FEATURE: OUTDOOR LIVING
OF THE LATEST GARDEN TRENDS
The heat is rising and as it does Brits will start spending more time in their gardens. Although many will be trying to get away after two years of being confined to their backyards, there will still be plenty of opportunities for the UK to fire up the BBQ and have friends over for those long summer evenings.
S
o, what are the UK doing with their gardens? Indoor and outdoor bean bag retailer Great Bean Bags has done some
research to discover the rising garden trends by analysing Google search increases over the past 12 months.
gardens to work harder for them. There is a cost of living crisis and it is predicted that inflation will peak at an eye watering 10.75% by the last quarter. This is probably why growing your own food is a huge trend for gardens at the moment. Searches for “how to grow cucumber at home” have increased by 182% percent, similarly “how to grow broccoli at home” by 136% and “how to grow your own food” by 100%. Brits are researching practical uses for their outdoor spaces in order to counteract the rising cost of living in the UK at the moment. A 2021 study showed that there are
1 Grow your own
currently over 100,000 Brits waiting for an allotment space, the demand which has risen by over 200 percent doesn’t appear to be tapering off any time soon. With that level of interest waiting times could be as long as three years in some places, too long for those who are struggling to afford food to wait, hence the need to make their gardens work harder and start producing food.
creating different spaces within the same garden. This could tie into growing your own as there would be a zone for a vegetable patch, without sacrificing your whole outdoor space to it. UK Google searches for “garden zone ideas” have had a 129% uplift from people looking to diversify their back garden.
2 Garden Zoning
www.diyweek.net Garden zoning is the process of In 2022, people are wanting their different
Zoning often involves creating levels
and create more of a differentiation between the
zones,
to optimise space this
can be
achieved through adding a raised decking lounge area, or even a sunken garden section.
interest for the cottage style English garden, particularly with ties to the cottagecore and fairycore aesthetic. Google
3Cottagecore Fairy Garden searches for There has been an increase in “fairytale
english cottage garden” have increased by 46%, now getting 880 searches per month. There is also a demand for the kitsch ornament, fairy houses which receive 5,400 monthly searches on average, a 124% increase over the past 12 months. Other related terms that have experienced an increase in interest and searches are “modern cottage garden ideas” (120% rise in searches) and “cottage garden patio ideas” (85% rise in searches).
next trend. The outdoor ice bath. Searches for “outdoor ice bath” have increased by 255%, with a 108% increase in searches for those looking for “ice bath for sale” too. This trend seems to be fuelled by social media too, TikTok videos
4 Ice baths We can thank Wim Hof for the
‘UK Google searches for “garden zone ideas” have had a 129% uplift from people looking to diversify their back garden’
containing the tag #icebath currently have 808.4M views, with many DIYing the process by using a new wheelie bin for their own garden ice bath. Ice bath is also called cold water immersion (CWI) or cryotherapy, and involves a 10 to 15 minute dip in very cold water after an intense exercise session or competition and is believed to help reduce muscle pain and soreness. Some also believe the act has mental benefits too, such as reducing anxiety and lifting mood due to a rush of adrenaline from the shock of the cold water.
are trying out in their garden is stencilling their own patios with a pattern. There has been a 129% increase in searches for “best paint for patio slabs” and an 85% increase for “patio floor paint”. The trend usually involves using a white paint for the patio slabs themselves with the stencil pattern being in a black paint to give the appearance of Victorian floor tiles. Michael Rolland, DIY expert and MD of The Paint Shed, said: “To achieve the patterned patio look homeowners simply need to first thoroughly clean their patio space and choose a base colour patio paint- this needs to be a hard wearing masonry paint- such as Dulux trade
5Painted patterned patios Another DIY garden trend people
weathershield. This base will require two coats, but allow the first coat to fully dry before applying the second. “Next place the chosen stencil on the slab and carefully brush the next chosen colour, or for a more organic look use a large stencil brush and dab, over the stencil and repeat on each slab until the patio is complete. For the full process check our guide on how to paint concrete patios”
Lastly, we are saying goodbye to uncomfortable wrought iron chairs and hello to comfort as searches for “most comfortable garden chair” are up by 86%. What are the options? Some are opting for the classic rattan style outdoor lounging furniture such as “outdoor rattan loveseat” which has had a 191% increase in searches on Google in the UK and “outdoor rattan bed” by 189% for those looking to take their garden comfort to the next level. Another popular, but more casual, option is the outdoor bean bag. Searches for “outdoor waterproof bean bags” have increased by 125% over the past 12 months, with people opting for these for when guests come to visit or for children to use outside, and with the UK’s inclement weather these showerproof seats will come in handy.
6 Outdoor lounging MAY 2022 DIY WEEK 21
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