January 2019 - 24

Consumer Trends
Rooted
Together
These eight garden trends for 2019 are important
to your business as retailers and highlight people's
desires to reconnect with
the natural world.
By Katie Dubow
T
he future for gardening looks joyful and holds
a connection to Mother Nature that just may
be the saving grace of the planet. This bold
prediction comes from the 2019 Garden Trends
Report: Rooted Together - Reconnecting with the Natural
World, which introduces eight industry trends that garden
centers can utilize for years to come.
Garden Media Group's 18th annual report dives deep into
the intrinsic connection people have with nature and how
banding together is the best defense to protect the earth.
People are finding joy in nature to achieve peace and
purpose in their everyday life. The 2019 Garden Trends
Report showcases trends in design, color and technology
that will strengthen our relationship with Mother Nature.
These trends are helping us move away from caring solely
about ourselves to caring more about the world around us
in order to rediscover the joy in nature.
Garden retailers can use these trends to attract new
consumers. Knowing what trends are forecasted for the
garden industry may ensure your business is offering
customers everything they'll want and need to keep their
garden, outdoor living and home spaces they can be
proud of.
Increasing our connection with nature allows us to
build a healthier relationship with the ever-growing
technological world, too. The 2019 report closely examines
how this relationship with Mother Nature can provide
grounding for consumers and businesses.
Here are a few snapshots from the report that most
affect your businesses as garden retailers.
Indoor Generation
Ninety percent of people spend nearly 22 hours a day
inside without enough sunlight or fresh air. Children spend
on average less than one hour per day outside.
While this information is alarming, it's not news to The
Indoor Generation. And with research widely publicized
about Sick Building Syndrome, VOCs and other harmful
toxins indoors, awareness of the harmful effects of indoor
24 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | JANUARY 2019
pollution continues to rise; 52 percent of people in the U.S.
are using houseplants to clean the air, according to market
research firm Mintel.
Since getting outdoors more often is not always an
option, bring the outside in with houseplants. Whether
it's Costa Farms' O2
for You line (www.O2foryou.org) or
your own collection, communicate that houseplants help
clean the air. So, when they're inside, your customers can
breathe clean air, live happier and concentrate better.
This knowledge of clean air and the desire to have
a connection to and nurturing of houseplants has created
a whole new generation of plant parents. Millennials are
finding out houseplants are more than just plants. With
their appearance - large, glossy leaves or feathery
fronds - houseplants become statements.
Millennials are collecting them, nurturing them and
sharing photos of their " loves " on social media. Join them
on Instagram by using hashtags such as #urbanjungle,
#houseplantsofinstagram, #monsteramonday or
#fiddleleaffig.
Screen Age
To cultivate the next outdoor generation, it's our duty
to be aware of habits with screen time. It's not a shock
that we are addicted to technology. Turning off the blue
lights, spending less time in front of the TV, putting down
our phone and tablets, and tuning into Mother Nature will
make a world of difference.
It starts with us, the adults. When you set a good
example, prune screen time and plant the seed of
creativity in the garden, children will follow suit.
Garden centers can attract families looking for weekend
activities by getting children excited about growing new
foods in the garden. Host workshops for the whole family.
Have safe zones around the store where kids can't break
anything. Offer compact and thornless berry bushes, such
as Bushel and Berry, as a fun quick snack idea. Get even
more ideas for planting with children in our 2019 Garden
Trends Report.
http://www.O2foryou.org
January 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2019
