Chaos gardening: The fun, carefree and wild planting trend where all rules go out of the window
If you've embraced your green thumb in the past few years, you know that nothing is foolproof when it comes to gardening. You may carefully sow, weed, and tend to plants and end up with, well, a whole lot of imperfection. Nature's funny that way – no matter how much you know (or think you know) about gardening, there are always plenty of wins, fails and surprises.
That's probably why chaos gardening is so appealing. This planting method first gained traction in 2023 (and has been showcased across several Chelsea Flower Show gardens in recent years). Its popularity continues, as it's been noted as a rising garden trend for 2025, with searches up by 300 per cent on Pinterest.
Think of chaos gardening like a cool science experiment. It may or may not yield the results you expect, but the end result is rather fun and satisfying. It is the polar opposite of meticulously planning flowerbeds and planting them row by row.
'Chaos gardening is a more relaxed, fun and spontaneous approach to traditional gardening,' says Chris Bonnett, founder of GardeningExpress.co.uk. 'Instead of following planting schemes, gardeners are encouraged to gather any leftover seeds they have lying around and scatter them in one area or throughout the garden. This will result in a more natural and wild-looking garden, which is also good for biodiversity, attracting beneficial pollinators and other insects.'
You can be as involved or hands-off as you wish, which makes it ideal for low-maintenance gardens. 'This method is perfect for people with busy lifestyles who still want to enhance their gardens with minimal effort,' explains Chris. 'Chaos gardening takes away the pressure of having the "perfect" garden and focuses on allowing people to have fun with it as they see their gardens transform throughout the months.'
Chaos gardening is easy, carefree and unpredictable – there are no real rules, you just have to be willing to let nature unfold in its own way. Ready to embrace this gardening trend? Here's how to get started.
Gather your seed packets
You know those old or half-used packets of seeds you have lying around? Grab them and get ready to plant. Most seeds remain viable for several years so they will still sprout. If you don't have leftover packets, buy some new seeds – a mixture of annuals, perennials, herbs and vegetables will work a treat.
Look for a good spot to plant…
Find a spot to scatter your seeds. Most flowers, vegetables and herbs need full sun, which is at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. But ensure you read the seed packet for each plant's needs.
Remember, if you don’t want the plants to cover the entire garden, just choose one specific area, such as a neglected patch – and make sure it gets enough sunlight.
…Or chaos garden in containers
If you don't have any room in beds or you do your gardening on a deck or patio, get a few containers, fill them with potting soil, and sprinkle seeds on top. Containers are a great way to experiment with chaos gardening if you're tight on space.
Sprinkle seeds everywhere
'To prepare the soil, you can loosen it with a rake and mix in a bit of compost to help improve growth,' suggests Chris. Then sprinkle seeds or mix packages as desired. You may choose to plant large seeds first, then sprinkle on the small ones, or mix everything together and plant at the same time. Anything goes!
Do a little maintenance
Nothing can grow without some TLC. Just ensure to water regularly to help the seeds sprout, and if seedlings are growing too close to each other, thin them so that they have a little space to spread out. 'Once the garden is established and the plants start to naturally self-seed, you might notice that your workload decreases even more,' says Chris.
Let go of expectations
Part of the joy of chaos gardening is that you let nature take the lead. It's really all about embracing the unknown and not being afraid to fail. In fact, you probably will learn just as much from this experiment as you did all the times you carefully planned and tended your plants. That's just a lesson in nature: it does what it wants, with or without your help!
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