US Home Gardening Consumer Insights

US Home Gardening Consumer Insights

Long before the COVID-19 pandemic spread to the US in 2020, many consumers had engaged in gardening as a routine chore or even an enjoyable activity. The US has historically featured a strong garden culture, where food gardening is a symbol of self-sufficiency and sustainable living, and decorative gardens correlate with curb appeal, pride of ownership, and even neighborly competition (keeping up with the Jones' yard, perhaps). Families also view gardens, especially food gardens, as a chance for children to spend time outdoors and learn more about where food comes from.

In the years leading up to the pandemic, both the increase in dual income families and children's increasingly busy schedules – which in many cases prevented them from performing gardening as a chore – led some households to shift to maintenance-free gardens or to opt for property care services. However, the pandemic lead to many employees who could complete their tasks outside of the office transitioned to work-from-home positions, allowing more time to maintain gardens themselves.

The pandemic had other effects on gardening activity as well. Consumers concerned about the health risk of the pandemic are more likely to entertain outdoors at home and thus invest in their gardens and landscaping. Additionally, many consumers found that gardening was a good way to relieve stress and anxiety brought on by the pandemic or life changes related to the pandemic

Where consumers live plays an important role in whether they are likely to have gardens at all. For instance, residents in several of the western states are dealing with the effects of a long-running drought, leading some to invest instead in artificial grass and drought-resistant plants native to the area rather than conventional gardens. Additionally, residents of urban areas are less likely to have gardens to care for due to small yards, if any, for single-family housing and the prevalence of multifamily housing without individual yards. Still, these consumers have options for indoor gardening, raising plants on balconies and patios, and participating in community gardening.

This report includes analysis, data, trends, and customized cross tabs related to homeownership and renting, COVID-19, work-from-home trends, and lawn care activity using:

Proprietary results from the April-May 2020, August 2020, November-December 2020, February-March 2021, June 2021, August-September 2021, October-November 2021, November-December 2021, February 2022, May 2022, and August 2022 editions of The Freedonia Group National Online Consumer Survey Syndicated national consumer survey results from MRI-Simmons Fall 2011-2021 Reports.

Consumers' opinion on the topics above is analyzed by the following metrics:
age group
gender
urban/suburban/rural location
household income
region
homeownership

Scope of the Report

This study examines consumer insights and trends in the US regarding gardening activity. Survey data display historical trends and consumer sentiment back to 2011, including pandemic-era highlights for 2020-2022.