Increasing value of a house by improving the garden

homeless9

Davesnave said:

I agree that the garden is OK for a recent build, and with the advantages you mention I'd rather have it than the basic overlooked square with fence panel views that's typical. I'd also rather have a railway than a road and the associated trees to look at.

Regardless of what slope you achieve, grass will keep it in place and I'm still sure that the evergreens I mentioned elsewhere would hide the fence at the bottom even with ditch conditions at times. Or you could plant a hornbeam hedge, but it will grow tall and go through the fence, as it's done on my patch where a commercial neighbour doesn't look after their side. Made them disappear in 3 years though! You buy small hornbeam bare rooted, online in winter at about £1.50 each. They keep their dead leaves all winter so still act as a screen. Top them out where you like. Mine are 10'.

As for the bank, forget wild flower seeds. They won't do much. Wild flowers are difficult. However as you will probably be strimming the bank, something like ground cover geraniums will stand that a couple of times a year, especially G phaeum and G macrorrhizum, but there are other toughies out there. You start with a few then divide them up and replant. Eventually, you end up with a sheet of them. Other plants that you could try like that would be Iberian comfrey, alchemilla mollis and soapwort.....anything that won't mind being strimmed within an inch of its life now and again! You can always dot a few small shrubs on there too, if you are strimming rather than mowing. I find it hard to kill Viburnum tinus, Berberis darwinii and Hypericum. These are all the sort of things I'll be growing on the bank I'm doing, along with a few buddleia for the butterflies.

Good luck.

I think I'll go for the hornbeam plan you stated above. I'll grow it in front of the metal railing to hide it.

As for the bank, it is coming along gradually. I have reshaped it and I'm about halfway there. I think I can add one 3 foot wide flat 'step'. Once the slope has been reshaped I currently plan to just sow grass seed throughout and I will only mow the 3 foot wide flat 'step', the rest of the slope/ditch will be too steep to mow or even bother strimming so can just be left as long grass.

-Cheap (Just a packet of grass seed needed)
-Garden will have a larger sense of space and be more attractive.
-Soil will be from protected from erosion by the grass.

This may be a stupid question, but anyway..... does turfing have any benefits over grass seeding in terms of protecting soil from erosion? I'd assume not as the grass seed will grow into grass and essentially turn the ground into turf. ?

Davesnave

 I was going to suggest seeding for economy, but forgot. It's fine but takes longer and there may be a few bits that need 2 goes. Obviously, try to avoid drought times. September may be better than now, but it's always a tough call.

twopenny

With all the birds grass seed may be tricky but it is cheap and if you keep at the patches the birds have eaten you'll get there. I'd definitely grass that slope to stabilise it.

I've had 2 gardens that I created, the first was concreted over for a hard standing. The second I'm waiting to see. The trees, including a wonderful Bramley Apple went first thing.

Make somewhere for you, it sounds lovely.

But remember that what most buyers want is trouble free for when they move in. No extra expense. The appearance is something they'll probably change.  So any major 'improvements' that they'll have to spend money on will put buyers off.

When I've been looking I have dismissed without visiting, the decking (one house had to redo the decking for buyers and still it stopped those who wanted a garden), the maintenance free ie covered in paving and gravel, a huge pond, a huge pampas grass, the one that remains on the market is a patio and large driveway of black tarmac despite location and wonderful views. 

homeless9

One thing that may put off buyers is that the slope would not be good for anyone to fall down. I am making it so there is a 'step' / ledge will make it a little bit safer to fall down + giving it a cushion by adding turf. But I'd probably need to think of some way of preventing people falling down there.

If I had a young child I would not want them out in the garden as the slope is a danger. An older person may be put off also.

Options.... a fence / railing. These seem to be pretty expensive. Large box planters. Again these seem to be pretty expensive. 3 or 4 foot tall bushes/shrubs may work.

Farway

I cna understand an older person not wanting a slope, but young children?

Thinking back to my childhood rolling / running down slopes was one of the things to do, comes complete with grazed knees and bruises

Of course children do not buy houses so you may well be right

phoebe1989seb

Farway said:

I cna understand an older person not wanting a slope, but young children?

Thinking back to my childhood rolling / running down slopes was one of the things to do, comes complete with grazed knees and bruises

Of course children do not buy houses so you may well be right

I agree - we have a fairly steeply sloped leat on our land from when our property used to be a mill and when our DGD is old enough we think it'll be a popular place for her to play 😉 It wouldn't for one moment strike me as a dangerous feature of the garden......

Davesnave

At the school where I worked for a long time there was a short slope at the car park where parents would congregate. It was probably steeper than yours and simply protected at the top with lonicera bushes. Of course, over the years, little kids pushed gaps between the bushes and either ran or bottom-slid down the slope 'supervised' by their 'attentive' gossiping parents. A few used to fall down the slope as well, especially toddlers.

I don't remember anyone coming to serious harm. It's a fact that kids are tougher than most adults think they are!

homeless9

I don't think you realise how steep the slope is. The photos do not show how steep it is. One end isn't too steep, but the other end, if a toddler fell down there they would fall at speed, tumbling, nothing stopping them, 7 feet to the bottom.

I am of course giving the slope a 2 to 3 foot wide step/ledge halfway down and it will be grassed..... I will see how I feel about it once it has the cushioning grass and a ledge which can slow down a fall in place.

Davesnave

homeless9 said:

I don't think you realise how steep the slope is. The photos do not show how steep it is. One end isn't too steep, but the other end, if a toddler fell down there they would fall at speed, tumbling, nothing stopping them, 7 feet to the bottom.

I am of course giving the slope a 2 to 3 foot wide step/ledge halfway down and it will be grassed..... I will see how I feel about it once it has the cushioning grass and a ledge which can slow down a fall in place.

The answer is still the same. Strategic shrubs planted at the top are easier and maybe cheaper than fences, but either is OK. You don't need to trim a post & rail fence annually though!

Does your house come with stairs? Same problem!