Here Are the Home Garden Trends I'm Most Looking Forward to in the New Year

Gardens used to be about growing food—plain and simple. But now, as we move into 2025, they've evolved into so much more. A garden could be a space for wellness, creativity, sustainability, habitat preservation, life-long learning, or community.

We're only 5 years away from my dream of everybody growing a little bit of their food by 2030. That may be an overly lofty goal, but this coming year promises lots of exciting trends that could help spread the love of gardening to more people, even those who don't think they have a green thumb.

Here’s a quick look at the garden trends that, as a professional garden designer, I'm looking forward to most in 2025.

One: Growing Micro-Gardens

I always wanted a garden in my 20s, but I was convinced I didn't have the space. Well, guess what? Gardening is no longer only for those of us with large yards or acres and acres of land. Even apartment-dwelling gardeners can maximize their growing space with vertical gardens, standing planters, microgreens kits, hydroponic gardens, raised beds on wheels, container gardens, and windowsill setups.

It's 2025—you can grow food in even the tiniest of basement apartments! There's nothing stopping you!

Two: Year-Round Gardening

My Chicago neighbors always looked at me like I was crazy when I started planting in my garden in March. My goal is to grow year round, whether that means having an indoor garden under grow lights for the colder months or pushing the boundaries for when I can grow things outdoors.

The truth is, most of us can grow way more during the year than we think. Even in colder climates, you can extend your growing seasons with protection like frost cloth, floating row covers, or even cold frames.

More and more people are finding ways to grow no matter the time of year. I like to think of myself as an early trendsetter for this one (it totally wasn't because I am a little crazy).

Three: Growing Sprouts

This is the simplest way to get started growing your own food, and I think more and more of us will grow our own sprouts this year. All you need is a sprout container or a sprouting jar and then lots and lots of sprout seeds. (My favorites are broccoli sprouts and alfalfa sprouts.)

Sprouts are so, so good for you—they may be tiny, but they're filled with nutrients—and you can toss them on just about any meal you're making. I eat a sprout omelette, sprout salad, or sprout sandwich pretty much every day. My goal is to start several batches of sprouts each week so I always have yummy flavors to toss onto my plate.

Four: Viewing the Garden as a Social Gathering Space

We might be several years past the isolation of the pandemic, but we're still craving connection. Gardens are the perfect social space. They can bring neighbors together by providing an opportunity for learning and sharing resources.

I've noticed that more and more of my clients are asking for seating areas and fire pits in their kitchen gardens. Or they want their garden to be designed right next to their outdoor kitchen. They want to entertain their friends and family surrounded by greenery.

Here's to more community gardens, garden clubs, and shared gardening spaces in 2025!

Five: Putting the Garden Front and Center

When I first started my garden business, many of my clients wanted to hide their garden behind the garage because they were worried it would look unsightly. I always told them the best way to ensure your garden looks its best is by putting it somewhere you can actually see it.

Now, I have clients who put their gardens right in their front yards. Who needs a bunch of grass or more boring landscaping when you could be growing your own groceries for all your neighbors to see?

Even if you don't have room for raised beds in your front yard, you could grow some "edimentals"—or really attractive edible plants like Swiss chard, rosemary, purple basil, and chives—in a little planter on your porch or balcony. These plants offer the best of both worlds: they’re stunning to look at and yield delicious produce.

Six: Replacing Grass with Native Plants

More and more of my clients are ripping up parts of their perfectly manicured lawns and giving way to more wild, nature-inspired landscapes. One of my favorite kitchen gardens my team and I installed this year is surrounded by a native plant and pollinator-friendly garden space.

Native plants and wildflowers require way less water to grow, and you don't have to mow them. They're pretty low maintenance as a rule. Plus, they do real good for the climate by feeding pollinators, giving wildlife shelter, and increasing biodiversity.

When my team and I recently planted a cut flower garden, it was magical to see how quickly the bees and butterflies flocked to the plants—like, the moment we placed them on the soil. It was like they were there waiting for us to give them some food!

If you really want to embrace a more wild look, you could hop aboard the meadowscaping trend in 2025. Turn your entire yard into a mini-meadow!

Seven: Using Technology to Make Gardening Easier

Technology is becoming an integral part of gardening. One way that tech will make gardening more accessible than ever in 2025 is with smart watering devices. My clients want app-controlled irrigation systems and rain sensors so their drip lines don't run if it's just rained. Some of my clients even have soil sensors that notify them when their plants need water!

Tech tools like these make gardening easier and more efficient than ever.

Eight: Prioritizing Gardening for Wellness

Did you know that the smell of rosemary can boost your mood? That seeing the color green slows down your heart rate? That hearing birds sing can help you focus? That watching plants grow increases the production of feel-good hormones like serotonin (this comes from something called soft fascination)? Gardening is about so much more than growing plants. It can do wonders for your mental health.

This coming year, I foresee more and more people setting up wellness gardens—basically, taking the connection between gardening and mental health to new heights. A wellness garden is designed specifically to promote relaxation, mindfulness, and well... general wellbeing.

Clients who are interested in gardening for mental health ask me for elements like tranquil water features, fragrant herbs like lavender and chamomile, and soft, sensory-friendly plants like lamb’s ear. They want their garden to be a space they can unwind, meditate, or practice yoga surrounded by nature’s beauty.

Nine: Climate-Resilient Gardening

The effects of climate change are undeniable, and gardeners all over the world are stepping up to the challenge by creating spaces that can withstand unpredictable weather, mostly droughts and floods. In 2025, I expect to see a surge in the use of drought-tolerant plants, native plants, and innovative water-saving techniques like drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting.

Ten: Practicing Regenerative Gardening

Okay, this one might be more wishful thinking on my part, but I'm noticing that more and more of my social media followers are on board with my "Ditch the Miracle-Gro" stance.

I've always prioritized the soil. Building really great nutrient-rich soil is a key component of organic gardening. So for me, that means embracing regenerative techniques that actively improve soil health and biodiversity. I make my own compost, I practice no-till gardening, I companion plant, I add cover crops during the winter, and I never put synthetic fertilizer like Miracle-Gro in my garden.

Imagine if we were all practicing regenerative gardening and doing our little part to help the environment.

Which Garden Trend Are You Most Looking Forward to in 2025?

To me, the garden trends I'm anticipating for 2025 reflect a world that's gradually becoming more conscious, connected, and creative. We're viewing the garden as a space to nurture not just plants, but also people and, heck, the entire planet.

I'm so inspired by the direction gardens are heading, but if we're going to make my dream of everyone being a gardener by 2030 happen, I need your help. Share this post with an aspiring gardener in your life; gift them some free seeds; tell them about some simple ways they can get started. Let's work together to make this the most garden-centered year ever!

What trend are you most excited to try in 2025? Share your gardening goals and dreams with us over on Instagram @gardenaryco. We’d love to hear your thoughts!

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