2014 Garden Trends Report: Restoring and Sowing Balance in the Garden

Garden Media Group has released itsannual consumer trends report, identifying several major shifts in themarketplace and twelve trends that will impact gardening habits in 2014 andbeyond.
Accordingto the 2014 Garden Trends Report, consumers are spending more leisuretime outdoors and not only “decorating” their homes, but their gardens as well.
The rise of social trends, like lawn games,glamping, and garden parties, are fueling a record growth in garden furnitureand accessories, driving demand for tabletop fountains, outdoor chandeliers, gardenart, decorative birdfeeders, unusual planters and candleholders.
Thereport notes the worldwide gardening and outdoor living market is expected toincrease yearly by almost 3.5% through 2016, when it should reach almost $220billion. In North America, where the market was flat for the past four years at$58 billion, annual growth is expected at one percent over four years.
“Afterseveral years of bleak economic reality, the sun is finally starting to shineagain,” says garden trendspotter and president of Garden Media, SusanMcCoy. “The economy is improving, andpeople across the country are exhaling a sigh of relief.”
Thistime around, McCoy says, people are vowing to restore balance to their lives. Frivolousspending on more “things” is out.
“Peopleare determined to be happy and thoughtful in their actions since they’ll havemore money to spend in the upcoming year,” she says.
Accordingto the 13th annual Garden Trends Report, people are beginning totruly understand the relationship between gardening and connecting with nature– and how this can lead to a fully satisfied, purposeful life.
Thenew twist? People still want their outdoor spaces to look beautiful, but wantto invest their time and money into high quality, eco-friendly products with asmaller carbon footprint.
“2014is all about balance. People finally appreciate that being in nature and in thegarden is true bliss. But now, they want the garden to do double duty: A Zenoasis and the social hub forentertaining,” says Katie Dubow, creative director of Garden Media.
“Surroundingyourself with nature, with trees in the yard and houseplants in the office, bringsa sense of peace, boosts productivity and enhances your quality of life—inaddition to providing a great escape from the hustle and bustle of a technologyintense life,” says Dubow.
So what’s fueling this growth?Looking ahead, GardenMedia sees six balanced sets shaping greener lifestyle choices people aremaking for their homes, gardens and outdoor living.
1. Ground Up: Recycling food scraps and creatingcompost is the new recycling. Products like TheGreen Cycler® make iteasy to pre-compost right on the kitchen counter.
2. Super Foods, Super Models: Edibles are going to the next levelwith foodies growing everything from quinoa to dandelions in straw bales andkeyhole gardens.
3. Drink Your Garden: People are drinking their gardensusing such super foods from their gardens, likeBrazelBerries® blueberries and raspberries to craft cocktails and green smoothies. “Fermentationgardens are the new chickens,” says Rebecca Reed of Southern Living. People aregrowing hops for home-brewing, grapes for home-made wine.
4. Dress Up Your Yard: From decorative throw pillows to decorativeinsect traps like the RESCUE!® OrnamenTrap™ and Perky-Pet®’s shabby-chicmason jar humming bird feeders, people want their yards to have a personalstamp.
5. Bee-neficials: It’s all about the bees this year. Beesare at forefront of environmentally aware consumers’ minds, inspiring them toplant native, pollen rich flowers, trees and veggies to provide safe shelters.
6. Cultur-vating: Taking local to the next level,people are growing the world in their gardens, mixing cultures and embracingwhat is local to their own region.
7. Simple Elegance: Think one color flower in an elegantcontainer, like Suntory®’s Surfinia Heavenly Blue in aneco-chic, hand-cast NativeCast planter.
8. Frac’d Up: Neat clean lines are out as explosionsof color in fractional shapes like triangles, circles and squares dominatedesign.
9. Young Men Get Down and Dirty: Big surprise here: young men 18-34are spending $100 more than the average gardener. They are grilling, growing theirown hops for beer, and taking the kids out to play in the dirt.
10. Think Gardens: Plants make us smarter, moreproductive and less stressed and are showing up in offices, schools andhospitals across the country. Costa Farms’® ‘O2 For You®:Houseplants with a Purpose’ campaign communicates the full benefits of indoorplants.
11. Fingertip Gardens: Gardens go high tech with mobile appsand technology, like Suntory®’s easy Virtual Container Designer app.
12. Tree-mendous Reversal: Losing more than four million urbantrees a year, Americans are being asked to plant trees. There are many environmental,economical, and emotional benefits of trees. Plant a tree – or care for one youhave - this year and be part of this growing trend.
Thecomplete 2014 Garden Media Trends report is available for free download. Individual global and garden trendsfor 2014 will be discussed in more detail every Thursday on the Garden Mediablog, GROW!
Celebrating 25 years, Garden Mediaignites buzz for clients, offers innovative PR campaigns and secures top mediaplacements and partnerships. The boutique PR and marketing firm is known as thebest in the home, garden, horticulture, outdoor living, and lawn and landscapeindustries. The annual GardenTrends Report is one of the most published gardenstudies in trade and consumer news. Click herefor more information.