A cosy place of retreat

As the largest garden show in the world, the traditional trade fair, Spoga+Gafa, presents the new products of the global green industry in Cologne every year. Due to the pandemic, a gaping emptiness currently prevails where the DIY stores, garden centres, specialised barbecue dealers and furniture stores from all over the globe usually purchase their seasonal products - in the fourteen exhibition halls that are normally full of garden items.
And yet, themes like garden work, closeness to nature or sustainability particularly gain significance in times like these. One's own spot outdoors serves as a place of retreat more than ever. People are investing in beautifying their garden, terrace or balcony instead of in their annual holiday. The global pandemic is thus causing a boom in the garden industry - and has an impact on current garden lifestyle trends.

Garden work has turned to the future: after sowing seeds, growth and blossoms follow. This confidence can help style one's life, especially today. As a place of creation and regeneration, the garden is therefore playing an ever-increasingly important role. The pandemic has accelerated a trend that was already on the advance beforehand, namely turning the outdoor area into a "green living-room". The borders between indoors and out are merging and the furniture items for both areas hardly differ from each other. Sweeping and unusually low sofas, armchairs and daybeds are taking the terrace by storm. Freely combinable lounge furniture offers plenty of space outdoors. Extendable tables, benches and chairs with a higher sitting position enable relaxed dining in the open air. And the office at home can also be relocated outdoors today thanks to comfortable and weatherproof home furniture.

The desire for a healthy, close-to-nature lifestyle has not just grown since the coronavirus outbreak. Plants promote health and create an environment for well-being. Gardening and growing one's own herbs and vegetables are in vogue. Raised flowerbeds, mini greenhouses and plant shelves are becoming increasingly popular in both the outdoor and indoor gardening sector. Naturalness is also the motto of many items of garden furniture and accessories for the current season. As authentic materials, natural wood, rattan or linen convey a closeness to nature as well as muted and natural shades.

Today, many people use "green" products to express a more conscious lifestyle. The sustainable garden is…