Gardening Sweet Spots
By Donna Hessel
1. Eco-Friendly Gardens
As expected, emphasis continues to be on selecting native plants for gardens. This year, a new term—“nativar”—will appear on plant tags and nativars will be available at garden centers. Nativars are created by selecting and crossing native plant seedlings to produce desired traits such as compact size or brightly colored flowers. Nativars are specifically designed to thrive and fit into residential gardens.
A controversy exists as to whether nativars attract as many pollinators of various types as do wild native plants. Initial research shows that wild native plants are preferred by pollinators, but more research needs to take place to reach a definitive conclusion to this controversy. In the meantime, nativars will attract more gardeners who are skeptical about adding wild native plants to their home gardens.
2. Seeking Out Resilient Plants
Resilient plants are well adapted to withstand stressors such as pollution, climate change and diseases. Boxwood is a classic example of a traditional problem-solving plant that has been widely used but is now struggling due to boxwood blight fungus that destroys large areas of established plants. Gardeners are replacing boxwood with evergreen shrubs without that issue, such as inkberry holly, Pyracomeles (a small hybrid shrub that can be shaped), or an old favorite like gardenia. Other plants that are known for their resilience to environmental stresses include Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), redbud (Cercis), honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) or silver maple (Acer saccharinum) trees. Many grasses, including switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and perennials such as yarrow (Achillea millefolium), catmint (Nepeta) or coneflowers (Echinacea) are environmental survivors.
3. Accepting a Less Tidy Garden and “Meadowscaping” the Lawn
Gardeners are rethinking the appearance of their gardens to facilitate more insects and birds thriving in changing climate conditions. Fading perennials, seed heads and leaf clutter are being left intact through the seasons, and a more relaxed and organic gardening style is being adopted. The trend toward eliminating or reducing turf area and installing low ground covers, clover, native plants and ornamental grasses in pleasing patterns to replace lawns is on the rise.
4. Designing the Garden for Social Gatherings
Expanding outdoor living spaces is becoming more and more popular. Gardens can bring neighbors together. The addition of outdoor kitchens, fire pits and seating areas provides an ideal space to entertain friends and family surrounded by greenery. More communities are designating spaces for community gardens. Roof gardens, strips in parking lots, tree lawns (or hellstrips, depending on where you live) and unused driveways are being turned into gardens.
5. Gardening to Enhance Mental Wellness
Many of us have had the experience of releasing tension after a busy day by “digging in the dirt!” There’s a growing trend to create intimate, quiet spaces within the garden to promote peace and mental well-being. Tranquil spaces are perfect for meditation or reading.
The scent of rosemary can boost a mood and seeing the color green slows down the heart rate. Singing birds promote focus. Elements such as water features, herbs like lavender and chamomile and soft, furry-leaved plants like lamb’s ears increase the enjoyment in tranquil spaces, as does music.
More concerts held in public gardens are an example. Creating a Spotify playlist of pop music to enjoy while working in the garden is increasing in popularity. Do plants grow better “listening” to music? Research says “yes,” but you can test it out for yourself.
6. Capitalizing on Technology
Technology has taken the guesswork out of gardening! Smart watering devices, app-controlled irrigation systems, rain sensors to keep drip lines turned off if it has recently rained, and soil sensors that constantly monitor moisture levels, pH balance and nutrient content of the soil are making gardening easier and more efficient.
Data can be provided to a gardener’s smart phone or computer. Digital garden planners allow gardeners to design their ideal garden virtually. AI chatbots can answer questions from plant care to how to eliminate garden pests.
7. Accommodating Smaller Gardens
Whether renting a home, living in an apartment, limited to a balcony or just lacking space for a large garden, ample opportunities exist for having a garden. Vertical gardens maximize growing space. Microgreen kits and hydroponic garden kits enable indoor gardening. Raised beds on wheels, container gardens and windowsill gardens are all possibilities. Gardens under grow lights will keep producing, even during colder months, expanding the growing season.
8. Incorporating the Color of the Year in the Garden
According to one source, the color of the year for 2025 is teal. And garden centers will be stocking plants leaning toward teal coloring for gardeners to purchase in 2025.
Teal has a calming effect, aligning with the wellness trend. It includes shades of blue, brown, orange and gold, providing a wide range of plants that could be selected to follow this trend.
Some teal-toned plants to consider include Blue Chalk Stick succulents, Allium Ceasuum (Zamin), Beyond Blue™ Fescue, Clarity Blue™ Dianella, Agave tequilana, Brunnera “Jack Frost,” and skyscraper® senecio. Teal also evokes a sense of nostalgia for the carefree spirit of the 1990s and 2000s.
9. Adding Nostalgia to the Garden
We all have favorites that remind us of our mother’s or grandmother’s gardens when we were growing up. Peonies, bearded iris, roses and hollyhocks bring back memories of my childhood home garden. Adding favorites to the garden adds a sense of comfort and familiarity. Oversize blooms, relaxed color schemes or diagonal brick edging are all nostalgic elements. The informal charm of cottage gardens has always been popular. Including traditional plants brings joy and provides continuity.
10. Collecting Plants that Mimic “Fenestration” in Fashion
In 2025, garden centers will be stocking plants that mimic the current fashion trend (aptly named “fenestration”) that provide “windows” in clothing that expose the back (low cut backless gowns), shoulders (cutouts on sleeves), midriff or other sections of the female anatomy.
Gardeners who want to follow this trend are drawn to plants with elongated foliage and deep fenestrations—the deeper the foliage splits, the more captivating the plant (or style!). Trendy or not, these plants are great choices for an indoor garden. If you are inclined to be stylishly trendy, here are some plants to look for:
All varieties of Monstera have large holes in the foliage
- Airy plants — Monstera esqueleto deliciosa, Adonson’s monstera, Monstera lecheriana or Monstera Thai constellation or cobra
“Fringe” plants will have elongated or spiky foliage
- Fringe plants – Philodendron totum pothos silver streak, Schefflera arboricola umbrella plant
+ Houseplants and Succulents
These didn’t show up on any 2025 trend list, but perhaps they have been on our radar long enough to have evolved beyond trend status. Nonetheless, look for them in garden centers and even grocery stores to bring nature into your home throughout the year.
Resources:
GARDEN DESIGN NEWSLETTER: 2025 TRENDS IN GARDEN DESIGN By Rebecca Sweet, Landscape Designer & Garden Writer, https://www.gardencentermag.com/news/garden-media-group-2025-trends-report/
https://www.gardenary.com/blog/garden-trends, 10 Garden Trends to Watch in 2025 by Nicole Burke
https://gardensavvy.com/gardening-blog/gardening-tips/smart-gardening-how-technology-is-revolutionizing-horticulture by Gina LiVorio
Photos from pexels.com
