What The Heck Is Bed-Head Gardening?

When I come across a new gardening term or fad, I like to share it with you. New for 2015 is Bed-Head Gardening.The term got its name from the way many of us look when we get up in the morning. When you look in the mirror and see that mussed up hair, it’s called a bed-head. A Bed-Head garden is defined as one that emphasizes natural beauty rather than a labor intensive formal style. Like a whimsical garden, a Bed-Head garden is an extension of the gardener’s personality.It’s a casual style for the person who enjoys natural beauty and has an “anything goes” attitude. It has been described as “purposefully un-styled.” Many gardeners embracing this style are those with a great appreciation for nature and a better than average environmental consciousness.Some of the elements that define a Bed-Head garden are natural contours rather than flatness, curvy paths, native and low-maintenance plants, little or no hardscape, lots of color, and plants arranged to look as though they grew in that space naturally – chaotically rather than in ordered rows.The intentionally messy look needs much less maintenance than a more formal look. You’re going for an overgrown appearance, which means much less pruning and weeding.Some Bed-Head gardeners even go so far as to include veggies in their gardens and raise livestock like chickens. I think many of our towns would frown on that approach.For some, the anything goes attitude is just the opposite from all they’ve been taught, but something they would like to strive for. If you’d like to have it but don’t, you could work with one of our designers to create a Bed-Head garden. Who knows, it might grow on you and you’ll find that the more laid back style is something you’d like to incorporate into other aspects of your life.