With spring comes the return of the garden: trees, flowers, decorations… what are the new trends ?

Avec le retour des beaux, les Français retrouvent le plaisir du jardinage et de rendre sa beauté au jardin.

L’entrée dans les beaux jours redonne aux Français le goût du retour vers la nature. Décryptage d’une pratique traditionnelle de saison.

With the return of the beautiful season and the rebirth of nature, the French are rediscovering the link with their garden. Put somewhat dormant during the winter season, its attractiveness is attracting renewed attention. Everyone wants to restore luster to their personal piece of nature. Whatever its size, large or modest.

"It’is a sometimes a bit complicated period for us, explains Christophe Verducci", who manages Angle Green, in Baillargues, near Montpellier. This garden specialist notes that he must, this spring, "work urgently, which is not necessarily compatible with living work& ;quot;.

The pleasure of the garden for 7 French people out of 10

The emergency in question is the one that allows us to respond to requests. "There are people who know that preparing a garden for spring starts earlier, in the fall. And then there are others who, with the first rays of sunshine and the beautiful days of spring, say to themselves that they need to work in their garden.

A Kantar study, carried out in 2021 for Valhor and FranceAgriMer, confirms the important role of plants in the lives of the French. In fact, 73% of them say they have outdoor ornamental plants and 81% indoor ones. According to another survey, from Ifop and Unep, "7 French people out of 10 take pleasure in maintaining a garden".

"The Return of the Trees"

"In spring, everything happens at the same time, notes Elian Chambon, who runs the landscaping company Lantana, in Salindres, near Alès. There is garden maintenance work and garden creation work" . And the requests are numerous. "This ranges from pruning not carried out during the winter to mowing the lawn, including the creation of new beds".

But what pleases the latter the most is "the return of the trees". "Before, people tended to cut down trees. Today, we are asked to plant them in front of houses to have more shade. And then there is the return of fruit trees. "People are regaining a taste for having them in their garden".

The "color" predominates

For Marie Levaux, at the head of the Cannebeth horticultural operation, in Mauguio, near Montpellier, and president of Verdir, the national federation of the’ horticulture and nurseries, "vegetation can be everywhere". "Everyone can have their own corner of the garden at home, whatever the space they have available. You can plant any plant there, large or small".

In spring, it’is the choice "colored plantings", which predominates at the details. And then, people "find in the garden a dimension of well-being, relaxation ; they relieve stress". This is also the point of view of Frédéric Eloy, director of the Jardiland store in Béziers. "In addition to plants, there is a strong interest in garden accessories as well as furniture.

The return of the oyas, in terracotta

Indeed, customers "are sensitive to the combination of plants and decoration". He even observes practices that have disappeared today, such as the resurgence of purchases of oyas, "terracotta sprinklers that we puts in the ground to save water".

Varied budgets, depending on motivations and means

For the landscape company, spring remains a highlight of the year. Sarivière, à Maurin, near Montpellier, carries out 50% of its activity over this period. of its nursery part. At Lantana, à Salindres is 40%. According to the Kantar consumer panel for Valhor and FranceAgriMer, spring captures 47% of the share of purchases by value. According to this same panel, the average budget devoted to &agrav; the purchase of ornamental plants for the garden, by purchasing household, rises to a high level. 19 euros in spring (as in winter), compared to 20 eurosà autumn. Well obviously, the garden is more expensive. At Lantana, "the average expenditure is between 8 000 and 10 000 euros", specifies Elian Chambon, his boss. "People buy at willé of their desires, completes Géraud Vaillat, at Sarivière. They make their purchases and stage their garden themselves. It’s more economical. "Except that with a professional, they have advice", insists Christophe Verducci, à Green Angle, à Baillargues. D’où the weight of the dedicated budget.

We remember that at the time of Covid, the garden had become a stronghold of one's home. "The craze does not seem to be dying down", slips Frédéric Eloy. Who even sees "young generations coming to be interested, in stores, in what they can do to have a beautiful one".

I subscribe to read more