Green Drenching Is the Trend Taking Over Gardens This Spring—Here’s How to Do It

“Green drenching” is the garden trend taking over this spring, shifting the focus from bold blooms to a tranquil palette of layered greens. Think compact conifers, ferns, evergreen shrubs, and vines, creating a lush, immersive retreat in your own backyard. This mindful approach celebrates varied textures and shapes, offering a year-round sanctuary that’s both calming and visually captivating.

With sustainability at the forefront, green drenching also champions native plants that support local wildlife and thrive in specific climates. We’re sharing expert plant picks from Monrovia and the Sunset Plant Collection, plus native plant suggestions for a habitat-friendly, nature-rich garden that enhances both beauty and biodiversity. Ready to take your color-drenching outdoors? Let’s grow! 

What Is Green Drenching?

Photo courtesy of Monrovia.com, by Doreen Wynja. Landscape design by Tish Treherne.

Green drenching is more than just a design trend—it’s an invitation to slow down, immerse yourself in nature, and create a retreat right outside your door. Unlike traditional gardens that rely on colorful blooms for impact, this approach embraces the full spectrum of greens, layering deep evergreens, bright chartreuse accents, and a mix of fine and bold textures to create a lush, soothing atmosphere. Inspired by forest bathing and biophilic design, green drenching transforms any outdoor space into a personal sanctuary, whether it’s a sprawling backyard or a compact patio.

Beyond aesthetics, this trend is also a smart, sustainable choice. A garden filled with layered greenery provides natural cooling, reduces noise, and offers essential habitat for birds and pollinators. Plus, by focusing on resilient, evergreen plants, green drenching ensures year-round interest with minimal upkeep. The key is to think in layers—screening plants for structure, mid-height shrubs for depth, and ground covers for a soft, cohesive finish. The result? A lush, inviting escape that feels effortlessly wild yet completely intentional.

How to Build a Verdant, Multi-Dimensional Garden

Photo courtesy of the Sunset Plant Collection.

Achieving the lush, layered look of green drenching is all about combining different plant heights, textures, and shades of green to create a cohesive yet dynamic outdoor space. Whether you’re looking for dense screening, structural shrubs, or soft ground covers, the key is to mix and match foliage in a way that feels intentional yet natural.

Monrovia’s Top Picks for Green Drenching

Photo by Anatoly Najmitenko on Unsplash.

These selections from Monrovia offer a range of lush, textural options perfect for layering.

Tall Screening & Structure

• Emerald Colonnade® Holly (Ilex x ‘Conaf’)—A dense, evergreen shrub ideal for hedges and privacy walls.
  
• Gold Coast Pittosporum (Pittosporum tobira ‘Gold Coast’)—Glossy green and gold foliage that catches the light beautifully.
  
• Camellia (Camellia spp.)—Lush, shade-loving evergreens with glossy leaves and seasonal blooms.
  

Mid-Layer Shrubs & Accents

• Little Ragu® Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis ‘MonRik’)—A compact, textured shrub with edible leaves and a soft, rounded shape.
  
• Boxwood (Buxus spp.)—Classic and structured, ideal for shaping or natural growth.
  
• Foxtail Fern (Asparagus densiflorus ‘Meyers’)—Bold, upright fronds that add dramatic texture to garden beds or containers.
  

Ground Covers & Textural Highlights

• Camouflage™ Variegated Japanese Aralia (Fatsia japonica ‘Variegata’)—Broad, variegated foliage that brightens up shaded areas.
  
• Jack Frost Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’)—Silvery-green, heart-shaped leaves with a soft, luminous effect.
  
• Lamb’s Ear (Stachys byzantina)—Velvety, silver-green ground cover that softens pathways and borders.
  

Sunset Plant Collection’s Top Picks for Green Drenching

Photo courtesy of The Sunset Plant Collection.

For a water-wise yet lush approach, these selections from the Sunset Plant Collection bring depth and contrast:

Tall Screening & Structure

• Pittosporum ‘Irish Fortune’ (Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Irish Fortune’)—A fast-growing evergreen hedge with a refined look and minimal maintenance needs.
  
• Pittosporum ‘Beach Ball’ (Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Beach Ball’)—Compact and round, this shrub adds natural shape and texture variation.
  

Mid-Layer Shrubs & Accents

• Nandina ‘Lemon Lime’ (Nandina domestica ‘Lemon Lime’)—Bright, chartreuse foliage that stands out against deeper greens.
  
• Lomandra ‘Lime Spritz’ (Lomandra longifolia ‘Lime Spritz’)—A drought-tolerant, grasslike plant with a fresh, green tone.
  
• Dianella ‘Coolvista’ (Dianella revoluta ‘Cool Vista’)—A striking bluish-green plant with fine, upright foliage.
  

Ground Covers & Textural Highlights

• Island Alum Root (Heuchera maxima)—A native perennial with rich green foliage and delicate, white flower spikes.
  
• White Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana)—A subtle, native iris with soft white blooms that blend beautifully into a green-on-green palette.
  
• Western Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum)—A classic Pacific Northwest native with deep green, arching fronds that thrive in shady spots.
  

By mixing structural evergreens with textural grasses, soft ground covers, and a variety of foliage shades, green drenching offers a simple yet impactful way to create a vibrant, nature-forward retreat. Whether you opt for Monrovia’s lush selections or the Sunset Plant Collection’s water-wise picks, layering plants thoughtfully will transform any space into a green sanctuary.

Create Year-Round Interest with Texture and Contrast

Photo courtesy of Monroiva.com, by Doreen Wynja.

While flowers come and go, foliage lasts all year. “The more you get into gardening, the more you realize the beauty of stunning foliage,” says a rep from Monrovia. The trick? Mix textures and shades of green.

• Fine-textured ferns (like western sword fern) soften the landscape.
  
• Bold-leaved plants (like Fatsia or Hosta) create a striking focal point.
  
• Silvery greens (like lamb’s ear or Dianella ‘Coolvista’) offer a subtle contrast.
  
• Bright chartreuse foliage (from Nandina ‘Lemon Lime’ or Lomandra ‘Lime Spritz’) adds vibrancy to darker spaces.
• For a subtle touch of blooms, island alum root (Heuchera maxima) and white Douglas iris blend seamlessly into a green-heavy palette while supporting pollinators. Think “I want bees and butterflies in my garden, but I don’t want anything too colorful or jarring.”

Pro Tips to Keep It Looking Intentional

Sasha Gulish

• Don’t overplant. Give shrubs and trees room to grow—crowding leads to maintenance headaches.
  
• Stick to balance and repetition. A unified hedge creates cohesion, while a mix of leaf shapes and sizes adds interest.
  
• Include a focal point. A water feature, statement pot, or seating area helps ground the space and gives your eyes a place to rest.
  

Turn the Trend into a Native Habitat

Photo by Lauri Poldre.

Love the idea of green drenching but want to take it a step further? Make it sustainable by incorporating native plants that not only enhance the lush, layered look but also support local ecosystems. By mixing regionally adapted vines, ground covers, and shrubs with your favorite garden picks, you’ll create a backyard retreat that’s not just beautiful—it’s resilient, low-maintenance, and a haven for birds and pollinators. Here’s how to build a rich, textured garden that thrives naturally in your corner of the West.

Pacific Northwest 

Vines: Western virgin’s bower (Clematis ligusticifolia)—A vigorous, pollinator-friendly clematis with delicate white flowers.

Ground Covers: Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)—A low-growing, evergreen ground cover with glossy leaves and small pink flowers.

Shrubs: Pacific wax myrtle (Myrica californica)—A dense, evergreen shrub with glossy leaves that provides excellent habitat for birds.

California 

Vines: California Dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia californica)—A striking vine with unusual, pipe-shaped flowers that supports native butterflies.

Ground Covers: California fuchsia (Epilobium canum)—A spreading, drought-tolerant ground cover with silver foliage and bright red flowers.

Shrubs: Coffeeberry (Frangula californica)—A lush, evergreen shrub with dark green foliage and berries that attract birds.

Southwest 

Vines: Desert snapdragon (Maurandya antirrhiniflora)—A delicate, trailing vine with small purple flowers, perfect for adding a soft, green layer.

Ground Covers: Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana)—A low-growing, evergreen ground cover with aromatic, needle-like foliage.

Shrubs: Wright’s silktassel (Garrya wrightii)—A drought-tolerant evergreen shrub with glossy leaves and elegant, drooping catkins.

Intermountain West 

Vines: Western white clematis (Clematis ligusticifolia)—A hardy, fast-growing vine with fragrant white flowers that attract pollinators.

Ground Covers: Sulphur buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum)—A tough, mat-forming ground cover with bright yellow blooms.

Shrubs: Mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius)—An evergreen shrub with rich green foliage that thrives in rocky, dry soils.