Bigger Gardens a Top Priority for Home-hunters

A survey by Rightmove of over 4,000 home movers has revealed that having a bigger garden, or at least access to one, is now the top priority for both buyers and renters.

With most people now spending more time at home as a result of the lockdown, priorities have changed when home hunting and access to outdoor space has become more important than ever.

63% of buyers and 59% of renters said they now wanted a bigger garden or access to one in their next home, achieving a higher score than any other priority.

Searches by buyers for homes with gardens are up 42% in May 2020 compared to May 2019 and for renters they are up a massive 84%.

Furthermore, of the new life interests that people say they plan to continue after lockdown, 82% said gardening and 89% exercising outdoors.

Clearly the challenging times created by the pandemic and lockdown has reinforced the importance of gardens in enriching our lives and improving our mental health and wellbeing. Whether as a tranquil retreat, for sunbathing, exercising, alfresco dining, connecting with nature, growing food, nurturing plants, increasing bio-diversity or simply listening to bird song, gardens are good for the soul and we need them now more than ever.

Source: Rightmove survey

What to consider in your garden design brief

When engaging a garden designer the first thing you need to consider is the brief, that is, a list of your wishes and requirements for your garden. The designer will use this information to inform the design process and come up with appropriate solutions, so spending time thinking about this from the outset will be time well spent.  During the initial consultation, the designer will be able to steer the discussion to ensure all aspects of the garden are considered, so don’t worry if you don’t feel confident compiling a brief beforehand.

• A good starting point is to flick through books and magazines and tag images of gardens, features or plants that particularly appeal to you.

• Spend some time in your existing garden thinking about any aspects or elements that you particularly like or dislike. For example, are there any eyesores or neighbouring properties that need screening.

• Think about how you would like to use the garden – for entertaining, sun-bathing, children’s play, encouraging wildlife, growing your own food, etc.

• Consider how you want the garden to feel – wild and romantic or more formal and structured. Is there a particular style that best describes the character you desire – cottage garden, Mediterranean, urban chic, minimal, classical, exotic, Japanese, etc.?

• How keen a gardener are you and how much time will you want to spend maintaining your garden (or paying someone else to)?

• Are there any specific functional requirements to consider such as storage space or an area for wheelie bins?

• How much do you want the garden to embrace issues of sustainability, such as composting and re-using all green waste on site, harvesting rainwater to irrigate the garden, planting to encourage greater biodiversity, adhering to organic gardening practices, etc.?

• Would you like to incorporate water into the garden and, if so, for what purpose, to create a cooling tranquil effect or to encourage wildlife such as frogs and newts?

• Would you like any ambient lighting to allow viewing and use of the garden at night?

• In terms of planting do you want lots of seasonal flower colour or more foliage planting? Are there any plants of particular significance to you that you would like included?

• Finally, think about what budget you are prepared to spend on the garden. You may not feel comfortable discussing this, but it is extremely helpful for the designer to know this from the outset, to ensure your expectations are realistic and to avoid wasting anyone’s time.

The initial consultation and discussion of the brief should be an exciting and enjoyable process, the starting point of a journey towards realising a new outdoor sanctuary that will improve your quality of life for years to come.