The natural, native garden is having a moment. Finally… Oftentimes, leaders can get out over their skis. This holds true for me and my cohort of gardeners and horticulturists. For what seems like eons now, we have eagerly listened to the lectures of native plant proselytizers including Doug Tallamy, entomologist, conservationist, professor, author and founder of Homegrown National Park, Edwina von Gal, Perfect Earth Project; while proudly working with others, including Uli Lorimer, Native Plant Trust and many others who have been advocating for the use of native plants and more natural-looking, sustainable gardens vs. a traditional sculpted look. In a shameless plug, that is nevertheless altruistic, please visit my past Art of the Garden posts here on Garden Glamour. It’s truly a rich resource about many other leaders who have contributed to the urgent need for biodiverse gardens employing what I often term as designing with native and cosmopolitan plants and is now being referred to as a “wild design with a curated look.”

To celebrate Earth Day and to promote a healthy environment (Edwina notes we can’t kill our way to a healthy life” 🫤), I am bringing you two recent surveys that highlight this “trend” to design our living spaces with well, living things! And not sacrificing the beauty that nature so graciously gives us. I air-quote the trend citation because like me, engaged garden designers have beleived this shift to creating a sustainable, eco-friendly garden is more than a trend ~ it’s critical to our health and wellness.

It helps to think of designing your garden as a place that is meant for all creatures. You can blend ecologically-sourced functionality, and even heritage and plants, with elevated design.

See my guide where to buy native plant resources

We can indeed promote posh pollinator places while enjoying a more relaxed edition of the formal, traditional and “tidy” i.e. lots of symmetry designed garden retreat. A a key element I like to highlight is to use seasonal native plants for pollinators. Bear in mind that there are well, skads of pollinators ~ in every season and we can work to maintain their coevolution ~ that is the relationship between a pollinator and a plant is primarily called a mutualistic relationship (or mutualism), as both species benefit: the plant gets fertilized, and the pollinator receives food (nectar/pollen). They have adapted to each other over time. No small miracle!

I can almost hear the lyrical notes of “At Last” thrumming through my head as I eagerly share these two trend reports. Like good gardeners know, patience is a virtue that must be nurtured and practiced. We just could be at the premiere of our next chaper of garden designs. This is our moment…

The Natural Designed Garden Has Arrived!

Now even Monrovia, the premier plant grower you probably know from buying at your local nursery or garden center says, “Gardeners are wanting a natural, wild design with a curated look.” Yessss!

There’s beauty in a natural look. New research shows that gardeners are continuing to be drawn toward a wild design but want a more curated look. The latest trend, “Wild Meets Refined,” is a slightly nuanced continuation of the Modern Meadow landscape trend.

“This trend is where naturalistic design meets intentional simplicity,” says Katie Tamony, chief marketing officer and trend spotter for Monrovia. “Gardeners interest in soil heath, pollinators, sustainability, and native plants is evolving. They’re combining this interest into a design aesthetic that is natural but not unruly.”

Monrovia Nursery, the nation’s largest grower of premium shrubs, trees and perennials, showcases Wild Meets Refined as one of the top garden design trends to watch for in 2026. Each year the company conducts extensive consumer research with more than 1,400 homeowners. That data, paired with analysis of digital and print media, consumer behavior and adjacent industries such as design, food and art, helps formulate the garden design insights report.

“As we mark Monrovia’s 100th anniversary, we are celebrating past innovations and looking forward to what’s next,” says Tamony. “Natural looking gardens are a trend that continues to grow. In fact, 69% of people we surveyed say they prefer a looser, more natural look to their garden.”

The Wild Meets Refined trend combines native plants with cultivars ensuring a natural beauty with blooms you can count on. The design offers less hit-or-miss performance and creates a freeform look with less maintenance. Plant choices in both categories bring in pollinators and offer a flowing, relaxed look that includes grasses and perennials with rocks and nature-inspired pathways.

Here’s a look at the top plants for the 2026 Wild Meets Refined gardening trend:

Sol Giatto Oxeye Sunflower
Pink Pearl Agastache
Sunseekers™ Rainbow Coneflower
Dark Fire Crocosmia
Picture Purrfect Catmint
BeeMine™ Red Bee Balm
Fine China Sedge
Stars and Stripes Bullrush
Smoke Signal Little Bluestem
Ginger Love Fountain Grass
Honey Blush™ Rose

Top 12 Heat-Loving Plants to Add Vibrant Summer Color Create Stylish Summer Gardens with Plants that Thrive in the Heat

echinacea_sunseekers_salmon_cu3.jpg.webp

46940_hydrangea_macrophylla_hokocentennial_centennial_ruby_7194mnc-2.webp

Just like a seasonal wardrobe swap, it’s time to refresh your garden as the summer heat sets in. When your spring plantings start looking tired it’s the perfect time to spruce up your landscape with fresh varieties that can handle the heat and have you celebrating the season.

“Summer in the garden is all about adding color, texture, and personality,” says Monrovia’s Tamony. “Our favorite heat-loving perennials and shrubs can help you create a stylish and unique outdoor space that is ready for warmer temperatures and relaxing days.”

To inspire your seasonal update, here is a curated list of the top 12 + plants that are perfect for a summer refresh. To keep your garden looking great throughout the summer season, be sure plants are watered well, especially when they are first planted. During the heat of summer, it’s best to water in the morning to reduce evaporation and ensure your plants get the hydration they need to thrive. And I’ll add that it’s key to choose water-wise plants that won’t require lots of water, especially because most every zone is now is suffering from drought during the summer. Please ~ no wasting water on broad expanses of lawn… Save the water for the edibles. And pollinator pools.

Bakers Dozen ~ Perfect Plants for Your Summer Refresh

Sunseekers™ Echinacea – Available in five distinct colors, ~ I’m loving the Apple Green ~ the Sunseekers™ Coneflower series will add hot color to your garden as summer’s heat kicks in. Choose from Sweet Fuchsia, Pumpkin Pie, Rainbow, White, and Golden Sun, or pick more than one and add a colorful display to your landscape. With an abundance of beautiful semi-double flowers, these will attract pollinators to sunny flower beds and also make excellent cut flowers for bouquets. Zones 4-9.
Heat-Loving Lantana – Lantana is the perfect plant for adding color to sunny garden spaces, and Monrovia has the perfect variety for everyone. This is an easy maintenance plant that provides pretty blossoms all season long. Teenie Genie® Compact Lantana is an extremely dense and compact shrub with a continuous display of festive multi-colored flowers that open as a chiffon yellow and transition to fuchsia pink. Teenie Genie provides year-round flowers in warmer climates and is a fantastic choice for containers, mass plantings, and borders. Zones 9-11. Firefrost™ Lantana is an exceptionally cold hardy selection with a natural spreading habit to brighten any garden space. Deep magenta flower clusters have sporadic orange blooms providing showstopping color that’s an excellent choice for groundcover. Zones 7-11. Spice up your garden design with Monrovia’s exclusive Fiesta™ Lantana series. Juicy, bold colors cover this semi-trailing variety making it a perfect addition to hanging baskets and containers. It’s especially striking in patio tree form! Hardy to Zone 10, this series can be used as an annual in cooler climates.
SunBelievable® Brown Eyed Girl Sunflower – With large, sunny yellow petals and a dash of coppery-red surrounding big, beautiful brown eyes, SunBelievable Brown Eyed Girl Sunflowers provide a pop of dramatic color for your summer garden. This award-winning, multi-branching, heat-tolerant annual sunflower produces over 1,000 flowers in a single season, from spring until first frost. Plus, pollinators love its nectar. A spectacular choice for borders and containers. Zones 10-11.
Hemerocallis See you Tomorrow! See You Tomorrow!™ Daylily – A modern twist on a classic flower, See You Tomorrow! produces yellow blooms that feature a tinge of green. Each individual flower lasts for five days, creating enduring, attractive clusters. This perennial is an easy-to-care-for compact plant that tolerates a range of soils and can be tucked into nearly any garden to add reliable summer color. Zones 4-11.
Sunstar™ Orange Coreopsis – If you’re looking for loads of vibrant color, this new coreopsis is for you. With large, vivid citrus-hued, red-spalshed, sun-loving blooms from late spring through the heat of summer, this herbaceous perennial is a well-behaved choice. Along with a long bloom season, Sunstar is an easy-care plant, and its foliage is also mildew resistant. Zones 4-10.
WynjaJazzy Jewel® Hibiscus – This dazzling gem produces a prolific amount of large, long-lasting flowers to add showstopping, exotic color that can take the summer heat. Available in four colors, including Opal, Ruby, Gold, and Amber, the blooms bring a taste of the tropics to containers that will liven up your patios, decks, and front entryways. Zones 9-11.
Mexican Hardy Petunia – This unique perennial with petunia-like flowers is actually not a petunia at all, but a specimen called Ruellia. Tall upright stems are covered with beautiful purple blooms throughout the season. This plant is exceptionally adaptable and thrives in dry, harsh conditions. It is a lovely accent or back of the border plant.
Compact Spicy Jatropha - Extreme summer heat is no match for this tropical evergreen. Spicy Jatropha is loaded with clusters of bright red flowers that command attention. The blooms sit atop foliage that emerges a beautiful bronze and transitions to vivid green. At home in the landscape as a hedge or border accent, this versatile shrub is a great container selection and works as a houseplant too. Zone 10-11.
Summer Soul® Arabian Jasmine – This stunning selection will fill your garden with beautiful fragrance and flowers all summer long. Summer Soul Arabian Jasmine features big, creamy-white double blooms that sit on a backdrop of beautiful, shiny evergreen leaves. It creates a beautiful, compact flowering hedge or stunning border plant. Plant it in a container to bring the fresh scent to any area of your yard. In warm areas, it will bloom year-round. In Northern climates, it can be brought indoors in the winter. Zone: 9-11
Stoplights Red Yucca – Stoplights is a great choice for hot, arid Stoplights Red Yuccaclimates and once established, it thrives in a waterwise garden. The soft, green leaves are contrasted by tubular flowers set on tall stalks that are both crimson-red, drawing hummingbirds and other pollinators in. Zones 5-11.
Heatwave™ Blaze Sage – It’s tough to beat salvia for heat-loving color! Heatwave Blaze features dark crimson flowers that cover this evergreen shrub from spring through fall. Its compact habit makes this selection is great for sunny borders and containers. Exceptionally heat tolerant and evergreen in mild winter regions. Zones 6-10.
Burgundy Queen® Bougainvillea – This selection brings a double Burgundy Queen® Bougainvillea dose of beauty to the garden with stunning flowers and gorgeous foliage. The new growth leaves of Burgundy Queen are a showy, deep wine-red. The flower-like bracts are an even more dramatic burgundy hue. Discovered by Monrovia Craftsman Tracy Harrison at the Georgia nursery, Burgundy Queen is a vigorous climber, growing up to 30 feet. It is the perfect climber for trellises, fences, and large patio pots. Evergreen in warmer climates, Burgundy Queen is also a great container or hanging basket annual in cooler regions. Zones 10-11.
Centennial Ruby Hydrangea ~ I love this one. Not only a Monrovia celebration but you can think of it as a special USA semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence charmer. This hydrangea is a special release to celebrate Monrovia's 100th anniversary, the flowers of this hydrangea are simply stunning. The rich ruby-red mophead blooms deepen in color as the long-lasting flowers age, sometimes taking on almost black hues. Exceptionally sturdy and compact, with strong stems and thick green leaves. Reblooming. Deciduous.

42889_coreopsis_verticillata_tncorso_sunstar_orange_2808mnc.webp

43863_bougainvillea_monharr_burgundy_queen_2750mnc_web.webp

Monrovia has created a direct link to more heat-loving plants on Monrovia.com. You can also use Monrovia's "My Plantfinder" tool to search for the perfect selections to refresh your garden. Be sure to visit your local independent garden center for more inspiration. You can buy direct online ~ free shipping over $99 and/or order online and pick up or have delivered by your local nursery or plant center, including Lowe’s.

Monrovia supplied plant images; photographs by Doreen Wynja

Horticultural Gardening Trend Report from PHS

And then there is the just-released trend report provided by The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), shared not long after this year’s super successful show, Rooted: Origins of American Gardening and its focus on native plants.

2026 Trending Plants

Carnivorous Plants: Carnivorous plants are growing in popularity for their striking and unusual shapes and bug-eating abilities. Varieties like pitcher plants, including purple and sweet types, add visual interest while helping manage pests naturally.

Terrariums and Small-Scale Plantings: Terrariums are being reimagined in more unique vessels such as Wardian cases, cloches, bowls, and glass containers of varying shapes and sizes. These contained environments offer an accessible, design-forward way to engage with plants on a more personal scale.

Bold Tropical Plants: Tropical plants will continue to anchor large-scale displays and home decor, adding texture and structure to garden and personal spaces. Monstera deliciosa is joined by accessible favorites such as rubber plants, fiddle leaf figs, and weeping ficus, part of a resurgence of ficus as a design staple. Newer introductions like Philodendron Birkin, Xanthosoma, and silver-toned Scindapsus pictus add striking foliage and collector appeal.

Floral Trends

Sculptural Floral Installations: Large, structured arrangements incorporate branchwork, texture, and unexpected materials, turning florals into art.

Massed Blooms and Rounded Forms: Hydrangeas, delphiniums, roses, and sunflowers are used to create sculptural, rhythmic compositions.

Unexpected Botanicals: Designers are highlighting elements that were once overlooked and thought to be unattractive, including petal-less flowers, seed heads, and dissected plant forms. These features bring texture and structure to arrangements, shifting floral design toward natural authenticity.

Monochromatic Color and Repetition: Jewel tones, including deep blues, burgundies, and rich pinks, reinforced bold visual statements.

Locally Grown and Sourced Florals: Regional cut flower farms are influencing floral choices, with designers prioritizing seasonal, locally sourced blooms to strengthen the connection between growers and gardens.

Landscape Trends

Soil as a Design Element: Designers are emphasizing soil health with tailored blends and amendments, connecting soil care to overall garden wellness. Textured Top Dressing: Stone, sand, crushed shells, and terracotta are replacing traditional hardscaping to add texture and depth. Etta Studio’s North of the White Barn used rocks to create a grounded, naturalistic finish.

Accessible and Customizable Design: Affordable tools and customizable outdoor features make garden design more accessible and unique. Features like solar lighting, once requiring costly wiring, are now simple and budget-friendly to install alongside color-changing bulbs, app-controlled lighting, and other customizable elements. Rewilded Landscapes: Designers are continuing to create landscapes that appear untouched but are carefully guided to support ecological balance. Native and pollinator-friendly plants help restore local systems while reducing maintenance.

The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show continues to showcase trends in gardening; blending beauty, ecology, and storytelling. The 2026 Show "Rooted: Origins of American Gardening" demonstrated how gardens can reflect history, identity, and ecological systems, inspiring gardeners to bring these ideas into their own spaces.

I hope that you will pursue these timely garden trends and adapt them for your garden accordingly. With your garden designer or on your own. You can incorporate the plants as your budget and style allows.

If you have any questions or thoughts, please ask me.

Here are a few links to help you.

Resources: