Updated March 9, 2017
A few years ago, Plastics Make It Possible® partnered with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society at the 2011 Philadelphia International Flower Show to highlight the growing role of plastic garden innovations in horticulture and outdoor living. Since then plastics remain essential to gardens and outdoor living spaces of all types and sizes.
Trex® Outdoor Furniture™ and decking is manufactured using 90% recycled HDPE, the plastic commonly found in milk jugs. The decking also incorporates recycled materials including plastic bags and wood. Both featured Trex® products resist rot, splintering and weathering because of their recycled plastic base, and provide the epitome of outdoor living and comfort.
Container gardening is easier than ever thanks to plastics. Old school, heavy terra cotta or clay planters are hard to drag around. Thankfully, these days it’s easy to find lightweight, durable plastic garden containers in a multitude of colors, textures and styles. Things like faux stone, faux ceramic, faux wicker and faux concrete—you name it, you can probably find it. And, in addition to being a fraction of the weight of the older alternatives, they hold up really well under the elements outdoors.
Another of the garden trends seen at the Philadelphia Flower Show was plastics use in urban gardening. Urban garden planters are increasingly popular in cities and other places where space is scarce. These unique growing solutions generally rely on innovative design to grow in vertical space, instead of the traditional horizontal planting along the ground. Containers, like ones made by Woolly Pockets, allow you to create a garden of your dreams even if you lack a backyard or green space. Made with recycled plastics, these creatively designed planters can be used inside or out.
With the American bee population drastically on the decline, urban bee keeping is a growing hobby amongst garden enthusiasts. The plastic Beehaus featured in our exhibit was especially designed to make keeping bees easier in smaller gardens and rooftops. The plastic layers used to construct the Beehaus create pockets of air so bees can maintain the 95 degrees they need to live, work and grow.
[SLIDESHOW: Check out our photo album of the gorgeous blooms from the 2011 Philadelphia Flower Show]
Recycled content continues to show up in surprising and fun ways outdoors. Loll Designs, known for their recycled plastic furniture, now makes colorful, modern bird houses with recycled plastic. Also recycled Trug Tubs by Kinsman Gardens, featured in multiple bright colors, can be used for carting around garden tools or even serving as an ice bucket at your next backyard soiree.
Be sure to visit our Flickr album featuring these trends and displays as well as other images from the 2011 show!
