Garden Sales Surge in March - April, despite cool weather and late Easter

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MSNBC REPORTS: 

Sales of Home & Gardening Supplies Rose 2.7% in April

In January, the Garden Media Group reported that sales in gardening were expected to surge this spring as more people turned to gardening as they continued to heal from the tragic events of September 11. 

The latest report on consumer spending released by the Commerce Department today, indicated a jump in retail sales by 1.2 percent, the largest increase in six months. Building materials and garden supplies rose 2.7 percent, on top of a 1.7 percent gain in March.

This strong showing came despite the fact that there was unseasonably cold weather and a late Easter.

Consumers, whose spending accounts for two-thirds of all economic activity in the United States, also snapped up cars, building materials, garden supplies and health care and beauty products last month.