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Original poster

How important is a garden to you?

133 replies

Nosleepforthismum · 07/08/2023 22:29

Speaking with my BIL recently who is planning to substantially extend his three bed property into his garden which (I think) is quite small anyway leaving enough room for a table, 6 chairs, a shed and a small square of grass and nothing else. I said I’d be careful of extending too much as the garden will then be too small for the size of the house and his response was that most people don’t like gardens as they were too much work and they’d rather have a big house instead.

I’m wondering how many of you agree with this statement? I’m on the opposite end as I adore having a garden and my dream would be a house with a couple of acres of land. Maybe a stream and a huge tree for the kids to build dams and treehouses. A vegetable plot and posh greenhouse to grow our own fruit and veg. Space for a chicken coop and a field big enough to flick a ball for the dog without worrying about it going over the neighbours fence … but maybe I am in the minority! So, how important is a garden to you? Would you sacrifice space outside for space inside?

OP posts:
Fizzadora · 07/08/2023 22:31

Absolutely small house, big garden. I spend hours in mine and it's not nearly big enough.

Imnotmadaboutit · 07/08/2023 22:33

Very important.

I discount the houses on RM that have built ridiculously large extensions leaving a sad postage stamp sized garden.

DaisyThistle · 07/08/2023 22:35

Garden is very important. I agree with you OP that a big house with a tiny garden feels out of proportion

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Hmmph · 07/08/2023 22:36

Very. I'd buy fields if I could.

HarridanHarvestingHeldaBeans · 07/08/2023 22:37

I could live in a tiny, cramped house if it had a big garden with greenhouse and large vegetable patch. The one thing that stops me from moving is the certain knowledge that I couldn't afford the garden I have here if I moved almost anywhere else.

DramaAlpaca · 07/08/2023 22:37

Hugely important to me. I love my large garden and it was a life saver during covid lockdowns.

FishNetz · 07/08/2023 22:38

I’d love 2 acres. A post stamp sized garden would be particularly frustrating

Tawnyowlette · 07/08/2023 22:38

We’d like to downsize but a local builder buys the properties we like before we can, then extends them at the rear which leaves hardly any garden. Perhaps he’s your BiL as he uses the same argument!
To us a decent sized garden is very important.

NancyJoan · 07/08/2023 22:38

I wouldn’t want a house that was out of proportion to the garden, but a three bed house is hardly huge, so a bit of lawn and also space for a six seater table etc sounds fine.

I’m a town mouse, though. I love having a small garden that I can make really special; I would find a large garden a huge responsibility and just another thing to keep in check.

VinEtFromage · 07/08/2023 22:39

You're right, he's wrong!

I'd love what you've described! But even on a much lesser scale, I think a garden is important & need to be in balance with the house.

Hes an idiot, but there are plenty of them about & there's no point in arguing with him.

Hope you're around when he tries to sell & all the viewers are saying 'lively house, but no garden!!'

some posters will disagree, but the majority of people want a garden whether the enjoy or endure the actual gardening.

Missedmytoe · 07/08/2023 22:39

I'm with you, OP.
I'm a very lazy gardener, but would hate to not have one.

Lellochip · 07/08/2023 22:39

I have one, I literally never use it. It's probably less than 6ft wide for most of it, and the neighbours are constantly trekking through the rest. Not sure how I could make it a usable space 🤷🏼‍♀️

BestIsWest · 07/08/2023 22:40

Very. I’d love a bigger garden.

sunshineandshowers40 · 07/08/2023 22:40

A garden is important to me, it doesn't need to be massive but I need one. A big house with a tiny garden doesn't feel right to me.

fullbloom87 · 07/08/2023 22:41

I'd rather have a smaller house and a huge garden. I would happily live in a static caravan on a big plot of land.

sooverthisshit · 07/08/2023 22:41

A garden is important and in an ideal world you have both but we’re in the unfortunate position of needing more space but being unable to more so we will just need to suck it up and lose some garden.

I think until you’re in the situation of just really needing that space you just don’t know.

I’m just speaking for myself though - I don’t know your family members position.

Stickmansmum · 07/08/2023 22:43

I have everything you describe, including chickens and ducks. And it’s fantastic. I never understood it till we started carving out our gardens. They are such a pleasure.

However, some people really are not into that and just want enough space to bbq. I can understand that. A big garden is a lifestyle and all consuming hobby. Other people live other things.

TheUsualChaos · 07/08/2023 22:44

Definitely wouldn't buy if the garden was tiny. We went for a smaller house because the garden it had is huge. But your brother is right, it's not for everyone as it's a lot of work and I daresay plenty of people would be happy with just enough space to sit outside.

DramaticBananas · 07/08/2023 22:45

A big house with a tiny garden brings out the claustrophobia in me. A garden needs to be in proportion to the house. A 3 bed home needs a garden a family can kick a football around in and put up a paddling pool.

Ambi · 07/08/2023 22:49

I love a garden, hate maintaining it though. I need some outside green space that isn't overlooked. The kids get lots of use out of the trampoline and the dog has the freedom of outside space.

Zipps · 07/08/2023 22:51

I like a garden in proportion to the house. I especially wouldn't want a tiny garden space with a big house. I'm a big wildlife encourager with a pond, wildflowers and long grass area, trees,
bird table and bath as well as seating, patio, flower beds and pots. They're so many over extended houses now that I think that's not a garden.

echt · 07/08/2023 22:55

Very. I have garden on all four sides of my house, though I'm working hard to simplify it to cut down on the long term work. I'm in Australia and see so often two houses built onto one plot, with barely any garden at all.

Spendonsend · 07/08/2023 22:59

I love my garden but in reality i dont use it from october to end of march really. I use it loads for 6 months though.

So i guess having room for an eating area and a patch for growing plants would be enough for me. I wouldnt bother with a small lawn. It would be plants. It is useful to gain an indoor space i'd use all year. I've seen some lovely small gardens.

ChurlishGreen · 07/08/2023 23:00

Well, lots of people think as he does, but assuming he will want to sell at some point, he’s significantly limiting himself in terms of potential interest.

fetrer · 07/08/2023 23:12

Most of my homes have been flats with no garden, but we moved into a house with a small garden this year. The previous owners had extended the house so ithe garden is a fair bit smaller than most of the others in the street (and none of them are big).

I do like having a garden but I wouldn't care for a huge one, and yes it's an extra bit of maintenance that I feel you don't get that much benefit from thanks to the weather. Indoor space is far more versatile. Our garden is paved over and we've made it into a play space for our young dc - I think it would be less important with older dc or no kids.