According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), 2025 will see gardeners tearing up traditional planting choices, with front gardens and urban areas reimagined for a greener future. In light of the perpetual demise of the front garden, this would be very welcome indeed. In 2022, a survey by the HTA indicated that 19% of UK consumers with a private garden intended to pave over (at least some of it) in the next 5 years, putting an estimated 3-7% of total UK domestic garden area at risk.
As homeowners seek ways to effectively balance greener motoring with the potential loss of garden space, electric vehicle charging also poses a threat to the front garden. A 2023 poll by EO Charing, suggested that nearly half (49%) of UK homeowners are considering paving over their front gardens to accommodate an electric vehicle. Britain’s front gardens are a vital refuge for plants and wildlife but at the same time we need to acutely cut vehicle emissions.
Guy Barter, Chief Horticulturist RHS,said: “Gardens never stand still and 2025 is likely to see not only new, exciting planting choices but new ways of designing, growing and maintaining spaces. The EV revolution could usher in significant changes to what front gardens look like while city centres could be punctuated by many more growing spaces that serve the dual purpose of providing refuge for people and wildlife but also all important flood proofing capabilities.”
Whilst ‘gardening for a purpose’ will continue to increase in 2025 says the RHS, the year will also include plenty of fun and frivolity as people grow in ways that matter to them.
2025 RHS Gardening Predictions
- More edible perennials. The charity predicts that fruit trees and shrubs as well as perennial vegetables will continue to grow in popularity due to reliable cropping, low maintenance, and provision of shape, structure and habitat for wildlife. According to the RHS, 2024 was the year of the blueberry on account of its compact form, attractive flowers and autumn colour. Requiring even less attention than blueberries, honeyberries are set to appear in more gardens and community growing spaces soon, says the RHS.
- ‘Sponge cities’ and more effective water capture. 2025 is expected to see a growth in so called ‘sponge city’ capabilities as developers and councils increasingly take advantage of the broader benefits of planted spaces. Community gardens, increasingly at the centre of local water capture and storage, will be helping to meet the needs of the immediate space but also local people during extended dry spells. The proliferation of smaller scale growing spaces in more urban areas is also seen as valuable protection from flash flooding with plants helping to slow the flow of rainwater before being soaked up by the soil, dubbed “nature’s largest natural water butt”.
- More green infrastructure. Plants will increasingly feature in towns and cities in more creative but practical ways. Green roofs and walls will provide thermal regulation for buildings, reduce flooding and sewage spills by capturing and slowing the flow of water, boost habitat provision, filter the air within spaces and along polluted roads and be used to cool solar panels on roofs to ensure good functionality – known as hortivoltaics. Due to consumer demand, the RHS Plants also now sells small modular green wall systems suitable for internal and external.
- Shift away from traditional bedding plants. According to the RHS, 2025 will see a move towards more long lived, less thirsty and robust varieties, particularly in community gardens and public landscapes. The charity reveals that salvias, heather and dahlias have proved particularly popular alternatives with community gardening groups in 2024 – on account of low maintenance but good on colour and pollinator appeal.
- Front gardens on the front line. With ever increasing numbers of electric cars on the road, homeowners will be looking for landscaping options that provide easy access to charging points. Permeable paving and gravel gardens flanked with low maintenance plants are low cost, and prevent pooling or run off of rainwater, making them an ideal option in dense, urban areas.
- Gardeners start small. 9cm potted plants have proved popular in 2024, being cheaper than the standard 2 or 3L potted varieties and meaning gardeners can dabble with a greater variety of plants for the same price.
- Carnivorous plants set to take a bite of the market. Carnivorous plants have long been popular among younger gardeners and loved for keeping house-bound insects in check. The advent of new peat-free formulations in 2024 is expected to benefit UK based propagation and breeding with increased availability, variety and appeal for sustainably minded growers. This is welcomed by retailers who have found it difficult to import these plants in the quantity needed from abroad.
- Gardening for fun. According to the RHS, 2024 saw a “noticeable ripping up of the rule book” with people growing in ways that reflected personal interests rather than aesthetics or subsistence. The charity predicts that this theme is set to continue in 2025, which is set to feature a garden for dog lovers, designed by Monty Don at the 2025 RHS Chelsea. Don’s RHS Chelsea garden is part of the RHS ‘Your Space, Your Story’ campaign, which aims to showcase creative and personal approaches to garden design over the next 12 months.