Garden Girl Summer Is the New Tomato Girl Summer (and TikTok Is *Living* For It)

Picture this: It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon, and you’re sitting in your grandmother’s sun-drenched garden, surrounded by blooming hydrangeas and plump red tomatoes. Waves crash in the distant background as a soft breeze rustles through the trees overhead. You take a of sip iced tea from a delicate, vintage Hermes teacup. This idyllic scene is the essence of TikTok’s summer obsession for 2024: Garden Girl.

First, let’s start with how this trend rose to the spotlight. You’ve no doubt heard of the Tomato Girl or Coastal Grandmother trend—and for the past three summers, my feed has been inundated by images of Diane Keaton’s beach house from Something’s Gotta Give. Yet, while an eight-bedroom estate on Meadow Lane will never go out of style, this year, I’m seeing people infuse the look with another buzzy fad: Coquette. Instead of blue and white stripes or vases with seashells, Garden Girl pulls from classic English Country motifs, like ruffles, florals, heirloom dishware, and of course, greenery and gardens. It’s basically an herb-filled compromise that blends the delicate femininity of Coquette with the refined nostalgia of Coastal Grandmother.

According to Etsy Trend Expert Dayna Isom Johnson, the Garden Girl look captures “the joy in the little things,” like arranging fresh blooms in antique vases or sipping iced tea in a sunlit garden. She also says, “It's super breathable and adds an effortless touch of elegance,” where Etsy has seen significant spikes in searches for botanical prints, vintage decor, and floral home accents (like garden blankets, which is up 231 percent in the last three months). Plus, Pinterest reports searches for "Tea sets vintage” are up by 168 percent month-over-month and “Vintage Americana” are up by 164 percent. Not to mention that people are still into Coastal Grandmother with searches for “Nancy Meyers living room” up by 2,090 percent and “Nancy Meyers homes” up by 2,055 percent.

The TL;DR? This trend takes a classic Southampton beach home and plops it in the middle of a Birdgerton-inspired garden. So below, find four ways to bring Garden Girl home this summer. 

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Handcrafted items are the heart and soul of this trend. From customizable plant markers to handwoven fruit baskets, you want to add pieces with a personal touch (something that screams "I care.") As for furniture, stick with natural materials—like wicker, rattan and wood—to bring warmth and timelessness. Think: a wicker chair in a plant-filled reading nook or a wooden console with bowls and vases you made in pottery class. 

The easiest (and most budget-friendly) way to go about this is by adding accessories inspired by the outdoors. Think: floral throw pillows, garden-themed artwork and botanical wallpaper. Even small touches, like pressed-flower trinkets and floral salad plates will make an impact. And of course, you also want to incorporate flowers and greenery wherever you can, including potted plants, hanging planters, and terrariums. 

You know that old tea set that’s been sitting in storage in the attic? Feel free to dust it off because Garden Girl says it’s cool again. (And if you don’t have a hand-me-down tea set, there are a slew of vintage-inspired options on the market.) How to make this specific to Garden Girl, however, is by working in florals and greenery. You want to fill separate items from your tea set with plants and flowers like you would in a vase. Think: teacups filled with succulents and teapots that have blooming tulips sprouting from the water hole.

Finally, something I’m seeing over and over with this look are nature-inspired nooks in the backyard. This makes sense, since Garden Girl is all about creating a sanctuary within your home. You want to create a little outdoor corner that incorporates comfortable seating with plenty of cushions and throws. Then, add soft lighting, like fairy lights or lanterns. And if you’re planning on entertaining outside this summer, coastal dinner party is up by 70 percent on Pinterest search. Throw in some lace tablecloths and floral plates, and you’re on your way to the perfect Garden Girl tablescape.