The nursery levy funded project, ‘Industry extension and development of Plant Life Balance’ (NY18005), works to promote the value of greenlife in our homes, businesses and broader communities.
As part of this, Plant Life Balance has two initiatives underway:
- The release of a 2020 Plant Predictions Trend Report, a new output that’s the first of its kind in Australia, and
- A consumer-facing event series, ‘Plant Tales presents: Plantasia’.
2020 Plant Trend Report
According to the 2020 Plant Life Balance Trend Report, 18 million Australians have purchased a house plant in the past year.
People are increasingly recognising the social, health and environmental benefits of surrounding themselves with greenlife.
The Plant Life Balance team undertook extensive desktop research and interviews to better understand this relationship between people and plants!
Ultimately, they wanted to find out:
- Why people buy plants and from where
- The most popular species
- Where we get our plant-spiration
- What we find the biggest challenges to be
To gather data and insights the Plant Life Balance team interviewed over 1,000 Australians who have purchased a potted plant in the last 12 months, nine horticultural experts, and 20 nursery retailers across Australia. They also analysed over 100 academic, media and social media sources from Australia and around the world.
From this, the team identified six key plant trends, these are:
Low maintenance statements
According to the research, 40% of people struggle to know when to water their plants, the report predicts ‘easy care indoor trees and clusters’ will be a key trend in 2020.
Nostalgia for nature
They predict a growing trend towards interiors that embrace the natural world, whether that be in colours used, to botanical wallpapers and the types of homewares included in the interior design of a home or office space.
A home among the gum trees
Results indicated that one in four Australians have purchased a native plant in the past 12 months, and that three in four Australian tend to their backyard plants. The report predicts the resurgence of Australian 70’s suburbia backyard and balcony.
Truth and trust
The Plant Life Balance team predict that 2020 will see a shift in how Australian plant lovers seek advice, with the report finding that 49% of Australians use social media as a tool to seek plant care tips and tricks.
Horticulture for health
The report predicts that 2020 will see a rise in the use of gardening as a tool for mindfulness.
Experience is everything
The Plant Life Balance team predict an increase in plant hybrid stores (a store that may be a café and nursery for example), with the steady adoption of biophilic design in homes, stores, and offices for example.
For more information, you can download the 2020 Plant Trend Report here.
Plant Tales Presents: Plantasia
This consumer-facing event series aims to connect music and nature, celebrating the wonder of plants, science, light and sound.
The most recent event took place on Wednesday, 4 December to a sold-out crowd at Poor Toms Gin Hall in Marrickville.
Sydney-based artist, Anatole, performed his interpretation of warm earth music at the event whilst Tszuji mapped the walls with lighting that represents our natural world.
Plant Life Balance ambassador, Jason Chongue, and plant behaviour expert, Dr Monica Gagliano then took to the stage to talk through everything plant related.
You can check out some photos from the Sydney event here.
Keep an eye out for more ‘Plant Tales presents: Plantasia’ events to come in 2020.
For more information on Plant Life Balance, head to: www.plantlifebalance.com.au