Gardening in Europe: Who plants, harvests and tends the most?

Three out of four people in Europe garden, half of whom spend more than two hours a week planting, harvesting, mowing or weeding. These are the findings of a representative survey conducted by market researchers Yougov on behalf of online retailer Galaxus in the DACH region as well as in France and Italy. Austrians have the greenest thumbs: as many as eight out of ten people here garden.

In four out of ten cases, the garden is right on the doorstep, while one in ten respondents have turned their balcony or terrace into a green oasis. Allotment gardens are more or less popular depending on the country: while 12 per cent of the population in Germany and Austria each lease a plot, the figure is only 3 per cent in France and Italy.

The Germans and especially the Austrians are also the ones who spend the most time in the garden: In the season from March to October, more than a third garden for at least three hours a week. In Switzerland, around 18 per cent of respondents spend this much time on their green spaces. There are hardly any differences between the sexes, but there are differences between the age groups: The older someone is, the more likely he or she is to have time for and a desire to garden.

Older customers are more generous

Austrians also invest the most money in their gardens: more than a third of them are likely to spend more than EUR 200 on soil, plants, tools or similar this season, with 13 per cent even spending more than EUR 500, according to the results of the survey. And while the Swiss are stingy when it comes to investing time, they are all the more generous when it comes to money. They invest the least in Italy and France. There are hardly any gender differences when it comes to finances either, but there are differences between the age groups: 40 to 59-year-olds are most likely to treat their gardens to a new scarifier or a fresh blueberry bush this year.

Flowers and perennials are planted particularly frequently in Europe (almost three out of four gardens). Herbs are also popular. At the bottom of the popularity rankings are berry bushes and lettuce - both of which grow in one in three gardens.

Hardly any room for fruit trees

This season, respondents are again planting fresh herbs in particular, followed by vegetable plants and flowers or perennials. New fruit trees or berry bushes can only be found in one in ten gardens.

For almost six out of ten respondents, the reason for working in the garden is recreation and relaxation. This is closely followed by the fun factor, which is particularly important for French gardeners. Austria, on the other hand, stands out with the highest self-sufficiency rate. The inhabitants of Italy and Switzerland are the least enthusiastic about gardening, while Germany and France are in the middle of the field.