To take my garden plants with me when I move house?

[Ragnar]

I have loved having a garden to cultivate and build in our garden for the last 3 years but I'm looking at moving soon and wondering; am I being unreasonable to take my plants with me? I've spent a fair amount of money getting flowers and some small trees that I love and would like to take them with me but will the next owners expect them to be there? Can I even move plants without doing them damage?

When we bought our house it had a pretty courtyard garden with lots of flowers, pergola etc etc. When we moved in literally the whole garden had gone as was all not fixed/planted. I was very shocked BUT had I realised/been told it would have been fine. I do think just tell them and take the plants as the new owners may not appreciate them anyway. My FIL recently bought a house with gorgeous garden. He has cut-down all the beautiful trees at the back to make way for a workshop, everything else has 1.5foot high weeds etc. He's not a gardener.

Another vote for tell the buyers. When we moved in we had the garden landscaped and took out all the existing plants apart from one rose bush. So we'd have been fine with the sellers taking anything.

100% regret that I didnt, the bastards have ripped the lot out, my pride and joy and cost many hundreds of pounds for plants. Even though it was the fourth house I've sold I had no idea it was allowed

Plants and trees are something you'd reasonably expect to stay in a property you were buying. Unless the seller said otherwise. So just make it clear at all viewings that you will be taking all that stuff with you. It probably wouldn't be a dealbreaker.

Just dig up and pot anything before viewings, then there is no misunderstanding. I wish I had taken more out of my previous one. I didn't realise tree peonies had become so expensive now and I had some huge amazing ones!

The fittings and contents form has a box to tick for included or not for 'trees, plants and shrubs'.

We took some Rose bushes that had sentimental value, I mentioned it to estate agent and no one minded.

I can't see why you can't do what you like as long as it's clear from the start or as someone else said take them out before any photos are taken and the issue goes away.

I think it might put me off as I don't know anything about gardening and would like it would be a hassle to plant all new ones but it wouldn't be a dealbreaker

Another vote for not unreasonable at all. As long as buyers are made aware at the get go. They're your plants.

If the garden is a particular selling point, then maybe put a bright label on the plants which you intend to take. Let the agent know and remind them to mention it at each set of viewings.

Definitely take what you want and just be up front about it. Bigger shrubs and trees will be really difficult to move though and you can take divisions of perennials - we had half a lorry of plants when we moved and so it got my new garden going!!

I have been dividing and potting up my favourite plants pending a move in the (I hope) near future. You could take cuttings of favourite shrubs too. You could dig up the trees and containerise those too, but it would be a risk. Plants in the garden count as "fixtures" but I suppose if you TELL the buyer you are removing them, it's OK.

be warned you can get sued if you dont declare what you are taking / leaving.

A house we bought they stripped everything and i mean everything from the house and garden (lawn included).

Sold with a newish kicten / bathroom and flooring, we took them to court and we won far more then it would of costed them to leave the fittings (think in the region of8-9k worth of items but cost them close to 20k as they had to replace / pay to fix the damages they caused removing them and for returfing and landscaping the garden

I took anything in a pot and left anything planted. Unless made clear, I think it WBU to dig up planted things and they don't always do well.

You absolutely can take them, but you must note this on the fixtures and fittings part of the contract, first.

The last house we bought the sellers asked to take some rose bushes with them, we liked the garden and it was a plus in the purchase but we didn't mind the odd plant going, we were told before hand though. They took garden furniture that was listed as staying and we got rid of our version of it, we asked them to bring that back. You just need to stick to your inventory agreement.

In the same boat but am not moving quite yet. I'm taking cuttings of my 15 favourite long established roses (some of which have gone from garden to garden through four generations). Would be very sad if newcomers got rid of a prolific quince and medlar and a 20 year old walnut and 3 apple trees but can't move them. I could see a non-garden lover just taking everything down to put to lawn. Comparatively small garden but probably too much to look after.

Just move and pot them now if they can be and let the solicitor/estate agent know. Flag the ones you'd like to take if the new owner doesn't want them.

When we moved 5 years ago i took some special plants with me but did make sure the new owner knew. If you have herbaceous perennials which have matured to form a good sized clump no reason you couldnt lift and divide them and put some in pots to take with you. For larger shrubs you could take cuttings and grow new plants to take with you. Ive done this with philadelphus and roses.

That's one of the reasons why I don't want to move house! We have a beautiful horsechestnut tree in our garden: it's a young tree, 33 years old this autumn, to be exact, and is about 40 feet tall. It grew from a conker planted in a flowerpot by DS in 1984. I will be very sorry to leave it, but I suppose eventually we shall have to.

I would be FURIOUS if I bought a house and found that the owners had dug plants up out of the garden to take with them. Things in pots are fine, but plants out of the borders is not expected. So yes, declare it, and if it were me buying, I'd lower my offer. The cost of rebuilding an established garden is significant.

Start putting your favourite plants into pots before putting the house on the market, and be clear to any potential buyers that you will be taking all pots with you.

I would, not strip it but would take my favourites. Bulbs, etc not in flower I wouldnt bother telling them, as they would be unaware. Anything else I would list and advise was going with me.
I would leave anything likely to be badly affected by moving, eg established roses dont transplant well.
Another option, take a cutting/divide and take a chunk.

Were you renting or selling - no one can tell you what you can and can't take from a house you're selling!!

Of course they can, there are laws about this sort of thing. You can't take fixtures without prior negotiation. You can't take a tree out of the garden anymore than you could remove the toilets and kitchen sink.
You sell the fixtures as part of the house, and they are included unless you state very early on and negotiate to keep them.

Oh and BTW, you can be sued if you do take fixtures with you.