UGC for Gardening: Complete Guide to User-Generated Content for Landscaping & Garden Brands

UGC for Gardening: Why Customer Content Transforms Garden Brand Marketing

In gardening and landscaping, one marketing challenge stands above all others: customers need to see real results before they believe a plant will thrive, a tool will work, or a landscaping service will deliver.

This is where user-generated content becomes your most powerful marketing asset.

According to inBeat Agency research, UGC increases conversions by 161% when included on e-commerce product pages, and 79% of consumers say user-generated content highly impacts their purchasing decisions. For gardening brands, this trust translates directly into sales: social campaigns with UGC witness a 50% increase in engagement, and content from real people is 9.8 times more impactful than influencer content.

The global gardening market is valued at approximately $120 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $150 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of around 5%. The landscaping services market alone is expected to reach $160.11 billion by 2030. With 65.4% of Gen Z and 47% of Gen Y spending more time gardening, and over 50% of Americans maintaining household gardens, the audience for garden content has never been larger.

Whether you're a garden center, landscaping company, nursery, or gardening tools brand, this guide covers everything you need to know about leveraging UGC to showcase real results, build trust, and drive conversions year-round.

What is UGC for Gardening Brands?

UGC for gardening brands encompasses authentic content created by real customers showcasing their gardens, landscaping projects, and plant growth achieved using brand products or services. Unlike professionally staged garden photography, UGC captures gardens in real conditions—different climates, soil types, skill levels, and seasonal changes.

According to Sprout Social, user-generated content helps brands connect authentically with audiences because it represents real experiences, not manufactured marketing messages.

For gardening brands, UGC typically includes:

• Before-and-after transformation videos documenting garden makeovers
• Seasonal growth updates showing plant progress over time
• Product review videos demonstrating tools and supplies in action
• DIY project tutorials featuring brand products
• Harvest celebrations from vegetable and fruit gardens
• Time-lapse content capturing plant growth
• Problem-solution videos addressing common garden challenges
• Garden tour content showcasing overall results

As Perennial Garden Consulting notes, "UGC is any content made by visitors to your garden that highlights your plants, flowers and space. It is one of the easiest content ideas to incorporate into your garden business's social media marketing strategy."

For a deeper understanding of UGC fundamentals, explore our comprehensive guide to what is UGC content.

Why UGC Works for Gardening Marketing

The Proof-of-Results Challenge

Gardening purchases require a leap of faith. Will this plant survive my climate? Will this tool actually work? Will this landscaping service transform my yard as promised? Customers need evidence before committing.

UGC solves this by showing real results. When potential customers see a customer's garden transformation over six months—not a professionally staged photo shoot—they can trust the products and services actually work.

Performance Data That Proves UGC Value

The statistics on UGC effectiveness for gardening brands are compelling:

• 161% conversion increase when UGC included on e-commerce pages (inBeat Agency)
• 50% engagement increase for social campaigns with UGC
• 28% higher engagement when customers see both UGC and brand content
• 70% more engagement on Instagram posts featuring UGC
• 4x higher click-through rates for UGC ads
• 50% lower cost-per-click when UGC is paired with ads
• 93% of consumers find UGC extremely helpful for purchasing decisions
• 79% of buyers have purchase decisions influenced by UGC

The Trust Factor

According to research from The Shelf, consumers find UGC to be 9.8 times more impactful than influencer content when making purchase decisions, and 85% find UGC more reputable than brand-created content.

For gardening—where results depend on climate, soil, care, and time—this trust factor is critical. A customer video showing a thriving garden bed after one growing season provides confidence no brand photography can match.

The Viral Garden Content Phenomenon

Garden transformation content has become a viral sensation on social platforms. According to Gardenary, garden videos go viral "because people like when you take a stand and show how you can do something different from the societal norm."

One New Year's resolution-themed garden video earned 2.4 million views and 49,000 likes, while herb-growing content received over 7 million plays. Garden transformation TikToks regularly accumulate tens of thousands of likes, with creator Tom Butler's 90-second renovation video earning 38,200 likes.

The Algorithm Advantage

Social platforms actively favor authentic content. According to The Influencer Marketing Factory, TikTok engagement rates range from 2.88% to 7.50% depending on follower count, with smaller accounts seeing higher engagement. TikTok consistently maintains approximately twice the engagement rate of Instagram.

UGC performs well because it feels native to user feeds—garden transformation videos look like content from friends and neighbors, not advertisements.

For more on leveraging content strategies, see our ultimate guide to UGC creators.

Types of UGC Content for Gardening Brands

1. Before-and-After Transformation Videos

Transformation content documents garden makeovers from start to completion, providing powerful proof of results.

According to Fine Gardening, "There is something about a 'before' and 'after' shot side by side that draws us in and sparks that 'wow' reaction. Garden transformations are no different."

Transformation content types:

• Full backyard renovation reveals
• Lawn-to-garden conversions
• Native plant garden installations
• Raised bed construction projects
• Seasonal refresh documentation
• Neglected garden rescues

High-performing elements:

• Same-angle before and after shots
• Time-lapse progress documentation
• Multi-month or multi-year journeys
• Genuine reactions and commentary
• Clear product/service attribution

Best practices:

• Capture consistent camera angles throughout project
• Include the transformation process, not just endpoints
• Show realistic timelines and effort required
• Feature achievable transformations for inspiration

2. Seasonal Growth Documentation

Seasonal content shows plant progress over time, demonstrating that products deliver lasting results.

Seasonal content types:

• Spring planting to summer bloom updates
• Vegetable garden growth timelines
• Perennial establishment over years
• Seasonal color change documentation
• Year-over-year garden evolution

Best practices:

• Request photos at key seasonal milestones
• Feature the same garden across multiple seasons
• Show how gardens handle seasonal challenges
• Include climate zone information for relevance

3. Product Review Videos

Video reviews demonstrate gardening tools, supplies, and products in actual use, helping customers understand real-world performance.

Effective review formats:

• First-use and unboxing reactions
• In-action tool demonstrations
• Product comparison assessments
• Long-term durability reviews
• Seasonal product effectiveness

Best practices:

• Feature products solving real garden problems
• Show tools in various conditions
• Include honest assessments of limitations
• Demonstrate proper usage techniques

4. DIY Project Tutorials

Tutorial content features brand products in practical garden projects, providing value while showcasing products.

According to Landscaping Marketing Strategies, content like "helpful gardening tips, before and after project photos, positive reviews, or giveaways and contests" drives engagement effectively.

DIY content examples:

• Raised bed construction with brand lumber/kits
• Irrigation system installation tutorials
• Container garden setups
• Composting system builds
• Garden pathway installation
• Vertical garden creation

Best practices:

• Include clear step-by-step instructions
• Show required materials and tools
• Feature realistic skill levels
• Address common mistakes and solutions

5. Harvest and Success Celebrations

Harvest content captures the ultimate proof of gardening success—actual yields from customer gardens.

Harvest content types:

• Vegetable garden yield showcases
• Flower arrangement creations
• Fruit tree production documentation
• Herb garden harvests
• Season-end bounty compilations

Best practices:

• Capture genuine excitement and pride
• Include variety names and growing details
• Show harvest-to-table journeys
• Feature diverse garden sizes and types

6. Problem-Solution Content

Problem-solution content shows how products address specific garden challenges, providing educational value and purchase motivation.

Problem-solution examples:

• Pest control product effectiveness
• Disease treatment results
• Drought-tolerant plant performance
• Shade garden solutions
• Soil amendment improvements

Best practices:

• Document the problem clearly before treatment
• Show realistic timeframes for improvement
• Include honest assessment of results
• Feature common challenges gardeners face

7. Garden Tour Content

Garden tours provide comprehensive showcases of overall results, inspiring customers while featuring multiple products.

According to The CoolDown, homeowner garden transformation videos consistently generate strong engagement, with followers commenting praise like "You made it so whimsical" and "So incredibly lovely."

Garden tour elements:

• Full property walkthrough videos
• Seasonal garden highlights
• Design feature spotlights
• Plant identification and sources
• Maintenance routine explanations

For more content type ideas, explore our AI video marketing complete guide.

How to Collect UGC from Gardening Customers

Post-Purchase Email Sequences

Strategic email timing maximizes UGC collection across growing seasons.

Gardening-specific email timing:

• Order confirmation: Set expectations for sharing results
• Delivery follow-up: Request unboxing and planting photos
• 30-60 days post-purchase: Ask for establishment photos
• End of first growing season: Collect harvest/bloom documentation
• Year-two anniversary: Request long-term success stories

Make submission easy with direct upload links, clear guidelines, and examples of the content you're seeking.

Seasonal Hashtag Campaigns

Hashtags encourage organic UGC creation while making customer content discoverable.

Effective gardening hashtag strategies:

• Seasonal campaigns (#SpringPlanting2025, #FallGarden)
• Transformation hashtags (#MyGardenTransformation, #BeforeAfterGarden)
• Product-specific tags (#[Brand]Garden, #GrownWith[Brand])
• Challenge hashtags (#30DayGardenChallenge)
• Harvest celebrations (#MyFirstHarvest, #GardenBounty)

According to Bloom Garden Marketing, "Consider running photo contests with garden-themed prizes or offering discounts for customers who share their garden successes online. This approach not only provides free marketing content but builds a community around your brand."

Photo Review Programs

Structured review programs incentivize high-quality UGC submission.

Program elements:

• Discount on future purchases for photo submissions
• Points in loyalty programs for seasonal updates
• Entry into contests for best transformation photos
• Featured status on website and social media
• Free seed packets or small plants for contributors

Garden Milestone Celebrations

Celebrate customer achievements to encourage sharing.

Milestone opportunities:

• First bloom of the season
• First harvest from vegetable gardens
• Garden project completion
• Anniversary of garden installation
• Seasonal transition documentation

Gardening Influencer Partnerships

Partner with garden content creators for professional-quality UGC.

Partnership approaches:

• Gifted products for honest reviews
• Paid partnerships for garden makeover features
• Affiliate relationships for ongoing content
• Ambassador programs for active garden creators
• Collaborative content series

According to GorillaDESK, "Landscapers can collaborate with influencers in the gardening or home improvement niches, which boosts visibility and credibility. Influencer partnerships expand audience reach and strengthen brand credibility."

Community Building

Build communities that naturally generate UGC content.

Community initiatives:

• Facebook gardening groups for tips and sharing
• Instagram hashtag communities
• Garden photo submission portals
• Virtual garden tours featuring customer spaces
• Seasonal challenges and competitions

For more collection strategies, see our UGC creator rates and pricing guide.

Gardening UGC Success Stories: Viral Transformations

TikTok Garden Transformation Phenomena

Garden transformation videos have become a dominant content category on TikTok.

According to The CoolDown, gardener Skye (@lifeonwilde) documented her property transformation over 18 months, sharing that she "had never gardened (except in young childhood) prior to 2024" and calling it "a huge learning process." Her transformation included intensive weeding, paving, and diverse plant choices—earning praise from followers calling her garden "so whimsical."

What makes garden transformations go viral:

• Dramatic visual change from start to finish
• Relatable skill levels (beginners welcome)
• Achievable projects that inspire action
• Authentic narration of challenges and learning
• Satisfying reveal moments

Before-After Content Performance

One California homeowner's lawn-to-kitchen-garden transformation went viral on TikTok, showing the dramatic change from a "patchy lawn with unkempt gravel" to "raised garden beds and planters with thriving greenery stretching taller than a person."

Creator Tom Butler's 90-second total garden renovation video earned 38,200 likes and 407 comments. As he noted, the project "took over 8 days to complete" with "the majority dug out by hand," demonstrating that authentic, effort-filled content resonates deeply.

Reddit Garden Community Engagement

On Reddit's gardening communities, transformation posts consistently perform well. One gardener's multi-year native plant garden transformation—from "simple grass patch in 2021" to flourishing native plant garden—generated significant engagement and discussion.

The Gardenary Viral Content Formula

According to Gardenary, their most successful garden content includes:

• New Year's resolution garden video: 2.4 million views, 49,000 likes
• Herb growing content: 7+ million plays
• Counter-cultural gardening approaches that challenge norms

The key insight: "Garden videos go viral because people like when you take a stand and show how you can do something different from the societal norm."

For more on successful campaigns, explore our TikTok viral videos AI strategy.

Platform-Specific Gardening UGC Strategies

TikTok: Transformation Central

TikTok has become the dominant platform for garden transformation content. According to The Influencer Marketing Factory, TikTok engagement rates range from 2.88% to 7.50%—approximately twice Instagram's engagement rates.

TikTok gardening UGC strategies:

• Garden makeover transformation reveals (60-90 seconds)
• Time-lapse plant growth videos
• Quick gardening tip tutorials
• Before-and-after reveal transitions
• Satisfying garden work content (weeding, planting)
• Harvest celebration videos

Best practices:

• Keep videos under 60 seconds for optimal engagement
• Use trending sounds and formats
• Embrace authentic, imperfect content
• Capture genuine reactions and emotions
• Include text overlays for key information

Instagram: Visual Garden Inspiration

Instagram remains essential for garden visual content. According to research, Instagram posts featuring UGC achieve about 70% higher engagement than brand-created content.

Instagram gardening UGC strategies:

• Feed posts featuring customer garden photos
• Stories showcasing seasonal transformations
• Reels from customer video submissions
• "Customer Gardens" highlight collections
• Carousel posts showing progress over time

Best practices:

• Maintain visual quality while featuring diverse gardens
• Always credit garden owners prominently
• Use carousel posts to show transformation progression
• Engage actively with tagged content

Facebook: Community and Targeting

Facebook supports community building and targeted advertising with gardening UGC.

Facebook gardening UGC strategies:

• Create gardening tip and inspiration groups
• Use customer testimonials in targeted ads
• Build lookalike audiences from UGC engagers
• Feature customer content in seasonal campaigns
• Host live garden tours from customer spaces

Ad performance: According to research, UGC ads generate 4x higher click-through rates and 50% lower cost-per-click than traditional ads.

Pinterest: Long-Term Garden Discovery

Pinterest serves as a visual search engine for garden inspiration, where content has long-lasting discoverability.

Pinterest gardening UGC strategies:

• Create customer garden boards by style/type
• Pin customer photos with product links
• Build collaborative boards with gardeners
• Optimize for garden-related search terms
• Feature seasonal transformation content

YouTube: In-Depth Garden Content

YouTube hosts longer-form garden content for dedicated enthusiasts.

YouTube gardening UGC strategies:

• Customer garden tour compilations
• Extended transformation documentaries
• Seasonal garden update series
• Product review and tutorial content
• Year-in-the-garden retrospectives

For platform-specific optimization, see our Instagram Reels AI video guide.

Scaling Garden Content with AI Video Tools

The Gardening Content Challenge

Gardening brands face unique content scaling challenges:

• Seasonal limitations: Gardens look different (or dormant) across seasons
• Climate diversity: Content must appeal to gardeners in varying climates
• Weather dependency: Outdoor content production is weather-dependent
• Long timelines: Plant growth happens slowly for transformation content
• Consistent posting: Social algorithms reward regular, frequent content
• Year-round presence: Marketing continues even when gardens are dormant

How AI Solves Garden Content Scaling

AI video tools address gardening brands' content challenges:

Year-Round Content Production: AI tools enable content creation regardless of season, weather, or garden state—critical for maintaining marketing presence during winter months when actual garden UGC is scarce.

Diverse Content Generation: Create gardening tips, plant care guidance, and product explanations across various garden types and climates without requiring actual garden footage for every variation.

Cost-Effective Production:

• Skip weather-dependent video shoots
• Create ready-to-publish content in minutes
• Generate educational content without garden access
• Produce consistent brand messaging year-round

Performance Optimization:

• Test multiple hooks and angles quickly
• Identify winning creative elements faster
• Iterate based on performance data
• Scale winning concepts across seasons

The Hybrid Garden Content Strategy

Successful gardening brands don't choose between authentic UGC and AI—they use both strategically:

30% Authentic Customer UGC (Irreplaceable):

• Real garden transformation before-and-afters
• Genuine harvest and success celebrations
• Customer testimonial videos about results
• Seasonal growth documentation in actual gardens
• Problem-solution proof with real plants

70% AI-Scaled Content:

• Gardening tips and educational content
• Plant care instruction videos
• Product benefit explanations
• Ad creative variations for testing
• Seasonal planning guidance
• Year-round marketing content during dormant seasons

AI vs Authentic UGC: When to Use Each

VIDEOAI.ME for Gardening Brands

VIDEOAI.ME helps gardening brands scale content production while maintaining authenticity:

1. Educational Content: Generate plant care and gardening tip videos at scale
2. Product Explanations: Create consistent benefit videos across product catalog
3. Seasonal Campaigns: Produce spring, summer, fall, and winter content efficiently
4. Ad Creative Testing: Test multiple hooks and angles quickly
5. Year-Round Marketing: Maintain presence during garden dormant seasons
6. Climate-Diverse Content: Create content relevant to various growing regions

Gardening-specific use cases:

• Seasonal planting guides and tips
• Plant care instruction videos
• Tool and supply benefit explanations
• Pest and disease prevention content
• Garden planning and design advice
• Harvest and preservation tutorials

For more on AI capabilities, explore our complete guide to AI avatars and best AI UGC video generators.

Gardening Brand UGC Best Practices

1. Embrace the Messy Reality of Gardens

Garden UGC should feel authentic, not staged.

Authenticity guidelines:

• Feature gardens at various skill levels
• Include imperfect lighting and angles
• Show realistic timelines and effort
• Embrace weeds, pests, and challenges
• Feature diverse garden sizes and types

According to Impressions Digital, "Lo-Fi (Low Fidelity) content prioritizes authenticity and a natural feel. As consumers seek genuine connections with brands, they are moving away from overly polished content and embracing raw, spontaneous, and personal videos and images."

2. Celebrate the Learning Journey

Gardening is full of failures—embrace them.

Learning-focused content:

• Feature first-time gardener successes
• Document learning curves honestly
• Share failures alongside successes
• Provide educational context for challenges
• Celebrate improvement over time

3. Secure Proper Rights and Permissions

Protect your brand by obtaining proper content usage rights.

Rights management:

• Clear terms in submission forms
• Explicit permission for advertising use
• Proper attribution in all uses
• Documentation of all permissions
• Prompt response to removal requests

4. Build Systematic Seasonal Collection

Garden UGC requires long-term planning.

Seasonal collection calendar:

• Spring: Planting, first growth, garden setup
• Summer: Full growth, blooms, early harvests
• Fall: Peak harvests, color changes, cleanup
• Winter: Planning, reflection, year-in-review

5. Deploy UGC Across All Touchpoints

Maximize UGC impact through comprehensive distribution.

Distribution touchpoints:

• Product pages (customer garden galleries)
• Homepage (transformation showcases)
• Category pages (style inspiration)
• Email marketing (seasonal success features)
• Paid advertising (social proof)
• Physical stores (digital displays)
• Print catalogs (customer garden spotlights)

6. Build Community Around Results

Make customers feel celebrated, not just used for content.

Community celebration:

• Feature gardeners prominently with credit
• Create "Garden of the Month" spotlights
• Build ambassador programs for active contributors
• Host virtual garden tours featuring customer spaces
• Share customer stories beyond just product photos

7. Address Climate and Regional Diversity

Garden UGC should represent diverse growing conditions.

Regional diversity:

• Feature gardens across different climate zones
• Include various soil and terrain types
• Show success in challenging conditions
• Provide regional relevance for audiences
• Document adaptation strategies

Measuring Gardening UGC Success

Key Performance Indicators

Conversion Metrics:

• Conversion rate for UGC-engaged visitors vs non-engaged
• Product page conversion with/without UGC galleries
• UGC ad ROAS vs brand content ROAS
• Email CTR with/without UGC elements

Engagement Metrics:

• UGC post engagement rates
• Branded hashtag usage volume
• UGC gallery interaction rates
• Social share rates for customer content
• Comment sentiment and quality

Collection Metrics:

• Photo submissions per product/season
• UGC submission rates from email requests
• Customer content quality scores
• Permission and usage rates
• Seasonal submission patterns

Business Impact:

• Customer acquisition cost changes
• Average order value differences
• Customer lifetime value for UGC contributors
• Seasonal revenue correlation with UGC

Benchmarks for Gardening Brands

Based on industry research:

• Conversion lift: 161% when UGC included on e-commerce pages
• Engagement increase: 50% for social campaigns with UGC
• Instagram engagement: 70% higher with UGC posts
• Ad CTR improvement: 4x for ads featuring UGC
• CPC reduction: 50% when UGC paired with ads
• Trust impact: 79% of consumers influenced by UGC

Start Your Gardening UGC Strategy Today

In the competitive gardening and landscaping market, authentic customer content separates brands that thrive from those that struggle. With 161% conversion increases and 50% higher social engagement, user-generated content isn't optional—it's essential for gardening brand success.

The data is clear: nothing convinces gardeners like seeing real plants thriving in real gardens.

Your action plan:

1. Launch seasonal hashtag campaigns encouraging customers to share garden photos
2. Build systematic email collection at key seasonal milestones
3. Integrate UGC on product pages with customer garden galleries
4. Feature customer transformations in ads for higher engagement and lower costs
5. Scale with AI for year-round educational content while authentic UGC builds transformation proof

Ready to scale your gardening content?

Create your first AI video free with VIDEOAI.ME and discover how AI actors can help you produce gardening tips, plant care tutorials, and seasonal content year-round while your authentic customer UGC provides the transformation proof gardeners need. The hybrid approach—AI for consistent educational content, authentic UGC for real garden results—gives gardening brands the competitive edge needed to grow.

Your customers' thriving gardens are your most powerful marketing. Start showcasing them today.

For more on UGC strategies, explore our ultimate guide to UGC creators and AI video marketing complete guide.