The Colour of the Year in Blooms: Mocha Mousse

Each year, Pantone’s Colour of the Year captivates the creative world, influencing trends across, design, fashion, art and gardening. For 2025, Pantone has chosen a rich, sophisticated hue: Mocha Mousse. This warm, earthy tone—a balanced blend of rich brown with hints of soft, creamy undertones—evokes a sense of comfort, grounding, and understated elegance. With sustainability and connection to nature becoming increasingly important, “Mocha Mousse” channels the warmth of the earth and reminds us of the grounded beauty in the world around us.

Further explained by Pantone’s Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman: “Underpinned by our desire for everyday pleasures, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse expresses a level of thoughtful indulgence. Sophisticated and lush, yet at the same time an unpretentious classic, PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse extends our perceptions of the browns from being humble and grounded to embrace aspirational and luxe.”

In the garden, the earthy tones of Mocha Mousse are a familiar favourite. Bronze hued foliage, chocolatey new growth and petals that turn from pristine whites to rustic browns – the garden is filled with the rich hues of Mocha Mousse. Pantone invites us to embrace this gentle brown tone whose inherent richness brings comfort and warmth. Exuding elegance, discover how accents of Mocha Mousse in the garden will create an undeniable sophistication.

Gladiolus Earl Grey

Silky blooms painted with bronze, dusky purple and coppery hues, Gladiolus Earl Grey adds a beautiful calm to the garden. Multicoloured and endlessly interesting to look at, you are sure to catch glimpses of warm Mocha Mousse tones featured in this gladiolus. This summer blooming beauty is an excellent cut flower and grows to heights of 100 cm (40”). To learn more about growing and caring for gladiolus, find our guide here.

Lily Tiger Babies

The delightful dots on this stunning lily bring the chocolatey warmth of Mocha Mousse to center stage. Lily Tiger Babies is an apricot hued tiger lily with reflexed blooms and deep copper speckles. Exotic and opulent, Tiger Babies’ intricately patterned petals are a work of art in the garden.  Growing to a height of 85cm (34”) these beauties are very hardy and will bring lovely warmth to your garden for many years to come.

Iris siberica Paprikash

Another bloom accented with the warmth of Mocha Mousse is Iris siberica Paprikash. The petals of this easy to grow iris are a vibrant copper tone, with the lower petals darkening to a deep shade of cinnamon. Subtle flashes of purple and gold complete the multifaceted colouring of Paprikash. This truly luxurious iris grows to a height of 50 cm (20”) and is hardy to zone 3. If you want to learn more about different types of iris, find more information in our All About Iris guide.

Alstroemeria Nicholas

These golden peach blooms will bring sunshine to your garden! Plant Alstroemeria Nicholas and prepare to be amazed by the deep maroon freckles on each petal. Yet another Mocha Mousse coloured accent that creates depth and warmth in your backyard. The flashy freckled petals are eye catching and make for beautiful cut flowers as well. Pull the stems from the base rather than cutting them as this will promote more flower production through the summer. Nicholas grows to a height of 50 cm (20”) and is hardy to zone 5. The contrast in colours make the freckled petals a standout choice for your summer garden, bringing both energy and grounding to your backyard.

Heucherella Buttered Rum

Dipped in rich caramel, each frilly leaf of this Heucherella will create the perfect backdrop from spring to summer. Heucherella Buttered Rum is a compact plant with deep copper coloured veins running through each leaf. In the fall, cool weather transforms the leaves into a lovely rose red hue. Buttered Rum is deer resistant and hardy to zone 4. If you’re looking for a large dose of harmonious and comforting brown, Buttered Rum is an excellent way to add Pantone’s selection to your garden.

Rose Koko Loko

A unique shade in roses, this cocoa-coloured Floribunda rose is hard to miss. The Koko Loko rose is highly sought after for its novel colour transformation, starting out with milk chocolate buds and maturing to soft lavender petals. Warm weather helps to bring out the lavender tones in this rose. Excellent as a cut flower, these blooms last long on the plant and in a vase. At maturity, this rose grows to be 88 cm (35”) tall and has been bred to have very good disease resistance. Fill your garden with the milky chocolate, lavender blooms of Koko Loko this summer and experience the delightful colour transformation firsthand.

Embrace earthy elegance this spring with a nod to Pantone’s 2025 colour of the year: Mocha Mousse. Explore a natural, grounded beauty with the richness of mocha-coloured accents in Lily Tiger Babies, Iris Paprikash and Alstroemeria Nicholas. Or dive into the deep end of this warm and elegant shade and fill your garden with Gladiolus Earl Grey, Heucherella Buttered Rum and Koko Loko rose. Whether you prefer subtle tones or striking statement flowers, this earthy palette offers a timeless charm that will fill your garden with warmth and comfort.