Once lockdown came into effect on 16th March this year, people suddenly found themselves confined, other than two trips out per day, to their homes and gardens. As a result, gardening habits have changed dramatically over the last 6 months.
People’s gardens, which were once places they might venture to a few times in a summer for a barbeque or an evening drink, became absolutely essential. Gardens became the spot for a morning coffee, for an al fresco lunch, and for an escape from claustrophobia.
With millions finding themselves with more time on their hands and with months of sun round the corner, it’s only natural that thousands of Brits turned to one of the great classic pastimes – gardening.
Spending on Garden Plants is on the up
Thanks to Covid-19, more and more people were keen for their gardens to be a nice place to spend time. As well as more people investing time into their gardens, once clear trend is a massive increase in spending on new garden furniture, new plants, or a new garden shed to keep the rest of the space looking tidy.
In fact, compared to 2019, the UK has bought 322 million more plants in 2020, and has spent over £5.4 billion on garden improvements.
Where most businesses have been struggling for custom in the year of coronavirus, it’s very much the opposite for garden centres – particularly those selling their products online.
And as well as a boost to the economy, these new habits could have a really positive environmental impact. With thousands of new pollinating plants helping to absorb carbon dioxide and provide bees with vital sources of food, it seems a lockdown silver lining could be that we are doing a lot to help the planet.
Home Grown Veg is Getting More Popular
With everyone getting this new-found time, thanks to lack of commute, furlough, or simply not going out as much, a lot of people are turning to the pastime of growing their own home-grown veg.
Ranging from a few chilli pots in the kitchen to a brand new greenhouse protecting an exotic array of produce, it seems thousands of us in the UK are going back to the simple pleasures that can come from growing our own food.
And whilst it may seem like part of this change in gardening habits is simply a result in everyone having more time to spend in the garden, there may be an unexpected benefit that is driving this change in behaviour.
For a lot of people, lockdown has been a stressful, anxiety-inducing experience, and there is strong evidence that getting in touch with nature can be hugely beneficial to our mental health.
“There is considerable evidence that 120 minutes’ exposure to nature a week is a key factor in maintaining positive mental health,” says Dr. Alan Kellas of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. It turns out that nurturing a seed into a fully-fledged and thriving plant can bring more benefits than you may think.
People Are Investing in their Gardens
As well as buying more plants and enjoying the therapeutic benefits of caring for them, the coronavirus pandemic has also seen gardeners find new ways to make their outdoor spaces their own little pieces of paradise.
Outdoor furniture to soak up the summer rays for longer, greenhouses to help their new green-fingered projects thrive, and now, with winter round the corner, fire pits are booming in popularity to extend those chilly nights outdoors.
Garden sheds are also increasing in popularity. After all, with all this new time and money being spent on making gardens a pleasant place to be, it follows that everyone would want somewhere to keep their gardens from looking cluttered. Enter, the humble garden shed.
Sales of these staples of British gardens have been on the rise as people look to keep their gardens organised. As Richard at What Shed, the number one shed review site in the UK, says, “When you purchase a garden shed, you don’t just want it to last. You want it to be durable, weather-proof, and look good while doing it.”
It’s clear that gardening habits in the UK are changing thanks to Covid-19, and are actually providing us with a few unexpected benefits along the way.
