RHS State of Gardening Report 2025
🌿 Why Your Garden Matters More Than Ever
A closer look at the RHS State of Gardening Report - and why every space counts.
Every now and then a piece of research arrives that confirms what gardeners have always felt in their bones: gardens matter. Not just emotionally, or aesthetically, or personally; but ecologically, socially, and environmentally.
The RHS State of Gardening Report has done exactly that. Drawing on nationwide surveys and data from gardeners across the UK, it highlights something powerful:
our collective gardens form one of the largest green spaces in the country - bigger than all our National Nature Reserves combined.
That means that what you plant in your corner of the world truly contributes to something bigger.
🌱 The UK’s Gardens: A National Green Network
The report reveals the scale of impact Gardens have when collated together. The report mapped 25.8 million gardens across Great Britain, covering roughly 959,800 hectares; about 4.6% of UK land area. Of those, 20.6 million are domestic gardens (front and/or back), covering over 502,000 hectares.
From sweeping country gardens to tiny balconies filled with pots. Your garden matters.
🌳 Gardens Are a Living Infrastructure
As the report’s authors put it: gardens are “a massive but often overlooked ecological asset,” with real value for biodiversity, climate resilience, and public wellbeing.
UK gardens and cultivated spaces host an estimated 50.5 million trees - six times more than the entire urban forest of London. That green canopy, across millions of gardens, plays a significant role in cooling urban environments, sequestering carbon, supporting wildlife, and absorbing rain; benefits that rise when gardens are planted thoughtfully.
🐝 Your Garden for Wildlife Recovery
The report highlights that declines in wildlife aren’t just happening in the countryside - they’re happening everywhere. But so is the recovery. The report showed ‘over half of the UK’s butterflies, amphibians, and many mammals and birds are known to use gardens for habitat.’
Gardens are now essential corridors for pollinators, hedgehogs, birds, insects, and beneficial soil life. A single border planted with nectar-rich species can act as a stepping stone that keeps an entire neighbourhood connected.
That means every thoughtfully planted border, each wildlife-friendly shrub, and every meadow-style corner adds value far beyond your fence — to your local environment, your wildlife neighbours, and the country’s green network as a whole.
🌼 Small Changes, Big Impact
One of the most uplifting findings is that gardeners; beginners and experts alike are becoming more environmentally conscious. People are choosing:
pollinator-friendly perennials
peat-free compost
trees and shrubs that support wildlife
drought-tolerant plants
reduced chemical use
These shifts may feel tiny on their own, but when thousands of gardens take one step forward, the national landscape transforms.
And it benefits you too! The RHS Report found through surveys that Gardening also delivers powerful benefits to people: reduced stress, better wellbeing, connection to nature, and a stronger sense of home.
That means every thoughtfully planted border, each wildlife-friendly shrub, and every meadow-style corner adds value to you and far beyond your fence — to your local environment, your wildlife neighbours, and the country’s green network as a whole.
🌿 Why This Matters to Us at The Plant Nursery
Our mission has always been simple:
to help people create planting that is beautiful, purposeful and good for the planet.
The RHS report reinforces something we deeply believe:
‘You don’t need a huge garden, a big budget, or years of experience to make a meaningful contribution. You just need to plant with intention.’
That might mean choosing long-flowering perennials, adding structure with shrubs, planting a small tree, or refreshing a tired border with wildlife-friendly varieties.
Whether your consultation with us lasts one hour or one day, we help you create planting that’s sustainable, seasonal, and supportive of the wider ecosystem.
🌸 Your Garden, Your Impact
When you plant something new, you’re not just decorating a space - you’re joining a national effort. And that’s a wonderful, empowering thought.
So whether you’re planning a complete planting scheme or simply adding one new border this season, know this:
Your garden is more important than you think.
Every plant matters.
Every gardener contributes.
And we’re here to help you shape your little piece of the bigger whole.
📚 Read more / download the full RHS report here:
RHS State of Gardening Report 2025