The popularity of gardening is growing day by day. The number of people taking it up is increasing at an amazing rate. And what about the acres of land undergoing landscaping? The vastness clearly shows the passion and drive that people have towards landscaping.  The year 2013 has come up with its own ideas on landscaping, and if you think you know it all, you have not seen anything yet. Home food gardens have surpassed the target of necessity and are now turning into a hobby. Hanging baskets and swinging bulbs are just a few among the latest innovative ways of growing vertically.

 A Special Focuson Flora: Top Seven Landscaping Ideas 2013

Fragrance Flowers

Flowers are as diverse as their names. Their scents are just as varied, but there are some flowers with a characteristic scent that drive gardeners and flower lovers wild. When it comes to a fragrance garden, it is not enough to say you need it; it should extend beyond that to actually possessing it. It is a must-have for families, as nothing refreshes and revitalizes like the fresh scent of garden flowers. The popularity of these flowers can give you a hint about how much they are treasured.

Variegated Foliage

There is a mantra that goes, “the beauty of the lilies fades with time.” This is not true of the variegated beauties; they are not only here to stay but last the whole season, as well. They are the kind of flowers you can rely on to make you smile throughout summer. The 2013 beauties include Glamouflage Grape petunias; they are indeed a showstopper. Not all flowers can fit well as container plants, but when it comes to these, the stunning flowers that they blossom tell it all.

Bulbs

Color and style are necessary attributes in gardening and landscaping. A garden without the element of blooms immediately turns into a dull one. When spring comes, your garden needs to have early blooms to set the pace for the other flowers that come in a little bit later. Easy-to-please bulbs are the way to go. They add not only color but also style, bringing back the youthful look of your garden. Ranging from the Black Parrot tulip and its frilly petals to the medieval hyacinth characterized by its old-fashioned scent, they all make a harmonic floral orchestra. They do well in containers, too.

Mixed Floral Arrangements

It becomes monotonous at times to see only certain kinds of flowers in your garden. This year, the message is different; you need to relish the joy of meandering through your garden with clippings of fresh-cut veggies. Your floral arrangement is bound to change, and everything will take on a creative look. Storm your imagination chambers and try carrots, squash blooms, flowering kale, eggplant, and radishes as you season all that with wax beans.

Homesteading

Mini homesteads have been the talk of town for quite some time now. As more and more space gets occupied and built up, there has arisen a special kind of hunger for space that homeowners have satisfied with ‘homesteading. ‘Usage of less water and less space to grow more to make you self-sufficient has defined many landscapes.

Salvaging Heirloom Beauties

Gardening needs to be self-sustaining, and that is the overall theme that has lately turned gardening into a hobby and a fun activity. We need to save seeds of times past so as to create a reservoir for the future. 2013 is still in its heyday, and there is much more expected in terms of new plants in the second half of the year. At present, however, we need to salvage our heirloom seeds if we are to continue seeing these little beauties in the years to come.

Flowers of Our Past

They may be called old fashioned and out of vogue; these flowers, however, are reclaiming their lost glory, and they are doing it fast. A landscape dotted with them brings nostalgic memories and childhood snapshots. Plants such as celosia, moonflower, Russian sage and impatiens are making a comeback in 2013. There is a growing interest in heirlooms and all their varieties. It’s time we went back to our roots, the times when everything was innocent and serene. These flowers can teleport us there.

Landscaping in 2013 has taken a different twist from the conventional pathways. It is being done in a bigger and better manner, combining the present and past in a cocktail of color and fashion.

Bio:

The author is a blogger and a landscaping expert. He has devoted most of his time to studying landscape designs and has been a voice of authority in advising gardeners in landscape Toronto. If not writing and talking to gardeners, the writer plays a saxophone at his farm in Quebec.