Why Gardening Is Here to Stay in the “New Normal”

Heemans Garden Center gardening

Heeman’s Garden Centre and Berry Farm has 170,000 square feet of environmentally-controlled production in Ontario, Canada. As the pandemic wanes, customers prefer coming to the shop for a “destination experience.” Photo: Will Heeman

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, shutdowns across the country forced Americans to spend most of their time at home. Whether their homes were houses, condominiums, or apartments, people found comfort in plants. Many picked up gardening as a hobby to escape their home office. According to the 2021 National Gardening Association survey, the industry gained 18 million new gardeners during the pandemic. Many of them are here to stay.

Advertisement

“Sometimes getting outdoors is a necessity for your mental health,” says Dr. Heather Kirk-Ballard, consumer horticulturalist for Louisiana State University. “Sometimes you can’t take one more Zoom call.”

Due to all the new gardeners, growers and retailers are changing their business operations. They are catering to the consumers’ needs, including online shopping and plant care videos on YouTube.

Consumer Trends

Katie Dubow, President of Garden Media Group, shares several trends from the 2023 Garden Trends Report. The trend called “Accessible Gardening” is geared toward the boomer generation, Dubow says. Many growers and retailers are focusing on millennials, but they should also make gardening more accessible for the older generations, such as offering plants for raised beds and container gardens.

Top Articles
Why This Hydrangea From Green Fuse Botanicals Is a Gamechanger (Video)

“PlantTok” notes the importance of TikTok and how it influences consumers, Dubow says. Commerce is moving toward “Shoppertainment,” which entertains, enables, and connects the consumer to allow for quick product discovery and transaction, she says.

Dr. Alicia Rihn, Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee, says the younger generation refers to themselves as “plant parents” instead of gardeners. They look online first for information, so she suggests growers and retailers have updated websites and recent photos. QR codes on plant tags can help shoppers learn more about the plant, such as whether it belongs in the sun or shade.

Consumers enjoy ordering plants online and the in-store experience, Kirk-Ballard says. Garden centers with a picnic area, café, and a play space for children are especially attractive. These garden centers tap into the “destination experience,” she says.

As for the trends, Kirk-Ballard sees increased interest in tropical plants, foliage plants, natives, and pollinator-friendly plants.

NICH Easy Houseplant

Dr. Heather Kirk-Ballard heads the marketing committee for the National Initiative for Consumer Horticulture (NICH). Above is one of NICH’s graphics to educate consumers. Photo: Dr. Heather Kirk-Ballard

Growers, Retailers Cater to Consumer Needs

As inflation causes prices to go up across the board, Heeman’s Garden Centre and Strawberry Farm in Ontario, Canada, is looking to keep its costs low. It is making gardening affordable for the average consumer by avoiding niche genetics and liners. Will Heeman says customers are looking for more affordable plants, such as $12 rather than $40. Many customers drive an hour or more to visit Heeman’s for the destination experience.

“They come for the plants but stay for the hard cider,” Heeman says of his customers.

Heeman’s has more than 43,000 followers on Instagram, where the social media team offers updates on sales and growing tips. Pre- and post-sale interactions are just as important as the in-store experience, Heeman says.

“Social media is not about return on investment (ROI), it’s about ROR. It’s about the return on relationship,” he says.

Sid Raisch, President of consulting firm Horticultural Advantage, says customers are looking for both destination garden centers and e-commerce. Many garden centers did not offer any direct-to-consumer options until the start of the pandemic. Although ordering online for local pickup and delivery was new for many garden centers, Raisch says it is still going strong for consumers who have settled into convenience. Many garden centers abandoned the effort, but others are taking the opportunity to tune up their efforts to become more pandemic-proof for the future, he says.

Metrolina Surveys Consumers

The Home Garden Panel is a consumer research division of Metrolina Greenhouses to offer consumers what they need. The grower uses survey technology provider Qualtrics to conduct 14 surveys per year, says Consumer Research Manager Lauren Kenworthy.

“Our main goal is to better understand our consumers’ entire journey when it comes to live plants, from pre-purchase research and planning, to how they shop in store, to their wants, needs, and expectations when it comes to plants (as well as feature/benefit and aesthetic drivers), and how they use them in their gardens and navigate challenges post-purchase,” Kenworthy says.

Survey results show that aesthetics are the main driver for purchases. Quality is also non-negotiable, she notes. About 62% of respondents say they research plants before purchase. Search engines like Google and Yahoo! are the top sources, but more customers are using video-based content like YouTube.

In a recent webinar titled “How Long Will the Consumer Plant-Buying Spree Continue,” part of Greenhouse Grower’s GROW Executive Series, Co-CEO of Metrolina Greenhouses Abe Van Wingerden noted the importance of an omni-channel retail approach. This integrates all retail channels to offer customers a seamless shopping experience. Online business includes ordering online and picking up plants in-store and direct-to-consumer shipping.

“They’re doing it because they’re able to charge consumers [more online],” Van Wingerden says. “What they would pay $10 for in the store, they’re willing to pay $30 online for the sheer convenience of not having to go to the store. You can generate dollars a lot faster online than you can in the store.”

It is clear that customers have changed their shopping habits due to the pandemic, but now growers and retailers are learning to do the same.

1