Modern garden trends and their impact on packaging design

In the past, gardening was seen and practised as something purely functional. It was done because it was part of the job. Only the biggest gardening enthusiasts really enjoyed it. Things are different today.

Weeding, mowing the lawn, transplanting and other activities are no longer seen as dirty and tedious chores; instead, more and more people see it as something in which they can fulfil themselves, even flourish.

Gardening is increasingly associated with fun and enjoyment. Like home cleaning, it has changed from an unloved activity to a valued lifestyle. This change can also be seen in the products and their packaging.

Current gardening trends: sustainability and easy gardening

Before we take a closer look at the packaging designs of garden products, we would like to briefly discuss two major current gardening trends, especially as they influence packaging to a certain extent. Sustainability and easy gardening are currently hugely important – and this is unlikely to change in the future.

Sustainability in the most diverse facets

The topic of sustainability has also been omnipresent in gardening for a few years now. As more and more people are tending towards environmentally friendly solutions, brands are adapting their product ranges accordingly. The result is a huge selection of organic potting soils, organic fertilisers and other organic products for the outdoor living room.

Another part of the sustainability trend is bird- and bee-friendly garden design, i.e. planting plants that make it easier for endangered species to survive. Upcycling also plays a role – in the sense that disused utensils are creatively repurposed. For example, decorative herb walls can be conjured up from pallets.

Easy gardening for everyone

Plant kits are all the rage. This is of course largely due to the fact that more and more people are discovering gardening for themselves. Beginners benefit from the easy handling of such kits. However, the kits are also suitable as gifts for experienced green fingers.

A lack of time continues to affect a large part of our society. This makes it all the more practical to have kits available so that you can still enjoy gardening with relatively little effort.

Impact of the new green lifestyle on packaging design

Thinking about gardening has turned 360 degrees: it is no longer seen as something boring, a chore for older people who – supposedly – don’t know what else to do with themselves.

Gardening is now a joyful hobby for people of every generation, cool and hip, something beautiful and precious. The packaging designs of garden products also represent all of this. But what exactly characterises modern packaging in this segment?

Aesthetic minimalism – focus on the essentials

Like items from almost all other sectors, some products for the garden are characterised by aesthetic minimalism. You regularly come across transparent packaging that directly reveals the actual product to the observer.

The topic of sustainability is also often addressed, for example with brown paper packaging, which otherwise only features the most important information about the product and possibly restrained illustrations.

Striking typography from clear to playful

Modern brands for garden products like to use striking typography. Sometimes the large printed brand name is even the most important design element, such as Shell On Earth.

Many brands favour clear, straightforward fonts; however, some brands also venture into more playful variations, such as Primoza.

Modern illustrations of elements from the plant world

As far as illustrations are concerned, the trend is increasingly moving away from photographs towards modern illustrations. Various elements from the world of plants, whether trees, flowers or grasses, are often kept simple in shades of grey and rather subtle.

Every now and then, however, you come across a very eye-catching illustration in many colours, which then acts as a defining design feature. The Let It Grow Essential Kit from We The Wild is a good example of this.

Elegant packaging to honour gardening

Sometimes gardening products look like cosmetics. This is no coincidence, as it is intended to symbolise that the garden, or rather the environment, deserves to be cared for just as intensively as your own body.

In general, such elegant packaging recognises gardening as something wonderful. Packagings with a textured surface, such as some Sowvital brand products, also provide a visual and tactile experience.

Courage to use more unusual colours

For a long time, packaging in the garden department was almost exclusively green or brown in colour. However, some brands are now daring to use more unusual colours for garden products, such as purple or yellow. One example of this is Arber.

It is actually surprising that alternative shades have not been used for so long, or have hardly been used at all, because ultimately a blooming garden stands for colourful diversity.