Pennsylvania Horticultural Society shares top gardening trends from 2025 Philadelphia Flower Show

Published May 05, 2025 | Updated May 07, 2025

Listen to article

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society announced its forecast for the top global gardening trends to emerge from the 2025 Philadelphia Flower Show, “Gardens of Tomorrow.”

The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show was started in 1829 by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, which was founded two years earlier, in 1827. The show has a nearly 200-year history as a globally recognized platform for floral and garden design, and garden designers, floral designers and landscape artists come together each year to showcase their talents.

The 2025 theme, “Gardens of Tomorrow,” invited guests to explore a future where the act of gardening shapes a more resilient, sustainable and beautiful world. This year's theme emphasized the power of plants and design in showing how gardens can serve as symbols of hope and renewal. “Gardens of Tomorrow” highlighted a variety of trends in flowers, houseplants, landscapes and floral event design.

“The Philadelphia Flower Show has long been a noted place for spotting emergent trends in gardening and landscape design. In 2025, 'Gardens of Tomorrow' highlights how the future of gardening can be both innovative and nostalgic, blending modern sustainability with timeless beauty. These trends showcase the growing desire for gardens that provide sanctuary, resilience and inspiration,” said PHS VP and Flower Show Creative Director Seth Pearsoll.

The show returns to the Pennsylvania Convention Center from Feb. 28 through March 8, 2026.

2025 trending plants

At the 2025 Philadelphia Flower Show, a diverse range of plants captured attention in the exhibits, with some exciting newcomers and returning favorites.

Ranunculus (particularly the unique Butterfly variety), anemones, snapdragons and cosmos are gaining popularity for their distinctive color variations and seasonality, with designers focused on locally grown and sustainable options.

Additionally, the use of whimsical and nostalgic blooms like sweet peas, delphiniums, daisies and retro favorites such as marigolds, mums and carnations were a standout, evoking a sense of nostalgia and joy while making a stylish comeback. These blooms are being embraced by key floral arrangement trendsetters, including Jennifer Designs, winner of the 2025 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show Cup for Best in Show.

2025 landscape trends

Nostalgia-inspired landscapes showcased how designers are drawing inspiration from memories to create spaces that both celebrate the past and embrace the future.

“These gardens evoke childhood memories of idyllic meadows and carefree days, blending timeless natural features with modern design elements. In a world full of uncertainty, these gardens reclaim simpler times for the future, serving as retreats from our tech-heavy world,” PHS said in its forecast. “This trend was beautifully demonstrated in Apiary Studio's exhibit, Grass Stains, where nostalgic, meadow-like designs invited visitors to step into a peaceful, memory-laden landscape.”

In 2025 and beyond, raw, unrefined wood — roots, trunks and branches — will take center stage in landscape design, moving beyond the trend of reclaimed materials, PHS predicted.

“These elements are used with striking precision to create bold, sculptural forms that celebrate the natural world and push sustainable design forward,” PHS said in its forecast. “The AIFD exhibit Elysium in Chaos: Flowers without Boundaries showcased unrefined wood pieces incorporated into nature-inspired displays that blurred the lines between organic materials and modern design.”

Moss is reclaiming its place as a central design feature, with PHS saying that it's “no longer just a supporting texture but a focal point for tranquility. Designers are embracing a variety of moss species to create lush, meditative spaces that use greenery to evoke calm and introduce negative space.”

Water features are no longer a novelty or extravagant feature but have been positioned as calming, reassuring structures in garden designs.

“Whether through serene pools, fog machines, or simple water features, the focus is on creating spaces that offer spiritual and emotional respite, providing reassurance in a turbulent world,” PHS said.

Spaces for gathering are also set to become a focal point in garden design, creating areas to unplug, reflect and reconnect with nature and one another.

“These quiet sanctuaries offer protection and peace, inviting visitors to linger and find stillness in the natural world,” PHS said.

2025 floral trends

Structural floral designs are a defining feature in 2025, with a shift toward bold, modern displays that intertwine floral elements with architectural structures like tree crowns and branch work. This trend blends nature’s raw forms with cutting-edge, geometric aesthetics to create striking, sculptural designs, PHS said.

Dried flowers are experiencing a renaissance, expected to transition from a niche trend to a core design element. High-quality preserved florals are becoming a prominent feature, offering texture, permanence and modernity in floral arrangements. Blooms are being reimagined in new ways, adding both character and sophistication to contemporary designs, PHS said.

Color palettes with a nostalgic twist are emerging in 2025, with soft, desaturated tones like butter yellows and muted pastels leading the way. These mid-toned, soothing color schemes bring emotional warmth to floral designs, as they move away from bold contrasts to evoke a sense of calm, PHS said.

The fusion of perennials, tropicals and annuals is being used to create intricate plantings that balance vibrant, lush growth with enduring beauty. By blending these different plant types, designers are crafting gardens that are both visually striking and seasonally resilient, PHS said.