State of the Industry: West

Though the west is still experiencing the most extreme drought conditions compared to the rest of the country, garden centers in the area say it is the new normal for the region, and companies and gardeners have acclimated. Survey results would seem to support this theory — more people indicated drought was a challenge in the Northeast than in the West. Also, 69% of garden centers in the West reported an increase in spring sales between 2015 and 2016, the highest of all regions in the U.S. and higher than Canada. Drought isn’t stopping gardeners — they’re just planting smarter. Sixty-six percent of garden centers reported that succulent and cacti sales were up this year. Sixty percent indicated a jump in perennials sales, and native and drought-tolerant plant sales also rose for a majority of garden centers. DIY products like canning, fermentation and brewing did better in this region than in any other on the survey.