When I spoke to Cath Kidston MBE about the garden trends she’s excited to see in 2025, one style immediately came to mind: patio gardens.
And not just patio ideas which involve planting up a container garden (although those are great, too) – speaking to Cath in her flagship C.Atherley store, she shared her love of planting between the gaps in her paved terrace, seamlessly weaving the two together.
Cath revealed a few key plants she used to create her patio garden, too. Here’s how to get the look.
A snapshot of verbena, fennel and Erigeron growing between the gaps in Cath’s patio garden.
(Image credit: Cath Kidston MBE)
If you’ve got a patio or a paved terrace, there’s a good chance you’ll notice a few cracks and gaps around. Or, Cath says, you could make your own.
‘Put some gaps in it, and you can easily plant amongst the paving,’ she said. ‘Taking advantage of that paved area is really important. It’s very low maintenance, and absolutely beautiful in a small garden.’
Then, you’ll need to sprinkle a few seeds down or get planting – and I’ve taken note of Cath’s unique herb garden idea.
‘I grow herbs, like sage and rosemary, and then I have fennel which grows high and attracts all the butterflies,’ she said.
Planting between the gaps in block paving was popular at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in previous years.
(Image credit: Future PLC/Heather Young)
Fennel’s untamed look is perfect if you’re hoping to embrace a wilder look in your outdoor space this year, and a standout choice of Cath’s.
‘The fennel’s amazing because it brings all the insects in,’ she explained. ‘It’s beautiful, and I’ve seen it’s already coming back for another year.’
Garden designer Harriet Worsley is also a fan of fennel in a patio garden – one variety in particular. ‘Fennel ‘Giant Bronze’ grows tall and gives a fabulous smoky, hazy look,’ she says.
Get the look
Sarah Raven
Erigeron karvinskianus ‘Profusion’
Crocus
Fennel ‘Giant Bronze’
Sarah Raven
Alchemilla mollis
Besides fennel, there’s one other plant that Cath’s patio garden wouldn’t be without: Erigeron.
‘I love it because it grows wild in the pavement,’ she said. ‘It’s difficult to grow from seed, but once you get it going, it will gradually catch and spread very naturally and beautifully.’
Harriet likes Erigeron in a patio garden, too. ‘Two plants that look very pretty growing between slabs are Erigeron, the delicate little daisy, and Alchemilla mollis, which looks beautiful after the rain as the little droplets sit on the leaves like pearls,’ she says.
Another great example of low-growing perennials growing between paving at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
(Image credit: Future PLC/Heather Young)
A word of warning from Cath: you’ll need to go for frost-resistant perennials if you want them to come back year after year.
Make sure you have enough room for the plants to grow, too. ‘If the slabs are laid too close together, planting anything can be tricky, and you might need irrigation to help the plants establish,’ Harriet explains.
If you’re looking for container garden ideas to pair with your patio planting, Cath highlighted a few more favourites: cistus and geraniums.
‘I have my grow my tubs of geraniums next to the Erigeron,’ she said.
Pink geraniums and Erigeron growing together in a planter in Cath’s patio garden.
(Image credit: Cath Kidston MBE)
Another word of advice from Davenport House’s head gardener, Alison, on patio pots: ‘If you have a small patio, don’t make the mistake of putting lots of small pots out,’ she says. ‘Go for less, larger pots, giving the feeling of more space and less clutter.’
Tall herbs, Erigeron and companion pots: the three features of Cath Kidston’s dream patio garden. I can’t wait to see how this garden trend unfurls this year.