Rainy spring, happy autumn?
And here we are, off on another epic journey. Historically, the garden has been divided into 2 parts, with 60% in spring and 40% in autumn. Here's a look back at the first half of 2024, and a few thoughts on the way đ

The rain
A disaster for some, a blessing for others. The rain that has lashed France in the first part of 2024 is unusual, to say the least.
This is the second time in 65 years of weather records that so much rain has fallen on our heads. The average cumulative total for the first half of the year is 750 mm of water, beaten only once by the period from October 2000 to April 2001, when there was 870 mm.
To put it plainly, that's a lot of rainy days and not many opportunities to get out in the garden. Yes, because our real problem in specialist garden and DIY distribution is customer desire. We know that our business relies on the desire, the passion, the joy of going outside after a dull winter, and that's when we let loose with little flowers, barbecues, parasols...
But this year, the boots and rainwear section was full to bursting. Water harvesters and watering systems are at half-mast, as are bedding plants... In short, the initial figures are rather negative.
What are the results?
According to NielsenIQ GfK figures, for the period from 1 January to 31 May 2024, the figures for garden centres and Lisas are -7.3 in volume and -6 in value. All this follows a year 2023 predicted to be between -2 and -3, depending on the polling organisation... Nothing to celebrate!
Looking a little deeper into the data, we see that the flower market has taken a big hit, down 22 in volume and 21 in value. Fortunately, houseplants fared a little better, down 7.6 in units and 3 in value đ„Ž.
That's for plants, so we'll have to wait and see what happens to other garden products, but the trend is pretty clear.
Fortunately, some are doing rather well, often independents who may have had the opportunity to react quickly.
It's a bit the same story for landscapers, where the year is off to a difficult start. On the ground first of all, with the rain, it's difficult to meet completion dates, with the discontent of customers that you can imagine...


Closed
On tourne en boucle sur (sous) la pluie, mais quand mĂȘme, elle nâest pas la seule responsable de nos malheurs. Il y a aussi un pouvoir dâachat en berne. MĂȘme si 2024 revient avec des augmentations « raisonnables », les hausses des prix encaissĂ©es en 2021 et 2022 ont dĂ©finitivement marquĂ© les esprits des consommateurs et le porte-monnaie sâouvre beaucoup moins facilement, surtout sâil sâagit de jardins ou de petits plaisirs du quotidien.
RĂ©sultats, nous avons vu pas mal de jardineries fermer dĂ©finitivement leurs portes ou changer de propriĂ©taires, et la liste pourrait sâallonger avant la fin de lâannĂ©e, si lâon en croit radio moquetteâŠ
Les PME sont plus facilement fragilisĂ©es et le manque de trĂ©sorerie peut ĂȘtre fatal dans certains cas.
CĂŽtĂ© moral, le mois de juin nâa pas Ă©tĂ© Ă la hauteur, en plus, avec des Ă©lections qui ont mis le doute dans tous les camps concernĂ©s. Qui commande ici ? Va falloir cohabiter âŠ
Mais⊠Heureusement⊠Nous avons eu les JO et un rassemblement unanime autour des victoires et des spectacles proposés.
Dâun coup, la France a dit non Ă la morositĂ©, Ă la peur et au catastrophisme.
Hap-py!
The Olympics could well prove to be an eye-opener, a ray of sunshine in a year that got off to a bad start.
In the garden, for our various professions, this is also the solution.
We know that our compatriots find it hard to put up a long face; they need happiness, pleasure and carefree days. The Olympic Games were living proof of this!
This is undoubtedly the recipe for recovery. Gardens and plants are sources of satisfaction for enthusiasts who want to live well in their local environment.
And what if we came in as saviours? Garden communication needs to be positive, because we are in businesses that touch the hearts of consumers.
The image of the garden is a source of well-being, and our points of sale can become havens of peace in which to stroll and shop.
The "wow" factor, welcoming customers, happy communication... These are the areas in which the garden needs to develop.
It's a big job, especially for the reception area, but this strategy could be a winner given the events of 2024. It's not finished yet, but there's already a lot to learn from it!
We can't wait to see what happens next!
Roland Motte⊠Gardener!
