Indoor and In‑and‑Out Plants: The RHS Gardening Trend for 2026

Indoor and “in‑and‑out” planting is set to be one of the defining gardening trends of 2026, with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) highlighting tabletop veg and flexible, movable containers as key ideas for modern British homes and small spaces. This approach blends indoor greenery with seasonal outdoor refreshes, using everything from an indoor planter on a windowsill to an “in‑and‑out planter” that moves between balcony and sitting room as the weather changes. Explore this trend with Vayu Earth.

What is the indoor and in‑and‑out plant trend?

The indoor and in‑and‑out plant trend focuses on containers and planters that can be easily repositioned, allowing plants to thrive indoors during colder, greyer months and outdoors when conditions improve. Rather than relying on permanent borders, gardeners are favouring a mix of indoor plant pot displays, portable containers and compact veg planters that suit renters, balconies and small urban gardens across the UK.

This makes gardening far more accessible for people without traditional beds or lawns, enabling them to grow herbs, salad leaves and decorative foliage in a small inhouse planter or balcony trough. It also encourages more experimental planting, as you can play with different combinations in containers without committing to major landscaping work.

Indoor planters for smaller British homes

For compact flats and terraces, a small indoor planter is often the easiest way to join the 2026 indoor gardening trend. These planters are ideal for shelves, narrow sills and the corner of a work‑from‑home desk, where just a few well‑chosen plants can completely lift the feel of a room.

A mini planter pot suits tiny succulents, baby herbs or miniature ferns, giving you a low‑maintenance way to add greenery without cluttering your surfaces. Grouping several small indoor planters together creates a curated miniature garden, which can be rearranged seasonally or moved outside on brighter days as part of your in‑and‑out routine.

Tabletop planters and tabletop veg

One of the most talked‑about ideas is the table top planter or tabletop planter, which taps into the broader container and tabletop veg trend for 2026. Instead of dedicating an entire veg patch, many people are growing cut‑and‑come‑again salad leaves, compact tomatoes and kitchen herbs in shallow, decorative trays or troughs that sit on dining tables, kitchen islands and patio tables.

A tabletop veg garden in a stylish indoor planter works as both décor and a practical source of fresh ingredients, keeping herbs and leaves close to hand while cooking. Because these containers are portable, they function perfectly as in‑and‑out planters, spending warm, bright days on a balcony or in a courtyard and returning indoors when the temperature drops or the weather turns.

In‑and‑out planters for British weather

The idea of an in‑and‑out planter is straightforward: choose pots and containers light enough to move, and plant them with varieties that cope well with typical British conditions both inside and out. During the colder months, an in‑and‑out planter can live as an indoor plant pot, bringing colour and texture to living rooms, hallways and home offices.

Once spring and summer arrive, those same planters can be shifted outdoors to a doorstep, patio or balcony, where plants benefit from extra light and airflow. This flexibility is ideal for changeable UK weather, as you can simply whisk your inhouse planter back indoors if frost, high winds or a sudden downpour is forecast.

Styling your 2026 home with indoor & in‑and‑out planters

To embrace the 2026 gardening mood in a British home, start by mixing different sizes and heights of small indoor planter, mini planter pot and tabletop planter around your rooms. Use alcoves, fireplaces, console tables and kitchen worktops as stages, combining leafy foliage with edible herbs or tabletop veg to reflect the RHS‑highlighted trend for productive, attractive indoor gardens.

Then, select a few key in‑and‑out planters that you can easily move between indoor and outdoor areas such as a balcony, small terrace or back step, planting them with adaptable varieties that thrive in both settings.

Rotate these containers with the seasons so your indoor plant pots always look fresh, while your outdoor space benefits from a constantly changing cast of plants that follow the rhythm of the British year.

Find your best in-house planter at Vayu Earth Planter Collection!