by Ross Robinson
Photo by Sandie Clarke on Unsplash
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The gardening statistics are in. Surveys over the last few years reveal the latest home gardening trends that we can expect for 2023. From flowers to homegrown vegetables, fruit, decorations, and new gardening challenges in today’s world, here are the biggest takeaways from 2021 and 2022.
Jump To: Gardening Sales | Gardening Demographics | Gardening Jobs | Types of Gardening | Gardening and the Environment
- The most popular houseplant of 2022 was the Philodendron. 1
- 86% of home gardeners grow tomatoes in their vegetable garden. 2
- The average U.S. garden produces $600 worth of food. 2
- Flowers, veggies, and houseplants are the most popular types of gardening activities. 3
- One in five of the world’s plants — 4,400 in the U.S. — are at risk of extinction. 4
- In 2022, there were 52,793,657 trees planted. 5
- The No. 1 most hated garden chore in U.S. households is weeding. 6
- Gnomes were the biggest garden trend of 2022. 7
- In 2021, the U.S. city with the most community gardens per 1,000 residents was Portland, OR.17
- 79% of American gardeners take gardening advice from online sources. 6
Statistics on Gardening Sales
Gardening has always been popular in the U.S., but we continue to see gardening retail sales and horticulture increase, whether it be at a garden center or elsewhere.
- From 2019 to 2020, the U.S. was the largest importer of gardening tools at $93.5 million 8
- Globally, the sale of gardening supplies is projected to be $120.5 billion in 2023.18
- Plant costs rose by 8–13% in 2021. 9
- In the past two years, mowers, leaf blowers, and other electric equipment or building materials accounted for 17% of the U.S. market, 3x that of electric cars. 6
- The U.S. garden hand tool market is expected to grow at 2.5% yearly, from USD 3131.91 million in 2020 to 3632 million by 2026. 10
- The growth rate of nurseries and garden stores is projected to grow by 0.5% in 2023. 11
Watch Below: Learn 5 ways in which gardening can benefit the environment around you.
Gardening Demographics Statistics
In addition to millennials doing most gardening post-pandemic, we‘re learning more about the demographics of today’s growers and new gardeners.
- 43.6% of all gardeners are women, while 56.4% are men. 12
- The most common ethnicity of gardeners is White (56.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (28.0%), Black or African American (7.8%), and Unknown (4.2%). 12
- The average age group range for gardeners is 35–44.16
- 3% of all gardeners are LGBT. 12
Statisticson the Gardening Industry & Jobs
American households and homeowners don’t always do the work themselves. Here is a breakdown of stats on professional services in the gardening industry.
- The average age of an employed gardener is 41 years old. 12
- Gardeners are mostly in demand in New York, NY. 12
- The media industry is the highest-paying for gardeners. 12
- 53% of gardeners work for private companies, followed by 30% working with education companies. 9% work for public companies, and 8% work for the government. 13
Statistics on the Types of Gardening
Home gardening statistics also show there is more than one way to garden or use gardening products, and some don’t involve holes in the dirt.
- Gravel gardens require 80% less maintenance. 6
- Container gardening is the No. 1 way 34–45-year-old gardeners prefer to garden. 6
- In an average household, the second most popular gardening trend in 2022 is urban gardening.7
- The urban farming market was valued at $213 billion in 2020 and is projected to grow continuously at 2.8% each year until 2026. 14
- In food gardening, the second most popular vegetables to grow are cucumbers, followed by sweet peppers. 16
- The average garden size is 600 square feet, but the median size is 96 square feet. 16
- Small space design and container garden research reaches new highs on Google Trends each season. 6
Statistics on Environmental Gardening
Many people garden for their mental health or well-being and feel a sense of accomplishment, while others like DIY projects and growing their own food. A survey commissioned by the National Wildlife Federation found more people are actually gardening for environmental reasons. According to that survey:
- One in three respondents (32%) stated they would purchase mostly or all organic products for their garden. 15
- One in three U.S. adults (34%) purchase plants to help wildlife, up 26% in 2020. 15
- One in four people (25%) buys native plants, up 17% in 2020. 15
- The number of people adding wildflower native landscapes doubled from 9% in 2019 to 19% in 2021. 15
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Editorial Contributors
Ross Robinson
Contributor
Ross Robinson has spent over five years working in interior design and six years as a marketing manager for an award-winning luxury design company. Now he focuses on what he loves most: writing. From reviewing home products and DIY design tips to discussing the latest architecture and design trends, he’s covered it all.
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