GARDEN DESIGN of favour, with gardeners opting for more sustainable seasonal options, like hardy annuals or long-lasting, robust perennials that require less watering. Salvias, heather, echinacea, and dahlias are great options, providing seasonal colour and attractive blooms for pollinators. Take note of garden colour trends for the year ahead, helping you create something up-to-the minute. As with interior trends, the palette for garden plants is bold in 2025, from earthy reds, to deep purples, and Cottagecore pastels.
Teal is also predicted to be a big influence in the garden this year – a colour that can be perfectly worked into borders using ornamental grasses, such as blue fescue, eucalyptus trees, glacier blue euphorbia, or varieties of hostas with striking blue leaves. Modern gardeners are increasingly turned off by the thought of using too many chemicals, so keep abreast of pest and disease-resistant varieties that will still give you the look you want but negate the need for chemicals control. For example, box plants – a once-popular choice for borders and hedges – have been plagued by Asian box tree moths, as the invasive species takes hold in the UK. Fortunately, the ornamental Bloombux boasts all the benefits of the Buxus but is completely pest free, with immunity to the box tree moth, and resistance to other pests like boxwood psyllid, boxwood gall midge, spider mites, and scale insects.
Think about the year ahead The main focus with any border is to look its best and offer a stunning show during spring and summer but don’ t discount the rest of the year. Take the autumn and winter months into consideration when planning your planting and be sure to include evergreens or shrubs that produce colourful autumn leaves. The increasing trend for a less manicured, laid-back gardening style, comes with an appreciation of plants as they go through the cycle of seasonal changes. This means you can consider plants that bear attractive seed heads and spent flowers in the autumn, cultivating an architectural elegance and adding interest even when the headiness of summer has died down.
INKARHO’ s ornamental Bloombux – a species of rhododendron – produces spectacular bee-friendly pink and magenta blooms during its peak season of May to June, accompanied by a neat, dense foliage. Once the flowers have faded its emerald-green evergreen foliage will stay looking good throughout the autumn and winter, long after other plants have shed their leaves.
Follow us @ ludmagazine www. landud. co. uk 35