One way to attract new plant-buying customers is to know what they like, which means keeping track of what’s trending. Carmen Johnston, Owner of Carmen Johnston Gardens, knows the floriculture industry and is a social media star in her own right.
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Color
Copper and metallics are huge right now. Emerald Green and Indigo are some of the new vibrant colors people are using in fashion and interior design.
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Simplicity
The emphasis is on small, manageable yards. Homeowners are focusing on necessity and usefulness.
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Outdoor Living
The goal is to have a seamless transition from indoors to outdoors. Johnston said the outdoor living market is estimated to be worth more than $1 billion. It is expected to increase by 22% over the next few years.
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Container Gardening
Containers are the jewelry of the garden and add drama. Turquoise is the No. 1 selling color right now for containers, btw.
Photo courtesy of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
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"Surban"
Renters make up 58% of new households, Johnston says. That’s one reason balcony gardening is so huge right now. Suburban + urban = surban.
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Breathing Room
People are incorporating clean-air plants into rooms that evoke privacy and quiet, a place where they can turn off the noise of the outside world.
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Wabi Sabi
Wabi Sabi is a world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. In other words, imperfect beauty or shabby chic.
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HomArt
These are tall, clear glass bulb vases that house the roots of forced bulbs so people can see them growing.
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Hydrangea Mania
The Pantone color of the year being ultra-violet in 2018 has helped fuel this trend. Check out Pinterest for hydrangea mania images.
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Voice
It’s not quite mainstream yet, but it’s well on its way. Johnston said more than 35 million Americans use a voice-activated assist device at least once a month, and it will soon be 55 million. Kids are growing up with this technology, and right now it is growing faster than smartphones. This is a big whitespace area for the green industry right now, Johnston said. She asked what the industry is doing to get ready to play in this field.
February 22, 2019 
