Author: Mintel Group Ltd.
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Lawn and Garden - US - February 2014
Scope and Themes
 
What you need to know 
The lawn and garden industry is back on a growth track after years of decline or minimal growth. The recession made Americans cautious with their limited discretionary spending, and many opted to perform lawn and garden work and maintenance themselves. As confidence returns, people are likely to devote more of their household expenditures toward discretionary purchases such as lawn and garden professional services. 

The share of people who rent their homes in the US has been growing faster those who own their homes in recent years. Along with the rise of urbanization, the industry is finding new breeds of lawn and garden DIY (do-it-yourself) enthusiasts who are likely to be men aged 18-34, home renters, and Hispanics. Further, the lawn and garden industry needs to continue to focus on consumers with smaller, urban, and indoor spaces. While this presents opportunities, lawn and garden brands, retailers, and providers are presented with new challenges. For example, “social” gardening plays a key role in how young people decide which lawn or garden projects they consider to take on, which ultimately influences how marketers must position themselves effectively. 

Definition
This report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Lawn and Garden Products – US, May 2012 and Lawn and Garden Products and Services – US, June 2010. This report includes information related to lawn and garden products, services, and equipment, as well as consumer activities. 

For the purposes of this report, DIY lawn/garden activities refer to work done directly by consumers, while paid lawn/garden projects refer to work done by professional lawn/garden service providers. 

●	Lawn projects may include activities such as lawn maintenance (eg lawn mowing, grass cutting), lawn planting/seeding, lawn renovation (eg replacing turf with new grass without changing the grade), and the use of lawn fertilizers and chemicals. 
●	Gardening activities may include fruit or vegetable gardening (any types of formats including hydroponic, container, or outdoor), container gardening, native plant gardening (plants specific to respondents’ area), hardscaping (eg building walls, patio areas), exotic plant gardening, and hydroponic/water/aqua gardening. 

Market size, segment, and forecast data are limited to US sales of lawn and garden products, services, and equipment:

●	Lawn and garden products such as indoor houseplants, lawn fertilizers, flowers, flower bulbs, fruit trees, raised garden beds, planters and accessories, lawn insect control, grass and weed killers, grass seed, growing berries, etc.
●	Lawn and garden equipment such as tools, hardware, supplies, lawnmower, etc.
●	Lawn and garden services such as garden maintenance, lawn mowing, lawn seeding, turf installation, etc.

Please note that the measurement of (DIY and hired) lawn and garden activities through consumer surveys results in different data from actual sales presented in Market Size and Forecast and Segment Performance. 

Supplies related to commercial farming and lawn and garden services are not included. 

Value figures throughout this report are at rsp (retail selling prices) excluding sales tax unless otherwise stated. 

Data sources
Sales data
The Market Size and Forecast as well as Segment Performance sections are based on US Bureau of Economic Analysis and Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditure Survey. The Consumer Expenditure Survey data are calculated using three-year rolling averages to reduce the volatility that results from relatively small subsamples, infrequently purchased goods and services, and the like.

Market size estimates based on consumer data may not be comparable to estimates in other reports that are based on point-of-sale data or retailer revenues. 

Consumer survey data
For the purposes of this report, Mintel commissioned exclusive consumer research through GMI to explore consumer consumption of/attitudes and behaviors toward lawn and garden products and services. Mintel was responsible for the survey design, data analysis, and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted in December 2013 among a sample of 2,000 adults aged 18+ with access to the internet.

Mintel selects survey respondents by gender, age, household income, and region so that they are proportionally representative of the US adult population using the internet. Mintel also slightly over-samples, relative to the population, respondents that are Hispanic or Black to ensure an adequate representation of these groups in our survey results and to allow for more precise parameter estimates from our reported findings. Please note that Mintel surveys are conducted online and in English only. Hispanics who are not online and/or do not speak English are not included in the survey results.

●	Mintel has also analyzed data from Experian Marketing Services, using the Summer 2013 Simmons NHCS Adult Study 12-Month. The study was carried out July 2012-September 2013, and the results are based on the sample of 18,253 adults aged 18+. For trending purposes, the older Simmons surveys have also been used, as follows: 
●	Experian Marketing Services, Summer 2009 Simmons NHCS Adult Study 12-Month
●	Experian Marketing Services, Summer 2010 Simmons NHCS Adult Study 12-Month
●	Experian Marketing Services, Summer 2011 Simmons NHCS Adult Study 12-Month
●	Experian Marketing Services, Summer 2012 Simmons NHCS Adult Study 12-Month
●	Experian Marketing Services, Summer 2013 Simmons NHCS Adult Study 12-Month

While race and Hispanic origin are separate demographic characteristics, Mintel often compares them to each other. Please note that the responses for race (White, Black, Asian, Native American, or other race) will overlap those that also are Hispanic, because Hispanics can be of any race.

Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
The following abbreviations are used in this report: 

AHS | American Housing Survey
BEA | Bureau of Economic Analysis
BLS | Bureau of Labor Statistics
CAGR | Compounded Annual Growth Rate
CEX | Consumer Expenditure Survey
DIY | Do-it-yourself
DPI | Disposable Personal Income
JCHS | Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies
NCES | US Department of Education’s National Centers for Educational Statistics
NCS/NHCS | National Consumer Study/National Hispanic Consumer Study (Experian Marketing Services)
rsp | Retail selling price
SOV | Share of voice
UK | United Kingdom
USDA | United States Department of Agriculture

Terms
Generations are discussed within this report, and they are defined as:

World War II | The generation born in 1932 or before. In 2014, members of this generation are aged 82 or older.
Swing Generation | The generation born between 1933 and 1945. In 2014, members of the Swing Generation are between the ages of 69 and 81.
Baby Boomers | The generation born between 1946 and 1964. In 2014, Baby Boomers are between the ages of 50 and 68.
Generation X | The generation born between 1965 and 1976. In 2014, Generation Xers are between the ages of 38 and 49.
iGen/Millennials* | The generation born between 1977 and 1994. In 2014, Millennials are between the ages of 18 and 37.

* includes the oldest members of the iGeneration, aged 18-19

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