Pennsylvania Horticultural Society announces top 10 gardening trends of 2026

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has released its top 10 gardening trends for 2026.

Forecasted by horticultural experts at PHS, these trends reflect the ideas, practices and emerging aesthetics expected to influence gardeners across the country in the year ahead. 

"Gardening continues to evolve as people explore new ways to connect with nature, express creativity and grow food and beauty in their own spaces," said Andrew Bunting, vice president of horticulture at PHS. "From innovative houseplant displays and water-wise gravel gardens to cutting-edge AI tools and rewilding practices, the 2026 trends reflect how gardeners are experimenting, learning and finding joy in every corner of their gardens."

This year's list highlights innovations in floral design, landscape practices and ornamental design, as well as indoor growing and plant-forward lifestyle trends.

Many of these trends will be on display at the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show (Feb. 28 through March 8, 2026).

1. Gardening innovations

PHS highlighted innovations including the glow-in-the-dark Firefly petunia, 2nd Sand from Organic Mechanics made from recycled glass and Climb-itt by Leafjoy sustainable climbing poles. 

2. Rewilding

This is a global trend in which homeowners and landowners are letting portions of their properties "rewild." This is not simply a matter of letting the landscape go wild but requires some level of intention. It is important for a rewilding project to allow native species to come back while deterring invasive exotics. 

3. Gravel gardening

This xeriscaping approach is gaining popularity, with many notable public gardens showcasing gravel gardens. This is both an aesthetic approach but also a type of gardening that promotes water-wise gardening with strong visual appeal, a win-win for those looking for beauty while wanting to be more environmentally sound. 

4. Growing cut flowers

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 flowers that are fresher, more seasonal and often cultivated using sustainable practices.

Popular cut flowers include dahlias, zinnias and heirloom annuals. 

5. "Garden to the Max"

Maximalist garden design celebrates the art of bold and unapologetically abundant spaces, where creativity and color take center stage. Teresa Woodard’s "Garden to the Max: Joyful, Visionary, Maximalist Design" promotes bold and abundant garden design and showcases how "more is more" in gardening.

This approach to gardening promotes full and provocative gardens and is perfect for gardeners who don’t shy away from a profusion of color in the garden. 

6. The houseplant phenomenon continues

Houseplants have become a global obsession since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, making gardening accessible for anyone regardless of space. From homes to offices, houseplants bring beauty and wellness indoors while also becoming a popular way to cleanse the air in the home and office.

Aroids remain in vogue and are very collectible, with some cultivars in high demand for their unique foliage  patterns. Popular options this year include monstera, philodendron and pothos.

Kokedama, 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 Sanseviera (syn. Draceana) continue to be stalwart perennials.

7. Fruit growing

Interest in home fruit growing continues to rise, with several organizations hosting festivals and dedicated efforts to promote specific fruits. In the south, there is a considerable movement around the cultivation of the native paw paw Asimina triloba within festivals.

Many new introductions are selected for the size of the fruit and the flavor. Find out if there is an organization near you that can help with your fruit-growing questions. 

8. AI and gardening

Artificial intelligence is now influencing the garden. There are several garden design applications that utilize AI, and many plant identification apps also use AI to help people identify and learn about plants that they see in the wild.

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. Hydrangeas, hydrangeas, hydrangeas!

For over 20 years, there has been a global resurgence on the once old-fashioned hydrangea. While the enthusiasm for many plant groups ebb and flow over time, hydrangeas have remained popular. Many of the world’s largest plant breeding companies have new hydrangea introductions each year.

Native hydrangeas, including selections of the smooth hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens and oakleaf hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia still remain popular. 

10. Gardens that support ecology

A bee hotel.

There are many trends that support creating gardens that benefit the environment and support a host of ecological functions.  

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 Plant 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.