An interesting trend is sweeping through the millennial generation. Increasingly, they’re finding time to set down their smartphones and venture out into their own little patches of green space. Much of this change can be traced back to the COVID-19 lockdowns. In the United States, the National Gardening Association reported around eighteen million new gardeners, of whom 65% were millennials. In the UK, we see a similar picture.
Reasons for the Rise
So, why is it that this particular age demographic has suddenly become interested in gardening? There are a few possible causes, which, in reality, are probably acting in tandem.
Green issues
First, millennials are statistically more likely to be environmentalists. Through gardening, it’s possible to drive down your carbon footprint, and to control the practices used to produce the food in the first place. Gardening affords us a degree of control over our food supply that can’t be replicated through other means. The cost of getting started is also very low, from an environmental perspectice. You can buy flower bulbs online, and cultivate them yourself, using water and fertiliser you’ve harvested and created in your own garden and kitchen.
Health & Wellness
Millennials and Gen-Z tend to both struggle with screen addiction, and the associated mental health problems. Gardening provides an effective antidote to all of that. Being surrounded by plants is naturally conducive to superior mental health – and the slow-living processes involved in gardening, from pruning to planting, can be extremely therapeutic.
Economic Factors
Growing your own food can be extremely cost-effective. If you’re concerned about the high cost of living, then you might start to cultivate your own garden. This can even be done on a very small scale: if you have a window box, then you can grow a selection of herbs.
If you’re concerned about economic factors, then it’s usually best to concentrate on the more expensive, specialised products. If you just want a sprinkling of fresh herbs on your pasta, then cutting off a sprig or two from a box on your window will usually be far more cost-effective than buying a packet of herbs from the supermarket and seeing them rot within a few days.
Social media
Perhaps ironically, social media platforms like TikTok and X have helped to fuel the trend in gardening. It’s easier than ever to share results, techniques, and inspiration – which has encouraged many young people to take up the hobby.
Gardening has become more popular among millennials thanks to a combination of environmental, social, economic, and digital trends. It’s helping young people to be healthier and happier, and providing them with a welcome break from the attention-sapping power of digital devices.
