Garden furniture sales rise dramatically as we bring the great outdoors to our homes

The last year has changed many things in our lives, and according to Homebase, our garden furniture habits is one of them. 

The home improvement retailer revealed the sharp demand for garden furniture peaked between 11-18 January 2021, just five days after the third national lockdown in the UK legally came into force. After being ordered to stay at home, gardeners flocked to find an inventive alternative form of escapism, all without leaving their property. 

When compared to the same time frame last year, the figures show that searches for garden furniture are up 222%. Meanwhile, requests for garden tables are up 126%, and garden chairs rose by 153%.  

Shopping for the best garden furniture may not typically be at the top of your new year priority list. However, with medics reinforcing the health benefits a garden brings during the lockdown, it is unsurprising that sales are at a high.

Stephen Pitcherat, Trading Director for Garden at Homebase, further emphasised the positive effects of spending time in your garden.

‘Spending just a few minutes outside each day is proven to improve mental health, so we’re encouraging all our customers to carry on enjoying their gardens throughout the year – whatever the weather,' he explains.

‘Customers are also looking for advice on how to improve and maintain their gardens during the winter months, with the Homebase.co.uk (opens in new tab) website receiving more than 26,000 views on its outdoor advice pages, with popular topics including: shed buying guides, how to put up a fence and how to make furniture out of wooden pallets.’ 

The data also showed searches for fire pits and patio heaters have risen by 410% and 255%, respectively, as homeowners look for ways to spend more time outdoors without bracing the freezing temperatures or breaking the law. 

Looking ahead to the radiant spring and summer days, searches for BBQs have grown by 30% year on year, which gives us all a slight glimmer of optimism that we will all enjoy garden parties in the months to come.  

Want to get ahead of the game and get your alfresco cooking space sorted for spring? Head over to our best BBQ guide to find our top rated products and buying advice.