Gardening Trends for 2021

By Kerry Ann Mendez

Every year the Garden Media Group produces a report predicting horticultural trends for the New Year. These forecasts are compiled by studying global consumer trends to see what's happening in gardening, landscape design and green living.

The pandemic has dramatically changed the way that many of us shop, whether for groceries or plants. A majority of consumers want convenience, speed and more touchless transactions. In 2019, the National Gardening Association's survey reported that 14% of garden shopping was done online. This will dramatically increase in 2020, with curbside pick-up at garden centers being part of the calculations. The bottom line is that people are still shopping; just not the same way as in the past. Surveys actually show that 1/4 of Americans spent more money while social distancing!

Houseplants

One trend from 2019 that continues to surge is the interest in houseplants. With more people staying home and houseplants having been proven to purify the air we breathe every day while also brightening our moods, it's no wonder they've become almost like new members of our family during the past year. Estabrook's offers a HUGE selection for all light conditions.

New Gardeners

One of the notable changes in 2020, which will impact the 2021 gardening season, is the number of NEW gardeners. Marketing research shows that 16 million "newbies" joined the gardening community during COVID-19, many of whom are under age 35. Many in this younger age bracket are raising families, own homes, and have established careers. These busy, inexperienced gardeners want to streamline the learning process and take the fear and cost out of failure. This will compel the gardening industry to simplify plant selection and to provide more concise, how-to plant and care information.