The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) unveils its predictions for global gardening trends to emerge from the 2026 PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, "Rooted: Origins of American Gardening."
The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show has a nearly 200-year history as a platform for floral and garden design. Garden designers, floral designers, and landscape artists alike come together each year at the Flower Show to showcase their talents through breathtaking displays and creations. 
© Anne DeLion
In 2026, the theme "Rooted: Origins of American Gardening" shaped the way designers approached their work, inspiring a deeper exploration of heritage, ecology, and cultural tradition. This year's Show invited visitors to reflect on the gardening legacies we have inherited and the ones we are continuing to grow.
"The Philadelphia Flower Show has long been a place where new ideas take root and influence gardening worldwide," said Seth Pearsoll, Vice President and Creative Director of the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show. "From towering tropicals and massed floral forms to rewilded, ecologically minded landscapes, the 2026 trends highlight bold, immersive gardens that connect to heritage, place, and plant care." 
© Becca Mathias
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. Schaffer Designs' Flower Show exhibit FLORAMERE: A LIVING NETWORK, showcased tropicals to create a lush, sculptural canopy. 
© Becca Mathias
Floral trends
Sculptural Floral Installations: Large, structured arrangements incorporate branchwork, texture, and unexpected materials, turning florals into art. Arrange LLC, The Flower Show's "2026 Best in Show – Floral" award winner, demonstrated this in My Atomic Number, blending floral plantings with architectural forms.
Massed Blooms and Rounded Forms: Hydrangeas, delphiniums, roses, and sunflowers are used to create sculptural, rhythmic compositions. The Flower Show's Entrance Garden, The Forest Floor, highlighted this approach with layered, flowing plantings that highlighted rounded shapes.
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. The American Institute of Floral Designers' exhibit Grow Deep–Live Tall used saturated pinks to create a high-impact, cohesive display.
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. 
© Becca Mathias
Landscape trends
Soil as a Design Element: Designers are emphasizing soil health with tailored blends and amendments, connecting soil care to overall garden wellness. Unknown Studio's The Ghost Forest treated soil as a visible, central design feature.
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. According to the USDA NASS 2024 Horticulture Operations Report, U.S. nursery stock sales reached $5.34 billion, up 17% since 2019, reflecting increased investment in outdoor spaces.
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. Laurel-Brook Gardens' exhibit, Phoenix Rising, evoked a self-sustaining, natural environment.
The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show continues to set 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.
The Flower Show returns to the Pennsylvania Convention Center March 13 – March 21, 2027. PHS Members' Preview Day is March 12th. Be the first to learn about Flower Show and ticketing updates by signing up at phsonline.org/the-flower-show
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
