The $69.8 billion gardening products industry has continued to grow as more Americans become homeowners and find themselves with a garden or lawn to cultivate. While renters may indulge in deck or patio gardening, it is the middle-aged, middle- and upper-income female homeowner who has truly “caught the gardening bug,” encouraged by a wealth of media resources and a wide array of retailer options for purchasing plants, seeds, lawn-care services, and landscaping products.

The $69.8 billion gardening products industry has continued to grow as more Americans become homeowners and find themselves with a garden or lawn to cultivate. While renters may indulge in deck or patio gardening, it is the middle-aged, middle- and upper-income female homeowner who has truly “caught the gardening bug,” encouraged by a wealth of media resources and a wide array of retailer options for purchasing plants, seeds, lawn-care services, and landscaping products.

Overall, the gardening products industry grew 12.9% between 2001 and 2003. While sales of gardening stock declined 5.0%, sales of DIY lawn/garden products grew 15.7% and sales of professional garden services grew 18.3%. It seems that the average gardener is not content simply to put a few plants in the front yard. Instead, more innovative projects are taking precedence--for example, 14% of households participated in water gardening in 2002, up from 4% in 1998.

Among the key issues covered in this report are housing sales, type of home (single family, condo, etc.), lot size, climate, the influence of gardening magazines and television programs, exercise, and the importance of baby boomers in this market. Original consumer research examines attitudes and behavior by age, gender, ethnicity and income, and a six-year trend analysis predicts future growth.

For the purposes of this report, gardening products and services include:

1. growing stock (flower gardening, vegetable gardening, flower bulbs, fruit trees, raising transplants, container gardening, berry gardening, ornamental gardening, herb gardening and water gardening)
2. DIY garden/lawn maintenance (lawn care, shrub care, tree care, insect control and landscaping done by non-professionals)
3. professional garden/lawn maintenance (professional lawn/landscape maintenance, landscape installation/construction, landscape design and tree care)

Excluded are garden hand or power tools, garden decorations (seasonal or permanent), bird feeders, birdbaths, birdseed, other bird or wild-animal care products, gardening magazines, other gardening media (books, videos, etc.), outdoor barbecues, patio furniture and related objects, outdoor pet furnishings or décor (e.g. dog houses), planters, pots, or other outdoor items used in lawn/garden decoration.

A number of U.S. reports covering other related sectors are in preparation, planned, or have been published, including:

1. Flowers and Plants, U.S. Report, February 2004
2. Outdoor Barbecue, U.S. Report, November 2003
3. Garden Power Tools, U.S. Report, November 2003
4. Gardening, U.S. Report, November 2003
5. Household Appliances V3: Washers and Dryers, U.S. Report, January 2003
6. DIY Retailing, U.S. Report, December 2002
7. Household Appliances V2: Electric & Gas Stoves and Ranges, U.S. Report, December 2002
8. Household Appliances V1: Freezer, Refrigerators & Dishwashers, U.S. Report, December 2002

This report may contain U.S. IRI InfoScan data. Report contents are subject to change prior to the date of publication.