Scott and Sofia’s

Justlikehomedécor,fashion andbeauty,plantshave predictedtrendsaswell. Sobeforeyourushoutto yournearestplantnursery, takealookatwhat’sonthe hotlistforhorticulture for the startof thenewdecade…

LOW MAINTENANCE STATEMENTS Overthepast12months,twoinfive Australiansboughtalow-maintenance plant.Inthissamep centofnurseryretail surveyedsawanincr inenquiriesrelating toeasymaintenance plants.But,sadly, Australians alsomanaged tokillatleast 72million plantsinthe pastyear. Withour livesgetting busiereveryday, andaneverincreasingneedto bewaterwise,it’sno wonderlowmainten plantsareseenasan attractivechoice. ‘Hard-edged,man-madematerials dominatetoday’sworld,soit’svitalto incorporategreeneryintothehomefor ourhealth,’saysJasonChongue,Plant LifeBalanceambassadorandowner ofThePlantSociety.‘Indoortreeswith theirbeautifulleafstructureandsturdy trunksimpartastrongstylestatement whilebeinggreatforpurifying the air.’ LEA MICHELE

NATIVE GARDENS WiththreeinfourAustralianstending tobackyardplants,PlantLifeBalance expecttoseewildnativegardensabuzz withpollinatorsandwildlifeas neighbourstradeedibleproduceand storiesoverthefence. Therenewedenthusiasm formore climate-appropriateordrought-tolerant varietiesofnativeplantscanbepartly attributedtooursensitivityforsensible waterusage. Thisisparticularlyattheforefrontof themindsofmanyAustraliansinlight ofrecentdroughts–thoughttobethe worstin800years! ‘HardlyanyAustraliannativeplants needtobesprayedforpestsanddisease, whereasalotofexoticplantsdo,’ explains Narelle Happ, a horticulturalist rfor AGardenforLife.‘So,just bysimplychoosingAustralianplants, you’recontributingpositively to the environment,’sheadds. HORTICULTURE FOR HEALTH Thisyearwillseeariseintheuseof gardeningasatoolformindfulness. Bothactiveandpassiveformsof gardeningcanmakeadifferencetoyour mentalandphysicalhealth,according tohorticulturaltherapistToniSalter. ‘Gardeningactivitieslikedigging, shovellingandplayingwithsoilcan provideinstantgratificationforyour mind,’saysToni. ‘Focusingonanactivitylikethiscan beagreatdistractionfrom feelingsof anxietyandcanproducearewarding endresult.Ithelpsto“stayinthe moment”andappreciatetheprocess.’ Toniexplainsthatevenmorepassive activitieslikepottingupseedlingsor sowingseedscanbeaform ofrelaxation, especiallyifthegardenerisgiven choice overwhatisbeingplanted.

NO-FRILLS PLANTS HERE ARE SOME LOW-MAINTENANCE INDOOR PLANTS AND TREES TO LOOK FOR… • Dragon tree • Fiddle-leaf fig • Rubber tree • Spider plant • Peace lily • Olive tree NADIA FAIRFAX

COMPILED BY GABRIELLA DEL GRANDE