The British weather is an unpredictable beast. After one of the hottest summers on record in 2003, last year’s key selling months for garden products were hit by monsoon-style rains that dampened sales – and consumers’ spirits.

Most companies in the garden products market had anticipated growth again for 2004. But recent figures from the Horticultural Trade Association show the market was down 10% year-on-year.

“The poor weather had a really big impact across the whole sector,” said Vicky Barker, head of design and marketing at Forest Garden plc. “It affects when people are able to carry out ground and structural work in the garden.”

Despite the inclement weather, the media influence on garden products continues to be one of the main drivers, stimulating trends in specific garden products, most notably decking. “The market for decking is still selling at an amazing rate, and, year-on-year, we’re seeing growth of 30%,” said Catriona Houston, decking product manager at Richard Burbidge. “The trend for outdoor living is still strong. If you look at sales of barbecues and furniture, people are starting to trade up significantly and buy high value items for their gardens.”

This trend of the garden as an extension of the home is also increasingly helping the garden products market as consumers are spending more time outdoors.

“The garden season is getting longer,” said Kevin Babbage, marketing director of Champion Timber. “It used to be March to July, but it’s now extending to September, as generally weather remains better for longer.”

Younger consumers, in particular, are increasingly seeing the garden as a space for relaxation, providing significant growth to the market. “Young families or couples have traditionally looked at the interiors of their homes to make a statement, and this demand for style is starting to translate through to the garden,” said Vicky Barker.

User-friendly products

The products, though, have to be user-friendly, with minimum effort for maximum effect. “There are an awful lot of deck kits and easy-fit arches and arbours now,” she said. “More buildings are coming out which have been designed to be easy to fit for the consumer.”

While ease of use is important to DIYers, those consumers who want to enjoy their gardens, but with minimal effort, are increasingly looking for variety.

“There has been a general move towards higher quality, more interesting and innovative products,” said Nigel Bullock, landscape development manager for Buildbase. “There is less of a focus on pure price and more on people wanting something of quality or design interest.”

Warren Dudding, head of UK marketing at Finnforest, agrees. “Consumers now have a design vocabulary of their own and their demands from the gardening sector have become increasingly sophisticated,” he said.

“People no longer want identikit garden products and are willing to pay a premium for something that stamps their mark on their garden and enables them to express their individuality.”

There has also been a greater focus on design, especially in smaller garden spaces where consumers are looking to make the best use of space. Planning is helped by the amount of design services now offered by manufacturers and suppliers alike, and in the installation of applications such as decking into relatively small spaces.

“Rather than being driven by fashion we are now seeing larger and more complex decks being installed,” said Arbordeck business manager Terry Blackwood. “Consumers and installers have realised the advantages decking has on sloping sites, over retaining walls and back filling and are becoming more ambitious with what they are creating.”

Others are not so confident. John Brayshaw, managing director at Dandf, which supplies top end timber products like lattice displays, trellising and planters, said there are signs that decking is becoming less popular. “There has been a demand for higher quality decking, but sales are starting to fall in favour of certain harder materials. There will, however, always be demand for arches and arbours which can be used to dress up and soften hard landscaping features.”

Mixing materials

The other big theme for outdoors has been the move towards mixing materials, particularly metal and timber used in the same construction, whether it’s a deck, a pergola or a timber summerhouse. Richard Burbidge, for example, has introduced a range of metal balustrading and timber panels that use galvanized steel.

“Our products come in a hammered effect antique and a bronze finish designed to complement the colours of the garden,” said Catriona Houston. Arbordeck, meanwhile, is using alternative handrail materials. “The same deck with our Deckorators baroque metal balusters has a completely different feel from the more common timber spindles,” said Terry Blackwood, adding that the biggest growth in the US market is for composite decking and railing. “The best of these products can be worked and installed like softwood timber, but require very little maintenance. We have recently started to distribute the US market leading composite Trex and have seen a very encouraging uptake from stockists and sell through.”

Forest Garden has also launched three products for 2005, which mark a departure from its traditional designs and use of conventional timber. “Our new range features pergolas and arches that combine aluminium uprights with timber rafters,” said Vicky Barker. “You’ve still got an element of the traditional, combined with something more streamlined and contemporary.”

First indications are that the products have been well received by the trade, particularly given the lack of competition so far. “We have yet to see the sales going through to the consumer because we’re just putting displays into garden centres now,” said Ms Barker, “so we won’t know the full impact until Easter.”

Garden buildings

Garden buildings, like log cabins and summerhouses, are also growing in popularity. As demand for space increases inside the house, consumers are increasingly looking at outside alternatives to ease the pressure.

Finnforest’s sales of log cabins have tripled in the past four years. “The growth has been driven by home office working, additional entertaining space and the recognition of the garden as a new room in the house,” said Warren Dudding. The company has extended its distribution to 80 merchants, including B&Q and Homebase.

Forest Garden has also launched a building which combines timber and aluminium. ‘Lifespace’ has timber as the main construction material within an aluminium frame and curved, polycarbonate roof. “It’s a whole new look for the garden,” said Vicky Barker. “We’ve tried to pick up on the materials that are coming through and the styles and designs that consumers are looking for.”

As consumers increasingly look for more natural, sustainable materials, the prospects for timber in the garden look bright. Now, if only the same thing could be said of the weather…