"Netherlands: "Edible garden immensely popular"

Edible flowers and edible ornamental plants like tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, herbs - are all the hype. Supermarkets and garden centres can boast increased sales and increased interest. Having your own vegetable patch has become a must for health-conscious consumers. A recent study of TuinTuin confirms that the Dutch garden owner is increasingly fascinated by healthy homegrown food.

"People are more aware of their food," says Bryan of Excel of Tuintuin. "Not just the happy few with green fingers, but people from all walks of life. It really is a trend that comes from consumers themselves, not something that is put on by corporate institutions or clever retailers."

Dave Smith of greenhouse construction company of the same name, notices just how popular private cultivation has become. "Suddenly everyone wants a greenhouse in his garden," he says. And John Louis of Batist Hobbykassen in Wateringen adds that the demand for his hobby greenhouses is about 40 percent higher than in 2013.

Likely to stick
According to Bryan, this trend is likely to stick. "Keeping a garden used to be associated with old people, retired couples and so on, but this has changed. It’s now hip. People are increasingly willing to pay more for organic and responsible food and so they are also increasingly willing to put in some extra work. We think the popularity will increase."

More information:
TuinTuin.nl
Bryan van Excel
Kennemerstraatweg 464
1851 NG Heiloo
T: +31 (0)72 220 29 88
E: info@tuintuin.nl
www.tuintuin.nl