Cloud Dancer – 2026 Pantone Color of the Year

A colour for all seasons

This year’s chosen colour – Cloud Dancer – is a dreamy white, perfect as the festive season begins and we head into the depths of winter. It conjures feelings of hope, peace and ethereal beauty. We think of glistening snow and the sparkle of frosted seedheads, of toasting marshmallows and lighting candles.

Crisp white snow enhances the structural beauty of plants at RHS Garden Harlow Carr

The winter garden is a beautiful sight, with white hellebores, cyclamenand snowdrops lighting the way. Scented plants such as white flowering Sarcococca fill the air, while the waxy bells of evergreen Clematis ‘Winter Beauty’ bring a cheerful touch to walls and fences, and strong white trunks of Betula utilis var. jacquemontii ‘Grayswood’ bring light against dark skies.

White hellebores brighten the garden from winter into spring and can be used in pots

As winter turns to spring, daffodils such as Narcissus ‘Thalia’ and pheasant’s eye daffodils herald the new season, with the branches of apple and cherry trees burgeoning with clouds of white flowers. The stars of the show are the magnolias, with huge creamy white or pure white blooms that take your breath away. White alliums and camassias are the showstoppers of the May garden, providing height and a bit of pizazz.

Summer meadows are filled with an air of romance with fresh white ox-eye daisies and billowing swathes of cow parsley, while in the garden the scent of white roses and jasminecannot be missed. Long tubular white flowers of Nicotianaenfuse the garden with evening scent, setting the perfect scene for time spent in the garden after hours, and provides an open bar for moths.

Rosa Flower Carpet White (‘Noaschnee’)

Autumn sees white come to the fore, as days get shorter and light levels drop. White is one of the last colours the human eye can see as light fades, being at the far end of the colour spectrum, turning the world monochrome. Use white flowers in areas of the garden where you need a lift, or to greet you as you come home at night. Look out for our pale-coloured fungi friends that hide that light under a bushel for much of the year but are a magical sight in autumn.

Use white plants to bring light in the evenings, such as white Japanese anemones

The huge blooms of white hydrangeas can last right though the winter from summer. They age with grace and are perfect for using as dried flower heads in Christmas wreaths and arrangements. Annual white cosmos are one of the longest-lasting flowers, providing you keep deadheading

Deadheading is the process of removing spent flowers from plants to encourage more blooms and prevent seed production. This helps to redirect the plant's energy into producing more flowers rather than producing seeds.

their spent blooms. Alongside perennial

Perennials are plants that live for multiple years. They come in all shapes and sizes and fill our gardens with colourful flowers and ornamental foliage. Many are hardy and can survive outdoors all year round, while less hardy types need protection over winter. The term herbaceous perennial is used to describe long-lived plants without a permanent woody structure (they die back to ground level each autumn), distinguishing them from trees, shrubs and sub-shrubs.

Japanese anemones such as ‘Honorine Jobert’, they bring height and an airiness to borders.

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PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer

“A lofty white that serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection. A billowy white imbued with serenity, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer encourages true relaxation and focus, allowing the mind to wander and creativity to breathe, making room for innovation.” – Pantone®

How to use Cloud Dancer in your garden

A sprinkling of white in your garden or containers brings a light touch. Use white-flowered annuals

Annuals are plants that complete their life cycle in one growing season. They are generally easy to grow from seed or can be bought as young plants from garden centres. Annuals are ideal for growing in summer containers and filling gaps in borders. Some examples of annuals include sunflowers, cosmos, sweet peas and zinnia.

, perennials and flowering shrubs in dark corners or as focal spots throughout. The white stems of birch trees draw your eye upwards to the clouds, while gracefully arching white stems of Rubus cockburnianus are a real spectacle.

A simple palette of white, silver and grey creates a bright but classic feel

In the same way, landscaping materials such as pale porcelain tiles or creamy white gravels can be used to lighten dark corners, but use carefully to avoid a glaring effect.

White-themed gardens have captured imagination for many years, the most iconic being Sissinghurst. You could use just one colour to create a stunning container filled with seasonal plants, positioning it where you can enjoy every day.

Discover the magic of white gardens

Discover a selection of RHS Partner gardens with a white-flowered theme around the UK

‘Cloud Dancer’ whites can also be used with other colours, the most classy perhaps being greens, and are often seen in classically styled gardens. Silver foliage also makes the perfect foil for white-flowered plants, with Convolvulus cneorum being the perfect example.

Cloud Dancer evokes a sense of looking to the future, of bright wishes and yet-to-be-lived dreams. Use it in your garden to add a touch of elegance and timeless style.

Award-winning silver-leaved perennials

White used to the stylish max in the London Square garden, designed by Jo Thompson, RHS Chelsea 2014

About Pantone Color of the Year

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, says: “At this time of transformation, when we are reimagining our future and our place in the world, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer is a discreet white hue offering a promise of clarity. The cacophony that surrounds us has become overwhelming, making it harder to hear the voices of our inner selves. A conscious statement of simplification, Cloud Dancer enhances our focus, providing release from the distraction of external influences.”

This was the 27th year of the programme, which aims to engage the global design community and colour enthusiasts in a conversation about colour. The Institute chooses the year’s colour based on research into influences around the world, in design, art, travel, lifestyle and socio-economics. When it comes to naming the colour, they try to conjure up an image and a feeling.