pots and planters


Millennials drive plant pot growth


From urban jungles and succulents to snake plants and money trees, millennials have taken the houseplant trend by storm, and that includes matching pots and planters.


sparked a craze for indoor foliage, showing off their ultra-cool urban jungles on image- sharing platform, Instagram. The days of houseplants being regarded as dusty, neglected and naff are history. It has even been reported in the press that cheese plants, once regarded as an unfashionable 1970s throwback, saw demand outstrip supply last year. Now, houseplants are the interior must-have, and consumers are searching for pots and containers that will enhance their interior décor. Garden trade supplier, Woodlodge says


H


houseplants have taken centre stage since a large amount of the people have begun renting flats with little to no garden space: “The fashion for houseplants is being driven by more of the population living in flats and apartments with little or no access to outdoor space. It’s widely quoted that 15% of the UK population occupy flats, but numbers are much higher in cities. According to a report in the Mortgage Finance Gazette, 43% of Londoners live in flats. Scotland has a high proportion of flat-dwellers, too, with 29% of properties being flats.” Houseplants are a significant growth area in


garden retailing, with sales up by a reported 15-20% over the course of 2018. Figures from the Garden Centre Association (GCA) show that in December 2018 alone, houseplant sales at garden centres rose by 8.12%. Woodlodge says it has a “comprehensive


range of indoor planters that bring style, character and charm to any home. The extensive line-up means there’s choice to suit all tastes, from classic vintage looks to the latest statement planters for contemporary properties. Pantone’s 2019 Colour of the Year is


12 | www.gardencentreupdate.com


ouseplants are enjoying a resurgence in popularity; social media-savvy, fashion-conscious millennials have


living coral, and style experts predict that bold aquas and soft terracotta shades will be on- trend this season – with Woodlodge offering an array of indoor planters that perfectly compliment these shades.”


Plant a Pot There have been a number of campaigns to get the average British consumer interested in gardening again, most recently the Plant A Pot campaign from Hozelock has been a great way to engage customers as well as help British bees. The plight of bees is something that anyone with a garden, patio or even a window box can identify with, and by spelling out exactly how to take part, the Plant A Pot campaign has provided a rewarding and affordable way for Britain’s gardeners to help. The good news for garden retailers is that Hozelock’s Plant A Pot campaign can engage customers throughout their store to shop across a broad range of categories, beyond garden watering. Pots, plants, even food and gifting all form part of the concept, which works to increase customer basket size. Hozelock has said it is supporting the new 2019 campaign with an extended range of eye- catching, fully merchandised in-store POS arches to raise awareness of the campaign. Hozelock says: “We are looking to engage with an even higher number of enthusiastic gardeners than the 18,000 that responded to our initial campaign in 2018. We have proven that gardeners are enthusiastic to help bees by planting bee friendly plants, and given the growing importance of environmental and sustainability issues to gardeners, we expect an increase in pledges in 2019.” The company says this will increase basket


spend in garden centres, especially with consumers buying matching pots for their plants: “The opportunity here is for Garden


Centres to benefit from Hozelock’s engagement with gardeners – not just with regard to garden watering but all the other relevant categories – pots, plant media, plants, garden tools – even bee related food and gifts. Cross-category merchandising in hot-spots, indoors and in plant areas, involvement in gardening events and social media, is all key to the success of the campaign for garden centres who of course are in the ideal position as experts to help gardeners deliver on their pledges, and to help gardeners save bees.” Julia Leakey, who works in product design


and range development at Crocus, says: “We are noticing that gardeners are looking for good classic practical pots and planters that create a healthy environment for the plants to grow. They are also looking for unique solutions for tight spaces and vertical planting. “Our range has broadened to attract a


younger more design conscious customer while still offering a good selection of classic pots in the tradition materials,” she continues. Julia says she likes to have fun with creating


simple quirks to your average pot, which is bound to stand out to a fashion focused consumer: “We have unique solutions for wall mounted pots, planters on stands for small spaces and unique hanging pot solutions. We offer a wide range of well-proportioned pots and contemporary hanging baskets. The Crocus Collection range includes terracotta, glazed ceramic and metal and our planters and troughs are well proportioned and offer classic uncomplicated solutions for all sizes of garden in neutral finishes and tones.” With a growing amount of people getting


involved in gardening and if the popularity of houseplants persists, pots and planters will continue to prove an excellent way for garden centres to increase basket spend and to meet the needs of its customers.


GCU March/April 2019


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20