Strong Start to 2026 Despite Wet Weather

According to the report, 10 out of the 13 categories tracked by garden centres showed positive growth compared to January 2025. Leading the way was the food hall/farm shop category, which saw an impressive 15.31% increase. Clothing sales also performed strongly, rising by 14.95%.

Peter Burks, CEO of the GCA, commented, “Despite the challenges posed by the constant rain, our members are experiencing a great start to the year. The strong performance in plants, seeds, and bulbs is particularly encouraging, and the addition of robust sales in gifts, food halls, and clothing categories has contributed significantly to the month’s success.”

In January’s BoT rankings, seeds and bulbs came in third with a +14.3% increase, followed by gifts (+11.99%) and outdoor plants (+11.01%). Catering sales, which make up 36% of total sales, were sixth with a solid +10.07% rise, underscoring the importance of this category in driving footfall during the early months of the year.

Other positive performers included garden sundries (+7.48%), houseplants (+5.62%), and pets & aquatics (+1.24%).

However, certain categories saw declines, notably furniture & BBQs, which dropped by 7.13%, and hard landscaping, which experienced a sharp decrease of 26.92%.

The GCA’s BoT report is compiled using actual sales data from member garden centres, providing an up-to-date snapshot of trading performance. The figures are available mid-month, allowing members to compare their results with others across the sector.

The GCA represents over 200 garden centres across the UK. Through its information-sharing initiatives and inspection programme, the association helps members maintain high standards in customer service, plant quality, and overall reliability.

• For more information, please visit www.gca.org.uk.