Resolving to garden
Do you make New Year’s resolutions? I typically don’t, and, as I write this in February, now would either be the time to flex on keeping up with them or commiserate with other resolution breakers.
I bring this up because a press release recently appeared in my email that said one in five U.S. homeowners who made New Year’s resolutions said they were focused on home upgrades rather than the typical personal improvements of going to the gym or eating healthier.
Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of TAMKO Building Products, the survey found that 43% of homeowners completed renovations within the past year and 32% reported plans to renovate this year.
Among those planning to make upgrades, 65% said that 2026 will be their biggest year yet for home-improvement projects. What kind of projects will they do? Forty-three percent intend to dig into landscaping projects — good news for our industry!
Three quarters (77%) of those surveyed said that curb appeal remains a strong priority, with landscaping rated as the most significant booster to curb appeal (51%) — more good news!
And keeping up with the Joneses is apparently still a thing, with 27% saying they found renovation inspiration from their neighbors, while nearly the same number noticed neighbors making changes inspired by their own upgrades.
Calling All Garden Centers!
Entries are now open for our 2026 Innovator of the Year awards. These awards will once again recognize garden centers that elevate the retail experience in progressive ways. We’re looking for retailers that excel in categories such as community involvement, merchandising, social responsibility, events and more.
Sound like a garden retailer you know? If so, we’d love to hear about them! Nominations can come from garden retailers or other industry professionals, including suppliers and consultants. But hurry — the deadline for entries is March 20. Find all the details at lgrmag.com/innovators.
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