It’s official, the Irish are giving their gardens more attention than ever before, according to survey figures released by Woodie’s DIY and Garden Centres - the market leader in the DIY sector in Ireland.

With the early onset of Summer, the survey findings reveal that Irish gardeners are looking for ways to add instant colour to their gardens – without any real effort! As a result sales of colourful planted hanging baskets and garden containers are soaring, allowing people to enjoy the benefits of ‘instant’ colour.

Over 40% of those surveyed claimed to have between 6 and 8 plant containers in their garden, and are planning to add more over the coming weeks.

Not only are Irish people looking for instant colour in their garden, they are also planning to spend some of their precious SSIA’s on improving the look and layout of their gardens: According to the survey results, SSIA spending plans among consumers include; · 38% are planning to spend a portion of their SSIA savings on their gardens, by way of Patio Furniture Sets, BBQs, Outdoor Lighting, Plants, etc. · 20% are planning to invest in Decking

The Woodie’s survey also reveals; · 33% claimed their ‘Favourite Garden Accessory’ is the Garden Furniture Set · 22% said their BBQ · 18% said their Deck · 12% said their Relaxer Chair

Commenting on the statistics, Ray Colman, Chief Executive of Woodie’s DIY said: "There is a clear upswing in the number of Irish consumers spending increased amounts of time and money on their gardens, and with the recent spell of good weather, we have seen a sharp rise in sales of Garden Furniture Sets, BBQs, Decking, Garden Lighting and Planted Containers/ Hanging Baskets, as our customers use this opportunity to address areas of the garden in need of attention" As the largest retailers of plants and gardening products in Ireland, Woodie’s is pleased to announce that the favourite plant among consumers surveyed is the Cherry Blossom Tree as; · 25% of consumers selected the Cherry Blossom · 15% the Rose · 14% the Camillia · 7% the Magnolia

"We have now expanded our network to 25 stores nationwide and we have extended our product range to include up to 35,000 products. We are expecting an upsurge in business as SSIA’s mature and we have geared up to ensure that we can meet this consumer demand," added Ray Colman.