EP162- Gardening Trends For 2023 With Andrew Bunting Vice President of Horticulture at Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

In this weeks episode John is joined by Andrew Bunting Vice President of Horticulture at Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to chat about Pennsylvania Horticultural Society gardening trends for 2023 survey.ABOUT PENNSYLVANIA HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), an internationally recognized nonprofit organization founded in 1827, uses horticulture to advance the health and well-being of the Greater Philadelphia region.1.    Gardens with ecological functions – People are continuing to see their gardens as part of a larger ecosystem. Through incorporating native and pollinator plants, gardeners are creating habitats for insects and birds.2.    “Leave the Leaves” – This movement encourages people to leave their leaves and convert them into compost, mulch, or fertiliser to reduce landfill waste. 3.    Reducing dependence on fossil fuels – Many natural gas-powered garden machines such as mowers, weed whips, chainsaws, and leaf blowers are being phased out for battery-operated options which help to reduce carbon footprint. 4.    Water-wise gardens and plants – With global climate events and increasingly erratic weather patterns including extended periods of drought, there is an increased need to consider water-wise gardens,  gravel gardens, and drought-tolerant plants. 5.    The houseplant craze continues – Houseplants have become an essential part of home décor, health and wellness planning, and social activities. With an increasing number and diversity of houseplants widely available through garden centers, 6.    “Fall is for planting” – Fall has been promoted for the last 20 years as a favorable time in the gardening season to plant perennials, shrubs, and trees. Now, fall is being promoted as a time to add color to the garden too! Garden centers now offer a wide selection of annuals and seasonal plants for fall visual interest, all featuring cold tolerance, beautiful foliage, or interesting fruits and berries. 7.    Amazing Aroids – These popular houseplants that feature distinctive, tropical, and often uniquely patterned foliage continue to grow in popularity such as Philodendron, Scindapsus, Anthurium, Alocasia, and Colocasia, while some rare species like ‘Pharaoh’s Mask’ have sold for hundreds of dollars. 8.    Food gardening thrives – The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a dramatic increase in food insecurity and the need to grow food. People are discovering that even with minimal pace they can grow produce throughout many months of the year; feeding themselves, and even sharing with neighbours. You can find out more about PHS as-well as buy tickets to the 2023 Philadelphia Flower Show Here https://phsonline.org There will be a blog post on this episode very soon on my website. This blog and previous blogs along with all podcast episodes are be available on my Website :https://mastermygarden.com/If there is any topic you would like covered in future episodes please let me know. Please like and follow Master My Garden on the following channels Facebook: Support the showIf there is any topic you would like covered in future episodes, please let me know. Email:  [email protected]   Check out Master My Garden on the following channels   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermygarden/  Instagram @Mastermygarden https://www.instagram.com/mastermygarden/   Until next week  Happy gardening  John