Gardening booming despite economic uncertainty, Garden Media Group says

When the world feels uncertain, Americans get planting. That’s the core message of Garden Media Group’s new report, “Garden Pulse: Spring 2025 Analysis.”

While other industries report slowing traffic and declining sales, gardening is holding strong — and growing — despite cold weather, consumer caution and tariff-fueled economic anxiety. Even with poor early spring weather, garden center sales in 2025 are only 3.9% behind 2024 and still far ahead of the same period in 2020.

“Gardening has always been recession-resistant,” said Garden Media Group President Katie Dubow. “In 2008, 2020 and now again in 2025, we’re seeing a familiar pattern. When people face financial or emotional uncertainty, they return to their roots — literally.”

Charlie Hall, economist at Texas A&M, explained, “Our spending doesn’t have the same erratic nature as our confidence.”

In other words, even if people feel uncertain, their garden purchases remain consistent — and often therapeutic.

According to the analysis, social media mentions of gardening in spring 2025 are on par with the pandemic boom years and significantly higher than pre-COVID levels. But it’s not just volume — it’s emotion. Posts express joy, relief and deep satisfaction in getting back into the garden.

The data tell the story:

• Frontline sales at IGCs are nearly identical to those in 2024 and are up 27% from 2020, with strong demand for both edibles and ornamentals.
• Wildlife garden certifications from the National Wildlife Federation have surged 12% over last year, reaching their highest number of new certifiers in April since 2021. This signals continued enthusiasm for nature at home.
• As of March 2025, garden centers using Square have seen an 8.6% increase in processing gross profit and a 9.3% increase in transaction volume compared to 2024.
• Social chatter about gardening remains high, with positive sentiment dominating conversations. While Facebook and Instagram remain strong, platforms like YouTube and Reddit are now seeing explosive growth — up 32% and 36% respectively compared to 2024, and well over 150% from peak pandemic years.

And while consumer spending is shifting from wants to needs, garden centers are uniquely positioned to thrive. Unlike travel, car detailing or other big-ticket splurges, gardening offers tangible rewards and emotional uplift.

Opportunities to plant hope

As economic headwinds grow, consumers are planting hope — literally. Garden centers that show up now, offering community, education and connection, will reap the rewards all season long.

“The message is clear — don’t pull back,” said Danny Summers, president of The Garden Center Group. “Even in the face of tariffs and unpredictable weather, gardening continues to thrive. Now’s the time for retailers to stay confident and visible and not discount.”

Now is not the time to scale back — it’s time to lean in. From easy DIY landscaping kits to expanding edible gardens, consumers are choosing gardening as a way to regain control, save money, connect with family and care for their mental health. 

What garden centers should be doing right now:

• Reclaim the story. Position gardening as the antidote to uncertainty. Utilize signage, email and social posts to highlight the value of staying home, digging in and investing in wellness through plants. Speak to the “homebody economy,” and invite customers to grow where they are.
• Host to grow. Schedule events, classes and hands-on workshops now. Experiences are driving traffic and increasing cart sizes. From seed-starting to pollinator planting parties, give your customers a reason to come — and come back.
• Stock what sells. Prioritize high-demand edibles and convenience gardening products. Think beans, tomatoes, cucumbers — plus seed tapes, mats and pelleted options. Emphasize timesaving, success-boosting solutions at every price point.
• Be the affordable luxury. Consumers want their dollars to go further. Today’s top-selling products serve two purposes: beauty and biodiversity, curb appeal and property value, wellness and food security. A plant that feeds the bees and your family? That’s what’s winning the cart.
• Champion real-life sustainability. Sid Raisch, group service provider for business strategies at The Garden Center Group, suggests being the local, sustainable alternative to chain stores and imported goods. Promote growing healthy food without chemicals or heavy shipping costs. Inspire families to swap screen time for green time — building gardens together, learning real-life skills and reconnecting with nature and each other. Gardening offers not just food, but wellness, resilience and self-reliance.

Summers and Raisch both agree: “Garden centers have the power not just to sell plants, but to plant hope. And right now, that’s exactly what the world needs.”

Download the complete Spring 2025 Analysis here.