Gardens can be relaxing spaces to spend time, grow plants and flowers, and enjoy the beautiful British weather. These UK gardening industry statistics & facts tell a fascinating tale of us being a nation of gardeners!
UK Gardening Industry Statistics & Facts
- 87% of British homes have a garden, equalling around 23 million outdoor spaces. (Garden Patch)
- In 2021, Brits spent an astounding £18.6 billion on gardens, making the average money paid by a single adult £690. (Statista)
- On garden plants, the estimated spend is £1.4 billion. (Garden Retail Market Analysis Report)
- Brits spend the most each year on new garden furniture. (Statista)
- The ornamental horticulture and landscaping industries are behind around 570,000 jobs in the UK. (Horticultural Trades Associates)
- Spending money on garden goods, tools and plants was highest in the 65-74 year age group, who spent an average of £3.80 per week. (Statista)
- An attractive garden could add 20% to a home’s value, and 60% of house buyers want a garden when looking for a new home. (Foxton)
- Some estimates suggest that 8 million square metres of fake grass get sold each year in the UK. (Garden Patch)
- The median UK garden size is 188 square metres; however, you can find more extensive gardens in Scotland, where these lush, green spaces can be over 700 square metres. (ONS)
- Gardens aren’t as common in the bigger cities, and 1 in 5 Londoners don’t have a garden. (ONS)
Gardeners, gardens and their use
- Around 27 million Brits enjoy gardening, with women making up 57% of garden enthusiasts. (Garden Patch)
- The over 55s (51.4%) are the most likely group to tend a garden, with 16-24-year olds the least likely (31.2%). (Statista)
- The average gardener spends two hours a week tending to their gardens, with time spent in a garden dropping during the cooler months. (Garden Patch)
- Every year, the average Brit spends 15 hours mowing the law, 13 hours weeding, 8 hours painting sheds and fences and a whopping 45 hours watering plants. (BillyOh)
- 52% of Brits use their garden to feed or watch wildlife, and 38% use the space to grow fruit, veg, or herbs. (Horticultural Trades Associates)
- In 2021, having a vegetable patch (28%) and garden gnomes (15%) were the most popular garden trends, with 5% even looking to add an outdoor rug to their garden. (Statista)
- 25% of gardeners get their inspiration from television programmes. (Horticultural Trades Associates)
- 49% of Brits have roses in their gardens (YouGov)
- When voting for their favourite flowers, lilies and tulips came second and third behind roses. (Monarch Airlines)
The benefits and downsides of gardens
- 84% of British adults think gardening improves their overall health and well-being. (YouGov)
- 94% believe gardens and other green spaces benefit the environment. (YouGov)
- Not everyone thinks gardens are just a place of serenity; 1 in 10 people claim they find gardening stressful. (Lakeland Furniture)
- Around 300,000 people hurt themselves seriously attending their gardens every year, with 110,000 of those being little children. (RoSPA)
- The most common accidents gardeners have are cuts and falls. (RoSPA)
- 1 in 7 gardens will have theft every year, with bike thefts being the most common reason thieves might visit your garden. (Crime Prevention Website)
- Thieves are not the only headache for gardeners; there are an estimated 20,000 slugs per garden in the UK! (Top Soil Shop)
British gardens: history and the future
- Letchworth Garden City, designed around the ideas of Ebenezer Howard, is Britain and the world’s first garden city. (Wikipedia)
- College Garden at Westminster Abbey is England’s oldest surviving garden, having cultivated plants and flowers for over 900 years. (Burleydam Garden Centre)
- Levens Hall Topiary Gardens in Kendall are the oldest topiary garden in the world. (The Guinness Book of World Records)
- The Stewarts are believed to be the first nursery to open a garden centre in Britain. (Dorset Council)
- 75% of UK primary schools offer gardening as an extra-curricular activity. (YouGov)
- The average budget given to schools for gardening projects is 33p per pupil. (YouGov)
- Our devotion to gardens shows in how 28% of Brits live within a five-minute walk of a public park, and 72% live fewer than 15 minutes away. (ONS)