5 Container Gardening Trends For 2022

Want to liven up a cheerless space? Think container gardening.

It’s been container gardening season for the last few years and its here to stay - especially if we have anything to say about it!

Container gardening has given us many amazing soil sistas, the power to grow our own food as a tool against capitalist food desserts, and generally brought mental balance to us. Container gardening is so popular because it offers convenience, versatility and endless creativity for every type of gardener.

The latest container gardening trends tell us how other gardeners are being creative with plant styling - and the best part is, they can be DIY-ed!

Some trends are classic, some are for a season, but all of them are worth seeing - and trying, if you’re up for the challenge.

Here are some of the trendiest container gardening trends we are seeing this year - gathered from social media and observation.

1. Upcycling containers

Repurposing old utensils or furniture is all the rave right now. Think old chest drawers, pots and pans, cookie tins, even teacups, teapots and pitchers. Upcycling is environmentally friendly and creates a charming, rustic ambience - and that’s great too, because man y plants are not fussy about what container you place them in so far as they’re getting adequate drainage and light.

@Naijaplantlady is queen of upcycling! She takes it a step further by adding art and creativity to ordinary household containers.

2. Moon gardening

Moon gardening involves planning your garden activities around specific phases of the Moon. There are age-old beliefs in different indigenous cultures around the world that encourage this practice.

The premise is that, just like ocean tides, water in the ground and plants are affected by the gravitational pull of the moon, making some days better for specific gardening activities.

Moon gardening takes proper planning and is another way that gardeners connect to the essence of the earth. For some moon gardening info, this article from the Farmers’ Almanac is very helpful.

3. Foliage over flowers

Move over, flowers, it’s time for foliage to shine! Gardeners everywhere are leaning into beautiful leaves over flowers, and we cannot say we’re mad at this.

Whether you want to explore colorful foliage or lean into green, it’s guaranteed to make your space pop - and add charm to a balcony or outdoor garden.

4. Vertical gardens

Growing edibles, ornamentals or a mix of both in hanging, upright containers is one of the biggest trends yet for compact urban spaces. Trellises, fabric pouches and frames will give your garden a simple, elegant look.

5. Container water feature

This is such a cool trend! As a gardener who would love a water feature in the garden but wants low maintenance, this is the answer. This can be achieved by stacking some mid-sized containers, filling them with water and a few water plants and changing the water every few days.

Water lilies, hyacinths and other aquatic plants thrive in this ecosystem, and you can go a step further to add some small fish to create a whole ecosystem.

6. Water propagation as decor

More on water features - having plants in water has gone from an essential propagation method to full houseplant feature. We’ve seen this trend show in keeping plants in decorative containers long term, to mounting propped plants in bottles on walls and letting them trail or climb the walls.

For this trend, you can start with discarded wine and other glass containers, or shop for decorative vases - or a custom wall decor piece like this one.

If you love some root porn, this trend is easy and you can start it right away - like this propagation wall we love from IG.

7. Plant furniture

We’ve gone beyond living walls to bottle and glass table terrariums, and intricate terrarium ecosystems. This is achieved by putting terrarium plants under a glass table, where they get indirect sun. Of course, the furniture has to be detachable so the gardener can spray them with water and conduct other maintenance.

This one is a bit more intricate to maintain, but the effect is amazing.

If you’re a dab hand at growing calatheas, then you’re not afraid to try hard things and this trend might just be the next gardening project you’re looking for. Follow Karen on IG for inspiration on where to start with this trend.

This is one of the reasons why we love gardening - whatever your gardening style or inclination, there’s a trend for you and a niche you can fit in.

What container gardening trends have you seen or tried this year? Tag us to your pics!