2019 has been reported as the year greenhouses and glasshouses will be just as likely to be used for parties and entertaining as younger families admit they see them, not just as a route to healthier and eco-friendly living, but as luxury lifestyle accessories - according to Hartley Botanic who have shared its predictions for how its greenhouses and glasshouses will be enjoyed in 2019 based on recent customer behaviour.

The trends, which was released at the end of Hartley Botanic’s 80th anniversary last year, reveal how modern gardeners are using greenhouses within their gardens, their most important motivations for ownership and the most in demand styles and designs.

TREND 1: GREENHOUSES BEING USED TO SERVE ORGANIC, VEG-BASED DIETS

At the heart of greenhouse ownership in 2019 lies the fact that many people want to live more healthily with a focus on enjoying good quality fruit and vegetables which they are confident producing themselves. The manufacturer found that while 95 percent of customers expected to use their greenhouses to grow food and decorative plants, most of them did so because they wanted to eat better.

TREND 2: GREENHOUSES AS MULTIPURPOSE SPACES

The second most significant predicted trend citied around greenhouse usage was their purpose as multifunctional spaces. While recent customers may have initially purchased a Hartley Botanic greenhouse with horticultural production in mind, once installed, they soon become a peaceful place to enjoy the garden or the fruits of their gardening labour, away from the intrusions of modern life.

TREND 3: GREENHOUSES AS A STATUS SYMBOL

In recent years there has been a definite change in the way customers view their greenhouses – instead of being just a functional building, in 2019 gardeners will increasingly view them as almost lifestyle accessories and to an extent, status symbols.

Imposing and grand Victorian structures are increasingly popular, with customers using them to frame and display ambitious plant collections in a similar way to the hothouses of the Victorian era. The Victorians filling their large glasshouses with exotic ferns and giant palms is still a very covetable look which customers recreate today. One Hartley Botanic customer recently shared that she liked to “show off” her greenhouse to other members of the gardening club she had joined.

TREND 4: CITY DWELLING FAMILIES WITH YOUNG FAMILIES, NOT JUST THE RETIRED IN THE COUNTRY

In terms of customer demographic, Hartley Botanic’s customers are changing. From a group primarily composed of the over 50s and the retired to a more mixed customer base which includes younger consumers usually with children and the manufacturer expects this change to increase in 2019.

This seems to be driven by both a desire for children to benefit from home-produced food (both from an experience and a health point of view) and by the fact that market conditions mean families are moving less and investing more in their existing properties.

TREND 5: VICTORIAN-STYLE GREENHOUSES AND GLASSHOUSES

During 2019, as with the last 22 years, Hartley Botanic foresees that its traditional Victorian range will still been the most popular greenhouse design and look chosen by customers. It is felt that this has been influenced by a trend for exotic plants and ferns which are perfectly set-off by a Victorian aesthetic. The largest Victorian glasshouse Hartley Botanic has produced for a customer in the past year was more than 150 square metres in size.

TREND 6: USING A GREENHOUSE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS

As well as the ‘grow your own’ benefits of improved quality and taste, 2019 gardeners will be using a greenhouse for environmental reasons.

An extensive report on the greenhouse and glasshouse trends of 2019 will be featured in the April 26th issue of DIY Week.