· Ty Pennington Remains America's Sexiest Gardener
· Neighbors' Lawns Make Many Green with Envy
· Sta-Green® Lawncare Solutions Keep Lawns Looking Beautiful Year-Round
ATLANTA - Gardening remains one of the hottest hobbies among homeowners, with nearly half of U.S. adults (55 percent) tackling a lawn project at some point during the past year and another 37 percent saying that a member of their household has gardened. Why does gardening remain so popular? "Green with Envy", a survey on gardening trends and preferences from Sta-Green® and Harris Interactive® , explores how gardeners feel about their efforts - and those of their neighbors.
The survey found that:
While the vast majority of those who have gardened in the past year say they have enjoyed it (92 percent), women are more likely than men to enjoy gardening, with 96 percent women versus 88 percent men opting to choose this as a hobby. About 1 in 5 gardeners (19 percent) say their neighbors' lawn has made them green with envy, causing them to go on covert copycat missions. Twelve percent have made improvements in their own yard to make it look better than the neighbors'.
Gardening for Glory
Those who enjoy gardening are most likely to say that their favorite thing about it is:
· Gardening increases the curb appeal of their home (21 percent)
· "It makes me feel accomplished" (19 percent)
· "It relaxes me" (15 percent)
Among those who enjoy gardening, women are more likely than men to say their favorite thing about gardening is that it doesn't feel like spring unless they see a garden in bloom (14 percent women versus 7 percent men) and that it relieves stress (12 percent women versus 7 percent men).
Who Do You Want to Prune Your Hedge?
When asked who they think America's sexiest gardener is, respondents opted for Ty Pennington as the man they would most like to mow their lawn:
· 14 percent chose Ty Pennington, from "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
· 10 percent selected Uma Thurman, as Poison Ivy in "Batman"
· 8 percent said Jesse Metcalf, the gardener on "Desperate Housewives"
· 4 percent opted for Ralph Fiennes, in "The Constant Gardener"
· 3 percent think Martha Stewart, host of "The Martha Stewart Show," has still got it
Mowing for Muscles
When it comes to gardening as a form of exercise, gardeners say that the gym has some serious competition.
· Mowing the lawn is the gardening activity that provides the best work out (34 percent)
· Digging or weeding is a distant second (29 percent)
· Raking leaves (23 percent) rounds out the bottom three for providing the best workout
Female gardeners are more likely than male gardeners to say that planting flowers provides the best workout (6 percent women versus 3 percent men).
"Leaf" Thy Neighbor
Gardeners don't only care about their garden, they pay attention to their neighbor's garden as well.
· Nearly a third of gardeners (31 percent) say that their neighbor's lawn has made them angry because they didn't take care of it
· 30 percent go as far as to say their neighbors' lawn has ruined the look of the neighborhood
· 26 percent believed their neighbors' bad habits have caused weeds in their own yard
· 9 percent blame neighbors for an obstructed view
Perhaps these poor neighborly behaviors are why a third of gardeners have mowed their neighbor's lawn as a favor (33 percent), some have cut their neighbors' hedges (12 percent) and a few sprayed their neighbors' lawn with weed killer (6 percent). A few (4 percent) have even gone so far as letting their dog go to the bathroom on their neighbor's lawn!
"It seems gardeners really do think the grass is greener is on the other side," said Jennifer Clark, marketing manager for Spectrum Brands, the maker of Sta-Green® products. "Traditional lawn maintenance can take time, and many busy homeowners don't have the hours it takes for monthly fertilizing and weeding. Sta-Green lawncare solutions allow consumers to focus their time and energy on other hobbies while still maintaining a lawn that makes them feel proud and increases the value of their home."
Classic Gardens They Covet
A third of participants (25 percent) couldn't narrow it down to which famous garden to model theirs after, but some interesting responses still sprouted:
· Biltmore House Gardens, Asheville, NC (9 percent)
· White House Rose Garden, Washington, D.C. (5 percent)
· Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA (4 percent)
· Strawberry Fields in Central Park, New York, NY (3 percent)
Landscaping is one of the easiest ways for homeowners to quickly increase their home's value with little cost. Even just planting colorful flowers, grooming a lush lawn and adding greenery and potted plants creates a drastic transformation and higher perceived value.
A recent RealEstate.com survey of 500 sellers and 100 real estate agents across the country found both groups agreed that enhancing a lawn or landscape was the top priority for getting a house ready to sell. Half of buying decisions are based on curb appeal, according to the National Association of Realtors, and it is at curbside where your efforts need to start.
The makers of Sta-Green products have introduced a new fertilizer that will keep your grass nourished and thriving for up to five months! The new Sta-Green Xtended Feed Lawn Fertilizer 35-5-5 is designed to promote a thick, green lawn and long-lasting performance. This product is guaranteed not to burn your lawn when used according to label specifications, so it works perfectly for almost every species of grass, lasting up to five months.
Sta-Green fertilizers, growing media and weed controls help keep lawns looking beautiful year-round. Available exclusively at Lowe's, Sta-Green products cost substantially less than other national brands and carry a satisfaction guarantee - making them the perfect solution for lawn care do-it-yourselfers!
Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Sta-Green between July 27 and July 31, 2007 among 2,244 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for region, age within gender, education, household income and race/ethnicity were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
With a pure probability sample of 2,244, one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results would have a sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points. Sampling error for data based on sub-samples may be higher and would vary. However, that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
About Sta-Green® Products
Sta-Green® lawn care products and gardening supplies provide practical solutions for seasonal lawn and garden needs at value prices. Sta-Green products are available exclusively at Lowe's and come with a written money-back guarantee printed on every package and label. From lawn fertilizers to insect, disease and weed control, Sta-Green products are the perfect blend of science and technology at an affordable price. The maker of Sta-Green products is the Official Lawn and Garden partner of Busch Gardens and a sponsor of the American Junior Golf Association.
About United Industries Corporation
United Industries Corporation is a subsidiary of Spectrum Brands, Inc., and is a leading supplier of lawn and garden care products and household insect and pest controls. Spectrum Brands is a global consumer products company whose merchandise is sold by the world's top 25 retailers and is available in more than one million stores in more than 120 countries around the world. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Spectrum Brands generated FY2007 net sales of approximately $2.0 billion. The company's stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SPC.