The 11 Top Gardening Trends of 2024, So Far

Experts say these garden styles will continue growing in popularity.

You may think there's nothing new under the sun when it comes to gardening. But this year's gardening trends offer a slew of stellar ideas that'll freshen up your landscaping—and make planting and enjoying your garden a whole lot more fun.

Related: 23 Landscape Ideas to Upgrade Your Backyard and Improve Your Mood

Mocktail or Cocktail Gardens

Even if you regularly plant a vegetable or herb garden, you might want to dedicate a portion of your garden beds to a cocktail or mocktail garden that provides just-picked ingredients for your favorite drinks. Think berries and fruit, tiny tomatoes or cucumber slices for garnish, and a slew of different herbs to be muddled or mixed in.

"Mocktail gardens are a trend that we’re seeing pop up as people trade in cocktails for well-crafted drinks with fresh herbs like mint, lavender, and rosemary from the garden," says Sara Brooks, chief marketing officer of Yardzen.

Pollinator and Native Plant Gardens

A focus on outdoor plants that come from your area has been popular for several years, as people look to grow gardens that support the local ecosystem, while creating gardens that are easier to maintain through extremes in temperature and rainfall.

Related: How to Turn Your Garden Into a Wildlife Habitat (It's Easier Than You Think)

Bonus: Growing local native plants can make your garden more beautiful than ever. "Yards look best when they embrace the plants, materials, and colors that are present in regional wildlands," says Cate Singleton, director of design at Tilly Design. "Using local native plant species, boulders, and stone from local sources lends your yard a sense of belonging in the broader region. It’s a way to show pride in where you live."

Rain Gardens

Gardens can do more than just look beautiful—and rain gardens are the perfect example of a garden multitasker. By planting moisture-loving plants in low-lying areas of your yard, you'll help those plants thrive while minimizing their care, and help deal with excess water that could create flooding problems. "This is the perfect opportunity to let your yard work for you," says Singleton.  "Rain gardens can allow for surface runoff to collect and percolate back into the groundwater system. By concentrating gravels and water-loving plants in these areas, you can also provide a filtering system for rainwater while saving on your utility bills. Win, win!"

Related: How to Make a Rain Garden

Front Yard Gardens

While the front yard used to be reserved for a little basic landscaping and a large swath of lawn, more people are opting to skew their front yard ratio more heavily toward garden. "I’m seeing more and more people reducing or completely eliminating their front lawns and replacing them with native and pollinator-friendly landscapes," Singleton says. "Many are incorporating berms for a bit of privacy and including meandering paths through the garden for access."

Moon Gardens

While most people focus on planning gardens that look beautiful during the day, more gardeners are opting to create some interest for after the sun goes down. "Creating gardens that are meant for viewing under the moonlight has become pretty trendy," says Singleton. "These types of gardens utilize plants with white or light blue blooms and silvery-grey foliage that glow in the light of the moon."

Moon Gardens Are the Dreamiest Plant Trend—Here's How to Create One

Goth Gardens

Consider this garden style the dark side to a moon garden's glow. Goth gardens are basically Wednesday Addams' dream garden, using dark colored flowers and plants to create drama—think blood red Black Magic roses, black Queen of the Night tulips, or Black Barlow columbine.

"Goth gardens are a great example of the individual expression and personalized trend coming to life," Brooks says. "People want to do something unique that expresses their tastes, in the landscape world and beyond. Goth gardens have a monochromatic look that feels very 'designed' and intentional, so they lend themselves to small and large spaces, as they’re highly legible, looking good from up close or far away."

Drought-Tolerant Plants

When plotting out their gardens, more people are now considering the upkeep required for a certain plant before they opt to invest in it. "We see a shift in the plants used to convey each garden style and the shift is for a more low-maintenance interpretation," Singleton says. "While some styles will call for large lawn spaces, turf grasses that have more drought tolerance are being utilized. Evergreen options that require less water and pruning are replacing traditional hedges. Native flowering shrubs are standing in for more traditional shrubs that require soil amendments and constant pruning."

Related: How to Xeriscape Your Garden

Fairy Gardens

Lean into the whimsical and magical aspects of your garden for this up-and-coming garden design. "When you think about a fairy garden, think about a fun stepping stone walkway, a garden layered with ornamental grasses, blooming flowers, and color," Singleton says. "A fairy garden is a great way for a homeowner to let their personality shine though."

Scent Gardens

While you'll always want to focus on how your garden looks when you're plotting out your garden design, more people are choosing plants that smell wonderful as well. "When it comes to gardens, we’re seeing a return to romance with gardens that incorporate blooms that invigorate the senses," Brooks says. "Think roses, verbenas, gardenias, lavender, and rosemary."

Related: 25 Outdoor Plants That Smell Amazing

YOLO Yards

Over the past few years, outdoor spaces have gotten a ton of attention—from creating full-on living rooms (with movie viewing setups) to installing saunas, hot tubs, and tiki bars. And that trend is only expected to grow.

"We’re predicting that 2024 is the year of the yard escape," Brooks says. "Homeowners—from millennials in starter homes to boomers in their forever home—are staying put longer than they intended due to interest rates, and they're seeking respite in their outdoor spaces and designing for their ultimate retirement retreat right in their own backyard."

"Think cozy outdoor lounging for drinking coffee, plantings to attract butterflies and birds, walkways that allow for peaceful walks from social spaces to gardens, garden beds that are raised to accommodate for ache-free gardening," Brooks says.

Bespoke Gardens

Perhaps the biggest garden trend of all? Simply choosing the plants that will make you happiest when you spend time outdoors—and incorporating a bit of each of the trends you like into your finished outdoor space. "It’s increasingly common for people to select particular elements from many different styles that appeal to them, creating a hyper-personalized space that isn’t beholden or constrained to one style," Brooks says.

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