subject: Gardening Trends For The New Decade [print this page] For anyone considering getting into home gardening, the timing could not be any better. Today there are two particularly interesting gardening trends that are catching on in a big way and each method can be done by both the beginner and the seasoned green-thumber.
The first method is what is referred to as square foot gardening. This is a type of gardening that involves planning small, but heavily planted gardens. A good deal of focus is on compost and raised beds in a very well defined area. This gardening method is perfect for areas that have less than optimal soil conditions or for the person who has a very limited amount of space to work with. All types of flowers, plants and vegetables can be grown in these confined gardens including tomatoes, herbs, radishes, spinach, onions, carrots, pole beans and lettuce. The climbing plants can be supported with poles, netting or lattice.
There are many benefits associated with square foot gardens as they are quite easy to set up and plant, they are ideal for beginners, they can be located nearly any place and they are easy to protect from pests and inclement weather. They are also very efficient as you can get 100% of the crop into 20% of the space if planned correctly.
The second gardening trend that is catching on in a big way involves water. People are naturally drawn to the sight and sound of water which has led many people to build water gardens in their yards. Water gardening is growing in popularity as it offers a great deal of versatility and a lot of room for your imagination to run wild. A water garden can consist of small ponds, waterfalls and lovely combinations of rocks and lighting. Most water gardens start out as simple ponds that aquatic plants, fish and other creatures can live in and thrive. It is not necessary to have a large area in order to build a water garden as the ponds can be as small as you like. You can purchase concrete dishes for the pond, use a plastic tub or use anything else that is water tight. Add a bit of decorative garden edging and you will have created a stunning addition to your yard. It is important to build a water garden in a sunny area as both fish and aquatic plants need a good deal of sunshine. There are many varieties of aquatic plants to choose from ranging from fully submerged varieties to water lilies that float on the surface. The plants add oxygen to the water that will help keep the fish alive and they also provide debris suitable for scavenging.
