While the recent selling season wasn’t stellar in many parts of the country —thanks (but no thanks) to a still-wobbling economy and weather woes—garden retailers still found innovative items that were effective in attracting customers. In fact, between the plants and the products that complement them, 2011 became at the very least the Year of the Interesting Garden. And in some regions, where Ma Nature decided to move through unnoticed, hot plants and decorative items teamed to make a trip to the garden center a feast for the senses. As the summer season drew to a close, the Garden Center staff polled hundreds of retailers to see what product and plant trends emerged. What we discovered was that while the year as a whole wasn’t hot, some items definitely were. For example …
What's Hot Where? Here’s a regional breakdown of plants and hard goods that were the more popular choices among consumers in 2011 (in addition to the items in the main story): East Plants: Houseplants, peace lilies, gaura, Supertunia Pretty Much Picasso, salvia, aeoniums, anything brightly colored, echeveria, Elatior begonias Hard goods: Small pots, metal cacti, granite owls, Dancing Flowers, Whistling Pencils, container gardening accessories, bamboo-colored lanterns, pillows Southeast Plants: Lilacs, hanging basket combos, vivid colors, anything in the display gardens, bog sage, pentas, guara, lantana Hard goods: Birding & nature products, Tiffany tables, stained glass lamps, hummingbird yard spinners, decorative containers Midwest Plants: Calibrachoa, hanging basket combos, petunias, coleus, succulents, begonias, heuchera Hard goods: Moonray solar stakes, LED lights, Crescent lightweight planters, container gardening accessories Southwest Plants: Bougainvillea, hanging basket combinations, coleus, cypress trees, lantana, hibiscus, sweet potato vine, Cora vinca, drought-resistant plants Hard goods: Plant stakes, square-foot gardening accessories, gardening hats, organics Northwest Plants: Heuchera, roses, basket combos, clematis, groundcovers, Veronica ‘Royal Candles’ Hard goods: Decorative containers, animal décor items, apparel, jewelry, scarves, bags, garden clogs, natural solution/organic products, outdoor living items West Plants: Orchids, citrus and tropical fruits, ready-made-gardens, roses, low-water plants, bonsai Hard goods: Sun hats, organic products, pottery, nature products, outdoor living products, bath & body products, tomato stands |
Proven Winners’ Superbells Blackberry Punch is a calibrachoa hybrid with abundant, small petunia-like flowers that hold all season on .jpg)
cascading growth. The real clincher, though, especially for Gen X consumers, was the fact that it is quite low-maintenance.
Walters Gardens’ Dicentra spectabilis ‘Gold Heart’ has radiant yellow foliage that glows in spring, creating a brilliant focal point in the shade garden. This cultivar grows a bit smaller than the typical D. spectabilis, reaching heights of up to 2 feet at maturity. Savvy garden center operators used this plant in displays with other bushy perennials, such as hosta, geranium, or sedge. 
The whimsical Georgetown planter line was adding spunk to gardens all across the country. Featuring animals that have “cute” written all over them, these planters proved that when displayed properly at the store, they’ll sell themselves. 
Given that drought-tolerant plants were in high demand in many regions, plants such as Sedum kamtschaticum from Simply Succulents became garden mainstays..jpg)
Some decorative items, like this rock and metal rabbit from Green Piece Wire Art’s new Set in Stone line, are so simple that you’re tempted to say, “I wish I had thought of that!” 
What had visitors’ heads snapping at Terra Nova Nurseries’ trials this year? It was H. ‘Gold Zebra’—definitely a plant with a twist..jpg)
Small was HUGE this year, as the fairy garden craze took over most of the country. This design by Echo Valley shows just how much punch a small garden can pack—when packed with the right fairy components. Magical indeed! 
The Conard-Pyle Co. and Star Roses market The Knock Out Family of Roses, which has done to the rose what The Most Interesting Man in the World has done to Dos XX beer —this is, create a brand that nobody can forget. 
As if the garden gnome needed a push, companies such as Clean Air Gardening have introduced female versions of the popular garden art item—complete with an attitude. These Biker Babe Gnomes are hand-crafted so no two are just alike. 
You can use Dragon Wing Begonias as the focus of stunning mixed or solo containers and hanging baskets. 
Gone are the days of the “boring” watering can, thanks to companies such as Novelty Manufacturing, which has introduced the pastel-colored “Deluxe” line. 
Ball’s Black Velvet Petunia has so much going for it that it’s little wonder it’s one of the country’s hot plants for 2011. The color, the apparent texture… They all add up to one very popular plant. 
Kinetic art was a big seller almost everywhere, especially items that combined movement with natural beauty. If they looked good standing still—see the example from Evergreen Enterprises—they were bound to look great when the wind blows. 
Bloomerang lilac from Proven Winners ColorChoice is a remarkable new lilac with fragrant purple flowers that burst forth in spring and then again in mid-summer and continue right up until frost. 
Ceramic pots, such as these samples from Ceramo Co., were popular all over. And now Ceramo has crafted versatility and innovation into the design, to the point that they can house plants, wine bottles, party favors and the proverbial more. 
On the plant front, it’s no surprise that edibles ruled. In fact, they represent the single most popular niche in all of gardening again this year. Now consider this bonus benefit, which will mark the scene next year: Ball Horticultural Company will introduce BOOST, a high-nutrition vegetable collection, available in the Burpee Home Gardens line. 
One of the more popular booths at the hort shows this year belonged to a relative newcomer, Woolly Pockets, which introduced flexible, breathable and modular gardening containers that can be hung on walls for vertical gardening. Indoor and outdoor pockets are available. 
The hydrangea clearly has staying power, earning and keeping a spot in the hearts of gardeners year after year. Pictured here is the Let’s Dance Big Easy hydrangea from Proven Winners ColorChoice. This reliable reblooming hydrangea flowers on both old and new wood. 
Along with vertical garden walls, raised bed gardening represented the “New Wave” of garden trends in 2011. This model from Frame It All shows that raised bed gardens can be as attractive as they are practical. 
Like the Black Velvet, the Pinstripe Petunia from Ball Horticultural Co. has the aesthetics and hardiness to attract customers in waves. The Pinstripe adds a stylish and sophisticated look to mixed containers, with each of the dark purple blooms showing off a cream-white star pattern. 
QualArc has come up with an attractive and popular way to jazz up the traditional faucet. This decorative post comes complete with a hose holder and arms that are tailor-made for hanging baskets—and an elegant finial, to boot. 
Explore the August 2011 Issue
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