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9 Ways to Enjoy Gardening More This Summer
Catch the rain, go vertical, add a gabion, grow vegetables out front and more
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
The biggest gardening trend for 2011 is gardening itself. People who were formerly afraid of their black thumbs are venturing out and learning that gardening is not rocket science, that it's rewarding, can be done in a small space, and provides the freshest juiciest produce around. We're also finding ways to take the garden to unexpected places and new heights. Are you doing anything new with your garden this year? Tell us about it below!
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| 1. Conserving water with style. Once unattractive garbage cans with "rainwater" stamped upon them, rainwater collection has become a whole lot more attractive. Here are some rain barrels in action, cleverly camouflaged as shapely planters. |
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I love the terracotta color, curvy shape, and best of all, spot for a planter atop this attractive rain barrel.
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Rain chains are a wonderful way to channel rainwater to catch basins.
They also can become beautiful accents on a home. These copper rain chains hanging form the entry pediment provide ornament, a glint of copper, and add a new shape to this very geometric home.
by Woolly Pocket
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2. Go vertical. Short on horizontal planes for creating gardens? No problem. Vertical gardens have gone from avant garde feats of engineering on celebrated public buildings to easy access for all. A wall pocket is an easy way to create your own hanging gardens of Babylon without the tricky planting.
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by UncommonGoods
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| Along these same lines, you can also go upside-down. This has been most popular with tomatoes. Once a way-out there idea and a bizarre sight to behold, this trend has gone mainstream. |
by Monticello
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Do you have a littlle more space? Take a note from Monticello and go vertical on a bigger scale with a cedar pyramid. It's great for climbing florals like clematis as well as vegetables such as pole beans.
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3. Add spheres. Sculptures in the garden are more popular than ever, and a range of sphere shapes add geometry and playfulness to landscapes.
| Here a mirrored sphere creates a focal point in the foreground of this courtyard garden.
See more spheres around the home and garden |
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4. Consider the gabion. Originally used as erosion control and in retaining walls, the attractive look of rocks encased in wire mesh has spread from candleholders to chaise lounges to sculptural elements like this fountain.
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The look and benefits of gabions have made their forms and aesthetics catch on, and they now appear as building walls, too.
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by Concreteworks
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| This gabion-inspired fountain is composed of recycled glass. |
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5. Plant vegetables out front.First published in 2008, Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn has spawned a revolution, inspiring us to think outside of the lawn box and take our edibles to the front yard.
Are You Ready to Lose the Front Lawn?
Are You Ready to Lose the Front Lawn?
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| These kinds of gardens take the kitchen garden from the back patio to the front yard.
See more cottage gardens |
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6. Add a potting bench. A portable potting bench makes it easy to corral your gardening tools in one spot and provides a good place for getting your hands dirty.
by Fiorella Design
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These charming benches can be placed outdoors, indoors or in transitional spaces like mudrooms and porches.
See more potting benches in action
See more potting benches in action
| 7. Potting sheds. These utilitarian buildings provide cover for the potting benches and your landscaping tools. This one is integrated into the fence border. |
by Decorated Shed
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Simple lean-tos have given way to a range of modern, prefabricated outbuildings that can serve as everything from a lawnmower storage station to an office full of computer equipment.
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8. Container gardening: New products on the market have made it easier than every to create your own garden at home. This one has wheels on the bottom for easy moving from one area of your patio to another.
See more unexpected edible gardens
See more unexpected edible gardens
by decordemon
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Learn how to put together this DIY rolling planter.
by Grandin Road
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Our favorite containers? Still windowboxes. Windowboxes are not a trend; they have been around forever and they are here to stay.
See some of the trendy ways designers are planting windowboxes.
What about you? Are you taking part in any of these gardening trends, or others that are not mentioned here? Please share with us in the Comments below.
Herb Gardens for Indoors and Out
Design Eye on the Oscars: The Kids Are All Right
See some of the trendy ways designers are planting windowboxes.
What about you? Are you taking part in any of these gardening trends, or others that are not mentioned here? Please share with us in the Comments below.
Herb Gardens for Indoors and Out
Design Eye on the Oscars: The Kids Are All Right
Ideabook updated on Nov. 28, 2012.
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Obsessive, that sounds so great. Perhaps you need a rain barrel to help with the water they are soaking up!
Did anyone see the news today. A lady in Washington state is being brought to court by the city because she is growing veggie's in her front garden beds. They said she can grow anything else, just not food!! In this day and age we all need to be growing food where ever we can find a spot. Last week I threw away $5 of rotten lettuce I bought at the grocery.
Patscats, that's crazy. Lawns are a huge source of non-point source pollution and in some areas and storms, have the same runoff coefficient as pavement. She must have a bunch of really annoying neighbors and one of those oppressive Stepford HOA rulebooks! Was it Washington State or Washington D.C.? One word to the wise - I remember reading that in Brooklyn they tested a lot of front plot soil and it was full of lead from old paint jobs, so if you live somewhere where that is a possibility, be sure to get your soil tested before planting edibles.
http://thestir.cafemom.com/home_garden/122822/should_front_yard_vegetable_gardens
See us:
on Houzz: http://www.houzz.com/pro/tetonluft/rollingplantercom
our website: http://www.rollingplanter.com
Also see our beautiful boxes below.... Look how nicely they convert patios and drive ports into full functioning gardens, but still allow themselves to be easily moved for other social activities to be permitted. Question is will unreinforced plastic or cedar boxes last more than three years? Don't think so!!!! Buy one of our boxes and grow old with it, while growing the plants you love.