Trends that caught my eye at Giardina
Every corner of the Swiss Garden Fair is filled with spring fever. Show gardens and products are designed to whet the appetite for gardening and show what's going on in the industry. I threw myself into the crowd and tried to pick out a few trends.
Dream worlds are created at the Swiss garden fair. Everything is beautiful to look at and meticulously prepared. The gardens at Giardina have little in common with the gardens I know. And that is not the aim of the event. Nature is staged and presented in its best form so that visitors go home inspired. And, of course, the exhibitors want to show what they can do and what's hot this season.
Wild Gardens
The English lawn is still passé. Natural gardens and colourful flower arrangements, on the other hand, could be found on every corner. Despite the rainy weather outside and the crowds of people inside, the many colours and scents made me feel like spring. The nonchalance of the gardens immediately lulled me to sleep. However, there is a lot of planning behind it: despite all the randomness, the natural garden should present a harmonious picture.
Digitalisation
Technology in the garden is clearly one of the focal themes of this year's Giardina . I strolled past 3D printed furniture and found myself in a completely smart show garden. Lighting, irrigation and sun blinds are controlled by a single panel. This is also connected to a weather app and adjusts the irrigation to the forecast.
Natural materials
But it's not just in planting that the garden industry is looking to nature, but also in furniture and horticultural elements. Natural stone is used for fountains, screens and decoration. I mainly see wood in furniture and pot panelling. I like it because both natural materials give your garden warmth and cosiness.
Water
Nothing beats water in horticulture this year. Simple stone fountains, fountains with angel statues, but also pools and whirlpools filled the eight halls. A Japanese-inspired show garden even turns a pond into an eye-catcher. 30 koi frolic in it and are designed to entice visitors to linger.
Design
In addition to digitalisation, the second key theme is "favourite places". The garden should function as a second living room and not just be a patch of greenery around the house. This also means that garden products are becoming more stylish and original. Design no longer only plays a role in garden furniture, but also in plants and barbecues, for example.
Sustainability
Old and especially young people have been protesting for the climate for weeks. Society is becoming increasingly sensitised to the topic of sustainability. The gardening industry is also aware of this and is showcasing products that are more or less climate-neutral. A solar shower warms the water from your garden hose with the power of sunlight and beehives and the natural gardens mentioned above counteract the dwindling insect populations.
These are not ground-breaking trends, many of them crystallised some time ago but are becoming more important from year to year. Personally, I like the direction we've taken. Nature is part of the garden and is no longer pushed to the other side of the fence. At first glance, this seems somewhat paradoxical, as Giardina is all about staging and art. But it depends on what feeling the visitor takes home with them. And my feeling is that gardens and balconies can be more colourful, louder and livelier again.
My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.