The gardening industry in Romania brings new seasonal trends annually, with HORNBACH, one of the leading local retailers of construction and gardening materials, reporting that approximately 35% of its total sales are dedicated to the gardening category.

The company also notes a recurrent increase in sales compared to the same period (March-May) last year, especially in the gardening department.

"The plant department is the main attraction in our stores, especially in spring, where we cover a range of approximately 6,000 items. Inevitably, customers who purchase plants subsequently focus on the entire project: from substrate, fertilizers, tools, and pots to garden decorations and special furniture," said Radu Oniga, General Manager of HORNBACH Romania.

By providing customers with a complete garden design project and making it functional, the company also ensures a gardening calendar for each seasonal stage.

Thus, HORNBACH incorporates three new directions in adapting the garden to gardening enthusiasts' ideas, namely: the Vegetable Garden, the Relaxation Garden, and the Family Garden. According to the figures reported for 2023, the garden decorations, pots, and seasonal items group dominated the assortment, offering a variety of over 6,500 products, while the plant range included 6,000 products.

"In our assortment strategy, we strive to offer a complete and differentiating experience, precisely to give customers the opportunity to implement their personal gardening projects. We prefer to think in terms of projects, with clear emphasis on meaning and utility, but also on criteria such as quality-price ratio, sustainability, and trends," added Radu Oniga.

Additionally, the company focuses on the diversity of its assortment and places special emphasis on the DIY segment, as well as its extensive range of pet and aquaristics products.

Currently, HORNBACH is the only DIY store with a vast area for pets and aquaristics, with a pet shop comprising approximately 4,200 products.

HORNBACH promotes sustainable gardening and regional producers

The company focuses on promoting eco-friendly practices in garden design, being the only one certified at this time to provide a range of organic products, in an increasingly important segment: seeds and seedlings.

"We have noticed a growing purchase intention towards our range of organic seeds and seedlings, especially if they come from Romanian producers. It is a developing area that is increasingly establishing itself from season to season because we offer that sustainable alternative for customers planning their own garden," added Radu Oniga.

Moreover, HORNBACH recently introduced new projects for garden design, such as the "Green Roof" – a 100% ecological and organic suspended garden, the "Flo&Floralie" project – which includes a series of products suitable for children aged 3 to 14,

"Rainwater Harvesting" – an ecological project designed to save valuable natural and financial resources, along with the "Urban Garden" project, a multidimensional concept for which gardening is not limited to a specific space. (Photo: Hornbach)