Top 5 current trends
During the 2025 edition of JdC Garden Trends, we will have the opportunity to meet in the conference area on Wednesday, March 26 at 10 a.m.
And what are we going to talk about during this half-hour of discussion? Here are the main points of our intervention…
THE trend of the moment!
After differentiated mowing, the meadow is gaining ground and this spring 2025 THE trend is the COTTAGECORE GARDEN! In other words, the country pavilion garden. Clearly inspired by British TV series from Bridgerton to Dowtown Abbey, the little caretaker's cottages, these charming cottages in the heart of the countryside, have never been so inspiring.
This trend, full of authenticity and rustic charm, is an extension of the urban exodus that began during the Covid period. It breathes a gentle, nostalgic soul into good-sized gardens, transforming every green space into a bucolic haven of peace. Far from strict, orderly gardens, cottagecore celebrates nature in its freest, most authentic expression. Wild flowers mingle with aromatic herbs, vegetables grow alongside climbing roses and every nook and cranny is an excuse to let nature express itself... The essence of this trend lies in the creation of a rich and diverse ecosystem. Native plants are favoured to attract pollinators and encourage biodiversity. Country hedges replace rigid fences, providing a refuge for local wildlife. Insect hotels and nesting boxes are becoming increasingly common, demonstrating a deep respect for nature.
The cottagecore garden has a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Winding paths of gravel or flagstone invite you to stroll, while furniture in weathered wood or wicker creates intimate spaces for relaxation. A must-have for spring 2025: large grey wicker baskets full of bulbs that cross a carpet of moss!
Reclaimed objects and natural materials are welcome, adding a touch of authenticity and vintage charm. Zinc watering cans, weathered terracotta pots and old tools become decorative elements in their own right. Floral textiles and soft cushions add a romantic touch. This refuge, where time seems to stand still, becomes a space where nature expresses itself freely. It's a garden to be lived in, breathed in and savoured, a place where childhood memories mingle with dreams of the future.
Plants & Accessories Spring 2025 Trends in Connection with the CottageCore Garden Phenomenon
Plants:
- Old roses: old-fashioned charm and guaranteed generosity!
- Lavender: Shapes like punctuation marks in a garden
- Hydrangeas: With a bucolic style and endless diversity
- Peonies: A growing French production!
- Blueberries: For their intense blue color and rustic appearance.
- Sweet peas: For their sweet fragrance and colorful flowers.
- Foxglove: For their wild appearance and the lines they create in a landscape
- Cosmos: For their colorful flowers and their airy appearance.
- Dahlias: For the richness of the color palette.
- Clematis: For their diverse flowers and romantic appearance.
Objects:
- Zinc Watering Can: For watering plants in style.
- Terracotta pots: For its living appearance which allows the roots to breathe.
- Lanterns: To light paths and corners of the garden with candlelight for added charm.
- Floral patterned cushions and throws: To add a touch of comfort and color.
- Checkered tablecloth: For impromptu picnics on the grass.
- Antique porcelain tableware: For tea or coffee outdoors and also for the pleasure of rummaging!
- Antique Books: Read in the shade of a tree and learn botany in style!
- Decorative bird cages: To add a vintage touch and a touch of poetry.
- Antique gardening tools: To decorate the garden with authenticity and maintain it sustainably.
- Wicker baskets: To bring a crazy charm to your exteriors!
Mild and dry spring, think about mulching!
In 2025, organic mulching for flowerbeds and lawn edges is evolving to meet environmental challenges and the needs of modern gardeners. Traditional mulches made from wood chippings and dead leaves are being supplemented by innovative alternatives. Coconut fiber mulches, made from coconut waste, offer excellent water retention and slow decomposition. Flax and hemp mulches, grown more locally, are appealing for their lightness and ability to enrich the soil with organic matter. In addition, miscanthus mulches, a fast-growing perennial, are gaining popularity for their durability and disease resistance. Production of these plants is increasing in France and is also giving rise to new landscapes in the countryside.
The rise of the circular economy is also influencing new trends in mulching. Fermented grass clippings mulch, obtained through an anaerobic composting process—bokashi—reduces greenhouse gas emissions and provides essential nutrients to plants. Coffee grounds mulch, collected from cafes and restaurants, offers an economical and ecological alternative for controlling slugs and snails. Finally, microalgae mulch, grown in ponds, is showing promise for its richness in trace elements and its ability to stimulate plant growth.
Focus Conso: Millennials' new gardening habits
Millennials share certain common traits in their approach to gardening. They choose to live in peri-urban areas, or even in the countryside. Outdoor space is revalued as a true haven of peace, reflecting their relaxed lifestyle connected to nature. Their garden is larger than the national average and is seen as a multifunctional space where they like to relax, entertain friends, and grow their own vegetables. For this generation, which doesn't want to be a slave to maintenance, aesthetics aren't perfect; the garden is alive and serves to enjoy the outdoors. On weekends, they organize impromptu barbecues on their wooden deck, furnished with string lights and colorful cushions inspired by the current trend: the cottagecore garden. They also love spending time there as if they were in a living room, listening to music on connected outdoor speakers, for example. In the evening, they light a fire pit, a best-selling product, and share convivial moments around the fire, admiring the stars.
For them, gardening is a shared pleasure, a way to reconnect with the earth and escape the stress of urban life. They use permaculture-inspired gardening techniques, experimenting with techniques like composting, mulching, and mulching to preserve biodiversity and soil fertility.
The garden design is a blend of rustic style and modern comforts. They reclaimed antiques, such as gardening tools, terracotta pots, and zinc watering cans, to create a vintage and authentic atmosphere. They also installed rustic elements, such as a rattan garden furniture set, a hanging swing, and an outdoor mirror, to add a touch of personality. They enjoy hunting for decorative objects at flea markets and second-hand shops, and they don't hesitate to customize them to suit their style. Their garden is a constantly evolving space, where they enjoy experimenting and letting their imagination run wild.
Innovation in the garden, the DOLLED UP trend: when the garden is inspired by Pollypocket
The "dolled up" trend is a playful and confident reinterpretation of femininity, inspired by miniature dolls like Polly Pocket. It's characterized by exaggerated proportions, delicate details, and a profusion of accessories. The idea is to fully embrace your doll-like side, with a touch of whimsy and exuberance.
As an extension of this very recent phenomenon, a new aesthetic is emerging in the garden, particularly in the United States with a checkerboard garden, which consists of alternating paving stones and grass to create a checkerboard pattern. This style also echoes the search for aesthetic solutions to visually enlarge spaces and create fluid transitions between the terrace and the garden, which has also contributed to its popularity.
The craze for multifunctional, permeable, and modular outdoor spaces has encouraged the use of checkerboards as a way to structure space while maintaining flexibility. The pattern allows for the demarcation of distinct areas, such as a dining area or a relaxation space, while maintaining visual and textural continuity with the rest of the garden. The rise of modern, sustainable materials, such as concrete or reconstituted stone slabs, has contributed to the implementation of this type of design, offering a wide variety of colors and textures to personalize the pattern.