Data-driven discoveries

Photos courtesy of Monrovia

Wouldn’t it be great if we had a crystal ball to forecast sales next spring? Several springs ahead? Being able to see into the future could pave the way to greater success, especially in our industry, where we have to plan ahead. But while there’s no crystal ball, we can discern patterns and interests from consumers that can help us make choices in what to grow and how to communicate.

At Monrovia, we use data-driven insights to help us forecast what the gardens of the future might look like. Every year, we conduct a gardening research study surveying 1,400 homeowners across the U.S. who purchase outdoor plants from garden and home centers.

On a monthly basis, we also create mobile surveys addressing plant shoppers in the general population as well as our 100,000 email subscribers, asking questions about design ideas, interest in sustainable practices, and plant colors and types. This data, paired with extensive scouting of the connections among gardening, art, design, cooking, family and other lifestyle pursuits, helps inform Monrovia’s 2025 Design Trend Report.

All these trends help inform the plants we choose to grow, from pollinator perennials to heat resilient and waterwise plants, from particular colors in hydrangeas to disease-resistant roses. Here is a look at the top consumer trends that can help your business in the next few years.

The modern meadow

One trend we’re watching for 2025 and beyond is a design we’re calling the modern meadow. Our research found that 28% of those we surveyed say they want their garden to have a more natural look in the future. That number is up 6% since last year.

Modern meadow gardens are a full sensory experience, with color, movement and a connection to nature. Modern meadows add a relaxing beauty to the garden. By choosing the right plants for the space, they can be low maintenance and drought tolerant once established. This design trend can also be created in any garden size by choosing compact plants that stay tidy in the landscape, while still creating the feel of a wilder look.

The modern take on this natural garden style has the appeal that people seek with native plants, but it’s better behaved and easier to care for. You’ll still have the feeling of a wild meadow with beautiful grasses and colorful, pollinator-friendly perennials, as well as edible perennials, just on an easier-to-manage scale. Modern meadows are beautiful and free-flowing, inviting birds, bees and humans to find joy in the landscape.

Growing ideas: Are you growing plants that appeal to a more natural garden style? Are you offering more compact selections that make this trend adaptable to smaller spaces?

Hummingbirds

For many gardeners, the goal for the landscape is to create a productive space teeming with life. Many of us are planting to attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators. The process of creating a pollinator-friendly garden puts us more in touch with nature and can expand our connection to the garden.

Attracting pollinators is gathering focus for many gardeners. We are seeing increased interest in attracting hummingbirds to the garden. Some are even calling it the next glamour animal — the pollinator they feel most connected to, the one that stops them in their tracks when they encounter it in the garden.

Growing ideas: One of the best ways to attract hummingbirds to your garden is to plant varieties that have vase-shaped or tubular blooms. The specific shape of these blooms can accommodate the long bills of the hummingbirds, making it easier for them to gather nectar. Make sure you’re growing these types of pollinator favorites.

Bold colors and lush layers

In home design, we’re seeing a return to bolder colors in paint and fabrics. That trend is showing up in the garden as well.

We are craving the depth and energy of strong color in the landscape. Breeders are delivering on that need with blooms and foliage in deep, color-saturated hues. This trend focuses on adding layers of lush richness to the garden.

Growing ideas: Home gardeners crave color. Do your selections offer bold colors and plentiful blooms?

Green drenching

More than half of the homeowners we surveyed say that gardening is good for their mental health and well-being. Those that say gardening helps them feel hopeful and positive has increased 4%. We’re seeing a rising interest in soothing tones of green and interest in foliage and texture — not just bright blooms — to create spaces that are more serene.

Green drenching is all about bathing the outdoor area in soothing green tones, from soft fuzzy groundcovers underfoot to living vertical walls of greenery. The focus is on foliage, adding structure and a sense of calm to the chaos of everyday life.

Growing ideas: Does your houseplant program include larger varieties that can be used as outdoor décor? Are you growing evergreens? Do your selections need an upgrade? Modern breeding has opened a world of possibilities, including new forms, compact habits and intriguing colors.

Romancing the garden

The trend of longing for nostalgia and romance in the garden is on the rise and expanding. Monrovia’s survey found that 36% of those polled say gardening reminds them of simpler times and makes them feel nostalgic. That number is up 4% since last year.

We are seeing this trend advance by pairing beauty with productivity. Edible plants and pollinator attractors are showing up with new combinations to create a romantic cottage feel that brings more function and nostalgic connection to the garden. Hydrangeas are being paired with blueberries to create a beautiful and edible hedge. Strawberries and apples are being tucked in with roses not only to maximize space, but to create a happy and nostalgic feel.

Growing ideas: Are the edibles you’re growing providing more in the garden? New selections bring more beauty, not just productivity, to the garden, with interesting foliage and forms.

Katie Tamony is Monrovia’s chief marketing officer and trend spotter. Visit monrovia.com for more information on trends.