As gardening enthusiasts look toward the year ahead, we are delighted to share the Top 10 Gardening Trends for 2026 from PHS’s VP of Horticulture, Andrew Bunting. With nearly 200 years of horticultural experience and as the producer of the iconic PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, we have identified emerging trends that will shape gardens, indoors and out, in the coming year. 

“These 2026 gardening trends aggregate a mix of ideas and approaches stemming from our observations attending professional conferences, exhibitions, visiting countless personal and public gardens, and conversations with horticultural professionals. They are a fantastic reflection of what gardeners are focusing on right now, and the direction the industry at large is headed,” says Andrew. Whether you are a seasoned gardener or just getting your hands into the soil for the first time, there is something here to inspire your growing journey. 

1. New Garden Innovations 

This year brought a fresh crop of gardening innovations that stand out for their originality and smart design. New plants and products are not only eye-catching, but also reflect a growing focus on sustainability and versatility; both indoors and out. 

In the world of new plants, Petunia ‘Firefly’ is a striking innovation, with petals featuring subtle flecks that glow in the dark. The effect adds an unexpected layer of interest to containers and garden beds, extending visual appeal into the evening hours and offering gardeners a playful new way to experience familiar annuals. 

Gardening products like the 2nd Sand highlight how sustainability is shaping everyday garden materials. Made from recycled glass, this versatile medium can be mixed into soil to improve drainage or used as a decorative top layer, making it especially well-suited for terrariums and other small-scale plant displays. 

Climb-itt® by Leafjoy® reflects a similar focus on smart, eco-conscious design. These sustainable climbing poles support twining houseplants while replacing traditional materials with a blend made from potato skins and elephant grass, offering a functional, plant-based alternative that fits seamlessly into modern indoor gardens. 

2. Rewilding Your Garden 

Rewilding is gaining traction as gardeners create intentional natural areas on their properties. Rather than letting land grow unchecked, rewilding focuses on allowing native species to return while managing or removing invasive exotics. This creates healthier ecosystems and supports biodiversity. 

3. The Rise of Gravel Gardening 

Gravel gardening continues to grow in popularity as a xeriscaping technique that promotes water-wise gardening. In spring 2026, “Gravel Guru” Jeff Epping will release a new book covering all aspects of gravel gardening. Notable public gardens adopting this approach include The Scott Arboretum and Gardens, Chanticleer, PHS Meadowbrook Farm, Cantigny, and Olbrich Botanic Gardens. Gravel gardens offer practical water conservation and strong visual appeal. 

4. Growing Flowers for Cutting 

Over the last decade, boutique flower farms have emerged across the country, reshaping how people grow, buy, and enjoy cut flowers. This movement reflects a growing interest in locally grown blooms that are fresher, more seasonal, and often cultivated using sustainable practices. As demand continues to rise, organizations like the PA Flower Hub play a key role by connecting local farms and growers with florists, strengthening regional supply chains and supporting small producers. 

For home gardeners, cut flower gardens offer both beauty and utility. Popular choices such as dahlias and zinnias provide abundant, long-lasting blooms throughout the growing season, while heirloom annuals add unique colors, forms, and fragrances that are rarely found in commercial arrangements. Together, these flowers allow gardeners to create diverse, productive gardens that bring the experience of local flower farming right into their own backyards. 

5. Maximalist Garden Design, “More Is More” 

Inspired by Teresa Woodard’s Garden to the Max: Joyful, Visionary, Maximalist Design, gardeners are embracing bold and abundant design. This approach celebrates lush plantings, rich color, and expressive spaces. Gardeners who enjoy full, layered, and vibrant gardens are finding inspiration in this maximalist philosophy of design. 

6. Houseplants Still in the Spotlight 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, houseplants have become a global passion. They make gardening accessible to anyone, no matter the space. Homes, offices, and small apartments continue to adopt houseplants for beauty, wellness, and even air purification. 

Plant collectors remain especially enthusiastic about aroids. Proven Winners has introduced a new line of houseplants called Leafjoy®, offering fresh selections for indoor gardeners. Kokodama, a decorative planting technique in which plants are grown in a compact, soil-filled ball wrapped in natural fiber such as coconut coir and displayed without a traditional pot, provides an artistic way to showcase orchids and other tropicals. Snake plants, Sansevieria (syn. Dracaena), remain dependable choices, with new cultivars such as ‘Pagoda Tower’, ‘Jewel Crown’, ‘Lili Put’, ‘Tiger Crown’, and ‘Hedgehog’ generating excitement for their unique foliage and easy maintenance. 

7. Fruit Growing Flourishes 

Interest in home fruit growing continues to rise with several organizations hosting festivals, and dedicated efforts to promote specific fruits. In the South, the native pawpaw, Asimina triloba, is generating attention with festivals and new introductions selected for fruit size and flavor. Heartwood Nursery in southern Pennsylvania hosts an annual Serviceberry Festival, celebrating Amelanchier canadensis. In Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Orchard Project promotes fruit cultivation throughout the city. 

Plant Options: 

• Diospyros kaki, Asian persimmon: ‘Saijo’, ‘Great Wall’, ‘Fuyu’ 
• Diospyros virginiana, American persimmon 
• Asimina triloba, pawpaw: ‘Susquehanna’, ‘Shenandoah’, ‘Wabash’, ‘Rebecca’s Gold’, ‘Sunflower’ 
• Amelanchier canadensis, serviceberry 

• Ficus carica, fig: Fignomenal™ 

8. AI Meets the Garden 

Artificial intelligence is now part of the gardening world. Many garden design apps use AI to help visualize layouts, and numerous plant identification apps rely on AI to assist beginners and experts alike. Undoubtedly, many have also seen fantastical images of hostas, elephant ears and other plants that seem otherworldly with some sites offering to sell seeds for these plants. Many of these are AI generated, so it is important to do your due diligence and to use AI as a tool but be aware of misinformation.

9. Hydrangea Fever Continues 

Hydrangeas have enjoyed more than twenty years of renewed popularity, and enthusiasm remains high. Major plant breeding companies introduce new hydrangeas annually. At CULTIVATE, a global tradeshow in Columbus, Ohio, several new introductions were showcased for the first time, including First® Editions Hydrangea paniculata Spring Sizzle® and Bloomin’ Easy Hydrangea paniculata Bubble Bath™. 

Native hydrangeas continue to be favorites, including selections of the smooth hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens, and the oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia. 

10. Gardens That Support Ecology 

Many gardeners are focusing on practices that support environmental health and ecological functions and smartly integrating them into their gardening practices. 

Native plants remain essential, especially pollinator-friendly species like butterfly milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa, which attracts the threatened Monarch butterfly. Gardeners are also reducing lawn areas and adopting practices like “leaving the leaves” to create habitat for overwintering insects. 

The PHS Gold Medal Program highlights exceptional trees, shrubs, and perennials that support ecological health, such as Aronia arbutifolia ‘Brilliantissima’ (chokeberry) and Rudbeckia maxima (giant coneflower), which provide important food sources for birds. 

Habitat piles and bee hotels are aesthetically arranged piles of twigs, branches, and perennial stems, that offer shelter for insects, mammals, and birds as they decompose. Many gardeners are also adding creative “bee hotels” to support solitary bees.

Grow with PHS in 2026 

From houseplants to rewilding to ecological gardening, these 2026 gardening trends offer inspiration for gardeners of all experience levels. Explore more ideas, expert tips, and seasonal guidance on the PHS Gardener’s Blog, and discover even more at the 2026 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, taking place February 28 to March 8, 2026 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. 

We look forward to gardening with you in the year ahead!