Add value? Traditional cottage garden or tropical palms & decking?

gabyjane

Hi i live in the SW of england so palms are everywhere! me personally I would like the decking option as easier to maintain imo..if you are older not many actually like gardening but yes it does look nice..if younger the less maintenance the better. We have 2 gardens split level and are getting the bottom decked next summer..we have a patio too so wont involve walking on if wet or icy..we have a few plants dotted around and gravelled bits and that's it..looks lovely and needs no taking care of.. Each to thier own though and depends on the market you are selling to.
Good luck

hethmar

I cant see why you dont mix them, we do Oh but not the decking, dead chav that is!

Nenen

I'm another hater of decking. I really don't understand why people like it or why it is so popular. It can be an absolute hazard when wet and personally I don't even think it looks nice. I much prefer natural stone or even paving slabs to decking. If I bought a house with decking the first thing I'd do is rip it out!

Philippa36

I loathe decking and want a garden, a proper cottage garden would be perfect for me! Not sure I'd pay a premium for it though.

I also think that if you don't like the 'cottage garden' style then its relatively easy to change, but if you dislike decking and palms then its a lot more of a nuisance.

Cottage gardens are also generally a little wild so you don't need to be out there weeding every weekend.

hethmar

We also plant a lot of pots and they give glorious flowers throughout the year. Ive actually got freesias coming out at the moment which are fab, first time Ive grown them.

benjo

Tough to call if either would add value since it is all down to personal taste, and each potential buyer will have different tastes.

One thing that does occur to me is that for a cottage garden to look like a cottage garden it has to be mature, in the first 4 - 5 years it can look a bit barren and haphazard, since most flowers found in a cottage garden start small and spread,self seeds, filling up the spaces over time - this type of garden improves over time when it takes on an 'overcrowded' look. The more modern decking/spikey plant gardens look like the finished artical from day one, more architectural and uncluttered, sadly I think they dont improve with age, since decking gets tatty, spikey plants look messy after a while and pots get dirty.

GrammarGirl

I'd say your cottage garden was much more 'in vogue' at the moment than a modern, decked one. I adore that vintage, classic English look and think a cottage garden lends itself really well to something along those lines. Rose bushes, wrought iron benches, carved wood, etc. Classic will last forever but modern dates very quickly, because the perception of 'modern' is always changing. Go for the cottage garden, I say.

GracieP

Obviously it's down to taste and as this is your home right now my advice would be to do what you like. However if you are really worried about what will appeal to future buyers, imo, the cottage garden is a classic which never goes out of fashion, whereas the decking/spiky plants thing is already out of vogue.

And as has been mentioned it's it's far easier to turn a traditional garden into a contemporary one than it is to turn a contemporary one a traditional. So I think that while the decked garden will appeal to some it will be off putting to traditional garden lovers in a way that a traditional garden wouldn't put off deck-lovers.

On a personal level I think decking is utterly vile.

queenieplum

Rats live under decking? Ohhh yuck!!!!!!!!!!!

space_rider

I live on a new estate and anyone looking to buy here would be looking for a more modern feel. The garden was already landscaped when I moved in with the modern contemporary look which I felt looked a bit clinical. I have just added plants close to the french doors/patio which are medittaranean. This gives it a much warmer feel and I have herbs and a huge lavender. I have also added bamboos near the fence so that in a few more years it won`t look as overlooked. It has decking gravel and grass so it`s a good mixture. I`m bit worried about the rats now!