Ripping-up the gardening rule book

Gardeners are predicted to continue following their own rules in 2025, growing in ways that reflect their interests and personality rather than just for aesthetics.

The fashion colours for 2025

One rule that does still apply in 2025 is, gardening still has to be fun, and who doesn’t love to read about what’s trending in the garden. As with all fashion trends, one of the first questions people ask is “what are the fashion colours this season?”

Teal Colour PalletteGarden forecasters have predicted that an unexpected shade will be making waves in gardens in 2025. That colour is Teal, which with its blue-green hue, brings a decidedly fresh addition to the garden palette. It is a versatile color that can have different shades, ranging from lighter turquoise to darker deep aqua. Teal creates a calming effect that is as sophisticated as it is soothing.

Teal is a very versatile colour that complements a modern palette that includes shades of blue, green, brown, orange, and gold, making it a versatile choice for any setting.

Teal coloured plants are hard to find, but with the increased interest in blue and green-blooming flowers, blue-tinged grasses, and aqua-toned succulents, teal already has some close companions in the garden.

Whether applied sparingly or used as a bold statement piece, teal is a serene and surprisingly striking colour that can be used as a focal point or accent.

If you want to experiment with using teal in the garden without committing to plants only, there's always paint!

A coat of teal enamel will give the effect of patina on decorative metal fittings and fencing, but with a less distressed look. Garden furniture benefits from a coat of fresh paint every so often, which can be a great way to introduce new colours like teal into your landscape. Perhaps the quickest way to try the trend is to paint some of your patio pots or window boxes teal.

Interior decorators are also forecasting that the current interior design and fashion trend of silver will be making its way outdoors in the form of silver plant palettes, and silver hardware finishes that bring a reflective element to the garden.

Wild gardenR Image by Kerstin Riemer from PixabayRedefining perfection in the garden

In response to the rapidly growing awareness of protecting insects, birds and other wildlife in our cities and towns, gardeners are re-defining what it means to have a harmonious garden and are discovering the joys of having a less tidy garden.

This more relaxed, and organic gardening style encourages all types of wildlife into the garden, and best of all it’s a lot less work as we no longer feel the need to immediately tidy up fading perennials, remove seed heads, or rake up and dispose of every stray leaf in the garden!

The concept of rewilding started a couple of years ago with what was called “A Garden of Abundance” which was all about making your garden a bit wilder, more productive, and connected to the earth – whatever that means for you personally. It does not however confine itself to a certain garden style only, but rather incorporates these concepts into modern and contemporary garden design.

Members can click here to read my article “A Garden of Abundance”

The nostalgic and traditional cottage-style garden has made a comeback, but with many modern twists like including rain tanks with drip irrigation, green roofs and walls to provide thermal regulation for buildings, and to filter the air.

If you are keen to attract wildlife to your garden you will be surprised at how many exotic and indigenous plants will do just that.

Members can click here to find six articles on attracting wildlife to the garden, including plant lists.

Vegetable gardenR Image by congerdesign from PixabayEdible gardens are getting a makeover

Urban gardeners are creating fresh interpretations of classic cottage gardens that are interlaced with edibles, by combining edible perennials, fruits, veggies and herbs with ornamentals to create a stunning and productive garden.

They are including fruiting trees in the landscape for shade, adding fruiting shrubs to the mixed shrub border, and perennial vegetables to the flower border. They may also include a square foot vegetable patch somewhere to grow some of their favourite herbs and seasonal veggies.

Spending time in your edible landscape will also cultivate mental well-being.

Members can click here if you would like to learn more about growing vegetables, including square foot gardening, growing vegetables in containers etc.  

Click here to find articles on growing fruit and nuts, including a pruning guide and spraying programme for deciduous stone fruits.

And, if you think you don’t have space – read my article “How to grow fruit trees in small spaces”.

If you are interested in homesteading in the city and frugal gardening you will find great tips in my articles section. Members can click here to find more.

Reinventing the secret garden

In our rushed lives we need spaces where we can relax and unwind, and what better place than in your own secret garden, designed with your families personal relaxation in mind.

Creating a meditation or reading garden is nothing new, and all gardeners know that these tranquil spaces can recharge one, blending the therapeutic power of nature with personal well-being.

Water-wise, low-maintenance gardenRethinking water-wise gardens

Many gardeners cringe when you mention water-wise gardens, immediately conjuring up images of deserts with cacti and succulents. However, designers and gardeners alike are discovering that with the vast array of plants available to us, creating a modern garden with water usage in mind is possible.

Members can click here to find great information and plant lists for water-wise gardening.

Rethinking traditional lawns

Replacing lawn with low-water plants in drought-prone areas is not a new idea, but gardeners in South Africa, with all its water problems, are getting rid of unnecessary expanses of lawn and replacing them with gravel or pavers, lined with dwarf grasses and perennial groundcovers that have a better chance of surviving drought or water supply interruptions.

Replacing lawn will also save you tons of money on water and fertilisers, and imagine all the mowing time you will save!

Recognising the resilience and beauty of indigenous plants

The demand for indigenous plants is increasing worldwide every year as modern gardeners recognize their many benefits. Expanding outdoor living spaces for both people and wildlife is becoming increasingly popular, and homeowners are transforming often overlooked areas into spaces filled with indigenous plants, or pollinator gardens.

Re-examining our hard landscaping choices

Gardeners are becoming more selective with their hard landscaping choices.  Instead of high-carbon, impermeable surfaces like concrete or artificial turf they are embracing local bio-based materials that create permeable surfaces which allow rainwater to pass through to replenish natural aquifers. This also helps to prevent flooding.

Reducing the need to spray in the garden

In order to reduce the need to spray gardeners are seeking out plants that are not susceptible to serious pests or diseases, and those which suit their climate.

Fire Image by Matthias Fischer from PixabayFire-resistant gardening

Due to the rise in extreme weather conditions, fire-resistant gardening is becoming increasingly popular not only in fire-prone areas of South Africa, but also across the world.

In fire prone regions, gardeners are focusing on creating gardens that are not only beautiful and environmentally friendly but also more resilient to wildfires, or at the very least, gardens that will not exacerbate a wildfire.

Click here if you are interested in reading my five in-depth articles on how to firescape your property, including valuable plant lists.

Portable gardening

Renters often don’t bother much with gardening as it’s an expensive hobby, but if you love plants the versatility of pretty planters should never be underestimated.

If you select lightweight pots or containers and plant using very lightweight, or even soilless growing mediums, your plant collection can move with you. And because your collection may be smaller, you can invest in really good quality self-watering pots on wheels, so you can move them around easily.

Pretty teal or silver pots can add a modern freshness to your patio or courtyard. Even a tiny balcony garden can sport a couple of potted plants.

With a little imagination and a few pots, you can create your own vibrant oasis no matter where you call home.

In a nutshell

There are other gardening trends for 2025 but these are the ones I found the most inspiring and applicable to South Africa.

Gardeners are adapting to the challenges of a changing world by embracing new approaches to gardening, and creating their own.

Whether it’s prioritizing the needs of wildlife, firescaping, water-wise gardening, planting edible gardens, implementing sustainable practices that nurture local ecosystems, or simply planting up a small potted garden, gardeners are encouraged in 2025 to plant deeply personal and environmentally friendly gardens that are a true joy to behold.

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