The 7 New Year's resolutions that every gardener should make for 2025

Fun fact: we're more in love with our gardens than ever before. It makes sense, then, that our minds will be firmly upon the New Year's resolutions that every gardener should make for 2025 when we begin that all-important countdown on 31 December.

Whether it's investing in the best perennial plants, growing our own vegetables, or trying our hands at some genius upcycling ideas for the garden, there are plenty of ways we can do better by our outdoor spaces in the year ahead.

What, though, do the gardening pros suggest for gardening-related New Year's resolutions? We approached seven experts about the meaningful changes they'd like us all to make for 2025...

The 7 New Year's resolutions that every gardener should make

Picture the scene: the countdown has begun, midnight is almost upon you, and you have no clue what your New Year's resolution is yet.

Don't worry, we've got your back! Sharing the lessons they've learned working in their own gardens and beyond, these brilliant men and women have given us a lot to consider when it comes to making our plans for our outdoor spaces in the year ahead.

Without any further ado, then, here are the 7 New Year's resolutions that every gardener should make, according to the pros...

1. Invest in a water feature

Sean McMenemy, nature expert and founder of Ark Wildlife, shares a simple yet impactful resolution you can embrace to give wildlife a little extra love: get a garden pond in the mix.

‘Water is essential for life and wildlife needs it just as much as we do! Even in urban areas, birds, bees and small mammals will flock to a reliable water source, especially during dry spells,’ he says, noting that you can start small in your wildlife garden ‘with a shallow dish of fresh water, making sure to clean and refill it regularly to keep it safe and appealing.’

‘If you want to go bigger, consider installing a wildlife pond. It doesn’t have to be large – a small, lined hole with a mix of submerged plants and shallow edges can support frogs, dragonflies, and other aquatic creatures,’ he continues.

‘Add pebbles or logs around the edge to provide basking spots and safe access for creatures of all sizes. A trusted water supply is a gift that wildlife will appreciate year-round.’

2. Try your hand at topiary

Another of the top New Year's resolutions that every gardener should make for 2025, Steve Swanborough, gardening expert at Henchman Ladders Ltd, encourages gardeners to try their hand at topiary and cloud pruning in 2025.

‘Topiary has been a garden trend for centuries, but in 2025 why not try your hand at creating circular shapes that will take your garden to the next level. Circular topiary is set to become the ultimate symbol of elegance and sophistication, offering a timeless design that will captivate gardening enthusiasts and landscape designers alike,’ he says.

‘Expect to see perfectly manicured spheres in varying sizes, as well as curves that evoke harmony and style. These simple, classic forms are making their way into gardens everywhere. From classic spherical shapes to intricate wavy patterns that play with concentric circles, rounded hedges will bring a touch of creativity and refinement to any outdoor space.’

3. Go wild(flower)

Dr Emily Lambert, one of the founders of Seedball, shares an easy way for people to make a difference to nature by prioritising the planting of native flora in 2025.

‘With the ongoing decline of native flora in the UK, it’s vital that people make a conscious decision to plant natively in 2025. Native wildflowers aren’t just pretty – they also play a vital part in our ecosystem, providing resident bees, butterflies and other pollinators with food throughout the year,’ she says, noting that we should all add a few wildflower garden ideas to our to-do lists.

‘In fact, on a single day in summer, one acre of wildflower meadow can contain three million flowers, producing one kg of nectar sugar – enough to support nearly 96,000 honeybees per day!’

4. Don’t be afraid of gardening tech

Patty Willems, PR Manager at sustainable plant pot manufacturer, elho, encourages everyone to embrace smart-tech, citing it as one of the top New Year's resolutions that every gardener should make for 2025.

‘As technology becomes increasingly embedded in our daily lives, it’s only natural that plant care is also evolving. More people are turning to smart solutions that simplify maintaining healthy plants. These innovations allow us to take the guesswork out of plant care, ensuring our greenery thrives with minimal effort,’ she says.

‘A great example of this is elho’s new smart pebble, which seamlessly integrates into any plant pot. It monitors key factors like water levels, light exposure and temperature, offering real-time insights that help you keep plants in optimal condition.’

All of this information is delivered via an easy-to-use app, which also provides helpful care tips and a plant library. Another example is adding something like the Gardena Aquabloom to your patio. It is a solar-powered watering system that will make keeping your plants happy so much easier.

5. Focus on all-year interest

Morris Hankinson, the founder and director of Hopes Grove Nurseries, wants gardeners to stop thinking about their outdoor space in terms of what it can do for them in the spring and summer; it can absolutely thrive in the autumn and winter, too, with a little care and planning.

‘Plant evergreen hedges like holly or yew for privacy and year-round structure,’ he suggests.

‘Choose deciduous hedges for seasonal beauty and textural interest. Leave perennial seedheads standing to provide visual interest in winter and food for birds. And don’t forget to use colourful shrubs like dogwood or viburnum to add winter colour to your garden!’

For bonus points, Morris adds that you should aim to ‘select plants that offer blooms, berries, or foliage across all seasons to keep your garden lively and vibrant year-round’.

‘This not only provides continuous enjoyment but also ensures wildlife has access to food and shelter throughout the year,’ he promises.

6. Say yes to seaweed

This one isn’t just for coastal gardens; in fact, Angharad James, product manager at Maxicrop, suggests all gardeners embrace the power of seaweed in 2025.

‘Seaweed has been a gardener’s secret weapon for centuries! Backed by science, it offers all kinds of natural advantages that can help you grow healthier, more resilient crops in your garden,’ she says.

‘Its unique composition, rich in bioactive compounds and essential minerals, delivers a host of benefits to both plants and soil. It contains natural plant growth hormones, such as auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins. These compounds regulate key plant processes, including cell division, elongation, and differentiation. It boosts soil microbial activity, enhances the stress tolerance of plants, and is naturally rich in trace minerals like magnesium, iron, manganese and zinc.’

If you’re on the hunt for the easiest way to incorporate seaweed into your gardening routine, Angharad says you ought to try a biostimulant such as Maxicrop All Purpose Growth Stimulant (available from Amazon).

‘Simply add the required amount to your watering can, and apply directly to plants!’

7. Stick to peat-free

Almost everyone in the gardening industry will tell you that peat belongs in boggy peatlands, not bags of compost – especially as a) at least 80% of our peatlands have been damaged, and b) while healthy peat bogs can store carbon for thousands of years, harvesting the stuff causes harmful greenhouse gases to escape into our atmosphere.

It’s little wonder, then, that award-winning garden designer Zoe Claymore says one of the top New Year's resolutions that every gardener should make for 2025 is to ditch peat compost in 2025.

‘The wildlife and your soil, your health, and your planet will thank you for it,’ she adds.

Try to make your own compost or leaf mould, then, or buy one of the peat-free composts now widely available, such as Miracle-Gro Premium All Purpose Peat Free Compost from Amazon.

Now that you know all of the New Year's resolutions that every gardener should make for 2025, all that's left to do is decide which one (or several) you will be swearing to make when the clock strikes midnight on the last night of the year.

Good luck...