What’s Trending With Next-Generation Gardeners
March 14, 2022 It’s a great time to be part of the plant world with the many trends out there that are getting consumers excited about plants. There is a new generation of people that are now becoming engaged with the plant world. They have discovered how cool plants are, and that plants make you happy. This new generation of people want plants with a purpose. These four trends have developed as a result of consumers’ desire for plants that do something in addition to looking pretty.
Everpanthus is a new generation of water-wise Agapanthus for pots, mixed containers, and borders. Photos: Peter van Rijssen
Save a Drop: Waterwise Plants
The high sky trend is Agapanthus. We are currently collaborating with a breeder from South Africa that has been breeding Agapanthus for more than 20 years and have one of the biggest collections of Agapanthus. They produce more than 10,000 hybrids every year. The first introduction has been Agapanthus ‘Twister’, which is a world-wide success. Now they have varieties with new innovative colors and everblooming performance. Agapanthus ‘Poppin’ Purple’ is one of the best purple flowering Agapanthus on the market.
Agapanthus are high-value plants being used in gardens (southern climates) and in patio gardens (northern climates). They are hardy to Zones 7 to 9. Agapanthus are waterwise plants with good flower power over a long season. Unlike Hydrangea macrophylla, which needs a lot of water and maintenance, Agapanthus are easy to care for. You can go on vacation for three weeks, and when you come back they still look pretty. The cool thing is that you can harvest the flowers and use them as cut flowers. They are long-lasting for at least 10 days.
Limonium ‘Dazzle Rocks’ is not only suitable for warm, dry climates, it is also winter hardy.
Bee Happy: Pollinator-Friendly Plants
Pollinator-friendly plants continue to trend. In many countries, they are now branding new plants under a Bee Plant brand to show the new generation of people that these plants provide a paradise for bees and butterflies. Limonium ‘Dazzle Rocks’ is one of them. This is a dwarf variety with good flower power that ticks all the boxes of what people want in a pollinator-friendly plant with its high flower count. It is waterwise, too, and super winter-hardy to Zone 4.
Think of the potential of edible, ornamental sweet potatoes for use in cityscaping projects that help feed homeless people.
Taste Me: Foodscape Plants
One of the funnest trends I have seen is happening with edible ornamentals. Louisiana State University has been working for years to breed edible sweet potatoes with the ornamental value of colored, fancy foliage in combination with colorful, edible roots. Normally, the edible varieties just have green foliage, but now you have the combination of both eye-catching foliage and roots. Fitzgerald Nurseries in Europe was one of the first to develop this plant. They gave us the opportunity to develop the market in North America. We have given Brie Arthur (“The Plant Lady) samples for her garden to show how people can use these varieties. It is super trendy in Europe, and it is becoming more trendy in North America.
These ornamental sweet potato varieties are super healthy and fit right in with the grow-your-own-food movement. In the summer time, you can use the foliage in salads or stir-fried food. In the autumn, during Thanksgiving, you dig your own food. One trend happening in Europe is kiddy gardening. How do we engage kids with gardening? We make it easy and fun. Treasure Island sweet potatoes allow them to dig their own treasure, and eat it together with the entire family for Thanksgiving dinner.
I love dreaming. Can you imagine food towers where you pick your own salad, or cityscaping projects where free food is made available for homeless people? The current ornamental sweet potato varieties in the cities are only ornamental types. You see them being used in landscape and big containers. What if they change to edible ornamental varieties? With colorful foliage, edible foliage, and edible, colorful roots, the possibilities with Treasure Island sweet potatoes are endless.
‘Rozanne’ (left) and ‘Kelly-Anne’ (right) geraniums offer proven performance and lots of bloom power over the season.
Bloom On: Extended Flower Time
The expectation of consumers is plants that perform. They prefer to enjoy a plant as long as possible after they plant it without having too much maintenance. They want easy-going plants. Worldwide, one of the best-selling plants has been Geranium ‘Rozanne’. In all climate conditions, this is a proven variety that performs. Many people have tried to create new colors in this category but haven’t succeeded. Finally, after many years the world’s first true pink Geranium has been selected. It’s called ‘Kelly-Anne.’ It has true pink flowers, and it keeps on blooming from late spring to the first frost. Once people have experienced this plant, they have high expectations when they buy other plants. This is the new annual performance within perennial characteristics. ‘Kelly-Anne’ is hardy to Zones 4 to 9.
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