Colour is a garden design trend that plays a powerful role in shaping, not just how a garden looks, but how a garden feels. As we move into 2026, garden colour trends take a more refined and considered direction – palettes that feel calm and sophisticated year-round and sit comfortably within high-end garden landscaping projects.
At Gardens by Keltie & Clark, we use colour as a design tool that, when used well, elevates your entire outdoor experience. Here’s how…
The past year saw a shift away from overly bold or novelty-led schemes towards calmer, more grounded tones. Natural greens, warm neutrals and muted florals dominated luxury outdoor spaces, often inspired by the surrounding countryside.
For many Gloucestershire garden design projects, 2025 was about reconnecting gardens as an extension of the home – using colour to soften structures, blend boundaries and create a sense of continuity between house and landscape.
This foundation now sets the tone for what’s emerging in 2026.
Warm stone, clay, putty and soft taupe tones continue to gain momentum, particularly in hard landscaping, garden walls and architectural features. These natural stone colours provide a timeless backdrop, perfectly complementing planting schemes naturally through the seasons.
In large Cotswold gardens, these neutral palettes feel elegant and understated, supporting both traditional and contemporary properties without overpowering them.
Greenery remains central to luxury outdoor living trends, creating a feeling of calm and harmony, but in 2026 it becomes richer and more layered. Think deep evergreen hues, glossy foliage and tonal variations rather than flat expanses of lawn.
These darker greens add weight and maturity to the garden, working particularly well in larger landscapes where structure and scale are essential, but also smaller gardens to create a sense of wellbeing and sanctuary
Rather than bright seasonal colour, 2026 introduces restrained accents – soft rusts, dusky pinks, wine reds and berry tones. Used sparingly, these shades bring warmth and visual interest without disrupting the calm of the overall scheme.
These colours translate beautifully across planting, furniture and even outdoor textiles, reinforcing cohesion across the garden. For instant colour, use a garden feature such as a beautiful pot or piece of artwork, as described in our blog, Artisan Pots: Unique Pieces to Elevate Your Luxury Garden.
Cooler tones return in a more refined form. Greyed blues and soft charcoal shades are increasingly used in porcelain paving, metal detailing and garden furniture.
When paired with natural stone and planting, these tones introduce a contemporary edge that feels particularly suited to modern gardens in Cheltenham and the Cotswolds
The most successful colour schemes are never considered in isolation. At Gardens by Keltie & Clark, we approach colour as part of a broader design narrative – one that includes architecture, materials, planting structure and how the garden will be used throughout the year.
For us, longevity is key. A well-chosen palette should feel just as relevant in five or ten years’ time as it does today. This is why we favour restrained, layered schemes that evolve gracefully rather than follow short-lived trends.
In large gardens, colour must work at scale. This often means using repetition and restraint, allowing certain tones to appear across planting, surfaces and built elements.
For example:
This approach ensures the garden feels cohesive, balanced and luxurious, rather than busy or fragmented.
Colour plays an important role in defining outdoor living areas – coloured planting schemes or thoughtfully-positioned pots and planters can subtly zone spaces for dining, relaxation or entertaining without the need for heavy structural divisions.
Pots and other garden features are an ideal way to add colour instantly. In many of our gardens, we have featured striking Torc Pots to anchor the colour scheme – whether by mirroring the architecture of the building – as in this Regency Cheltenham garden – or to add a burst of colour and interest – as in this Cheltenham courtyard garden.
Garden colour trends for 2026 reflect a broader shift in luxury outdoor living trends towards spaces that are calm, grounded and designed to be inviting all year round.
If you’re considering a new garden design or just want to shake up your existing scheme, colour should be part of the conversation from the very beginning. It has the power to transform not just how a garden looks, but how it makes you feel.
>Contact us to discuss your new garden project in 2026
