Page 211 - AmericasMart: Market Magazine July 2017

Five million millennials took up gardening last year. Are you tapped into the growth potential of this generation? Understanding how they shop, garden, celebrate and learn can make your business grow.
We asks the experts—Mat Sanders,
digital design influencer and co-founder and creative director of trend-driven interior design firm Consort and Dee Nash, author of The 20/30 Something Garden Guide and blogger at Red Dirt Ramblings—to discuss the trends and their tips for reaching the millennial gardening market.
TRANSPLANT FRIENDLY
A large yard does not a gardener make. As millennials redefine living experiences, their gardening habits are changing too. With millennials living at home longer or choosing to rent instead of buy, they are looking for items they can take with them when they inevitably move.
“They want classic, quality items that will transition into a new space,” says Sanders. Container gardens satisfy millennials botanical interests and their mobile inclinations.
DIVERSIFY THE LANDSCAPE
It’s not just pansies and roses for the 15-35 set. Millennials tend to start with vegetable gardening, says Nash. “They
like craft beers and wines, and they also like growing their own food,” she adds. Worries about the safety of the food chain, a reluctance to eat foods grown with pesticides and a general love of all things local, drive the foodie trend.
No matter how pure those tomatoes and strawberries are, one thing Sanders and Nash agree on is that whatever millennials plant must be beautiful. “It’s all about what looks good on Instagram,” says Sanders.
READ THE TAGS
Millennials’ gardening products don’t just have to be good, they have to do good. Products that have a sense of social good are especially appealing. This generation wants to know about the brands and makers, and how they are part of
their communities.
Millennials, especially those who are interested in gardening, care deeply
about the environment. They like organic products like potting soil and fertilizers, and environmentally responsible materials, explains Nash.
THE GARDENS®
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