Topiarius Urban Garden and Floral Design has been designing and installing gardens and landscapes in the Chicagoland area since 2003.

What is in store for this summer's gardens? Topiarius Urban Garden (www.Topiarius.com), a garden design and installation company in the Chicago area, identified the trends in gardening that they expect to grow in 2014.

As for colors, their advice is to mix purple and other vibrant colors with traditional hues such as green, brown, gray and black, and to dress up containers with birth poles, pepperberry and colorful sticks painted in bright, eye-popping colors.

Topiarius states that due to the recession, many nursery growers cut back on planting so choices in 2014 will be much more limited than before.

Container finishes and outdoor fabrics are suggested because they not only differentiate your clients' from their neighbors but also resist fading and mold.

They predict that stone, clay and porcelain pavers take center stage this summer because of their life span. Concrete pavers have a life of about 20 years.

Consumers will also turn to hardwood like ipe over pressure treated lumber, according to Topiarius, and more grass fields and decks will be converted to synthetic turf because of its many benefits, including lower maintenance costs, absence of pesticides, and water-saving advantages.

Trees in pots that bring fruit, color, shade and wildlife to the garden are another forecasted trend. Many potted trees can last year-round when planted in large containers and they make a great solution with little or no outdoor space.

Topiarius last prediction is for chemical-free havens, stating that years ago people only cared about having weed free lawns and gardens. People are now taking the toxic free route and looking at the importance of sustainability and the organic way.