Survey says more people are gardening, even Millennials

The National Gardening Survey has some good news for garden retailers. After reporting a five-year low in lawn and garden spending in 2014, consumers spent a reported $36.1 billion dollars in 2015, according to a press release about recently released results of the annual survey.

The average amount spent on the back yard or balcony nationwide in 2015 was $401 per household, up from a low of $317 in 2014.

“Participation in gardening did not decline much during the economic downturn,” says industry analyst Bruce Butterfield, who heads the National Gardening Market Research Company and oversees the survey each year. “People have been participating in gardening all along but they weren’t spending as much in recent years ... These results are encouraging. Not only did DIY gardening have 6 million more customers, they spent more, too."

According to the survey, the highest spending was among Baby Boomers, married households, those with annual incomes of more than $75,000 and college graduates – but the most important market force was 18- to 34-year-olds. Five million of the six million "new" gardening households were Millennials.

Food gardening and flower gardening were the most popular gardening activities last year. About one out of three households participated in food gardening (36 percent) or flower gardening (34 percent). Households spent an estimated $3.6 billion growing vegetables, fruit, berries and herbs and $2.7 billion on flower gardening.

The 250 page National Gardening Survey report can be purchased at GardenResearch.com. The survey is conducted by The National Gardening Market Research Company, formerly part of the National Gardening Association, a well-known authority on the U.S. consumer lawn and garden market.

Photo taken at Petitti Garden Centers' Avon location by Michelle Simakis