Question: Are there any new ideas or plants that work well in Alabama you would recommend in my garden this year?

Gardening is one of the oldest and most popular hobbies around the world. There are multitudes of ways you can adapt gardening to your tastes and space available, which is what makes it so fun and accessible. After reviewing the predicted gardening trends from several sources, I have compiled a small review of these ideas, plants and trends that we may see more in Alabama this year.

As far as the 2018 color palette is concerned, purple is predicted to be the most fashionable this year. Thankfully, there are hundreds of purple flowering plant varieties available if you want to incorporate it into your garden. Moreover, there are many plants with purple foliage you can utilize to add a pop of color amidst the usual green.

Also this year we will see more woodland greens, eggshell blues, redwood browns and neutral tans, all of which work perfectly for a southern garden.

Also try planting some of the flowering herb varieties of rosemary, Russian sage or bee balm for a pop of purple or light blue. Herbs are multipurpose plants, and they go great with the next trending theme.

Another trend continuing from previous years is the “grow your own” movement of homeowners becoming more sustainable by growing their own herbs, vegetables and fruits. A fun part of growing your own edible plants in the garden is trying new foods you may not be able to buy in the local produce section.

Now is a great time to browse seed or plant catalogs in search of “new to you” varieties of vegetables and herbs. Try unusual colors of tomatoes (“Midnight Snack” hybrid is a large dark purple) or carrots (“Purplesnax” hybrid has purple skin and an orange center), seedless melons (try “Mini Piccolo”) or a new spicy pepper (such as “Orange Pepperoncini”). You may just find a fresh favorite.

Containers and indoor potted plants are making a huge comeback this year. Novel styles of hanging planters and colorful pots with unusual shapes and textures are very popular.

Indoor plants provide several benefits to the homeowner including stress relief, controlling humidity, cleaning air, and promoting better sleep. Containers are also great for patios and seating areas outside.

Make a lush and private area outside your home to entertain, creating walls or screens by placing taller potted plants like boxwoods, cannas, dracaena, fountain grass or elephant ears. Planting for privacy and security is also becoming very popular.

Using vines or thorny varieties on property or yard borders can be utilized to prevent trespassing. Also planting these types of vegetation under windows or around vulnerable entry points can be useful. Taller full plantings can provide privacy screens for easily visible windows or outdoor entertaining areas.

When considering using plants for all of the purposes we have discussed, try to keep pollinators in mind. Plants often have a pollinator logo on their label that lets you know it is a plant that attracts these insects.

Fragrant flowers are a great way to create a monarch butterfly way station, and flowers that have longer bloom seasons are great resources for bees. For monarchs, some of the suggested plants include milkweeds, butterfly weed, zinnias, marigold, cosmos and goldenrod. For bees, you may want to try a regional pollinator seed mix that is specific to the southeast.

I hope these popular gardening trends are easy to incorporate into your landscape or home.

— Stober is an extension lab technician in the plant diagnostic lab at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. For information on topics related to the home and garden, contact any office of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. The Limestone County Office is located at 1109 W. Market St. in Athens. Office hours are 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 256-232-5510 or visit www.aces.edu.