Find out the 2026 Axiom Gardening Outlook Study results

As independent garden centers prepare for another spring, they may be wondering where to focus their marketing efforts.

According to the 2026 Axiom Gardening Outlook Study, home gardeners spent more time gardening in 2025, and the percentage is highest among millennials (66.7%), with Gen Z (63.8%) following closely behind.

Of the gardeners surveyed in the annual study, 34% of them spent 50% more time gardening in 2025, a total increase of 27% in 2025 vs. 2024, and 12% of them spent 100% more time gardening in 2025, a total increase of 41% in 2025 vs. 2024. This shows the largest increase in more time spent gardening since 2022.

That means that not only did gardeners spend more time gardening in 2025, but 49.5% of gardeners surveyed in the annual study spent more money on gardening in 2025, and the percentage is highest among millennials (61.1%).

The data in the study was collected in September and October 2025, at the end of the gardening season, and affordability was top of mind for respondents.

“We started this study back in 2018, but I think gardening remains resilient, despite all of the affordability concerns that people are experiencing,” says Mike Reiber, CEO and founder of Axiom, a Minnesota-based market strategy consulting company. “I think it's a positive thing for IGCs, especially if you look at the fact that the mass merchants were down (Lowe’s, Home Depot and Walmart) as being listed as a primary source of plants and also gardening supplies.”

Wanting more

2026 is expected be a year of expansion, with over half of the gardeners surveyed (63.6%) planning to plant more and expand their garden this year.

Even though 38% of gardeners surveyed were highly satisfied with the quality of their flowers, fruits and vegetables in 2025, home gardeners (45.7%) are wanting more blooms, more fruits and more vegetables in 2026.

Because a lot of these younger gardeners have higher expectations, Reiber says IGCs need to continue to talk about their varieties in compelling ways, like what makes them different and new, how they perform, and how they produce more blooms, fruits or vegetables.

Here are some of the additional findings from the study:

• 77% of gardeners surveyed will pay more money for the specific color of flower or variety of vegetable plant they want.
• 30.3% of gardeners surveyed find the highest quality plants at IGCs.
• 37.1% said inspiration for new garden ideas would increase their time and money spent at IGCs.

Here are some additional findings about gardeners’ time and money in 2026:

• 50.2% of gardeners expect to spend more time gardening in 2026, and millennials (66.7%) and Gen Z (65.2%) are leading that charge.
• 42.8% of gardeners expect to spend more money on gardening in 2026, and the percentage is notably highest among millennials (63.9%), Gen Z (49.3%) and Gen X (31.4%).

Talk about it

The study found that 27.5% of gardeners find the most knowledgeable store associates to answer their gardening questions at IGCs.

The top three garden projects for 2026 include:

• Increasing curb appeal (60.1%)
• Creating vegetable gardens (50.3%)
• Adding automatic watering system (41.6%)

The top three needs of gardeners shopping at IGCs are:

• More plant choices (28.1%)
• New plant varieties (16%)
• Advice (13.1%)

These younger gardeners want to do well and succeed, Reiber explains. So, it’s important for IGCs to have knowledgeable staff and information easily accessible to consumers via social media or online.

“Garden centers must play to their strong suit, and if they’re not educating about the varieties that they sell, those same varieties are available at Lowe’s and Home Depot many times,” Reiber says. “That education is something that they can uniquely provide.”

Plant bench cards are one way IGC employees can share their knowledge, Reiber shares. In one or two bullet points, the card could include information about what makes those varieties special — simple facts that people can grasp and remember.

So, for the IGCs figuring out where to focus their marketing efforts, aim, shoot and score with millennials and Gen Z.

Katie McDaniel is associate editor of Garden Center magazine. Contact her at kmcdaniel@gie.net.