From purple vegetables to 'climate change foods' like figs and almonds, experts predict top...
Purple vegetables and foods like figs and almonds are set to be among the top gardening trends for 2024. Houseplants and wildflowers are also likely to be fashionable, according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in . The charity's predictions for the coming year are based on current trends and enquiries to its advisers and experts. Purple foods are hugely popular among the health-conscious, because they contain anthocyanins antioxidants which reduce inflammation in the body. Some studies suggest they may reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems and boost thinking skills in older people. Now people are looking beyond superfood fruits like blueberries to purple vegetables, and there are new varieties which are easier to grow and avoid previous issues like non-fruiting and limited purpleness, especially after cooking. Predicting purple vegetables as a gardening fad for next year, the RHS says: Gardeners and chefs can anticipate purple carrots, cauliflowers, broccoli, tomatoes, peas, radish, French beans and lettuces. Britains recent hot, dry summers are ideal for grapevines, figs, almonds, apricots, melon and watermelon, and peaches or nectarines, according to the gardening experts. But they warn that the changing climate can be difficult for growing fruits which need to be chilled during the winter, such as blackcurrants, apples and pears. Nonetheless, among many of the UKs 30 million gardeners, there will be a focus on garden resilience to unusual weather, and improving plant health in 2024, the RHS predicts. Some people are adopting survivalist gardens, such as those using seed strains adapted to local climates. Based on the highest number of enquiries the RHS has ever received in 2023 115,000 it also says there has been a rise in urban gardeners, often without a garden of their own, who are growing plants in pots, on balconies and indoors, for example using terrariums. Enthusiasts want to fill every corner of their homes, with tropical-looking plants and orchids creating a jungle look, and favourite indoor plants also including the succulent known as donkeys tail, Epipremnum and old favourites such as the decorative string of hearts plant and spider plant. Creating a Mediterranean look by growing citrus plants is increasingly popular, with enquiries to the RHS about these increasing by 22 per cent. Clare Matterson, director general of the RHS, said: Im excited to see a growing interest in gardening in urban areas. My first ever garden was at a small flat in Brixton, London. Through this tiny space, I was able to get my hands in the soil, connect with the seasons, and enjoy growing both flowers and vegetables. At the RHS we want to open up gardening for everyone, anywhere. The RHS Gardening Advice service and website continues to see remarkable growth in grow your own enquiries, with gardeners happy to accept lower yields to tend their plots in a more environmentally friendly way, with less watering, mulch used to retain rainwater, the storage of rainwater, and a move away from fertilisers. The most popular produce being grown at home are tomatoes, followed by cucumbers, courgettes, chillies and runner beans. There is also interest in patio fruit varieties, such as dwarf raspberries, blackberries and mulberries. Meanwhile people are still embracing wildflowers, from non-native meadows in gardens to wildflower borders with plants including alexanders, meadowsweet and welsh poppies. Even plants traditionally seen as unwanted weeds such as herb robert and plantain are becoming popular, with parsley now a desirable border plant and dandelions recognised as being key to providing food for bees early in springtime. Gardeners appear increasingly in tune with nature, with enquiries to the RHS about wildlife-friendly gardening rising by more than 28 per cent in 2023, and many people choosing to let their grass grow long to support pollinating insects, invertebrates and the wildlife that depend on them. There is interest in making bug hotels, sourcing pollinator-friendly plants, leaving dead timber in the garden and introducing water features, even small ones, to benefit wildlife. In 2024, as the ban on peat compost for amateur gardeners comes into force, people will be making the most of home composting opportunities and sourcing sustainable alternatives.