Trendspotting: Trading Flowers for Food

I am not a great gardener, as those of you who have seen my yard will attest. And Mr One Green Step is allergic to just about every flower and plant known, so I will preface this posting by saying that it is a bit of a reach for me to be predicting trends in gardening.

That said, I believe more and more people around the world are trading flowers for food in their gardens. And what’s interesting about this trend is that is reaching well beyond the realm of traditional “greenies” or sustainability (or survivalist!) nuts. It’s well and truly in the mainstream.

I started becoming aware of this phenomenon doing home sustainability assessments. Nearly every home I assess is growing something edible in the garden — and many have prolific veggie patches and laden fruit trees. A quick poll of families at school pickup confirmed this — over 85% are growing food and many expressed a desire to grow more in the future.

“It’s a trend that is gathering incredible momentum in Australia and worldwide,” says Elaine Shallue of Sustainable Gardening Australia. “People who have never considered themselves gardeners are embracing the trend. Our many training courses on edible gardening are incredibly popular and can be booked out months in advance.”

Victorious Gardens

During World War II Australians were encouraged to grow their own food in home “victory gardens,” in part to reduce the pressure on the public food supply. These gardens were also considered a way to boost civil morale. It seems that today’s edible gardens may play a similar role in public life.

People are embracing edible gardens for a variety of reasons. As the global financial crisis started to bite, edible gardens grew quickly, particularly in the US, as a way of saving money. The Obamas raised the profile even further when they broke ground on the White House kitchen garden.

Others see edible gardens as a way to reduce pesticides, fertilsers and “food miles,” as a way to involve children in healthy eating, and as a way to simply have fun and enjoy beautiful, fresh food.

Whatever the motivation, it’s a movement that’s growing fast. In their Market Monitor publication, the Nursery & Garden Industry Australia says, “Many factors have aligned to lift the profile of edible gardening and there is every indication they will remain aligned for the near term. Its educative and market growth enabling potential would be the envy of most consumer and leisure activity marketers.”

Not Just for Homebodies

Nor is this trend limited to home gardens. I was fascinated by a recent New York Times article entitled “Botanical Gardens Look for New Lures.” The article describes how many botanic gardens in the US are reinventing themselves as public interest shifts from flowers to food. Even to the extent that a major urban garden had to cancel its biennial flower show and has inaugurated a “food and garden festival” in its place.

“The Flower Show may come back someday, but it’s not where people are these days,” says Natalie Ronayne, the executive director of the Cleveland Botanical Garden. “Food is an easier sell.”

Those with school-aged children can attest to the amazing edible gardens that many schools around Australia have planted. Programs like Stephanie Alexander’s Kitchen Garden Foundation and the “Permablitz Perth” initiative from the Permaculture Association of Western Australia help ensure children establish a connection with food as a foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating.

I’m convinced this is just the beginning of a permaculture and edible garden revolution. The incredible popularity of programs like MasterChef Australia will only reinforce the trend amongst people who haven’t been gardeners in the past.

And yes, we do grow food in our One Green Step garden. Not a lot yet, but we’re in the process of transforming the kids’ sandpit into a no-dig garden. I’ll let you know if my thumb suddenly turns from black to green, and in the meantime, keep — or start — gardening!