Britons have invested £80 million in gardens, says survey

Survey finds that average garden has had £1,790 worth of investment, with two-fifths of Britons saying they would not buy a property without a garden.

Garden-loving Britons have invested over £80 million in their own backyards, research has found.

According to a survey from the DIY retailer Homebase, the average garden has had £1,790 worth of investment.

Britons have poured so much money into their gardens that nearly a third (30 per cent) confessed to worrying that their lawnmower will be stolen, while one in five (18 per cent) fret about theft or damage to their sheds.

Gardens are also crucial to a home's attractiveness on the property market, with two-fifths of Britons saying they would not buy a property unless it had a decent garden.

One in seven homeowners also claimed their garden had added more value to their home than they had invested in it.

Househunters identified a pleasant lawn as the garden item most likely to convince them to buy a house, outstripping sheds, ponds and vegetable patches. The three garden flowers most likely to help sell a property were roses, lavender and fuchsia.

Mike Bidwell, director of estate agent Fine & Country’s Cambridge branch, said: “Your garden reflects your home. A blossoming garden creates a positive impression and can increase curb appeal if it is visible from the street. Just a little care now can generate a great deal of buyer interest as your buds bloom.”

Britons' most popular garden pastime is sunbathing, enjoyed by more than half of survey participants. A similar number said they liked to sit and watch wildlife from a garden chair, while 15 per cent said they used their garden for exercise.

Source : Leah Hyslop – The Telegraph
www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardenprojects/9937238/Britons-invest-80-billion-in-gardens.html