Despite being one of the few sectors that were once believed to be immune to recessionary pressures, gardeners in the UK had a slow start in 2023 due to the colder and wet weather conditions.
This year, British Garden Centres has decided to launch a new spring campaign with the social hashtag #Whatevertheweather to encourage people to spend time outside and rekindle their love for gardening during the 2024 season.
The campaign aims to inspire individuals to take a proactive approach to gardening and enjoy the benefits of being outdoors, regardless of the weather.
Running under the strapline of ‘Whatever the weather, we bring your garden together’, the aim is to kick-start the gardening season through a range of social media and PR content that will inspire and guide homeowners through essential spring tasks, ensuring the garden flourishes with beauty and vitality whatever the unpredictable UK climate throws at it.
Topics will include seasonal plants for spring gardens with advice on preparing pots and window boxes for summer, suggestions of gardening products to help gardens grow, top tips on protecting gardens from pests, and steps to improve lawns.
Look out for content on how to attract wildlife to gardens, trends for growing your own, and ideas on what summer bulbs to plant, edible plants and herbs, houseplants, al fresco dining and family activities for the spring season.
Spring doesn’t just stop at plants, as British Garden Centres will highlight outdoor furniture, patio accessories, and other items that enhance the outdoor living experience during the spring season,and transform outdoor spaces ready for summer.
The campaign will also be backed with Whatever the Weather spring POS for all garden centres to use in-store and for their local marketing initiatives. Centres will also have a toolkit of social media posts: full of colourful, inspiring content to share customers on their pages and encourage them to get out and create the garden of their dreams.
British Garden Centres Product and Development Manager Amy Stubbs said: “Following a disappointing start to last year and a wet summer, there is a lot of pent-up enthusiasm from the public who want to get outside and garden. We are delighted to launch our new campaign, which will kick-start what we hope will be a better spring season. We love spring as it is when gardens start to come to life and whatever the weather this year, your local British Garden Centres store will have everything to enhance and care for your garden this season.”
British Garden Centres (BGC) is the UK’s largest family-owned garden centre group with 62 centres around the country.