If you love the 2016 nostalgia trend that’s sweeping social media right now it’s a fun idea to turn your attention to the gardening trends from that year too. You might be surprised by how many 2016 garden trends that are making a comeback feel just as relevant in 2026.
While some trends from 2016 can happily be left behind (faux turf, pallet-style furniture painted in shades of duck egg blue, and high maintenance planting pockets for living walls – we’re looking at you) many other 2016 trends have grown in popularity and feel as right for 2026 as they did ten years ago.
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1. Rewilding Your Outdoor Space
Relaxed, unstructured planting is also a key look in 2026
(Image credit: Photos by R A Kearton/Getty Images)
It was in the year 2016 that the big push to connect with nature through rewilding began in earnest. What started in the 90s as a niche conservation movement to get the land back to its natural state started to gain traction in 2016, and the word ‘rewilding’ was seen everywhere.
The Garden Media Group’s 2016 trend report flagged up choosing plants with local ecosystems that support wildlife as the key to getting back in sync with nature, something that is even more popular now.
Rewilding is one of the key 2016 garden trends that are making a comeback this year. The idea of returning your outdoor space to a natural habitat that provides water, food and shelter for wildlife and choosing native planting is more important than ever, as focusing on the environment swerves ever more sharply into focus. In 2026 the concept of connecting with nature is now bigger than ever.
2. The Link Between Plants And Wellbeing
The trend for surrounding ourselves with plants is as popular as ever
(Image credit: Liudmila Chernetska / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images)
Surrounding yourself with mood-boosting houseplants indoors is now intrinsically linked to health and wellness.
But back in 2016 this concept was a relatively new thing, one that started in hotels then took over Instagram as the green jungle look gained momentum. Back then the buzzword for this movement was ‘Welltality’.
‘A new trend in the hospitality industry, Welltality is cashing in on the benefits of plants,’ said the GMG’s 2016 trends report. ‘Hotels are becoming destination locations with living walls and indoor forests. From helping people to concentrate better and elevate their moods, greenery is incorporated throughout the guest experience.’
The indoor jungle vibe pioneered by hotels soon went viral, with people reproducing the look in their own homes and gardens.
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Fast forward to 2026 and green therapy, which celebrates the mood-boosting benefits of plants and gardening, has now gone mainstream.
The benefits to health and wellbeing are undeniable, from reducing stress and boosting fitness to enhancing recovery from illness and connecting with your local community. After all, what could be better than surrounding yourself with plants?
3. Sustainable Garden Landscaping
Greening up the gray is more popular than ever in 2026
(Image credit: Alamy/ Ros Crosland)
In 2016 at the annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London I remember hearing the phrase ‘greening up the gray’ for the first time.
This was used to describe a front garden design by Ann-Marie Powell that championed the health and wellbeing benefits of greening up gray spaces.
This concept is also a key element of more sustainable garden landscaping ideas. Cutting back on the amount of hardscaping to reduce rainwater run-off and instead using non-porous landscaping materials like gravel is now a go-to choice for many people. The latest front yard trends for 2026 switch the focus on to sustainable ideas like native planting too.
This works for buildings too, with the eco-brutalism trend a perfect representation of this idea. This modern architectural movement enhances angular concrete shapes with natural planting for a softer edge.
4. Pet-Friendly Gardening Ideas
Creating a chemical-free environment from the ground up is key for a safe garden
(Image credit: dageldog/GettyImages)
Last year at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show leading UK garden designer Monty Don created a garden for dogs. His ideas included a hard-wearing lawn with daisies, dandelions and clover as well as raising awareness of plants that are toxic to dogs and other pets.
This isn’t as new as you might think. Back in 2016 it was a key theme then for dog owners too, with the GMG flagging it up in their trends report that year.
‘Pets run through the lawn, roll in it, dig in it and often eat it so it’s no wonder that pet owners are thinking more and more about how to make their gardens pet friendly and pet safe. Petscaping to protect dogs and cats from poisonous plants and harmful chemicals is as important as protecting precious plants from pets.’
If you’re fertilizing your lawn choose a pet-friendly product like this Organic Lawn Food by Espoma from Walmart to keep fur babies safe.
According to the APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 65% of US households owned a pet in 2016. This has now gone up to 71% according to the latest figures, so petscaping your garden is more important than ever. There’s lots to consider so always be sure to put dog-friendly plants at the top of your list.
5. Brownscaping And Water-Wise Gardening
Cutting down on lawn area still makes sense in dry climates
(Image credit: Eden Garden Design / Photography: Greg Thomas)
Today drought-tolerant planting ideas tend to be a given, especially if you live in a dry climate such as the Southwest where water is a precious commodity. How to garden with less water continues to be a top priority with water-wise gardening (also known as xeriscaping) a big trend for 2026.
Back in 2016 the term brownscaping was starting to become more acceptable, and was flagged up as one of the key trends of the year by the GMG.
The name comes from the idea of letting lawns go brown (or even getting rid of them altogether) and using native plants, mulch and gravel to landscape your yard instead.
The term brownscaping tends not to be used so much now, but whether you’re looking for inspiration on how to design a drought-tolerant yard. or rainwater harvesting it’s still a trend that’s around for the duration.
6. Dahlia Love
The gorgeous dahlia ‘Sam Hopkins’ – better than ever
(Image credit: Clive Nichols/Getty Images)
When I was researching this article I went back to my phone images from 2016 and discovered hundreds of dahlias in all shapes, sizes and colors parading in all their glory.
That year marked something of a turning point for these bold and beautiful blooms, which had fallen a little out of fashion and were long overdue a revival.
One of the superstars of the late summer and early fall garden, they have become a mainstay of my own garden planting and nothing beats the first fat bud unfurling every summer.
An abundance of flowers follows, easily enough to snip plenty to take indoors without compromising the display.
Dark and toasty colors in shades of deep red, copper and orange are set to trend in 2026, like this dark red Dahlia ‘Blue Bird’ variety from Amazon.
Dahlias are now more popular than ever, and this is definitely one of my favorite 2016 garden trends that are making a comeback.
If you’re taking an overview of your yard before the summer season find out about outdated backyard trends for 2026, as well as the soft modernism garden design trend that’s set to take over this year.
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