Time lapse: 2025 Axiom Gardening Outlook Study finds generational trends

This is the first in a three-part series looking into the results of the 2025 Axiom Gardening Outlook Study. Parts two and three will be published in the coming weeks.

The gardening boom of the pandemic years was undeniable, but in hindsight, it was also unsustainable.

At some point, the pandemic had to end, bringing people back to their regular rhythms. But there was no indication how long it might take for consumer gardening behavior to level off.

According to the 2025 Axiom Gardening Outlook Study, the heat of the explosion in gardening may be cooling.

The survey — which recruited respondents randomly from a panel of 70 million Americans who own a home and purchased garden plants last year — showed that fewer people in 2024 were spending more time in their garden compared to 2023, citing time as the top barrier. It’s one of a handful of findings in the report indicating a slowdown.

However, there remains one cohort that continues to thrive in the garden: Gen Z.

Gardening differences between generations

Axiom Marketing Founder and CEO Mike Reiber believes independent garden centers may be missing an opportunity.

“I don't think that the garden centers are thinking about Gen Z and Gen Y,” he says. “They're still focused on boomers.”

And while Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) may still be perceived as the most profitable garden center customer, the Axiom report indicates a shift in the stalwart demographic.

Of the respondents, 56% of Boomers said they spent the same amount of money in 2024 as they did in 2023. However, they were least likely to say they spent more money in 2024 than in 2023 (26% compared to Gen X at 48% and Gen Z at 62%). Boomers were also the most likely to say they spent less money in 2024 compared to 2023.

The same trends persisted in terms of time spent gardening. In 2024, 50% of Gen Z respondents said they spent 50% more time in the garden in 2024 compared to 2023. Another 15% reported increasing their time in the garden by 100%.

Boomers, however, were the most likely generation to report spending less time in the garden while also being the least likely to spend more time in the garden.

And while the study finds there was a total decrease in those planning to spend more time in the garden compared to previous years, Reiber suggests that IGCs look to the behavior of Gen Z for hope.

“We've got lots of Gen Z who are who are spending up to 50 and 100% more time,” he says. “That's really good. That tells me that we kept these younger people.”

The trick, however, is to keep them. Reiber urges IGCS to look to the ways younger people are likely to be looking for information. The study found that 39% of respondents ranked YouTube as their top social source of gardening information, beating the next most popular choice (Facebook) by 20%.

Reiber points to the finding as proof that IGCs should be using shortform video to promote their products and pass along information. And he says Gen Z employees may be perfect for that job.

“You’ve got a lot of youngsters who like to do videos? Let them do the video,” he says. “Let them post little 60-second phone video clips about what plants they like or what's happening in the store. Let them do it. They're good at it.”

Patrick Alan Coleman is editor of Garden Center magazine. Contact him at pcoleman@gie.net.