Whilst simultaneously out attending garden maintenance a former neighbour once exclaimed ‘after 30 years I’m sick of pruning this hedge!’. I only had my house for 20 years, but indeed, trimming hedges is hard work. Which brings my thoughts to a text I recently read about The Convenient Gardener.
In 2011 the garden tool company Husqvarna issued the ‘The Global Garden Report‘. Over a decade ago now and the turbulence we have been through since then! But perhaps turbulence is where it’s at? When the report was released the world was engulfed, or just about clawing itself out of, a massive financial crisis. Now being in the process of recovering from Covid, a war is doing its best to shake our foundations. Well, convenience sounds just grand, just sit back and relax in a green oasis and forget about the world outside.
A main point of the report highlights that a fine garden adds value to a property. Around 16% or so, based on a survey amongst 5000 surburban house owners in nine countries across the globe. That was in 2011, after Covid lockdowns I’m sure gardens are more appreciated than ever.
Appreciation is one thing, however, garden maintenance another. There are many garden owners out there loving pruning and growing. As the report shows though, 40% of garden owners are too busy to engage with these garden dimensions with hectic lifestyles and holidays getting in the way. The Convenient Gardener wants the garden, but minimise maintenance input.
So what do they do? Well, they naturally dream of products that can help reduce labour efforts. The top five sought-after products according to the report are
– Automatic watering systems
– Robotic mower
– Garden tractor
– Tiller
– Chainsaw
To me this sounds like a wishlist, if your friends and family don’t already have these gadgets, perhaps suggestions for a moving-in present?
