In an online survey just released by GfK, 34% of US consumers report that they garden or do yard work either daily or weekly, while 22% garden “at least once a month.” When it comes to gardening “every day or most days” – the highest level of frequency captured in the study – the US was among the top 3 nations, at 8%.

The study also shows that more than two in ten (23%) Americans say that they never garden or do yard work. These insights come from an online survey of over 23,000 consumers (ages 15 or over) across 17 countries.

Globally, nearly one-third (31%) of people garden at home either daily or weekly; and one-quarter (24%) of people internationally say that they never do any gardening or yard work.

Australia has the highest level (45%) of daily or weekly gardening among all countries measured. China came in second (36%), followed by Mexico, the US, and Germany – all of which had levels of over one-third.

In contrast, South Koreans are the least likely to garden, with more than half (53%) of the population indicating they have never done yard work. Other countries with high “never-garden” levels include Japan (46%), Spain (44%), Russia (40%), and Argentina (33%).

US men post higher scores for frequent gardening

Among US consumers, gender has a slight influence in how often people garden. Less than a quarter of both genders (20% for women and 24% for men) garden or do yard work at least once a month. Men are more likely than women, however, to report daily or weekly gardening (41% for men; 27% for women), while women are more likely to say they garden or work in the yard less than once a month (28% versus 15%).

People who own their main residence are most frequent gardeners

Americans living in homes they own, or that are owned by their families, are the most frequent gardeners, with 41% saying they do yard work either daily or weekly. In households that rent, just 18% garden on a daily or weekly basis. This percentage drops again, to 12%, among those who live in co-ops or condominiums.  

When comparing different age groups in the US, the frequency of gardening or doing yard work increases among middle-aged groups. One-third (33%) of those in their twenties say they do yard work either daily or weekly; the proportion rises to 42% for those in their thirties, falls slightly (38%) for those in their forties, and drops off further among those in their fifties (32%) and over 60 (30%).

By combining these self-reported survey insights with data from areas such as point of sales (POS) tracking for specific categories, consumer panels and geo-marketing, GfK helps clients, manufacturers, and retailers successfully target high-potential audiences both globally and within specific countries.

More data is available in GfK’s complimentary global study reports showing findings for each of the 17 countries, by gender, age, family stage and income.

About this study

GfK asked 23,000 consumers (aged 15 or over) online in 17 countries how often they do gardening or yard work: Every day or most days; At least once a week; At least once a month; Less often; Never.

Fieldwork was completed in summer 2017. Data are weighted to reflect the demographic composition of the online population aged 15+ in each market. The global average given in this release is weighted, based on the size of each country proportional to the other countries.

Countries included are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, South Korea, Spain, UK and USA.

About GfK

GfK is the trusted source of relevant market and consumer information that enables its clients to make smarter decisions. More than 13,000 market research experts combine their passion with GfK’s long-standing data science experience. This allows GfK to deliver vital global insights matched with local market intelligence from more than 100 countries. By using innovative technologies and data sciences, GfK turns big data into smart data, enabling its clients to improve their competitive edge and enrich consumers’ experiences and choices.

For more information, please visit www.gfk.com/us
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