The Chelsea Flower Show 2025 is in full swing and I was fortunate enough to visit on Monday. While it’s no surprise that the Show Gardens amazed yet again this year, my attention was equally captured by the sheer talent found at the Houseplant Studios. Here, designers show the possibilities for creating an abundant indoor garden, bursting with shapely, colorful foliage. From innovative ways to display houseplants to unique varieties taking center stage, there were a few standout houseplant trends that caught my eye this week.
Of course, houseplant trends come and go, but some stick around for years and even make a comeback. The Chelsea Flower Show 2025 houseplant trends portray just that, with some returning reliable indoor plants that are unlikely to ever go out of fashion, as well as some new ideas I’m convinced will wow in any home.
So, if you’re a houseplant enthusiast like me, you’ll want to check out these trends that are already exciting the houseplant community. They’re all easy to recreate, too, so you can give your houseplant display a touch of Chelsea.
(Image credit: RHS / Josh Kemp-Smith)
5 houseplant trends from the Chelsea Flower Show 2025
One of my Chelsea Flower Show tips for first-time visitors is to make time for the Houseplant Studios. Tucked away behind the Show Gardens, there really is so much to discover. This year didn’t disappoint, with Chelsea Flower Show 2025 houseplant trends oozing creativity and new ideas for indoor gardens of all sizes, shapes, and growing conditions.
1. Ferns, ferns, ferns
(Image credit: RHS / Josh Kemp-Smith)
If there’s one type of plant that sticks out in my mind from the Houseplant Studios this year, it’s the best indoor ferns. More specifically, the beautiful blue star fern, pictured above at Hugo & Green’s The TerrariROOM (Silver Medal).
Blue star fern is one of the best blue houseplants, with leafy fronds that might initially trick you into thinking it isn’t a fern at all. The best bit? These ferns are some of the best indoor low light plants, ideal for indoor gardeners with limited natural light.
As the name of The TerrariROOM suggests, it very much feels like stepping into an actual terrarium full of these gorgeous ferns. Hugo & Green style them around the perimeter of their display, as well as on their living wall.
Having so many houseplants positioned close together like this is also a great way to increase humidity for indoor plants – something ferns benefit from in particular.
Get the look by shopping for a blue star fern at Walmart.
2. Giant kokedama
(Image credit: RHS / Josh Kemp-Smith)
Kokedama is one of my favorite Japanese garden ideas. It’s a solution to display hanging plants using a moss ball and works well in indoor environments for a wide range of tropical indoor plants.
I can honestly say I have never seen something so magnificent as the giant Monstera deliciosa kokedama pictured above. Suspended from a tree next to Hugo & Green’s display, this was a truly a statement piece.
Monstera is a good choice for kokedama because the moss retains moisture and releases it gradually to the plant’s aerial roots. Speaking of which, the roots dangling down past the moss ball here has shapely beauty in itself.
But it wasn’t just monstera on display in this fashion. Babylon Beats by James Whiting (Gold Medal) displayed some large peace lilies in a moss container reminiscent of the kokedama style.
Try making your own kokedama with your houseplants using this sheet moss from Amazon.
3. Cascading air plants
(Image credit: RHS / Josh Kemp-Smith)
More and more indoor gardeners have become intrigued by the unique habit of air plants, and Chelsea Flower Show 2025 houseplant trends confirm their popularity continues to rise.
Pictured here, Babylon Beats uses Tillandsia Usneoides (or Spanish moss) all along the roof of its studio, cascading down elegantly. This type of air plant is a popular bathroom plant, as it likes to soak up excess moisture. It can also grow well in US hardiness zone 8 to zone 11, often positioned to hang down from tree branches.
Spanish moss and other air plants can be spotted throughout the Houseplant Studios this year. They’re very low-maintenance, ideal for the busy indoor gardener who doesn’t have lots of time to tend to plants.
When growing Spanish moss (from Walmart) or other air plants, take care to avoid air plant mistakes.
4. Houseplants for outdoor bedding
(Image credit: RHS / Josh Kemp-Smith)
This is a Chelsea Flower Show 2025 houseplant trend that will only really work for gardeners in warmer climates, but the impact of styling houseplants in this way is undeniable.
A lot of houseplants are just tropical plants that have become popular to grow indoors where outdoor climates don’t allow for them to grow. But, if you have the right local climate for houseplants, why not try recreating the above look from Laura B’s Paper Plant Studio?
Small houseplants like fittonias, kalanchoes, tradescantia, and coleus can be perfect fillers in raised garden beds and borders. You could even try using them in a thriller, spiller, filler container for your yard.
Of course, you need to make sure your local climate provides the right growing environment for these plants before planting them in your yard. Alternatively, move houseplants outdoors for summer and bring them back inside in time to protect from frost.
This fittonia pack from Walmart can get you started.
5. Sculptural succulents
(Image credit: RHS / Josh Kemp-Smith)
Indoor succulents will never go out of style. They’re ideal for filling empty spots on windowsills and larger varieties can be even grown as indoor trees to make a statement in your home.
Succulents with weird and wonderful shapes are found throughout the Houseplant Studios this year. Pictured here, The Victorian Arid House by The Plant Rescuer X RHS has a wide selection of some of the most architectural succulents on offer.
From flowering echeveria (from The Sill) to jade plants, and more structural succulents like tree houseleek, the possibility for growing succulents in the home is endless. Of course, you do have to take care to avoid succulent mistakes, like overwatering, to be successful with them.
Sculptural succulents are found beyond the Houseplant Studios, too, as the Karoo Succulent Garden celebrates some of the most unique succulents that make up the landscape in the Karoo region of South Africa.
FAQs
What are the best houseplants for beginners?
Some of the best houseplants for beginners include spider plant, snake plant, ZZ plant, pothos, and peace lily. All of them are easy indoor plants that require little maintenance, can cope with some neglect, and bounce back quickly from common issues. There are also some worst houseplants for beginners to avoid, including orchids and calatheas which are notorious for being fussy and tricky to care for.
The Chelsea Flower Show Houseplant Studios are a great place to visit if you’re a houseplant lover and in need of some fresh inspiration for your indoor garden ideas. If you are attending the show this week, don’t forget to check out our guide on what to see at the Chelsea Flower Show 2025.
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