I love this time of the year, planning the garden layout, growing my seeds and deciding what plants we will be growing this year.
To make it easier for people who are scared to get started, it's important to note that the best way to garden is with a purpose! Do what you like and what fits your lifestyle. In the spirit of all of this excitement, I decided to create a top 10 gardening trends for 2011:
- Edible gardens- food gardening is practical, gives you a return on your investment and it's delicious! Fresh food at your finger tips! Enjoy the fruits of your labour... literally!
- Versatile gardens- if you like certain plants that require sun and warmth all year, put it in a large pot and bring it inside for the winter.
- Container gardens- great for people living in apartments or condos!
- Lifestyle gardens- low to high maintenance gardens should depend on your commitment to taking care of it.
- Lawn less gardens- for those who have a small lawn or for those who think grass is for suckers. Grass does look silly in a small patch.
- Outdoor living room gardens- decorate your yard as you would your den.
- Water features- adds a calming view and soothing sounds.
- Zone friendly garden- Plants will thrive better in their respective zones. Don't mess with nature, you are not fooling anyone. Ontario plant zones can range from 8 to 0. That's a huge range!!
- Native plant gardens- Choose plants that are native to Canada.
- Germinated gardens- start your plants early from seed. Now that's hard work!
I will keep you posted on my garden this year. So far we have about 22 berry plants started: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, boysenberry, current, gooseberry, loganberry, tayberry, mulberry... Can't wait to make jams and pies!!!
