What do prepping, emocracy and trad-wives have to do with Green Industry trends for 2026? In a world that feels increasingly unstable, people face vicissitudes, uncertainty and complex issues. How does this affect the way consumers view flowers and plants? This zeitgeist is called Checkpoint Reality, or 'the unreal reality', by Flower Council Holland. According to Aafje Nijman of Bureau Nijman + Van Haaster, this zeitgeist is the basis for the four style trends presented at a Knowledge Session at the World Horti Centre on Tuesday 18 March.
A look at the room, which was almost full.
'Save the world, go gardening'
"To stay relevant as a sector, we need to understand consumers well. With these trends, we respond to changing needs and provide inspiration and direction to the market. And ultimately, the goal overall is to boost sales," shared Yvonne Watzdorf, director of Flower Council Holland, during the opening speech.
And how are consumers feeling? Of course, there is no denying Trump's presence in today's world and we are dealing with climate change and wars, shares Aafje Nijman in her presentation.
"We feel that we need to take matters into our own hands. The positive side of this is that people themselves at least want to make good choices and do so at home. That's why many consumers are going into the garden and why we also see these positive movements reflected in the media with headlines like 'Save the world, go gardening'." At the same time, she apologizes for the introduction, as it is not very positive. Fortunately, the current zeitgeist is again bringing forth new, positive trends.
The four style trends of 2026 from left to right clockwise: Nostalgic Lens, Intriguing Decor, Unexpected Encounter and Orbit Revive. See our photo report here (In Dutch).
The four style trends of 2026
The Green Industry Trends bring consumers and the floriculture industry closer together. They show how consumers experience the world and how that influences their view of flowers and plants. The trends therefore provide important information for growers and suppliers about the zeitgeist and state of mind of consumers.
The current zeitgeist is characterized by uncertainty. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) creates additional challenges in this regard. For, in an unreal world, how do we distinguish between what is true and what is not? The four style trends developed - Nostalgic Lens, Intriguing Decor, Orbit Revive, and Unexpected Encounter - reflect how we as a society are trying to get a grip on this. During the Knowledge Session, trend watcher Aafje Nijman explained how these trends each arise in their own way from social developments.
1. Nostalgic lens
Diving back into the past and viewing the world through safe, homely and nostalgic glasses. Fitting for 'cottage core', having your own vegetable garden and 'trad-wives'. Biedermeier bouquets return and a revival in small-flowering plants.
2. Intriguing Decor
The corners of the mouth can lift, and friendliness is the answer to hardening in society. Safety and a warm welcome are at the heart of this trend, with a step back in time to the 1960s. A cozy and homely look is combined with soft materials and plaid designs. Bouquets are colorful and monochrome, with plants featuring exciting leaf colors.
3. Orbit Revive
Retro Futurism is at the heart of this trend, we go back to the 60s and at the same time make use of AI. Technology helps to make life a little easier. Round shapes, fluffy textures and a pinch of metallic stand out, and in terms of flowers and plants, the '80s are seen as inspiration in particular.
4. Unexpected Encounter
There is a lot of experimentation with extremes, anything goes. This translates into an almost fairy-tale world with surreal objects and unusual flower-and-plant combinations.
From left to right clockwise: Miranda Rijsdijk and Lucas Jansen (FlowerAcademy.nl) and in the middle Esmee van Beem (Hamiplant); a number of ladies from (companies of) the Dutch Flower Group; Romeo Sommers, Yvonne Watzdorf and Karin van der Eijk; Carmen Brouwers and Tamara Chaloulakos of Flower Council Holland. View our photo report here (in Dutch).
Lucas Jansen of FlowerAcademy.nl really likes the return of the Biedermeier, as well as the use of vegetables in bouquets. "It makes my job a lot easier again," he says with a laugh." Everything I did years ago is now coming back." Esmee van Beem, who was taught by Lucas, adds: "And some bouquets I would have gotten a failing grade for before are now totally in. It's incredibly interesting how trends are explained here and boundaries are pushed within the greenery industry."
From inspiration to practical application
The Groenbranche Trends 2026 are a guiding principle in Flower Council Holland's marketing communication activities over the coming year, and they also offer plenty of opportunities for the sector. For growers, traders, sector organizations and retailers, trend information and visual materials are available on the Flower Council Holland website. This can be used for product presentations, workshops, purchasing strategies and product innovations. Flower Council Holland is also happy to help think about how companies can concretely apply these trends in their communications and offerings.
For more information:
Bloemenbureau Holland (Flower Council Holland)
info@bloemenbureauholland.nl
www.bloemenbureauholland.nl
www.flowercouncil.co.uk