Newspoll results - interesting implications for Industry
To launch spring for 2009 and create a platform from which to steer Industry programs, Nursery & Garden Industry Australia (NGIA) commissioned a Newspoll survey in July which interviewed 1,200 respondents and highlighted the changing scope of the Australian backyard.
The results were announced to the media at the NGIA Spring Launch, held in Sydney on August 6.
The research had some interesting implications for Industry. It showed the landscape of the Australian backyard has changed; 86% of Australians now have a lawn, as opposed to 92% when they were growing up. However, one thing which isn’t budging is Australians’ passion for spending time outdoors; an astounding 86% of Australians believe the health, wellbeing and relaxation benefit their garden provides is the top reason they spend time in their backyards.
Good news for garden retailers; 72% of Australians plan to purchase plants for their garden this spring. Young Australians are leading the garden revolution, with 76% of Australians between the ages of 18 - 34 planning on doing spring gardening this year, 5% higher than all older age groups.
Although the percentage of people with a vegetable garden has declined since yesteryear, (57% of Australians grow their own fruit, vegetables and herbs, as opposed to 77% when they were growing up) the Grow Your Own food trend is on the rise, with 66% of Australians growing their own fruit, vegetables or herbs this year, which is 3% higher than what Newspoll results showed in July 2008.
In terms of gardening inspiration, a staggering 75% get inspiration for their own gardens from other people’s gardens, 68% from gardening or lifestyle TV shows and 53% from garden centres, which is more positive news for garden retailers.
City dwellers are 5% more likely to see the benefit of gardens to our personal wellbeing than Australians living in rural areas. A third of Australians have balcony and potted gardens as more inner city dwellers adopt green-life into their living space and actively incorporate plants into their space-poor homes.
NGIA National Marketing & Communications Manager Jacqui Gibbs says: “The Newspoll results have important implications for the nursery and garden industry. I encourage garden retailers to inspire customers with appealing displays, showing how they can have a garden on a balcony, urging them to grow their own food and offering total solutions from fertiliser, through to plants, through to water features.”
To view the full Newspoll results click here.
