The 2026 National Gardening Reports Are Here!
(A few excerpts for you all...)
A Smaller Audience. A Record-Spending Market.
For the first time since 2019, the U.S. gardening audience contracted — and yet total spending hit an all-time high. The 2026 reports tell the full story behind the paradox.
Renters Now Out-Buy Homeowners in Seed
Renters who garden out-purchase homeowners in vegetable seed (43.5% vs. 36.6%) and herb seed (32.7% vs. 22.0%) — the leading signal of where small-space, container-driven demand is showing up first.
Under-35s Are Replacing Lawns with Wildflowers
Households under 35 are converting lawns into natural or wildflower landscapes at nearly 4× the rate of the 65+ cohort (19% vs. 5%). 38% of under-35 gardeners buy natural or organic fertilizer, vs. 14% of those 65+.
The Home Garden Is Now a Household-Economy Strategy
Among households planning to garden more in 2026, roughly two in three cite inflation as an important reason. Home centers won 2025, raising spend share +5 points to 43.0%, while online delivery hit a record 45.9%.