Market Overview

The Garden Centre Market is a huge sector within the UK with 60% of baby boomers claiming that gardening is their favourite pastime. The market comprises of over 1,500 Garden Centres, and over 1,000 nurseries. The sale of sites owned by Wyevale has seen a seismic shift in the industry.

Garden Centres comprise 32% of the market, by far the largest share, followed by DIY retailers. Our clients, Dobbies, Blue Diamond and The British Garden Centre Group now make up the largest retailers.

Garden Centres are the venue of choice for many customers, over 40% of the people who bought horticultural products in 2018 purchased these from a garden centre. This is because of the relaxed atmosphere, free parking and other amenities available such as good cafes and the concessions on site.

The majority of Garden Centres are still independently owned businesses which have developed from traditional horticultural nurseries. Over the last 20 years the market has moved from being just horticultural products to becoming retail destinations. They now comprise of different departments such as pets, aquatics, kitchen, furniture, clothing and giftware. This has provided opportunities for retail brands from a range of industries to partner garden centres. The benefits to the brand have been a ready-made market, while the benefit to the garden centre has been increased footfall with customers intentionally seeking out these brands. It has also transformed garden centres into days out for families, especially mothers with young children and for grandparents.

There is now a clear ‘production line’ in the development of a modern Garden Centre.