Planting ideas for grand designs
The lockdown gave many homeowners the perfect opportunity to brighten their outdoor spaces with a creative makeover, says LOUISE MIDGLEY
OF THE 67 million UK residents, it is estimated that a whopping 27 million people engage in gardening activities. Research indicates that during April, May and June, the green-fingered community used their free time to grow copious edible and ornamental plants from seed and invested a great deal of effort and money into beautifying their gardens.
In fact, thanks to the wonderful spring weather, Britain’s gardens have probably never looked so good.
“Online sales in the first three months of lockdown were unprecedented,” said Tim Jeffries, commercial director for Mr Fothergill’s Seeds.
“Sales of vegetable seeds were up 500 per cent in May, compared to last year and since garden centres reopened there has been a sharp increase in sales.”
And it isn’t just seeds flying off the shelves, a consumer survey by home and garden projects retailer Homebase revealed that the UK planted 322 million more plants in 2020 than in
2019 and spent a staggering £5.4billion to spruce up their outdoor spaces.all of which will have had a positive effect on bees, butterflies and nature in general.
More money than usual was spent on homes and gardens as a result of cancelled holidays and lockdown, according to research commissioned by the home interiors marketing agency Unhooked Communications.
Millions of consumers splashed out on garden makeovers to recreate holidays at home, hence sales of pizza ovens, hot tubs and summerhouses also increased.
Lifestyle blogger Katie Lauren, 21, from Nottingham, brought some holiday fun to her garden by converting a garden shed into a nautical beach hut.
Katie who lives with her parents and sister was inspired by a family holiday in Cornwall last year. “Lockdown gave us the opportunity and motivation to turn our idea into a reality,” said Katie.