The socioeconomic factors influencing consumer demand for landscape plants and services and nursery sector growth were investigated. Data that shows a shifting age composition, gains in consumer inconle, higher education levels, and increases in construction starts provides a socioeconomic rationale for continued expansion of the nursery industry. Through surveys and a review of published information it was revealed that the industry needs additional information on production costs, pricing strategies, profit margins for individual plants, product distribution and market planning. Research aimed at incorporating these components into appropriate economic analyses and models designed to investigate production and marketing of landscape plants and related services would assist the industry in capitalizing on the anticipated growth in demand.
Author notes
Scientific Contribution 1197 of the Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station, Storrs, CT. The helpful comments of R.L. Leonard, S.K. Seaver and the Journal's reviewers are gratefully appreciated. This work was partially supported by a grant from the Horticultural Research Institute, Inc., 1250 I Street, N.W., Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20005.
2Assistant Professor