from The Weatherstaff PlantingPlanner – intelligent garden design software
Most buyers are prepared to pay extra for a home with a garden. According to Phil Spencer, of Location, Location, Location, outside space could increase the value of your property by up to 20%.
We can be reasonably sure, though, that a well cared-for, colourful garden is a far more attractive proposition than a weedy, cluttered outside area.
So, whether you are intending to put your house on the market or stay put, you have all the justification you need for spending more time pottering in your garden.
Autumn is a good time for tidying up, cutting back spent flowers and clearing away fallen leaves. It’s worthwhile spending time thinking about how your garden has looked over the course of the year.
If there was a definite lull by mid-summer, then some late-flowering perennials might bridge the gap.
Check that you have sufficient winter interest. Evergreens provide a good structural framework, while winter-flowering shrubs and the coloured stems of dogwoods and willows will cheer up the view from your window.
A garden that seemed to take a while to get going after the winter would definitely benefit from an influx of spring bulbs and autumn is just the right time for stocking up on those. The garden centres are full of plump bulbs, waiting to be plucked from the shelves and transplanted into your soil.
Plant-shopping and garden-pottering – go ahead with a clear conscience. It’s all in a good cause!
