The
domestic landscaping materials market was worth an estimated
£915 million in 2009 at manufacturers selling prices, a
decline of 4% compared to 2008. The market had experienced growth
to 2007-08, although growth rates were modest. Decline in the
housebuilding and house moving sectors negatively impacted on the
market, particularly the hard landscaping sector; although housing
volumes began to increase in H2 2009. Low levels of consumer
confidence and spending also negatively affected the market;
although some sectors of the domestic landscaping market are
relatively resilient to economic
pressures and the recession has
seen many homeowners improving their properties as house moving
stalled.
The decking and landscaping
materials market is a complex market consisting of a very wide
range of products that are distributed via a variety of
distribution channels.Key products are paving & walling (19%),
fencing/trellis & garden structures (9%), decking (4%), aggregates
(4%), pots & planters (10%), water features & decorative products
(6%), lighting (2%), nursery stock & bedding plants (37%) and
bulbs & seeds (9%). Saturation levels for each product sector are
variable with decking yet to reach maturity, compared to products
such as lighting and pots & plants that are more mature.
The market has benefited from
the underlying trends for outdoor living, environmental and
nutritional concerns, an ageing population that are generally more
interested in gardening, as well as first time gardeners
encouraged by the ‘grow your own’ boom. A key factor affecting the
market is the weather, particularly over key trading periods, as
interest in the garden tends to decline in poorer climate
conditions. In 2009 the market benefited from a warmer spring, but
interest in the garden fell in the summer months as the colder,
wetter weather returned.
The smaller size of UK gardens
and increase in number of apartments impacts on all sectors of the
market, as smaller gardens require fewer hard landscaping
materials, but also the popularity of patio gardening reduces the
need for the larger, more expensive shrubs and trees.
Key distribution channels for
the domestic landscaping materials market are garden centres, DIY
multiples and builders merchants – though merchants are not
involved in the sale of soft landscaping products and all of the
garden decoration products.
