You might be wondering what the photo of a pile of old rocks covered in moss has to do with trends for the year ahead. Well according to Hannah Stephenson whose article I came across on the Ham and High website Mindfulness is is set to have a big impact on the way we design our gardens in 2018. So are succulents and cacti as well as a resurgence of decking.

?Mindful gardening? promises to continue to grow, as more and more Brits turn to tending their allotments, herbaceous borders and houseplants as a way of boosting mental health and wellbeing, while cacti and succulents look set to adorn all the coolest shelves and windowsills (and Instagram feeds) – and wood decking is coming back in fashion.
Some of these horticultural trends were highlighted by winners at the recent Garden Media Guild Awards, and according to those in the know, we?ll soon see them cropping up more and more in homes and gardens across the country.
Here, garden designers, writers and retailers predict 10 of the growing trends in gardens in 2018…

Decking will be making a return to gardens after falling out of favour in recent years

1. Mindfulness
Mindfulness – the ancient Buddhist tradition of immersing yourself in the present moment – is set to have a strong influence over how we design and appreciate our gardens in 2018.
Gardeners may focus on incorporating elements which stimulate the senses, like accents of calming blues and energising yellows, pots of strongly-scented therapeutic lavender and a water feature to create a relaxing ambience.

Conifers are coming back into fashion now

2. Low-maintenance gardening
Young designers are also predicting the move towards low-maintenance gardening is set to continue.
Joe Perkins, one of six designers who will be displaying show gardens at the first ever Ascot Spring Garden Show in April, says: ?Conifers are coming back into fashion now, which are low-maintenance and provide structure throughout the year.?

Continuining the theme of low-maintenance, shrubs like rhododendrons, pieris and camellias will give your garden structure