​In a month like January, where everyone feels a little bit strange - Christmas is over, the year is stretching ahead, and reality is kicking back in - I’ve had lots of genuinely positive conversations about how Christmas trade performed across garden centres.

What’s been particularly reassuring is that this optimism isn’t just anecdotal. After attending the recent GCA Conference, it was confirmed that Christmas has delivered year-on-year growth across retail, and importantly, within garden centres specifically. In a challenging retail climate, that’s a strong position to be in.

One of the key themes that kept coming up in conversations was how well Christmas trading started earlier than ever. Many garden centres reported strong momentum through October and November, with customers clearly happy to browse, buy and plan ahead.

This earlier build-up not only helped spread footfall and workload more evenly, but also reduced the reliance on a single “make or break” December period - something many retailers have struggled with in recent years.

December itself felt more mixed depending on location and offer, but the overall picture remained positive. Some centres saw a slight softening compared to the previous year, but this was often attributed to calendar shifts and the strength of November trading rather than any drop in customer appetite.

Importantly, shoppers were still coming through the doors. Footfall remained healthy, and while customers were often more value-conscious, they were still spending - just more thoughtfully.

What Performed Well?

Christmas trees once again played a crucial role, continuing to drive both footfall and ancillary spend. Garden centres remain the go-to destination for real trees, backed by trust, quality and the overall experience.

Beyond trees, decorations, gifting, food halls and catering all contributed significantly to festive performance. Centres that leaned into Christmas as a destination experience - with displays, events and seasonal hospitality - clearly benefited.

What This Means Going Forward

What stood out most from both conversations and the GCA data was confidence. Christmas 2025 wasn’t about explosive growth, but about sustainable, year-on-year improvement - something far more valuable in the long term.

For garden centres, it reinforces a few key lessons:

• Start Christmas early and plan it strategically

• Focus on experience as much as product

• Continue diversifying income streams beyond traditional horticulture

So while January may feel like an odd, slightly flat month, the mood across the garden centre sector tells a very different story. Christmas 2025 has given retailers something positive to build on - and if the momentum continues, it sets the industry up well for the year ahead.