Coming attractions for your yard

With each new year we all try to look into the future and find the next big thing. Here is the prediction from the Garden Writers Association Foundation.

More front yard gardens

The number of front yard gardens is also on a steady rise (29 percent in 2011, compared to 27 percent in 2010 and 25 percent in 2009), according to the Garden Trends Research Report's Early Spring 2011 survey (conducted for the Garden Writers Association Foundation). Meanwhile, the number of backyard gardens has taken a 3-percent hit, down from 50 percent in 2009 and 2010.

Smaller water features

More and more people are moving away from large ponds and toward smaller water features, the study indicates. "Now people prefer a cut piece of stone, a boulder or a beautiful glazed urn with water bubbling out of the top."

A Garden Writers Association spokesman thinks it's a maintenance issue: "People either have to be really into ponds and all the maintenance they take, or they have to hire someone to do it for them."

Black and amber

Black and amber shades in plants continue to be a "hot" color trend. People have already been attracted to the dark drama of black plants and as they learn to design with them more effectively, they'll only become more popular.

Notable examples of popular dark plants include Petunia 'Black Velvet', Ipomoea (sweet potato vine) 'Blackie', Tropicanna Black cannas, Colombine 'Black Barlow', Heuchera 'Black Beauty' and Hellebore 'Winter Dream.'

Amber shades, are also extremely popular - amber heucheras, the amber Flower Carpet roses, and other plants with amber tones are going to be big in gardens this year.