As the buy local, live local movement continues to thrive, this trend is still growing in 2014 with cultur-vating.

Gardeners are taking local to the next level this season.

Instead of simply buying local, they're growing local plants and flavors - and blending it with their international heritage.

Gardeners crave this duality of culture and plants for spring and summer 2014.

Discover how your garden business can use the cultur-vating garden trend to give your customers what they want this season.

What is Cultur-Vating?

Cultur-vating is the idea of blending different cultures in the garden.

This garden trend is fueled by the desire to be a good steward of the planet.

1. Blending New & Old in the Garden

Photo Credit: Live Outside Blog

A big part of cultur-vating is consumers' desire to blend where they came from with where they are now.

For example, a Southerner whose family is originally from Ireland may be interested in planting both okra and heirloom potatoes.

In essence, consumers want to grow the best of both worlds, the new and the old.

This season, create an in-store display highlighting different plants, seeds, and hard goods from different regions of the country or the world. Or, if you're a gardening e-commerce site, create collections sorted by country of origin.

Consumers are looking to grow the world in their garden, and your job is to make it as easy as possible for them to make that happen.

2. Highlight the Local Offerings

Photo Credit: BrazelBerries®

In the same vein, your gardening business wants to make it easy-peasy for consumers to find plants that originate or thrive locally.

Consumers are not only shopping local now - they're embracing it!

Showcase the local plants and goods you offer as well as any native plants.

Then, take it to the next level by telling the story of the local product. Have information about the plant and its history to your local area. If your business is carrying a hand-crafted artisanal product, tell the story of the person who made it and how they're connected to the local store and soil.

Remember, people fall in love with products and gardening brands when they hear stories that put a face to the brand.

3. Connect the Garden to Worldly Cultures

Photo Credit: ayngelina via photopin cc

Iceberg lettuce and Roma tomatoes are old news. Gardeners' taste and desire to grow exotic is strong.

Consumers want to connect their broader food tastes with edible plants in the garden.

Experienced gardeners especially look for unique plants and seeds to start.

As your gardening business begins to expand your inventory for the fall season or next year, keep this in mind and look for exotic edible plants that consumers will be craving.

4. Partner with Foodies

Edibles are a BIG part of the cultur-vating garden trend.

Consumers are opting to eat and shop locally more and more - especially in the realm of food.

To support your local community more, it may be fruitful to set up a stand at your local farmer's market this summer to sell local edible plants.

This way consumers and local shoppers can see that they can not only buy food locally, they can grow it in their own backyard, too!

Or, talk about having the CSA come to you for a one-time only event.

Download the 2014 Garden Trends Whitepaper Below for More Trends Info!