The Barometer of Trade (BoT) February figures released today by the Garden Centre Association (GCA) show a ‘very encouraging month’ despite the ‘poor weather’.
More than two thirds of the categories recorded by garden centre members, were up when compared to the same month in 2025 with clothing recording +10.48% %, followed by food hall/farm shop in at +9.69%.
GCA CEO, Peter Burks, says: “Despite the poor weather, our members have again had a very encouraging February 2026, with the month being almost 7% up against last year and resulting in a year-to-date increase of 7.56%.
“Only two departments showed a decline in sales. There were good increases across all three gardening categories, plants, seeds and bulbs and gardening sundries. The non-gardening categories also showed up well with good increases in gifts, clothing, food hall/farm shop and in catering. We now move into some much more challenging figures year-on-year, as of course the sun started shining from early March last year and didn’t stop from then onwards.”
Seeds & bulbs came third in February’s BoT named category line-up at +9.02%, followed by
outdoor plants with + 8.85% and catering showing +8.58%.
Garden Sundries came in next, recording +8.04%, then gifts at +7.97%, followed by furniture & BBQ up +4.2%. Pets & aquatics also registered positively for the month when compared to February 2025 at +1.15%.
The two significant categories that recorded negatively in February were houseplants at -0.05% and hard landscaping down by -13.74%.
The GCA’s BoT reports are compiled using actual sales figures and provide an up-to-date trading position statement. They are made available mid-month following the end of the prior month after all member garden centres have submitted their results. The BoT allows members to compare their trading positions with other centres.
