals,” the USDAFA notes on their
website. “Unlike natives, common horticultural plants do not provide energetic rewards for their visitors and often require insect pest control to survive.”

Succulents Galore
Succulents are
trendy, modern, and best of all, so easy to take care of. Originally desert dwelling plants, succulents have moved into urban neighborhoods, cities, and suburbs all over the country. The options for displaying your succulent garden are virtually endless. Create a vertical garden in the backyard using pallets, or place them throughout your existing garden. They work great indoors or out, just be sure they have lots of sun to soak in. These beautiful plants come in every size, shape, and pattern, and they take very little water to thrive all year long.

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