Brits are, it seems, growing ever-keener on their gardens and a useful, well-maintained garden space can add up to 20% on your asking price a national average of £60,000.
The great news is that you don’t have to develop a green thumb or spend hours trimming the lawn edges with nail scissors because the simpler the garden is, the more attractive it is to buyers.
Here’s what else you can do to make sure your garden works hard for you.
Get a shed
Everyone, regardless of gender, needs a shed it seems. More than 20 million of us have a shed, a garden room or an outdoor kitchen now. Outside buildings are now seen as additional living space so if your shed is insulated, wired and plumbed, you’re onto a real winner.
Think about privacy
High fences, tall plants or even a gazebo-type enclosure will help you to sell your house – and for more – because privacy is increasingly important to people, especially in urban areas.
Make your garden feel like part of the house
If your back door opens onto a patio with comfortable furniture then it will feel like an extra room and if you can, design it so it feels bigger than it actually is.
Avoid decking
Decking is now being replaced by paving because it only has a few useful years before it looks tatty and becomes slippery. Get ahead of the curve by going straight to stone.
Install lighting
If you have outdoor lighting then you’re developing the theme of your garden being an extra room, especially at night.
Build an outdoor kitchen
Ditch the portable barbecue and build an outdoor kitchen, whether it’s a fixed barbecue within a small walled-off area or a full-on outbuilding, so you can spend your summers there.
Invest in a water feature
If you’re near a main road, then a fountain or similar water feature can help to baffle or mask the sounds of the traffic. Running water is also very cooling for anyone sitting near it.
