Achtung, your situation is a comparatively rare one, so I can absolutely understand why effect on property value is uppermost in your mind. From a purchaser perspective, a nicely maintained frontage and sufficient parking would be uppermost in my mind in those initial moments of viewing a property. I think our place fits both requirements so it doesn't need to be one or the other.
Achtung, your situation is a comparatively rare one,
Is it? I suppose that's what I was wanting to know when I started this thread. How lovely it would be to just garden in a carefree fashion with no extenuating circumstances but I dont believe that I'm that rare a species or am I? That's my point.
I think your position is unusual in that it affects how you garden. The bulk of the value of a house/garden is down to its location, size and overall level of maintenance. There’s a bit of an add-on for extra features like a swimming pool, but its peripheral. So as long as your gardening isn’t so quirky to make it unusable by anyone apart from you and is well maintained then I would just try to enjoy it.
The marketing of a house may feature mature landscaped gardens, in the same way they harpon about designer kitchens. But if the prospective buyer doesn't like it then it makes no difference whatsoever.
(One house we bought many years back we actually knocked off money because the sellers had put in a new bathroom that we hated, so would want to redo it. At that point it was a buyers market, so they were prepared to negotiate. But the end result was that what they thought was a great addition to the house turned out not to be)
We bought our house nearly three years ago with a garden that had nothing but a mature apple tree...which was exciting to have a blank canvas we could fill in. I'd think it appeals to more buyers...we even have a fence, now
Totally understand where @Achtung is coming from...if it came to selling the house to find his wife's care, you'd want a quick sale and near or over the asking price. You'd be silly to make a big personal statement (lots of sculptures and permanent decorations) or leave it hideously overgrown to give a reason for a buyer to make a low offer.
Most of us are gardening as we please, as long as we own it. But think of the many that rent and still garden. I remember spending a bit of money and effort to make a nice little sweet garden in the first house I shared with my partner...only the owner to throw us out at short notice since he liked what we did and wanted his mum to move in!
I have always gardened for myself I had and created what I and my family wanted and that changed over the years as the children grew and eventually left home we went from lawns for football and cricket to large boarders etc.
We now live in a large flat with sea views and a large terrace area that is how we want it and works for us olive trees and palms for shade, grasses and bamboos for screening / movement, and at this time of year scented Pelargoniums in terracotta pot's go out to give some colour.
"You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
I garden mostly for myself but when we did a major and very expensive landscaping operation, although we were doing it for ourselves we did think about whether some of the cost might be justified by increasing the property value.
When we sold our previous house, which had what I thought was a well planned and maintained garden, the buyer said to me "don't worry, we're enthusiastic gardeners and looking for a house with a big garden. We'll really enjoy getting the garden back under control". I felt very disheartened!
I agree with you Achtung. I live in an area which is desirable to families with young children [good schools, good commuter links etc] and I therefore garden with resale value in mind as well as having soemthing I enjoy. I have altered the garden considerably in the six years I've been here, as it was largely gravel and paving, but have always kept in mind that the most likely scenario is that a couple with a young child/children are the most likely future purchasers. That means my house is valuable, to them as well as to myself, and it would be silly to shoot myself in the foot by making it hard to maintain, as most young people are too busy to garden, or haven't got gardening high on their list of priorities. Most of my planting takes care of itself. I'm not very sentimental about gardens anyway. If they want to pave over the whole thing - that's their choice. It will be their property, not mine. I have no fear of starting again with a blank canvas either. Once I've built something, I tend to lose interest in it anyway, and like a new project.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I suppose if you had a garden designed by Diarmuid Gavin, you might have to find a discerning buyer.
Yes, his designs are somewhat quirky
Now you have explained, I understand your concerns, Achtung, but you are probably worrying unnecessarily. Unless your gardening tastes lean toward the bizarre (do they?) I think you should give yourself a break and indulge in the freedom to garden how you want and that you and your wife will enjoy.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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The marketing of a house may feature mature landscaped gardens, in the same way they harpon about designer kitchens. But if the prospective buyer doesn't like it then it makes no difference whatsoever.
(One house we bought many years back we actually knocked off money because the sellers had put in a new bathroom that we hated, so would want to redo it. At that point it was a buyers market, so they were prepared to negotiate. But the end result was that what they thought was a great addition to the house turned out not to be)
Totally understand where @Achtung is coming from...if it came to selling the house to find his wife's care, you'd want a quick sale and near or over the asking price. You'd be silly to make a big personal statement (lots of sculptures and permanent decorations) or leave it hideously overgrown to give a reason for a buyer to make a low offer.
Most of us are gardening as we please, as long as we own it. But think of the many that rent and still garden. I remember spending a bit of money and effort to make a nice little sweet garden in the first house I shared with my partner...only the owner to throw us out at short notice since he liked what we did and wanted his mum to move in!
We now live in a large flat with sea views and a large terrace area that is how we want it and works for us olive trees and palms for shade, grasses and bamboos for screening / movement, and at this time of year scented Pelargoniums in terracotta pot's go out to give some colour.
"You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
When we sold our previous house, which had what I thought was a well planned and maintained garden, the buyer said to me "don't worry, we're enthusiastic gardeners and looking for a house with a big garden. We'll really enjoy getting the garden back under control". I felt very disheartened!
I have altered the garden considerably in the six years I've been here, as it was largely gravel and paving, but have always kept in mind that the most likely scenario is that a couple with a young child/children are the most likely future purchasers. That means my house is valuable, to them as well as to myself, and it would be silly to shoot myself in the foot by making it hard to maintain, as most young people are too busy to garden, or haven't got gardening high on their list of priorities. Most of my planting takes care of itself.
I'm not very sentimental about gardens anyway. If they want to pave over the whole thing - that's their choice. It will be their property, not mine.
I have no fear of starting again with a blank canvas either. Once I've built something, I tend to lose interest in it anyway, and like a new project.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Now you have explained, I understand your concerns, Achtung, but you are probably worrying unnecessarily. Unless your gardening tastes lean toward the bizarre (do they?) I think you should give yourself a break and indulge in the freedom to garden how you want and that you and your wife will enjoy.