Nicholas Leeming, business development director at zoopla.co.uk said: "It may be a cliché to say the British are obsessed with their lawns but the presence and maintenance of a garden can often make or break the decision to buy or rent a property. Sellers must remember that first impressions are everything and a well tended garden - particularly at the front of a house - can greatly increase the appeal of a property and help maximise the price.
"Despite the additional costs of maintenance, the appetite for gardens from buyers and renters is still strong. In May, the term ‘garden' was the third most searched criteria by people looking to buy property on Zoopla and for renters it was the single most searched attribute, a signal that the British obsession with gardens is alive and well."
"The garden adds another dimension to a house," says RHS Gold Medal winner Julian Tatlock of Julian Tatlock Garden Design. "People have started to see their garden as an integral part of their living space which they enjoy spending time in, whether it's for relaxation, entertaining or tending their own home grown produce. They have become much more interested in what goes on in their garden, for example, they want ponds and flowers which will attract wildlife and areas to ‘grow your own'.
"Even in the current economic climate we tend to buck the trend as people still want to spend money on their outdoor living space," added Julian. "Economic uncertainty has led to people staying put and doing more with what they already have and the garden has become an important part of their plans."
The HSBC survey reveals that we spend £7.7billion each year simply maintaining our outside space with green fingered gardeners spend an average £297 on the upkeep of their gardens. This includes £73 on plants and flowers, £71 on landscaping, £70 on general maintenance and a further £82 on new garden furniture.
Despite splashing the cash on their gardens, Brits use their outside space for just under a third of the year, or 120 days on average. Conversely, almost a quarter (24%) of those with a garden admit that they do not spend any time at all in it, rising to 61% of people in the winter months. Unsurprisingly the over 65s spend the most time outdoors each year, an average 137 days a year, while those aged under 25 spend the least (105 days).
Stuart Beattie, head of secured lending at HSBC commented: "While we have recently experienced a dry spell, unfortunately the UK's unpredictable weather means that homeowners do not necessarily spend as much time as they would like in their garden, with one in four admitting they don't use their garden at all and those who do, are using it for less than a third of the year.
"While having some outside space is obviously desirable among UK homeowners, it is worth considering the time and cost of maintaining a garden and being realistic about your usage before choosing a property that has a price premium attached for the additional space."
