Design Trend Features Edible Perennials, Adding Productivity to the Garden
May 22, 2025 | 12 min to read
In Dayton, Oregon, gardening is evolving into the Garden of Abundance, blending beauty with productivity. A recent study reveals that 36% of homeowners find gardening nostalgic, driving them to combine edible plants with classic varieties to attract pollinators. Experts highlight the importance of creating biodiversity, making gardens not only aesthetically pleasing but also supportive of ecosystems. By pairing stunning blooms with fruits and herbs, gardeners can achieve both romance and functionality, enriching their outdoor spaces.
Dayton, Oregon – Gardening provides an escape from everyday life, and creates beautiful environments for people to connect with each other and with nature. That connection is inspiring gardeners to create productive spaces that mix edibles with other plants, focus on attracting pollinators, and doing good for the environment. It’s a trend experts are calling the Garden of Abundance.
Pairing Beauty and Productivity
Monrovia’s consumer research with more than 1,400 homeowners found that 36% of those polled say gardening reminds them of simpler times and makes them feel nostalgic. That number is up 4% since last year.
“The Garden of Abundance trend taps into the nostalgic feeling of a cottage garden, while bringing a functional twist,” says Katie Tamony gardening expert and trend spotter at Monrovia. “We are seeing gardeners pairing edible perennials with classic favorites to create a romantic feel that’s also productive.”
One goal for many gardeners is to provide an environment that is pollinator-friendly and teeming with life, including butterflies, bees, and the new glamour pollinator, hummingbirds. Leaning into biodiversity with this trend helps produce a landscape that supports pollinators and people throughout the season. Choosing a mix of native varieties along with other climate-appropriate plants creates a beautiful, abundant space that can bloom longer and help foster a robust ecosystem.
How to Create a Garden of Abundance
For this trend, classic flowers, such as hydrangeas, roses, peonies, and more, share the spotlight with edible plants. These big, beautiful blooms deliver a dose of nostalgia and create a romantic feel in garden. Pairing these with fruits and herbs harkens a simpler time, when people regularly had fresh produce right outside their door. This makes a winning combination for gardeners and pollinators alike.
“Bringing function to a nostalgic garden helps everyone have the best of both worlds,” says Tamony. “Pair hydrangeas with blueberries to create a beautiful and edible hedge. Tuck strawberry plants and compact apple trees in with roses not only to maximize space, but to create a happy and abundant feel.”
Need inspiration? Check out Monrovia’s free Distinctive Selections Guide, available on Monrovia.com.
Perfect Plants for a Garden of Abundance
Garden Delight Miniature Nectarine – Hot pink, fragrant spring flowers yield sweet, large, yellow, freestone fruit in late summer or early fall. This heavy-bearing tree reaches only 5 to 6 feet tall, making it easy to protect the blooms from unexpected frost. This also works well in patio containers. Zones 6-8.
Nitty Gritty™ Roses – Low growing roses can be a wonderful way to add sparkle to the garden. Nitty Gritty™ roses feature bright, double blooms that flower throughout the season. The entire Nitty Gritty collection makes it easy to grow roses, with fuss-free, own-root, low maintenance plants. Available in white, peach, yellow, pink, and red. Zones 4-9.
Bountiful™ Belle Blueberry – Stunning foliage makes this blueberry the belle of the garden. Bountiful Belle’s new growth brings hues of icy rose and lime green. In fall and winter, it transitions to a rosy red. In summer it is covered with delicious plump berries. Topping out at 4 feet tall and wide, this blueberry delivers in every season. Zones 5-9.
Seaside Serenade® Pebble Beach Hydrangea – The newest member of the Seaside Serenade® hydrangea collection was chosen for its unique flowers and blooming power. The large mophead blooms of Seaside Serenade Pebble Beach are a dark purple in acidic soil and a deep pink in more alkaline soils. Each blossom is backed by a hint of bright green, adding interest and capturing attention in the garden. Recommended for Zones 6-9.
Chateau® de Versailles Rose of Sharon – This Monrovia exclusive from the enchanting Chateau® series features large, showy, blue-violet flowers that will cover the stems from top to the bottom. Each has a deep red-violet center and a prominent stamen. The height and scale, plus long bloom season and attractive green foliage are ideal for providing high impact in borders and island beds. Zones 5-9.
Tuscan Blue Rosemary – This rosemary brings scent and texture to the garden while also providing wonderful flavor to culinary activities. Beautiful, clear blue flowers add to Tuscan Blue’s charm. Zones 8-11.
Fruit Snacks™ Blushing Delight™ Columnar Apple – If you thought you didn’t have room for an apple tree in your yard, think again. Fruit Snacks™ apples are compact and upright, growing only to about 2 feet wide and 10 feet tall, making them easy to plant in any yard. They also make an excellent patio tree. Zones 4-9.
Use Monrovia’s “My Plantfinder” tool to learn more about these and other pollinator-friendly plants for your garden, and visit a local independent garden center near you to find the perfect additions to attract hummingbirds and more this year.
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. Monrovia collaborates with plant breeders around the world to introduce improved plant varieties to North America. Monrovia plants flourish once planted to beautify gardens and landscapes. Please visit Monrovia.com to learn more.