If you like bold and beautiful colors in your garden you’re in for a real treat this year. The trends have changed. Instead of using the pale pastels of years past, this year brings hot colors of orange, red, and creamy yellow into the garden.

Horticultural experts have taken their cue from the fashion runways and seed catalogues and garden centers are sporting plants in bold and dramatic colors such as fuchsia, electric yellow, orange and lime green. Garden hardware has also gone wild, bedecked in colors of turquoise and green. These latest wild hues are available on balcony tables, hanging lanterns, terra cotta planters, porch swings and terra cotta planters. Wherever you look, garden colors are hot.

Plants

There are new varieties of coneflowers, hostas and poppies available in the new color trends and people are snapping them up as quickly as they arrive. North America plant breeders have brought many new plants onto the market. Old standards such as day lilies, hostas and liatris now bloom longer, or bloom more than once during the growing season. Canna lilies, caladium, dinner plate dahlias are gaining popularity as focal points in gardens. Hostas are very popular this year, especially hosta guacamole, which has large textured lime green leaves.

Low maintenance is the key word this season. After all, who wants to work when they could sit on the porch with a glass of their favorite drink and listen to soothing water trickling in a nearby fountain or water container? Nurseries are finding that the sale of annuals is declining more each year. Perennials native to the area, ornamental grasses, ferns, mosses, violas and viburnums are what’s becoming hot. These plants demand less water and thrive in less than perfect conditions. They aren’t fussy on the type of soil they are planted in and a little drought never hurt any of them. If they wilt a little, a good watering will bring them back to life in no time. Another appealing feature these plants bring to the garden is a wide variety of wildlife, such as birds, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Ground covers are also popular. Try planting Canadensis, which has small red leaves and grows tiny berries. Trillium that could only be found in the forests at one time is now being cultivated for garden centers and nurseries. The have beautiful flowers that bloom in mid to late May.