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Abstract
Socioeconomic factors influencing consumer demand for nursery products and landscape
projects were investigated using consumer survey data collected from North Carolina in
2008. Tobit models were estimated for censored dependent variables, budget expenditure
shares on nursery products, and landscape spending. The most significant factors influencing
the share of income spent on nursery products were age and household income. The elderly
and baby boomers tend to spend less on bedding plants, perennials, and outdoor hardscapes
than Generations X and Y. The income elasticities suggest that the amount spent on outdoor
living projects is sensitive to changes in household income, whereas spending in vegetable
plants and chemicals is less responsive to income.