7 TOP TRENDS FOR 2026

What does next year have in store for our gardens? Designer Pollyanna Wilkinson looks at some of the most popular features and style trends we're likely to see more of

- Pollyanna Wilkinson

When we refer to trends in the garden world, we are actually referring more to collective shifts in mentality.

'Trend' suggests something that's popular now that won't be later, and in striving to be more sustainable and planet friendly, the last thing we want to encourage is wasteful choices. What's heartening to see is that these shifts continue to be more thoughtful: design and ecology are no longer separate conversations, and the appetite for change is spreading well beyond the design world. These ideas will, I believe, enter the mainstream with time.

Trend #1: Wellness spaces

While the concept of a garden as a sanctuary is nothing new, the definition of sanctuary, and how we enjoy our gardens is evolving. We've steadily seen the ever-popular term 'wellbeing' move into the garden space via an increase in requests for yoga decks, ice baths (and regular baths), hot tubs and outdoor showers.

It seems like a positive move to want to enjoy these relaxing rituals while immersed in nature rather than cloistered indoors. Our goal with all wellbeing spaces is for them to be positively immersed in an abundance of planting, so that you feel as connected to nature as possible - often in a woodland or meadow, where these pursuits feel at home.

Trend #2: Small-format paving