Annual 2026 Gardening Outlook Study Reveals Trends for the New Year
Axiom 2026 Gardening Outlook Study graphic. | Axiom Marketing
Research conducted by Axiom, a Minneapolis-based marketing firm serving horticultural, agricultural, and home improvement markets, shows that gardening time and spending in 2025 hit the highest rates since 2022. Planned time and spending for 2026 look to be even higher. A record 64% of respondents say they will plant more and expand their gardens in 2026.
“Data on 2025 activities and expected activities in the coming year paint a promising picture for the 2026 gardening market,” says Mike Reiber, founder and CEO of Axiom. “In spite of economic uncertainty, job losses, and inflation, gardeners spent record amounts of time and money on their gardens.” Respondents say they’ll likely continue this in 2026 — especially respondents who are 22–28 and 29–44 years of age.
Key Findings on Time and Money Spent on Gardening
- 47.6% spent more time gardening in 2025 — the highest level since 2022.
- Respondents spending 50% more time gardening increased 27% in 2025 vs. 2024.
- Respondents spending 100% more time gardening increased 41% in 2025 vs. 2024.
- 49.5% spent more money gardening in 2025 — an 11.5% increase from 2024.
- 42.8% expect to spend more money gardening in 2026.
- 50.2% expect to spend more time gardening in 2026.
- 63.6% will plant more and expand their gardens in 2026.
Gen Z and Gen Y Gardening Trends
- Gen Y (66.7%) and Gen Z (63.8%) spent more time gardening in 2025 vs. Gen X (33.1%).
- Gen Y (66.7%) and Gen Z (65.2%) expect to spend more time in 2026 vs. Gen X (37.2%).
- Gen Y (61.1%) and Gen Z (53.6%) spent more money gardening in 2025 vs. Gen X (43.0%).
- Gen Y (63.9%) and Gen Z (49.3%) expect to spend more money in 2026 vs. Gen X (31.4%).
Key Purchase Drivers for Garden Plants and Supplies
- Specific varieties of plant type (36%) remained the most important decision factor in 2025. Price (19%) and highly descriptive tags (11.6%) were the second and third most important decision factors.
- 77% were willing to pay more for the specific color of a flower or variety.
- 52.1% were willing to drive 6–10 miles for the color or variety they want.
- 55.2% have a shopping list.
Online Gardening Shopping Trends
The Home Depot remained the leading purchase outlet for garden supplies and garden plants. However, mentions of the retailer as the source for most garden product purchases were significantly lower than in 2024.
- In 2025, 24.6% purchased most of their garden supplies at Home Depot versus 32.2% in 2024 — a decrease of 23.6%.
- In 2025, 23.6% purchased most of their garden plants at Home Depot versus 33.9% in 2024 — a decrease of 30.4%.
- Lowe’s and Walmart also declined slightly.
Independent Garden Center (IGC) Visit Trends
For the first time ever, Axiom queried respondents about the number of IGC visits, the duration of visits, and factors that would increase time and money spent at IGCS.
- 39.3% made four to seven visits to IGCs during the 2025 gardening season.
- 39% spent more than 30 minutes during each IGC visit.
- 37.1% cited inspiration as the No. 1 driver to increase time and money spent at IGCs.
IGCs vs. Online Shopping Trends
According to Reiber, 2025 key information sources for garden plants and gardening supplies include:
- IGCs (22%) surpassed websites (19.8%) as the top information source.
- IGCs (28.5%) were cited as having the most knowledgeable store associates of all retailers.
- Google Lens was cited as the most important smart phone app to learn about new plants.
For more information on the Axiom 2026 Gardening Outlook Study, download the full report here: https://axiomcom.com/2026-gardening-outlook-study/.
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