Garden retail sales are up 10% on average when compared with last year according to last week's HTA Retail Management Group (RMG) with grow your own a major driving force behind the uplift.
Interestingly, the group found that pester power is playing a significant role as children who have become involved with gardening at school encourage their parents to get growing at home as well. And, reports the RMG, the add-on sales opportunities are massive. In fact, on centre reported add on sales of more than £100 in the case of a customer who only came in for a £1.99 packet of runner bean seeds!

Conversely, the group found that the growth of catering had begun to slow. With annual increases of 20-30% many are now reporting a 10% increase for this year perhaps due in part to the warmer weather keeping people in the outside areas.

So currently things are looking pretty optimistic, but the RMG is still cautious about longer-term outlook. RMG chairman Caroline Owen said: "Many garden retailers cut their costs earlier in the year in anticipation of tough times ahead. Now, with an excellent sales season, margins are currently looking very good. However, ther3 is still concern about how this might be sustainable as the recessionary effects on the buying public begin to bite deeper."