In This Issue
Edinburgh Woollen Mill and Peacocks up for sale
#FloralFriday for Greenfingers celebrated at the end of Glee week
Hozelock’s Micro Reel gets a makeover
Grow your card sales the easy way ...
Woodlodge’s Root Indoor portfolio to grow for 2021 as consumers transform their homes into design-led sanctuaries
2020 - a year of impact, overcoming challenges, delivering recovery and growth
A moment in time for Durston Garden Products
Baytree celebrates 50 years
Glee New Product Award winners, hosted by GTN
Begonia ‘Sweet SpiceTM Bounty’ royalties donated for horticultural scholarships 
Zest 4 Leisure wins Best New Product 2020 at Glee Gathering
Festive florals – how retailers can maximise sales of poinsettia this Christmas season
Introducing Dobbies’ brand new range of sustainable houseplants
The Greener Gardening Company to support Perennial
Resilience and positivity in the face of adversity
New merchandiser offer from Primus
Vegetable & Seed Growing Kit is a winning idea for 2021
Zest 4 Leisure win three new product showcase awards and best overall product at Glee 2020
Primeur win Glee New Product Award 
Ivyline creates custom showroom PLUS launches over 300 new products
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Gardening a lifesaver in lockdown
One million families fell in love with gardening during lockdown thanks to Flymo
Smart Garden Products keeps on growing!
Dobbies reopen soft plays with safety measures in place
Sustainability Wins the Day - Four Oaks Retail Product of the Year Award 2020
Squire’s appoint new Health, Safety & Facilities Manager
The best of last week's
Perrywood plan for major re-development at Sudbury
Garden centre wins national family business award
Smart Garden donates £50,000 to Greenfingers Charity
Yorkshire nursery invests £1m in new gardencentre
Steve Harper leaves the Greener Gardening Company
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to the GTN Bestsellers printed weekly newsletter
All the latest news from the world of pet products
HOWND wins Best New Pet Product at Glee Gathering
Top dog trainer issues warning: 'Up to 3 million dogs at risk of Separation Anxiety' as owners return to work
Raw food brand introduces new way of shopping for pets
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Gardening a lifesaver in lockdown
93% of people in Squire’s survey said that gardening was a lifesaver in lockdown
 

Squire’s Garden Centres has released the results of their “Gardening during Lockdown” survey. The recent survey of over 3,000 people looked at how much gardening people did during lockdown in Spring 2020, what people planted then and what they will plant now, and how gardening makes people feel.

 

Gardening was a lifesaver in lockdown

The overwhelming finding was that gardening was a lifesaver in lockdown, with 93% of people agreeing or strongly agreeing with this statement.

“Gardens became sanctuaries for many people during lockdown,” said Sarah Squire, Chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres.

“We had amazing spring weather, which helped everyone get outside and enjoy their gardens, and with fewer cars on the road and therefore less noise people were better able to notice the joys of nature - birdsong, bumblebees, butterflies, and the glorious colours of spring flowering plants.”

 

More gardening in lockdown

With more time spent at home people have been spending a lot of it in the garden, and Squire’s survey found that 77% of people did more gardening during lockdown than they would do normally.

A massive 33% of respondents said that they did over 10 hours of gardening each week during Spring 2020. Compare that to Spring 2019 when only 9% of people did more than 10 hours of gardening each week.

 

What did people plant during lockdown, and what are they planting now?

During lockdown, understandably, everyone was seeking something colourful and uplifting so the most popular varieties were flowering plants such as bedding plants and cottage garden plants. 89% of people questioned in Squire’s survey said that they planted these. Vegetables were the next most popular choice planted by 59% of respondents, closely followed by herbs (44% planted) and shrubs (42% planted).

When asked what they plan to plant this autumn and winter, bulbs were the clear winner, with 71% of respondents planting them now. Bedding and cottage garden plants are still popular too, with 50% of people planting them, followed by shrubs, vegetables, herbs and fruit.

 

Other than planting, what did people enjoy doing in their gardens during lockdown?

The top choice was simply relaxing in the garden, enjoyed by 82% of Squire’s respondents.

68% of people loved eating outside, and BBQ’s were enjoyed by many. 50% of respondents enjoyed spending time with the family in the garden, and 16% said they enjoyed playing with the kids and getting the paddling pool out.

Lockdown gave many people (53%) the chance to have a good clear out, and 36% spent time cleaning in their garden. 31% of people enjoyed having the time to improve their lawn, a new patio or deck was installed by 10% of respondents, and 4% added a summerhouse or garden room.

 

Lockdown has made people more confident gardeners

Spending extra time in the garden during lockdown has made many people feel more confident in their gardening abilities, with 25% of people saying that they now feel a more confident gardener than pre-lockdown.

The majority of people questioned (54%) also said that they will spend more time in garden this autumn than they did last autumn.

 

How does gardening make you feel?

Gardening is known as a great way to relax and de-stress. 78% of people questioned said it gave them a sense of achievement, 75% felt calm and relaxed, 66% said gardening makes them feel happy, and 45% feel at one with nature.

 

Gardening is good for mind, body and soul

“Gardening was undoubtedly a lifesaver for many people during lockdown,” said Sarah Squire, Chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres.

“Garden habits have changed, with people gardening more and trying new things, whether that is planting vegetables for the first time, growing new varieties of plants, or getting round to doing jobs in the garden. In an uncertain world gardening makes us feel grounded and in tune with nature – flowers will always bloom in spring and trees will always shed their leaves in autumn. People are craving ‘normality’ and gardening with the seasons gives us that. It is a great form of exercise too and gets you outside in the fresh air. Gardening gives you space to think and clear your mind. It is so therapeutic to nurture plants and see them grow. I defy anyone not to feel relaxed and let the cares of the day slide away in the garden.” 

 

Squire’s survey, and many other studies, show that gardening is good for mind, body and soul. And with social prescribing high on the agenda, GP’s could soon be prescribing gardening to combat lockdown loneliness and improve mental and physical health.

 

With World Mental Health Day approaching on 10th October, make a bee-line for your garden, get outside, and harness the healing power of nature.

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