Spring is in the air, and as the weather warms up many will be returning to their gardens to refresh and renew.
Television personality, gardening expert and Bradford resident Frank Ferragine, also known as Frankie Flowers highlights some of this year's gardening trends and top picks for planting season.
At the start of the pandemic, when many residents were stuck at home with more time on their hands, they turned to gardening and outdoor activities.
"It was all about escaping," said Ferragine, who noted that gardening grew by about 30 to 50 per cent. "There are a whole bunch of new gardeners that came on with the time at home."
As pandemic restrictions ease, many will be looking to get away this summer, whether abroad or to the cottage, and with that, Ferragine says there is plenty of low-maintenance disease and pesticide-free plants that can be left alone for extended periods of time while vacationing.
This year's gardening trend is all about sustainability, he says.
"You want it (the garden) to look good but also want to feel good about it," he said.
He says the "cottage garden" is one of the latest trends this season, which has a more whimsical, free and inviting look to it.
"We have to make sure you are selecting plants that are disease and insect-resistant and suit your home," said Ferragine.
A great variety of annuals for a sunny space, he says, is dragon wings begonia, which will be fine if they miss a watering.
"They have a bit thicker tuber for the root system and, with that, they are able to retain some moisture," he said.
He also suggests the rio dipladenia as an easy, low-maintenance, annual tropical plant. For plants at the cottage and home that are easy to care for, he suggests planting flowers like the perennial coneflowers and black-eyed Susans.
"Take the work away so you can have more joy than work when it comes to the garden," he said.
Here is his list of Frankie's Faves for easy, low-maintenance care:
For sun:
- Dragon wings begonias - annual
- Rio dipladenia - annual
- Calliope geraniums - annual
- Coneflower "magnus" purple - perennial
- Shasta daisy Becky - perennial
For shade:
- Whopper begonias - annuals
- Beacon impatiens - annuals - downy mildew resistant
- Coleus - annual
- Hosta - perennial
- Astilbe - perennial
Other notable trends, according to 2022 Pinterest searches:
- Stone walls (300 per cent increase in search volume)
- Cottage garden (272 per cent)
- Vegetable garden (219 per cent)
- Wild garden (206 per cent)
- Outdoor kitchen (200 per cent)
- Meadow garden (146 per cent)
- Hot tubs (120 per cent)
- Wildlife garden (117 per cent)
- Sustainable living (89 per cent)
- Rattan furniture (87 per cent)
With rising grocery prices, Ferragine says many are also looking to grow their own food at home. He recommends growing foods that you eat and ones that you can't get locally, such as tomatoes.
He encourages getting the whole family involved with growing food, especially the kids, to teach them about the importance of eating healthy.
"They love that process. They will go out there and get excited and, all of a sudden, you'll see your child eating cherry tomatoes and trying new salads," he said.
When it comes to growing your own food, sunlight is key, he says, noting food plants will need at least six hours of afternoon light.
Ferragine is looking forward to speaking and presenting at this year's Spring Cottage Life Show after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, where he will be sharing his tips and tricks on low-maintenance gardening, and answering questions from guests.
"I have done it before and it's an exciting show because it's where people want to escape. They are thinking about summer and better times, and that's exactly what we need at this time," he said.
Ferragine is a Bradford native and the garden and weather expert on Citytv's Breakfast Television.
Since the start of the pandemic, Ferragine has been going live on his Facebook page from home, answering questions from followers and fans.
"A lot of people enjoy it and I enjoy it," he said about his Facebook Live broadcasts. "It's a great way to see where people's interests lie."
Ferragine's family owns and operates Bradford Greenhouses Garden Gallery.
The business was started by Ferragine’s grandparents after they came to Canada in 1956. His father, Tony, was one of the five children in the family who were ‘marsh muckers,’ growing food in the Holland Marsh. They eventually went on to open Bradford Greenhouses, now one of the province’s largest garden centres, with locations in Bradford and Barrie.
The Spring Cottage Life Show runs from Thursday, April 7 to Sunday, April 10 at the International Centre in Mississauga. Visit cottagelife.com/shows to find tickets.
