With the costs associated with moving house so high (stamp duty, legal fees, removal / storage fees) many people are choosing to invest in and embrace their current property long term.
What is the easiest way to transform your garden?
With plants, plants and more plants. Plants can transform any space, from the blank canvas of a new build property to an established garden. In fact, would it even be a garden without plants?
Our planting consultancy service is a great place to start. To book please phone 0118 934 1500 or email info@creative-landscape.co.uk
Three years ago the pandemic shifted our perspective of what was important in life. Almost overnight, gardens and outside space became a priority. Ideal Home magazine reported searches by potential buyers for homes with gardens were up 42% in May 2020, compared to May 2019. With the same search even higher for renters, up 84%.
Time has moved on and thankfully so has the situation with the pandeminc, but people seemed to have stuck to the change in lifestyle.
According to The Times, before the pandemic, estate agents would often ask whether a house passed the “pint of milk” test. These days, it’s the “blade of grass” test you should be worried about flunking, as a short walk to the local shop has been usurped on buyers’ wish lists by proximity to green space.
These are the top things people look for from a garden when buying a house (but you probably know this from buying your own house!)
- An extension of the house – having a home that’s spot on, but a messy unloved garden will be quite jarring to potential buyers. Make sure your garden is a reflection on your home life and not a forgotten space that might be more of a burden than a blessing.
- An al fresco entertainment area
- Flow – a garden that flows seamlessly from the indoor living space is a huge selling point. Bi-fold doors have helped to make this possible and the trend for this is showing no signs of dwindling.
- Storage space (a shed or if you don’t have room a water tight storage box).
- A sun trap, somewhere to sit on a summer’s day, read a magazine and unwind.
- Somewhere to sit on not so sunny days – more and more people are converting their sheds into garden hideaways. Need some inspiration?
- A tidy lawn and flower bed borders.
- Colour – even if you don’t have much space you can brighten up a patio with some brightly planted pots. It has been reported that people prefer paved areas to decking which can be slippery and requires a lot of upkeep.
- Nothing too fussy – a garden that looks hard to maintain or too intricate can put people off. Why not book in a professional garden tidy to keep on top of things?
- A water feature – running water is calming and can block out unwanted back ground noise such as a busy road thus creating a more peaceful environment to attract potential buyers.
Here are some of our other useful guides:
• Planning changes in the garden
• Garden design tips
• Transform an urban garden
• Create a modern garden
• Plants with purpose
• Improve don’t move