Favourite Garden Trends for 2026

1. Strong Structure Is Back - but In a Softer Way

One clear trend for 2026 is gardens that rely on clean, confident structure - Arches, Pergolas, Obelisks and Trellis that hold everything together, even when the planting fades back.

But unlike the rigid formality of decades past, the modern approach is more relaxed - think Monty Don’s emphasis on “good bones” or the gentle balance you see at places like Hidcote or Sissinghurst  where structure provides order but the planting does all the talking.

Agriframes’ Elegance range sits perfectly within this look. Their slim lines give shape without feeling heavy, and they age beautifully among soft perennials, grasses and climbers.

At home:  A simple rose Arch framing a path, an Obelisk anchoring a border, or a run of Trellis to create depth. Small changes that make a BIG difference.

2. Micro-Sanctuaries & Quiet Corners

As life gets busier, gardens are becoming places to rest - not just to tend to. The Flower Shows in 2026 are full of “micro-sanctuaries”- tiny seating corners, shaded nooks, sheltered spots for morning coffee.

Designers like Tom Stuart-Smith and Jinny Blom have long championed gardens with pockets of atmosphere rather than one big “outdoor room,” and this thinking is filtering into smaller UK gardens too.

Screens from the Agriframes Collection are perfect for carving out these little escapes - creating privacy, softening views, or just giving a sense of enclosure without blocking light.

At home: Place a small arbour in a sunny back corner, or screen off a reading spot behind tall planters and trellis.

3. Tonal Planting That Feels Effortless

Loud, clashing borders are giving way to soft, tonal palettes - sage greens, silvers, dusky mauves, pale apricots, touches of white. It’s calming, it’s forgiving, and it works brilliantly with the soft matt black finish of Agriframes metalwork.

Look at the planting schemes at Great Dixter or Beth Chatto’s garden - not just for their flamboyance, but for how repetition creates harmony.

At home: A couple of obelisks rising through a haze of verbena, or a rose arch softened with whites and blush tones, creates a look that’s modern yet timeless.

4. Beautifully Functional Structures

2026 gardens are designed to look good and work hard. People are more savvy about choosing pieces that make life easier - supports that stop plants flopping, screens that add privacy and planters that define zones.

Agriframes’ Plant Supports and Obelisk collections play directly into this. They’re decorative, yes, but also incredibly practical - especially for taller perennials and modern naturalistic planting schemes.

Think of the elegant plant supports used at RHS Rosemoor or Anglesey Abbey - simple forms that keep planting looking intentional rather than unruly.

At home: Use heavy-duty supports early in the season so foliage grows through them, disappearing as the garden fills out.

5. Buy Once, Buy Well

Sustainability has embraced the benefits of high quality and shifted decisively into “buy better, buy once.” Fewer gardeners want disposable timber frames or plastic supports; instead they’re investing in long-term garden architecture.

Designers like Nigel Dunnett and Sarah Price emphasise the beauty of materials that weather gracefully - This ties directly into the rising demand we at Agriframes see in customers coming to us for quality metalwork.

Agriframes’ hand-crafted steelwork, inspired by traditional English kitchen gardens, fits the moment perfectly - built to last, designed to age, and timeless in design.

6. Immersive Borders With Height & Movement

Borders in 2026 blur the line between structure and softness. They’re layered, full of movement, and studded with vertical accents that rise gently above the planting.

This echoes the layered style seen at Gravetye Manor and in Piet Oudolf–influenced meadows. Obelisks, arches and tall screens help create this “immersive” feeling in even a small back garden.

At home: Place a pair of Elegance Obelisks in a perennial border and weave climbers through them. They’ll disappear into summer planting, but they bring the border alive in spring and winter.

Agriframes thoughts for 2026

We expect the gardens we see this year will be  thoughtful, welcoming and beautifully structured. Designers are creating gardens for real life - slower mornings, gentle evenings, a sense of calm - with planting that feels natural and structures that feel quietly confident- not showy or too dramatic.

With a few key pieces from the Agriframes collections - an arch to frame a view, an obelisk to anchor a border, a screen to create a sanctuary - we hope we can make it easy for you to bring these trends home.

For 2026, it seems that shift is all about comfort and calm - which sounds to us like a great thing to aim for and something we at Agriframes will be embracing with new products and ideas for making outdoor spaces real places of sanctuary.

Across the UK gardeners are looking for spaces that are not just pretty, but purposeful - Spaces that work hard, look good all year, and feel genuinely uplifting to spend time in.

Here’s what’s shaping our gardens in 2026 - and how a few thoughtful structural pieces from the Agriframes collections can help bring these ideas to life.