Sales of Landscaping grades of sawn softwood rose to a new year-end record of 154,908 m3 for the year-ended October 2017, as latest data shows strong sales through the last four months. Sales of PRODUCTS in October 2017 totalled 15,563 m3, up 11.1% on the prior month and 19.6% on October of the prior year.
As the chart below shows, after plateauing and even declining through to around early 2017, sales of these landscaping products picked up again and have shown strength that may surprise, despite the seasonal element to the sales.
To go straight to the dashboard and take a closer look at the data, click here.
The surprise, if there is any, and as the chart shows, is that there was no seasonal uplift in 2016, with year-end sales coming off a strong prior year. However, any declines were modest and latest sales show the return to growth appears to be sustained for the second-half of 2017 to date.
Though not a guessing game, we consider it reasonable to suggest that all of those free-standing houses that have been completed in recent years are getting their retaining walls and garden developments, perhaps courtesy of continued low interest rates and despite the softness in wages growth that is evident in the economy right now.
It seems gardeners are doing well right now, and the handiest Australians may be nursing sore backs and a few splinters this summer.
