Urban jungle – a trend that continues to flourish

The idea came to us spontaneously when we were sitting in a Parisian café, chatting about our shared passion for plants. Originally, we wanted to do a kind of monthly feature on our blogs, always focusing on a different topic and room in the home, with houseplants as the main focus. But the idea was such a hit with our readers that more and more bloggers wanted to participate in the weekly feature. So, we started a newsletter to publicise the monthly topics. This was followed by social media accounts for the community and, finally, a dedicated website: www.urbanjunglebloggers.com

It’s a global community of plant lovers. People from all over the world share their green homes on Instagram with our hashtag #urbanjunglebloggers, and we share daily inspiration on our @urbanjungleblog Instagram channel.

The green trend is what’s known as a megatrend, spanning numerous topics and areas of life like an umbrella. It’s also worth noting that, rather than being a passing fad, it has evolved over the years while remaining ever-present and noticeable. You could watch the changes play out: initially, it was mainly houseplants that brought a real jungle feeling indoors, but then the way the trend was interpreted in the home became both more creative and more professional. For example, we only have to think of the furniture manufacturers who suddenly launched furniture specifically for plant lovers. Then there was a trend towards larger, so-called statement plants – and plants now play a key role in the interior design of not only homes but also commercial spaces. And I’m sure there’s much more to come. We’re excited and will continue to keep a close eye on developments.

I think this is entirely consistent with the megatrend I referred to. People living in towns and cities in particular are seeking out green oases as a way of bringing a bit of nature back into fast-paced urban environments. Of course, there are parks and recreational areas in the city, but people want wider and quicker access to leafy havens where they can relax. In addition to their homes, this also extends to commercial spaces such as shops, hotels and restaurants. Everywhere’s going green.

Our community is unique in that it places plants firmly within the context of home living and, therefore, interior design and styling. We’re seeing increasing boldness in terms of colour, surfaces and shapes – from the latest must-have art to furniture design and individual styling ideas for the home. Minimalism and monochrome beige tones are getting spiced up a little. And it’s becoming more important generally to be a little bolder and express more individuality.

Here, too, the focus continues to be on creating personal oases of well-being – plants, from decorative green plants and flowering plants to fruit and vegetable plants, are increasingly finding their way onto our balconies. Better and better products for small city balconies are coming onto the market. I think that this is where we need more solutions that are simple and practical – imagine for a moment that you want to add some greenery to a very small city balcony, and you need furniture and products in smaller formats and sizes. Watering is an equally important topic. We need smart but simple solutions for watering our balcony plants, including when we’re on holiday – after all, not everyone has a good plant sitter!