Monrovia’s Take on Garden Trends

Ellen C. Wells

I didn’t have time to participate in Monrovia’s New Plants and Garden Trends webinar, but I reached out to them to get a synopsis of what their Chief Marketing Officer Katie Tamony and Plant Selections Manager Georgia Clay (best name in the business) had to say on the topics.

Their trends analysis is based on their consumer research with more than 1,400 homeowners and also on media, consumer behavior and the design, food and art industries—in other words, they’re looking at a whole world of influences to see what trends are on the horizon for horticulture.

“Our latest research has shown that interest in gardening overall is holding steady year over year despite economic worries and pressures,” said Katie. “We see that edible gardening is a top goal for next year across all age groups and the main motivation in gardening continues to be about creating spaces that help us lower our stress.”

I’ll do my best to synopsize Monrovia’s top gardening design trends for 2026:
Patio Culture: Creating a place to relax and unwind is a primary motivation for many gardeners, with older gardeners seeing the space as an extension of the living room. Plants soften the patio’s hardscape and add greenery, pops of color and fragrance.

Exquisite Edibles: Monrovia found this trend to be more than just homeowners growing their own food when times are tough. Instead, they’re finding that folks are getting more adventurous and “world aware” in what’s going in their gardens. Think kiwi, persimmons, figs and unique forms such as compact, columnar and espaliered fruit trees and bushes.

Wild But Refined: A continuation of the Modern Meadow trend, folks are continuing to be drawn toward a wild design, but want a more curated look. They’re combining interests in natives, pollinators and sustainability with an aesthetic that’s natural, but not unruly.

The Sunday Garden: Gardens are seen as places to where one escapes and should be easy as pie to maintain. Homeowners want a place to relax, one with a soothing backdrop, some quiet luxury and a touch of romance. Picture a place with evergreen hedges, interesting foliage, some 
jasmine and definitely climbing roses.

GO HERE to watch the webinar for more details about these trends and the Monrovia varieties that fit the aesthetics. GP