NGA 2002 Survey

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Gardening flexes its muscle as recession buster in 2002

 While other segments of the economy were withering on the vine,

gardening shot up like a dandelion in spring.

Washington, DC (April 2, 2003) – The National Garden Association (NGA) today announced the results of its much anticipated annual survey revealing the gardening industry grew by 8 per cent over the previous year, while the total U.S. economy only grew by 5%.

According to the survey, which was conducted in cooperation with the Harris Interactive, Inc., total spending on all lawn and garden activities rose to $69 billion in 2002, up from $64 billion in 2001.

Experts stop short of calling gardening recession-proof, but it certainly qualifies as recession-resistant.  NGA’s market research director Bruce Butterfield, who has conducted this industry study for 25 years, would concur.

“If you were in the gardening business in 2002, you may be wondering what all the fuss is over a sour economy,” says Butterfield.  “Gardening held its own in the recessions of 1982, 1987 and 1990-91. The numbers for 2002 demonstrate a continued strong showing for the category.”

The results of the survey were released at the kick-off today to National Garden Month at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, DC. 

NGA joined with industry leaders such as Ball Horticultural Co., The Conard-Pyle Co., SoilSoup and WOLF-Garten, and green groups including American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA), American Horticultural Society and National Wildlife Federation to “Celebrate the Power of Gardening” this April.

According to the survey, some four out of every five Americans, or 85 million people, spend more on do-it-yourself gardening projects than they spend on movie tickets and spectator events, like football and baseball, combined.

On the do-it-yourself side of the ledger, by far the largest growth was in landscaping, growing by $2.5 billion in 2002 to a total of $8.9 billion, a whopping 39 per cent increase.

According to a separate survey NGA conducted for ANLA, the total spent on professional services was $29 billion in 2002, up 12% from 2001, while $40 billion was spent on do-it-yourself activities, up five per cent over the previous year.

“Eighty-five million participated in do-it-yourself gardening activities in 2002, the same as 2001, but they spent about 5% more,” notes Butterfield. “That constancy strongly suggests that gardening is a way for people to relive stress in their lives, and is a refuge for troubled times.”

Valerie Kelsey, president of NGA, agrees, pointing to the Liberty Gardens and Victory Gardens that characterized public response to the two great world wars as typical of individuals turning to gardening as a way to maintain some sense of normalcy in uncertain times.

“We’re seeing more flower gardens than vegetable gardens nowadays,” says Kelsey, “so we are encouraging people to turn to gardening as a way to connect with others and unite together as one.”

At the Washington kick off of National Garden Month, Kelsey says NGA is inviting all Americans to plant a Unity Garden as a way of connecting with neighbors, friends or communities.  Gardening is more about an attitude than a design.

Butterfield believes the spending on indoor and container gardening speaks directly to that assessment.

“Indoor and container gardening rose a total of $460 million to $3.4 billion in 2002,” he notes. “That demonstrates that people will still find a way to garden, in spite of any restrictions, and that container gardening certainly qualifies as a workable remedy to continue to garden even during drought or recessions.”

Who gardens?

The major demographic components of a gardening household, according to NGA’s research, include age groups of 35-44 and 55 and older, college graduates, married, living in the Northeast, South and West with annual incomes over $75,000 per year. These households spent an average of $466 on gardening activities, up a solid 5 per cent over the previous year.

While the landscaping numbers appear strongest of all, Butterfield cautions that the residential landscaping business was soft in both 2000 and 2001. But he thinks he understands why.

“Those two previous years were banner ones in the housing industry,” he explains. “After settlement, most homeowners tend to be house poor for a couple of years, until they get their incomes restructured. Then they’re ready to spend again. That would explain at least in part the landscaping surge in 2002.”

For more information or to order a NGA 2002 Lawn & Garden Survey, visit www.garden.org. This site is the gateway to information on National Garden Month and all green activities planned for gardeners across the country.