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Coronavirus: Brits have spent £3.7bn on gardening in lockdown

Abigail Fenton
·Writer
·2-min read
Outdoor plants, compost and seeds are among the most common gardening purchases Brit have been making. (Neslihan Gunaydin/Unsplash)
Outdoor plants, compost and seeds are among the most common gardening purchases Brit have been making. (Neslihan Gunaydin/Unsplash)

Green-fingered Brits have spent a whopping £3.7bn ($4.9bn) on gardening since the start of lockdown, new research suggests.

UK adults have spent about £105 each transforming their garden since 23 March, as they’ve been spending more time at home, according to a survey of 2,000 people by American Express.

Outdoor plants were the most popular purchase. More than a third (35%) of Brits spent about £36 on plants for their garden.

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Compost followed closely behind, with nearly a third (31%) of Brits spending £27 each. Seeds came in third, with just under a quarter (24%) of people spending £14 each.

Most popular gardening products bought during lockdown

  1. Outdoor plants — 35% of Brits spent £36

  2. Compost — 31% of Brits spent £23

  3. Seeds — 24% spent £14

  4. Fruit and/or vegetable plants — 18% spent £19

  5. Indoor house plants — 14% spent £29

  6. Garden decor — 13% spent £34

  7. Garden DIY equipment — 13% spent £61

  8. Garden furniture — 13% spent £88

  9. Garden tools — 12% spent £39

  10. Objects to promote wildlife — 10% spent £33

One in seven (14%) Brits with a garden or outdoor space has even redesigned the entire space during lockdown, with 12% sharing pictures on social media.

Brits are even extending their new-found joy of gardening to friends, with 15% or survey respondents saying they’ve been gifted a plant, or home-grown fruit or vegetables from someone they know during lockdown.

American Express also offered some money-saving tips for green-fingered Brits.

READ MORE: Warm weather helps UK high street bounce back in July

Tips for hobby gardeners

  1. Bargain hunt — Look for buy-one-get-one-free or, even better, three-for-two offers on soil, seeds, and whatever else you might need, and store them for the future

  2. Grow it yourself — Growing your own fruits and vegetables is environmentally friendly and can save you a lot of money

  3. Get cashback — When you’re shopping for supplies, pick retailers who have rewards cards or participate in cashback schemes, so you can earn back some of your spending