Is your house worth more because of your beautiful plants? Email money@telegraph.co.uk
Sigmeund Freud once said that flowers “are restful to look at” because they have “neither emotions nor conflicts”, but he neglected to mention another important benefit – they can add thousands to the value of your home.
House prices have been largely stagnant in the past year, a worrying state of affairs for homeowners and buy-to-let investors alike. Forecasters surveyed by the Treasury expect house prices to fall by 1.1pc this year, before a 2pc recovery next year.
Thankfully a green thumb can give your home a boost in value to beat the house price slump. “From the moment a prospective buyer arrives at your home, they’re faced with a split-second decision – and it’s all about aesthetics,” says Ted Bromley-Hall, of Ibran, a landscaping supplier. “Whether it was a long, sweeping driveway with colourful, structural shrubs or window dressing a new build, clients tended to focus on that first impression.”
The big ticket plant is wisteria, which can add up to £10,000 to a property’s value, says Tracey Dixon, of Pure Mortgages and Protection. “These are estimates, and the actual impact depends on the property, maturity of the plants, and overall landscaping design,” she says. “But strategically chosen plants can definitely enhance your home’s appeal to buyers.”
Ms Dixon adds that other high-value plants include so-called established trees such as mature oaks, which can add up to £5,000 to a property’s value, as well as landscaped beds (£1,500) and neatly-trimmed hedges (£2,000).