From our friends at the National Garden Bureau...

Your yoga classes, meetings, and concerts are canceled. The kids are out of school and you’re being encouraged to stay home.

Professionals striving for relevance in the world of public relations constantly need to stay up to date with all industry trends as well as current events – it’s practically in the job description.

The news cycle is now moving faster than ever before, mostly thanks to various digital platforms. Aside from regular news stories, a great way for public relations professionals to keep up with the happenings around them is to listen to podcasts that are relevant to the job. 

Events have been postponed, and some cancelled, due to COVID-19, or the Coronavirus.

Warnings of gathering in groups, small or large. Some suggest groups of 250+ people should not gather, others are saying just fifty people together could be a danger to our health and well-being.

Concerts and music festivals, including the two-weekend festival in Southern California, Coachella, has been postponed. Many colleges and large companies are being transitioned to a remote-style business plan. The world is going on a "shut-down mode" in hopes to kill off this virus and keep humanity safe.

The green industry is starting to feel the sting of the Coronavirus as well.

Read more to find out what impact this could have on industry trade & consumer shows.

Some of the trends predicted for 2020 are green collar jobs, frogs, plant-based foods and the color blue. Mushrooms and houseplants also are projected to gain continued momentum.

But how do we know? And how have we been so spot on predicting trends in each of the last 19 Garden Trend Reports?

We use use a number of tools to uncover emerging trends and monitor data in the garden and horticulture landscape. We've got our finger on the pulse of the horticulture, outdoor living, and lawn and garden industries.

Garden trends are also influenced by economics, demographic shifts, technological advances, lifestyle shifts, wellness, policy and more.

From the rise of the Made in the U.S.A. and ‘buy local’ movement to men getting in the garden, growing vegetables and a growing interest in plant based foods, we always have our eye on the horizon.

Read on to learn how we predict, anticipate, or, even better, shape trends to your business’ advantage.

For nearly 20 years we have peered into the crystal ball searching for future industry trends. This year is no different. The 2020 Garden Trends Report, Seeing 20/20, offers a peek into what will trend in horticulture in 2020 and beyond.

Why trends? Staying on top of trends allows garden-focused businesses to take advantage of new opportunities and stay on the cutting edge.

Read more to learn about the 2020 Garden Trends.

This month, garden industry insiders gathered at Cultivate’19, AmericanHort’s annual conference in Columbus. Garden Media Group’s Katie Dubow explored what the future holds.

July is National Blueberry Month, a perfect time to celebrate the delicious and nutritious fruit.

We invite you to grow, eat, and cook with this powerhouse nature provides.

The health benefits of blueberries are widely known and continue to get attention as studies find even more super benefits from blueberries.

Among fruit, blueberries have the highest total antioxidant to help us fend off disease. They reduce belly fat, prevent hypertension, improve memory, and help to reduce the risk of colon cancer. 

And let's be honest, they are delicious!

Read more to learn the Four P's of growing blueberries and two recipes.

We work year-round to source trends for our Garden Trend Reports. And this year, we couldn't wait a day past April 1 to share some of the biggest trends we’re predicting for 2020.

Grow a Garden on Your... Face

First it was garden crowns, and then it was garden beards, but the newest trend in flowers in your... garden brows. The trend features whimsical garden-themed accents fit for a fairy, including tiny flowers and butterfly stickers intricately placed on and around the brows, as well as a lush-green base that imparts a grassy effect. 

GreenBiz just released their 12th State of Green Business report, which takes a hard look at where corporate sustainability practices stand worldwide, as well as outlining a number of trends to watch for in 2019.

Thank you to Jen White for bringing this report to our attention!Her newsletter, GreenTalks, is one of my must-reads. 

In 2017, 85% of S&P 500 companies published a sustainability report, up 20% from 2013. This is good news and much like our 2019 Garden Trends Report, this State of the Green Business report looks positive. 

Read more to see what the top 10 top trends in green business are.

If you run or manage a garden business, you want to be continuously thinking of new ideas and staying competitive. So, we believe it is imperative to stay on top of trends most relevant to you.

It’s ideal to find trends in their beginning stages before they reach the mainstream news and the general public. As soon as the mainstream public starts calling something a trend, it may be too late.

The key to effectively jumping on trend is preparation. You might not know exactly what is going to happen, but you need to have the tools in place so that you can recognize opportunity when it arises. 

The perfect, enduring example of this is Oreo’s dunk in the dark moment.

When you capitalize early on emerging trends, you put yourself at the front of the line to receive the monetary benefits from the burgeoning market that a new trend could bring. 

Read more to learn how to be prepared to capitalize on trends.