Money Moral Dilemma: Should I take my garden plants to my new home?

G_M

Can't you just see the post on here in a couple of months?

"I have just moved into my new dream house. I looked at dozens of properties but decided on this one as it ticked all my boxes. Including having a beautiful garden. I thought I could just move in and enjoy the summer and my kids could play on the lawn surrounded by the establised blooms.

The bl**d* sellers have taken the lot! Is this normal? They have dug up every plant and just left bare earth! This is not the house & garden I wanted, and expected to have.

What can I do?"

DaftyDuck

This is a dilemma I regularly face,as I'm a keen gardener, and frequently move house - every 3 -5 years for the last 20, pretty much.

So, I always plan well ahead, pretty much a year ahead. I start taking cuttings, dividing perennials, collecting seed from those that breed true. I ignore those that are cheap and easy to buy (unless they have personal memories). I make sure cuttings are well-rooted, and in decent-sized pots, and shift them to a corner of the garden. Everything gets labelled and set in trays for transport. I either use another garden I own, or an allotment, or a very understanding friend.

Last move, there were over 600 pots of plants, so it's no minor job. That worked out at about four Luton van-loads (I do the plant move myself: house is removed for me), probably over £10,000-worth of plants, allowing for the larger ones that are in pots anyway. So, given the scale of the savings, I'd certainly repeat the process. I "do" the gardens (and houses) up when I move, so a large range of plants is essential, and saves a fortune.

However... BIG however. By the time the house goes on the market, the plants that are going are gone. Removing plants after viewing - certainly after exchange, and certainly without telling the prospective owner, that's something I'd never do. Personally, I wouldn't remove any plant at this stage, but I doubt many vendors would take that stance.

So, you could, I suppose, have a line in the Estate Agent's details stating "garden plants to be removed, and are not included in the sale", but I'd imagine you'd probably find any offers made would be reduced accordingly. You could negotiate with any potential buyer personally (my last buyer was no gardener, and had no interest in the rather fabulous garden I left - and I wish I'd asked her, and taken more).

Or, you could start taking cuttings, and now (and the next few months ) are ideal times for many shrubs.

Personally, unless there is plenty of time before sale, I'd leave the plants. More moral, less money saved, but no dilemma.

Money_maker

Plants costing £7-£9 will be pretty run of the mill, available anywhere. Easy to replace. Pick out a few special ones and just take those.

As a gardener, I see a fresh garden as a new slate and the opportunity to create a new masterpiece. Not recreate the garden I left behind.

globalds

I just want to take this little sapling ..

AndyT678

I'd expect anything in a pot to go but If I viewed a house with a nice garden I'd base my offer on that and expect anything in the ground to remain. You can do it of course but be up front at the viewing stage so that people know what they're buying.

I did take one rose from my last house as it was a present but I went to the garden centre and replaced it with a new one.

bouicca21

I can't imagine taking an entire garden! Different soil, different orientation, different size, and some plants will die - so much better to watch the garden over a season or two and plan anew. I have however put on the fittings form that some plants will go. I have chosen ones I am fond of, not necessarily the ones that would be most expensive to replace.

It does upset me that the new owners will probably wreck the garden. It upsets me even more to know that their plans for the house involve wrecking all its most attractive period features. But it is not going to be my place any more is it?

kinger101

Once the plants are in the soil, their root systems would have developed, and it's likely that many of them will not enjoy being transplanted. Unless you know they have a compact root system, moving plants makes about as much sense as moving wallpaper.

silvercar

As a seller, I would take pot plants only.

As a buyer I would expect plants in the ground to be left unless specifically mentioned. The only time I would think it acceptable to remove a grounded plant would be if it had been planted in memory of someone.

Sooler

MSE_Darryl wrote: »

Here's this week's situation for you to cogitate on:

Is this one 'hypothetical' ? :think:

Sooler

Dig them up before you put the house on the market.