By Marta Rusek 

Gardening is more than just a hobby - it’s a way to reconnect with nature, express creativity, and even boost mental well-being. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or budding flower enthusiast, 2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for horticulture.  

We spoke with gardening expert and trendspotter Andrew Bunting about the gardening trends to watch for 2025, from creative indoor displays to eco-conscious practices. 

Bold Displays of Tropical Plants 

Gardening in 2025 is all about bold statements, and nothing grabs attention like stunning tropical and foliage plants. “Elephant ears, Colocasia like Pharaohs Mask®, Redemption™ and Royal Hawaiian® ‘Waikiki’ make a bold splash in the garden,” Andrew explains. New coleus selections, like Talavera™ Sienna and Charged UP™ Campfire, as well as extraordinary caladium and begonia varieties, offer easy-to-grow pops of color and texture that would turn any summer garden into a vibrant tropical getaway. 

Gardening Influencers Go Big 

“Gardening influencers across the country are helping inspire and educate new gardeners with exciting, engaging content,” says Andrew. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest are brimming with gardening influencers who demonstrate innovative planting techniques and creative designs. Pioneers like Summer Rayne Oakes of @homesteadbrooklyn have made houseplants and stylish interior greenery mainstream, while Brie Arthur (known to her audience as @brietheplantlady) teaches followers how to combine productivity with beauty in their vegetable gardens. Alexis Nikole, @blackforager, gets her 1.8 million followers excited about foraging and making delicious vegan recipes with the food she finds during her adventures.

Expect even more fresh, engaging content in 2025, as influencers break down barriers and make gardening even more accessible to new gardeners and floral enthusiasts. 

The Terrarium Renaissance  

Terrariums are making an epic comeback! (For us, they never left.) These miniature gardens allow hobbyists to bring the outdoors inside, particularly for homes with limited space or low light. Enclosed glass environments are perfect for ferns, begonias, carnivorous plants, and other species that thrive in humid environments. 

"For those with minimal space at home and even minimal light, a terrarium garden offers a platform to aesthetically display carnivorous plants, ferns, begonias, gesneriads, and many other humidity-loving plants,” Andrew shares.  

Vertical Gardening and Living Walls  

As living spaces are getting smaller, gardens are growing taller. Vertical gardening is becoming increasingly popular because of its versatility and ability to maximize limited space. From lush indoor green walls in corporate atriums to vertical planter boxes for urban dwellings, gardeners are exploring upward-growing designs. 

Outdoor vertical gardens are just as popular. “Depending on the climate, outdoor displays of green walls can be accomplished with some hardy plants, but provocative displays of annuals and Tropicals have also been a popular option,” Andrew explains. 

The Movement to Bring Biodiversity Home 

Inspired by Doug Tallamy’s book Bringing Nature Home, many gardeners are becoming more focused on creating ecologically diverse habitats right at home. Popular trends include planting native species like milkweeds, mountain mints, and asters to attract pollinators such as butterflies and bees. 

Additionally, strategies like “Leave the Leaves” (which Andrew recently explored in-depth here) and creating habitats like bee hotels encourage overwintering insects and native bee populations to thrive. These methods give gardeners a crucial role in protecting pollinator ecosystems and ensuring a healthier planet. 

Growing the Future Through Urban Gardening 

"A passion for creating livable, sustainable and resilient gardens and plantings is happening in cities across the U. S.,” says Andrew. Initiatives such as the Philadelphia Orchard Project plant fruit trees on vacant lots and community gardens, while designers like Kelly Norris and Apiary Studios are turning degraded urban areas into abundant ecosystems, helping infuse greenspace in unlikely places. 

Additionally, many designers are promoting the re-use and recycling of materials to build new gardens.  Thanks to these movements, overall interest in volunteering in community gardens, learning to grow one’s own food, and other greening efforts are gaining momentum among city dwellers.   

The Ever-Growing Houseplant Phenomenon 

Houseplants have firmly secured their place in gardening trends, and their popularity shows no signs of waning. Coveted varieties like Monstera, Philodendron, and other aroids have become icons of style, embraced by decorators and urban gardeners alike. 

Likewise, communities like the Indoor Plant Society, Cactus and Succulent Society, and other specialized groups connect passionate plant parents and support the rising tide of houseplant enthusiasm. “The establishment of these Societies provides further evidence that the rise of houseplants is here to stay,” Andrew shares. 

Long live the houseplant lovefest.