Anthony Tesselaar’s Gardening Predictions for 2012

Tesselaar International is a world leader in the innovative marketing and distribution of plants, specially bred and selected to make gardening easy for consumers all over the world. Anthony Tesselaar, the president & co-founder, has offered to write a piece every month for Madhouse Family Reviews to help release your inner gardener ! This month, read on for Anthony's gardening predictions for 2012.

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FORGET all those doomsday predictions about 2012, according to Anthony Tesselaar. Plants' life will continue to be good next year in the gardening industry.

Unveiling its respected 2012 Garden Trends Survey, the renowned horticulture company predicts that high value, water-wise plants, along with small water features and Mediterranean style gardens, will loom large over the coming 12 months.

Based on the views of several top industry experts, the survey suggests that gardeners will save themselves water, hassles and misspent money.

Parts of the UK experienced drought conditions during 2011, with ground water levels low thanks to a dry Spring. The Environment Agency declared a drought in the UK in June this year.

According to one expert quoted in the survey: “People are making sure they’re watering responsibly, choosing plants that aren’t water hogs and putting rain sensors on their irrigation systems. They’re also making sure the irrigation is monitored so it’s not watering the driveway and sidewalk.”

As a result, the Garden Trends Survey suggests water-wise plants will make Mediterranean style gardens a discernible feature of gardens in 2012. 

Mediterranean landscape design often features open and airy courtyards, light-coloured, textured hardscaping, such as mosaic walls and gravel beds or unglazed terra cotta pots. This environmentally-friendly style also features low-growing, drought-tolerant plants, hedges, topiary trees and vines, such as olive, bay and lemon trees, succulents, lavender, palms, roses and grasses.

Rain gardens will also feature strongly in 2012. “Many gardeners are catching their own rainwater in rain barrels and cleaning or recycling grey water - wastewater from domestic activities like laundry, dishwashing and bathing” added Anthony Tesselaar, co-founder and president of Tesselaar International. “In fact, in many municipalities now, saving water is not only ‘in’, but mandatory”.

Other predicted trends for 2012 according to the Garden Trends Survey include:

· Black and amber shades in plants will continue to be a hot colour trend.

· Amber shades, such as ‘amber heucheras’, the amber Flower Carpet roses, and other plants with amber tones will be big in nurseries next year.

· Low risk, high-value plants will grow in popularity as shoppers become smarter, seeking plants which not only look good, but have a tried and true reputation.

· Smaller water features will come into fashion as people move away from large ponds because of the high maintenance.

· Fountains made with natural stone or metal will become hotter sellers than features made of man-made materials. 

· In colder areas, where the blooms are gone and deciduous leaves have fallen, more gardeners will keep their ornamental grasses instead of cutting them back, so they can provide winter interest. 
 · Gardeners will also be looking for plants with winter berries, evergreens, barks of different colours and textures, or deciduous trees and shrubs with dramatic forms.

· Front gardens will grow in popularity, as the number of rear gardens has declined. According to the Garden Trends Research Report’s Early Spring 2011 survey, conducted for the Garden Writers’ Association Foundation, the number of front gardens is on a steady rise.

· Vertical gardening will continue to bloom in 2012. The practice of growing plants up from the ground instead of out, or planting them off the ground to start with on trellises, arbors, balconies and walls, has become popular among those with small spaces, landscape eyesores or an awkward “skinny spots” in their garden.

· The phenomenon of greening roofs will gain in popularity. The trend has been noticeable in parts of Canada and the USA where some cities require green roofs on some new buildings. These help save on heating and cooling costs, protecting the roof from the elements.

· Plants bred to withstand attacks from pests and diseases that are also tolerant of climate and soil extremes provide a better value,” says Tesselaar International (developer of the low-maintenance, disease- and drought-resistant Flower Carpet^® roses, Festival^™ Burgundy cordyline, Storm^™ agapanthus and Volcano^® phlox). “Gardeners are more aware than ever that choosing the right plant for the right situation is imperative if you want to help save the planet — let alone your bank balance.


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