The Garden Media group has put out a list of trends they see on the horizon for 2007. According to Susan McCoy, outdoor living trend spotter and president of the Garden Media Group, “The outdoor living boom has clearly moved from being ‘just a trend’ to a lifestyle.â€
This is a list of potential "ins and out's" in the gardening world. Some are encouraging such as “Eco-Chic Gardens Are In†and “Chemical Needy Gardens Are Out.†While some seem strange like “Escape Gardens Are In†and “Everyday Gardens Are Outâ€
I find most of what is reported encouraging, such as the movement toward “earth-friendly products" which could "‘quadruple in the next few years’, according to Bruce Butterfield, Research Director at the National Gardening Associationâ€.
The “Outdoor Living is in†and “Indoor living is out†is encouraging. Getting people to be more aware of their environment outside is great. Certainly with the problem of obesity in the young any reason to get the family outside and active in the yard is good. It's weird though when you find out what people are putting into those “outdoor living roomsâ€. You might wonder if kids won’t get fatter! The study shows, “Thanks to new product offerings like weather-resistant appliances, furniture and electronics, there’s virtually nothing we aren’t doing outside we haven’t spent years doing inside the home, including watching TV.†That old parent’s admonishment of “turn off the TV (computer) and go play outside†might not have the intended effect anymore.
Some of what’s going on has been going on for awhile but is dressed in a fancy package for the study. “Outdoor living†was practiced by my parents with a brick BBQ and a swing set. Back then, according to this study my parent’s "outdoor living" was a noun, not a verb. It seemed like a verb to me! Organic gardening is now “Eco-Chic.†Secret gardens are now “Escape Gardensâ€.
Studies like these always get the attention of the powers to be in the “horticultural industryâ€. Lets watch and see how these ideas will be marketed next spring.