With Nationwide reporting a double-digit rise for house prices last November – up to 10% from 9.9% in October, and Zoopla predicting further increases to house prices, that old saying that it’s ‘better to sell in spring’ seems increasingly redundant.
If you’re itching to get on the market, there’s no need to let winter’s chill put you off. If it’s only your garden that’s holding you back from putting that for sale sign up, here are our handy hints for your very own winter wonderland.
1. Give your garden a ‘winter’ clean
Like with any home makeover job, first things come first. You can’t ‘ice the cake’ until you’ve cracked a few eggs first. Job number one to achieving winter garden perfection is to cover the maintenance aspects. Sweep the leaves up off the patio areas, leaving the ones on the lawn if it is damp (leaf-sprinkled lawns look better than muddy swamps!). If your stonework is looking a little green around the gills, invest in a power washer to help it sparkle like new. Deadhead any straggling plants and remove any invasive weeds – winter is a great time for tackling this task as they are out of growth season.
2. Splash the colour
It’s true, winter isn’t the most bedazzling of seasons for garden colour, but that doesn’t mean you can’t improvise. Check out online companies like Gardening Express, where you can order pre-potted planters to help fill out the bare patches in your garden. Plants and shrubs with bright red berries look great in winter – particularly beneath a dusting of fresh snow. Add some festive cheer to your front entrance with a pair of lollypop holly trees and liven up your patio with a potted Ilex Verticillata – a member of the holly family that loses its leaves in winter to expose masses of bright red berries; perfect for that wow factor.
3. Feed the birds
Even the bleakest of gardens can be uplifted by the sight of a red breasted robin in full-throated song on the wall. The ‘gardener’s friend’, robins love mealworm, seeds and fruit, and like to feed on the ground, so investing in a bird table is one way to attract this festive favourite. An auspicious sign, robins have a long history with folklore and superstition and are said to be a lucky omen.
4. Show Lights and Fire Pits
Twilight can be a truly magical time in the garden; particularly with a few well placed illuminations. Lighting makeovers can fit to all budgets, from tealights in a jam jar to festive fairylights festooned around a tree. Pay particular attention to path lighting and uplighting if there are any feature areas you wish to draw attention to once the sun has set. If you are going on the market in winter, consider showcasing seating areas with a crackling firepit. Snuggle around it toasting marshmallows to give your viewers a taste of what an all-season garden you have!
5. Plant bulbs for spring
Not an instant fix, but excellent preparation for springtime selling. Although it is slightly unconventional in gardening terms to plant bulbs in winter, as long as the ground is soft enough to work over with a fork, you can plant bulbs any time of year. Why not create a carpet of snowdrops and crocuses ready for the spring. Bulbs planted in late January may have smaller blooms, but they’ll still look blooming beautiful!
0 Comments