Get ahead of the game with the hottest gardening prediction for 2023 from our expert Adam Kirtland

Every year there are plants and all manner of gardening bits and pieces that pop up out of nowhere as hot trends for the year (and they sometimes go on longer than that!). Last year saw us rekindling our love of pots and containers and balcony gardens were on the rise, elsewhere we continued to enjoy ‘growing our own’ and houseplants popularity grew and grew ­– but what can we expect for the coming year. This month I’m taking you through my top predictions for 2023.

Making the most of mother nature…

It’s no secret that the weather this year has been tough on our green spaces. The dry heat of summer has given mine a complete battering and although it did quickly recover it still shocked me just how quickly things became brown and scorched. With climate change, we do have to start thinking about how this affects our growing and how we have to adapt to fit in with what mother nature throws at us.

Now, before you go and dig up your whole garden let’s think sensibly. Think about your garden and what worked well this year, to start with – grow more of that! It’s simple but always go with what your garden is telling you it wants, if something isn’t working – because of the weather or not – then it’s not worth pushing on with. But when thinking particularly about the heat we had, we must consider which plants love this weather and how we can introduce more.

I’ve talked about dahlias in my column before, but these are the future of our hot gardens. Native to Mexico and central America, these sun lovers are born to sunbathe, and your garden will do well with them. Don’t let them fool you though, they do need water – so, any hosepipe ban withstanding, do give them some water when you can. A garden full of dahlias, will be a happy space in 2023. 

Turn your lawn into a meadow?

How about replacing your existing traditional lawn (if you have one) with a wildflower meadow? Say goodbye to the same old grass you’ve had for years and say hello to a patch of native wildflowers that will not only be pleasing for you, but it’ll also be a wonder for wildlife too.

Wildflower meadows can be created in two ways, by scattering your own seeds or by buying in ready prepared wildflower turf, that is already infused with seeds that’ll grow for you – the easier option, but slightly more expensive! This all sounds amazing I’m sure, but what about those of you without a conventional growing space or without a lawn? Worry not – you can grow your own mini wildflower patch in a pot! Seeds should be sown in around March or April, so you’ve still got plenty of time to plan your meadow of dreams! You’ll find packets of wildflower seeds in all good garden centres and even in some supermarkets in spring.

Cost saving gardening?

With the cost-of-living crisis being very firmly a thing of reality – we’ll all be looking at ways to reduce what we spend in the home and garden. Although gardening needn’t be expensive, you can sometimes get carried away (I know I can!) and the cost can spiral. In 2023, we’ll all be looking at ways to cut that back and garden on a slightly tighter budget than we have previously.
Luckily, there are some fantastic ways to do things for cheaper and even for free, if you know where to look. Thankfully, I’m quite a frugal gardener so I’ve got some top tips for garden bargains.

My garden is all about creating a rustic vibe with vintage metal containers, pots, and watering cans – and this can usually come with a price tag. However, there are definitely ways you can do this cheaper – such as using Facebook Marketplace and upcycling websites. Marketplace, in particular is a fantastic resource for finding old garden items very cheaply and sometimes for no cost at all, as people are often happy for you to take things off their hands. The aforementioned metal containers can sometimes be anywhere up to £40 or £50 with some garden retailers but I’ve managed to find them for free, just by using these tips!

Back to basics

My top predictions for gardening in the coming year is all about getting back to basics by growing what you love, but also adapting your space to the way the world is changing. Keeping it simple, straightforward and beautiful, in whatever space you’re lucky enough to have! All of my tips can work in a huge garden, as well as a small terrace, balcony or container garden.

Next Month: I’ll be bringing back my ‘What To Do This Month’ feature and letting you know how you can get a head start for spring to get your garden singing! Although we’re incredibly early in the year, there is still lots to get on with indoors, to give you a bit of a head start on everyone else…