Wyevale Garden Centres has launched its 2018 Garden Trends Report, offering an in-depth look at the key influences and insights shaping the UK’s garden retail market – now worth over £5bn annually.
The report has gathered the expertise of Wyevale Garden Centres’ senior horticultural team and over 15,000 garden-lovers from across the UK, combined with data to map out what’s gaining ground and losing face in the garden, and the new breeds of British gardeners taking the industry in exciting directions for 2018.
The report suggests that the past year has been an exhilarating one for the growth of gardening, as new waves of amateur, enthusiastic gardeners join in the horticultural action, many of whom are often lacking in time, space and gardening confidence.
69% of under-45s believe they have fewer gardening skills than their parents, and interestingly only 7% of people who have been gardening for more than 30 years consider themselves experts. Wyevale Garden Centres has identified a need to demystify gardening and offer easy solutions for all levels of expertise and garden size.
Looking ahead, Wyevale Garden Centres has identified five key trends for 2018:
Nano-Gardening
Changes in home ownership are having knock-on effects on the way we garden. Space-starved gardeners are behind the trend for vertical growing as they add height to their balconies and courtyards with climbers, outdoor shelving and hanging plants. The bijou edible garden is making its way indoors, with 66% of people now growing plants in the kitchen, and many more introducing them throughout their homes.
Houseplant Mania
The trend for bringing the outdoors in is proving more popular than ever as Brits create green, jungle-like atmospheres in their homes. The aesthetically striking, impossible-to-kill cacti and succulents tick all the boxes for trend-led millennials; while the nation’s burgeoning interest in wellness has also filtered through to gardening. Healing houseplants are on the rise at Wyevale Garden Centres, as 68% of people now consider the health and wellbeing properties of a plant before purchasing it.
Eco-Gardening
Today’s environmentally aware consumers are turning towards a gentler, more holistic approach to problems in the garden, with a greater concern for wildlife and a political understanding of the way Grow Your Own can decrease our food’s carbon footprint and air miles. From plot to plate, organic is also on the rise, and 67% of people now consider themselves to be eco-conscious when it comes to gardening. Further, Wyevale Garden Centres found that 82% of Brits would like to attract more wildlife into their gardens, while 37% deem wildlife to be the most appealing garden feature.
Global Gardening
Changes in climate conditions, an increase in travel to exotic locations, and concerns about food provenance post-Brexit are just three issues directly driving changes in the way that Brits garden in 2018. These changes will open up exciting opportunities as exotic, Mediterranean species make their way into Brits’ gardens; however, Wyevale Garden Centres has revealed that only 2% of gardeners in the UK feel that they have the knowledge to adapt to a changing climate.
Social Side
Traditional and experienced gardeners have been met with a new generation learning from an entirely untraditional source: 67% of Brits are getting their gardening knowledge via the internet and social media rather than at their grandfather’s knee. By inviting people in digitally, we are becoming more likely to invite friends into our gardens, using every opportunity to relax, socialise and dine al fresco. There is a growing desire to turn the garden into the ‘fifth room’ of the house, with Wyevale Garden Centres responding to demand with an increased range of outdoor living furniture and accessories for 2018.
The Garden Trends Report offers a comprehensive look at the gardening landscape for 2018 and the years ahead, with Wyevale Garden Centres determined to keep abreast of the trends and continue to provide gardeners with the tools and knowledge they need to achieve more in the garden.
