Sunday Garden: An Extension of the Green Drenching Trend
February 19, 2026 | 7 min to read
Quiet Luxury with a touch of romance defines this easy-to-maintain style trend for 2026
Dayton, Oregon – Bombarded with stress and anxiety about world events, along with a deluge of content and never-ending lists of tasks, homeowners say their garden is a place to escape the noise of everyday life. This idea of a sanctuary coupled with the increased interest in an easy-to-maintain garden has turned into a trend many are now calling The Sunday Garden, an extension of the Green Drenching trend. It creates a soothing backdrop while also enabling a sense of pride and romance.
“This design trend encourages gardens and landscapes with tidy bones and a cohesive color palette,” says Katie Tamony, chief marketing officer and trend spotter for Monrovia. “It also incorporates a dash of quiet luxury and a touch of romance. It is the landscape equivalent of a Nancy Meyers movie.”
Monrovia Nursery, the nation’s largest grower of premium shrubs, trees and perennials, announced The Sunday Garden as one of its top garden design trends to watch for in 2026. Each year the company conducts extensive consumer research with more than 1,400 homeowners. That data, paired with analysis of digital and print media, consumer behavior and adjacent industries such as design, food and art, helps formulate the garden design insights report.
“Our research shows us that many homeowners are longing for their own personal sanctuary,” says Tamony. “38% of those we surveyed say the garden gives them a place where they can ‘just be’. The Sunday Garden design is really a balm for the chaos we all face every day.”
For The Sunday Garden trend, evergreen hedges are paired with interesting foliage and a unified palette of flowering plants. Boxwood, Holly, ferns, and other greenery are being used to create a soothing backdrop. Climbing vines such as roses, camellias, and jasmine add height and subtle color. Flowering shrubs and perennials such as lavender and hydrangea add timeless romance to the space. This design trend also sees gardeners matching bloom color from one plant to another for an upscale look.
“We have seen increasing interest in climbing roses and growing roses in containers,” Tamony added. “Those elements fit this trend perfectly. It is timeless design combined with nostalgia, refined elegance, and happy color as an accessory. We see a lot of interest in pinks as a single-color accent to all that lovely green.”
Here’s a look at the top plants for 2026 The Sunday Garden trend:
Heavenly Ascent® Pink Climbing Rose
Tight Squeeze™ Western Red Cedar
Nitty Gritty® Roses
Emerald Boxer™ Holly
Seaside Serenade® Hanalei Bay
Copper Flame™ Distylium Star Jasmine
About Monrovia
Inspired by the beauty of plants, gardens, and landscapes everywhere, Harry E. Rosedale, Sr. founded Monrovia in 1926 to be a premier grower of shrubs and trees. For more than 100 years the Monrovia name has been a mark of horticultural craftsmanship and excellence. Monrovia collaborates with plant breeders around the world to introduce improved plant varieties to North America. Because of their breeding and handcrafted care, Monrovia plants flourish once planted to beautify gardens and landscapes. Please visit Monrovia.com to learn more.